welcome to the heat.

(Apologies for the crazy formatting on this post... I'm too tired to fight with it.)

This is the number that greeted us when we rolled into Vegas.  Definitely a warm welcome.

These two are in town.  Everyone had better clean up their act.  It is Vegas, afterall, and it's sure to be a lot safer now.

We stayed at a nearby hotel for a couple days while the rest of our household goods arrived.  Sweet P was all mixed up with more transitions, therefore, naps did not go well.  At all.  And that is a horrible understatement.  So it was no surpise she fell asleep during Bible time and bedtime stories. 

Our arrival in Vegas was a few days before America's birthday.  We scouted out a good parade and found the jackpot.  I dare say it was the best parade I have seen, aside from missing a jet flyover!  The people of Summerlin sure know how to put on a parade. However, too many parade attenders confused me.  Why attend a patriotic parade and yet fail to put your hand on your heart or stand for the flag presentation?  For real, people, you should just stay home.  What was angering were the people who didn't bother to stand and applaud the blue and gold star families as they passed.  The faces they carried are the reason you can attend a parade in the first place.  Let's show a little patriotism and thanks for our military members. 

(Deep breath.)  Off my soap box to resume regularly scheduled blogging.

Here were my little patriots:

Early, early morning entertainment out on the "dock."  A word to the wise:  if you are going to move with children, move east.  The time change going west is awful on parents who stay up late unpacking. 

Sweet P found this puzzle in one box and proceeded to assemble it time after time after time ... day after day after day.  She is still asking for Elmo.  When we visited the orphanage, there weren't toys that contained pieces, so I think she's reveling in this new found freedom!  Other new (and annoyingly messy) toys are Lite Brite and all the play dishes and foods.

She also enjoys playing with the letter magnets, mostly lining them up in rows.  One day I looked over as she was at work and saw this:

I think she's not letting on truly how much she knows.  :)

Peanut saved up $10.00 to buy a bigger bike with Daddy, and I wasn't too surprised when they brought home a princess bike!  She was so excited to choose one and then show off for us riding around the neighborhood. 

She also started dance for the first time ever and is loving it.  I am not sure quite how much she is learning, but most of the fun is the anticipation and dressing up.

She is about as flexible as her mom on this move! 

This little one is obsessed with pockets as of late.  One day K met me after a doctor appt and had gotten the kids ready.  Sweet P had on a cute dress but later I discovered she had pulled on shorts too, just so she would have pockets!  She has yet to fill them up but always wants to have some on her body.  Funny girl.  Here she is proudly displaying her pockets. 

A rare morning we made it out to eat breakfast while it was still semi-cool.  Oh, how I look forward to winter here!

I walked in on this scene and asked what was going on... Peanut informed me she was the princess and (note the crossed arms and firm looks) the other two were her advisors.  It's clear who is running the show.

... and the big finish!  I'll bet you get a laugh.  Drive-in movie night laundry-basket-style. 

(If I know you and you're not some random blog stalker...) You are welcome to visit us!  We have plenty of room for you and, if you can handle the constant chatter of three littles, we'd love visitors!  Blessings, angela

I lied.

Almost immediately after posting last night, I unearthed the few pictures I had on my camera from our last couple days in Virginia.   


A final farewell at the park with families from K's work. Plenty of children to go around!

 This is what our garage looked like with all the boxes ready for our truck.  

K pulled up in this monster of a truck and my first thoughts were, "Take it back!  It's too big!"  I may or may not have let those words slip from my lips, because he replied that it was too late and it was time to load it up.

Basically, this is what the 26 foot truck looked like inside after aforementioned boxes and junk from the entire garage were loaded.  Uh oh.

One of our church friends M stopped by to help for the afternoon, which was more of a blessing than we could have ever imagined.  The guys were able to pack up tons of heavy furniture and lots of other items we didn't intend to move ourselves, which translated to more weight, which translated to more money toward our next adoption.  We won big time.  

Two nights before we drove off, a wife of K's coworker took us for horse rides on her beautiful horses Flash and Wish.  The stables were only minutes from our hotel so we met her there one evening after family night at Chick-fil-A.  Reference the scary face paint.  Buddy was overly happy to have his face painted like Spiderman.  The unfortunate part was 90 degree heat that made his face itchy and sweaty so his face ended up looking like something from Freddy.  (...and I just dated myself because Freddy movies were out when I was like 10 years old and many of you just googled to figure out who on earth I am referring to)

Peanut chose butterfly paint.  

...and then we were off on our way to Oklahoma.  I am so glad I found a few pictures of our time with K's family!  

K's sister K with the girls:

Buddy, K, Sweet P, K, K, C, K, Peanut and K

K with his sisters K and K (notice a trend?)

K's mom got in on the water gun fight.  She was in it to win!

We had the best time with family... and they are all invited out for the holidays so we can make more memories!  (yes, that's a hint)  Blessings, angela

my family.

While home my family scheduled pictures with one of my sweet friends from growing up: Amy of Amy Nickerson Design. I think you will agree she did a beautiful job of capturing our family on film...

