Instagram

Do you guys use instagram? I absolutely love it! It is definitely my second most used app, after twittelator, of course! Ha!

Here are a few of my favorites from the last few weeks!



{my youngest Godson sound asleep in my car. Love this boy}



{dinner straight from my Papaw's garden}



{cupcakes I took to the ER}



{my oldest Godson's bible, all bookmarked by him. Love.}



{dogs before bath day}



{veggies at the market!}



{welcomed us to Louisiana!}


{all dolled up for the Kintzing wedding}



{apparently this is one of my disapproving looks. Haha!}



{showing off his guns}



{I have a slight addiction}



{my other addiction}



The end. For now. ;)

Father's Day 2011

We had such a wonderful Father's Day this year. We got to spend it with lots of people we love and felt so blessed! We started out the day with our church family, which was just perfect, as always. After church, we basically didn't say bye to anyone (I felt a little rude! Sorry, Jill!) but we had to get to a town about an hour from church and we had roughly 45 minutes to do so. Obviously we were a little late, but our family still forgave us! ha!

My great uncle passed away this week, so all of our family was in town for the funeral. My grandmother decided to have a Father's Day get together while everyone was still here. And just for the record, Uncle Roe was very sick. He had cancer all over and took himself off chemo and radiation about 2 months ago. We all knew this day was coming (still miss him) but we know he is in a much better place and are at peace about it.

Back to Father's Day. There are a few people in this picture who I had only met once, briefly, until the Memorial on Friday morning. I really wish everyone lived closer because I have some hilarious family! We really did have a good time. My great grandmother was BEAMING having all of her grandkids and great grandkids (well, there's only 2 greats here, Matthew wasn't able to get off work. And momma worked too. So they were short a grandkid, too) all under one roof. She was obviously missing her son, but was so grateful to see everyone laughing, having fun and loving each other. She is 93 years old and has more spunk than you can imagine! My cousin (or 2nd cousin, I think) was able to fly home from Iraq for his dad's funeral. He is in special forces and pretty much has to go back immediately, but it was wonderful to get to see him face to face and let him know that we are praying for him. I'm used to just texting or facebooking the boy!

{The family minus Mom and Matthew}

{my second cousin and his daughter. They were smelling flowers she picked! So sweet!}

After we left this side of the family, we headed back towards home to see Tyler's dad, stepmom and our sisters in law. I love these people. I think I say that every time I post about them, but they are just wonderful. I don't really know what we would do without them! Amanda and Sarah are the ones expecting twins and found out last week that both are girls!! SO excited to have two nieces! I love them already! A brought fabric swatches from the nursery over to let us check it all out. It is going to be SO cute! And we all decided that Marsha and Tony will forever be known as Grum and Poppy. I like their grandparent names. :)

We also hadn't gotten together to celebrate my birthday yet and apparently they decided to do that the same day! ha! So I got to wear a fancy-schmancy "Birthday Princess" sash. Which I did with great honor. lol

 {Amanda and Sarah, and the twins!}

{excited for cookie cake}

 {my father in law, Tony... to be forever known as Poppy}

 {Tyler playing a silly dollar store game.}

{yum!}

 {Max got caught. He was helping.}

{my love and me}

The best granola bars ever.

Tyler and I love granola bars. They are seriously one of our favorite snacks! I have a few recipes I use, but wanted to post our favorite. If I need to, I'll do a step by step picture post. ;)



{packaging time!}

I use the recipe from Make and Takes. If you haven't ever checked that site out, I highly recommend it! We've gotten some of our favorite recipes from there.

Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

2 1/2 c. Oats – quick rolled oats
1/2 c. Rice Krispies
1/4 c. coconut
1/2 c. M&M minis
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Add all of the ingredients and mix together until combined. Press into a 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and score into bars. Let it set completely and then cut into bars.

Package in parchment paper rolled up and twisted on the ends or sealed with a sticker or in a Tupperware container if you don't have to take them anywhere!

I skip the coconut, use chocolate chips instead of m&ms and add a little bit of wheatgerm. I also use agave nectar sometimes if I have it on hand!

You should definitely try them! They are sooooo good!


{all packaged up for the week!}

Worst Manicure Ever.

