Well, I doubt anyone has visited this sight lately, since it has been almost a year since I last posted! YIKES! So much for keeping everyone updated! I can't even begin to sum up the events of the last year! I read through a couple of the last posts and realize how some things can change so drastically and then some things never change!

Bright Beginnings has had more success than I ever could have imagined and in so many ways I never could have realized. It has been so much hard work, but I have not regretted any of the time and energy, because working and living for God doesn't stress me out like any ordinary job. It is so rewarding, so inspiring, and so much fun to do what I do! I wish I had time to write about each little child that has been a student in our first year and the blessing they are! Not only are they so smart and well-behaved, but they have learned so much about the Lord. I listen to them pray, recite verses, sing songs, retell Bible stories, and much more during Bible Time and I am amazed! These kids are going to change the world! Their lights for Jesus are shining so brightly. I can honestly say that our goals were accomplished this first year beyond our wildest dreams!

Ryleigh is finishing up 2nd grade and it has been her best year yet. She loves Mrs. Bechtel and has done so well. She loves reading and has been motivated to read, read, read with the AR program. She has been learning some "bad" stuff, too, from some of the kids who apparently get to watch every movie and tv show that they want! We have tried to use these "teachable" moments on a positive way about what not to say, do, etc. My proudest moment of the year with Ry is when she accepted Jesus into her heart and was baptized in February. A very emotional time! Her basketball team did great and she even had a game where she made a free-throw with 11 seconds left to win the game! She and I have our fighting moments and she has a way of trying my patience, but she is still a sweet, smart, precious daughter!

Reagan is growing so fast and I cannot believe she will be in Pre-K in the fall! She is so talented- she loves gymnastics and is REALLY good! She is very smart and can print her name so perfectly I can hardly tell the difference between her writing and Ryleigh's! She loves to sing and interupt her sister (which goes over really well!). She talks about baby Reese a lot and I think she is going to love going to China. We have had some very heartfelt and emotional conversations about her China mommy and how she became a part of our family. She can name the first 6 elements on the Periodic table and tell what they are used for! Daddy couldn't be happier about that! What a blessing she is in our lives.

God really worked things out for Tim this year and I am so proud of how much he has grown closer to God through the ups and downs of his job. He took over the Youth group at church and has done such a fantastic job with them. Although the Science dept. head fiasco was a very difficult (and eye opening) experience, he could have never done this work with the youth if he had that responsibility. God is awesome! We may have lost some friends through that (which is sad and disappointing) but he certainly gained a great deal and his reward will be in heaven!

We hosted a small group at our house this year, too, and have really enjoyed it. We have learned so much and grown so much spiritually. Since we both teach on Sunday mornings, it was nice to have a bible study to do together. We have made some great friends and are so thankful for their love and support.

We have a super busy summer planned, but I am excited to enjoy some time off! It will be good to reflect on the year in more detail soon!

*** A note to Reese: we have passed the two year wait and there seems to be no end in sight. We wonder all the time about you and when we will get to meet you. Your sisters love you so much and already argue over who will sit by you and feed you and tuck you in! I hope they let me have a turn! As we wait for you, sweet baby, we grow in Christ and try to be the kind of family you deserve. I sit in your room sometimes and pray for your birth parents and the heartache that have yet to face that will ultimately become a blessing for us. I thank God for the gift of you that will soon be given to us. Until then, we wait...

Summer Blast-Off

Wow- the Summer Blast Off was a huge success even though it did rain off and on. We had tons of preschool families mingling with our church family and it seemed like everyone had a great time! The kids LOVED the new playground to say the least! It's going to be a popular place for years to come! God continues to bless Bright Beginnings at SHCC and I am truly so grateful!
I think I did okay talking on the radio, but I guess I will never know for sure! A few too many "ums" I am certain, but I think I answered the questions and got the right information out there!

I didn't mention this last time (I don't think)... but my heart is still breaking for the Steven Curtis Chapman family. Their youngest daughter was killed in a tragic accident in their driveway. I love SCC's music and his passion for the Lord. But my real connection to him is China adoption. Little Maria was one of three precious daughters from China. This kind of tragedy is sad, but I think as an adoptive parent, you just feel like it is even more heartbreaking. My prayer is that the family will continue to seek comfort from God, who is the only one who can ease the pain caused by something so terrible. I cry every time I hear the Cinderella song that SCC sings. I will be hugging both of my girls much closer every night. This is a reminder that bad things happen to the best people and life can be taken away in a matter of seconds. Thank God that Maria Sue Chapman got to spend her short life being loved and cared for by such a wonderful Christian family. I am sure this little angel is dancing with Jesus now.

I think it is my last day of babysitting today. Lindsey didn't show up this morning. I am assuming that Nick is being born today and that they just forgot to call me. So, our last day together and she didn't even come! But Justin and Madison are here and I have been a bit sad all day. Justin is such a sweet boy and he and Reagan love eachother so much! He has always been a perfect child for me and I can't imagine how hard it will be to say good-bye later this afternoon. I am still praying that his mommy and daddy will bring him to Bright Beginnings, but as of now, it's not the plan. I hope we keep in touch, they are a special family. If my other babysitting families are any indication, though, we won't. Sadly, once I am done, it seems people move on. Maybe they don't realize how close I become to their children and what a bond we all have. I guess this is the one downside to the preschool. My old life at home babysitting is over- I am happy, but today it is bittersweet. (Ask me tomorrow when I get to sleep in and have the whole day with just my family!!!!!!)

I am getting things ready for our trip to Wisconsin. It's always so much fun to pack!

Praying for cheaper gas and well-behaved kids in the car!

OOPS! I missed a week!

Well, things are just too busy around here! I missed my thankful Thursday last week, but that doesn't mean I am not thankful for anything, because I sure am! So, here's the list for the last 2 weeks!

1. Girls Night Out- last Friday was a super fun time with the girls, going shopping at the lake and eating at Dominico's. I laugh so much with these friends that I almost pee my pants! It is so refreshing to be able to be yourself and talk and laugh! Knowing these woman are all Christians, too, is so nice. They pray for you when you are down and celebrate with you when good things happen! GNO keep me sane! I LOVE it! Thanks to Stacy, Erin, Jill, and Tonia for being such great friends! I am so thankful to have you in my life.

2. Thankful that Erin didn't get a ticket even though we got pulled over on our way home from GNO! I could go into the details of the creepy cop, but there's no need...

3. Christian teachers- we got to visit Maplecrest (where Ryleigh will go for 2nd and 3rd grade) and it was quite a shock. It is an old building with the same smell as my elementary schools! But there are some great teachers with Christian morals and values, so I think we will be okay! I am way more nervous than Ryleigh is!

4. Summer is almost here! I will be done babysitting in the next week. What a relief! I am thankful for the chance I have had to care for Justin and Lindsey, but it is getting really hard to entertain them and work at preschool. Things will be much simpler around here when I am not waiting on kids to get here or kids to get picked up or kids to nap, etc. etc. etc. I have never had time with just my girls and I am so looking forward to this summer!

Well, that's a short list, but I do have a million things to do today! Our Summer Blast-Off/Ribbon Cutting for the playground is Saturday and for some reason I am doing most of the work for it. I don't mind, but as soon as I found out the radio was coming to broadcast live, I knew I had to really do a good job getting ready! I am praying the weather cooperates and that we have enough food for everyone!

