Charlie catch up

So, I want to get caught up on all my Charlie blogging so I don't fall real far behind if things go well in a week! There has been a lot going on in our house and I know Mommy has been real tired...not Charlie though!!! The house came with a bird feeder and Charlie loves to watch the birds..so we added another bird feeder, made 2 pine cone feeders with Charlie and are working on 2 bird houses..someone stop us if we become the crazy bird people!! I know that sounds like a lot of bird stuff, but remember that back yard is HUGE!!! The other day while I am at the gym I get a text that there is a Hawk in the backyard...my boys were lovin it!! I came home to 3 videos and about 15 pictures! All day Charlie would take me to the back window to show me where it was!

The videos were great..all the other birds were dive bombing it...nice!

Getting ready for baby brother...we have all the baby stuff out to get him used to it..and it was a great idea, cause it will take a lesast..forever..to teach him not to get in/on them all!!

Love that smile!

Getting him changed for bed always turns into a ginormous tickle event!

For some reason, tickling with our face/nose is so much funnier!

My kid is so stinkin lucky to have 7 aunts and uncles who ROCK and who love him...and he was LOVIN Aunt Ange this day for her low-lee-pops!!

WE went to a Hockey game and got free miniature hockey sticks...best money ever spent! He plays with theses sticks every day..and I usually only get hit once a day...not bad!!

He was fascinated and pretty much paid attention the entire time. We went to a Brahmas hockey game because it was literally 5 min from our house and who does not love a short drive!! But I loved just paying $20 for tickets, because then I did not feel bad leaving early! He loved the game and the mascot HANDS DOWN...great night!!

He asked for a red Mohawk and so I gave him one..the other teams colors...next time I will remember to go for a purple Mohawk!!

Addison and Katie came over and spent the night last Sat..or was it 2 now..and we rented some teeny bopper movie, popped popcorn, made cookies and rolled their hair...I had just taken out the rollers at breakfast so don't judge the hair here, it turned out really cute!! I made them purple chocolate chip waffles and Addison loved them..Katie, not so much!! I ended up making her a plain one that she would eat!!

Oh....the man who is keeping me sane and in line...LOVE him and cannot imagine doing the next 9 days without him..

Found a new park that we love..and since there has been some sun, we have actually gotten to enjoy it!!

Kills me how big he looks!!

What can I say, he loves ice cream just as much as his mama!!!!

Charlie's Tutti has been working with him on learning his memory verses..the first one he learned was Philippians 4:13..."I can do everything, through Christ who strengthens me"..it never fails that when I am having a "moment" my child will walk by and say/sing this. I just want to say " Yes, God..I know, I know!!"

The meeting

We met with birthmom and her sister and it was a good visit. Everyone seemed nice and conversation flowed eaisly. Lots to say, but I want to process it all first. Everyone involved thought it went great , but I told Bradley that I would not be surprised if she did not place with us at delivery. She seemed to be set on it and us, but when asked about things regarding us, delivery, and other things....she just had not thought of them. Hopefully she will follow through and just had not thought of everything, but we will know soon...10 days till she's due!!

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Meeting

We are in the car and headed to Abilene now to meet birthmom and her twin sister. The meeting is at 1:15....so please say a prayer!

I know I need to do an update and put some more info out there, but trying to get ready for a baby in 2 weeks, makeing your 2 yr old still feel like the center of your world and not have a breakdown have been consuming my time!

Some time this week I'll put out a "what we know" update!


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"Do I get whisker's?"

"The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be strong" Exodus 14:14

"I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Mark 11:24

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Luke 11:9-10

"..pray and do not give up." Luke 18:1

"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you."John 15:7

"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings , because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5:3-5

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." Romans 8:26

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." Ephesians 3:20

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

"Rejoice, in the Lord always . I will say it again: Rejoice!" Philippians 4:4

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Tell me you can see where this is going.....!!!!!!!

Yup, we got "THE CALL"!!!!!!!

We had a conference call with our two caseworkers....the same two from last time...and we got all the background info and history and Bradley and I have decided to move forward with this match!! We will meet mom on Mon or Tues of next week and the baby BOY is due...wait for it....in 15 days!!!!!!!

I am thrilled, filled with joy, glowing, rejoicing and thanking my God for answering our prayers! I would be lying if I did not point out that I am a bit worried about things not going well at the end. This mom has every intention of placing her baby boy with us..assuming the match meeting goes well on Monday and we all still like each other !!!......, but I have the knowledge from our last adoption that I carry with me.

Not every mom follows through, and I can understand why. I have a child and cannot imagine how she must feel..so I will not be mad at anyone if this does not go how I want it to..but I will be so, so, so disappointed.

When I was saying my prayers today before the conference call, I covered today, the next 15 days, the time in the hospital and when it came time to pray for the day that she signs over her rights, I physically be came sick to my stomach and began to sob. I want this boy so bad, but I am terrified of that day. I am saying this now and getting it out here, but I will not dwell on this for the next 15 days. When I get to Abilene for the delivery, all bets are off..I will be talking about all my emotions, but from now until then....I will only allow joy to be felt!!

With that said, I ask your prayers for my family in these next two weeks, were gonna need them!!

This shirt was purchased a year ago for our first match..it is to small, but you can bet I was putting it on!!
When we told Charlie he goes"Yea!" So , went on to say that he was going to be a BIG brother to his new little brother and he got super excited and grabbed his chin and said, " I gonna get whisker's now!!" The term "big boy" in our house apparently means getting some facial hair!!

