Look Who's [REALLY] Walking!!!

Ava took her first steps a few weeks ago, but then chickened out & completely stopped walking for about a week. Then on Thursday I walked into the kitchen and she came around the corner & walked right towards me! It was so funny :) She then proceeded to do about 5 laps around the entire downstairs. Cayden, Deacon & I all followed her & clapped and cheered for her. She was so proud of herself, but not as proud as I am of her!! She turned 16 months old the day before, so I guess she just needed a little extra time. Yeah Ava....we're all SO PROUD OF YOU! This video is for Grandma.....hope this brightens your day today as you go through another round of chemo. We're praying for you today & missing you!! Ava can't wait to show you her new skills :) Love you!




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5 Years

Today my sweet Matt and I are celebrating our 5 year wedding anniversary! I can't believe we've already been married that long! We have been together for almost 10 years now...so crazy! This has definitely been a difficult year for us....new job for Matt, another move, completing our 1st year of parenthood, beginning our adoption, my Mom's cancer, lots of time apart....but I feel like we have come through everything stronger. I am glad that we have made it through the tough times & that tomorrow morning we get to wake up & start fresh with our 6th year. I remember how much I loved Matt when we stood on that altar & said our vows to each other. But I had no idea I could love him so much more today. It is a deeper love now...a love that has walked through difficulty, amazing times, sorrow, and so much more. It is a weathered love, but it is a strong love. I can't wait to see what we'll be saying about our love in another 5 years. God has been so completely faithful to us. I love you Matt & can't wait to spend a thousand more tomorrows with you!!

On Its Way

Our home study paperwork that is!! We finally got this huge wave of paperwork done & it is probably sitting in a FedEx van as we speak. I am super excited & feel like an enormous burden has been lifted off of me. This is one of those moments though where I know that I am way more excited than anyone else about this, so I am reveling in my own feelings of happiness. I was hoping that we could make it a family fieldtrip, but Matt is too stressed & busy getting ready for camp. So it was just Ava & I. And I forgot my camera. So it was a small celebration, but it was a personal victory all the same. Maybe Ava & I will go treat ourselves to ice cream tonight while Daddy works late. Or maybe I should pack for camp since I'm supposed to leave tomorrow morning. I am having a very hard time getting into camp zone. I don't think I'm dreading it....just dreading preparing to leave/drive by myself. I'll talk to you all soon....the bebe just woke up :)

Guess Who Started Walking?!?

I'm about to run out the door to pick up my medical exams and have them notarized, but I just had to write to tell you that Ava started walking last night!!!! YEAH!!! I was jumping up & down & screaming & making a complete fool of myself. Ava was just laughing the whole time (probably at me :) Of course, after she took several steps she laid down & gave up. And this morning she has only tried one time, but that's ok with me. I know she can do it now & she's just been stubborn (as we expected all along). So hopefully by next week she will be a little more confident & she will let me get it on tape. Somebody out there must have been praying for this :) YEAH AVA---Daddy & I are so proud of you!!!

Support Adoption By Eating Ice Cream!

Go to Wendy's during Father's Day weekend...50 cents from every Frosty purchased at Wendy's will be donated to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. This is for June 16th and 17th only. Spread the word!!!!

What A Week!

Hey friends. It seems like I just did my bullet point update, but here goes another one. Too much happened this week to write everything out. So here is the fast version :)

• God blessed us in HUGE ways as far as our adoption finances go. We received $1450 in gifts just this week from several different families at church. Wow! So that means that we are finally able to send in our Home Study packet!!!!!! Yeah!!!!!!! This is such a huge part of the adoption process....probably the most work of the entire journey. We are so excited to be moving forward. God is so good to us & He has shown us again that His is our Jehovah Jireh...the God who Provides. What a huge relief to have this portion done! We are hoping to FedEx it out on Thursday....hopefully we can get someone to take a picture for our daughter's baby book.


