6 Month Post Placement

We had our 6 month "post placement" visit with the social worker on Sunday. China requires that a social worker follow up with families at the 6 month and 12 month marks. As someone who DOES these PPR's for families all the time, it was a little strange having one done ON us :) However, becasue I knew everything they wanted and what they were going to ask, it was a piece of cake.

It's funny, because when we were having our Home Study done, I'd scrub for HOURS making the house perfect for the visits....but for this...we came home from church, all took a nap until 2:30 and woke up in time to clean the kitchen, sweep the floor, pick up the living room, and wipe down the bathroom! She's HOME people and nobody's takin' her away!!!

Just my luck that Sunday AM before church, I hear Ash screaming and when I get to her, she's fallen down and hit her face on the corner of a toy...big scrape under her eye! So the first thing I'm saying to the SW is..."sorry her eye looks so bad..she fell this morning!" There goes my Mother of the Year award........

So good news, the SW was totally taken by her brown eyes and sweet hugs, and recommened we keep her:)

The Pink Bucket

Lysse has a "TT Potty Party!"

With 2 two year olds in the house, this is going to be a year of changes! The 2-3 year at our house is always the one where we see the baby years fade and the toddler years shuffle in full force! A few weeks ago, the girls got "big girl beds" and then I focused on the dirty task of fully potty training Annalyse. She's been about half way there for months, but laziness on MY part has prevented her from getting all the way done. The constant, "don't tee tee in your panties" "don't forget you have on panties" "please do not tee tee on the Wal Mart floor" gets old really quick! (not that she HAS....ummmm)

Where was I?

OK, so with all our summer birthday parties around here, lysse was constantly asking where HER Dora cake was (yes, she's planned her 3rd birthday already...do your kids do this?) So I made a deal with her that is she went in panties (OK, not "went" in panties) stayed DRY in panties, for a week, she'd get a Dora cake.

LOOONNNGGG story short...she's been doing it for 6 days so I went to Piggly Wiggly and the Pig was so gracious to have 6 Dora cupcakes for $2.50 (SCORE!) and mama was a hero. The look on her face...she was SOOO PROUD!!

Ava, Tate and Alli come for a visit!

We had a super three days with 3/4 of the Singleton crew! We swam and played and had a grand time. Avery and Ally were in awe of Ava's love for bugs/frogs/crickets/lizards and her willingness to hold and love these things. My girls stayed about 4 feet away from all the creatures Ava caught! I told Allison they needed to get a pool so she could go on a hunt every morning. Tate and Annalyse tolerated each other (mainly HER fault...she's a bully) and the girls played endless hours of mommy/baby, dress up and "the alligator game" (?)

The craziest thing that happened all weekend was Allison came outside and said her wedding bands were missing...upon questioning, Ally said that she thought they were hers and she gave them to Ava! When we asked Ava..she said..."they're right here" (ON THE CONCRETE NEXT TO THE POOL!!!) Alli and I got big eyes and took a deep breath!

We had so much fun and can't wait till next time!! We're heading to SC soon!!

Daddy's Bday!!

On Wednesday we celebrated Jay's bday "peanut butter cake style!" I found this cake on Bakerella and I knew it HAD to be done for my peanut butter loving husband. It was very yummy and the girls had fun helping make it. We love our daddy!! Happy Birthday Jay!

Goggle Girl

1 Year Ago Today!!

July 11 will always be a special day at our house! One year ago we were driving into the parking lot at the beach in Destin, FL. We had just gotten some amazing breakfast at the Donut Hole and we were looking forward to a day in the sand. The skies were grey and Jay told the girls to pray and ask God to clear the skies for us.

Ally prayed, "Dear God, please let the sunshine come out and please help baby Ashley to come home soon. Amen"

Well, the Lord answered BOTH of those prayers within 30 minutes! As the skies cleared and we talked about God hearing Ally's prayers, the phone rang. It was the AWAA office and my heart immediately started beating out of my chest. I just knew that this was "the call!"

As we listened to Melissa tell us the details, I was stunned....Ashley was just 12 months old!! We had put on our application we would consider children up to 3.5 and I just assumed we'd get an older child. But I was SOOO excited she would indeed be our "baby Ashley!"

