Patriotic Day

The Kindergarten class paraded around school for an early Fourth of July celebration
and to send-off a husband/solider of a teacher deploying to Iraq.

 I can't believe his Kindergarten year is nearly complete.

He loves his class so much. We are going to miss his teacher too. She is moving up to 5th grade. Maybe Owen or Mason will have her again!

They Went Down Hitting

Last night may have been the most exciting game of the season. They didn't go down without a fight. We had some amazing hits, a catch in the outfield and lots of stolen bases. There are 15 boys who are very sad their season is over. They just want to keep playing!

Owen making it to first a split second before the plate was touched. 

He is fast. Doesn't get that from his momma.

 

Sliding at second

 Running HOME (another close one)

365 days later

One year ago today, our application to Lifeline for the adoption of a China special needs child was accepted and approved. 365 days later I sit pace anxiously waiting Travel Approval for Avery Li-Mei Fogarty. We received new pictures and a sweet description of our daughter this week with a subject line of "final update." You have no idea how much I am clinging to those 2 simple words. I am trying so hard to be thankful for how quickly this process has gone. We are very blessed. Please Lord, bring her home soon!

 22.5 months

19.8 lbs

28 inches

 

Yes, they shaved her head again. Thank goodness for all the cute headbands!

From the Grandmas

We will be taking some very special items to China with us. Avery's wrist and head with be wrapped in girliness, assuming she will comply ;)

 

EJ's mom made the bracelet on the left and assisted Mason in the making of the one on the right.

My mom has been busy making headbands in all colors. Here are just a few.

We are so grateful the grandparents are opening their hearts to Avery. She will be so blessed by their love and I am thankful. EJ and I realize our immediate family are not the only lives changed by the addition of Avery. We have been praying for parents, and grandmothers and siblings and have been amazed at how He has grown a love for her in them already.

I have just completed a little family photo album that we will take with us to introduce our family to Avery.  I can't wait for her to meet all of you in person.

* My family called me "bow head" in middle school. (I am sure that was totally cool back then) Let's hope she takes after her momma, but just not for THAT long ;)

Trusting in Him

A few weeks ago, the boys and I, plus 2 of Owen's friends, were outside playing basketball when the sky grew dark and the wind picked up. It wasn't actually raining or thundering, but it soon became clear that we needed to get inside and quickly. The boys made a mad dash for the door (screaming girly screams) as the wind kicked up dirt and debris. They were all panicked. I was too, especially as I was responsible for 2 other children. After we piled inside we looked back outside and a large tree branch from the tree we'd just run past had fallen to the ground. And the neighbors tree nearby also lost an even bigger branch.

It wasn't a huge storm; it was just a "random" wind gust that blew straight through our two houses. No one was injured (or so I thought). I figured once EJ got the debris cleaned up we'd all forget about it. I couldn't have been more wrong. 
Mason is now scared of the slightest breeze. He is scared to sit on our back porch if it's at all windy. He wouldn't walk through a group of trees to the baseball field on his own. And on Sunday he was nervous going in and out of church b/c there is a breezeway with trees in it.
I can't begin to imagine walking with a child who has experienced an even more traumatic event. It hurts my heart not to be able to take this fear away. I am however, thankful for the opportunity to point him to God, who created the wind and the trees, and remind him that we can cry out to Him when we are afraid. 
"But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised.
    I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?" PS 56:3-4
I am thankful I was with Mason when it happened, so I "understand" his fear a little more and we can better talk about it. Sadly, I will not have this background with the little one who is entering our family at 22 months. I will not know what triggers her fears and I am sure she will have many. Thankfully, I can claim PS 56:3-4 for myself when I fear I can't help her and I can share PS 56:3-4 for her just as I have for Mason. God is BIG enough to meet each of us.
The sermon this week was from Joel 2:1-27. God's people were suffering from a devastating locust plague that was destroying all the land, the livestock and people were fearing death by starvation.
These are the notes I have been pondering since Sunday:
“Jesus has taken upon Himself the ‘Day of the LORD’; the wrath of God is poured out upon Jesus Christ on the Cross. He endured the universe’s worst disaster for us.”
“God finds broken, humble, afflicted people irresistible.”
“The safest place to be in disaster: Run to the One who is Lord of all disasters.”