Belly Buttons!

Belly Buttons!!







What a cutie!











Moms B-day (really just like everyday but with decorations and homemade cake by Chef Daddy and Special Cake Decorator Abigail)














Reading is fun!




















Reading with Boo is too fun!
Abigail wearing baby Lucy

















Headshot for future reference on "No No" violations
Dinnertime is such a production!






Well it looks like we ARE going to be in Fernley forever!!! I'm not going to fill in the details right now but that is the case. In two months or so we are also going to miraculously have the funds to pursue our adoption dreams, and we will be living here long enough to ensure that we can complete it. Amazing!! We are really just in shock right now at the doors being opened like this. We both have sort of gotten used to the idea of having one more of our own in the meantime. I mean, look at these two! Who wouldn't! How I would love to have a new one just like these two to nurse and love on! But we both know that that wouldn't be the absolute best choice for us. I am personally humbled every day with thoughts of little ones just like ours over there in Ethiopia with no parents of their own. No one to pick them up when they fall, read to them, kiss their boo boo's. No one to call their own. The thought of bringing another into the world when there are so many in this situation (and of course, when we have the means) is sort of, well, lets just say its not what we know is God's best choice for us. This is definately just our situation I'm talking about though. I definately believe that God has laid it on our hearts and has built Erik and I both in this particular way for this particular situation. Children are a blessing from the Lord, every one of them. And I know if we did goof up and have one naturally God will use them and bless us. But for us right now, I believe this is His best choice.

The kids as you can see are just awesome. I thought last month that they couldn't get any cuter. I was wrong. Sam has found his Belly Button and calls it "dutun." He is talking up a storm, calling for Daddy all the time and repeating us. He even tries to sound out lyrics to the music that we play. Oh and does he ever dance! Abigail is just the sweetest thing. Her preschool teacher says that she is "SO ready for preschool." She keeps right up with the 3 and 4 year olds. I can't go anywhere without getting into the same 3 basic conversations:

Stranger: "Well hi there little girl, what's your name?"
Abs: "My name is Abigail.."
Stranger: "Abigail?"
Abs: "Uh huh, some people call me Abby, what's your name?"
Stranger: "My name is __. How old are you Abigail?"
Abs: "I'm 2 years old.. uh huh.. my birthday is December 11th. It comes when there is snow on the ground."
Then she will give them some miscellanious information about her brother Sam or her school and Mrs. Christina or what errand we are running. She will also ask questions about what they are wearing or what they are doing. Then they always say something like, "My she is articulate for her age. Has she always been like that? I have a 2 year old __ and they aren't as well spoken. What do you do with her?"
I always say I don't know why she is, that we don't watch TV or movies at all and that her daddy is real smart.

The next one is always about how cute she is and how neat her hair is and where did she get that hair.

As far as Sam goes, most people that are in close proximity for any length of time (and some even passing by) will say "Hey there handsome, what a great smile you have "and they'll just keep trying to coax a laugh out of him which most do. He smiles at EVERYONE and is about the most content 15m old around.

Sigh. Sometimes I really with you could freeze time. I am sure that if I spent every moment of the day praising God it wouldn't be enough. Anyhoo...

Abigail Grin

Here are some adorable pics of our little trip to Tahoe with John and Kathi.

We are doing real well out here in Fernley. I'm learning how to play the piano and watching some newfound friends children off and on to fill up my time and my need to have some more little feet running around. The kids are loving their new daytime siblings. It is just perfect! A month ago Sam was saying "yah" to everything and I was convinced I had the most docile little angel baby in the world. Well, this month he has begun to say "no, no, no" to EVERYTHING while shaking his head back and forth. He also is resisting things while he does it so I know he knows what he is saying. Eek! Abigail is smart as a whip of course. She is now starting to take herself potty ALL ALONE. Thats right, at 2 and a half she can do the whole production including washing her hands. Her motivation: School! 2 days a week she can go play with some other kids for a few hours for "preschool" with "Mrs. Christina". She has been celebrating every potty break for the last 3 days since with "yay, now I can go to school!" and the cutest grin. They are just awesome.

We have just got a pretty sure idea from Erik's boss that we might be moving on to the Sacramento area in as little as 3 months. We also have been praying about the adoption and reading the Word and have come to the conclusion that we should wait until we have the finances to follow through. Of all the things we don't know about the decisions we are making, one thing is clear from God's Word and that is that we aren't supposed to burden ourselves with debt because that will put us in a position to be slaves to our creditors and not Christ. Jesus said "you cannot serve God and money" so we are going to wait till we can absorb the cost a little better. Everything in us is saying to just do it now any way that we can. Our family is incomplete and there are thousands of children that need parents out there! One thing both of us have learned so far is to follow God's Word practically even when it isn't convenient or doesn't make sense. We have so far been blessed every time by just trusting Him in that way.

Long story short, we still want another child and have decided try to grow our family the old-fashioned way! Our kids are so awesome I don't know how we could ask for another but His word says to ask what we desire and so we will because we know He is generous beyond anything we could imagine.

Snoozin'
Rock throwin'
Groovin' to some tunes with Dad