Last week Cokie was home sick with a fever. I thought she was better after the first day, but right before we went out the door she told me her fingers hurt. I looked and they were swollen! Thank goodness for Benadryl.



My neice Avery. She takes pleasure in telling jokes.




Lyric and my neice Darby. Two jazzy little girls.







My niece Gabrielle Olivia. She is in the same grade and goes to the same school as my four 2nd graders.

Pictures of some of us before church. My cutie pie Lyric. She shines all the time...inside and out.

Brady with his new brother Shepard and Stafan.

Lael and Payton ready for church.

Brady and me. I love my purse! I got it in Dongguang, China at a shop ran by Jenny who runs True Childrens Home. All proceeds go to True Childrens Home. It had really nice things too!!

We've switched to the wild side. We go to the contemporary side at church. : - )

Brady and my nephew Eliot at church this morning.

My sister brought Remi a Bible story book in Chinese.

Arden still speaks fluent Chinese and was explaining the Bible stories to Remi.

Remi actually devoured it.

Brady put in for a leave to come home this weekend and meet his newest sister and brother.

Remi warmed up quickly, but Shepard not so much.

We had to celebrate his birthday a little late. Lyric: "Is that cake suppose to be lopsited?" Me: "Yes!"

Come home soon Brady! We miss you already.

Things continue to be fun around here. You can't tell from the pictures, but Stafan and Shepard are bonding or at least enjoying one another. Their biggest issues right now are clothes. Stafan doesn't mind sharing, but he does like first pick. Shepard is getting very possessive of certain items. Actually, they both have their favorite shoes and if I want them to switch because of the outfits they are wearing that is immediate grounds of pouting.... all the way to school. Isn't this suppose to be a girl thing? These boys are much worst. Of course, the boy thing does kick in when the other one can't take the teasing anymore. We found out Shepard knows how to "cock back his arm" as Brady calls it. This, and the fact that Shepard came with his two front teeth knocked out tells us the boy knows how to fight. That doesn't mean he can't be very cute, sweet and whiny. Stafan on the other hand, has this killer smile that little girls swoon over. I can tell that in the mornings when I'm driving them to school. The little girls literally stick their heads out the windows to holler "Hi Staaaafan." Anyway, when we got Stafan over two years ago he came with a big lump on his forehead. He told us it was from teasing and being knocked into a wall. So sissies I don't have and that includes their big army brother!

She's here!!

We went to the airport this morning to greet Robin, Brandon and their new baby Hadley Jo. My sidekick Bret got up at 4:30 am with me. Thankfully, the airport Starbucks is open 24/7! Hadley is a total doll baby!! It only took me a few minutes before I was hooked. I can't wait to see her around her baby brother Wyatt.

Life at our house

Bret went to Riley Hospital for Children yesterday. They checked her expanders and said they wanted to wait another two weeks to start her treatment. She started her tutoring today. Her tutor was valedictorian of her high school, so I think Bret is in good hands!

Shepard had started to warm up right before we left China, but he got sick on the plane coming home. His first week he just slept and laid around. Stafan was really starting to worry that his new brother was going to be a real dud. : - )

Well, not anymore. Just the last day or so Shepard and Remi are starting to feel more comfortable. They have a ways to go, but they are slowly starting to laugh and smile more. As you can see Shepard is doing a little more than that with just Stafan.

Can you tell they are totally annoyed I have the camera out? Mike and I have four 2nd graders. Life couldn't be more fun.

Arden ready for school this morning.

Remi is getting sweeter and sweeter. She likes to give kisses, but I don't think she had ever been kissed. : - (( She doesn't even pucker. Tonight she came in my bedroom and I gave her a kiss. She acted so uncomfortable, but almost skipped out of the room.

Lael's 1st grade teacher (in the blk) stopped by for a visit. Lael was so excited. Lael loved her then and loves her now!