In one week I will be leaving with my kids to go to Wisconsin for a few days. We are going with my mom, sister, sister-in-law, 3 nieces, and one nephew (poor Ben!) to visit my grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins. I am so excited to get away and see everyone! We get to meet my cousin Travis' fiancee, Katie. She is beautiful in the pictures we have seen and we look forward to getting to know her! Pray for safety on this trip and that we can afford the gas there and back. It's ridiculous, isn't it?

Have a great Thursday!

Another Thankful Thursday

Well, the week has flown by and it's time again to focus on what I am thankful for! Very appropriate for me to do today since it's raining and cold and I am grouchy!

1. Praise and Worship music- I haven't always listened to Christian radio, but recently I decided that I can't listen to "regular" radio because it is not appropriate for my kids (a lot of it anyway). Now I absolutely LOVE listening to Christian music! My favorite song now is Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) and I got the CD for Mother's Day!

2. Lenita- the secretary at church. She has been one of my biggest supporters and helpers with the preschool. She is such an awesome person and I love working with her. She has been there through the hard times and pulled me through with her honesty, compassion, and knowledge. I love her!

3. The Wednesday night KID-MO group at church that I have worked with for 3 years. They did a Bike-A-Thon last night and raised around $900 for Bright Beginnings at SHCC!!!!! My children are blessed to have this group of kids to call their friends! They are a blessing to me, as well.

4. Safety from natural disasters. There is so much going on in the world with earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, etc. and I am so lucky to be safe and sound with my family. My prayers go out to the people suffering now, especially the children of China because they hold a special place in my heart, for obvious reasons!

5. Ryleigh learning to ride a bike! Tim and I thought this day would never, ever come! But, a few of the other parents and grandparents at church helped her last night and she finally did it! I was so proud of her. She even wrecked a few times and got up and rode again (after a few tears and bandaids!).

6. All of the friends and colleagues that have been so supportive of Tim during this time of uncertainty with his job. So many people have called and emailed and talked to both of us about how appalled they are about how he is being treated and how wonderful he is as a teacher and leader in the school. These kinds of sincere comments are what is making this nightmare tollerable. He still has not heard and answer and none of the science openings have been filled as of this week's school board meeting. Kind of late in the game to be finding good teachers, but what do I know?

7. Spring weather- hoping the forecast is correct and we will be feeling the 80's this weekend!! I love spring!

8. The motivation to get up and exercise in the morning. I still have it and am enjoying the feeling of doing something good for myself first thing of the day. I am too chicken to weigh to see if I have lost anymore, even though I can tell I have. I think I will just weigh once a month or so for now. I do not want to be discouraged because that has happened before and it's the beginning of the end if I feel like it is not worth it because of the number on the scale. I am sure most people don't understand my struggle, but I am slowly coming to terms with it and trying to prevent those negative things!

9. The tv show Criminal Minds- one of my favorite weekly events is watching this with Tim after church on Wednesday nights. We both love it and it's a great feeling to snuggle and watch a show that is so different and new every week. There's no stupid twists or corny story lines. I love all the characters and truly enjoy each episode, even though it is a bit graphic sometimes. In my opinion it blows all the CSI shows out of the water.

10. Reagan's expanding vocabulary. All of a sudden she is saying the most grown up things and expressing herself so well! She has been so funny lately and can come up with the most hilarious come-backs! She is becoming a real thinker, too and can try to reason her way out of all her mischief! How lucky am I to be her mom????

Have a great weekend! Only 10 days of school left! HOORAY!

Thankful Thursday

Okay, I know a few people who do this kind of post every Thursday and decided that it is a really great idea to focus on what I am thankful for! So here goes...

I am thankful for...
1. My Lord and Savior, for loving and forgiving me, even when I don't deserve it.
2. Losing 12 pounds, so far!!!
3. Other people's blogs that entertain me and help me see things from other points of view.
4. My husband, who works so hard for our family.
5. Ryleigh, who keeps my mind functioning with all her questions (that are getting tougher!).
6. Reagan, who is so happy and full of energy.
7. Reese's birth parents, who may have already made the decision to bring her into this world.
8. The feeling of clean sheets-I am washing them and love the feel of climbing into a clean bed!
9. My mom, who made me the person I am today!
10. My church family, who is full of people who have made a lifelong impact on my life as a mom, wife, friend, and Christian.


It feels good to focus on positive things for a change!

We had a great weekend in Kansas City. It was emotional for me to watch my uncle remarry (my aunt died 2 years ago), but I know that he is happy and that life must go on. I think it just makes it so final that Nancy is gone. I am glad we went to show Alan our love and support. The girls were so incredibly well-behaved, too! They were the only kids there and the reception was fancy and looooooong, but they both acted so sweet and nice! I was very proud of them both! They had a blast swimming in the hotel pool! Reagan is such a natural in the water and Ryleigh is completely over being scared. It was fun to have the whole pool to ourselves Sunday morning to just play and relax. It was good to get away from the whole school mess with Tim (still nothing has been decided, I guess it takes awhile to figure out exactly where to place the knife in someone's back). We visited a place called Deanna Rose Farmstead on Saturday. It was a lot like Grant's Farm and equally fun! The girls liked seeing all the animals and it was a beautiful day to walk around the gardens. Reagan was a little grouchy because she was tired, but she still enjoyed it! My nieces and nephew were all there, too, so it was fun to be together!

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! To me, there is nothing better than being a mom!

Frustrations on the Homefront

Okay, so the situation keeps getting worse and my husband is applying to other school districts. This is so stressful and frustrating, and in my opinion so completely unnecessary. He deserves the science department head job and he is more than qualified and he has a resume full of all the wonderful things he has done for this school and community. Apparently it doesn't count for anything. I suppose this is why we stay out of politics and the corporate world because we have more integrity and honesty and goodness in us than those kinds of people. How do people sleep at night when they spend their days screwing people around, excuse my language?!?!?

I am left wondering how a move to another district will affect our family. I trust Tim to make the right decision and trust that God has a plan. We must love the ones we could easily hate because of their actions and words ( our sermon just happened to be on this topic yesterday!). We have to be the shining light that doesn't let the worldly problems weigh us down. Stay focused on Him and remember your rewards in heaven far outweigh anything we can imagine here on earth.

Moving on... we shopped on Saturday for new clothes for both the girls- it was fun, fun, fun!!! They both did great trying stuff on and we got lots of good deals at Target, Marshalls, and The Children's Place. I am looking forward to all the fun things we have going on in the next few months, and now they have cute clothes to wear! And a few matching ones, of course!!!!

I love our new treadmill! I have been running and although I am super out of shape, I am proud that I have started back up again and am taking one day at a time to improve my health and my looks. I bought a book the has stories, tips, and information about The Biggest Loser. I read quite a bit of it this weekend and really enjoyed it. It's so much easier to swallow advice from someone who has been as fat as me and who struggled for years with it, than from some skinny-minny who couldn't gain weight if they tried!!! The most important thing to me is to be a good example to my girls so they can feel good about themselves and never feel held back by their weight.

We had our Moms in Touch Thanksgiving ceremony yesterday at church. All the groups got together to pray and talk about all the ways God has answered prayers this year. What an awesome feeling it is to be surrounded by such beautiful people who know the power of prayer and importance of praying for their children and schools. I found out that my friend, Janice, started praying for her younger son, Ryan when he was in 4th grade and in my class! How cool is that- she was praying for me and I didn't even know it!!! It must be why that was my favorite year of teaching! Ryan is getting married this summer and is such a great young man! I love the whole Shoemaker family so much! I am so proud to be a part of the SHCC family! Janice is now praying for her granddaughter, Addie, who will be in the very first 2 year old class at Bright Beginnings at SHCC!

