A Fun Day with Cousins

Monday Austin, Aubreigh and Ethan came to play with Braylen while mom and dad moved them into their new house. We had so much fun!!! We played in the pool and hot tub until it rained. We played in the playhouse, we played t-ball, we drove the corvette all over the yard all day long. We baked chocolate chip, M&M cookies, we watched movies and we played games. They all loved this generic version of Hungry, Hungry Hippos! I know the picture is blurry, but I had to post the fun they were having! Braylen loved playing and I loved spending quality time with my babes who are growing way too quickly!!

New Haircut

Check out Braylen's new haircut. It is a bob cut. She still has those curls around her face! She loved going to the "booty" shop as she called it today! I'll post more picture of her later with hairbows and barretts in--soooo cute!!

Braylen's New House

Well, we have done it again. We have overindulged our child. She is now the proud owner of her own home in our back yard. I told Brad that now she needs a garage to park her corvette inside!!

Braylen (and mommy) have drooled over this house at Sam's Club for several months now. Everytime we go to Sam's Braylen gets to play inside it. Well, we have continued to watch for them to mark it down, and little by little it has gone down and we splurged and bought it.

Brad says we will have to rent out our own home and move into the playhouse when we can't pay our other bills this month, but at least we will have fun!

Braylen has moved her kitchen set and baby station to the house and loves playing in it. The best part??? Mom and Dad are still married and happy after assembling it!!!!

Our New Deck

I don't want to only brag on Braylen, so this post is in honor of all the hard work Brad had done this summer. Here is our new deck that he built. We love having it! Finally our back yard is beginning to take shape after 5 years. It is amazing how much more we use our backyard now that the deck is complete. Didn't he do a great job? He has even installed privacy fence behind the hot tub! Great job, Brad. I am proud of you!

All Ready for Church

Most of you don't get to see Braylen dressed up, so here is a picture for all the grandmas!!!

Braylen's Garden

Brad and Braylen planted a garden this year. We are enjoying fresh veggies and storing away for later. Braylen loves checking for new tomatoes everyday. We have put away 18 quarts of green beans, 65 quarts of corn, 18 quarts of peaches and 32 quarts of applesauce. Carmen refuses to can tomato juice, so for now we are eating lots of salads and fresh salsa. She may even try to freeze some salsa and see how we like it.

In these pictures Braylen is snapping beans and enjoying fresh corn on the cob!

Goodbye Grandma

This post is dedicated to Carmen's Grandma Anderson who passed away this morning at 11:34. Grandma is finally walking the streets of Heaven with her Maker! She is whole and happy and she knows it! For the last several years, Grandma has suffered with the terrible mind robbing disease of Alzheimers. The disease affected her so much, we had to put her in a nursing home. For the last few years she hasn't even known who any of us were. Praise God, she now knows all of us and her Creator!

Braylen has only one memory of Grandma and it was last Christmas when she went to a Christmas dinner with her and Mamaw Carol. She sat on her lap and entertained all Grandma's friends in the home. Mom says she was quite the hit. After I got the phone call today, I told her what had happened and asked if she remembered her. When reminded about the Christmas dinner, she said she did. Before putting her down for a nap she said, "Mommy, Grandma Marilyn is with Jesus now!" I said, yes, sweetheart, she is. Braylen said, "Jesus will take care of her good." I wiped a tear of joy that yes, Grandma has always been in Jesus' care, but today she knows it and can see Him!

My Grandma and I were never really close, but one thing I will always keep in my memories of her, is her love and care for others. She loved helping others, whether they needed it or not! I remember as a child hearing the story of Tabitha (Dorcas) in the Bible and picturing my Grandma. Today, that is the memory I will carry with me when I think of my Grandma, Deloras Marilyn Anderson.

Anyone out there?

Brad and I are wondering if anyone is reading this blog. If you are, post a comment and let us know! I notice other blogs get lots of comments, but only one so far on ours. I did just change some settings that weren't allowing comments for anyone who has tried and it wouldn't let you, you should be able to do so now!!

Growing

Well, Brad and I have now been thoroughly background checked and fingerprinted. We knew I was ok, but thought Brad may have committed some henious crime that would show up. Not really, but it really is crazy all we have to go through to adopt again. It really is much easier of a process this time around because we have been there, done that and kinda know what to expect, but nonetheless frustrating. Each day that passes we are desiring to hear something more and more. We refuse to become desparate like we were when adopting Braylen and instead be still and let God move, but it is much easier said than done. For now, we will enjoy Braylen and watch her grow. We very much wanted her to have a sibling by now, but God has it all planned out and we will watch the miracle unfold. We pray that no matter the age difference in our children, they will become close friends. Brad and I have amazing memories of times spent with siblings and we want that for Braylen as well.

Braylen has all of a sudden turned into a little girl. The baby is gone and a beautiful child remains. I cannot even dwell upon how quickly time has gone or it overtakes me emotionally. Everyone told me not to blink and I thought I was doing ok and then all of a sudden it happened. I won't even think about the next time that happens and the child is gone and a teenager remains....

Since we came home with Braylen, we have been "planning" a trip to Disney the fall before she starts kindergarten and it dawned on Brad and I a few days ago that November, 2007 will be that trip. Sounds fun, huh? Well, the vacation does, but not the thought of it being our last vacation during the school year because Braylen will be in kindergarten the following year! As we are planning well in advance for this trip it is bittersweet as I am sure many other memories will be in the future.

All that being said, I am reminded of the following Bible verses:

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. James 1:14

Life is short and as parents we must heed to this command immediately before it is too late:

Teach (to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways and to hold fast to him—Dt. 11:22) to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many. Deuteronomy 11:19-21