School's Back In...Busy Busy Busy...

First of all....Yep I moved on up to the 15 seater van: Oh, and I don't know HOW we survived with out it...We all SO LOVE IT!! Seriously, we can fit our entire fam plus any friends that want to ride home with us...it really is a fabulous ride!!! It took me a while to find one with NO CLOTH SEATS (cause my kiddos would ruin it in a minute)...but I found it...and IT IS NOW OURS!!!!! :) And, on to other news:

**School is BACK IN SESSION...I have 3 in school and 3 at HOME....Here our my big 3 on their first day holding up the GRADE they are starting:
They had a GREAT first day...We love all their teachers and they are SO excited to be back in school...but I'll miss them...I get so used to them ALWAYS being around...BUT these crazy 3 babies will certainly keep me busy at home:
I feel like I have triplets some days...yet Baby Wes is the work of about 4 kiddos right now trying to keep HIM SAFE...He's 4 weeks POST SURGERY TODAY...Praise the LORD!!! But he certainly doesn't even realize he had a HUGE surgery and he stays busy running and keeping me on my toes:We go back Monday where they'll remove his bandages and tell me HOW they feel things are healing...His one eye STILL isn't back to normal...so I'll be checking on that...but he feels wonderful and is CUTE AS PIE:
And, this cutie 2 year old WACKED him on the head with a Light Saver toy thing yesterday...and I about passed out and asked her: "lucy lane WHY would you hit your brother in the head...you KNOW he has a broken head?" She said, "Cause Mommy he was BOTHERING me!!"
He was FINE...but keeping him safe takes a LOT of work :)
And, how can you stay mad at this face very long...she's seriously the craziest, funniest child alive:
And, I caught her going in for the kiss on baby brother too:

If I survive these 3 babes with out having a heart attack it might be a miracle!! LOL :)

So, as you can see....life is BUSY BUSY BUSY right now!! But I wouldn't trade a minute of it for anything...

*After we see Wes's head specialist on Monday we head over to another specialist for another evaluation for something else they found wrong on my baby boy!! They have actually found a couple of other "lesser important" birth defects when compared to his HEAD SURGERY... but they must be taken care of too...So, unfortunately my boy will be put back to sleep soon to deal with these other things... But as the drs. said..this will be NOTHING compared to what we've already been through...and we'll probably go home the same day!! The next surgery isn't scheduled yet...but it is in the works!! My BIGGEST prayer is that his big Cranial surgery worked and he won't require another one of those...something like 3 % require ANOTHER surgery...praying hard that we're in that 97%!!! I'll keep you posted if anything like that comes about....but for now...I'll be focusing on these smaller things we have to take care of..and enjoying getting back into the school swing and such!!!

***Thank you so much for your prayers and support....Hope you all are getting BACK into the school groove too...I can't believe summer is over!! :( Be back soon....Happy Thursday to you all, kj

Guess What We Bought Yesterday????

Ok, so IF you follow me on facebook, ya already know!!! But if not...do you know what it is?? I get to check another LIFE LONG GOAL OFF MY LIST!!! :) So, excited about it....Pics next :) Happy Sunday to you all, kj

3 weeks Post Op....and 3 Months HOME!!

