I love so many things about adoption that it's hard to choose just a few. Still, when asked to come up with just 10 while at a foster care/adoption picnic this afternoon, these were the ten I chose:

1. Adoption has given me a chance to love very specifically chosen children.

2. Adoption teaches that a heart doesn’t have a limited capacity to love, but rather seems to grow just the ‘right amount’ for each child.

3. Adoption has taught me more compassion. As my life has grown to include many different adopted children and all... more

12 Things I love about My daughter in honor of her 12 months home. It’s been one year since this little girl joined our life. What a year it has been.

I Love…..

The way she say’s “ MWAAA” when she wants a kiss….. she never says the word Kiss.

How she will always ask “ One more time?” …. One more time huggie, One more time slide, One more time Mwaaa, One more time please?

No Fruit Salad!!!….. Papa & I love the way she will adamantly exclaim No fruit salad when we try to sing the Wiggles... more

I just wanted to share Livi's recent professional picture... this is my very favorite out of all of them. Happy Love Thursday

I was viewing my picture files today, searching for a picture that caught my eye. I could have pulled the picture of Family Day since we just celebrated our first gotcha/family day anniversary. I could have pulled out a cute picture of Livi in a big black curly wig that is hilarious. Then I have the sweet pic of her and her Papa rolling on the floor and laughing.I take many of pictures so I have many choices. For some reason this picture stood out amongst the others and so today I tell the story of Livi and the Vacuum cleaner.What is with kids... more

I must be an old soul of a Mama. Or maybe it's that I have always longed to be a southern belle, sitting on a huge porch sipping sweet tea in a flowing dress and sun bonnet. I have never been to the Kentucky Derby and have little interest in the race itself, but I adore seeing the wide variety of hats. I'm almost certain that I must have been a southern belle in another life, or perhaps a hat-maker in Paris. I just love myself in a good hat. There is just something about hats that I adore. I don’t care what type - floppy, flip up, bonnets, pie makers,... more

My four year old son is such a weirdo.

He went to bed last night. A while later, he walked back down the stairs, plugged in a vacuum and started vacuuming.

I got his attention and asked him what he was doing. "I HAVE to vacuum, mom! I do!"

Do I make him go to bed?!? Or do I let him vacuum in peace?!?

For over two solid hours, he vacuumed. He finished the main living areas. He used the attachments and did the couches. He hit the dining room pretty well. Then he asked if he could do my room. Go for it, little... more

For fun, I thought I’d share my top 12 favorite quotes on adoption. Some are not specifically about adoption, but certainly can be thought of in that context. I’ll start with my most favorite:

By choice, we have become a family, first in our hearts, and finally in breath and being. Great expectations are good; great experiences are better. Richard Fischer Adoptive parent Do you want to do something beautiful for God? There is a person who needs you. This is... more

You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you. - John Wooden

With two blogs about rude comments we've received written and posted yesterday, I think some recognition of the NICE comments people make would be a pleasant change.

I’ve certainly received fewer nice comments than rude ones, but there definitely have been a few and we surely have appreciated them! Here are a couple:

We walked out of an adoption finalization hearing,... more

What is it about Pigtails that I just adore? Who does not love pigtails on little girls? I remember as soon as we received our surprise girl referral I started stocking up on hair pretties. Soon every type of pony holder, barrette, headband, teeny tiny rubber bands and hair scarves filled a basket in our hall closet. Visions of pigtails danced in my head. In Russia Livi only had enough hair for a whale tail pony on the top of her head. They shaved off a big patch of hair on the top of her head and we are still growing out that... more

The Greatest of These is Love

Every day, I'm faced with about a zillion options of how to spend my time. Every day, I'm faced with half a zillion really strong pulls on how to spend my time. Every day, I'm faced with a whole boatload of super great, really compelling reasons to spend my time on one thing or another. And, every day, the same 24 hours.

I'm certain it's the same for all of you. I'm certain that it's not only because I have so many children - it surely seemed the same when I... more