Well, yesterday we had Dr. visit number two and it went good. They had to take blood from Neil, so of course Coby went with me. Coby had the privilege of holding him down while they did it. Neil didn't mind the prick...but hated to be held down. And he had one shot! But as far as we know...A-OK! Neil also experienced his first blue sucker! He loved it! He didn't know what it was until we put it in his mouth and he got a taste of it...and then that was it! He put it in, pull it out, put it in, pull it out...until it was gone! He loved it! Blue lips, teeth, mouth and fingers! After he was done, he put his fingers in to suck them, so of course they turned blue too.
OK...here is the great thing! I won $20!
When I went to our last Dr. appointment, they gave me a 'hat' and a little plastic cup and said that they needed a urine sample. OK....that sounds like fun!
So of course...I put it off! Until yesterday when I realized it was now or never!
So I took everything off him but his socks, put the 'hat' on the toilet seat. Applied one of our toilet seat tops for kids and put him on it. Well...we sat there and he unrolled the toilet paper.... talked to me....and just hung out. Those of you who have not seen our powder room, I decided to paint it Tiffany blue. So here is Neil...naked, with green striped socks sitting in the Tiffany bathroom trying to pee...YES! I took pictures and they are adorable!
So Coby was showering and I decided that I would let Coby wash him before the Dr. apt. and maybe the water running would help. Coby bet me there was NO WAY that Neil would pee sitting on the toilet.
Well.....guess who won $20? ME!! Right after the shower, I brought Neil back to toilet, sat him on it and seconds later we both look down and we were both amazed! Our 18mo old peed on the toilet! There were hi fives going around, happy dances and it was a great moment!
Anyway...besides that all is well! We are trying to not get sick, get rest and just love love love of Neil as much as we can!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Family
I am sitting here right now thinking about family. I am thinking about my parents, Coby mom, my brothers and sister in laws, nieces and nephews...and all my extended family and how much they all mean to me! They hold special places in my heart that if you place all of them together it creates joy in my spirit!
Coby's step father passed away. He died a few weeks ago and we have just been told this week. He passed away on September 2nd in Long Beach, California.
I know I have not talked much about Coby's family in my blog, so to give you a quick run down and be respectful at the same time, here goes. Coby's father, Neil, passed away when Coby was very young...3 years old. Coby's mother re-married a man named Jerry when Coby was about 5 and they were married till Coby went to college.
Coby and his step fathers relationship was not all that great, so I don't want to go into details, but I do want to express to you all that Coby's mom and Coby are very sad about his death.
I had the opportunity of meeting him a few times and he was very nice. I wish I could say more, but I only had a few times of meeting with him. Please keep Coby's mom in your prayers this coming week as she has a lot on her plate and this is very emotional for her. Please pray for Coby as well as he helps and encourages his mom during this time. They both need energy and clarity in their decisions!
Coby's step father passed away. He died a few weeks ago and we have just been told this week. He passed away on September 2nd in Long Beach, California.
I know I have not talked much about Coby's family in my blog, so to give you a quick run down and be respectful at the same time, here goes. Coby's father, Neil, passed away when Coby was very young...3 years old. Coby's mother re-married a man named Jerry when Coby was about 5 and they were married till Coby went to college.
Coby and his step fathers relationship was not all that great, so I don't want to go into details, but I do want to express to you all that Coby's mom and Coby are very sad about his death.
I had the opportunity of meeting him a few times and he was very nice. I wish I could say more, but I only had a few times of meeting with him. Please keep Coby's mom in your prayers this coming week as she has a lot on her plate and this is very emotional for her. Please pray for Coby as well as he helps and encourages his mom during this time. They both need energy and clarity in their decisions!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Another family off to Russia!!!
I get so excited when I hear court dates!!!
Another family that is adopting 2 little sisters from the same orphanage Neil came from got a court date!!! October 9th! The amazing thing is she has been waiting since December 2007! They went over almost 3 months before us and they finally got a court date!
