The thinks they can think.

Okay, for starters I'm going to have to give you a visual to set the stage for a conversation I overheard while waiting in the car with the kids. Olivia, she's my Bunker as you know. And she's my "blonde moments" blond . And well, she's even my personal scale of justice (that is, she sometimes mistakenly thinks she is.) But all facets considered, she's my dear daughter, just as God intended. And sometimes? Well (Toni shakes head) sometimes she just cracks. me. up.
But first, the prelude to the visual.

Okay, so. A few weeks ago, she was outside playing when she got a Who in her eye (Who: a little dustball with lifeform on board, lol. Cute movie, btw. And yes, she once told us she had a Who in her eye after getting dust in it.) So in her own words, she had a Who in her eye and thus became, how do I put this, a bit dramatic in presentation.

"It huuuuuurts!"

"There's something in there pinching my eyeball."

"I can't seeeeeeeee!"

People, her dad and I are alot of things but heartless is not one of them. Her dad checked her eyeball. I all but stretched it over the top of her forehead to look for no-see'ms. And I might add those little buggers are good too because, wouldn't you know it, I no see'd 'em. Sawed 'em. Saw. I didn't saw them. I mean, SEE them. Uh, never mind.

So, my innovative funny girl came up with her own solution to a bothersome eyeball. One I'm sure you'll agree was nothing short of genius. One that allowed her to continue playing with neighborhood friends in spite of her trauma. Albeit one that made me shake my head in amazement at what my girl thinks up. Enough with the words. Here's the visual.


Oh, you know you wish your kid came up with it. Nope, sorry. This one belongs to my little Einstein and mine only.

And now for a conversation between siblings in the van, as overheard by their mother in the front row. My, how the brilliance must have blinded passers by.

Reece: "Ow! My tooth hurts."
Olivia: "You'll have to go to the dentist."
Reece: "Nut-uh!"
Olivia: "Nuh huh. That's what the dentist is for. To fill a rotten tooth."
Reece: "Is my tooth rotten?"
Olivia: "Uh huh. It is."
Reece: "How does he fix it?"
Olivia: "He has to fill it after he gives you a shot."
Reece:(getting nervous) "A shot? Where does he put the shot?"
Olivia: "In your uvula."
Reece: "What? In my uve-lee-lah? Will he put a bandaid on it?"
Olivia: (taunting) "Nope!"
Reece: (insisting) He's not gonna put a shot in my uve-lee-lah!"
Olivia: "Is too. Just like he did to me when he had to pull out my two fangs."

OY VEY!

Hey now, at least we de-fanged her!

(Wild thing.)

Toni

Recent scrapbook layouts

Sharing a few recent layouts. Btw, after you're done viewing mine, stop by Miss Sniz's blog and take a look at hers. She taught me how to get started and let me tell you, she cranks out beautiful pages in waaaaay less time than I scrap mine. She's the queen of paperclipping, I tell you (well, next to Noell Hyman, that is.)


I used cinnomon Stickles around the title, to corner the focal image, and on a few tiny circles in the circle pattern paper. I used Diamond Stickles on the flower and the word "FUN". It's not visible in the photo, but the background paper has mini yellow-gold dots on it (thus the yellow gold mat under the focal image).

Journaling:
You are so special to all of us. It's been a year of amazing blessings. We can't believe you're "1".


This layout was scrapped in 8x11. I scrap in multiple sizes and place all together in a d-ring binder (at least temporarily). The journaling on this layout reads:
Oh, how your expression in this photo makes me giggle. The thing is, Daddy and I have never been big on baby shoes. We'd rather wait until we see attempts to stand, at which time baby is ready for a new pair of shoes. Well here you are at 10 months old. Brandon, you didn't know whether to laugh or cry. As the photo reveals, you did a bit of both (simultaneously).

This layout was scrapped 8x8.
Paperclips are handstitched to the page.







I'm not a big fan of super cutesie stickers, but who could resist this cute dragon for a 6yo boy's birthday layout. Title was hand lettered by moi. I like how it turned out.

Toni

An adoption finalization trip (in pictures)

In eastern Indiana, we passed through a solid 45 minute stretch of art. The remnants of an icestorm two days earlier. It was absolutely beautiful, but sadly the damage to trees was evident everywhere in fallen branches.


And another shot of the icestorm (the straight line ice in the forefront is actually ice on weeds along the highway fenceline).


Gotta love a candle store that is well lit.


Brandon busies himself during the 6 hour drive, unaware of the monumental change about to take place in his little life.


