pics of grey

i finally emailed pics of grey today.  if you didn't get them, it means that i don't have you're email address :)  if you'll send me an email, i forward the pics to you.  hope everyone has an amazing weekend.  we have a shower tonight for grey...so excited!!! :)  

randomness.....

so , mommy friends, have you been hearing about BPA?   i don't think we need to panic but it's worth looking into.  i changed all of grey's baby bottles today to the playtex inserts.  they don't have bpa and the ones we were using were apparently very high in bpa levels. so, i think it's a matter of being smart, doing what we can and leaving the rest in God's hands.   you can find a ton of info on the internet if  you google bpa.  

things are going well.  my mom came into town today.....YAY!  i have her until next wednesday and i'm soooo grateful.  she is super helpful when she is here and helps me get a ton done.  i have several projects that i'm hoping to accomplish including spring cleaning.  

grey is still doing amazingly well.  he is such a joy and the kids adore him!!!  they love having a baby brother to love on and play with.   we are all very happy with our newest addition and are slowly but surely sinking into a new routine.  he is still sleeping very well at night......YAY for me :D

i'm now dead on my feet and heading to bed...  have a great weekend everyone!!!!

quick update...

life has been a whirlwind the last few days and i should be in bed right now but wanted to give a little update.  first of all, a debate ensued between kyle and i about whether to spell the babies name "gray" or "grey".  as most of you know, i have been spelling it "gray" and was in favor of spelling it that way.  after much debate...i gave in.  i know...i know........that doesn't happen often :) so we are spelling our new precious son's name "Grey", who by the way is the best baby on earth! he is such a good baby.  unless he is tired, hungry or poopy............he is as happy as he can be.  (thank you, Lord)  i think God knew that might be all i could handle.  

needless to say, we are thoroughly enjoying every moment with him and have completely fallen head over heels in love with this child!  he loves his brother and sisters and they love to make him smile and coo.  his favorite spot to go to sleep at night is on his daddy's chest.  it's so sweet......he follows kyle around the room with his eyes and lights up when his daddy talks to him!  

as far as sleeping goes........night #1: up about three times to pat him, 5:30am to feed him

night #2:  up at 4am to  pat him then 5:30am to give him his pacifier and pat him

last night:  the child slept all night long and woke up at 7:15am.  it was awesome!!!  and i was sooo glad, cause we have to get rid of that 5:30am feeding.  heaven knows he doesn't need it...he is a little chunk :)  and cute as he can be.  

i know everyone is anxious to see pics.  i'll send an email soon....promise :)  ok, going to bed and praying for another night of sleep!  

WOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Got the call today.....Gray Matthew is coming home tomorrow!!!!!!!!  I still can hardly believe it even as I type this...... :)  needless to say...we are thrilled!  thanks soooo much to everyone for your prayers during this whole thing.  don't stop praying...we still have to get through adoption!  mom's rights haven't been terminated yet....but they haven't heard from her either...so i'm not too worried.  i'll try to blog as soon as i can....but it may be a few days.........i'll be adjusting to being mom to four!!!!  yay!  (i never thought that would come out of my mouth with excitement...isn't God good?  i'm so glad he knows us better than we know ourselves)

have a blessed week!!!!!!!

hopeful news regarding Baby Gray!!!

i was so frustrated on Wednesday night that i wrote an email to everyone involved with our case. i was polite but direct and basically expressed that frustration.  the arrow project, who have been great and are waiting just like we are, responded with the same questions to everyone asking why this process was taking such a ridiculously long time.  

didn't receive anything until friday morning from kauffman county cps saying that they were doing everything they could.....blah......blah......blah.  then i received an email from the dallas adoption coordinator last night which she sent to cps stating that "the child could be moved whenever cps deemed appropriate".  (don't you find the timing interesting...i write an email expressing frustration and things start moving)  ughhhhhh!!!!  so, i immediately emailed cps and told them that we were ready next week.  i'll call monday and follow-up and we'll see what happens.  i can't think of any reason why they would need to wait any longer.  i know that they are ready to be done with me :) and frankly, i don't care.....i'm ready to be done with them more!!!  

so....we are hopeful that maybe the waiting is over.  i can't wait for him to be home.  please continue praying that things will progress quickly and that his transition coming home will be smooth.  thanks!!!

poverty simulation...

so some of you know that kyle and i took about 16 of our youth to mission waco to do poverty simulation.  now...i did this about six years ago and it was a life changing experience that frankly, i never wanted to do again.  i'm not allowed to give details, but basically, you  are poor for the entire weekend.  we are talking extreme discomfort and who likes being uncomfortable?  not this girl :)  anyway, i wasn't supposed to go but kyle couldn't get any female sponsors.  i quickly told him, "sorry....who would take the kids?".  he quickly responded, "i'm sure that my parents wouldn't mind keeping them for the weekend.  and of course....they were gracious enough to keep the kids.  so, i reluctantly agreed to go again.  

well, as with most things, God had a reason for me to be there.  God reopened my eyes to the plight of the poor and my responsibility as a Christian.  Matthew 25 tells us,

"I was hungry and you fed me,

I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,

I was homeless and you gave me a room,

I was shivering and you gave me clothes,

I was sick and you stopped to visit,

I was in prison and you came to me."

"Then they will say, Master, what are you talking about?  When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink?  And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?  Then the King will say, " I'm telling you the solemn truth:  Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me--you did it to me"  (The Message)

I think as Christians...at least in my world...I get so caught up in the day to day that I'm not mindful that I'm surrounded by hurting people.  People who are physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually poor surround us and we go about our lives as if it isn't our responsibility.  We need to wake up....because it is!!!!!!!!!  That is what God reminded me last weekend and I'm so thankful!  

We were challenged to truly seek what breaks the heart of God. .......poverty, injustice and apathy...........these are the things that break our Father's heart.  I'm praying that God will help me to "get it".  

Now...my challenge to you is......go look for Jesus.......................He is everywhere and sometimes in the most unexpected places!  

love, love, love.....

go love on somebody today...meet a need...pay attention!!!  i had an amazing weekend and i can't wait to write about it later!  make it a great day!