Officially a Momma!

So...its been a hot minute since this hot mess momma has visited the blog world! To say a lot has changed would be an understatement!
If you've been around my blog at all you know I've been a foster momma since March of 2014. Well, as of February and March of 2016 I am officially an adoptive Momma!
My babies that came to me as a newborn and a nine year old are now my three and almost thirteen year olds and I cannot imagine loving them anymore had I given birth to them myself.
So, without further ado, let me introduce you to my two official lovies!!!

My first baby is actually my youngest, three year old Simon Ezekiel! He was the best baby! Slept through the night from day one, loved to cuddle and outside of a week long stay in Children's Hospital he was so perfectly healthy I was in shock (given the situation he came from). Simie, as the daycare kiddos renamed Bub, is now a rambunctious toddler who likes to climb furniture, ride the dog like he's a horse, make monstrous disasters and show his favorite people just how much he loves them by giving "good sugars"...a lot. He is my little rotten boy that could not be more perfect!

My second "baby" came to me a month before her 10th birthday as an overly medicated, exhausted, nervous, beautiful little blonde haired, blue eyed girl. Once we tackled the medication issue she quickly became a sassy, loving, inspirational little girl. Now, almost three years later Lillian Elizabeth, aka LillyBeth, is the absolute best big sister, officially a Homecoming Queen for the peewee football team, an amazing little softball player, and has a huge circle of friends that are an absolute blast. She really has grown in to such an amazing (almost) teenager and I am so blessed to have this sweet girl as mine!

Exciting News for 2016!!!

2016 is bringing huge changes for my little family and I could not be more excited!

Most of my friends and family have heard all about my adoption process with my baby boy, it has been long and drawn out, but we're finally getting close to the end!

What I haven't shared as much about is my adoption process with one of my other kiddos, Miss Priss! 

So, while we are still waiting on our adoption date for Bubby, (we do have a review date finally!!!) as of today we have our official adoption date for Miss Priss!!! 

February 22nd!!!

Yes, it is happening! I am adopting not one, but TWO kiddos in 2016!!!

Miss Priss is counting down the days until she can change her name and she is so excited for me to be able to post pictures of her all over Facebook! ha!

2015 was an amazingly blessed year for our family, but 2016 is looking even better! So thankful for all that God has blessed me with! 

I'll leave you guys with this picture Miss Priss showed me after court today. She brought this to me with tears rolling down her face and said, "This is so true!" And it really is! 

Love my Babies!

via

Favorites of 2015

As 2015 is coming to a close and I start to look forward to all of the things that are to come in 2016 I just had to reflect on some of my favorite moments and lessons from this last year.

This year was full of so many new things for me as I went from a mom of two foster kiddos to the mom of four. Things are so much more hectic when you are chasing around a herd of kids but they somehow have the ability to remind you to slow down and look at what is important! 

Yes, I stressed over everything, especially money, in 2015. One thing I'm bringing out of this year though (after a talk with one of my favorite co-workers this week :) ) is that I am investing in the lives of my babies and that is one thing I wouldn't change for anything!

One thing I didn't do as much of in 2015 as in years past is traveling. Not because I didn't want to, but because traveling as a group of 5 is A LOT more expensive than traveling solo. But it is a lot more fun too! This year we did spend some time in Bay St. Louis, MS, which is now my favorite sleepy little beach town. Nothing better than beautiful white sand, quaint little downtown shops and the most delicious frozen yogurt joints! I also took the big girls on a cruise to Mexico the day after Thanksgiving and that was an absolute blast! A couple random trips to Branson and day trips around the State and that sums up our travel for the year!

In 2015 we celebrated a first birthday, two 11th birthdays, a 14th birthday and my 25th birthday.

Me and Little Sister discovered our love of Escape Rooms. Big Sister has become obsessed with Starbucks and all things One Direction (I won't lie, I'm kinda right there with her with 1D!). Miss Priss is still mastering her photography skills, mostly of the dogs, but she likes going with me to my sessions to learn different ways to pose people. And then we have Bubby, who in the last year has changed the most. He is now way past the crawling stage and is in a constant sprint. He talks ALL of the time and his favorite things to do are ride on the dogs like they are horses, wrestle with Papa, play with Gampa's ears, eat lots of pudding and wake me up by trying to touch my brain via my nose cavity while yelling Mama!! 

