july fun

What a fun July we've had so far!!

The kids and I have spent the majority of the month in Georgia while my sweet hubby is deep in the throws of ministry taking folks to camp and on mission trips.

Before he went north and we went south, we did enjoy a very relaxed 4th together. Because all the festivities in our hometown kept getting cancelled due to rain, our Independence Day was quite uneventful! We were prepared though...

The girls and I made these shirts just like we made the ones from this post. They were super easy and quick! (And what exactly is one supposed to do for little boys when it comes to this kind of stuff? I'm still learning about boys!)

My hubby did do something the morning of the 4th and I can sense a tradition developing! He woke up that morning and wanted to make breakfast - homemade donuts specifically!



The next day, Lee left for camp and so began our time apart. The kiddos and I packed up and were Georgia bound! I was a little nervous about the trip because it was the first time I was attempting the 10 hour drive with just me and all 3 babies! And you may remember the pictures I've shared of Sam in the car...riding is not his finest hour! Survive we did, but I was so thankful to see Parker Avenue and my parents front porch!

Because this was Sam's first time in the peach state, he met many family members that had been anxiously awaiting his arrival...





We all spent a lot of time by the pool...what else would one do when it's over 100 degrees outside?!?





We managed a trip to downtown Savannah for the afternoon and enjoyed some of the sites and stores there...







My brother, his wife and their boys were also visiting Grandpa and Mimi, so we not only enjoyed time with them, but were also able to celebrate my nephew's birthday together. We took the kids bowling and out for pizza...


As always, we enjoyed our time in Georgia and I was once again reminded of how much I love (and miss!) the sweet southern culture! I smiled when I heard words like "y'all" and "m'am" and "sir" and "pecan" (PEE-can!!!) roll off people's tongue with ease! It's a place where sweet tea, boiled peanuts and watermelon make the perfect afternoon snack and all things fried flow freely! It's common practice to lift a finger or two off your steering wheel to wave at all those you pass on the road - no matter if you know them or not!

There's definitely a distinct charm that I've grown to appreciate after being gone for a while. Isn't that life though...we don't usually recognize goodness until we're away from it!

sam's weekend

Let's just say the day didn't quite go as planned...

I've been tossing around ideas for Sam's 1st birthday party for months - really since we brought him home. Birthdays for our kiddos around here are a big deal and this one was no different! We wanted a day full of fun and excitement for everyone involved.

The plan was to have an outdoor brunch complete with tents, a bounce house and a cotton candy machine. We were going to have a chalk station, play-doh station and a bubble station. Games for the adults were on tap also! We planned on turning our backyard into a sea of balloons and streamers all to celebrate the special life God has given us!

But...a slow and steady rain greeted us the morning of the party. The clouds that loomed over promised a morning of dreary drizzle, so we decided to postpone the party for later that afternoon. As time passed, it became obvious that even if the rain did pass, the small pond that claimed a corner of our backyard would be problem! So after some deliberation, the "outdoor brunch party" became an "indoor afternoon party." We did our best to transform the gym in our church into party central!

Although things didn't exactly end up as I had imagined, we still had a great time! Sam was celebrated, all the kids had fun and we were surrounded by family and friends!

Here is a glimpse into the day...

bounce house & cotton candy


a boy and his cake!



To really get a "feel" for the party, click here for a quick video! The password is "holycow3." It's fun to see all the action!

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Gift giving is commonplace among the people of South Korea. They love to give gifts for any and every occasion and we experienced this first-hand while we were there. One of the gifts given to us for Sam was a "hanbok" which is the traditional Korean dress. These are typically worn as formal wear for festivals and celebrations. Traditionally, Korean children wear a hanbok for the celebration festivities surrounding their first birthday.

Although Sam's hanbok is way too big for him, we did try it on him so we could take a few pictures.

(don't be alarmed...pink is a common hanbok color for little boys!)

Isn't he just adorable?!?

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We decided to continue the trend of celebrating Sam and we had his "Baby Dedication" on the Sunday after his birthday party. It was such a treat to have family there with us! Here are a few pictures from the morning...

(can you tell it's nap time for sam?!?)

The weekend can be summed up with one word...THANKFUL!

THANKFUL...for our amazing friends and family that selfishly love our children and will rearrange their day (at the last minute!) to accommodate a birthday party!

THANKFUL...that our son is home! This time last year, we were deep in the "waiting" part of the adoption process.

THANKFUL...for the life and gift God has given us through our children!