My Baby is 5!!!!

My parents and my brother came for Izaih's fifth birthday. Actually, my mom and brother stayed for over a week, which was sooo great. We celebrated by taking a tour of Busch Stadium, spending the afternoon at the pool, and then cake and presents! It was wonderful!

Cake compliments of Mark's wonderful and talented friend, Kim

We aDORE my grandparents!

Hannah, Carlos, and David lounging poolside

Izaih was sitting so nicely in time-out...I just couldn't resist a picture :)

Me, Mom, Izaih, and David at Busch Stadium

Mark's brother, Clayton, and his wifee, Melissa
They were actually here a few weeks earlier but we wish they were here for Izaih's birthday, too!

We can't WAIT for Baby Jillian to get here!!!!

Our House!

We bought a house, folks. It all happened really, really fast! We just happened to find it the day my mom came with us and the Realtor, which was perfect. We loved it and knew it would go fast, so we started writing up the contract real quick before the next scheduled appointment came in. If you know me, that's not my style. However, the seller, who lives in CA and rehabs houses all over the states just for fun, said that the reason he decided to rehab this one is because he knew the next-door neighbor and thought he was incredible and really full of integrity and would watch the house while he was gone. Good neighbors are almost more important than the house itself, so that was a big key point. Plus, it's on a cul-de-sac, which is almost unheard of in the city. The home has been totally gut rehabbed and it designed really cool! It's in Fox Park (if you're from STL, it's nestled between Soulard and Lafayette Square) deep in the city. It - is - STUNNING. 117 years old, so it combines that old-world charm with the modern twist I love. We close on July 24th and plan to start moving in that day. I am freaking out just a bit. I can't believe we're about to be homeowners! That officially makes us grown-ups!:)

On a different note, Mark got promoted at work, so he is excited about that. The Crisis Nursery is such a blessing in our lives. Mark could not ask for a better agency to work with. I have 2 job interviews lined up. One is with the Children's Division and the other is a second interview with a women's domestic violence shelter. Izaih starts Kindergarten in one month. The adoption process has begun. All these changes - AGHHHH!!!!! But I love it:)

Living Room

Family Room

Dining Room

YAY!!!!

My mom and brother are coming for a whole week!!! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!!!!!:) Hurry up, Saturday!!!!

I Hate Good-Byes

Izaih said, "Albert...will you be my best friend?"
Albert - "You already are, Izaih"
Priceless:)

Best baby EVER!

Albert had never been to the zoo before and we just couldn't have that!

So gorgeous

Albert and Jordyn are going to live with Jordyn's grandmother tomorrow and it is bitter-sweet. Albert is so smart and well-behaved, and he makes me laugh without even trying:) Jordyn is seriously the best baby you could ever imagine. She cuddles and laughs and is happy all the time! We love you, Albert and Jordyn, and we will miss you very much (especially Izaih!)

Whirlwind Post

I am so behind at posting. Life is super crazy these days! A week and a half ago we got 2 new foster babies - Albert is 6 and Jordyn is 13 months. They are precious, just precious! Izaih is in heaven with 2 playmates! He has assumed the big brother role to Jordyn, and has mimicked a lot of Albert's good behaviors (hallelujah!). We are loving having them, but it is very hectic! We were planning to let Izaih stay with another foster family for the weekend so that Mark and I could celebrate our 5 year anniversary, but an hour before we were supposed to drop Izaih off, up came Albert and Jordyn. It was really the perfect way to celebrate anyways since we love kids so much. We're doing what we've always dreamed of!

We also got approved on a loan to buy a house, so we have been out house-hunting with our realtor. We found the perfect house on Cherokee, but the agent representing the seller didn't give us a chance to put in an offer. Some people she was representing also liked the house and she saw an opportunity (I'm assuming) to make a bigger commission. I guess that's just how it goes sometimes. Needless to say, we didn't get the house:( We're sad. But I'm sure a better one will come along that will turn out to be much more perfect than the one on Cherokee. But dangit, I really wanted to live on Cherokee!

