An Announcement!

So my number 7 is a big announcement for us... we are ADOPTING!!!! We are SO excited about this new chapter of our lives and are very excited to tell you all about it!

We've been thinking about adopting actually since I was pregnant with Jackson. I think I always have entertained the thought of adoption, but actually started thinking about it seriously when Jackson was little. I started talking about it and Ryan was actually interested too, so we started to slowly explore the different programs and agencies, but didn't seriously start looking at things until last spring, so almost a year ago. We went to an informational meeting and were still very interested but we realized with Jackson being so young it would be better to wait awhile. So this fall was when we really started seriously looking and praying about it.

We looked around at all of our different options and finally decided on adopting internationally from China!! We will be adopting a girl (I'm already excited for bows :)). We are using Dillon International for our agency and so far have had a really good experience with them. (I wanted to share our agency because that is something that I searched blog after blog for recommendations!)

So far the timeline is probably going to be about 1 1/2 - 3 years-anywhere in there. We have already filled out application 2 (which is a VERY lengthly application with lots and lots of documentation, references, autobiographies, etc...) and that has been accepted. The next step was attending an international adoption seminar which was so helpful. The best part was we met probably 7 other couples who are adopting through Dillon and are at the same stage that we are. I hope we can stay in contact with them because it's so helpful knowing other people who are adopting! Then we paid our first major fee and so the next step is our home study. We have to have four home studies over at least a 30 day period as per China's requirements. Our first one is actually scheduled for this Thursday!! (So please pray for me, it's an individual one with just me!) Once our home study is complete we fill out more legal paperwork called our dossier. Once that is complete, we are on the list! That means we are offically waiting for our referral.

Phew! Lots of details but the people I've already shared this with have been asking about specifics so I thought it would be good just to lay it all out here. Please email if you have any questions! I'll periodically update on how things are going just in case anyone is curious...just know it will most likely be a long process! We are just so excited to become a family of five!


Speaking of five, my oldest baby just turned 5 yesterday...how is that possible?!? We had his party on Saturday so I'll post pictures soon.

An Award!

Joanna from http://craftynester.com gave me this fun award! You should check our her blog-she does all kinds of fun crafts and projects for her house, and also has an adorable little girl she calls Little M. (hopefully the link above works to take you to her blog, I'm not exactly skilled at that kind of stuff!)

The rules of the award are:
To thank the person who gave you the award
List 7 things people may not know about you
Pass on the award to 15 or so people

I was having a hard time thinking of seven things when I then realized that I don't write much about myself on the blog, mostly the kids! Since the majority of people who read this know me personally, you probably will know much of what I share, but that's ok! :)

So, here we go...

1. I have a twin sister and we were born on my twin aunt and uncle's birthday! It was always a hope of mine that I would have twins, also on our birthday. Hasn't happened...yet. he he

2. I am a dessertaholic. Is that a word? I LOVE all kinds of dessert. I remember in college making peanut butter butterscotch rice krispy treats with friends and we would eat the entire batch right then and there. (do my college friends remember this?) I gave up desserts for lent and this year I'm doing it for the right reasons, so hopefully I'll be able to stick with it.

3. I am not a sports fan, not at all. When KState was in bowl game we had people over and I didn't even watch. I'm trying to get more into it because Ryan loves sports, and I now have two boys who love sports! It helps that they are starting to play-I definitely love watching them!

4. I LOVE to read. I read while brushing my teeth, sometimes while making meals, etc.. If it's an especially good book I'll stay up and read it until I'm finished. I feel kind of lost if I have finished my books and don't have a new one lined up to read.

5. (This is along the same lines but I wanted to make sure I'd hit 7 things :) I have been keeping a book list of the books I've read since I was in the 9th grade. In case people are curious, not counting re-reading I've read 899 books. My mom has kept a list since she was I believe in 9th grade (which is where I got the idea), and there are 1,000s on that list!

**Side note, I was reading these to Ryan and he said "don't put that, it makes you sound geeky" He's so funny. Maybe he said this because I could probably count the amount of books he's read in his lifetime on two hands! :) I'm working on him!

6. I'm still not on facebook! I have no desire to get on it and I don't know if I ever will. But I love to read blogs! The one negative to no facebook means I can't get a pinterest account. That might eventually force me to join facebook, but it hasn't yet.

7... this is a suprise for my next blog post :)

Thanks for the award Joanna, and I'll be letting you special 15 know soon!

Valentine's Day

We had a fun Valentine's Day! Cooper's PK had a party so I'll have to post pictures of that soon. That afternoon the weather was beautiful so we went outside to take a few pictures and play.

All you need is love! :)

I thought it would be fun to have them pose with the wreath.

They thought that was funny!

My sweet boys!
We read a book about sign language and Cooper learned how to say "I love you!"

What a wonderful shirt huh?

Cooper loves climbing this tree.