Please be in prayer that the hearts of our administrators can be softened and that they can see how much Tim could bring to the position of department head. Thanks!

Life Lessons

I am taking a school situation that Tim is dealing with right now to gain some perspective about the kind of director I want to be for Bright Beginnings at SHCC. Tim has applied for the Science Department Head position and is by far the most qualified person for the job out of the teachers who remain in the district (and not just because he is my hubby!). There is a large turnover in staff this year, for various reasons, and it seems like it would be so important for the whole department to come together and choose the next leader. This is not the case. The really upsetting thing is that people have lied and manipulated things to deceive him and what they are trying to do is lure someone from another district by promising him all this extra money for all this extra things. It's so sad to me, as well as infuriating, the politics that is involved in schools. I hate politics on all levels, and this is why. I will never be the prettiest, skinniest, richest, or most popular, but I do know at the end of the day, I serve an awesome God who is the only One I will have to answer to. When people compromise their integrity to please the world, they are not putting Christ at the center of their lives. I really wish I could use names and more details, but I don't want this to come back and bite me in the "B.C. alert" later. For now I will vent and learn a huge lesson... I will do everything for Christ, who strengthens me.

I am so proud of Tim for being the best daddy and husband anyone could ask for. He takes care of us as the head of our household and he never acts selfishly. He puts us at the top of his priority list and works so hard so I can pursue my dreams with the preschool. He is so supportive of me and the girls. We will make it through this obstacle together because we lean on eachother in good times and bad. I LOVE HIM!

Okay, enough venting... we had beautiful weather yesterday and we (mainly me) got the garage cleaned out. We have so much junk, it's ridiculous! I did my best to organize all the stuff and left it at that! We also purchased a treadmill on Saturday, as soon as we got our tax return! I am very excited. Ryleigh and I have both worked out on it and I hope we can keep it up. Anyone who knows me knows how much I have struggled with being the "f" word (the 3 letter one, not the REALLY bad "f"word). I have been in denial for quite some time that eventually I would get back in shape, but I think I have put it off long enough. It's embarrassing to talk about it because I know most people do not understand. We watched most of this season of The Biggest Loser and I learned quite a bit and felt so inspired by the contestants. I am going to take it one day at a time and see how it goes. I don't want to set unrealistic goals for myself or get discouraged if I screw up, which I will. So, I will do the best I can to walk/run each day.

Funny thing Reagan said... She likes to cheer for me when I play cards with Ryleigh. We play a game called Spit and it is super fast paced. So she chants, "Go, mommy, go, mommy...." The other night Tim and I were looking at some emails on the computer and we had one from Go Daddy about the preschool website. Tim said something about Go Daddy and Reagan chimed in, No! It's go mommy!" It was so funny! I hope she always thinks so highly of me (yeah, right)!

I had a Girls Night Out Friday night! I can't remember ever needing one more than I did last week! We ate dinner at Applebees and then talked and laughed and talked and laughed and talked and laughed some more! I love my girlfriends! We stayed out until after 12:30! That is super late for a bunch of mommies! What a blessing to have them in my life! No matter how old I get, I know the importance of good friends! I am so glad God created us to be in relationship with others and gave us each a sense of humor. Tim and the girls rented Alvin and the Chipmunks and had a great time together. They all told me about the raisin part and Reagan was laughing so hard about it! We watched part of it again last night, but I fell asleep- Friday night caught up with me! I love picturing the three of them snuggling and eating popcorn and watching a movie. It's good for all of us to have GNO once in awhile. Of course, Ryleigh said "Good, I can go, too, because I'm a girl" I changed it to Mom's night out to stop her!

I also had a meeting at church this weekend about a bunch of preschool stuff. It went great! I feel so good about the things that are going on and the tremendous amount of support I have from the elders is amazing! I was put in charge of the inspection report action items and even got labeled the Project Manager! I almost laughed out loud thinking about The Apprentice- look out Oma Rosa!!!! God continues to bless me and this ministry! I hope I can continue to do things to the glory of God and make my church family proud. We got a lot of the financial side of things figured out, which is a huge relief for me, since I stink at finances!!!

Hope your day is sunny and bright, like it is here!

A Little Bit Cheerier

Wow, I felt so gripey in the last few posts! I am feeling a little bit cheerier now! I look around at all the blessings I have been given lately and I am so amazed! I absolutely love going to my office and working on preschool business. The kids are so well-behaved and I am getting quite a bit accomplished! Despite a few oppositions within our church, people are so supportive and so incredibly giving! Things are falling into place beautifully! Our playground equipment was delivered this morning! AWESOME! There was a crew of guys there to unload it all from a semi!!!!! I didn't realize it would take that large of a vehicle! My heart was singing praises for this giant gift! The kids will love it, not just for the preschool but for MOPS and our church kids, too! I am praying that a lot of people will show up for the work days to assemble it! I know it will be quite a job. The kids didn't quite understan why they didn't just put it all up today. We will have a ribbon cutting on the 31st of May- if you are in our area you should come by for a super fun time!

The girls are just as goofy as ever! I have been filling up our summer calendar and I am so excited about all the fun stuff Ryleigh gets to do- church camp, Drama camp, basketball camp, swimming lessons! Reagan will do swimming lessons, too, and then the 2 of us will have some alone time while Ryleigh is busy with her stuff and Tim teaches summer school. I will miss Lindsey and Justin, but it will be so nice to have that time with Reagan, like I did with Ryleigh. I want to treasure every minute with her (especially since she will soon be a MIDDLE child- yikes!). I say soon, but that's a bit of an exaggeration, it will still be years!

We are planning to visit my grandparents twice this summer. In June I will go with my mom, sister, sister-in-law, and all the kids! I hope they are ready for this rowdy bunch! Then in July, Tim and I will take the girls for a little bit quieter vacation! I am glad we will have the chance to do this! My grandma and grandad are such special people, we will be celebrating grandma's 89th birthday and grandad's 90th! I hope Tim and I can be just like them! We will also get to see my aunt, uncle, and hopefully my cousins! It's a long trip, but totally worth it! I am so thankful that Tim enjoys going as much as I do- I am blessed by a wonderful husband!

Not much else going on around here!

Give it to God

The lessons I am learning throughout the whole opening a new preschool process are priceless! I am learning to turn it all over to God. In the last couple of days I have had some bumps in the road, but realize quickly that praying about it and then letting go is the best way to handle things out of my control! When I was teaching 4th grade, I was trained in a program called "Second Step" and it was all about teaching kids to handle their emotions. One of the biggest things I tried to get across to them was that it's okay to be angry, hurt, mad, etc. But how you deal with it is important. There are ways to make good choices when you are having those emotions. So, I am choosing today, right now, to give my hurt feelings over to God and be over it! I am finding that it is hard for me to not take it personally when people I assume will enroll their children in Bright Beginnings at SHCC do not. Most of the time I see there is a reason that is not a reflection on how they feel about me or my beliefs or the program we are starting. But there are a few cases where I do not understand and I feel like it is a slap in my face. Enough said...

We are having a steady stream of enrollment and that is great news! I love talking to new families and hearing their enthusiasm for our program! I am going to be on a panel Thursday night at a Parents As Teachers meeting about all the local preschool programs. I am excited to spread the word and hopefully increase our enrollment!

I voted today. The only thing on our ballet was school board. I honestly don't know that much about all the individuals that were running, but I do know that I don't believe wanting to be on the school board to fire the football coach is not my idea of a good reason. I hope and pray that there is enough of a Christian influence on the new board that things can get better in the schools. I am so worried about what things will be like when my kids are in high school. It's time to put God back in school and counsel students with Christian morals and values.