The dinky Homerville post office about 30 minutes from my former country home. Isn't it adorable?


And the Amish, whom we lived just 15 minutes from. Oh, how I miss witnessing that simple life on a near daily basis.


The kids were so excited to have a swimming pool at our hotel.


Adoption Day! This church sits just a block from the courthouse where we finalized our adoption. It also happens to be where Carl and I got married. It also happens to be where I attended school from 6th through 8th grade.


And the precise moment we've waited for since the day we set eyes on sweet Brandon Henry.


First photo as a new family: The family we always were in our hearts is now the same family in the eyes of the law.


Happy Gotcha Day, sweet boy!


And Brandon enjoys a piece of cake for his big day.


And a view of the winter storm that pounded northern Ohio while we were there (out my parents' window).


Reece sits on Nana's counter to watch the breadmaker do its stuff.


It's been a great trip, but Brandon is ready to go home (he dragged this heavy bag from my parents' bedroom).


This is my former town of Wellington in Ohio. It's not the town I grew up in, but rather the town that Carl and I lived in (we actually were a good 5 miles outside the town limits in the country, but this grand historic town was our address.)


The homes on Main Street in Wellington are grand scale beautiful.


Remember the Spirit of '76 painting by Archibald Willard? He lived in Wellington and is buried there.


And yet another architectural example of the town I love.


This two steepled Catholic church can be spotted from a distance along route 224 as we make our way back to Indiana. Isn't it gorgeous?


And this water tower in Indiana always makes me smile (pun intended).


Back home again.
"Mom just couldn't wait to officially put me on the chores roster!"

Toni

Cold Season! She aint dead yet.

I'll tell you about our trip soon, I promise. Just brought back a lil' cold is all. Brandon did, actually. Well, and Reece. Okay, and me too. Ah...ah...choo!
Update:
Nasty bug. Nasty, nasty, nasty! I actually went down on the couch last night so I wouldn't wake Carl (for the umpteenth time) with my tossing, turning and nose blowing. Have you ever had those colds/sore throats where it literally burns to breath in through your nose as well as across your throat? And your ears itch too? H-e-l-l-o! (sigh)

In the meantime, here's a scrapbook page I completed for my son (MY son, offically).
It's my attempt to throw you a bone until I can make a more uplifting post. ;)

Toni

THE HOME STRETCH

Ahhhh! God's ways are so much higher than my own. Friends, in less than two days (Friday at 10:00am EST to be exact), we will be standing in front of a judge finaling our adoption of Brandon Henry; Brandon, the name given to him by his birth family, and Henry, the middle name we chose because it's my maternal grandfather's first name and my paternal grandfather's middle name. I've always liked the name Henry and I'm thrilled to be passing it on to our son.

For those who don't know, this will be our fourth adoption. And this one caught us by total surprise. We were in the car Christmas shopping on December 16th, 2006 when Carl's cell phone rang. He recognized the number as the agency we provided foster care for in Ohio for 5 years. We had moved out of state and thus had to let our license expire, so I wasn't sure why they were calling (or how they got our number). But Carl "knew." He said it before he answered the phone, while I said, "No, that's not it." Well yes, that was it. A baby. The biological brother of our girls. We immediately turned our van around, drove 30 minutes back home to pack a bag for a family of 5, picked up an infant car seat and off we went, 6 hours to Ohio to pick up 2 day old Brandon.

Fast forward 14½ months later. We're on our way again, first thing in the morning. The day we have all waited for. Carl and I were open to ages 0-5, any race or gender. What God knitted together was beyond our wildest dreams. Four newborns whom we brought home directly from the hospital. A fifth will always be in our hearts, having stayed with us for almost 6 weeks before being removed to be adopted by "family" elsewhere. And Reece too was nearly removed from our home. It hurts to contemplate that now. And yet, here we are. The H's, just as God ordained.

Oh, there's sooo much more I could babble on about concerning the way God formed our family. I have many last minute details to tend to though, so I'll just share some past entries that express ME quite well here. For starters, you'll find my heart in this;

I WOULD DIE FOR THAT. (don't miss the dialogue in comments or you may miss where I'm coming from altogether. The last comment in particular was so very special to receive.)

And here;
WHAT MAKES A REAL MOM?

And definitely here;
A HEART FOR ADOPTION.

I know your positive thoughts are with us as we journey this final step to grafting Brandon onto our family tree. "See" you when we get back.

He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—
Ephesians 1:5

Toni