Well...I wish I could say that the 3 weeks has FLOWN by since Wes's surgery...but the days are actually VERY LONG right now...but oh...with this sweet face to look at...NO ONE IS COMPLAINING :)........Wes's age is the only thing making this very hard right now...He's a TODDLER on the run..and I'm in constant fear he's gonna hurt himself...or really HIS HEAD or FACE....We still haven't really ventured out into public much yet...but we'll be getting out soon...I just don't want him getting sick ON TOP OF recovering from surgery...but recovery was 4 weeks..and that will be THIS COMING UP THURSDAY!! I can't believe we're almost there......
I took these pics of my sweetie boy this past Thursday on his 3 week post op day....NOW, let me tell ya....Wes has not only gotten calls and visits and cards and prayers from my CCI agency that brought him HOME...but on Thursday he received a care package from LUCY LANE'S agency, AGCI too!! Isn't that so sweet and thoughtful!! They sent him this Lion he is holding and a card where all the staff signed a note to him...so sweet!!
Wes is certainly LOVED..and he is really doing GREAT!! His eye and head still have some swelling to lose...but we get seen again on the 15th of this month and we'll see what the dr says about his progress....PRAYING for a good report!!!! The meals are coming to an end now too...WOW..it was so helpful to have friends bring meals by in the evening!! I'm so thankful for all the love and support during this healing time for Wes!! Not having to think about dinner was certainly a blessing!!!!
And, I took this TODAY of little Miss Sassy Pants!! Oh, my , she is growing up way too fast!! She is just so smart and talks CONSTANTLY!! She potty trained like a CHAMP...and she LOVES her some big girl undies...oh, and she's loving some cow boy boots today too!!! Crazy girl....
And, my 7 year old captured these shots tonight and was so proud of herself for capturing Wes on the run from us....
He dances constantly....and he LOVES to spin until he's dizzy...Yes, I about pass out when he starts doing this...He can't fall and HIT THAT HEAD....Yall should TRY keeping an active ONE YEAR OLD TODDLER BOY STILL....exhausting....BUT that cute smile makes it ALL worth it:

That's the update folks.....Kids are doing great...just no time for the computer much these days with 6 young babes to keep happy .....More soon......and OH!!!...happy 3 months Home Wes Paulos!!! I'd go through a million MORE surgeries IF it meant I got to be YOUR MOMMA!!! :) Happy Friday to you all, kj

This Morning's UPDATE...

If you read my last post...we are waiting for my sister to FINALLY pass court for her son in Ethiopia.... The court hearing last night was a success for what they were trying to accomplish.....but the judge ordered an UPDATE on one piece of paper...this can come any time and won't be affected by the court closure this Friday...no new court date will be needed...Praise the LORD!!! WE are praying we hear ASAP that the updated piece of paper arrives and they OFFICIALLY pass court!!!!!

Keep praying and I'll keep ya posted...Happy Wednesday to you all, kj

REMINDER....

Just a reminder that a sweet little (nearly) 4 yr. old boy sits across the world tonight in an orphanage...He probably has NO IDEA how hard everyone is PRAYING for him to be an ORPHAN NO MORE!! He has a family and agency desperately fighting to allow him to be PART OF A FAMILY!! His family in Ethiopia has passed away.....and this is his ONLY HOPE....His only hope for a future!! Please join me in praying for a miracle tonight...that HIS CASE will finally pass court tonight...and that he will officially be a part of my sister's family...he will officially be their SON..and MY NEPHEW!! He's already THAT in all of our hearts...but we have to make it official tonight in Ethiopia BEFORE the courts close on Friday...or he sits longer...waiting...waiting for the courts to open back up in the fall...He's been living there for half his life already...it's TIME for him to JOIN A FAMILY....OUR FAMILY!!!

**Thank you for your support and prayers..and I'll update when I hear the GOD WILLING GOOD NEWS tomorrow!! Happy Tuesday to you all, kj

(picture from me visiting Little "T" when I picked up Wes in May)

A Great Video from the Latest Ordinary Hero Trip...

Pause the music at the bottom of my page and enjoy this wonderful slide show of pics from the latest Ordinary Hero Mission Trip...My friend Amy from www.filledwithpraise.blogspot.com made this after coming home from one of the OH trips that my older sister Kelly runs..... And, After going to Ethiopia 3X now myself, I LOVE seeing all the beautiful faces there that remind me SO much of my sweet 2 Ethiopian babes at home!! :) I can't wait to go on an Ordinary Hero mission trip myself some day... Hmmmm..might be a long time before the hubby lets me go back to Ethiopia!! :) ha

Enjoy and happy Monday to you all, kj