Wow, am I getting controversial or what??? It's why I didn't fare very well in the whole "sucking up" game when I was teaching. I believe what I believe and I don't want to change that to fit someone elses way of thinking. And I refuse to try to weasel my way into the "good ole boy" network in this town! That's me, take it or leave it.

Okay, here's the scoop on Reagan. The child is obsessed with "boobies". She wants to talk about mine, hers, and everyone elses constantly. We ate at the Chinese place (Great Wall) Sunday after church and Ming gave her a Miss Piggie doll. Her comment after she said thanks was "she has big ole boobies". How embarrassing (but true!)! I have tried to tell her we don't say that word because it doesn't sound nice, but she thinks it is so funny! And of course everyone laughs at her!

Ryleigh got her gradecard for the 3rd quarter. She is doing so well, I am so proud of her! She is one smart kid! She did get a check mark (needs improvement) for her handwriting. She doesn't want to take the time to do neat work and I am always hounding her about it! Maybe now she will take it more seriously! Her grades and behavior couldn't be better, though! I can't believe only one more quarter and she will be in 2nd grade.

That's all for now!

With God All Things are Possible

When I think about my life, I can clearly look back and see how God has had His plan for me laid out long before I realized it! I encourage you to focus for just a moment on the blessings in your life. Think about how things just seem to work out, ALWAYS! We may have to go through pain and suffering, but in the end is a blessing that is directly from God. Sometimes it is really difficult for me to be happy for people who are pregnant. That is the brutal truth. I am jealous, I want it to be me. I don't understand working moms sometimes. That is the honest truth. I try to bargain with God and say if you will just give me a baby while I wait for Reese, I will be more patient more kind, blah, blah, blah. I remind God all the time that Tim and I sacrifice for our family so that I can be a full time mommy, blah, blah, blah. It doesn't seem fair sometimes. It makes me mad that people get pregnant everyday without even trying, without even wanting to be, without even caring. Some days I feel like I can't get over it. Like I will always have a whole in my heart for another baby. Is it because the wait is so long for Reese? I could not be more ready, more excited, or more anxious to go to China and get my precious Reese. The wait wears on you, even when you are not thinking about it. Nobody wants to talk about it because it is so far off, it's like a taboo subject 99% of the time.

But through all this confusion in my head, I do have faith that with God all things are possible. He is in control and He knows best. It is possible for me to get over my jealousy and anger. It is possible for me to be a mother of 4. I just have to give it to Him. Some things are too big to handle on your own and He is there, ALWAYS! I should not question, I should not doubt, but I do because I am human and not perfect. I am thankful for forgiveness and love that I do not deserve.

I don't know why that makes me feel better to type all that out and get it out of my head! The Bright Beginnings at SHCC Open House was great! We have 21 kids officially enrolled for the fall! WOW! What a blessing! I am so proud of this preschool. I am proud of my teachers and of myself for working so hard to get ready! Things are looking so awesome! I can't imagine why anyone would consider any other option for their child! Yes, I am bragging! We offer the whole package as far as education is concerned and I know that the families who have put their faith in us will not be disappointed!

Okay, family update... Ryleigh cut 10 inches of her hair and donated it to Locks of Love. She looks so incredibly cute with short hair! She has a whole new (and improved) attitude that came along with her new hairdo! Maybe because we don't have to brush out tangles twice a day! I am so proud of her! She is growing up so fast!

Reagan got her hair cut, too. She looks so much older! She is loving being independent these days, with everything! I try to give her plenty of freedom in things that don't matter to keep her smiling! Gotta love kids with a mind of their own!

We had terrible weather yesterday. Ryleigh's school had damage at the bus transfer station- a bus was even blown over. Our yard looks like a tornado hit, but they say it was just straight winds during a severe thunderstorm warning. Our trampoline may be a goner- it is folded up like a taco. Our little swing set was turned over and the girls' play house lost its roof. There are even more limbs to clean up now, too. I am so thankful that nobody was hurt and the things that were damaged are no big deal.

That's about it for now!

Bright Beginnings at SHCC

My life is consumed with preschool stuff, but it is so exciting! Our Open House is in 17 days and there are still a million things left to do! I wish I had time to be a faithful blogger, because I love keeping up with friends and family and even strangers through blogs, but sometimes something's gotta give- and well, obviously, I let go of trying to keep up with this blog. But, I had a comment on my last entry and I thought it would be a good time to post again!

Like I said, I am eating, breathing, and sleeping Bright Beginnings! I am so proud of the work that has been accomplished and the friends who will now be co-workers! God has blessed us so much already! Check out our website www.brightbeginningsatshcc.com for the whole scoop! Tim did a great job on it! He has been my number 1 helper and supporter and I am loving him in new ways all the time! My girls have been such troopers, too! We spend every weekend working on the rooms and my office and they have done very well entertaining themselves and each other. I have lost my patience in more ways than one, but all in all things are fantastic! I am so blessed with awesome kids and the best husband ever!

This weekend marked the one year anniversary of our log in date. It has gone by pretty quickly. I guess when you know it's going to be such a long wait, there is no sense even worrying about a referral or planning when it might be coming. "Someday" is now my answer!

My surgery concluded that there is nothing wrong with me. Which again, was good news/bad news. Dr. Lehnert referred me to another dr. who is a fertility specialist. Not sure if we are going to call or not. Still thinking through what's best and praying for guidance as to what God's plan for us is. We would appreciate in prayers that can be lifted up about this situation. Thanks!

Ryleigh got glasses! She looks so grown-up and so smart! She LOVES them and couldn't have been happier to get them! They have made a huge difference in her mood. We have had so many snow days this winter, she has kind of had a hard time again wanting to go to school and she is really looking forward to Spring Break next week. We don't have any plans, except work on the preschool, but at least we can all sleep in!

Reagan had her big 3 year old birthday! We had a fun Snow White party and she really enjoyed it! Three is such a great age for parties! She has changed so much in the last couple of months, in good ways and bad ways! She is very fond of coloring on things that are not paper- like her clothes, her skin, furniture, books... It's very irritating. Ryleigh never would have dreamed of doing that!!!! She is also getting quite the sense of humor and is so funny, especially at the dinner table. We are constantly cracking up at her! She is learning to speak a little bit of Chinese from the show Ni Hao, Kai Lan. She loves it and is going great picking up the correct way of saying things. Ming at our favorite Chinese restaurant is very impressed with her!

So, that's it in a nutshell!

Thanks, Stacy!

Okay, I say this in every single post, but... It has been forever since I posted! I am terrible. I spend too much time lurking on other people's blogs to keep up with my own. But now, my great friend Stacy, put a link to this site on her amazing blog, so I better get with the program!

So much is going on in our lives and for a while I hesitated to post a lot of our "business" but now I feel like we are in a place that it's okay!

I have been working so hard on starting a Christian preschool at our church and it looks like it is going to happen and it is going to be opening in the Fall of 2008! So, there are close to a million things to be done, details to work out, etc. and I couldn't be more excited! I have always dreamed of running a preschool and I have felt God's guidance in the whole project so far. With a tiny step of faith, everything is falling into place! I am amazed and humbled at the amount of support and I am so thrilled to be taking on a new career! It will also be a Parent's Day Out program, so Reagan will be with me! Yeah! It's the perfect job! More later...

