a few of my favorite things

Ever since Gabi came home to us, I've been wearing my hair curly much more often.  I really love curly hair on other people, but my own curly hair was such a pain to me.  It never looked good in my opinion, and I think I just didn't have the right products that would make my crazy, frizzy, eneven curls look good!  So I just straightened it, or wore it curly and then put it up and out of the way... but now I've found DevaCurl....  yep, I sound like an infomercial.  But really, it's great and just what I needed I think to get me to happily wear my hair curly. 

This is the DevaCurl diffuser attachment, that I think I'm gonna put on my Christmas list...  Letting my hair hang wet is fine, but sometimes I need it dry in a hurry when we're going somewhere.  Especially with winter upon us...

This is the trial pack I picked up the other day... so glad I can try it without spending both arms and both legs on it. 

Another one of my favorite things is this girl here!
Morgan can eat circles around her brothers... she is always done first with dinner, and always has seconds.  In this picture, we had company over and she was on her third round before the boys were done with their first!!!  I love her so much... and she can eat just like her mama.  Her poses say it all. 

If you have a baby and a toddler, you've probably come across this scene in your home.  I often find Annika's precious "Dog" buckled in Gabi's carseat... and sometimes her baby doll too.  It always makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

Jeremy has been canning like crazy these past two weekends...  2 weekends ago, he canned crab apple juice concentrate.  It's so yummy!!  Just add water or 7-Up to make punch.  Then last weekend, and this weekend he has been working to cook/grill 60 pounds of chicken and can it.  So now, dinners will be a breeze.  Cooking/chopping chicken is my least favorite thing to do... my time is so limited come dinnertime, that thawing, cooking, chopping chicken BEFORE actually making the meal is a killer.  Jeremy got a great deal on all this chicken from work, and I'm SO thankful for all of the hours he put into doing this for me. 

I hate to mop.  I despise hauling the mop up from downstairs, making sure I have a clean/empty sink, and wet mopping our kitchen floor.  That's why is doesn't happen very often.  Usually I'll grab a rag or paper towl and spot mop... until now!  My buddy Carly gave me a swiffer mop, because she bought one and didn't realize she already had one.  Score!  I'd actually been wanting one, but didn't want to spend the money on it.  So all I had to do was buy the above pictured mop cloths and we're good to go!  I love to mop with it, and so do the kids. 

Okay, my last new favorite thing is the Basil Countertop Spray from Mrs. Meyers.  I LOVE it.  It smells so my yummy.  Jeremy loves it too.  I did a poll on facebook a few months back, and asked folks what their must-have cleaning products were.  My friend Vanessa mentioned this, and I knew I had to try it. 

Eventually I'd like to get the rest of the Basil line, but for now I'm satisfied with my basil-y countertops and bathroom. 

Maybe you've noticed the new links at the top of this blog...  and maybe you've clicked on them and all they said was "COMING SOON..."  Well, I'm working on them and just got Gabrielle's adoption story written up, check it out!!!  I'm sure I'll think of more things to write later, but that's all that was in my brain tonight! 

Click on Adoption Journey to Gabrielle here or above!

my living dolly

Oh Gabrielle,

you bring us such joy..

we love that you are our little peanut

and that you love us too!

She loves to cuddle and is quite attached to her mama...

we are SOOOO thankful for that.  

She is getting to be such a big girl learning to sit by herself.



We just don't think this girl of ours could be any more beautiful...

she has such a sweet personality and is so peaceful and easy to take care of.  

She'll be 6 months old in a couple weeks... crazy! 

She is gonna be the smallest one year old I think I've ever seen...  She might even tip the scales

at 12 or 13 pounds when we take her in for her well baby check.  We'll see! 

what Marty has been up to

I think this year has been our best potato year...  look at these beauties! 

I'm so proud of my husband who I teasingly nickname "Marty Stewart"... he's amazing.  This week he also juiced and canned crab apple juice concentrate, and he cooked, chopped, and canned like a million pounds of chicken for our family.  Hooray for me, no more cooking chicken.  Just open the can and pop it into whatever dish I'm making.  And we're saving a bunch of money too... This makes like so much easier for this mama.

After I took this photo, he and the kids harvested all the rest of the carrots, they were big and amazing this year too.  I appreciate the garden so much more now, than when he started it 6 or so years ago.  He gets better every year.

her hospitalization..

When Gabrielle was 5 weeks old, she was hospitalized for 2 weeks with pneumonia. 

She recovered beautifully, and came home to us two weeks after her release from the hospital.  We hadn't even met her at this point, but we had heard about her just prior to this and knew she was hospitalized.  But even then we had no idea she would be our daughter.  These pictures of her earlier days are so wonderful to see.  But isn't it so sad to see a baby hooked up to all those tubes? 

 This hospitalization was the catalyst toward us being considered as her adoptive family, so though it's sad she was so sick, we are so thankful for God's hand in her life and for him allowing certain things to happen that would lead her to us and fulfull His plan for her life. 

