.a good laugh.

.a good laugh.  I am still wrapping my head in numbers addresses, no naps, and the like.  However, here are my favorite two blog posts of all time.  Written by two different bloggers.  If you want to laugh out loud hysterically I suggest going to both today.  Thanks for understanding my lack of effort here.  Love to you all.  Now go and laugh.  Seriously.  .a good laugh. 


My favorite blog post of all time: Mom Jeans and the Dreaded Long Butt

And a new favorite that had me laughing so hard I almost fell out of my chair, quite literally:  Go and Grab your Vag.... its not a dirty post, promise :)

.i love this.......

.just a reminder.

.japan.

.japan.  As I look at the images of a country that has been shaken and shattered I am almost at a complete loss for words.  I don't know what to say or think or do.  The loss is unthinkable and I simply cannot imagine myself in their shoes - my mind cannot process it all.  I feel sick as I watch those in need and all I can do is pray for them.  My heart is heavy grieving with those I will most likely never meet, our brothers and sisters across the globe.  .japan.

This Friday there will be a bloggers day of silence for Japan.  Lydia & the girls from Utterly Engaged have put it together and you can learn more about it here.  I will be participating and I encourage you to also.  It seems like such a small thing, but our hearts are big and this is what we can do.

There are many ways we can help - here is a list of organizations klove put together.  There are also fast ways to donate, like texting MED to 80888 to give $10.00 to the International Medical Corps, texting 90999 to donate $10.00 to the red cross or texting "4Japan" to 20222 to donate $10.00 to World Vision.  

There are also a ton of shops & listings on etsy that are donating sales and partial proceeds to Japan relief organizations - Just type in Japan Relief.  Alone it feels like we can't do anything, but together we can do a lot. 

.look hoo's two.

my decorations - all free print outs at my owl barn

.look hoo's two.  This weekend we celebrated Lydia's birthday with family and friends.  Lydia is in LOVE with owls so we decided to have an owl theme.  And by theme I mean owls were on the invite. I had not planned on decorating with owls that much and really I didn't plan much at all.  Seriously, I decorated with a couple banners an hour before people came, starting the second Lydia went down for her nap... yes in true procrastinating fashion.

  Hilary's decorations... loving the owls

However, my sister Hilary volunteered to make the desserts and bring some decoration.  Hilary truly outdid herself and Lydia got the best owl party ever!  She loved all the owl decorations and they will be up for weeks, I am sure.  We also loved the desserts and we still have some very tasty cookies left.  The cookies Hilary made are pure pieces of art and it is almost tempting not to eat them just because they are so darn pretty.  We had a hoot & were happy to have everyone over at our nest.  .look hoo's two.

Lydia tearing through presents in record speed. 

.photo booth.

.photo booth.  If you in a need for a laugh, here are some pictures for ya.  Our friend Lina has a photo booth on her mac computer.  Sunday night we had a lot of fun playing around with it.  Obviously our favorite thing to do is mess around with all the distorted applications.  It was a lot of fun and we are still laughing about some of the pictures.  .photo booth. 

.lydia turns two.

.lydia turns two.  Today our little girl is two.  Where has the time gone?  On one hand I feel like I just had her and at the same time I can't remember what life was like without her here.....

Lydia,

  I can't believe you are two!  Happy Birthday little girl.  Right now you have the spunkiest personality.... unless we go somewhere or someone comes over, then you turn into a reserved shy little thing.  You love to take care of your dolls, you burp them, change them, feed them, and even give them time outs.  You also love your little brother and you accepted him into our family better then we could have dreamed of.  You guys are the best of friends and he thinks you are hilarious.  He looks up to you and loves you.  We love you too :).

  You are also the smartest little two year old I know, I know I am bias - but for real your smart!  You love to read and sit in your room for what seems like hours looking at books.  Your current favorites are the sheep/sleep book (Time for Bed), cats in the Library (Dewey: There's a Cat in the Library!), Deep in the Swamp, and I Love You Through And Through - which still chokes me up from time to time. You know all your letters & have since you were a little past one.  You know most of your numbers too.  Colors are another story.... You love singing and music of all kinds.  Twinkle, Twinkle is your favorite song - although many more are on your list of favorites as well.  Watching you dance is hilarious & fun; our dance parties are amazing.  Your jumping has improved and last Friday you actually got both feet off the ground, never mind that you landed on your bum.

