Cowboy-up

Geared my gang up today for our first day at Saddle Ridge Ranch, VBS 2010. (Can you tell who the Entertainer is in our family?) And then next week, TEXAS!!

(Sorry about the blurry pic, who knew going from an air conditioned home to humid heat would fog the lens. Really.)

Celebrating Super-Nate turning 3

Air time

During the summer, we LIVE in the backyard. I did get a few fun shots as Tory introduced to them "the launch" last week. We love water!

Time with Jonas

My sweet friend, Rachel, also mother to the very popular Georgia and Henry and the new baby Jonas, began to get very ill Memorial Day weekend with some pain in her back. After many tests the following days it was learned that she had a fluid-filled cyst the size of a softball on her kidney. Waiting on a procedure to be done last Friday she began to get a fever which showed the cyst to be infected. It became more urgent to drain the cyst and it was done last Wednesday. Though such trying circumstances, we were thrilled to get a phone call Tuesday night asking us to take in their new little one, Jonas. It has been a fun week for us as a family to get to have him. Mama Marshman is doing well and we are happy to say she is headed home tomorrow. A little bitter-sweet to send the little one back but I am happy to see Rachel get her chicks back together with her under one roof. Though she would not say so, she is such a strong woman to have gone through what she has in the last couple of weeks. I admire her. She is a wonderful mom! One whose children will "rise up and call her blessed".

Here is Luke, making mends with Jonas for getting jealous and reacting on his time in his Mama's arms.

And lastly, a Tribute to Daddy Marshman...

...a Giddens' boy sweater vest.

Don't worry, we have already heard retaliation threats of rompers and soccer attire.

Thanks Marshman's, for entrusting your youngest in our arms. We have cared for him as we would one of our own. We love you guys and are blessed to call you Friend.

Home Study Visit #2

Uneventful. That is how I would describe our last home study. Basically, the entire 45 minutes we went through the "home study" that she had written up for us (which, by the way, she did a fabulous job) she kept saying how much she "loved this part" and "you guys are so great". I guess I thought they basically all looked the same. Not so, I am learning.

With that being said, what I thought was going to be a lot of rummaging around through our house checking outlet safety covers, making sure meds were locked, fire extinguisher was current, yada yada yada, was not the case. We never left the kitchen table. Completely fine with me. Reminded me of one of those tests I use to freak out about in high school only to take it and wish I hadn't lost so much sleep.

We also spent a few minutes going through 4 of our 10 needed hours of "training". Again, she looked at us as if we could handle it. We did get some good tips on handling all those comments about why our child doesn't look like us...good to know.

And finally, we concluded with a long list of what we need to do to meet KY requirements in documenting in our dossier....uuuuhhhhhhhh?!? Something about notarizing every document, verifying with the county the notary is from that they are in fact a notary, sending KY documents to receive state seals and be "authenticated" and TX documents their respective seals. And I am sure I have left something out. Please pray for me.

Anyway, if you have read this far into this post, thank you. Thank you for letting me debrief and recollect my thoughts. Really, thank you. We will continue to update you as things progress.

Much love,

Kedra

Hitting the Beach. Happy Bday Abigail!

Feeling 5!?!

For days and weeks we have been talking about turning 5. The things you get to do when your 5, responsibilities you have when your 5, and the privileges that come with it. I mean, 5 is BIG!! We should all expect big things, right!? So today the big day came, and while we were at Cracker Barrel for breakfast Abigail looks up at me and says, "Mom, I still feel four, when am I going to feel five?" Love it!

This girl totally makes me smile. We love her sweet personality and the young lady God is growing her into. We love that she seeks to laugh and have fun, ALL the time. She's always game. She is a girl of much determination. When given a challenge she perservers through it until she gets it done (especially when it comes to athletics). And the excitement she gets over the little things. We love the care and concern she has for people. And the friendship she has found in Nathan and how she never wants him to miss out or go without. And she is such a caretaker of both of her little brothers. She is going to be a great mom someday. These are just a few things we love about her and we are so thankful we get to watch her grow into that beautiful young lady! Happy 5 years, Sweet Girl!