And the winner is.....

Oh, this is so much fun!!


I have truly enjoyed myself....


Reading through all the sweet comments ....
Checking out new blogs...
Making new friends....


Being amazed and humbled by all God has done through this 'comment-athon'  party for the precious children at An Orphan's Wish....


WOW!


Did y'all know that 80 lovely, wonderful, caring people left a comment????


Again,....


Wow!


Did y'all know that together with Stefanie's 1000th post (and her 613 comments!), personal donations,
Alisa's $1 per comment match (incredible), Kathie's and my comment-athons' contributions....


Over $2000 was raised...


Really people!


$2000!!!!!


Oh yeah....
The winner!


After a little help from Random.org....
Comment 36 was chosen....
This comment belongs to....

Isabelle et Sijia


Congratulations Isabelle!!!!

Gotta close this *Party* down.....

Talk about having some fun...

But all good things must come to an end...sniff,sniff...

I will be accepting comments until late this evening and then tomorrow I will announce the winner of the Wild Olive Tee! woo-hoo!

Go check out Stefanie's latest post....
You will be amazed at the amount of money raised through comments & donations to An Orphan's Wish!!

God is so good!!!!

Sunday Snapshot {This is how we play!}

One trike...

Two little girls!


On the go and having fun!!!

This older sister certainly doesn't mind letting the younger sister do all the work!!!
(This might be a foreshadowing of things to come.....)






Now this seems to be a little more fair.....
A riding toy for each kid!

Funny thing is.... the tricycle is Shea's and the scooter is Avery's....






Not surprisingly,this pleasant play scene changes in a heart beat....


"Yes, Avery....(deep sigh).....you can have your dumb scooter back!"


"Ugh!"

"I guess I'll just ride my really small, baby tricycle!" (Said in an angry voice.)
"Mother! I need a two-wheeler!"
"Pretty please???" (Said in a sweet voice. Y'all know that voice, right?)

Meanwhile....
Avery decides to move on to a different toy!

And, Shea came up with a.....ummmm, this *good* idea.......

Somehow she is going to make it work.
Despite my doubt.....

And my questions....
"Shea, really....what are you doing?"
"How are you going to hook up the wagon to the bike?"


(I think she is getting annoyed....with me!)

Look at Avery.... just chillin' back there!
No worries on her part! Ha!





Success!!!!!

On to yet, another toy!

Convenient photo op!!!!!

Yep.


This is how {we} play at our house....


I think it is called 'Toy Hopping'! (???)


It can be pretty exhausting.


Good thing a Popsicle can fix all that.

And finally....


Off to bed!


'Toy Hopping' is some pretty tiring stuff! 

Don't you just love watching your kids sleep?
Some how they seen to transform into angels!!!

Sweet Dreams, my little ones!
A day well played means a night well slept!






Make sure you find some time this week to check out all the other Sunday Snapshots.
Just click on the {above} button.

Joining in on the fun!!!! (And, stepping out in faith!)

My sweet friend, Stefanie, over at Ni Hao Y'all is celebrating....

She is celebrating her 1000th post!!!  Can you believe it????

And this gal is so darn creative....

For every comment she receives to help her celebrate, she is donating one dollar to An Orphan's Wish!!!!

Now, I need to back up a bit....

Do y'all know Stefanie?  If, not....where have you been????

(You really need to check out her blog!)

In a nut shell:

She and her husband have nine kids!!!!!  They have adopted from China five times!!!!!
She is funny, witty,and compassionate!
She loves the Lord with all her heart!
She is crazy in love with her husband and kids!!!

She is the director of An Orphan's Wish , and I have the humbled privilege of volunteering for this amazing organization....working with her and all the other wonderful AOW volunteers and most importantly helping out the precious children who reside there.

Here is all I ask of you, my dear friends....

1. Please leave a comment over at Stefanie's blog. (At this moment, she has received about 500 or
so comments!)

2. Please leave a comment here on my blog. Yep, I have been totally inspired by Stefanie. I want to  just        join in on this 'party'....as Stefanie calls it! I know I won't get even a fraction of the amount of comments...but, that is so not the point!  (However, I may consider doubling, tripling, or even quadrupling the dollar amount I give based on the comments I receive.)

3. Please check out what is going on at An Orphan's Wish. (Just click on the button below)



I am thrilled to be a part of this organization! I get to work and correspond with all the wonderful people who sponsor a child (or children) at An Orphan's Wish. Trust me, I feel blessed to be doing this! I get to 'meet' some pretty amazing people! Just the other day, I received an email from someone in Australia. He called me 'mate' and closed his email with 'cheers'!  I was thrilled! (I know, I know...it's just a little thing...but it was so totally cool!)

An Orphan's Wish is located in the Guangxi Province right outside the city of Guilin.
It is staffed by the most amazing, loving, & caring people.
Children are placed at AOW who are in need extra care because of  their medical needs.
These kiddos are loved on! And cared for in such a way that they grow & flourish, & thrive!!!

One more thing....
Because I am so ridiculously addicted to Wild Olive Tees (which by the way, Stefanie and some other amazing women run), I would like to give away a tee to one of y'all who leaves a comment here. (And, since I probably won't have that many comments, the chances of getting a Wild Olive Tee are pretty high! wink-wink!)

With all this giving going on,(check out this post!) (and this post!) it's very easy to wanna give!!! It's contagious.....

Don'tcha think????

I not like Momma!

I'm not gonna lie...


I have been crabby lately....


Lots of yelling disciplining going on around here.