This was after a long dinner with our out of control little man..I am blaming his new molars, but he better get over this soon cause mommy and daddy are getting worn out from the whining..and I don't see things getting better in 2 weeks!!!!

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While you are praying for my family please include my brother Aric and his family in your prayers. Aric leaves tomorrow for Iraq for 7 months. I don't know how they do it, but they are a strong Christan couple who weather the storms placed in front of them like champs. I love them and I am so grateful for Aric's desire to serve our country. I am grateful to our military .....one airman in particular!

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I just wanted to ask a quick favor..if I am friends with any of you on facebook..can we not post anything about this second adoption on facebook. I am friends with the people related to this adoption and I don't want any adoption talk going down on Facebook.....no one has said anything, it just makes me uncomfortable. Thank you!!!!

So much fun, we went back for more

My sister-in-law..one of my 4..watches kids and I figured she'd love to get out..so off to the Zoo we went with 2 adults and 7 kids. I cannot lie..they were all AMAZING!!! I wore one in a sling and pushed my double stroller and Christy pulled her wagon..and all the kids rotated who rode and who walked..based on what mood each child was in at each animal stop! It was a great sunny day and probably some of the best 3 hrs Charlie has had in a while! Looking forward to doing it again..after I recover!! Just teasing!

Were going to the zoo, zoo, zoo...

I cannot help but sing that song every time we go to the zoo!! We went on Saturday with the rest of the world..since the sun finally decided to show again! It was so nice to just be outside and not freezing..I am usually a winter girl, but with a active 2 yr old...I need sun and we need to get out!! I played around with some editing and thought these were fun!

His faces just crack me up.

I don't really think that Charlie looks like either of us..um, that makes total sense since he did not come from us! But we often get told by strangers that he looks just like his Daddy. He may or may not look like Bradley, but I think he has mastered his "looks" and that is why people think they look alike! I don't care who he looks like..as long as he stays as cute as he is now!
I'm loving the grainy feature

(that says "stalking pays off girls"..need I say more!!!)

I'd love to do a whole paragraph about how great my husband is and what a great dad he is and how much fun we have had lately..but he totally hates that kind of thing..at least when it's done publicly!!! So, I'll tell him how great he is and leave you guys with a picture of my super hot husband..who has managed to only get greater in my 15 yrs of stalking and loving him!

better late then never!

I was planning this post on the Friday we lost power..Charlie turned 2 1/2 that day and I had a post about my 2 1/2 yr old...better late then never! My sweet boy loves cookies..I made these cookies and made some more with writing..I spelled out L-O-V-E on 4 cookies. Bradley and I were outside shoving snow that Friday and when I came in to check on him and see how his breakfast was coming, I was met at the door by Charlie with a cookie in his mouth...at 7:45am. I asked him how many he had eaten.."Just this one"...since I generally don't believe a word out of his mouth I went to look..and found L-O-V-E and a heart shaped one missing..along with the one in his mouth...he ate 6 cookies for breakfast! And then had the nerve to cry when I removed the one from his mouth...silly, silly, boy!!!

Kid LOVES his Mohawks..and he can get girly about things messing it up....and he loves to tell people that he has one..like they cannot see it!!!!

this was pre haircut..can you tell we went WAY to long!!!!

One of the may reason I love boys...I often find snakes, lizards and dinosaurs in random areas of my house..I happen to find this snake at 5am..that was real entertaining!!

Charlie LOVES to brush his teeth and he usually brushes them about 5 times a day..no lie. He does loves to eat the toothpaste, but he also brushes!

I cropped this so you did not see his "business" on the Internet! (he is nakes) I cropped it so much it is blurry, but I love his face here!!

Like most 2 1/2 yr olds... he loves to run around naked..is that a 2 1/2 yr old thing or a boy thing??

He loves to sit on the potty, he does not like to go potty on the potty, but he loves to strip down, get on, do nothing, then tear off way to much toilet paper and then flush!! I got this big smile cause I offered a cookie for a smile...

this was his first look at me when I walked in!

I was just telling Bradley yesterday that 2 1/2 (30 months) is so much better then 28 months...it is amazing how much better behaved he is, he listens so much better and uses his manners so much better...and our days are filled with more fun, as opposed to spending the day constantly correcting!! I hear that 3 is worse then 2, but I am going with the theory that it applies to girls, not boys...because I refused to wrap my brain around the fact that he will and can get worse then he was 2 months ago!!!

He is so much fun and so sweet these days! I love the unsolicited "I love you" and hugs. I love his sweet prayers. I love that when I tell him to sleep good, he tell me to sleep good too! I love him crawling into my bed at 6:30 am and snuggling. I love him asking to say prayers at EVERY meal..cause I often forget it is not just reserved for dinner. I love him remembering and praying for his baby sister..or brother as we remind him...every day. I love that he loves his Daddy so much and looks forward to Fridays...Daddy's short day!! I love how much he loves his friends and cousins and how excited he gets to see them and play with them. I love that he corrects me and calls his P'J's his "jamas"..and that he calls lollipops "low-lee-pops". I love that he still likes green beans, corn, yogurt and milk!

I love him to pieces and I love that God brought him and his other family to us. I am so stinkin blessed to be one of Charlie's mommy!