Please keep Jeff and Jenny and her sweet girls in your prayers these next 20 days as they get ready for CRAZINESS!!!! (there blog is right there on the left side...Jeff and Jenny...just click on to read)
As for us...we are still going strong. Quick update with Neil...he has picked up one of my faces! And let me tell you it is not the smiling face that I give him 99% of the time, it is the stern look I give him when I want him to obey. He gave it back to me the other day when he was done eating and I thought he wasn't. OH BOY! Coby and I looked at each other and Coby said, "that's the look you give me!" Gee...great!!
So now I have to think about the faces I look at him with, because he is giving them right back to me and at the right time. The things kids pick up!
Oh....notice the change with the blog??? How could you not. :-) I logged on the other day and BAM! This is what showed up! My friend Holly (the secret blogger that went on and posted pictures....very sneaky!!) did this for us! It is beautiful! Hope you all enjoy it and hey...if anyone is interested in a make over scroll down to the VERY bottom of our blog and you can click on her blog! Check it out! Thanks again Holly...that was a pleasant surprise!
Happy Thursday everyone! Congrats Jenny, Jeff, Sugar and Spice!!!!!
Another family that is adopting 2 little sisters from the same orphanage Neil came from got a court date!!! October 9th! The amazing thing is she has been waiting since December 2007! They went over almost 3 months before us and they finally got a court date!
Please keep Jeff and Jenny and her sweet girls in your prayers these next 20 days as they get ready for CRAZINESS!!!! (there blog is right there on the left side...Jeff and Jenny...just click on to read)
As for us...we are still going strong. Quick update with Neil...he has picked up one of my faces! And let me tell you it is not the smiling face that I give him 99% of the time, it is the stern look I give him when I want him to obey. He gave it back to me the other day when he was done eating and I thought he wasn't. OH BOY! Coby and I looked at each other and Coby said, "that's the look you give me!" Gee...great!!
So now I have to think about the faces I look at him with, because he is giving them right back to me and at the right time. The things kids pick up!
Oh....notice the change with the blog??? How could you not. :-) I logged on the other day and BAM! This is what showed up! My friend Holly (the secret blogger that went on and posted pictures....very sneaky!!) did this for us! It is beautiful! Hope you all enjoy it and hey...if anyone is interested in a make over scroll down to the VERY bottom of our blog and you can click on her blog! Check it out! Thanks again Holly...that was a pleasant surprise!
Happy Thursday everyone! Congrats Jenny, Jeff, Sugar and Spice!!!!!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
3 week update...2 weeks home!
Here are some updates for those of you who are interested...
I always thought that I would get home and not blog as much, but I am getting so many phone calls and e-mails and house guests...that I think I need to update you all!!! AND..I have LOST MY VOICE! Coby had to come home from work on Tuesday and I was in bed half of the day with a sore throat and a VERY bad tummy ache! My voice is still not back..and it is 1:30am and I am wide awake...so here goes!
His Dr. appointment on Monday went great! Dr said that as far as he can tell (without labs being done yet) Neil is doing great. Lots of energy! No visible signs of problems on his body! He is eating great! (pretty much whatever is put in front of him) He has gained a pound and a half since he has been home! (even with the diarrhea...yeah, that's a lot of fun!)
I have to say real quick...every adopting mom has told me about the 'messy diapers' (I hate using the "D" word) when they get home and they are BIG and STINKY and last sometimes up to just about a month. Well.....so far, they are all true! They are just getting smaller and fewer..but they are still gross! Coby and I are at the point that we rock-paper-scissors over who has the next dirty dipper!
OK...back to the update
My Sunday school class at church has been AMAZING and our ADOPT class at church has been fabulous with bringing us dinners and even breakfast!! We are still getting dinners up until Saturday night! Let me tell you who else has gained weight since they have been home???!!! But WAY MORE then a pound and a half!