We have been a little down about the wait for Reese. For one, the new statistics about the number of children in orphanages is drastically different than it was 2 years ago. I guess the hundreds of thousands of kids just disappeared into thin air. As much love as I have for China and their culture, I have no respect for a government that can't be upfront about the problems that have come about because of their own rules. It's ridiculous to be so secretive and downright mean to make the wait go from 6 months to over 3 years (the new projected wait). I get mad and frustrated and then I stop and think about Reese and that she will be our perfect daughter someday and I will know she was worth the wait.

But in the meantime, we are researching other options. Since we never had any type of fertility testing or answers for our miscarriages, we decided to see what we could find out. The first step was taken last summer when I just talked to my regular dr. about it. I confessed all the problems we have had and how my ob/gyn blew us off and never cared. She was sooooo nice and easy to talk to once I started and she said what we had experienced was not normal and referred us to a wonderful dr. that did not hesitate at all to help us. I had several tests run and Tim had a few and everything was normal, which oddly enough was kind of disappointing! The next step is a surgical procedure, which I will be having next week. Hopefully this will tell us if there is anything "in there" that is causing us to miscarry after only a few weeks. This is extremely emotional for me. I have very mixed up emotions about talking about miscarriage because I am so blessed by the miracle of adoption and I know I had to go through that for Reagan and I would do it again in a heartbeat for her. But, now I feel like I need to stop ignoring what my body is doing and face it, find out what the problem is, and then go from there. Do I want to get pregnant? I can't even answer because I cannot think about getting my hopes up, it's happened too many times in the last 5 years. But I think we would regret not doing these tests on down the road because not knowing in 10 years and not being able to do anything would be really sad. It's in God's hands, and I just pray that we are at peace with whatever may happen. It's ironic how so many people get pregnant, have babies and move on with no problems, no thought, no struggles and then there are those of us who go through so much thought and heartache and confusion to build our families. But I wouldn't trade if for the world. The things I have learned throughout this roller coaster ride are priceless to me. They have molded and shaped us as individuals, a couple, and a family. There is one thing I know I have in my future and that's another unforgettable journey to China for another sweet, precious daughter!

Wow, that was a lot to get out! Moving on...

The girls are doing great! We had a nice Christmas and 2008 is off to a pretty good start! We went to the hockey game in St. Louis and had a blast. It was a super fun weekend and we have all turned into quite the fans of hockey! It is so exciting to watch live, in my opinion, the best sport ever to go to! Other than that, life is full of the usual stuff with the added busy-ness of the preschool stuff!

Where Does the Time Go?

Yikes, it's been over a month since I posted. So much for keeping Reese informed about what was going on while we waited for her. It dawned on me that the wait may turn in to so many months that her biological parents may not know eachother yet! I am sure she is not even conceived. But God knows who she is and who she will be, so I will keep the faith that someday, our sweet Reese will join us for our Party of Five!

So, here's what's new...

I'll start with Tim since he's the head of the house! School is going fine for him, with the exception of one class that is full of kids who refuse to do any work (for example, they will write their name at the top of a worksheet and then turn it in, with out doing one question) and are mouthy, disrespectful and mean. He still hates his schedule, so hopefully someone will get it fixed for next year back to the way it was. Tim was nominated to be a deacon at our church and of course, he was voted in, so his service will start in January- I am so proud of him! I think he will enjoy being involved and serving SHCC using his talents!

Ryleigh started the enrichment class this week and so far it's going great! What an answer to prayer! Her teacher tells me funny stories about her all the time and said she is the most observant child she's ever had. She said that Ryleigh is constantly feeding her good info about what's going on! I am not the least bit surprised, she's been like that her whole life! She'll either be a detective or a gossip columnist when she grows up! She's doing great in basketball. We have lost all 3 games so far, but we have improved and I know we will catch up with the teams that already have a season or two under their belts already! She practiced last Sunday for a long time and challenged herself to once again make 100 baskets before we went inside. We need to work on her aggresiveness, but I think it will come with experience. I have been so happy with the team, they have all improved so much and it is so much fun! Ryleigh is doing well with her piano playing. She doesn't practice as much as she should, but it's mainly due to our busy schedules. It's great to finally hear her play songs we can recognize! Ryleigh made an adorable rock star girl on Halloween- very cool and full of moves!

Reagan is still our happy little bundle of energy! She passed all but 3 things on her first gymnastics evaluation and still loves every minute she is there. She has become good buddies with Patyn in her class and she comes over every Tuesday so her mommy can get stuff done. Reagan amazed her P.A.T. educator again this month! She was copying Gail's writing and she was doing things not normally done until 4 years old! She's so funny with her High School Musical notebook and pen, she writes and writes and writes. She knows about half of the letters now and all the ones she know she can tell you something that starts with that letter- her favorite's being of course, R for Reagan and M for mommy!!! She is constantly cracking me up with the things she says! She made the most adorable Snow White ever on Halloween. She has the perfect hair and sweet smile to be a princess! Tim even carved a pumpkin with Snow White on it!

Then there is me... still babysitting, still teaching Wednesday children's program at church- which is going so well! We are preparing for our Christmas program and it is going to be the best ever- the kids are working so hard and it's a really funny production. I am so proud of all the kids. I am still loving my Moms In Touch group. I feel so close to the women I pray with and I can feel God working in our lives and answering our prayers each week. My mom is still coming every Friday to watch all the kids so I can volunteer at Esther Elementary. It's such a nice break for me to sit and do busy work in the work room. I love it! I love being involved in Ryleigh's class, getting to know her teacher and the other kids. Coaching basketball takes up a chunk of my time, too, so I keep busy! However, I have found some free time to pursue a new career which I am extremely excited about! Our church is going to start a preschool/childcare program and I am going to be the director! It's something I have wanted to do for so long, but never knew how to get started, but I am taking a leap of faith and going for it! Our church is going to be adding on soon and it appears that now is the perfect time to start a small program that can grow as the church does. I worked some long hard hours on a plan to propose to the Board of Deacons and Elders and I presented it last Monday night. It was absolutely amazing the amount of support and excitement that there is for this project! I am so proud and anxious and excited and overwhelmed to be a part of something that is going to change this town! Reagan will be in the first class, just as I was the first class at the preschool my mom helped start! It was hard to tell the families that I babysit for, but they all know that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I was meant for the job! I will be working with them to find a replacement for all the kids, I don't want just anyone to take care of these kiddos that feel partly mine! Hopefully they will all come to preschool at Bright Beginning at SHCC!

So, needless to say, we are all enjoying God's blessings and enjoying family life! The only thing missing is Reese. We got the Places Everyone email today and there are 58 log in dates before us. We are still in the "pending review" category. She'll be worth the wait and in the meantime we will keep chugging along on this road of life being happy with all we have already been blessed with.

I'm still working on the picture thing... sorry!

Busy, Busy, Busy (But lovin' every minute of it!)

I have been meaning to sit down and update for several days, but for one reason or another I haven't gotten around to it! I also going to figure out how to post pictures, because pictures of my girls are better than me rambling anyway!! So, here's what's new...

Ryleigh had a terrific couple of weeks at school, until last Friday when the fire alarms went off (apparently a preschool teacher set a plastic bowl on a burner that was on) at school. So she freaked and cried. I was there volunteering, which I think made matters worse. She ended up crying for most of the morning. A definite thumbs down day. Oh, well, honestly I believe she is entitled to a bad day every now and then. On her own, she wrote letters of apology to her teacher and the music teacher (she cried all through music, too). She can be so big and grown up, it just baffles me why she can't control the crying. I am praying that she will be able to start the gifted class in the 2nd quarter so at least the work will be more challenging. We have parent/teacher conferences in a few weeks and we will make a decision with her teacher then.