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God,

to those who are the called according to His purpose. 

Romans 8:28

our newborn girl

We received a precious gift today.

We had yet to see pictures of Gabrielle when she was born, and I have been yearning to see some since she came home to us.  Well, today we got our chance!  The top picture is my favorite, because her little face just hasn't changed...  it's a strange thing to not be there for the birth of your child, but it's also strange to me to not see any pictures of the beautiful event.  Sometimes with adoption, it just isn't possible to get photos like these, and we are truly thankful for them.  I know there will be many more to come, but we are so happy to receive these pictures.  They are a treasure to us, and I know they will be to Gabi too. 

The little rainbow hearts onesie she is wearing is something I have for her that came with all of her clothes that were passed on to us, but I didn't know it was her first outfit!  I loved it before, now I love it even more. 

 

the 3 day homestead

Last weekend, we had a 3 full day power outtage.  We had a crazy windstorm that knocked trees down everywhere, including the powerlines.  The problem for our particular outtage wasn't found for a couple days, so that made it a long weekend.  But every evening when the sun began to sink behind the trees, we light up our living room full of candles and lanterns.  It was fabulous.

Other than the toilet thing, and the water thing, and the electricity thing... it was a great weekend.  Even though we have the modern conveniences of today, I could still imagine myself in the frontier days with nothing but a little candle light to brighten the hours after the kids go the bed.  And then I'm snapped back to reality and am SO thankful I live now, in these times.  But I would fit right in with the simpler times though without the media of today.  Ugh.  That I could live without. 

One thing we're so thankful for is the gas stove Jeremy installed downstairs a few years ago... it gives great heat without electricity.  So if it happens in the colder months, we can all snuggle down by the fire to stay warm. 

We talked more, played more games, and got more projects completed... we may even employ a monthly outtage just for fun. 

We were able to save all of our food, by borrowing a generator the second night to run our chest freezer and fridge.  That was a blessing, that was the only thing that was beginning to stress me out. 

The second night we had a family "talent" show in our candle lit living room...  the kids were slap happy and Annika kept stealing the show. 

 The flash on the camera gave us a glimpse of what was really going on in the dark...

Gavin looks like he's praying for his crazy family, Drew is about to pee his pants, Morgan has gone completely insane, and Annie is dancing of course. 

We made some great memories, and it helped us remember all of the important things we need to have available if it happens again in wintertime. 

party like a SIX year old!

For Morgan's birthday celebration this year, she wanted to do one thing:  got out for gelato like her friend Megan did for her party last month, and head to the park!  Well, that makes two things actually, but that is just what we did!  She was allowed to invite one friend along with her grandparents and family.  It was a super fun, low-key, no-prep party!  Love those... 

Here she is with her new American Girl doll, that the family pitched in to buy her.  It was a hit, to say the least!  It was a beautiful, sunny fall night capped off with a sunset over the lake. 

Happy Birthday, sweet Morgan!

One Less

I just read that singer/songwriter Matthew West is releasing or has released an album made up of songs based on real people's stories... he received letters with the stories and decided to write a song about adoption on this album. 

yes, Yes, YES!!


One Less by Matthew West (The Story Behind The Song) from emicmg on Vimeo.

back in business

It's been a good and frustrating week without internet access on my laptop.  Good because I needed to be doing other things... and it's always good for me to take a break from being on the computer.  And frustrating in that our power was out for 3 days last weekend and even before and after our power went out (crazy windstorm...) our internet wasn't working on my laptop.  But my super hero husband fixed the problem tonight and we're back in business.  I really miss blogging most of all when my computer is down. 

I don't even have anything interesting to blog about since I haven't downloaded pictures lately... but soon, I'll have something to say..  but for now, here are some random things floating around my head this last week! 

•   I am excited to have the honor to speak at MOPS next week, I'm working on my talk and asking God to pour out His words so that these women can be touched by Him through me.  I have "retired" myself from MOPS after 7 years of being lifted up as a Mom.. and have joined an amazing Bible Study to make up for it.  And am so happy to have the opportunity to give back to my MOPS group in this way. 

• Gabrielle is 5 months old now!!  Her giggle is so adorable, and is so contagious.  But you have to catch her in the right "slap happy" mood to get one out of her. 

• I am SO excited to know so many people who are taking/or have taken the steps toward adoption.  God's blessings just rain down, we have seen that first hand. Praise God!

• My back and neck are seriously acting up again.  I've had neck/back issues for years, but ever since Annie was born nearly 3 years ago things have been bad off and on.  Last winter, I actually had many dispairing moments over it, knowing/hoping that a new baby would be on the horizon and I wondered how in the world I was going to even hold him/her.  God has been so faithful to me in this.. it was really good since Gabi arrived with chiropractic visits every 4 weeks (instead of every week or two) and now it's just so painful again.  I could really use prayer for a complete healing of this problem.  It gets me down, makes me so tired, and is a real literal pain in the neck to sit and type. 

