Happy Gotcha Day, Samuel!

Wow. How can it already be 7 years ago we recieved the gift of you, Samuel! I remember getting the call that you were ready to be picked up. What joy! Another boy! I immediately thought how cool it would be to have two boys, brothers and friends forever. We gathered up our stuff in less than 2 weeks and flew with Isaac to Bogota to recieve you. The next morning Carlos drove us to FANA, the same place we recieved Isaac 2 years earlier. They brought you out, an adorable chunkola, full of soft black hair (we had to take you for your first haircut at 7 weeks old!) busting out of the bottom of your outfit. You were such a happy pirate from the start! Grandpa Gord and Aunt Kjerstin came a week later to meet you and spend Christmas with us in Colombia. It was a dangerous time in the country, so we mostly stayed in the hotel and enjoyed getting to know you. We had no idea if we would have to stay 8 weeks or 2 weeks. Thankfully, our paperwork was done in record time and we got to travel home in only 3 weeks.

We love you so much and are thankful for the gift of you! You have grown into such a great young boy with a tender heart for the things of God. You are the first to defend your sister whatever she may be doing. God surely planned you for our family! We always needed a happy pirate.

All You Moms of Boys...

As I'm at home cleaning the house so babysitters can come tonight, I had a couple of thoughts. I was wondering if there are any of you out there who experience these funny things:
1. I have to scrub down and sanitize the ACTUAL SOAP DISPENSER in the bathroom, because it is black with dirt and grime. How does that happen on a soap dispenser?
2. Sometimes I even get out "company soap". Has anyone ever heard of this? No kids are allowed to use it. It's sometimes called "adult soap". (sounds naughty, eh?)
3. Why do I find candy wrappers under the beds when we ate through our Halloween candy weeks ago? (I know what you are saying. "I can't believe she lets her kids eat candy in bed." FYI: I don't. :)
4. I wait until I see company DRIVE UP THE DRIVEWAY to wipe the yellow off the toilet. (and then I forbid any boy from going potty until they are gone.) :)
5. Even though I wipe the family table down at least 3 times a day, why do I need a power washer to get down to the wood before company comes? And have you EVER checked UNDERNEATH the table to see what is wiped there. unbelievable treasures.
6. All of Kenton's family has the cleanest washer & dryers I've ever seen. They look like they are in a showroom. Do any of you dust your washers and dryers?
7. Secretly, in an evil land all of my own, I take the vacuum cleaner to the kids room and vacuum up all those little piece of Legos and Playmobil on the floor.
8. Our favorite line in "Christmas Vacation" is "fixed the newelpost!" (sorry if you don't get that one)

Forecast: Showers

Well, we've been here in Seattle now for a little over a year. Guess what it's doing outside? RAINING. For the fourth day in a row, and the forecast says it will rain the next four days (and I'm banking on the whole winter). I'm sure you've heard of that urban legend that it rains all the time in Seattle. It's not all true. I think there was a 3 week stretch in August where it was sunny and warm. We get such a kick out of the weather forecasters' clever words...Rain...showers...drizzle...partly cloudy (I would have said "mostly cloudy"...partly sunny.... So far it has not bugged me all that much (although I am getting fat and lazy), but if any of you out in cyberspace have a free condo in Hawaii or something...well...LET ME KNOW!!!!!!!!!!! :( Also, I'm taking creative ideas for indoor kids ACTIVE activities. I think their eyes are bugging out from too many "movie nights"...

cowboy, jedi, & minnie mouse

Mia woke up yesterday at 6am, carrying her pumpkin bucket into our room "ready for candy"...The boys soon followed dressed and ready at 7:15 and already chasing each other through the house. Then we sent them off to school for the day. HAAA. We prayed for their teachers yesterday! Now I remember why, when I was teaching, I SO DREADED this day of Halloween. Kids too excited for the evening and the next day the extreme low after too much sugar. It's much more fun now that I'm not a teacher. :) The boys brought home tons of loot. Mia lasted for about 20 minutes and then came home. The best is when they go to bed and we get to sift through for the good stuff!