Sage turns 4!!

Her choice of lunch. Dinner was her favorite spaghetti, but she was to sick to eat either. She was very excited that "she got to use a glass plate because that is what big girls use!"

Lip gloss from Makenna was her favorite!

I love that smile, those eyes, such a happy girl!

she is yelling here, we match we match I am stitchy!

So much to say about my baby turning 4, my BABY!!! but wanted to share the pictures while I had a minute. Sage has been really sick, bronchitis, we still had fun. She was very excited about her "Stitchy" cake. She loves Lilo & Stitch and while I tried to convince her that she would like pink cupcakes made by mommy, she insisted on Stitch. Yes, it resembles a bunny rabbit, but not in her eyes. ;-) Will add more soon of her ride in the birthday Saddle at Texas Roadhouse and her Cinderella party.

A Year of Mavery in Pictures

Mavery turns FOUR!

On November 1 Mavery turned 4 years old. She had watched her 3 older siblings celebrate birthdays this year, so she was MORE than ready to have her birthday. We opted to do a small family party just for her this time. It is hard to believe that just barely over a year ago we had arrived home with Ms Mavery and then celebrated her 3rd birthday. Here we are, a year later. She has come SO FAR this year. And while we are still working through some things, I want to share with you all the amazing things about Mavery and the changes we have seen.

• She is very artistic! When we first came home NOTHING could hold her attention. Now, she LOVES to sit and color, draw, play-do, paint. We do have to remind her PAPER, not walls or skin or TEETH!? I think she is going to follow in Makenna's footsteps and enjoy arts and crafts.


• She sits for TV now! ;-) Not alot, but she does enjoy Dora or Diego or Ni Hao Kailyn.


• She loves to sing. Taylor Swift is her favorite, and I have heard Love Story more times than I care to. but she likes it.


• She just recently learned to spell her name and she is very proud of that!


• She is doing well in school. She is eager to report when SHE listens but a certain Chinese sister does not.


• She LOVES to give hugs & kisses. She is probably the most cuddly out of all my children. Still happiest if she is in a lap. And when she is in a lap, she is a LITTLE calmer, not quite so wiggly.
• She adores Sage, she worships Sage, I am pretty sure she wants to BE Sage. We are working on this. (not her becoming Sage of course, working on not repeating or copying EVERYTHING Sage does) I am thankful for the bond they share. No they are not biological twins, though everyone thinks so. BUT they are sisters and I am not sure they could be closer if they were grown together.
  
• When she sees a picture of our family, the 7 of us, she says "It is all my friends, I love all my friends together!". i am not sure to read this as a good or bad thing.
  
• Would rather dress up than be in clothes. AND if she is in dress up, you may ONLY call her Belle. She will not answer to Mavery, don't even try.
  
• is a good eater. We have had some food issues over this year, but they have improved dramatically. One thing that was suggested to us was to put a small cup of whatever in her room. So we put a bowl in there of just a cracker broke up, a couple of m & m's, whatever is on hand. She no longer wakes up screaming for food. She gets up, eats whatever is in the bowl and then is happy till we get breakfast or dinner. she is still VERY interested in food, and if you take her out to eat, you better hold on to her or she will be walking up to strangers tables asking for a bite! But we know this comes from her past and so we are just working through it. Amazed really at what that little bowl in her room has done for all of us.
  
• She is funny! She likes to tease.
• She loves panda bears and hello kitty.
• She is a good sleeper. Goes right to sleep (if the bowl has her snack!) and sleeps all night. She is sharing a room with Malaine right now. Also still naps for me, 2 hours every day. That is a good thing!
  
• LOVES to pray. Always chimes in with "I think it is my turn to "pway".
  
• Enjoys meeting new people, but will ask them over and over, "what's you name?" and I do mean Over and over. I think this has to do w/ her silliness!
• Her hair! Still not as long as she would like, she wants to have braids really bad. But boy, is it gorgeous! THICK with this wave to it. Who knew asian hair could curl! It is beautiful.
  

This year has not always been easy. But as we look back over it we are amazed at the changes. God is teaching ALL of us things. Growing us. Leading us. Loving us. Most important, showing us what love really is. Not always easy, not always natural. Sometimes it is a choice.

So as we celebrate a year of Mavery & her 4th birthday I am thankful for choice. That God chose ME to be her mommy. That God chose her as mine. That He allowed us to choose His will over our own.

We love you Mavery. We really really do. Happy Birthday!

Happy Halloween 2009

Alright so a new computer is not coming anytime soon. And I am getting so far behind it bugs me. Want to catch up before the holidays! Pictures are backwards, but at least they are up.

We had trunk or treat at our church again this year. We did a Disney Princess theme. Since all the girls needed princess costumes for Disney. Sawyer was the knight in shining armor! It is a shame I do not have a picture of my costume, Amy (my cousin) and I dressed up together. Because we are so creative that way. Or goofy, however you want to look at it. ;-)

The little girls had a fun party at school. And we enjoyed a hot dog and smore night while carving pumpkins before halloween. (the little girls painted as you can tell)

God Smiles in Kazahkstan

Still no new computer, but I did figure out how to do pictures on Marks so I had to share. My friends are in Kazakhstan. Rich & Monte and have held their new daughter for the first time! Isn't she beautiful? Just a tiny little thing, 7 months old. Born on my birthday. ;-) Sounds like it is quite the adventure, go on over and read their journey. Oh how I love adoption and I know that God is smiling as this family meets their new daughter! www.thelockwoodladandlassies.blogspot.com

So Behind

My computer has died. My only one year old laptop that I love. ;-( Thankfully Mark was able to save all of my pictures and documents. I am using his computer in limited doses. It is set up for the children and so it is a hassle to try to get past all the filters! I can get emails on my phone, but can't get to my address book on there. So, I can only reply. It is annoying. Hopefully soon I will have updates on:

• halloween
• Maverys birthday!
  
• A couple of muffin tin mondays
• spicy girl strikes again!!
• friends leaving to meet their new daughter in Kaz! (not even going to try to spell check on this computer!)
• the big clothes debate & dilema we have going on.
  

Can you believe we are in November! Wow, time just marches on doesn't it?

Muffin Tin Monday-Orange you glad Halloween is coming!

I can't seem to get ahead, or even close to caught up! Here was last weeks Muffin Tin. Mac & Cheese, Mandarin Oranges, Carrots with ranch dressing (orange food coloring) Cheese Crackers, oh and a rice krispie treat!

Beach!

I have still not downloaded all the beach pictures, but here are a few at least to share. Coming back from a 2 week vacation is hard work! Not to mention that we got back and Mark left for out of town AGAIN. We have Judgement House at church and we enjoy working that. And then there are the clothes. If you have multiple children, you know what I am saying. It is a job for sure to switch out summer for winter. Not to mention for some reason I need to teach the children so we are not going to school till August! We are all still trying to get back in the groove. Slowly but surely.

The beach was wonderful! I am so thankful we added that on to Disney. It was a perfect ending. All the kids enjoyed it. Was not sure how Mavery would do but she loved it. She has come so far when it comes to water. She is a little more hesitant than my others (which if you know my others they are all part fish so most people are more hesitant than they are!) but really does like to be in the water now. Ft Walton is a beautiful area. We hope to return. We ate at some fun places. No shopping if you can believe that! We did exactly what we set out to do and that was RELAX.

I will add more pictures just as soon as I find my camera cord. ;-)