• My Morgan has turned 6... how in the world did my first baby girl get to be a kindergartener?  Sigh.  Love, love, love this precious girl of mine.  How did we ever seem worthy to raise these kids?  :)

• I'm absolutely loving the new Bible study I'm in... we're doing Annointed, Redeemed, Transformed: The Story of David.  WOW.  It's so good.  I'm so happy this is the direction God led me.  It's a video/workbook study.  With sessions led by Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore, and Kay Arthur.  Uh-mazing. 

• Having the power out for 3 days was actually a good thing.  We enjoyed our homestead moments when the house was lit up with candles, and we read, played games and worked on projects.  Who needs electricity?  Well, sometimes I do.  But I might be a homestead girl at heart.  Give me Laura Ingalls Wilder and Anne Shirley and I know we'd find plently of fun things to occupy our time together in their world. 

• I am constantly wondering if we should be bringing more children into our family.  Crazy?  Maybe.  But is this life all about me and my time?  Nope.  I'm trying, by the grace of God, to make it not about me.  And more about what He wants to do through me/us. 

• There are lots of things that God is working on in me.  I'm coming to realize more and more, thanks to Jeremy...(he has been very patient and very gentle) that I really am stubborn (gasp) and have issues with pride (double gasp) and I have so much pride that it's hard to stomach and actually change these things because I haven't realized it was a problem.  My poor husband has been working and changing things in his own life so much these past couple years, and I have sat stagnant and unchanged.  Blech.  It's hard to type this, but maybe you'll understand.  Maybe you can relate.  I hope you can and I hope you can't. 

• I love fall.  Even though snow is imminent, I love the cozy feeling it brings.  Warm drinks, baked goodies, sweaters, knitting/crocheting, and even the snow.  Being inside and watching the snow come down is one of my favorite things.  It's so peaceful and beautiful.  Especially when the flakes are ginormous.  Living here in the winter can be dark, and for some downright depressing.  I get that.  But winter always ends, and spring appears eventually bring a brand new start to the frozen earth.  I love that.  Plus winter is broken up by Thanksgiving and Christmas which I LOVE.  But I'll have to admit, my least favorite thing about winter is icy roads.  They give me the willies.  Someday I'll have to find/scan/post pictures from the horrific car accident I was in as a 16 year old.  Then you'll understand my hate-hate relationship with icy roads.  I didn't touch a steering wheel for a year afterwards.  But they aren't here yet, and for that I'm thankful.  So here's the a beautiful fall season that I hope will last a tad bit longer. 



• tonight when the kids were called in from outside to get ready for bed... they had red noses and freezing fingers.  And do you know what they requested that warmed my heart?  Homemade hot cocoa and a story from our Dr. Suess treasury.  And that's just what we did. 

Night, night all... I'm in great need of some shut eye and a rest for my neck and back. 



6 year old birthday girl!

Happy Birthday today to our lovely daughter Morgan Felicity!  She is such a joy and fills our house with laughter and spunk... you are loved dearly!

We welcomed her on

September 22, 2004

2:04 am  7 lbs. 15 oz.

Creative, expressive, beautiful girl. 

2.5 year old Morgan.. the same age as her sister Annika!  There are lots of parallels for sure!

Nurturing big sister..

basket baby

The other day I was getting a load of cloth diaper liners out of the dryer (I had already pulled the covers out, they don't need to dry as long) and had brought Gabrielle with me downstairs to the laundry room...  After I filled the laundry basket, I realized that I'd have to carry both the baby and the basket upstairs again somehow!  So... in she went!  It was cozy and clean (too bad it wasn't still warm) and she loved her new little hang out.  She was so adorable , I just had to snap some pictures.  



the giveaway

I just remembered that it's giveaway night, and I haven't picked a winner!

Hmmm... going into this, I knew I wanted the word "bit" or "bits" in our new blog name somewhere, since
that's what we call our kids.  Our Bacon Bits. 

Thank you so very much for helping me out, and contributing name ideas.  It helps alot, but I still have some deciding to do. 

But my favorite so far is... and the winner:

Jessica D. with her suggestion of "Growing..... One Bit at a Time" !!!!

You're the lovely winner of a wonderful book.  I know you'll love it as you parent your house full
of little men.   (I will deliver it soon, my friend.)

A new blog address is coming soon once I make sure I won't lose all my work these past 4 years by exporting it out!  yipes! 

Here's a random picture from this weekend, I love snuggling on the couch!

Just a hint, don't have people take pictures of you lying down.  I'm not a fan of my double chin, but I LOVE my girl's faces in this.  And look at Gabrielle's hair, it just keeps growin' and curlin', growin' and curlin'. 

love love love love love. 

so beautiful, so thankful

They made a

beautiful,

 selfless,

 and loving

 choice for you,

 dear daughter. 

And we are eternally grateful.