Having spent the last two days completely immersed and surrounded by a community of people with a love for the fatherless I am feeling overwhelmingly:

Inspired to be a better mother

Motivated to give voice to the vulnerable child

Thankful that God has broken my heart for what breaks his

I've got myself a special little buddy...It's after nap time and there are about 10 kids running wild in our backyard, but this one, she likes to hang with her mama....

Oh and have some snacks...

And this mama is a sucker for this cute little face and pudgy little arms.

This next photo... I will be showing to her speech therapist...maybe, just maybe it's hard to figure out how to talk when your tongue is 3 sizes too big?

This past weekend was the first weekend that we didn't jam pack with projects in our new house. It felt like home as we ran around to multiple soccer games, swim lessons, meetings, quick trips to urgent-care, chores you know- relaxing weekend kinds of things. Now I know I haven't been posting recipes lately... but I did cook a bunch this weekend. And thought I'd share some with you, because I have a couple new favorites.

Crispy Fish Tacos - SOOO good, I will definitely make these again

those taco's go really well with,

These Margarita's - don't judge, these are the best Margarita's you'll ever make, you know if you like that kinda thing.

Grilled Lamb - My favorite way to cook is on the grill. This is one of my very favorite recipes.

Chicken w/40 cloves of garlic -I also made this, I think it is more of a hearty fall or winter meal though..

Happy Monday :)

I can't tell you how lucky I'm feeling this week. I get to go away for a few days with one of my most beloved inspirational girlfriends. We are going to MN for the Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit. We have started a grass-roots style non profit orphan ministry, bloom project , we have already done some really great things but we have some big plans to be greatly inspired to reach orphans worldwide. It's gonna be a great time, how many people get to spend a few days surrounding by people that share their same passion.

Our Kobi celebrated her birthday this week, we love this stinkin' kid. We painted the birthday rock in front of her school which is a fun and messy tradition. For her special day she opted for a trampoline in lieu of an all out b-day party...thank you Jesus. All the kids have been enjoying it and I love to hear them giggling and playing outside.
This little twerp just has my heart. She struggles with her speech and is quite delayed. We are working very hard on it. She does amaze us with her ability to communicate with out using (recognizable) words. See her sweet little angelic face... now watch it in the next few photos, can you tell what she is saying..

"HEY""

"WHAT ABOUT ME?"

The work at our new home has been rewarding, tiring, and unending. Good thing we have quite a crew of workers. Mina and Jack could do yard work all day, they crack us up.Oh, were you taking my picture? Let me pose for you..We also celebrated our anniversary last week. I'm a lucky girl and I had no idea how much I loved this man the day I married him.

I have a wall in my foyer that was screaming for photos. My first thought was to go with the ever predictable matching frames and matted b&w photos. I have the frames and it was the obvious way to go. Then I got a bit inspired and started pulling a few random things together to create my "funky wall". I had a bit of angst about it for a while...

I am sure this look isn't for everyone, but seeing that I don't have any sort of symmetrical/ linear style to me whatsoever.. my random collection seems to work here. The #7 for our family of 7...picked this up at my favorite store Anthr0pl0gie. and a few of my favorite family photos ,cool little frames, blackboards, mirrors, shelves...

One of my favorite verses Jeremiah 29:11

The flag that was at my fathers funeral. I miss him desperately and it is a noble memento.
Our family portrait by Jackson age 5 at the time.

And while I was unsure of the whole funky junk wall in our foyer.. I was in the kitchen and I spotted this going down, and I knew that we are so the funky junk wall family... one kid scaling the wall, one dressed like Pocahontas, and one like a power ranger. It fits us just fine.
I want to do a bunch of before and afters of our new place. So far I have a ton of before photos, but not so many afters.

Prayers for my biggest baby..

