October

The best month of the year, I say. We're glad most of the rain has passed and we have had some fun at the Halloween festivities going on around here.



This month for us last year was life altering. Do you remember?
Very early in the month I found out that #3 was on the way. It has been such a blessing to love on this baby girl. I hold her and know what it was like to rock ALL THREE of my girls to sleep at night.



At the end of the month last year we found out that we would be able to adopt our two big girls. It seemed like it took forever to get to that point, didn't it? And speaking of forever...it felt good to finally say it...Read Here.



Looking back, bringing the girls home was more stressful than I realized at the time. Trying to find a balance between loving them like they were my own and guarding my heart because they weren't was difficult. But our reality was as natural to us as it is to any first-time parent. I haven't always gotten in right. That's an understatement. I guess all parents feel that way sometimes. These kids are such good kids though. They can make me laugh like no other! Like yesterday Samantha giving her chest two quick closed-fist pounds and then throwing out the peace sign and being totally serious about it (I hope you get the mental image so that you can laugh too! Where do they get this stuff??). They humble me in the way that they love me and are so eager to please.
They say, "I want to be just like you when I grow up." And wow, what an undeserved compliment that is. I'm reminded of how unworthy I am of the gift God has given me in these children. I'm blessed to be chosen as their mother.



It is not uncommon for Jonathan and I to look at each other in any given situation and say...tomorrow we'll wake up and she'll be 18.
Here's to trying to remember daily how quickly it will all go by!