Basketball is going super! I love coaching, it's difficult when there is so much to teach them, but it's so much fun! Ryleigh is getting a lot better and I am anxious for our first game on Nov. 1st.

We are knee deep in birthday party preparations for Ryleigh's 7th birthday. We are having a High School Musical theme and let me just say how much fun that is!!!!! I'm holding myself back from decorating a week and a half early because I am so excited to see what everything looks like! We are setting up a high school in the basement with a science lab, gym, library, cafeteria, music room, and detention (Ry thought of that all on her own!!). I know, I know, we go overboard for birthdays, but I LOVE it!

Okay, on to Reagan a.k.a. my little Sugar Pot Pie. She is so funny lately!!! We have transformed her room into a big girl room with a twin bed, new shelves, and a new dresser! It's still all ladybuggy and still extremely cute! She is getting so big, her jeans today are a 3T!!! Yikes, I cannot believe it! She is doing great keeping her panties dry and loves to go through the list of who all she loves! We do kind of a matching game where I say I love Grandma and she says I love PaPa. Then I say I love Sierra and she says I love Holly! She is really good to know who goes with who!!! She is learning her letters without a lot of practice and help which is amazing. I decided there isn't much of a point in teaching her all the stuff I taught Ryleigh because I have seen that they relearn it all in preschool and kindergarten and first grade. But, as usual, the teacher in me comes out and I seize the "teachable moment" too often. She is such a little blessing to me. I hope she is always as happy as she is at this age. She is such a goofball and she lights up a room with her smile and funny expressions! She and Ryleigh have really been playing great together, too! It's so much fun watching them grow together!

We are getting pumped up for Halloween, even though it's not one of my favorite holidays (mainly since our house was paintballed a few years ago). Ryleigh finally decided to be a Rock Star girl and we found some cute accessories for her. Reagan is going to be Snow White! Our friend Klaire is having a costume party for her 2nd birthday, so we get to dress up this Friday night! I am working with another mom on Ryleigh's class party, too! Fun, fun, fun!

Tim's grandma Eula had surgery today to have a mass removed from her ovary. They took everything out while they were in there and the great news is that the mass was not cancerous. Praise God for that. She did well in the surgery, so I hope she will have a speedy recovery.

The rumors about China are not looking good as far as a timeline. I try to be understanding and I try to look at it logically. Less babies are being abandoned, which is a good thing (isn't it?? sometimes I am selfish and think that America is a better place so the more children that have a chance here, the better- then I feel totally guilty and bad for saying and thinking that) and so many people want to adopt from China, so there is a huge backlog. There is not hope of getting Reese's referral in the next year, as the people who are up next for referrals were logged in way back in December 2005. Our LID is March 8, 2007, that's a long, long time until we are up next. I know the wait will get harder and there is no sense getting down about it at this point. I just have to enjoy my girls and pray for Reese's birth family because waiting for my baby who will be with me forever is a lot easier than carry a child hoping for a son and then having to abandon a precious baby girl that will never be seen again by the parents who gave her life. It's such a heart breaking situation for them. Especially when I see all the little China girls with their new families and they are just so special! I wish Reagan's birth family could know how loved she is and how perfect she fits in her family. God knows what He is doing, that's for sure. I have been given the most awesome gift from China that I could ever imagine. So, even if I have to wait 3 more years, I will do it because in the end it will be worth the wait.

I gotta stop there I am getting way to emotional!

Moms In Touch

I have had a total revelation in my life and it started a few weeks ago when I attended my first Moms In Touch meeting. MIT is a prayer group. We meet to pray for our children and the schools they attend. It was a little intimidating to me because I have not had a lot of experience praying outloud in front of people. But, my friend, Becky, borrowed this quote from another friend from church, Debbie. When Debbie was trying to work in this hour of prayer time for her children, someone told her "If you don't pray for your children, who will". How true is that? I cannot even begin to describe what a difference this group has already made in my life and Ryleigh's life. I feel so at peace knowing these 4 other women are praying for Ryleigh and that I can pray for these other kindergartner and first graders. The fact is that we all could use people praying for us and when I send Ry to school everyday, I want God to watch over her and guide her and when we pray together at the beginning of the week I feel God's presence and love. It gets so emotional talking about the things our kids are facing at school, especially on the playground. So, my goal is to spread the word about MIT because it is the single most important thing I can do for my children!!!!!!

Ryleigh has been doing great at school. I am hoping at the start of the second quarter she will be able to go to the enrichment class. I just want her to be challenged. I understand that they have to review and that not everyone is on the same level, but I feel sorry for her that she isn't learning very much at school. I think this has so much to do with her crying and not wanting to be there. I think if she doesn't learn to work through hard work, she will never know what to do when faced with challenging work later. Just a mom's theory!!!!

Reagan is turning into quite the commedian! She makes the funniest comments, like she really knows how to tell a joke! We have become quite addicted to the High School Musical craze and she will say "I love Gabriella, sissy loves Troy" so cute! She wanted to use her own money to buy a HSM notebook with a picture of the cast on it. She was riding in the cart at Wal-Mart and she was pointing to them saying "that's Gabriella, that's Troy" Then she pointed to the Chad character who has big poofy hair and she said "who's that? maybe his name's Hairy!!!!" She just laughed and laughed and of course we were dying it was so funny! I just love her age, where she is in between being a baby and big girl! Her personality is hilarious! What a blessing she is! I am seriously considering campaining to Tim to have Reese's middle name be Gabriella, just because of the cute way she says it!

Speaking of HSM, we are planning Ryleigh's 7th birthday party ( I cannot believe she will be 7) and she wants to have a HSM party, so we are having a blast planning it. She has come up with some great ideas and I found a lot of stuff on the internet, too! I think birthday parties are so much fun!!!! And this one may just be the best one yet!!! More on that later...

So, my new favorite question to ask myself daily is what I said before... If you don't pray for your kids, who will? If you have school age children or grandchildren and aren't in a Moms in Touch group, what are you waiting for? It will change your life and the lives of your children! If I can do it, anyone can!!!!

Blessings to anyone who reads this!!!!

Trying to Get Settled Around Here

Well, it seems I am not the only one having the "first grade blues" as I posted earlier. Ryleigh is struggling to enjoy school this year. She has been crying a lot and after discussing it with her teacher we have tried to work really hard to figure out how to prevent these meltdowns. I think there are two main causes of her not being happy all day at school: #1 She is bored. #2 She is overly sensitive. We all love Mrs. Coffman and she has been wonderful. She has lots of friends in her class. Everything would seem to be just terrific, but that has not been the case. We have added "Being a big girl at school" to her list of jobs on her weekly job chart and that has helped. We have tried to teach her how to manage her feelings better. I know in time she will be fine, but it sure breaks your heart knowing your child isn't happy go luckily like first graders should be. Her beginning of the year test scores show that she is gifted, so hopefully she will be able to go to the enrichment class very soon. I am so proud of her for scoring so high! I am praying that she can stay focused on all the talents God has given her and not worry about anything else!