Time outs....
Toys taken away...
TV programs put on hold....
Mandatory apologies....hugs....& kisses!
(I know, I know.... these are no fun...and who knows how sincere they are...but, I gotta teach these girls how to forgive each other....
and to forgive me as well! *sigh*)


So, here's the scoop:


 My husband has been in Africa now for ummm, about 11 days!!!  He will be gone for another 7!!!
(insert crazy face!)


I am really gonna try to sound like I am not whining....


But, it is hard flying solo in the parenting department!!!


I have most definitely been crabby....at times....not all the time....but, yes!....at times, you could say that I have been slightly crabby.  


No, really crabby!!!


At this time in my post, I must give much credit, admiration, and a standing ovation to all the single parents out there!!!  You have earned my undying respect!!!



Yes, my husband has gone to Africa several times in the past....for  long periods of time....
The first few times he went, I was home with my three big kids (no Littles yet) and well, they were older.  Teenagers. Much more independent!
The last time he was in Africa, I was home with Shea....she was a little over two years old....It was very manageable.


This time, however,.....*deep sigh*, I am home with two wild  little girls, who are giving me a run for the money! Ha!


I know, it's only two little girls....two little girls, I tell you...


Who are delightful,
loving,
funny,
joyful,
mischievous,
naughty,
creative,
silly,
demanding...
 angels!!!


Yep, I really want  NEED my husband back!!!!


The other day, when I was...well, crabby....I heard Avery nonchalantly say:


"I not like Momma!"


Shea was mortified!  She proceeded to explain to Avery that you shouldn't say that....
"Sometimes Mommies get mad...but they still love you....and you should always like your momma!"


Oh my sweet Shea!


Well, I took a deep breath....
Gathered my girls into my arms....
Told them that it's okay not to like me sometimes.....
(You should have seen the look on Shea's face!  I probably opened a whole can of worms with that statement...)
Told my precious babies that I love them....always will....no matter what...
Told them I was sorry for being so stinkin' crabby....
And, asked them to forgive me....


I went back into the kitchen.
The girls went back to playing.


Then I over heard Avery say:


"I want by Momma!"


Those were best words I heard all day!


I am so blessed!!!!!!

More Artistic Expression....{by Avery}

I just don't know what to make of it????

This little girl just plain gets crazy with a marker!

What ever happened to drawing on paper???

She prefers walls and skin....maybe she is a budding tattoo artist???

This is certainly not the first time she has....ummm, drawn on herself.....

And, she does seem rather proud of this latest 'expression'....

What a stinker!!!!!

Sunday Snapshot {Wedding}

A beautiful couple....

A perfect day!!!

 

 

Don't forget to out check out some other Sunday Snapshots....
They are lots of fun!!!

Happy Father's Day!!!

As soon as my husband returns from Africa at the end of June, we will be celebrating a belated Father's Day!!!

Wordless Wednesday {Avery's Artistic Expression}

It's been a while.....

Almost two weeks since my last post....! (Gasp!)

Lots going on here in this crazy household. I tell ya!

My son Scott and his new wife {my new daughter-in-law} were married exactly 10 days ago!!

It was an amazingly, beautiful, perfect. fairy-tale wedding!!!!
(Pretty sure I will highlight this experience as a Sunday Snapshot post!)

However, it was very emotional.....good emotional....but, emotional none the less!!!
Took me a few days to get my act together.......

Then just a couple of days after we came home after the wedding, my husband and my oldest daughert {Faith} headed out to Africa!

Yes, I did say Africa! 
Ghana, Africa to be exact.
They and their team will be there until June 28.
That's a total of 18 days, y'all!!!
(The Littles are missing them big time already and they have only been gone for five days....only 13 more to go! But hey, who's counting!)

Why are they in Africa?
My husband (who is the administrator at our Christian high school) takes a group of high school kids about every other year to a place called 'Manna Mission'.
In this compound is a women's hospital, elementary school, and recently added secondary school.
The team, which is comprised of a few teachers, college students, and a bunch of teenagers, assists the teachers in their classroom, plays with the students, experiences the culture, worships with the people (which according to my husband, is one of the most amazing and humbling experiences he has ever had), and forms lasting and inspiring friendships!

Mu husband works with the Head Mistress {Doris}... (aka principal) on administration issues, curriculum, teacher growth & education, technology, etc!

This is his fourth trip and Faith's second.

Very cool stuff!!!

So, anyway.....
Sending them far, far away was also emotional....good, emotional, but emotional none the less!!!

I think I am finally getting my act together....(???)

And venturing back into bloggy land!

I have missed being a part of this community.....

Commenting on blogs....
Missing my bloggy friends!

It's so good to be back!

I thought I would share just a few pictures from The Wedding.....

Just the Littles having a lot of fun!!!

A Sneak Peek,,,,,

Aren't they just the sweetest????  Almost....ummm, angelic???

 They are sooooooooooooo excited to be the flower girls in Scott & Stephanie's wedding!!!!

I took these pictures on Tuesday afternoon....
I was hoping to post them on Wednesday morning before we left.....on our eight hour trip....to THE wedding!!
Didn't get done!!!  (As you can see, it is late Thursday morning....)

Shea & Avery did well traveling yesterday....
My husband, on the other hand, was pretty stressed driving through major cities....like Chicago! (for example)


However, we are here in Indy....enjoying the pre-wedding days....going wild having fun in the hotel room....visiting with family & friends....and checking out the city!!!


I still can't believe that in a few days I will have a new hat to wear.....
the MOTHER-IN-LAW hat!!  Yikes!! 

Oh ya!......this is so NOT about me.....!!!!  ha-ha!!!

In a few days, my son will be married to the love of his life {Stephanie}!!!  What a blessing!!! 


Have I told you how excited The Littles are about all of this????

Stay tuned for REAL wedding pictures!!!