Thanks Les for tagging me. So I am supposed to list 7 random or weird facts about myself...that's hard because I really feel that I am just an average girl. Here goes...
1. I met my DH almost 18 years ago on a blind date. No dinner involved, just a date to see Kindergarten Cop. It is so funny now looking back at that night because years later he became and cop and I finished college and taught elementary school. We dated for 6 years before tying the knot. Here we are 18 years later happily married for 12 with 4 wonderful kids.
2. I love to eat cottage cheese and pringles mixed together. Well actually not mixed...I love to scoop up a big pile of cottage cheese and put it on the pringle then eat it. As a kid I used to roll cottage cheese up in bologna and eat it, yep sounds really yummy as an adult.
3. I hate going in the ocean. Maybe I watched too many Jaws movies growing up. I love to sit in the surf and just let the water wash over me. I'm not going out where I can't see what is swimming around me.
4. I have a terrible habit of picking up a large un-sweet tea and chicken biscuits from McD's almost every morning on the way to work. And here is the kicker I like it with grape jelly on it. It is the best $3.22 I spend a day.
5. I don't drink any alcohol at all. I had a brother killed by a drunk driver when I was 8 so in honor of him I just don't do it.
6. I love bugs!!! Yep, bugs. I loved science as a child and to this day I love watching bugs do their thing in their own environment of course. The kids and I spent many an afternoon last month feeding some huge silk spiders in our yard. They were so beautiful. The kids named them Charlotte and Scarlett, yea how original but the kids named them, I didn't. A few years back we had a Praying Mantis for a pet for a few weeks and we even caught crickets to feed her.
7. Like most women I hated my freckles growing up too. I used to spend so much time putting on cover-up to hide them, but today I embrace them. I don't wear much make-up at all. And I love the fact that 2 of my kids also have freckles for me to kiss just as my mom used to kiss mine.

So there you have it. & random facts about me. I told you I was just an average girl. So who am I going to tag...
*Sharon of course @ teagues6.blogspot.com
*Carla L @ lewterfamily4.blogspot.com
*Angie @ ourchinagirladoption.blogspot.com
*Pam @ the4sanzas.blogspot.com

Yep only 4 but everyone else I thought about has already been tagged:0)

Fall is finally here...

at least it was for a few days this week. I love the fall but what I hate is the back and forth weeks of temperatures while fall decides if it is coming or not. It never fails the temps go down and up like a see-saw and then we get IT. Yep, we get sick. Right now the leaves are falling and the temp is in the low 70s. Earlier this week it was in the 50s and 60s and yesterday it rained all day long. Tomorrow it is supposed to be in the mid to upper 70s. Then back down again as the week progresses. We all have some sort of cold thing including AG. Runny noses, chapped lips and all. Oh the joy of the changing seasons. V actually had to have a breathing treatment last night before her GS campover. I am so ready for fall to BE here and stay.

On a happier note... I took the monkeys to the pumpkin patch last weekend. We ended up with 5 little pumpkins and 4 rather large ones for less than $30. Pretty good, a lot better than getting the from Walm*rt. Plus the pumpkin patch was sponsored by a local church with all of he proceeds going to missions trips:) So here are a few pics.

11/4/08

No, I am not posting a reminder to vote in the upcoming election:) But I am posting some exciting news...we have a surgery date! Yep, AG will have her lip surgery on Election day which means Sean and I get to vote early. He takes her in for her pre-op this Monday and they'll give him more deatils then. In the meantime I've got to take a lot more pictures of that sweet little face:) We're heading to the pumpkin patch this weekend so hopefully I'll get some cute shots then. I am so excited that she'll have her surgery completed before her 3rd birthday in December!!! Can anyone say studio photo session:)
We're planning a trip this December or January to visit a very special friend. I'll post more info when we get some more concrete plans. All I can say is that I am so excited and so looking forward to our little visit:)

Say Cheese!

October 9th

It has been a whole year since we first saw sweet Abby Grace's beautiful face. It was a normal day, a day like any other but I had a feeling that it was our turn. I went to work knowing that referrals had been received and some calls had already been made. But I knew in my heart and soul that our daughter was in this batch. We'd waited through 3 prior batches and I just knew his was our time. Now, usually I had my phone with me at work and checked it all of the time. This day just seemed different. I sat with my students all day long doing the normal things and not checking my phone as much. We watched a video about bears and I wrote a note to AG on the back of it. (Yes I know I am the teacher and I wasn't paying attention but I had seen the video before.) I had recess duty and out of the blue or boredom I wrote the word "Hope" on the back of my ID badge. The school day ended and I had car rider duty. I went to check my box after the last student was picked up and I had a message to call AWAA. I knew this was it! I called Sean and asked him if he wanted me to wait to call until he could make it to school, he told me to call immediately. I walked rather slowly not to mention shaking and already teary-eyed to the teacher's lounge and dialed the number. I'll never forget the words, "We have a file of a little girl almost 2 with a VSD and bi-lateral CL/CP we'd like to offer to you for review." Offer me, are you kidding?? I knew before making the call that this was our daughter, we had left it all in God's hands. We knew what ever child we were referred we'd take. He had already pre-destined her to be our and would give us the child he had already chosen. I got a bit more about her and struggled to write down as much as I could through sobby tears. My friend Beverly walked by and peeked into the lounge. She saw me crying and was afraid something was wrong. Through tears I told her about our daughter. She sat there with me while I got more info and then walked with me back to my room. Along the way several teachers asked if I was ok, OK??? I was great I had just found out we got a daughter!!! So there I waited for what seems like an eternity for a first glimpse of that sweet little face and for Sean to show up. Beverly left my room once Sean got there and together he and I opened the e-mail. We both cried as we studied every detail of her sweet little face and expressive eyes. My mom picked V up for me and brought her to school. She walked in and asked what I was doing and I said, "I'm looking at your sister!" She instantly got it and began to sob. She finally got to see her little sister, the little girl she had prayed so hard for. As I think back on that day I am so amazed that God chose us to be Liang Wan Jian's family. I remember being bummed when we did not get a call in the previous batches but now I know why. Abby Grace is perfect for our family. I cannot imagine any other child being our daughter.