As we listened to the other details, (left the beach!) and headed 150 miles to Jay's aunts house in Alabama (had to be near a computer and fax machine!) I went back and forth from total fear to total emotional wreck. After 5 hours of prayer, tears, medical advice and more prayer....we said YES!!! I wish I could say the moment we said those words, my fear and doubt went away...it did not....but we grew to LOVE this child that we had never even met, and knew beyond our fears and doubts, that she was indeed, our DAUGHTER.

As we celebrate 6 MONTHS WITH ASHLEY TOMORROW we cannot imagine our family without her!! We have come so far....not just her....as a family!! My mom sent her the precious t-shirt that is so true....

GOD MADE ME, HE CHOOSE ME, AND HE BROUGHT ME HOME!!!!!

TO GOD BE THE GLORY, GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE!!

July 4th Festivities

Is that how you spell “festivities?”

Anywho….

We had a great weekend of fun surrounding the 4th. With Ashley’s birthday the 1st, we decided to celebrate with a few close friends. What that means “in these parts” (I’ve been in south GA toooo long!) is that we invited three families, and between the four of us, we have a total of 13 children.  The adults were slightly outnumbered. We kept looking a the dozen or so kids running around and saying, “what were we thinking?” “who is these babies daddy’s?”

Just kidding. 

Ash had a grand time listening to us sing to her and opening a few presents. I had reservations about all the attention being on her and how she would react.

I should not have.

She promptly told her sisters and friends to “get back, get back” as they came close to her cake, and enjoyed her piece of cake right down to the very. last. crumb.

Sunday we headed out the the fireworks and fun at Freedom Fest, an event put on by our church. The girls had a great time riding horses, eating their weight in sugar, and awwwwwing over the fireworks. No fear in this family, they loved every stinkin’ minute! We got home at 11:30 pm and they all fell fast asleep on the way home. Everyone slept till 8:45 Monday morning!

It was a great weekend with friends, and we are so blessed to have these families in our lives!!!

MJ

Avery: “mama, where is daddy going?”

Me: “To a funeral, honey.”

Avery: “for who?”

Me: “Not sure his name, someone’s dad at church.”

Avery: “Is it Michael Jackson?”

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!!!

Today we celebrated Ashley's First, Second birthday! First one home with her family and she turned 2!! Cause for celebration!!

We just had our sweet "albany grandparents" the Hemphills over, and celebrated with a small, "smash" cake for her and a cookie cake for us! We're having a few friends over Friday to cook out, but we had to celebrate this special day!

The day was marked with some tears. Ash is fighting a sinus infection, ear infection, and has just had a rough week or so. She's been very clingy to mama and in fact, cried tonight when the Hemphills came over, because she thought I was leaving! That's the reason for the tears in the pics! Poor Baby!

Once she figured out how that she could eat that cake, it was smiles! This girl loves her cake:) She wouldn't eat it with her fingers, so we gave her a fork...that's my little lady:)

We adore you, sweet Ashley! We cannot imagine our lives without you and feel so complete now that you are home. We are thankful for the journey that God took all of us on to get you here, and how He made you fit into our family perfectly! We waited so long for you....years in our hearts! We cannot wait to spend every birthday from now on celebrating God's plan for your life!

Avery Lost a Tooth!

Monday night was interesting at our house.

Avery had a loose tooth.

It had been loose for 3 weeks.

The big tooth was already coming in behind it.

This was her FIRST loose tooth.

It HAD to come out.

It was hanging on by a thread.

Daddy said nobody was going to bed until it came out.

So the drama began.

It started about 7:25pm.

At 10:30, we were still working on it.

There was much screaming.

Much UNSESSARY screaming.

From Avery. And mom. And dad.

Mom was afraid the neighbors might hear and call 911.

After much drama.

And tears.

And promises of large amounts of "tooth fairy" cash.

The tooth came OUT.

Grandparents were called.

Tears were dried.

Forgiveness was asked for and granted.

Mom and Dad realized the tooth fairy was broke.

Dang.

Dad found a $5 bill in his truck.

God is good.

Tooth Fairy paid up.

Mom thinks Avery will probably request an epidural in her 7th month of pregnancy.

Because she's a little wimpy.

But a cute little wimp.

Who now has one less baby tooth.