Verity Turns Eight

Happy Birthday to my beautiful Verity! My world changed forever the moment you were placed in my arms. You wanted a sunshine party because you are our sunshine. You are smart, sweet and thoughtful, and you give the world's best hugs. Not a day goes by without you drawing me a picture of the two of us holding hands, with "I love you" written on it. I'm one blessed Mama to have you as my daughter and I love you more than you will ever know.

Halloween 2016

The Chronicles of Narnia!

Aslan

Reepicheep

Mr. Tumnas

The White Witch

Carving Pumpkins

Pumpkin Patch 2016

These pictures sure made Mama happy. :)

This was my favorite part of the day. We put her down in the pumpkin patch and she ran to this pumpkin, squatted down and began frantically signing "please." We started teaching her baby sign language a few months ago and somehow along the way she just started using the sign for "thank you" any time she wanted something. She does it like she is blowing a kiss with her mouth wide open and its the cutest thing ever.

While the girls gingerly picked through the pumpkins looking for one without mud, this boy found his the-more-dirt-the-merrier- perfect pumpkin.

Why does my baby look so grown up?

Speaking of babies, this one is in her last two weeks of being seven. I can't believe it!

Happy Birthday, Hyacinth!

Happy Birthday to the most delightful one year old. Our family pretty much revolves around you. Each of your siblings just adores you, and you light up when they come into the room.  Each morning Verity asks over and over when you are going to wake up, just like its Christmas. About once a week she says to me, "Mommy, I still can't believe we have Hyacinth!"

You have such a loving, tender heart for such a tiny girl. If one of your siblings is crying you rush over to coo and pat them. You love dolls and walk around cooing sweet nothings them while you hold them up on your shoulder and pat their backs. 

You have this wild and crazy personality. Most days I just laugh and shake my head while I watch you and marvel. You run around the house shrieking and screaming with laughter. You try to do somersaults and headstands. You climb on everything and I've had to take my childproofing to new levels. You are already jumping with two feet off the ground. You are such a daredevil and have no fear.

You are independent and think you are as old as your siblings. You love getting to run errands with Dad and Verity, and relish getting to wave at new people.

You adore your Dad like no other. You look at him with stars in your eyes

I love you more than words can say. You are a living reminder to me that everything happens for a reason, and that God is so worthy of my trust. He has turned my tears into dancing. 

I woke up this morning to your birth mom texting you on your special day, and I felt so much love. I felt so connected to her, us two mothers texting our excitement for you on this big day, waiting for you to wake up. She and I are the two women who love you most in this whole wide world, and I am so blessed to be able to share your life with her. Both of us are besotted with you, gorgeous girl. 

 Happy Birthday!

Hyacinth's Adoption Video

Hyacinth's Fiesta Birthday Party

Hyacinth's Adoption Story Video

Next week our Hyacinth will turn one, and I am already getting very sentimental about it. I know that this one year mark is often a difficult time for birth mothers, and Hyacinth's sweet birth mom has been constantly in my thoughts as this day gets closer. I made this video of Hyacinth's adoption story both for her to be able to watch each year as she grows and also for her birth mom to have as well. She loved it and said that I could share it, so here it is. This precious girl is so loved and is such a gift to us and each of her big siblings. Quite simply, we adore her.

Hyacinth's Adoption Story Video

Gethsemane Turns Six

Oh Gethsemane. I don't think you will understand what a gift you are until you are a mother yourself. I need to write down all the sweet special things about you so that you can read it someday. You are quite simply the perfect child. Sweetness pours out of you. You rarely misbehave, and when it happens once in a blue moon it is usually just because you are tired.  I call you "My right hand girl" because you are always wanting to help me around the house. You are so responsible and mature and a little mother to Bosco and Hyacinth. Bosco can't get away with anything with you around. He adores you and wanders around like a lost lamb when you aren't here. 

You love "Mommy time" with me when we spend time just the two of us. You love it when I teach you sewing and baking, and are desperately excited to learn how to read this year. You say that your favorite thing to do is look through your baby box. I think that you love to touch the little tangible reminders in there of how very cherished you are by both our family and your birth family. Of all my children you have the most questions about adoption. You bring it up often and I can see you swirling things around in your brain, trying to process it. You love them and know they love you, but you are trying to understand the why and how of it more now. Your mind is always working. You have been agonizing lately over what you want to do when you grow up, never mind that such a decision is years away. You want to be a Mommy, but don't want to get married and leave me, since you want to live with me forever, or at least live in the house next door. You informed me the other day that you have finally come to a decision. You have decided that after college you are going to live with me forever, and bake me pancakes in the morning and we will go running together and have tea. "Unless God wants me to get married," you added at the end. 

You think ahead and save every penny you get. I love how decisive you are. You choose quickly and don't look back once you do. You are loyal to your core. Anytime you compliment someone else's food, you are always sure to tell me, "but I like yours best, Mommy." Food is your other great love, especially anything in the bread family. Scones or pancakes are heaven on earth to you.

I was so happy that you still wanted a crown this year. You wanted a horse cake, blueberry and peach pancakes for breakfast, enchiladas for dinner, and for your birthday activity you picked to go to the local spa down the street and get a pedicure with Verity. You lit up when you saw your cake and asked if you could keep the sign when we were done.

Sweetheart, I can't put into words how much I love you. I cried when Randi first placed you in my arms, and I still have tears fill my eyes when I hold you and think about how much I love you. I just marvel at the beauty that you are, and that I get to be your mother. 

Happy Birthday!

The Last Year

Well this is certainly the longest  I've gone without blogging! We've had a very busy and blessing filled year since I last posted. Here are the highlights:

We welcomed our daughter Hyacinth Clemency Veil, born on October 5 in Texas.

Her new siblings fell promptly in love with her.

The kiddos were Charlotte's Web characters for Halloween.

Hyacinth was baptized.

                                                                   Verity turned seven!

We celebrated our first Christmas in our new home.

                                                             
                                                                          Easter

                                           Adjusted to our wonderful new life with four kids.

                                                     Verity received her First Holy Communion.

                          We've been enjoying every moment watching this little sweetheart grow!