I had a groupon for a 90-minute spa manicure and pedicure. It was about 1/2 off so I thought it would be a great deal! Never in my life have I been more wrong. It expired on the 1st, I had called the salon 6 or 7 times in the weeks leading up to try and get an appointment. I never got an answer and I never got a call back. I should've just given up. I finally got them to answer the day before and thought I was lucky to get an appointment.

When I got there Tuesday, I was told that I was lucky to get an appointment because a girl had cancelled. Yay me! Or not. Right about the time I sat down a girl comes in saying her appointment was at that time. Apparently the morons who run the place cancelled the wrong appointment. They argued with the poor girl and she finally stormed out. I felt so bad! I know it wasn't my fault, but I had totally stolen homegirl's mani/pedi. She lucked out.

Okay so on to the REALLY awkward part of our story. I sat down and the woman doing my nails immediately says "well, I just need my husband to decide if we're having biological kids or adopting." What the heck?! Kids had never been mentioned! She then complimented my engagement ring, I said thank you and she straight up shoved her ring in my face and goes "look at mine! Isn't it beautiful?!" It wasn't. At this point she gets to talking about the girl who's appointment I had obviously stolen and isn't paying attention to her job. She CUT me. I reacted and all she said was oops. Then she continues talking and cuts me again! That time I said a dirty word and she told me it would be okay, it was because my cuticles were dry and she'd put more oil on them. Girl is a nutjob. But after that she started to pay attention to me a little better. I would've rather gotten 234 more cuts than listen to the rest of this girls story.

As she's continuing the "manicure" she tells me that she's 46, been married 2 years and already has 24 and 19 year old daughters. Her husband wants kids of his own and they are trying to decide between IVF and adoption. Then she proceeds to tell me she has endometriosis and doesn't know if her body could handle another pregnancy. THEN she tells me she's "cut, tied and burned." Also, she's on her "monthly" in case you were wondering.

Pedicure time. At this point I just want to hide from her and give myself a pedicure. Unfortunately, the pedicure chair is in a secluded area of the salon so it's just she and I. Obviously this means it's time to divulge her life story.

They are also looking into surrogacy or getting a donor egg (let's not forget she's cut, tied and burned. I was definitely reminded). They've found a potential match. At this point, a friend calls who I haven't talked to in about 4 months and against my better judgment, I told him I was busy and would have to call back. Big mistake because then I found out that the donor is red headed like her, but is a little chunky (ummm, sister, do you not see the chunk sitting in front of you??) but just because she's chunky doesn't mean the baby will be. No lie, she said those exact words. The surrogacy story goes on for entirely too long and then she tells me her husband gets pissed because she's on her "monthly" so often and can't have sex. She's been bleeding for 4 weeks. Yep. I know this now. You're welcome. THEN she tells me how cute her husband is. And that if I ever met him, I would never know he use to be addicted to speed because of how handsome he is. I'm pretty sure she took over the addiction in that family.

All of this goes on for the entire 90 minutes. I heard the phrase "cut, tied and burned" no less than 15 times and was informed about her "monthly" 7 times. I was ready to run out of there screaming at the end. But I held it all together. Even after she handed me business cards to give to my friends. Haha!

Fast forward to Wednesday night (ya know, the night after my mani/pedi). I'm sitting in the hospital delivery room with a friend waiting to have her baby and I picked up a bag and two fingernails were stripped of their polish. It literally peeled off. In one solid sheet. By the next morning 5 fingers were missing polish. I will never in my life go back!






Hope you enjoyed my misery! ;)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

FAQ's

So many kind words on here and twitter. I can't thank you enough for your thoughts and prayers. They seriously mean the world to us. 

I figured since I made this huge announcement, I should just go ahead and answer the most commonly asked questions. I am sure I will be asked them a million times once the shock wears off and might as well have it done! ;)

What age are you adopting?

We are signed up to foster up to age 5 and adopt up to age 3. We honestly don't feel like we can handle much older. We are 26 and feel like those are the ages we are comfortable with. 

Does race matter?

Not. At. All.

How many?

One or two at a time. Most likely just one.

Where will they sleep? 

We get this one most often from people we know in real life. We have a fairly small three bedroom house. One room is our master, one is my art room and one is the office. They will go in the office. In the next few months the office will be getting a nice renovation to make it a gender neutral nursery/child's bedroom. We were given a crib and will get a twin bed if we have older children placed. The office/art room will be downsized dramatically and will join in one room.