My baby is sick, he is thousands of miles away and has been quarantined and put into a separate dorm room and had to visit the Chinese hospital. He says he feels really weak and has a fever... he has been sick for about 5 days. How strange it is to have him so far away and not be able to do anything. I spoke to him last night and then I couldn't sleep because I forgot to tell him to make sure he drank a lot of fluids so he didn't get dehydrated. so silly. I spoke with him again tonight and he assured me that everyone is telling him the same thing. Exciting news is that he has been able to spend time at New Day foster home. Have you every checked out Carrie's blog ? Prepare to be inspired when you hop over there. I am ridiculously envious that he gets to spend time with the children and getting to know Carrie. He is really enjoying his time there. And he seems to have a special soft spot for this little guy. Isn't he just the cutest!

Spring break project- what a stinkin' mess

The twerps love a project as much as their mama. The messier the better. This one kept them entertained for quite a while this week. Painting and planting their own strawberry pot. I don't know how they are the most focused bunch of kiddos... they could all sit here for hours and do this kind of stuff...but again only if it makes a big mess..
I've learned to embrace it and reap the rewards of the stillness.
The smiles aren't half bad either.
A little soap and water goes a long ways.
Now comes the real dirty part.
A lesson in controlled snacking.. they have already discussed how they will not be sharing the strawberries in their individual pots. I have no doubt that each of these little plants will be well loved and doted on.
And because I couldn't resist wrecking the whole process with instant gratification...
I love a good kid project...feel free to share yours. our crew will thank you :) Hope you are having beautiful weather and enjoying spring!

I held my friends newborn baby the other day. People used to call me the "baby lady", I loved babies so much I would beg to hold anyones baby. I have even spent nights at friends homes to do night time feedings so I could hold a baby for hours. I have changed... I am not the baby lady anymore. I think having 5 kids will do that to you. Now I see a baby and I think of the sleepless nights, and the bottles and the work that comes with having a baby. I have clearly moved on from longing for more of my own babies. But as I said before, I held my friends newborn baby the other day and a new strange emotion kicked me in the gut. My youngest daughters, my babies, they were once that very tiny. 6 pounds of complete dependence. I know it is not a new revelation, of course they were babies. But seeing my friends 3 day old baby, it sort of takes the wind out of you to remember the helplessness of those first moments. I can't wrap my head around the circumstance of their first few fragile days. I wish I could go back and be there from the very first moment for my girls. To be able to spend the sleepless nights rocking them, the hours staring at their every shape and hearing every breath, they deserve that... and so much more.

I know I don't dwell on adoption. My daughters are every bit my daughters, but sometimes I take it for granted. I forget. I go about like their lives started the day I held them for the very first time...but then I hold my friends newborn baby and I feel the air squeeze out of my chest and I want to cry a river for my sweet girls. So helpless. So tiny. So brave. I wonder if they will feel the weight of it all one day when they hold their very own newborn baby, when they feel like they would give their life for the swaddled 6 pound helpless creature. It's not fair, it stinks, I'm sorry babies. I will love you the best I know how, but it is tough knowing I can never fix it.

I know I have been hiding from my blog... I just sat down for the first time in weeks and am feeling a bit guilty about it already. We are mostly moved in and we are loving our new house. I still have rooms that I am in denial about that are filled with boxes and all the things that have yet to find their home... but we won't talk about that right now. Right now we can focus on the sweetness of Easter morning and all that comes with it... Finn's first Easter home and First time having a Pe@p, and it is only 6:30 a.m... I think she could get used to this.

"Papa, I know it isn't even 7:00a.m. but could I please have one more piece of candy?"

Mama 2.0

The joy and excitement of being 6... love it
I know baby, I'm tired too... must be coming off of the Pe@ps sugar shock...

Here's Mina and her cheesy pose on the swinging bed we hung last week... It's so comfy! Calling all Mom's of boys. I need some advice. Anyone else out there have a super-competative little guy? It's making me bonkers... Here, he is devastated that his sister found the last easter egg. It is not good enough that he found the most and found them the fastest. He is seriously self motivated when it comes to school, sports, or any thing that he could take score... If you can't take score, he will create a way.. Then if he doesn't win, he crumbles. So annoying. What do I do? He is so calm and mild mannered until there is a competitive angle.