Bluebonnets 2017

We introduced Brooks to a Texas tradition earlier this month...bluebonnets! Thanks for the amazing photos, Kristin Michael Photography! 

(You'd never know this kid had a raging double ear infection as these were taken...)

October Recap/Photo Dump

Okay, better late than never...here is what we were up to in October!

These beautiful friends hosted the CUTEST baby shower for our family! So grateful for them!

We visited the Pumpkin Village at the Arboretum.

This girl...she gives me laugh lines and gray hairs. 

We received our first ever VIDEO of sweet Brooks at his orphanage thanks to a family visiting there that I found through social media. So fun!

This little bike maniac is unstoppable on that thing!

We visited Big Tex at the fair with our sweet niece and Dede.

Kate cheered on her favorite baseball player.

These two ROCKED their picture day in an unintentional patriotic look. ;) 

This girl continued to take FOREVER packing up all the stuff she needs to go ANYWHERE. #littlemama

I got to wear a SCARF...fallelujah! 

Blake and I spoke at a fundraiser for the Gift of Adoption Fund. We are so thankful not only to receive a grant award from them but also to have the opportunity to raise money for MORE Texas families!

We received the "Big Toy Book" in the mail from Toys 'R' Us and started our Christmas lists... 

We got our official Travel Approval notice from China and found a picture of NEWBORN Brooks...ummm, swoon!

We Trunk or Treated with our playgroup...

And visited Pumpkinville in McKinney! The cutest little FREE pumpkin patch!

There was a face (or arm...) painter...

Butterflies and "fire-breathing" dragons...

We brought home two pumpkins from the patch and carved jack-o-lanterns!

TA-DA!

And then we trick-or-treated on actual Halloween with our cousins and sweet friend! Third year in a row for this motley crew...

HULK! ARGH!

My sweet bigs...

And then this week we got to have a Mommy & Me craft morning for Kate...

And then Carter...

And then Thursday night, I went to go meet up with my friends Sara and Loren for dinner, and they surprised me with TONS of work friends and ANOTHER baby shower! Such an amazing blessing these women are to me!

And then yesterday, we got our final pre-travel update of this little guy...this is Brooks with his orphanage "mama." My heart is already breaking for him as he will no doubt heavily grieve the loss of this woman who has loved him as her own. She was also the one holding him for most of the video we received several weeks ago. It's obvious they have a close bond, and I will forever be grateful for the way she cared for him over the last 13 months. I pray that she is the one who brings him to us next week so that we can thank her in person for loving that sweet boy.

Also...check our his little Frankenstein stance!!!! Ahhhh! He STANDS! The update didn't specify whether or not he was walking yet, but it appears as if he is VERY CLOSE if he's not. This is seriously my FAVORITE baby stage...the waddle!!!

(And on a lighter note...if anyone has suggestions on what to do with that crazy mop of his, I'd accept...)

Whew! It's been quite a month! I promise to be more regular with posting in November because WE GO TO CHINA IN SIX DAYS! What in the ACTUAL WORLD, y'all?!! Eeeek! Happy weekend! 

My Happy Place

Ah, Lake Hamilton.

There are fewer places I feel more connected to my past, present, future, and God than when I am at our family's lake house in Hot Springs. There's something about taking your kids to a place where you grew up and seeing their faces light up the way yours did (and still does) that just takes you full-circle. 

The lake is the place I dream about when it's 32 degrees outside in February.

The lake is the place I want to go when I'm feeling anxious or scared or uncertain of the future.

The lake is the place I want to go when I just need an escape. 

We spent a beautiful four days there over the weekend with my parents, my brother, and his family. It was exactly what I needed.

Here's a quick recap:

Our first morning...hello, beautiful. 

Kate and "her baby, Annabelle" (my niece) were just the sweetest.

Early morning girl talk. 

There is an amazing tower on the top of a mountain where you can go up and look over the whole city. It is gorgeous!

I spent my weekend in a baseball cap and never put make-up on at all...it was bliss.

Looking out to the east.

We headed down from the tower and had a picnic lunch with these cute kiddos.

A beautiful afternoon.

The next day, we busted out some water balloons for a fight. 

The kids LOVED IT.

FIRE!

We took lots of boat rides with Doc.

And played putt-putt in 95 degrees. :/

Then we had a porch swing photo shoot to commemorate the 4th.

Love their JOY.

"Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful...for beauty is God's handwriting." 

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Our last boat ride on the final day. We were crying on the inside.

It took the WHOLE TRIP, but we finally got the kids to get in the lake! 

My loves.

All of the other kids rode in the tube, but Captain Safety here preferred to watch. He DID, however, agree to get in the tube for a picture. Baby steps, am I right?!

These two....

And one last porch pic before heading out...we cannot wait to go back again soon!

Until next time, Arkansas...