We have gone out to dinner with a handful of friends...Red Robbin (as you saw the pictures), Dos Margaretta's (don't worry...it's just a Mexican restaurant), The Puffy Muffin (just today! Thanks ladies!! I miss you all!!!) and a few others and Neil loves it!!
We have visited some old jobs and seen some friends and Neil even went to Sunday school on Sunday for the first time! I even stayed for BOTH services and checked on him once! They said he did great and loves all over them! I'm not surprised....he knows how to get you all! I started my BSF class yesterday and Neil is with a babysitter during that time (THANK YOU BARB!!! You are God sent) and she said he was great! I teach pre-school on Tuesday's at church and Neil comes with me....he loves it!!
We have been to the mall, Wall-Mart, Babies-R-Us, Post Office and many other errands and Neil continues to amaze me at how well he does! And he loves the car! And the stroller!
We have started a night time routine and I honestly think I love it more then Neil...but I think he thinks it is pretty cool too! He gets a HOT bottle of milk (word to the wise...mothers adopting....if the baby doesn't drink milk, zap it in the micro....they will gobble it up if it is hot....not warm...hot! Obviously not BURNING hot...but hot...thought I had to clarify that a little more) OK...I'll continue on now...
He lays in my arms as we rock in our Cracker Barrel rocker in the nursery. (Yes!! All you Californians who are at this point saying, "you got a rocker, not a glider??!!" YUP! I am SOUTHERN now! And hey, a rocker will go great with the furniture latter on better then a big white and blue 'glider thing!') OK...I am going on...
And he drinks all the milk and sits up and lays his head on me and wraps his arms around me and hugs we and we rock for about 15min. and then HE IS OUT!!! YES! This is a big change from the screaming and kicking he did on the plane ride home when I would try to do the same thing to get him to go to sleep. I guess he likes mommy's arms and likes to know that hugs are good and they can even calm you down to the point of going to dreamland!!
So...that's our update! We are going to try and lay low this weekend and enjoy our baby and dinners and of course USC Football on Saturday!!!! FIGHT ON!!! I'll post more pictures soon and I will also let you all know when the professional ones from the airport are done and let you all check those out as well! Love to you all!! Thanks for your concern and always asking how we are doing!!! Because of God's hand and MERCY and GRACE...we are ALL doing well!
I always thought that I would get home and not blog as much, but I am getting so many phone calls and e-mails and house guests...that I think I need to update you all!!! AND..I have LOST MY VOICE! Coby had to come home from work on Tuesday and I was in bed half of the day with a sore throat and a VERY bad tummy ache! My voice is still not back..and it is 1:30am and I am wide awake...so here goes!
His Dr. appointment on Monday went great! Dr said that as far as he can tell (without labs being done yet) Neil is doing great. Lots of energy! No visible signs of problems on his body! He is eating great! (pretty much whatever is put in front of him) He has gained a pound and a half since he has been home! (even with the diarrhea...yeah, that's a lot of fun!)
I have to say real quick...every adopting mom has told me about the 'messy diapers' (I hate using the "D" word) when they get home and they are BIG and STINKY and last sometimes up to just about a month. Well.....so far, they are all true! They are just getting smaller and fewer..but they are still gross! Coby and I are at the point that we rock-paper-scissors over who has the next dirty dipper!
OK...back to the update
My Sunday school class at church has been AMAZING and our ADOPT class at church has been fabulous with bringing us dinners and even breakfast!! We are still getting dinners up until Saturday night! Let me tell you who else has gained weight since they have been home???!!! But WAY MORE then a pound and a half!
We have gone out to dinner with a handful of friends...Red Robbin (as you saw the pictures), Dos Margaretta's (don't worry...it's just a Mexican restaurant), The Puffy Muffin (just today! Thanks ladies!! I miss you all!!!) and a few others and Neil loves it!!
