a few days in the life...

Well, it's Saturday night and I am about to head to bed, but first...I wanted to share with you the last few days.


Thursday, Aly and I went to get haircuts. I really didn't want to cut her hair, but it was starting to get rather ratty looking. You know...that length where it ALWAYS looks like it needs to be brushed and it always appears as though animals have taken up residence somewhere up in all those locks? I had finally been able to put her hair into two precious little pony tails on the sides of her head...that looked SO STINKIN CUTE!! But...it needed to be cut!

Okay...aren't those pony tails the cutest??? I personally LOVE the look Lili is giving the most!!


So much better!! It is amazing what just a 1/4 of an inch will do!!


Okay...I know I biased, but isn't she just beautiful?????

Friday morning we got up very early (my girls are late sleepers) and headed out to Cracker Barrel (or Barrel Crackle as Lili calls it) to meet some dear friends from Tennessee. Let me back up...when we lived in Tennessee, we were a part of a wonderful group of families all of whom were either in the process of or had already adopted amazing and beautiful children from China. Aly had some good friends there and calls them all her "China cousins". Anyway, there were two families from there who were on their way through on vacation and we met them for breakfast. It has been about a year and a half since we all saw each other and Aly was so very excited to see her cousins!! The girls had such fun and we got to catch up with our friends as well.

Eliza, Aly, Lili, Ruby, Jaida...I can't believe that we got them all to smile AND look at the camera at the same time...it's a miracle!!

The two youngest members of the group...Ruby and Lili. They are about three months apart in age...almost three.

I had to post this one of Lili in the GATOR rocker!! GO GATORS!!!!!!

Aly is so totally dreaming of the day she has long hair like Jaida!! One day babe...one day!!

Sheila and Richard (Jaida and Ruby's Mommy and Daddy)

Donna and Joel with their precious Eliza



Yours truly and my crew...that would be Lili, David, Aly and moi
God is so good to bring us sweet moments and occasions in our lives like that. We left there with smiles on our faces talking about how good it was to see everyone and catch up. It was a great way to start out the weekend!!

Today I took the girls to the church I grew up in for their VBS kickoff party. VBS starts Monday at this church and Aly will be attending. Sorry Lili...you are too little this year!! Lili did enjoy going to the party today however!! They got to play some games, sweat a little, get their face painted, sweat some more, drink gallons of lemonade to counteract all the fluid loss from sweating so profusely, sweat some more, register for VBS, pray that they won't be outside too long next week at any given time for fear of heat stroke, sweat some more, drink some more lemonade, play a few more games, and head home!! I'm here to tell you that poor Aly sweats more than me...I was really getting worried with how much water was pouring off her sweet little head!! She looked like someone had poured a bucket of water over her...it was NUTS!! That poor kid just cannot take the heat AT ALL!! Lili was sweating too, but it was normal...like the rest of the people there. Not Aly...she was sweating like she was trying to break the Guinness World Book record for most sweat by a 4 year old!!! She absolutely did not want to leave, but since what she was saying with her mouth was most definetly NOT jiving with what her body was saying...we left. Sorry...no pictures :-(
We had to run by Target to get diapers and of course the girls found dresses that they simply could NOT live without...so of course we got them...DUH!! They are beautiful...see?


Okay...am I stylin or what??



TA DA!!!!! Look at my new dress!!!!


Um Mom? I know you are busy showing everyone these stupid pictures but I have my new glasses on and I'm ready to go swimming !
Okay...I stole them! There...I said it! I stole the glasses from Lili...but they look better on me anyway!!! Can we please go swimming now?????

We brought home lunch and then Dad, the girls and I hit the pool!!! WHOOO HOOOO!!! Cool refreshing chlorine...gotta love it!!!
Aly is becoming quite the little swimmer. David has been working so hard with her both swimming on top of the water and underwater as well. She is struggling on top, but is like a crazy 4 year old torpedo under the water!!! It is hilarious!!



Lili has gone from terrified of the water a month ago, to swimming with her face in the water with her floaty suit on. It is a great suit by Speedo that has these zippered pockets on the front and back. In those pockets are these inflatable thingys that you can adjust how much air is in them. So you start with them fully inflated and then as your child gets more confident, you let a little bit of air out. They don't realize it and they get more confident and before you know it, they are swimming all by themselves. She is doing really well so far!!



About 3pm it just started raining out of nowhere. I had just gotten out of the pool for a bit and was under the gazebo. There was no thunder or lightening or anything. As a matter of fact the sun was out for most of it. A couple of times it was really coming down pretty hard...the girls loved it! Right before the bottom fell out, my dad wandered out to check on the little swimmers, and he got caught out there in the gazebo with me for the duration. He really did enjoy himself ...he always enjoys himself when it comes to his grandbabies!! The sun rises and sets with them in his eyes!!!

Swimming in the rain is awesome!!!!

Well, showers, lotion, dinner and a little play time are done, the girls are in bed, I have one load of wash that needs to be done before I go to bed and then I am off to bed!!!

"May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord show you his kindness and
have mercy on
you. May the Lord watch over you and give you peace."
Numbers 6:24-26

In His Mighty Grip