This was Ryan's Valentine present for me. Aren't they so cute? They're the boys' birthdates. I didn't even hint for these so that was the best present!!

For dinner the boys and I made heart pizza.

We also had strawberry floats. Yum.

Ryan also got me flowers.

Jackson with his float!

I've had this chocolate fountain since we got married and I rarely use it, so I thought it would be a fun Valentine tradition! It probably will only be on v-day that we use it since it was a PAIN to clean. The boys loved it though. Unfortunately Ryan ended up having to work later than normal so we had to eat dinner without him and start the fountain. Lucky for him there was still some chocolate left, we went to town on it!

Look at this mess!

He's even more impressive.

I wanted Ryan to be there so the next morning we had our annual "heart hunt." Just a few clues on hearts that lead to a small present.

This was Jackson's first time to really get it so he had fun finding the hearts.

Ryan and the kids with their presents before he went to work.

I hope everyone else had a great Valentine's Day!

Disney World!

A few weeks ago we went to Disney World. We had SUCH a good time! My parents took my sister and I and our kids for their birthdays. The guys stayed home to work, poor guys. Although they had a mini vacation as well having the houses to themselves! :) I took my little camera which doesn't take very good pictures, so I missed lots of stuff and just had Laura take pictures. So check our her blog for more cute pics, including how my parents told the kids we were going! Hers is in my sidebar, TLEB blog.

So above are the boys on the airplane...ready to go at after waking up at 4:30am!!

The first day we arrived it was pretty chilly. Better than being hot though! Here's Jackson on the tea cups! J, mom and I were in the "slow cup."

I loved all of their sculptures.

The only day Jackson fell asleep for me while we were at the park. The rest of the time we just powered through. (Which made for a few more fits than usual :))

The second day we were there we got to go into the park early to have breakfast in Cinderella castle. The boys came this year and loved it. They were knights.

We had GORGEOUS weather the entire trip. Not a drop of rain until we were leaving.

Here's Cooper in the cinderella breakfast. One of the princesses kissed his cheek and he was so proud.

My knights with a knight!

One of the cast members had a sword fight with the boys. They loved it!

Trying to pull out the sword in the stone.

Look how hard Jackson is working!

We tried on a few mickey hats while E was shopping.

We spent the majority of our time at Magic Kingdom, but one day we went to Planet Hollywood. We were able to play in the Honey I Shrunk The Kids playground. Oh my they loved it. It was fun for them to just run around and play instead of standing in line. I thought it was so fun too how they made everything look so big so you felt small. Of course with this camera I didn't get any good pictures of it all but hopefully Laura did.

Walking to a show in Hollywood Studios, you felt like you were in New York!

All the kids rode in stollers most of the time so we knew they were safe, plus didn't get tired out. Cooper and Ben wanted to hold hands whenever they were in strollers! They are two peas in a pod!

Cooper waiting to watch a parade at Hollywood.

We stayed at the Grand Floridian like last year and went to play on the pretty beach again.

One other character breakfast we did was at the Contemporary resort with Mickey, Minnie, etc... Jackson was in heaven since he sleeps with 4 Mickeys. (Seriously, 4, and two of them are really big!) Of course I didn't get pictures of the kids with the characters, but Laura did.

One of Cooper's favorite rides was the people mover. He actually rode Space Mountain and Tower of Terror this year! I didn't really want him to ride them because I thought he would be scared, and... I was right! The worst part about Space Mountain was I couldn't sit by him, people sit in one long line. So right when we stopped I asked him if he was ok and if he liked it, and all I could hear was him crying :(. Poor baby. But Elizabeth and Ben were going to try it so he really wanted to. Elizabeth LOVED them both. So maybe in a few years Cooper would like it! Anyway, he liked the people mover because it takes you through the Space Mountain, but very slowly. So he felt like he was doing space mountain, but it wasn't scary!

I love the "cheese" Jackson is saying! :)

Here's Jackson on the boys' FAVORITE ride. The Buzz Lightyear ride at Magic Kingdom. I have no pictures of Cooper on any rides because guess who he wanted to sit next to every single time. His cousin Ben! So J and I were together for pretty much every ride.

There's Ben and Cooper on the favorite ride, and Laura and dad in front of them.

Held captive with Evil Emperor Zurg!

We tried out the race car ride this year, with Jackson driving! I tried helping as much as I could but he is so independent, he kept batting my hand away.

Dad and Ben were behind us.

I was able to ride with the boys on the "fast" teacup one time. They like it fast!

I made my boys pose for me, not the best pic but I love their shirts!

By the magic carpet ride there's a camel that spits water. The boys stood and got soaked by it!

On the last day we went back to Planet Hollywood because we really wanted to ride the Buzz ride here. The day we went to PH the first time Buzz was broken. So we went back to the playground one more time.

I made them pose so I could get a few pictures of the playground.

Waiting for the bus to take us to the airport. It started to rain as we were waiting! A WONDERFUL trip, thank you thank you Mom and Dad!