  You are in love - IN LOVE - with animals of all kinds.  You adore puppies and kitties equally, don't let Aunt Jess fool you, and owls are your top pick.  You could watch Milo and Otis daily and I am pretty sure you would win if there was a contest in which two year olds had to recite that movie; your dad and I are pretty sure anyone from PETA has never watched it and once someone does I would be certain the movie would not be available any longer.  You also love watching the animals in our backyard - deer, turkeys, and especially the little black cat that comes by every now and then.  Bugs on the other hand you do not like and when you see them you scream, "squish it, get it"  until we do.  Most of the time your yelling is in combination with you poking or hitting the bug.

You love Jesus & remind us to pray.  Which is awesome.  Your heart is big, even though you are tiny.  We love you and have been so blessed that God gave us you.  We cannot imagine our lives without you and we know your a huge gift.  It has been wonderful to see you grow these past two years and we thank the Lord everyday that we get with you.  Happy Birthday sweet girl.  We love you, for always. -momma (& daddy too).

.the wayman family nest.

Hi everyone The Wayman's, an adorable couple, are adopting from Ethiopia.  This week they are hosting a give hope auction over on their blog.  Go check it out  - they have a lot of adorable items.

.I am a 7.

If 7% of the world's Christians adopted

ONE child,

there would be no orphans in the world.

I ran across this statistic and am truly blown away.  If only 7% of those who claim to be Christians adopted there would be no more orphans.  Just 7%.  WOW!!!  Please pray with me that more people would open their hearts and homes to become a seven.  

I know that adoption is not for everyone.  

But what if it is for you?

.just thinking.

.just thinking.

Dear little ones,
 I am missing you & I don't even know you.  We haven't yet officially begun the process of adoption and I want you home.... playing with your sister & laughing with your brother.  How can this be?  We have decided to adopt siblings and are about 90% sure that we will.  Which means unless your twins, one of you is probably born.  How are you?  Where are you?  Are you safe?  Are you cared for?  Are you alone.... it hurts to think about if you are....... 
  There are about a million questions that come through my mind daily and I wonder if your alright.  I wonder if your birth mom and dad are ok.... or if they are like the millions struggling to get by in the African sun.  Do you look up at the moon and stars and think about a forever family?  Like I think about you.  
  I also think about if your growing in your birth mama.  Is she getting enough to eat?  Are you developing like you should?  Does she know she is pregnant?  Is she happy or worried?  What is she thinking?  Is she scared?  Does she know she holds someone very, very special?  So many questions are developing about you and some days my brain cannot even process it all.  All I know for sure is that I love you, we love you, and most of all God loves you.  And He is holding you.  Like He is me.
  We love you little ones.... -mom


  I know this journey will be hard.  I have told myself to expect that.  It will be a roller coaster, I know.  I have been warned.  I guess I just didn't expect the emotions to be flying before we even officially started.  I thought I would have myself fully together until I saw the picture of my little ones.... or at least got our dossier in.  This is not the case and I am constantly feeling like part of our family is missing..... because it is.  I love my children and am grateful that they keep me busy as we anticipate starting the process.  I am grateful for them period.  I love them so much!  But, I still think about the rest of our family and I pray that they are alright.  I pray their family is safe.  I pray their not alone.

  I think about how God holds us all and I know they too are in his hands, just as I am.  I know He is holding them & He loves them more then I do.  I know this - but it is hard to accept it.  I know that I can fall into His arms when I think about them and worry and I need to turn to Him more.  I am glad that God will always be there to catch me when I am down.  It is the start of a long road and I am filled with gratitude that the Lord is there guiding our way.  Picking me up when I fall....

.... a few ramblings as we think about our little ones across the globe.
.just thinking.