Let Fall begin!!

We officially started the Fall season by going to the apple orchard on Sunday. Unfortunately the orchard we go to every year was t letting people pick their own because of the bad crop they had, but we were able to find another orchard that worked out wonderfully!

Another small change this year was that we weren't allowed to eat the apples while picking them (because of Cooper's loose , but hopefully tightening, front teeth). That was quite challenging since the boys were used to getting all sticky eating the big apples. Thankfully Daddy brought a knife to cut the apples up for us to eat on.

We ended up getting 2 1/2 bushels of apples.....tons of applesauce and apple butter to be made!!!!

By the way, the pictures that look like the boys are taking a bite, is them acting......such good actors!!!

Cooper and Love

We invited Aunt Faith and the kids over to the pool last Thursday. Thankfully our pool is heated and it wasn't to cold. It was a good day. Isaac has finally acclimated to the water and Hope and the boys love finding new things to do in the water.

Anyway, as we were packing up and getting everything gathered I kept hearing Cooper call for Hopey: "Hopey, Hopey, Hopey!!". She finally stopped what she was doing and turned to him and he said:

"Goodbye Hopey, I love you"..... I turned quickly to make sure there was no kiss to follow (don't worry Uncle Brian, there wasn't). Faith and I couldn't believe what had just happened. Usually Cooper has to be prodded repeatedly to go say goodbye to someone! It really did catch us off guard.

That is the first time Cooper has told someone that isn't family that he loves them......pretty "major" to us.

Anyway, I just thought I should record that one.

By the way, here is a pic of Hopey for those of you that haven't met her.

One tired Carson!!!!

4 days with no nap, not going to bed until 10:30 or later and 6 hours at the beach leads to.....

Carson eating cheese in his sleep!!!!! Now THAT is multitasking!!

Yet another first!!

We didn't realize it until we were actually there, but this was the boy's first time going into the Indiana State Fair!!! The last time I was there, I was 5 1/2 months pregnant with the boys. The boys loved hearing that story

Thanks to Gaga Linda, we have actually travelled on the train to the State Fair, but haven't gone in. This year, Gaga Linda was kind again and gave us train tickets to ride the train to the fair and we decided to take advantage of the great weather and hang out there Sunday night.

Of course, the boys thoroughly enjoyed it (minus the smelly pig building). Cooper took after mommy and couldn't handle the smell for long. They loved the music, the people, most of the animals, the misters, the ice cream and the great train ride there and back! Once again, they were real troopers and made it all the way around the track on foot!

Thank you Gaga Linda for the incentive to go. The train ride made it an even nicer experience!

Another experience on our journey

We successfully made it through our second garage sale fundraiser!!!!!!!!! We surpassed our goal making over $1800 with several sales still pending!

Even though it was hard to make it through, it was great getting to meet new people, hear their stories of adoption and their words of encouragement.

We took the boys out for a fun evening with just the 4 of us after everything was over, even though mommy and daddy were utterly exhausted. It was great getting a chance to just have fun and focus on one another.

Sometimes it is hard not to ask why....

As I am sitting here at 11:10pm on a Thursday night before our 2nd garage sale begins, clothes damp from sweating, feet sore, back throbbing, eyes burning from being so tired (I know I should go to sleep), physically and mentally tired, it is hard not to covet the families that just get pregnant and have a baby.

What is it like to get pregnant without any assistance, without countless doctor appointments, without your savings being depleted just trying?  What is it like to have a baby by just getting pregnant, carrying it for 9 months while going on with your regular life and then having a baby?

I know that God has a plan for us and will use our situations for something greater than we ever imagine.  I know that no matter how much we have to go through and how hard we have to work, the baby that joins our family will make up for all of it.

I have had some people comment saying "at least you won't have to go through labor", "adopting means you don't have to go through all the aches and pains of carrying a baby".  How do you reply to that?  Other than reminding them that even when I was carrying twins, I enjoyed the journey of pregnancy, I was honored to go through every moment of pregnancy with the boys.  I felt better carrying twins than I normally did.

I have again been reminded while preparing for this sale of many things and had an entire day to reflect on everything.  I am reminded that God has placed very special people in our lives to help us along on this journey.  I am reminded that our way isn't always the best way.  I am reminded that the easiest path isn't for everyone.  Most importantly, I am reminded of one of my favorite scriptures:  Isaiah 40:31 "They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles.  They shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint." Teach me Lord to wait.

One step closer to big boys!

The boys rode their bikes to the pool for the first time. It was quite a site seeing their bikes parked beside each other at the pool.