60 + 1

Celebrating the life of two very special men this weekend. We love you, Papa!!

Luke's FIRST birthday party!!

A few instructions from big brother...

...still smiling...

...feeling the effects.

Growing: A Giddens' Announcement

The kids are growing, yes. We went for physicals today and we now have 2 kids over 3 feet and a third whom just had his FIRST birthday party (Grandparents, pictures are coming)!

But we are also in the process of growing in number. This growth is coming to us in a different fashion this time. We have officially begun the adoption process. It will have a big price with it...lots of paper work, much prayer, and a trip or two to a land neither of us have ever been before. But following all of that, Lord willing, we will have another beautiful little Giddens' girl in our home. We don't know what she looks like, whether she is in her birth mother's womb or sleeping soundly in an orphanage, but we love her deeply. Though we have much to say about this in the weeks and months to come, we will leave it at a short sweet announcement of our adoption of a little orphan baby girl and a few of the details you may be wondering. We have desired to adopt from very early on in our marriage and are thrilled that we are coming to this time in our lives to grow our family in this way. We put in our application for adoption at the end of April and are quickly moving through tons and tons of paper work. We have requested a little girl, age 0-2 years from Ethiopia and we feel as though we can't get her home fast enough. The process with take approximately 18 months and the steps we will go through are as follows:

1. Apply with adoption agency and for a home study- done

2. Dossier (french for "documents") and home study completed

3. Dossier authenticated.

4. Dossier translated and authenticated in Ethiopia. (Can receive referral at any point now...we wait.)

5. Case submitted to court.

6. Court date given.

7. Tory and I travel to Ethiopia for court date.

8. Case submitted to embassy for appointment.

9. We travel back to Ethiopia for embassy appointment and bring home our little girl.

10. We bring her home and CELEBRATE being a family of 6!!!!

We covet your prayers as we embark on this adoption journey and are reminded of our own adoptions into a family that was once not our own--once enemies of God, now his children in Christ Jesus.

Tory, Kedra, Abigail, Nathan, and Luke Giddens

THE SCOOCH: A form of transportation

Luke's new preferred method of movement..."the scooch". That's what we call it because we can't figure out what animal/thing/creature it looks like. Tory says a paraplegic gorilla but that sounds really awful to me so we are compromising. Check this out...

Hilarity!!

nate's first BUZZ

I just love this boy. And that he is...all BOY. The things he does remind me so much of my little brother growing up. Maybe that is why I naturally stand up for my girl when he won't let her through, jumps straight into her seat in the car and at the dinner table, blocks the slide so she can't get down, and the list could go on and on. Tory, also having a younger sister, says it's just what they do. Either way, it is constantly a battle in our house. But I guess thats what make us a family, we can irritate the heck out of each other but yet never fall out of love. 'Cause I will tell you this little boy makes us laugh HARD! All of us! And whats so funny is that he knows it and he is learning more and more how to do it. And he can be so gentle and kind at the same time, wanting whats best for his big sister and lil' bro, which I am thrilled to say far outweighs the rest. We just LOVE this guy!

Also, note to self: No need to go drastic even though his hair is so long you are having to brush through tangles. And Tory, thanks but no thanks for talking me into it. Maybe we'll try again when he's 6. Nate, you are still handsome as ever, and your mama loves ya!

Outside

My goal for Spring/Summer 2010 (well, one of them at least) is to have lunch OUTSIDE every possible day that we can. Whether it is a blanket on the grass, or the deck if the grass is too wet, a local park, a far away park, the zoo, or if I am feeling particularly lazy the front porch we are going to be outside. So far this season I think we are a good 97.5% for all possible days. We love being outside!!

Side note: This particular day was very very bright out and the kids were almost about to give up on me so I suggested them go grab a hat out of their closet. Please note Nathan's idea/choice of a hat. Love him!

Mud Hole 2010

Every year, Folks, every year. This hole in some ways is quite the nuisance, but at least once a year it brings us so so much joy. We had this crazy, never-ending kind of rain this past weekend and woke today to sunshine and this beauty.