We had a fun get together Saturday at Incredible Pizza with our Ozarks adoption group. It's always so neat to see all the kids and visit with the parents. What a blessing to have that support in this area. Especially when there are ignorant white trash, psycho people living right here amongst us! We got an email from one such person a couple of weeks ago. Since then we have discovered where she lives and quite a bit about her lifestyle and stupidity. She was berrating us for being "unamerican" because we chose to adopt from China instead of a "homeless" American child. She went on and on and used some language I would never repeat. I could really go off on a tangent here, but I will take the high road and just be thankful for all of the love and support and encouragement we have received from 99% of the people we meet. How can anyone be so stupid? Especially when you see Reagan's adorable face and see what a perfect part of our family she is. UGH, it makes me ill to think that someone is raising three kids in such a horrible, racist home. Enough said.

Our Christmas program practices are going awesome! I am so excited for the kids to put on this program. They are so talented and sweet! I love working with them! It's amazing how they can be so young, yet have all this love for Jesus just overflowing from them! I feel like we are off to a great start this fall!

Basketball has also started and of course, I am just thrilled that Ryleigh is so eager to play! I am working with 2 other moms and we had our first practice last Thursday! The girls did great and I think we will have so much fun! We bought Ryleigh her first pair of basketball shoes- yellow and black Air Jordan's!!!!! They are very cool and perfect for a Little Lady Jacket! Our games will start at the end of October and we are going to practice a couple of times a week until then.

Reagan is loving gymnastics! She is such a good listener and does so well! She is so cute in her leotard with the little grin of hers! She loves to balance on one foot and hang on the bars like a little monkey! She is getting to be such a big girl- no accidents lately and she even got moved up to the big class at Sunday school!!! Yikes, no more nursery! It's a little bit sad! I am so proud of her though! She is such a good girl!

How did I get so lucky? We waited so long for our second child and I just always felt like I wasn't good enough or something, so I wasn't being given the gift of another baby. Now I just feel like, golly- what did I do to deserve such a perfect life? God certainly has a way of turning our darkest days into something unimaginably wonderful!!! My girls and my husband are the best!

As usual, no news about Reese. The only small ray of hope we have heard is that indeed more orphanages are opening up for international adoption. We found that out because the orphanage where Reagan was abandoned (at 10 days old she moved to Jianxin, where she was until she joined our family) has just started getting babies "paper ready" so they can be adopted. We got to see some referral photos of Poyang SWI and my heart skipped a beat seeing the buildings in the background, just knowing that Reagan's birth family left her there. I never thought we would be able to see it because it is so remote. It was nice to finally have another piece of her past to show her later. There are some adorable babies being referred from there!

Hopefully this week will be a good one for the Tuckers!

Girls Night Out

A new tradition with my good friends Jill, Stacy, and Erin is to have G.N.O. once a month. It's awesome!!!! Every part about it makes me smile- I feel so blessed to have these wonderful women in my life- they know me and still love me despite all my faults and we can get together and talk and laugh and laugh and laugh some more! It's so fun to share kid stories and husband stories (only good ones, of course) with people who have the same values, priorities, and feelings! I am also blessed because when I got home everyone was sound asleep and there were no major catastrophies while I was out. Perfect!

We spent the holiday weekend at my parents' house, mainly to swim one more time and visit with my grandparents who are here from Wisconsin. We had a nice time and did some shopping in Springfield on our way home. Reagan did manage to pee her pants at the restaurant we ate at, but I handled it without making too much of a scene! She is doing so much better going on the potty, but she still has her moments where she is not a big girl. Even though she says in the cutest voice- I not baby, I big girl! Ryleigh was just way to easy to potty- train. Oh well, it's all part of being a mommy!

Our calendar is slowly filling up with piano lessons, gymnastics, church, and basketball. I hope we can keep organized and not run ourselves ragged. I am very excited for basketball to start. I am coaching with 2 other moms and we have enough girls to have a team now. We also have a sponsor- hooray! We will start practice next week!

Referrals came out today. GW only got 22 for the Nov. 25 log-ins. Will they ever finish Nov?????????? Yikes, those people have been waiting since we left for China to get Reagan. We know 2 families in China now and it's so exciting to read their daily updates. It makes me want to be there getting Reese so bad. I can't wait to be back in China touring, shopping, and taking in all I can about the culture and history. We are going to celebrate with the Wilson's tonight for Klaire's one year Gotcha Day anniversary. Time goes so fast! It will be fun to see all the little China girls together again!

Quote of the day- Every child is a gift from God, the journey home just takes a little longer for some. Amen to that!

First Grade Blues

Ryleigh LOVED her first day of first grade, but I, on the other hand, have contracted a case of first grade blues. It was not any easier to leave her this year than it was last year, so that was my first disappointment. I made it to the van and then the tears started flowing. I know that lots of people look so forward to sending their kids to school, but I am not one of them. I like when we are all home together. Yes, Ryleigh sometimes drives me crazy, but I would much rather have her home! Second disappointment was not knowing the daily schedule in her class at all. No idea when she has recess, what special class she has, when she eats lunch, etc. I am totally out of the loop and I don't like it! If only I was a two year old who could throw myself down and have a good old tantrum! Third disappointment of the day, Tim is picking her up because he got a new extra duty this year where he helps at the bus transfer station at her school. So, I am not the first one to hear about her day. Luckily, she usually tells me a lot more than she tells her daddy. I am very impressed with Mrs. Coffman and I know Ryleigh will have a great year. And somewhere deep down, I am happy about that. But right up front in my mind and heart, I am jealous, because someone else is spending more time with my baby than I am.

Things at home were much quieter with the 4 non-school age kids! Reagan, Ben, Justin, and Lindsey had a blast yesterday. They played so well together, cleaned up great, and all took good naps. As Justin so eloquently put it, "There's no big girls here to be bossy!" Madison did wonderful on her first day of kindergarten. I suppose it won't take very long for us to be in our new routine. I often wonder what life would be like if I didn't babysit. What would Reagan and I do all day?

Reagan is going to a trial run in a gymnastics class tonight! She is very excited! I don't know that she really understands what's going on, but she does like the attention she is getting and everyone asking her "Who's going to gymnastics tonight?" I can't wait to see how she does! If it's anything like swimming lessons, she will move right out of the toddler class and on up with the big kids! And I suspect it won't be long until she falls and breaks a bone as daring and energetic as she is! It will be her first activity that is just for her. Hopefully her big sister will be able to handle being out of the spotlight for 45 minutes!!!

Not much else going on. We know several families who are getting ready to travel to China. It's always so exciting to follow other families on their journey to their children! Too bad it's not us. I am starting to wonder if our little Reese has been conceived yet. I pray that her birth parents will take care of her and put her somewhere safe and that they will be comforted by God's loving arms, knowing that she will be taken care of. I know they could never imagine what her life will be like here, but I hope that can be at peace with their circumstances. I cannot even imagine what it must be like to be faced with abandoning your child. I feel so blessed that we can adopt her and give her the life she deserves and that she will fill our lives with joy and happiness, just like her big sisters. What a complex, emotional situation it is. I just have to keep faith that it's all in God's hands and He will work it out for all of us.

Hebrews 11:1 "Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see."

Summer is Winding Down!

Yikes, I cannot believe I didn't post anything to this blog for 2 months! I am terrible at keeping up, especially when Tim and Ryleigh are both home! Well, I guess I can only do better!

We have had a busy and fun summer! We haven't done anything big and fabulous, but we have done a lot of little things close to home! It's cheaper and easier that way! Tim taught summer school and his first class at Drury, so he didn't have much time off. And when he was at home, I made him help me with all my projects and all the kids! We did take time off from me babysitting and let Grandma and PaPa keep the girls so we could spend 2 nights in Eureka Springs. It was so much fun, we wondered why we don't get away more often. The girls had a blast with my mom and dad, so there was nothing to worry about! It was a real treat for us to relax and spend time alone! The cabin we stayed in was beautiful and very secluded, perfect for us! And we had satellite tv- yippee- I got to watch reruns of Beverly Hills 90210 and Little House on the Prairie and Tim watched a million episodes of Man vs. Wild, which gave me lots of time to nap and read my celebrity gossip magazines!

