2. Sharing highs and lows over dinner every single night.
3. Our special bedtime routine.
4. Hearing her giggle and play with Lucy, and watching them fall in love with one another one day at a time.
5. Timeins...even while disciplining her, we grow closer to each other and she's learned what boundaries are and how a little lady should behave.
6. Traveling together on road trips - New Braunfels, Colorado, and others.
7. Sending animal noises to the back seat to remind her that we still love her, even when we just all want it to be quiet and hearing her "moooo" back in return.
8. Riding bikes, hiking and outside things. As much as I hate outside, I love it when she's there with us.
9. Our country girl.
10. Ordering extra gravy.
11. Trying new foods and new restaurants together.
12. Playing Barbies and baby dolls.
13. Singing together during our morning carpool time waiting in the car each morning. Adele is the new favorite right now.
14. Watching what she puts together when I tell her to put something fancy on and none of it matches, but I don't care because I know she loves it.
15. All the pink, glittery, girly things all over the house.
16. I'm sure we'll step on her stickers and jewels for a while and we'll miss her like crazy every time we find a piece of glitter in the carpet.
17. Her showing us the "I love you" sign in sign language...she doesn't want to say it out loud, but she's started showing us the sign over the past few weeks.
18. Her hilarious quotes - especially this one!
19. Watching LL and Bry play together and be goofy - he taught her how to play instruments, how to geocache, how to make strawberry jam and homemade pizza, how to play LaCrosse, how to make homemade bread and his famous chocolate chip cookies, how to check for counterfeit money, how to know if food is real (if it molds...Chick-fil-a vs. McD's), martial arts drills, and so many other things.
20. Coming home to find a Barbie massacre in the bathroom.
21. Watching her mad hula hoop skills with her eyes closed and arms folded.
22. Watching her cartwheel all over the house and everywhere we went.
23. Doing crafts together.
24. Bug hunting in the backyard in a tutu and cowgirl boots.
25. Swimming (her favorite thing!)
26. Going to a few movies together.
27. Watching her play with my family and Bry's family - she really does fit in perfectly.
28. Watching her transform from the Tasmanian devil to a classy little girl.
29. Answering her questions about God and Jesus.
30. Bahama Bucks trips on special days after school.
31. Breakfast for dinner nights.
32. Watching her play with her friends and become a regular 7 year old.
33. My photog assistant on photo shoots and my editing helper.
34. Hiding secret notes in her backpack to remind her how much we love her.
35. Giving up TV and candy and a few other minor sacrifices to focus on this girl instead.
36. Teaching her about Jesus and hearing her ask questions like, "But it can't be that easy, I must have to do something," and we remind her that she is enough and Jesus is sufficient.
37. Hearing her tell us, "Do you even know how much God loves you? He even knows how many hairs are on your head!!!"
38. Watching Bry wash and tickle her feet and hearing her giggle and fall in love with him.
39. Teaching her ballet positions.
40. Playing with the PhotoBooth app.
41. Her hugs that are so tight that I wonder if i'm going to suffocate.
42. Watching Bry carry her to bed, her head resting on his shoulder.
43. Hammocking together in the woods.
44. Exploring downtown and new places.
45. Watching her sing and play instruments in her school play.
46. Teaching her how to become a better reader and writer.
47. Play dates with her friends and hearing them giggle in her bedroom.
48. Our neighborhood biker gang.
49. Letting her "teach" us how to make crawfish and then watching Bry politely try to eat them without throwing up.
50. Watching her get super excited about the littlest things!
51. Taking her to cheap or free events around town.
52. Reading through her bible three times since April 3rd.
54. Throwing her a half birthday party at the pool.
55. Watching her get close to our family and friends.
56. Watching her dress up and play make believe with her dress-up tub - either alone or with friends.
57. Grocery shopping, teaching her about healthy foods and about how much "fuel" our bodies need.
58. Donating clothes and things to Goodwill and teaching her about what it means to serve other people in need.
59. Late nights at the park.
60. Camping in the living room.
62. Watching her text her BFF and listening to them talk on the phone.
63. Accidentally baptizing her in the swimming pool.
64. Girls' nights and getting pampered or doing girly things on nights Bry has to work late.
65. Simple, easy, laid-back nights at home when it's just the three of us.
66. Watching Bry and LL play Barbies and GI Joes.
67. Pretty much this entire post.
68. Listening to her request that we play the "Foster Care Song" ("Temporary Home" by Carrie Underwood.)
69. Reading the little notes and reminders she writes to us.
70. Earning chore money.
71. Watching her play exercise games on the Xbox.
72. The time she kissed me on the cheek.
73. Graduating from 1st grade and increasing her reading level by 4 levels over the summer (she had no chance...with a principal and an assistant principal as interim parents)!!!
74. Watching her try to "help" check the mail.
75. Her drawings.
76. Watching her become a risk-taker and try new things, like roller skating and meeting new friends.
LL's quotes:
- (Praying over our girls' night dinner) "God is great, God is good, thanks for Chick-fil-A and food!"
Enjoying our last girls' night at Chick-Fil-A.
Even though she's leaving in a few days, we still have homework to do.