 All the grandkids with Juju and Papa:

(Oh, and this may be our Christmas picture so pretend to be surprised in December...)

 My older sister and her family:

My older brother and his wife:

One more will be joining our family next year when my little brother gets married!  Yay!  

i'm back.

Hopefully I'm here to stay.  I have missed sitting down to discuss happenings and also share more of our adoption journey.  Life has just been a little busier than I like.  You know, packing up our entire belongings and moving from one coast almost to the other.  Not exactly my idea of fun when it's right about 100 degrees.  We survived, nonetheless, and had lots of fun along the way.  

Buddy was a huge help.  Kevin let him take over driving the truck occasionally so he could take a nap.  Who knew a little guy who dreams of driving an excavator would take to truck driving so quickly? 

We all made the 40-something hour drive from Virginia, including a two-week stop in Oklahoma to visit family.  Many of them hadn't met Sweet P yet!  She got to meet all but two of her older cousins on Kevin's side.  My sister's girls are below:

 Buddy with his favorite Uncle M:

I failed miserably to document our time with family in pictures.  Hopefully some of you can fill in the gaps, especially K's sisters.  My deepest apologies.  We had such a wonderful time home and I'm sad to have minimal pictures!

Along the drive, I had a lucky bag of new toys and books to give the kiddos.  Most were given by wonderful friends in Virginia, many who know how painful a drive that long can be with kids along for the ride.  It was a great blessing and I hope to pass on the favor when friends move.  

I still cannot figure out why all of a sudden one day in the car, Sweet P decides instead of asking for a snack, she'll eat the corners of a handful of books.  Delightful.  ...and it's all that more impressive since she's missing one front tooth and generally gnaws things with her chompers.  

Now we are all settling into life here in Nevada nicely.  Love it.  Despite the intense heat every single day since arrival, I don't know what it is about the desert landscape that has me.  Maybe it's the mountains.  I mean, the last time I was in Las Vegas I was plunked down on the Strip for a month while K was here for work.  I had no kids and had the luxury of tagging along for an entire month with no schedule and no obligations.  It was a blast!  My parents were in Vegas for a week convention - and might I add they were upgraded to a penthouse suite at the Mandalay Bay... but I digress.  


I had no idea there were mountains in Las Vegas!  It was a huge delight to drive into the city and see mountains surrounding the entire valley!  When you are down on the Strip, you are unaware of the incredible beauty that surrounds you.  Unfortunately, any great view is blocked by skyscrapers and billboards I'd rather my children not see.  

One of the best parts about our home here is the view out back.  We can sit out on our patio and have a gorgeous view of the sun setting over the mountains.  I can't wait for it to cool off so I can sit out there in the evenings and enjoy the Lord's handiwork.  It is meant to be relished.  


So, I will do my best now that the boxes are all unpacked to grab another cup of coffee and get back up to speed on things you'd overhear at our table.  Blessings, angela

thoughts on moving.

• It's a lot more difficult to move when you have three children.  Our last move was only with Peanut in tow and Buddy in belly.  No going back now.
• Hands-down, we have the kindest friends on the planet.  The offers to help with childcare and dinners have been much appreciated.
• Peanut is learning the art of guilting me.  We sold the swing set on Saturday and then on Sunday she looks at Buddy during lunch and asks all nonchalantly "Want to go out and swing after we eat?"
• Operation Clear out the Pantry = drinking instant coffee.  Bleh.
• Popping bubble wrap used to be so fun as a child.  I think I now know how my mom felt about it.  (Sorry for feeling the need to pop every single bubble, mom.)
• I get the joy (and distraction) of happening upon treasures as I pack.  The latest is precisely the reason I will not allow my girls to have bangs.  The impossibility of getting them straight.  Case in point, Sweet P's visa medical photo:

• I'm obviously stressed and irritable.  Ask my husband.  
• Pandora Charlie Hall radio seems to help ease the last bullet.
• My children do not need very many toys.  The last couple days we've heard tales about Ginger Bear being in the operation room for surgery, and Peanut spends her time bringing "get well soup" and "get well notes" to her.  It's been a long recovery.

• If you stop by in the coming days, you may leave with more than you bargained for.  A friend dropped by something yesterday and left loaded up with shredded cheese, butter tubs and pumpkin puree.  At least she appeared happy with the exchange.  
• Peanut's sweet friend got teary tonight when she heard we are moving.  This is going to be more difficult than I ever imagined.  
• The Lord provides encouragement at the right moments.  Thriving Family magazine just arrived with a huge section on moving.

• It also included a bunch of travel game ideas which should help me keep my sanity on the 40+ hour drive in the most intense heat of the summer.  Good times await, friends.  

• I wish I could be profound in my words about how much I will miss this place and all the blessings we have experienced during our 3.5 years here.  Life has changed immensely and I have lived it with some amazing people.  I leave here dragging my feet but with an expectant heart for all He has planned  in Nevada.  
• You may not know where to find me for the next couple weeks... I may hardly know myself... but I hope to continue to pen my thoughts right here at the table.  

Blessings, angela