Both the girls learned to swim, so the water has been much more fun this summer. We spent a day at the Camdenton Water Park with Brett and Ryleigh had a ball! Reagan, Lindsey, and Ben had a great time, too! Luckily Tim was with me to help keep track of them! We took a trip to the zoo last week even though it was super hot. They all had a good time, especially watching the River Otters. They were the only animals that were really active!

We spent Father's Day weekend in Kansas City to celebrate my parents' 40th anniversary. My grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins, and my brother's family and sister's family all stayed at The Great Wolf Lodge. It was so nice to all be together and the indoor waterpark was enjoyed by everyone! The kids loved their special rooms decorated like a little log cabin!

We learned some exciting news about Yan, the 13 year old we prayed about adopting. Her forever family lives about 2 hours away from us! We will get to meet her!!! She is so beautiful and joining a very lucky family! I just know that God has some special things in store for her! We look forward to getting to know her family and her!

Ryleigh is all moved to the basement in her very awesome new room! We did a great job decorating and it was defintely a family effort! I love it! Reagan sleeps with her about half the time, but so far there have only been 2 times that I had to intervene and send Reagan to her own bed because of excessive giggling! It's so adorable watching them! It reminds of the fun of growing up with an older sister. Hopefully Ryleigh won't be as bossy and snotty to Reagan as Lori was to me! Ha Ha, just kidding, Lori! They have really gotten along well this summer.

I had a mommy meltdown when Ryleigh got her letter in the mail from her 1st grade teacher. I just freaked a little when I read the part about sitting at her own big first grade desk! I hadn't thought about her not being at little kindergarten tables anymore. The image of her sitting at a real desk, made me cry! It all goes by so fast! Thank God I have been able to stay at home with my kids. We went to "First Grade Sneak Peek" last night so we got to meet her teacher and she got to pick out her own desk! We know she is going to have a great year with Mrs. Coffman, she seems like an excellent teacher and perfect for Ryleigh! Everyone will be happy, but mommy!

Reagan is still working on being a big girl with the potty training thing. We have resorted to bribery with a Snow White princess dress. We look at it everytime we go to Wal-Mart to remind her that big girl princesses wear panties. I am not holding my breath...

We are 5 months into our wait for Reese. Still at least another 18 I am sure. The referrals that came out last week were the people logged in on Nov. 21, 2005. So, there's no point in doing anything but working on patience around here! Her room will stay the way it is for awhile, it will be too sad to have it all ready and then have to wait another year and a half.

Well, hopefully I will post more sooner rather than later!!!

Catching Up!

Well, so much for keeping up with a daily blog!

There's so much to catch up on and I will try to put my thoughts on paper so someday Reese will know what was going on with her family during our long wait.

To start with, GWCA's Waiting Child list came out on April 27th. Tim and I were both immediately drawn to the oldest child on the list, which if you know us, is not something you would expect! We read every detail of her information and began the process of trying to decide if our family would be a good match for her. I have to say in all honesty, I have never had to make such a tough decision. There were so many things to talk about and consider. Tim and I spent a lot of time talking about her and Reese and praying for God to give us a sign as to what we should do. I would have preferred a flashing neon sign with His plan spelled out, but that didn't happen. The bottom line for me was that my Reese is a baby in China, I am sure of that. The CCAA will not allow you to have two dossiers in China at one time (stupid rule, in my opinion, with the wait being pretty close to forever) and we just couldn't stand the thought of taking our dossier for Reese out of line at this point. As I sit here and type this, it makes me feel selfish for wanting another baby when there are perfectly wonderful older children that would fit in our family. However, we know that God led us to China again for Reese and we have faith that it will all work out.

I think what happened through this whole process of considering an older child is that we were able to open our minds to it and we will keep praying about it and see what happens in the future. We have talked to a lot of people in the adoption communtity about it and have gathered quite a bit of information. We will file it away and continue to search for God's will in our lives. We would like to thank all the people who talked with us openly and honestly about this little girl. I think it is easy for people to judge other couples when we grow our families in a non-traditional way and it is such an awesome feeling to know we have friends and a church family who can open their minds and hearts to these situations. What I have learned the most from our church is that when you put God first and seek His will in all you do, you can't go wrong! And if you surround yourself with people who believe, you will always have a support system no matter what!

By the way, the little girl that we were considering applying for has been chosen by another family. While I am sad that it didn't work out for us to be her family, I am so glad that she will know the love of a family really soon! I will always pray for her and hope she will be happy and healthy in her new life!

Referrals came out today, too. I try to be really excited for the people who are finally get their referral (the latest Log-in Date to receive referrals this time was November 7, 2005) but when you think about how many people are ahead of us, it is easy to get discouraged about the incredibly long wait we have ahead of us. It gets so tiresome trying to explain why it takes so long to people. I love to talk about adoption, don't get me wrong, but when you can't give a straight answer (because there isn't one) it makes it seem like the whole process is a scam. It's very frustrating.

We spent last weekend in Branson because the acrobats at the New Shanghai Circus had a reunion for families with children from China. It was an awesome time! The girls had a blast and we got to spend lots of time with the Wilson family, so it was really fun! We met a lot of nice families and even ran into the family that sat next to us on the way to China! It really can be a small world! It is such a great feeling when you look around at all the happy kids and see how many lives have been touched by adoption. I cannot imagine not knowing the love we have found by adopting from China. I think everyone (well, maybe not everyone, but all decent people!!!) should adopt at least one child, it changes you completely and puts life into perspective. We are so blessed with both of our girls!

One more week until Stacy comes home with Haven from Kaz. What an adventure they have had! I cannot wait to hold that little cutie pie and kiss those little cheeks! We are planning a Welcome Home Party for them and are making a scrapbook to give them as a gift. Several of us got together tonight at church and worked on it- it was so much fun! It is going to be an real tear jerker for Stacy! I drank way to much caffeine while we were there, which is why I am typing this at 12:30 a.m. !! I am not used to having that much Mt. Dew!!!

The girls are both taking swimming lessons and it is going great! They are complete opposites in the water- Ryleigh needs to be more confident and less scared- Reagan needs to be less daring and more afraid! Reagan is being so good and listening to the teacher, I am so impressed! Ryleigh is doing so much more than she would ever do for her mommy and daddy! She was a little nervous to jump in in the deep end, but I think by the end of the week, she will do it! It's going to be a fun summer at the pool!

We are settling in to our crazy summer routine. There are six kids here during the day, including my own, so I don't have much free time. When the little ones are napping, Ryleigh and I work on "homeschool" summer school work! We are having a really nice time together. We wrote a book together and it was hilarious! I love to hear her laugh when we sit and talk together. I dread the day when she gets too old to hang out with me! We are trying to work on neatness in her handwriting! She is reading a lot and loves to get all the kids together to read stories to them!

Tim is teaching summer school and he also just started teaching a college class for Drury two nights a week! It's so different for him to go from 12 year olds to adults, but I know he will do great! He works so hard for us and I am so thankful for that! I am so lucky to be married to him!

Well, I can't think of anything else. Thank you to all you guys who check in regularly to this site to see what's new! I hope to do better about updating! We love to hear from you, so feel free to email us!