Why can.......

So..these random thoughts have been going around in my head since we came home from China.

Why can people save up for or make sacrifices for:

Granite countertops. Or whatever remodel project they are wanting to do in their home! I really like granite.Beach Vacation. Who doesn't love chillin' on the beach with your loved ones?!

Down Payment for a new home. Cute house!

Sweet ride just like the Real Housewives are drivin' or the teenagers here in my city. The car looks pretty spiffy!

But they can not make sacrifices for this:

I have been around tons of people that say to me--We would love to adopt but: it is just not in our financial plans right now or we would need to this first or that first.

Seriously--there are close to 150 million orphans in this world! Adopt first & then save up for your spiffy new ride!!

So glad that we answered God's calling & made sacrifices to bring Sydney home to her family! Sydney has blessed this family beyond words.

And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. Matthew 18:5

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure & faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27

Philip Turns 11!

Hard to believe that Philip is 11! We have been celebrating his birthday for almost a week now. Love summer birthdays! God has blessed us with an amazing young man. Love you Philip!

Philip & Ashlyn's 2nd Tri

The big kids competed in their 2nd tri this weekend. They love doing them! It was super hot waiting for the tri to start. Sydney was starting have a 3 year old melt-down before it started :)! Good thing we had the stroller. Kids did great during the tri. I'm thinking they might want to start doing the "real" ones soon. Since the kids start at different times, it was a little difficult to get pictures of them doing all 3 events!

Kids hanging out before the start.
Philip during the run. A little tired!!

Ashlyn was hurting at the end.

Philip @ the end!

Ashers @ the end!

Surprise!

On Tuesday, we received 52 "new" pictures of our Sydney from her life in China. I had made contact with an individual & they thought they might have 12 pictures for us. We would of been excited to see just one new picture of Sydney but 52!! We also learned that Sydney was with 2 foster families not one. And we have contact information for them! And we have several pictures of them with Sydney. We feel so blessed to have these pictures for Sydney.
It was a little different/difficult to see Sydney with "another family". Sounds strange but true. Sydney was very happy in the pictures. And looked like she was close with both foster mom and dad. Now we just need to make contact with the foster families. What to say? What to ask? What not to say?? A bunch of questions we would loved answered. But really I just want them to know that Sydney is really happy, healthy & loved like crazy!
I posted a few pictures of our girl for you guys to see.

Olsen Park 4th of July Parade

Our neighborhood had their annual parade today. We always enjoy it--bouncers, face-painting, walking around the neighborhood with decorated bikes/strollers/scooters, friends & food. This was Sydney's first parade & 4th of July. She was not sure what to think!

Before the parade. Thanks Shannon & Ashlyn for decorating the stroller. It looked awesome!

Philip & friends. This is probably the only time we saw Philip til the end.

I do not know this family but thought their "ride" was pretty cool!

This is what Sydney did the majority of the parade. I'm sure she was thinking--"why are we walking around the block with all of these people?!"

1st experience w/arm painting. She peeled it off during nap-time!!

Shannon (our awesome sitter) & Ashlyn

6 Month Post Placement

Hard to believe that Sydney has been home for 6 months! I was looking back at our Gotcha Day pictures and could hardly believe that was Sydney. She is nothing like that quiet little girl that would just sit on our bed for hours. Thank Goodness because that would of been too easy!!
A few ways Sydney has changed: Sydney has started to get out of bed sometimes in the morning & after nap time instead of yelling "Mommy I don't see you" until PJ or I come get her. She speaks (or yells) in complete sentences. Sydney does not feel like she has to eat everytime she sees food. Knows her name is Sydney and that she is 3. Loves the book Goodnight Moon--which was Philip's favorite too. Sydney has become the new "sassy pants" in our family!

Playing outside with Daddy!

Dinner with The Wagner Family

We were able to have dinner with one of our travel families from China--The Wagners--while we were in Dallas for the weekend. Stephanie & I emailed like crazy before we actually met in China. Love how you can be friends with people before you even meet them! We miss all of our travel group & talk about them constantly. We need to plan a reunion sometime.
Stephanie & Jeremy have adopted two precious children from China. The dinner & conversation was wonderful & LOUD!! The loudness was not from the 5 children at our table. Thank you guys so much for meeting us. It is amazing to see how much Sydney & Noah have changed in 6 months. We enjoyed it! And can not wait til the next visit.

Sydney & Noah

American Girl

Does anybody else have a daughter that loves American Girls?! Ashlyn loves American Girl. She can look at the magazines for hours picking out what she wants. For her birthday (back in March), she received a couple of gift cards for American Girl and wanted to shop with them at the actual American Girl store. This is a big deal because there are only like 8 stores in the whole world! So, Ashlyn & I spent mom & daughter time at the store in Dallas on our way back home. It was fun! I'm wishing that I was a 7 year old again.
Ashlyn brought Lanie (not to be confused with Lainey--which is her grandmom/PJ's mom). Ashlyn & Lanie got right in line for the hair salon. Yes--the dolls get "up-dos"! Ashlyn picked out a hairstyle for Lanie & then she wisked off for her new look. The hairstylists are really talented! We got pointers on how to do the dolls hair!
All 3 of us had lunch at the Bistro. Well actually I let Ashlyn decide what we were having & she ordered us dessert! Not surprising because Ashlyn loves sweets! After that we shopped & shopped for American Girl things. Ashlyn picked out new outfits & earrings for Lanie, a chair, tea set & some other fun things.

Excitement before we go!
Lanie (after her updo) & Ashlyn

Lanie surfing the net while Ashlyn & I ate dessert!

We had so much fun! Can not wait to do it again girls!!

Reunion Trip (part 2)

PJ & I took our kids and our two older nieces (Kaitlyn & Meagan) to the University of Texas to just hang out & soak the orange all in! We LOVED it! And so did all of the kids (even though one of our nieces is NOT a UT fan. I know what is wrong with her!! Just kidding Meagers.)
It was great to back in Austin for awhile. We shopped for a super long time at the co-op, walked around campus & then had a late lunch at one of our favs--Chuys!
We miss UT & Austin. Hook'em Horns!

A really big Bevo!

5 grandkids (the newest one had stay back at the cabin with her mom)

This is where we stayed. It was beautiful!

Ashlyn & Allie waiting for the fishing poles.

Family Reunion Trip (part 1)

We packed up the kids last week & headed south to the Austin area for a family reunion. For some reason, I'm still shocked at how much a family of 5 brings on a trip. This was the longest car ride for Sydney so we broke it up into two sections. Overall, she did great in the car (those first 6 hours had us a little worried!). The kids enjoyed hanging out with all of their cousins! They were always doing something while we there--swimming, playing nerf wars, walking around in the woods, fishing, playing twister & so much more!

Philip & Meagan
Ashlyn & Allie

Sydney loved this rockin' chicken!

The girls hanging out in the pool--Reese, Ash, Allie & Meagan

Kaitlyn, Philip & Guy