8s

Travis tagged me several days ago, and being who I am, I sat down immediately and made a list of all my answers. I'm just now posting it!

8 favorite TV shows:
1. Today (I try to catch at least a few minutes each morning)
2. House Hunters - it's a hobby to look at houses. my husband doesn't understand this.
3. Greys' Anatomy - trashy, yes, but I do enjoy it.
4. Brothers & Sisters - also trashy but it's our date show. we always watch together.
5. Scrubs - Jason really enjoys it and so I've learned to watch with him.
6. Wheel of Fortune - I am gifted in this area. So help me if it ever comes to IA!
7. Biggest Loser - incredible. and inspiring.
8. 10 p.m. news - I try to make it for the first forecast but NEVER last through the show!

8 favorite restaurants:
1. Old Chicago
2. Olive Garden
3. Texas Roadhouse
4. Culver's (for my fast food choice)
5. Hickory Park - delicious bbq in Ames
6. Great Plains - best pizza, also in Ames, fantastic thick wheat crust.
7. La Fuente - my favorite mexican, also in Ames (don't even know if it's still there.?)
8. House of Chen (also in Ames) and have yet to find cashew chicken so good anywhere else.

who knew there was so much in Ames?!

8 things that happened today: (remember, this is a few days old)
1. laundry
2. Abby got her hair cut
3. made the sugar cookie dough
4. more laundry
5. went sledding
6. watched Charlie Brown Christmas with the kids
7. iced and decorated cookies
8. take and bake for dinner

8 things I'm looking forward to:
1. having a car with 4wd that goes in the snow (someday!)
2. a beach vacation (someday)
3. meeting Mya
4. having a longer break (summer!) from school
5. learning how to use the Mac and it's features
6. rescuing an orphan (someday?!)
7. seeing my kids grow up
8. Jesus returning!

8 things on my Wishlist:
Travis had many answers too good to top; but they also apply!
1. double ovens
2. my kids to follow Christ
3. to be close to my kids and one day, their families
4. traveling lots of places I've never been
5. to be a blessing to others
6. for my family to be united in Christ for eternity
7. to grow old with Jason
8. a firmer me :-)

and now 8 people to tag (sorry guys!)
1. Laura K.
2. Laura S.
3. Tara
4. Amy
5. Sara
6. Leah
7. Lisa
8. Steph O.

sweet heart

such a cool thing as a parent to experience....a child being thankful for what you do for them. I never expected it to come as early as nine years old, but will certainly take it! And I imagine that it also never gets old to hear! There are so many sacrifices we make as parents to do what we do for our children, but it sure is nice to hear from them that for those things, they're thankful. God has entrusted to us these kids, and we gladly make these sacrifices everyday, because that's what we're called to right now in life; raising these kids to grow and seek God for themselves. So we do it anyways, sacrifice, but it spurs me on a little to think that maybe they are starting to grasp some of those sacrifices. Maybe they understand how much they're loved if they think someone is sacrificing something for them. Also shows us just a glimpse of God's love and perspective too....

so here's the card that Ben made for us earlier this week....

gotcha day

I just have to post today, as it's 14 hours ahead in China, where our dear friends, Bill and Sara, are about to be united with their daughter, Mya, FOREVER! Finally, a family they will be.

Please pray for them today, and in the days to come.

For the rest of their trip to go smoothly, for their boys back at home, as well as for little Mya's sweet heart; for her to be open to all the love that Sara and Bill are ready to pour onto her. It's surely a bittersweet day for Mya, as she has said goodbye to her foster parents and brother, the only family she has known thus far..... I'm sure it won't take long though, and this next week or so in China will be a good start, for her to see just how much she's already loved by these two wonderful people, and how perfectly she completes this family.

If you'd like to continue to follow their journey in China, via Sara's blog click here.

To Sara and Bill, Congratulations! We love you all.

what's new

"what's new with us," you ask? well, Abby is having her turn with a stomach bug and the poor little thing was awake almost every 1/2 hour last night vomiting. Please pray that it doesn't pass along to each one of us.

And before it all started yesterday, Ben got a mohawk. The sides are buzzed, the top is not. A true mohawk. I've talked about this before. He's wanted one for awhile. It's only hair, right...

I pick my battles....

the birthday boy

Today is Ben's 9th birthday!
I can hardly believe it! Wow! Time has really flown.
Ben is totally our firstborn. He is very particular about many things, as were we when we had him. We were much more neurotic about life with an infant than we are now! I guess with time you learn many things, and with Ben we were learning right along with him!
He is really a delightul kid though. I really enjoy spending time with him. He is kind, funny, smart, compassionate and a joy to be around. He loves all things sports. He likes to read (especially about sports!). He watches SportsCenter every morning and can later recap for Jason or myself. He sometimes 'quizzes' me about what he saw and I never have a clue. He thinks it's funny that I don't know the players that he talks about. He likes football and baseball cards and is constantly rearranging them in different orders. From best to worst, by team, by # of HR, etc....
Parenting him has really been a lot of fun and I look so forward to seeing how God continues to mold him and how He will use Ben someday.
You are a terrific kid B. We are very proud of you and we love you very much.
Happy Birthday! love, Mom

(FYI pause the music on the player at the bottom of the page before watching the video)

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

a bunch of turkeys

We got into the "thankful" spirit last week and did an art project together-the kids and I. Ben's turkey tells the story of thanksgiving across each feather, which is something he's been reading a lot about...Squanto, Captain John Smith, Pocahontas, etc.. Matthew's and Abby's list things they are thankful for. The kids had a great time, which tells me this is something we should probably do more often.