My church kiddos are just as entertaining as ever. We had a great year with us starting a Wednesday night class. We have a couple new "regulars" now too! We had a super fun lock in, a church wide picnic and four wheeler ride that was more fun than should be legal, and we ended the year with a super fun Christmas program.

Basically, this year I have realized just how blessed I really am. I have the most amazing family and I'm so thankful to still have my great grandma, both grandma's and my Papa still around for my kids to get to "experience" (because lets be honest, hanging out with these hoots for long is definitely an experience!). My parents and brother, who are always willing to help me herd the hoodlums, are angels! My friends, both the ones I see all the time and the ones that I just exchange the occasional text with, are beyond anything I deserve. I have a job I enjoy that allows me to do the things a want to do and a church family that continues to lift me up when I need it the most.

2015 was a fabulous year, but I just know 2016 will be my best one yet!

I pray you and your family have a blessed New Year!

Enjoy some of my favorite photos from 2015!

Weekend Retreat...Kid Free!

This weekend The Call of Pope County hosted a foster parent retreat at Camp Paron (Such a cool camp, look in to it for your youth camps!!) to allow us a chance to get a couple of our training hours in and have a chance to relax, child-free, for a couple of days.

I had no idea how much I needed the time away and what a blessing it would be to get to spend time with like-minded people that share the same struggles, success and heart for the babies (big and little) in foster care.

For me this was my first full weekend completely child free since all four of my kiddos have been with me (February), and let me just say, I experienced every kind of emotion while away.

Ecstatic that I had a weekend free of homework, cooking dinner, changing diapers, pushing kids out the door so they don't miss the bus, etc.

Overjoyed that I got to spend time with humans of the adult variety!

Humbled to know that I have parents that are so supportive and were more than willing to take on four kids for the weekend.

Surprised at how quickly I missed my big and little babies!

Thankful for all of the valuable stories and experiences shared that will help me survive and thrive in the daily flow of things in the life of a foster family.

And above all else, I felt so beyond loved coming home to three big babies racing to my car the second I pulled in. Attacked by hugs before I could even get my seat belt off, and spending the afternoon cuddling and singing with the cutest little guy that was so happy to have his mommy home.

As fun as the weekend was, coming home was definitely the best part of my little mini-vacation. Crazy how much things have changed since March 19, 2014 when my first little was placed with me.

Shane & Ashley: Engagements

This big, strapping firefighter was much scrawnier (and whinier, sorry Shane, you know it's true ;) ) when we first met and became cousins many, many moons ago. Since our first meeting I have enjoyed watching him grow up to become a great man that loves his family unconditionally, works hard and has found the most precious girl in the world to put up with all of his crap! Ashley is a true blessing, not only to Shane but to our entire family.

I am so excited to see what the future holds for you two. I know whatever it is you two will make the most of it and be great!

Thank you for letting me have a little fun with these pictures even though you already had photos planned! I loved getting to spend some time with you two and Aunt Donna! 

Again, CONGRATULATIONS! Love you guys!

Lawrence & Bonnie: Engagements

Once upon a time I was a new "fomma" (foster momma) to a beautiful two week old baby boy. I was scared to death to send him to a daycare because, honestly, I had heard a lot of bad things. So I didn't. I kept this precious little guy with me or with close family and friends for the first eight weeks he was with me. 

After sneaking him to work meetings with me and working at home a little more than I should have, I finally decided to break down and check out some daycare's. 

At 10 weeks old I dropped my baby boy off for daycare for the first time. I handed this prized possession over to a stranger. A soft-spoken, petite, sweet stranger, but a stranger none the less. And this is where Miss Bonnie came in to our lives!

It has now been a little over a year and I am so beyond thankful for Bonnie and her love for my baby. And he now even has Lawrence wrapped around his little finger. ;) 

They have been there with us during all of the ups and downs of this fostering to adopt process we are going through and now we are more than excited to be able to help them celebrate this most precious time of their life!

Congratulations Bonnie and Lawrence! Bubby, the Girls and I love you guys and are so thankful for you both!