Oliver and Gabes' party

Thanks to all the family and friends who celebrated with us.

This kid

I wrote our adoption testimony tonight. The deadline for the Shoahannah's Hope yearbook is tomorrow. Of course I waited until the last minute to try and articulate our story. I wasn't sure how to condense it all into 3 paragraphs and 2 pictures. Writing it out refreshed my memory as to what a little miracle he is. I was reminded of how we know with absolute certainty that God called us to adopt from Korea. I fought it sometimes. Wasn't the need greater in China? Aren't the fees less in Africa? None of that changed the fact that our son was in Korea.
I wish I could write one of those great testimonies about how our child came home and fit right in and never had any problems. But I can't. I think that parenting him is the hardest thing I've ever been called to do. There is no guidebook. I'm his 4th mom. He was passed from birth mom to foster mom to other foster mom and then to me. He will be two in a few weeks. Insecurities abound in his little heart. Anger spews from him. Nightmares plague him. We pray for him and over him and with him. I know that God has something special for his life. I know because this whole adoption was God's doing. I can't wait to see what He has planned for Oliver Scott Burch. I know it's gonna be amazing.

lots of pictures

Mandy grew a huge zucchini and Dana taught us how to fry it. So good.

How many swat team members do you know who can make the olympic rings out of jello and fruit pizza? Seriously, what can't Holly do?



redneck waterslide

Lucy telling us what she bought with her tickets at Incredible Pizza.

today

Soooo.... JV lake day is on Sunday and I was to shop for all the necessary food and such today. I start to load the kids in the car after lunch so we can make our way to wally world. I had already shut our front door, which locks automatically when it is shut, when I realize I can't find my keys in the diaper bag. The kids and I wait in the front yard for Matt to show up with his house key. Maggie steps in dog poop at this point. Matt (and his parents, and his sister, and his niece) pull up. He lets me in the house and I look around and can't find my keys anywhere. He then remembers where he had left them the night before...in the console of our van. We finally get on our way. I meet Crystal at Wal-Mart and it takes us a good while to fill our carts up with all the stuff that is needed to feed and water 50 middle schoolers for an entire day. Going grocery shopping with a whole bunch of kids in tow is always a good time. Especially when you are buying so much stuff that there is no room left in the cart for them to ride. Fun times. We finally check out and load up our cars. As I am pulling out of the parking lot, Cory calls. "You haven't bought all the food for lake day yet, have you?" Turns out it looks like lake day is probably going to be canceled because of storms so now we get to return all of the groceries. How funny is that!??

On a more positive note....on our way home from the store, we stopped at Ms. Tween's to preview her invitations and Daisy decided she wanted to stay for awhile. When she was returned to me she was wearing a new zutano outfit, playing with a new toy, and sporting her first tooth.

the best 10 days of the year