• Yes....I said daughter!! After tons and tons of prayer, seeking wisdom from other adoptive families, talking to our families and tons more prayer, we are feeling led to request a girl. This has been such a difficult decision for us to make, but we feel so much peace about the direction that God is leading us. For now, we've been calling her Bella, but who knows if that name will keep! Ava's name changed so many times while I was pregnant, so who knows what she will be officially called :)


• Thursday was one of the scariest days of my life. Emily called me crying around 7am and said that Mom was on her way to the hospital in an ambulance. After lots and lots of tests they determined that she had a seizure. She will be taking medicine now for epilepsy. What an emotional and draining weekend this weekend was for my sweet family. My Mom is so tired and worn out....please continue to pray for her. She had a chemo treatment yesterday & now has 3 weeks off to rest. Praise God for this!


• We bought a season-pass to the children's museum and took Ava again on Saturday. She is definitely in her happy place when we go down there. It is so fun to watch her go crazy & play with other kids. She loves to share her toys with the other kiddos. It's so sweet. I tried to take about 20 pictures, but all of them were fuzzy b/c she wouldn't stop moving. It was a lot of fun!


• Ava is following in my footsteps.....see picture below :)

Yes....that is diet dr. pepper :)

• We are running around like chickens with their heads cut off getting ready for camp. I have never seen Matt so stressed in the 9 years that I have known him. I'm going up early on Friday to get Ava settled in & then Matt is bringing the kids up on Saturday. We have high school & jr. high back-to-back, so we'll be there until the following Sunday. Our best friends....the Spur family are going to be there--yeah!! It's going to be a lot of fun. I've got to make my packing list today & start doing laundry. It's not so easy packing for 9 days of camp...I feel like I have to bring EVERYTHING!!! My niece Desi is coming for jr. high camp & then staying for a few days afterwards. It's going to be a lot of fun seeing her & catching up!
• Ava is still not walking. I've been praying like crazy that she would start walking before camp so I'm not having to carry her everywhere all week. We need a miracle people...only 2 more days to go!!
• Ava's new favorite words are "happy", "hi", "mama" and "babaw" (what she's been calling my Mom--Grandma)
• I had a moment of complete weakness at Target the other day. I went to get some basics...toilet paper, milk, etc....and decided to walk through the baby clothes section. I should know better than that by now. So I left with the basics--and 2 new shirts, a pair of shorts and a dress/bathing suit cover-up for Ava. What was I thinking???? Of course it was all on sale & all those things together cost $11, but still.....she does NOT need more clothes!! UGGGHHHH!! I get so angry with myself. So they are still in the bag with the receipt ready to take back. Most likely they will be thrown in the suitcase for camp & the guilt will be seen on Ava next week at camp :)
• We took a little family photo shoot. There is nothing better than self-portraits. So enjoy....

• I think that's it for now. You probably won't hear much from me for the next few weeks as we head to camp. I'll try to update while I'm there, but who knows if that will happen :) Love to you all!!

I Think She's Happy!



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My Pretty Pretty Mama

Here is my beautiful, brave, godly, wonderful Mama Moozle (and she calls me her Rachel Roozle). I think she looks more beautiful than ever. Here are her friends who have not run away or started ignoring her because she has cancer. They are loyal. They are praying. They are loving her. They are helping on the hard days. They are still there & I love them for that. They make me want to be a better friend. Thank you Jesus for Patty (still Mrs. Odom to me :) and Laura. Enjoy your club meeting today :)

Ava's Message for Grandma :)

Hi Grandma! Ava wanted to tell you to feel better! We love you! Notice how she calls you "babaw". We send hugs & kisses & get well wishes!!! Wow....I should write for Hallmark :)



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Bad Kitty

Here is a video of Ava that I took the other day. You might hear her saying "bad". She says it all throughout the video. She was looking at Oliver while she was saying it. I guess she heard me yelling at him that morning & calling him a bad kitty for getting up on the table. It cracks me up....enjoy :)



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