Pictures coming soon, as soon as I have more than 10 minutes to myself to try to upload them. How in the world do single moms do it?!

The Shack

I just finished The Shack - it was amazing. If you haven't read it, GO GET IT! I have heard so many things about it being "unscriptural" - a word that just makes me laugh - but for some reason that deterred me for awhile. After reading it, I can definitely say that it is one of the clearest portrayals of God that I have encountered. The book made me feel completely, utterly CHERISHED by God. It's a story of redemption about a man whose little girl was kidnapped, assaulted, and brutally murdered. I know that description doesn't sound like a feel-good story of love, but it totally is. The theology in it is BRILLIANT and also probably a little bit controversial, but it stretched me in my thinking and in my perceptions and assumptions about God. If you've ever struggled with why God has let bad things happen in your life, this is exactly the book you need to read.

Houdini

Izaih is so funny. And way too smart and sneaky for his own good. We have converted his room into a "safe room", meaning that we have taken everything out of it except his mattress and covers. He gets a little fan at night, and of course, all his stuffed animals. We put him in there and have to lock the door when he starts being aggressive and/or unsafe. He usually has to go in there at least a few times each day. He kept breaking his door and the locks we had on it, but we finally have one that he can't break. We also had to jam his window because he kept opening it. Even after that, last week, while in his room, he pulled the entire window out of the frame!!!!!!!! And it is HEAVY!!! He has also started picking up his mattress and moving it around the room. CHILD!!!!

Anyways, so here is how our afternoon went today, after I put him in his room for running away and kicking me in the face:

#1 -He got out by using the plug on his fan to pick the lock. I put him back in his room.

#2 - He then reamerged by picking the lock with a nail he had found and hid in his pocket for whenever he (inevitably) would have to go to his room. I put him back in his room.

#3 - He escaped once more by using the zipper from some jeans that were on the floor to pick the lock. I put him back in his room.

#4 - He came out in his tighty whities after picking the lock with the zipper of the pants he was wearing. Mommy gave up.

A Little Mother's Day Announcement

My cute little domestic Mom


True Love

I am so blessed on Mother's Day to have such a great mom and such a great son! The boys took me to Crepes in the City for lunch and it was YUMMY! Last night I realized that I have officially become one of those moms that talks about their kid nonstop. Friends, strangers, coworkers, at work, at parties, in lines, and everywhere in between. It's like word vomit that just doesn't quit - I can't keep myself from gushing about Izaih!:) By the way, we just learned that his name is IZIAH, not Izaih. WHOOPS! Pronounced differently and everything! How'd THAT happen???

And on that topic, I can't think of a more fitting day to officially announce that we are indeed adopting Izaih! We decided together (all three of us actually) months ago, but have been waiting for things to die down before we made the big announcement. Not sure when the adoption will be finalized. It doesn't really matter to us. He's our son, official or not!

At the humane society checking out potential pets


First day of FRC preschool - Waiting for the bus

Izaih Being Calm

The moments I live for:)

Celebrity Gossip

When it comes to celebrity gossip, I am the worst! I would log onto Perez Hilton several times a day to escape reality, and I would consume myself with the lives of celebrities and all their drama. I was sooooo hateful and judgmental of some of them, especially Britney Spears. I could rant about her with the best of the gossip columnists. Then I heard the song by Bebo Norman that was written for Britney, and I felt very convicted. They're celebrities, but they're also human beings. Human beings with real problems, real struggles, and feelings. The difference is that they are locked in a reality that only cares about how hott they are NOW and spits them out when they become boring (aka healthy and settled) or run out of money. This all happens in the public eye with millions of judgmental jerks (like me) scrutinizing every detail of their journey and pain, criticizing them and discussing how much they suck. It occured to me that, for being so against gossip, I sure was taking part in it a LOT. Instead of taking part in the gossip and scrutiny, I need to set myself apart and love and pray for them, just as I would any person in my life dealing with rehab or their partner's infidelity. I am a week clean of my Perez Hilton vice. Check out Bebo Norman's song - it's playing on my playlist.