Four Years Of Forever

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It’s been four years.

FOUR years!!

Four years ago on July 14th, I held Eliza for the very first time!

What a blessed journey it has been!

We talk about our Forever Family Day anniversaries with Eliza and Tate as the date approaches.

And then we listen to their responses and let them choose how they would like to celebrate them – if at all.

Eliza wanted to celebrate!

She was VERY specific!

It was SO cute!

So we set our celebration for Sunday evening!

She wanted four presents since she has been home four years.

So four presents it was!

Eliza wanted to spend the afternoon in the pool!

Chad was glad to bless her and take the kids swimming, because it was 95 degree heat index on Sunday!

We also made a meal of her choice!

She wanted chicken, but chicken “with the skin,” mashed yams, asparagus (which she calls asparsssgus) wrapped in bacon, and grilled pineapple.

It was delicious!

Eliza also asked for a vanilla cake with vanilla chocolate chip frosting and strawberries on the side.

Addie will never say no to baking a cake!

And making it a beauty!

I think this photo says it all – her special day was a HIT!

I cannot even find the words for the emotions of celebrating Forever Family Days.

What a time of reflection.

What a time of thanksgiving and praise.

WHY?

Why did the Lord choose to trust us with SO MUCH?

It is never lost on me.

Or my heart.

We just simply are not worthy.

But we are ever so thankful.

Being Eliza’s Mama has been the most challenging and fulfilling thing I have EVER done.

I love her so fiercely that it makes me ache.

HOW FAR WE HAVE COME.

I am tearing up just typing these few words.

Eliza Claire, you are our sweet baby.

We love you more than life itself.

We are SO THANKFUL we are your forever more.

Happy, Happy Eliza’s Day, sweet baby girl!!!

It’s July

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I wrote that title just in case you didn’t realize the fact that it is July!

Like me, that is.

JULY!

The goal I have as a start date for full-time school is four weeks from Monday.

FOUR WEEKS.

Thankful for photos and videos to hold on tight to each season’s memories!

These photos of Ruby are a treasure!

She won’t be a puppy forever!

We really enjoy looking back at puppy photos of Sadie.

I know we will enjoy these photos just as much!

We had some visitors this week!

Blake’s folks!

I did a SPLENDID job of taking photos while they were here.

Did not take ONE.

Thankfully, Kayla took a few when she had lunch with her Dad, sis and grandparents!

We ran around one afternoon to show them some of our favorite places!

We also spent time with our favorites!

Which we do A LOT….and LOVE a lot more!

Blake and I had date night last Friday night!

We are working hard right now to bring our relationship to a NEW level!

Date nights help with that!!

Our van left me stranded on the side of the road on the way home from date night.

It was late and DARK, I was on a country road….but Blake was in front of me a bit, in his truck.

My cell phone had service (SO glad!) and I was able to call him and say, “TURN AROUND!”

SO thankful for how this all went!

All of the kiddos had been in that van all afternoon that day with Addie Mae!

Needless to say, our van is headed to the van graveyard.

We spent all day Saturday looking for a replacement.

Monday night we were able to pick up our new wheels!

I did not realize how bad our van was until I drove this beauty home!

I feel SO blessed!

I took the kids for their first ride in it yesterday!

We went and had ice cream and then went to the library!

We have been spending time doing all the normal life things lately too.

There is always something to fix!

Like the fridge door that would not stay shut!

We also had a huge electrical problem this week, but Blake found the problem!

It’s the second mistake we have found in our electricity here – so I am thankful for all Blake knows about this stuff!!

There is also always something to clean too!

Like our little “mudroom” in the garage!

The weather has been lovely lately.

I know you know what that means!

Some sky photos, of course!

Beautiful weather gives you a great reason to hang out with your pup in the very early morning!

We also have been grilling out quite a bit.

Have you all ever grilled peaches?

Please do!

They are SO yummy!

And when you have helpers they are more yummy!

Addie had a visitor at work one day.

Isn’t this photo SO cute??!!

Thanks, Kay!!

This is the way the littles head to bed every night!

I wonder how old they will be before Blake cannot do this anymore?

They giggle the whole way down the stairs!

How’s that for July so far?!

I say pretty GREAT!!

Looking forward to many more summer days and getting ready for school to start!

I need to start working on that a bit, I think!

I will have a high schooler again this fall!

Hope you all are enjoying July to the fullest!!!

A Belated Birthday Gift

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WAY back in April, we gifted Lane with the promise of a night of riding go-carts and playing mini golf.

Then it snowed.

In April.

There was illness.

Rain.

Lots of rain.

Places to be.

People to see.

And suddenly it was JULY.

On date night Friday night, Blake and I checked the weather, talked about everyone else’s schedule, and decided we were going to make this happen the next night!

We also drove over to Riverside park to see what it was all about!

We kept it a secret all day Saturday!

As we held hands to pray at dinner Saturday evening, Blake called on me to pray.

It was part of the plan!

Pay attention!

After I thanked the Lord for our food, for the day, and for everyone being together, I asked Him to bless our evening of riding go carts and playing mini golf.

Then I opened my eyes and looked over at Lane – who was grinning ear to ear!

Perfect!!

We hurried through dinner and dishes and headed out!

First up – go carts!!

These four went together!

Tate and Eliza had to ride in a two-seater one, and only someone with a driver’s license could drive them!

This girlie was by far the most excited!

Tate was patient as he waited for his turn and then Grant took him for a ride!

I gave Lane my turn so he could go again – it was his birthday present after all!

Next up was mini golf.

This was more fun than I thought it would be!

Even Tate and Eliza loved seeing how many shots it would take them to get into the hole!

We had balls go into the water a lot.

Lane got a HOLE IN ONE!

And got to use a ball that lighted up because it was his birthday celebration!

It was such a beautiful night.

We got home super late, crawled into bed without showers and baths, but with VERY FULL HEARTS.

It is a JOY to celebrate you, Lane Stevan!

Happy, happy belated birthday gift!!

So many more blessed memories tucked deep into our hearts!!!

The 4th of July

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Our 4th of July was rather quiet this year!

It ended up being a very sweet day of having almost everyone home – which does not happen very often anymore!

Blake did work most of the day, but when the rain started the work stopped and he was home in time for dinner.

Thankful!!

Addie Mae planned some 4th of July projects for her little brothers and sister and they enjoyed some time with her to the fullest!!

The littles are amazing us (more on that sometime soon)!

They enjoy life any day, and spent the afternoon on this day playing sweetly!

Addie took over the kitchen to make a beautiful and tasty 4th of July dessert!

Thanks to the rain the firework show we planned to attend was postponed until Thursday night – so we went then instead.

The crowd was small and it was chilly, but we enjoyed being with friends and watching the show so very much!

We stayed out way too late!!

This is the first 4th of July holiday in a couple of years that we did not camp out in a tent and cook food over a fire.

We do have a goal to do this soon!

It’s hard to coordinate everyone’s schedule and the weather for plans like these!!

How is it already JULY?!

Hanging on tight!!

Summer is flying by!!

Hope you all had a GREAT 4th of July!

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