We have visited some old jobs and seen some friends and Neil even went to Sunday school on Sunday for the first time! I even stayed for BOTH services and checked on him once! They said he did great and loves all over them! I'm not surprised....he knows how to get you all! I started my BSF class yesterday and Neil is with a babysitter during that time (THANK YOU BARB!!! You are God sent) and she said he was great! I teach pre-school on Tuesday's at church and Neil comes with me....he loves it!!
We have been to the mall, Wall-Mart, Babies-R-Us, Post Office and many other errands and Neil continues to amaze me at how well he does! And he loves the car! And the stroller!
We have started a night time routine and I honestly think I love it more then Neil...but I think he thinks it is pretty cool too! He gets a HOT bottle of milk (word to the wise...mothers adopting....if the baby doesn't drink milk, zap it in the micro....they will gobble it up if it is hot....not warm...hot! Obviously not BURNING hot...but hot...thought I had to clarify that a little more) OK...I'll continue on now...
He lays in my arms as we rock in our Cracker Barrel rocker in the nursery. (Yes!! All you Californians who are at this point saying, "you got a rocker, not a glider??!!" YUP! I am SOUTHERN now! And hey, a rocker will go great with the furniture latter on better then a big white and blue 'glider thing!') OK...I am going on...
And he drinks all the milk and sits up and lays his head on me and wraps his arms around me and hugs we and we rock for about 15min. and then HE IS OUT!!! YES! This is a big change from the screaming and kicking he did on the plane ride home when I would try to do the same thing to get him to go to sleep. I guess he likes mommy's arms and likes to know that hugs are good and they can even calm you down to the point of going to dreamland!!
So...that's our update! We are going to try and lay low this weekend and enjoy our baby and dinners and of course USC Football on Saturday!!!! FIGHT ON!!! I'll post more pictures soon and I will also let you all know when the professional ones from the airport are done and let you all check those out as well! Love to you all!! Thanks for your concern and always asking how we are doing!!! Because of God's hand and MERCY and GRACE...we are ALL doing well!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
OK!!! HERE ARE THE PICTURES!!!
Look what was in our yard when we got home!!!
FIGHT ON USC!!!!
Dave, Kim and the gang in Moscow!!!!
Kim and Neil!!!
Neil and Mommy in the nursery
Neil and David in Moscow
waiting in line to pay to use the potty
18mo clothing doesn't fit yet!
Coby and Neil at Dave and Kim's in Moscow
Mommy and Neil
About 6 hours after we picked him up
The first night with Neil after his bath
First morning in Moscow...'where am I?'
Day before court
Day we picked Neil up
Being a new mom takes a lot of time......need I say more. Here are the last pictures that we will post from Russia along with some ones that we have taken since he has been home!!! Enjoy!!! Thanks Holly for the RR pictures, Neil had a blast!!!
Photos
Auntie Holly here... People, I log in each day to see photos of Neil, and there's never anything new. I can't be the only one disappointed that there aren't more pictures. Thankfully, I still have the log-in!
Here's Neil enjoying his first Red Robin bottomless fries.
and a little Risky Business shades pose:
I'll do it all....
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Moments of Grace
It's already September 3rd...where has the time gone? We have been home about a week and my has time flown by!
Happy 36th Birthday Uncle Wes!!!!! (just in case I forget tomorrow) Baby Neil can not wait to see you at Thanksgiving!!!
Happy 9th Wedding Anniversary Uncle Dean and Aunt Lucy!!!! (just in case I forget 2 days from now) Can't wait to see you all at Christmas with the newest addition to the growing family!!!
Can I just share with you all my thoughts and my emotion right now??...I am amazed! I had been told many many times over that as soon as Neil was placed in my arms, I would forget the past 2 1/2 years of waiting...well there was truth in that statement. The pain was IMMEDIATELY gone! Mothers in waiting.....Jenny M.....it is true. You very quickly go into mommy mode and there is not even a moment to be thinking about anything else but...move this and move that so Neil doesn't fall into the corner of the table!!!