Are you going to make them be vegetarian?

This one tickles me. Of course not. I wouldn't force vegetarianism on anyone. It's a personal choice.

Are you having trouble getting pregnant?

This one is possibly the most annoying and its also the most frequently asked. The first few times it didn't bother me a bit, but then it just got old. So simply answered, no. More in depth and perhaps TMI answered, we've never "tried."

Are you going to have biological children?

Usually this one is worded "your own" children. It bugs me too. Any child that lives in my home will be mine. If they are permanently here or only here until their parents get straightened out, I will love them as my own. I have to. It wouldn't be fair otherwise. 

As for the biological child part. Yes, if the Lord says so. We have always said we would start trying this summer. Those plans haven't changed. But, we know that it is completely in God's hands and we are fully trusting him. If we only have foster and adoptive children, then so be it. But if he chooses to bless us with biological children, we'd love that too. They all need the love. :)

Are you prepared? It won't be easy.

This one makes me laugh. Seriously. NO we aren't fully prepared! YES we know this will be the most difficult journey we have EVER been on! But, I firmly believe no one is ever fully prepared for parenthood. Really. You may think you are, but until you experience in your own little world, you won't know. And I know that with God's blessing we'll get through it. And will be better for it in the end!

What is your timeline? 

We started this process on May 16th, 2011. We will have our training in September and will hopefully have a child placed in our home fairly soon after that. Then, its a waiting game. Totally and completely. In 70% of fostering situations the goal is reunification with the biological parents. So, we may get a child in that 70% or one in the other 30% that would more than likely be up for adoption faster. Again, it's all in God's hands.

You all would not believe the amount of paperwork we have done and still have to do. I swear this world would be a better place if all parents had to go through what foster/adoptive parents do! 

Once last thing, this internet is one of the best creations ever. I have "met" the best foster and adoptive parents on twitter and blogs. I don't know what I would have done without them! I have asked SO many questions and I KNOW I will be asking so many more. They probably regret giving me their email! haha! They are always so open and honest. No sugar coating, but still so very supportive. You know who you are and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. The rest of you internet friends are pretty darn awesome too. I have found the most wonderful support system and am so very grateful. 

Love you all.

I'm back... with news.

About a month ago, actually it was May 16th, the day before our 3 year anniversary, I asked all of my friends on twitter to pray for Tyler and I. We had a very important meeting. This meeting was going to help us decide which direction we were taking our lives. This meeting was about adoption. More importantly about the foster and adoption program in our state. 

We have been praying and discussing for a long time about adoption. We have always planned to adopt. It was talked about before we were engaged. I've wanted to adopt since before we were even dating. Tyler is adopted and he has also always had the "tug" to do the same. But in the last year, specifically the last few months, the "tug" was no longer something we could ignore. I literally cry every single time I hear or read about an adoption. Every. Single. Time. I knew this was God telling me something. We had quite a few other "signs" during this time that confirmed that we were headed in the right direction. Then fostering was laid on our hearts. I don't know when, how or why, but it was definite. And all of a sudden. 

I told a few friends what our meeting was about. I wanted specific prayers from a few close friends, but didn't want everyone to know in case we went in a different direction. I guess I didn't want to let people down. If that makes any sense? During our meeting I heard SO much that confirmed what we thought we knew. So much told us we were heading down the path the Lord had led us on. I stepped out during one of the breaks we had to text one of the girls who knew the whole story. I'm so glad I did because there is so much from that day I don't remember. I said "Just heard 'foster children need Jesus in skin.' and it brought me to tears. Most definitely in the right place for us. I want nothing more than to love a child in need and show them all of Jesus' love!" I am crying just reliving that moment and those words. It struck a chord and made us seriously consider fostering along with adoption. More proof that God had out of nowhere placed fostering on our hearts.

That whole long story to say... We have officially started the process to foster and (hopefully!) adopt children in need in our area. There are so many children who need someone to love them. They need a place to call home. We want to be that home. 

Thank you all for your sweet prayers for our family, they are much appreciated and would love it if you would continue to pray for us. This is a long and emotional journey we've just begun.

“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.” Matthew 18:5