I should have listened :)

Joseph, Cate , Mary Kate and I went to NC this week. They were having the huge consignment sale that they do twice a year . It is by Jenn's and we try to make it when they do because it is such a great deal and we have lots of fun. I am like a kid in a candy store ( I love books and anything child related and they have both at reasonable prices or even better). We had a choice to come in the truck or my van....Obviously I should have listened ....Joseph really wanted to take the truck ( all the guys love it) and even Jeremiah was teasing me when we were packing to leave for home . We were packed full and then some :) We made it home though with everything we bought and Lila is modeling some of what I bought. I purchased bike helmets for the 3 new ones and this heart purse filled with girlie things like the glasses that she is wearing...Funny thing is all 3 kids love wearing the helmets all the time- even when they are not riding a bike. I was able to get a bike for Isaiah for his b-day . It cost only 10 dollars. He loves riding bikes and will be thrilled when he gets his very own bike on his birthday. They have no concept of what a birthday is- except they saw us celebrate Josiah's b-day . I also got several trucks and garage toys for him as well for cheap- way below the cost of the original price. He will play for hours with our cars and trucks. He will be getting a garage and a racing platform to race 3 matchbox cars on too. I got about 8 presents for him and it did not cost me 20 dollars and most of them look brand new :)  They also sell clothing but I never can get into buying all my kids clothes . It is too overwhelming with the number of children we have but it would be worth it too try sometime...So for now I just randomly search for things in that part. If you are in the Raleigh/Durham area it is worth the trip to go to...Today it is open to the public and tomorrow things are half off. It is held at the fair grounds.

It's catching on...carrying babies on your back and things on your head

Sorry the pictures are blurry ( the kid's took the bottom two) but the other day they were playing and Selah was wrapped on Lily's back and Selah has her baby on her back as well. Then Selah who can carry lots of things just like the women in Ghana do, on her head, encouraged some of the others to do the same...

This is the group of kids who left for camp today- Mya's "dream" come true

We took Luke, Josiah, Caleb, Lily and Mya to Camp Joy El today. This is a first for the 5 of them and me. We have thru the yrs sent diff. kids to this camp and feel it is money well spent. They not only have a fun time but the spiritual growth that happens is something we just can't pay enough for. This is where many of our children have given their lives to Christ . I have high hopes for these 5 and a sense of peace that they will be changed when we pick them up on Friday. Thank you to Joy El for the generous scholarship to be able to send not only these 5 but the older 4 girls and next week the 4 middle school age ones. Camp is not cheap and with sending 13 children for a week we could not afford this but for the help given by Joy El and Mary Kate and Keith. They gave us money in support of the kids going to camp too...Thank you guys too for giving to us and loving us as you do so selflessly. I know you know the huge change the kids experience there so it is all worth the money it costs and we are thankful for your support.

On the way I had the 5 campers in my van. Paul drove the 15 passenger with some of the others. The kids were so excited and talking up a storm... When they saw the camp from afar I hear Mya say, " My dream come true." It made me cry to hear her....for two reasons...One she is or was our "baby" and as her dream is coming true my heart is breaking because she has grown up. Now I am happy she has but still I remember our sweet little one who came home to us at 13 months weighing just ll lbs and paralyzed...and look at her now...My tears are also tears of joy that she actually can go to camp. I still have to fight my momma's urge to want to protect her and be there for her... time for her to step out and experience some life without me... I made all 5 an encouragement pak for them to open one message a day from us...Just to let them know we are praying and to encourage them to be lights for Jesus but I will be thrilled when Friday eve. comes and we an pick them up....

Popsicle time- Yummy ! Ghana kids update and Gracie flourishing

Seeing them eat a very American snack and you can tell they are loving life. Honestly life with them has been very fun and so much easier than we expected. They have transitioned well into our family. They will have been home 3 weeks this coming Tuesday and we have gotten so attached in such a short time. I often wonder how the Lord knows the child that is so going to " fit" into our family....Often ones we ourselves may not have chosen at first but it seems that we work thru the issues and life goes well after the transitions for the most part we have had very easy transitions when the new child/children have come to our family. I  feel like my dreams have come true when I look at the faces of my children ...I could not picture a better life for me as the momma to 27 children. Just watching our children blossom and develope into all the Lord desires has been an awesome journey...even when my choices for them are different than the paths they chose.

One very positive observation we have made is how having these 3 new children has spurred Gracie into being more social and playful. We are not sure why because she is always surrounded by lots of children but for some reason since they have been home she is making more sounds and doing them louder...words we can recognize. She also for the first time last nite was playing imaginary play at Mary Kate's house in Ava's play kitchen. She was cooking and baking - cracking eggs in a bowl and mixing and then baking her "food". She also wants to be included in Mya, Ava, Luke's and the 3 new ones play....she will initiate some interaction like taking their hands on purpose. She also will come and tell on one of them when they do something wrong....Who ever would have thought this would happen but it has been a very positive thing for us to watch Gracie come out more.

Even when you are not in the pool they enjoyed being outside today.....

Jacob and Olivia looking thru a book together

 Lying on the warm deck ...planning their next adventure :)

Swings...one of our favorite things to do anytime.

Eating snack- Selah cracking the hard candy shell of the M and Ms in the gorp today.

We really do enjoy our pools....

Andrew Update

We took Andrew to the GI specialist June 30. He has gained another 2 lbs since May 3. The doctor was impressed with his weight gain and even in how he appeared and what he was doing. Andrew walks now...even by himself and at the office Andrew decided to show Dr. Tuckman his stuff. He walked independently while we were there. As I have shared before he is the most strong willed child I have ever met...and if he wants to do something he will. He wanted to walk and he did. It was cute...sometimes it is eery how he knows things and I guess he wanted to show somebody he could :) The doctor wanted us to keep him on the previcid ( acid reducer) since he has reflux and he wanted to cut down on the damage to his stomach and esophagus when he does reflux by reducing the acid. However, Cate and I decided to do an experiment...we told the doctor we had not given him the previcid since the 28 and for 2 and a half days he had not thrown up...we were going to continue not giving it unless he began to throw up...He went 9 days without vomiting....but today he threw up 2 times..Once just before lunch and it was a small amount and tonite after he ate dinner and it was his whole dinner :( So I am down about his reflux issues tonite....We have tried lots of things and just want it to stop. It makes it difficult to take him out...Nobody wants to watch your child vomit and sometimes it is alot and often and without warning. Also we have to clean up...and it ruins carpet and his bed....we do lots of extra laundry because of it. We really thought he was over it...because he has never gone 9 days without doing it since last August....So I will call the doctor back on Monday and we will start the previcid again. The doctor did say the only other option was surgery but he agreed with me that we would wait for awhile longer before we consider this option.

We finished his room about the time he started to not throw up....I will share pics later but he is now in a room off of our laundry room. A room with no carpet for obvious reasons. Paul and the boys built it...they are amazing . He seems to be sleeping better and enjoys being in his room. Our older girls and Jospeh have been getting up at 6:30 am to pray and study the Bible. They have been wonderful role models and have been praying specifically for Andrew. We really did think that he was over it. So please join us in praying for healing of his reflux issues.

Other than this he has been a happy guy for the most part. He enjoys the freedom of walking around inside and out. He can get himself out of the swing on the back deck and will walk to the door. When you see him trusting himself and his ability to move around like this it brings tears to my eyes just watching him. He has come so far in the yr and half.