But, I also don't want to forget the trials of these past years because it is through those trials I have grown and changed. I have realized that through my hard times and the great unknowns the only true known in life is the giver of life...my Savior! ALL glory is given to Him and Him alone for our son.
My prayers that I prayed for Neil every moment I thought about him was that God would put a spirit of joy in Him. That is something that is only from the Lord. God has answered that prayer and then some. Neil can't go a min without a smile and giggle on his face. At his home coming at the airport, he kissed, hugged and laughed at anyone who looked at him. It was such a sweet moment. He knew....he knew that all of you had prayed him home! It was his way of saying 'thank you for thinking and praying for me.' To see all of you at the airport and hug each and everyone of you...I thank you too! To share in that moment with you and the Lord was amazing.
Thank you to those who circled up and prayed with us at the airport. Could we have left there without giving the ultimate thanks the the Lord? No way! Glory was the be given to Him! As we prayed I held my son's foot and opened my eyes to look at him during the prayer. He was starring right at me with this look. Again, he knew. We were thanking God for him! He had just been running around, laughing, kissing, smiling and just having the best moment of his life, but when we bowed our heads to give thanks, he calmed down and took that moment with us.
God, my prayer is that the joy YOU put in him will lead to a life service of joy in serving YOU!
Thank you all for your involvement in this. Your gifts, meals, hugs, tears, coffee breaks, phone calls, letters and mostly your endless prayers. I believe it is because of our prayers together that we can rejoice together! AMEN! It is so much sweeter to be united in prayer because then we can see the fruit of our labor together! After all, we are the body of Christ...when we all work together the body brings joy to the Lord!
I want to leave you all with this statement given by a great friend of mine. She too is going through her own trials of life but has the Lord on her side. She continues to amaze me through her strength and endurance in her walk and physical pain. Thank you Jenn and Jess for your words to the Lord that are so lovely!
'My real question needs to change from (the one that continually looms over me), will I die from this?....to Lord, how shall I live? My sister passed along an amazing encouragement to me in one of her emails last week. She wrote in the subject line: ENOUGH FOR TODAY and then quoted Spurgeon:"I have known a brother wanting to vanquish death long before he died. But, brother, you do not want dying grace till dying moments. What would be the good of dying grace while you are yet alive? A boat will only be needful when you reach a river.
Ask for living grace, and glorify Christ thereby, and then you shall have dying grace when dying time comes. Your enemy is going to be destroyed, but not today. there is a great host of enemies to be fought today, and you may be content to to let this one alone for awhile. This enemy will be destroyed, but of the times and the seasons we are in ignorance; our wisdom is to be good soldiers of Jesus Christ as the duty of everyday requires. Take your trials as they come, brother! As the enemies march up slay them, rank upon rank, but if you fail in the name of God to smite the front ranks, and say, "No, I am only careful to prepare for the assault of the rear rank," then you are playing the fool. Leave the final shock of arms till the last adversary advances, and meanwhile hold you your place in the conflict. God will in due time help you to overcome your last enemy, but meanwhile see to it that you overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. If you live well you will die well. That same covenant in which the Lord Jesus gave you life contains also the grant of death, for "All things are yours, whether things present or things to come, or life or death, all are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's." Please pray for living grace for me, Peter, my family, and for yourself. Thank you for your continued and persevering prayers. I am thankful to God for His once again displayed deliverance.
May the darkness never overshadow the reach of my Father's hand.'
Happy 36th Birthday Uncle Wes!!!!! (just in case I forget tomorrow) Baby Neil can not wait to see you at Thanksgiving!!!
Happy 9th Wedding Anniversary Uncle Dean and Aunt Lucy!!!! (just in case I forget 2 days from now) Can't wait to see you all at Christmas with the newest addition to the growing family!!!
