Happy News!!!!

Just wanted to share a little bit of happy news......I paid 2.99 a gallon for gas today!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry, maybe that wasn't what you were expecting but when you drive a 15 passenger van, that is the best news!!!! I did a little happy dance in the Costco gas line.....I hope I didn't scare the other customers. I guess they could probably guess why I was doing it though, so it's all good.

A Good Reminder

I came across this email that I had sent to Scott 2 years ago. I decided to post it on my blog.


Last night as Levi was doing his homework, he was asked to write a paragraph about a time when someone didn't respect his feelings and how it made him feel. He had just been reading about the Gettysburg Address and the Civil War.

This is what he wrote:

"One time when I was in the bathroom at school, Chaz, the person that hates me said, "Everybody hates black people." It made my heart stop beating. He really hurt my feelings and then he said to me, "Ask anybody!". I went back to class and felt like I was going to cry. When it was recess, I just stayed away from him."

I wish you could have heard Levi read this to you.....made me really stop and think about the persecution his race has experienced as well as millions of others. Not many of us will ever face what he will, simply because of the color of our skin. I have people say to us all the time, "Another baby? Wow, you know there will always be another phone call asking you to take another one. When will you stop?" We're not looking to "save" them all. But every child that becomes a part of our family will at least have the opportunity to be loved and with that, have the potential to touch countless lives. I liked what the caseworker at the adoption agency in Georgia said to us after we had signed the paperwork for Isaiah. She said, "Well, that's another one that Satan didn't get!!"

So many times we read emails about amazing stories and we wonder if they are really true.....this one is about an amazing little boy. A boy who doesn't understand what it means to be racist, but who will pick up his baby sister, that's not related by blood and give her love and kisses. A boy who laughs when someone in his class asks him if I am his step-mom because we don't "match", a boy who sees a child in need of a family and asks, "Mom, can we please adopt him???" How grateful I am for my children and their ability to teach me things daily.

That was from May 2007. There were many other times that I heard about terrible things that he would do or say to Levi. That boy is now his friend. They get to school early and read books to the younger children in the library before school starts. They are on the same football team. In fact the other day as I was waiting for him to finish up after practice, this boy walks over and says, "Here is your water bottle Levi. See you in the morning, right?" I had to reach up and shut my mouth as my jaw was hanging down. I asked Levi who that was and he told me. I started to say, "But....." and he said, "He's changed Mom, he's nice to me now." Levi has a way with people.

It's Official!

Jasmine is 9 weeks old, weighs 9lb. 2 oz. and has officially grown out of her first outfit!!!!! I remember when I first went to pick her up, I had taken this little outfit, thinking it would be perfect, only to find that it would not fit her for many weeks to come.

She is such an angel baby. She sleeps so well at night and now only gets up once to eat!!! I "wear" her most of the day in her Ergo Baby Carrier (wish I had this for every one of my babies. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this carrier!!!) She is so content when she is in there and loves riding around all day with Mommy.

Once again, Heavenly Father has blessed our family with an angel.

Grandpa & Grandma

Grandma and Jasmine

Papa, Grandma and Jasmine

Isaiah wearing Papa's hat

Tried out the timer on the camera for the first time (what a concept!!) I think most of us were looking at the camera. Isaiah was to busy trying to figure out what Scott was doing running back and forth from the camera and then over to sit by him.

We always love to have grandparents visit. This weekend, Scott's dad and wife came down from Camano Island, Washington to visit for a few days. We had not seen them in almost a year and a half, so they were amazed to see how the kids have changed and grown. They were excited to meet the newest grandbaby, Jasmine.

We had a great visit and hopefully we didn't scare them off! Sometimes 10 children in the house can get a bit noisy!!!

She is growing so fast!

This was from a couple of weeks ago. She's in real live baby clothes!!!! No more doll clothes!!!!

Took this one today. Love those little nightgowns!

So sweet. This picture reminds me of Talisha when she was her age.

Jasmine will be 9 weeks old tomorrow! I know, where did the time go? She is over 8 lbs now! She has started smiling, which of course is the cutest thing ever!

Enjoying one of our last "nice" days!

Swinging!!

Can you believe these two? Where are their shoes? Isaiah crawls around in that stuff. His knees are very tough!!!

Look at Talisha and Savannah's expressions! They were telling Vanessa that she was "way to big to ride with them!!!"

And well, that's what happens!

These two were having a great time! He was hanging on for dear life when she got that thing up to top speed!!!

Just a lazy evening, enjoying one of our last nice days. They were all playing so nicely with each other!!!

Toddler Property Rules

I saw this in an email this morning and remembered reading it years ago and thought it was "funny".......now, years later I know there is nothing funny about it, it's all 100 % true. It's a guide for raising toddlers! Anyone with toddlers should read AND memorize the rules. I think I will have everyone, over the age of 5 in our family, commit these rules to memory! I can often be heard in our home saying, "So and so, please don't argue with the 2 year old. It's hers/she's right, just move on!" "But Mom....." "No Buts, you heard me, move on. It's not worth it".

TODDLER PROPERTY RULES

If I like it, it's mine.
If it's in my hand, it's mine.
If I can take it from you, it's mine.
If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.
If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.
If I'm doing or building something, all the pieces are mine.
If it looks just like mine, it's mine.
If I think it's mine, it's mine.