19. Watching LL and Bry play together and be goofy - he taught her how to play instruments, how to geocache, how to make strawberry jam and homemade pizza, how to play LaCrosse, how to make homemade bread and his famous chocolate chip cookies, how to check for counterfeit money, how to know if food is real (if it molds...Chick-fil-a vs. McD's), martial arts drills, and so many other things.
20. Coming home to find a Barbie massacre in the bathroom.
21. Watching her mad hula hoop skills with her eyes closed and arms folded.
22. Watching her cartwheel all over the house and everywhere we went.
23. Doing crafts together.
24. Bug hunting in the backyard in a tutu and cowgirl boots.
25. Swimming (her favorite thing!)
26. Going to a few movies together.
27. Watching her play with my family and Bry's family - she really does fit in perfectly.
28. Watching her transform from the Tasmanian devil to a classy little girl.
29. Answering her questions about God and Jesus.
30. Bahama Bucks trips on special days after school.
31. Breakfast for dinner nights.
32. Watching her play with her friends and become a regular 7 year old.
33. My photog assistant on photo shoots and my editing helper.
34. Hiding secret notes in her backpack to remind her how much we love her.
35. Giving up TV and candy and a few other minor sacrifices to focus on this girl instead.
36. Teaching her about Jesus and hearing her ask questions like, "But it can't be that easy, I must have to do something," and we remind her that she is enough and Jesus is sufficient.
37. Hearing her tell us, "Do you even know how much God loves you? He even knows how many hairs are on your head!!!"
38. Watching Bry wash and tickle her feet and hearing her giggle and fall in love with him.
39. Teaching her ballet positions.
40. Playing with the PhotoBooth app.
41. Her hugs that are so tight that I wonder if i'm going to suffocate.
42. Watching Bry carry her to bed, her head resting on his shoulder.
43. Hammocking together in the woods.
44. Exploring downtown and new places.
45. Watching her sing and play instruments in her school play.
46. Teaching her how to become a better reader and writer.
47. Play dates with her friends and hearing them giggle in her bedroom.
48. Our neighborhood biker gang.
49. Letting her "teach" us how to make crawfish and then watching Bry politely try to eat them without throwing up.
50. Watching her get super excited about the littlest things!
51. Taking her to cheap or free events around town.
52. Reading through her bible three times since April 3rd.
53. Dinners at Testa...our favorite place!
54. Throwing her a half birthday party at the pool.
55. Watching her get close to our family and friends.
56. Watching her dress up and play make believe with her dress-up tub - either alone or with friends.
57. Grocery shopping, teaching her about healthy foods and about how much "fuel" our bodies need.
58. Donating clothes and things to Goodwill and teaching her about what it means to serve other people in need.
59. Late nights at the park.
60. Camping in the living room.
61. 5+ wardrobe changes in one day...clothes for school, change into outside clothes, change into princess clothes, change into FBI clothes, change into nighttime clothes...
62. Watching her text her BFF and listening to them talk on the phone.
63. Accidentally baptizing her in the swimming pool.
64. Girls' nights and getting pampered or doing girly things on nights Bry has to work late.
65. Simple, easy, laid-back nights at home when it's just the three of us.
66. Watching Bry and LL play Barbies and GI Joes.
67. Pretty much this entire post.
68. Listening to her request that we play the "Foster Care Song" ("Temporary Home" by Carrie Underwood.)
69. Reading the little notes and reminders she writes to us.
70. Earning chore money.
71. Watching her play exercise games on the Xbox.
72. The time she kissed me on the cheek.
73. Graduating from 1st grade and increasing her reading level by 4 levels over the summer (she had no chance...with a principal and an assistant principal as interim parents)!!!
74. Watching her try to "help" check the mail.
75. Her drawings.
76. Watching her become a risk-taker and try new things, like roller skating and meeting new friends.
77. Making memories and moments like THIS.
LL's quotes:
- (Praying over our girls' night dinner) "God is great, God is good, thanks for Chick-fil-A and food!"
Morning carpool selfies.
Dancing along to Austin and Ally.
*****************************************************************************************************************************************
About Us:
We began our foster journey in mid-August 2013. We finished our classes in October, had our home study in early January, and we were licensed on February 7, 2014. After seven calls from CPS, we received our first placement, a 7-year-old girl (our Little Lady, or LL for short) on April 3, 2014. Thank you so much for taking the time to read about our journey through the craziness that is foster care. Most importantly, thanks for your prayers, love, and support. We hope to encourage fellow foster/adoptive parents as we document our ups and downs each day.
About Us:
We began our foster journey in mid-August 2013. We finished our classes in October, had our home study in early January, and we were licensed on February 7, 2014. After seven calls from CPS, we received our first placement, a 7-year-old girl (our Little Lady, or LL for short) on April 3, 2014. Thank you so much for taking the time to read about our journey through the craziness that is foster care. Most importantly, thanks for your prayers, love, and support. We hope to encourage fellow foster/adoptive parents as we document our ups and downs each day.
Key Posts:
Oasis (post from Brian)
Why I don't usually write (post from Brian)
LL...if you just stumbled upon this blog and you're freaking out because you see pictures of yourself, please START HERE.
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