Can I just share with you all my thoughts and my emotion right now??...I am amazed! I had been told many many times over that as soon as Neil was placed in my arms, I would forget the past 2 1/2 years of waiting...well there was truth in that statement. The pain was IMMEDIATELY gone! Mothers in waiting.....Jenny M.....it is true. You very quickly go into mommy mode and there is not even a moment to be thinking about anything else but...move this and move that so Neil doesn't fall into the corner of the table!!!
But, I also don't want to forget the trials of these past years because it is through those trials I have grown and changed. I have realized that through my hard times and the great unknowns the only true known in life is the giver of life...my Savior! ALL glory is given to Him and Him alone for our son.
My prayers that I prayed for Neil every moment I thought about him was that God would put a spirit of joy in Him. That is something that is only from the Lord. God has answered that prayer and then some. Neil can't go a min without a smile and giggle on his face. At his home coming at the airport, he kissed, hugged and laughed at anyone who looked at him. It was such a sweet moment. He knew....he knew that all of you had prayed him home! It was his way of saying 'thank you for thinking and praying for me.' To see all of you at the airport and hug each and everyone of you...I thank you too! To share in that moment with you and the Lord was amazing.
Thank you to those who circled up and prayed with us at the airport. Could we have left there without giving the ultimate thanks the the Lord? No way! Glory was the be given to Him! As we prayed I held my son's foot and opened my eyes to look at him during the prayer. He was starring right at me with this look. Again, he knew. We were thanking God for him! He had just been running around, laughing, kissing, smiling and just having the best moment of his life, but when we bowed our heads to give thanks, he calmed down and took that moment with us.
God, my prayer is that the joy YOU put in him will lead to a life service of joy in serving YOU!
Thank you all for your involvement in this. Your gifts, meals, hugs, tears, coffee breaks, phone calls, letters and mostly your endless prayers. I believe it is because of our prayers together that we can rejoice together! AMEN! It is so much sweeter to be united in prayer because then we can see the fruit of our labor together! After all, we are the body of Christ...when we all work together the body brings joy to the Lord!
I want to leave you all with this statement given by a great friend of mine. She too is going through her own trials of life but has the Lord on her side. She continues to amaze me through her strength and endurance in her walk and physical pain. Thank you Jenn and Jess for your words to the Lord that are so lovely!
'My real question needs to change from (the one that continually looms over me), will I die from this?....to Lord, how shall I live? My sister passed along an amazing encouragement to me in one of her emails last week. She wrote in the subject line: ENOUGH FOR TODAY and then quoted Spurgeon:"I have known a brother wanting to vanquish death long before he died. But, brother, you do not want dying grace till dying moments. What would be the good of dying grace while you are yet alive? A boat will only be needful when you reach a river.
Ask for living grace, and glorify Christ thereby, and then you shall have dying grace when dying time comes. Your enemy is going to be destroyed, but not today. there is a great host of enemies to be fought today, and you may be content to to let this one alone for awhile. This enemy will be destroyed, but of the times and the seasons we are in ignorance; our wisdom is to be good soldiers of Jesus Christ as the duty of everyday requires. Take your trials as they come, brother! As the enemies march up slay them, rank upon rank, but if you fail in the name of God to smite the front ranks, and say, "No, I am only careful to prepare for the assault of the rear rank," then you are playing the fool. Leave the final shock of arms till the last adversary advances, and meanwhile hold you your place in the conflict. God will in due time help you to overcome your last enemy, but meanwhile see to it that you overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. If you live well you will die well. That same covenant in which the Lord Jesus gave you life contains also the grant of death, for "All things are yours, whether things present or things to come, or life or death, all are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's." Please pray for living grace for me, Peter, my family, and for yourself. Thank you for your continued and persevering prayers. I am thankful to God for His once again displayed deliverance.
May the darkness never overshadow the reach of my Father's hand.'
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