Teddy Made It HOME!!!!!!!

The airport homecoming for my nephew, Teddy, last night was just a MIRACLE!! Oh, how i love airport homecomings...The only thing better about an airport homecoming is when it is YOUR OWN FAMILY COMING HOME!!! So much fun...my 6 kiddos were just BEYOND excited as we waited:He arrives and there is NO room for the boy to even breathe...he's attacked by his brother and sister and cousins RIGHT AWAY...and he handled it all so well...like he'd been waiting a million years for this day:

All 4 sisters posing for a pic:

I've met Teddy while in Ethiopia on two of my trips...it was so great holding this little love again...He's so tiny for a 4 year old:

My Julia couldn't wait for HER turn to hold him:

Wes apologizing to Teddy for getting HOME so much sooner than he did....ha ha...just kidding :)....
3 sisters with our 4 Ethiopian Children....God willing...I think we're ALL DONE growing our families.....
Miss Lucy Lane got tired of all the commotion over Cousin Teddy and took a little rest on Daddy:
Teddy and his Daddy.....Oh, that face (teddy's :) is just so cute:
And, here is the family of 5 now....Oh, we're all just so thankful that this long wait is over and they are ALL finally together...Praise the LORD!!!!!!
I cant' wait to kiss Teddy's little face again on Thursday..Oh, we ALL have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!!! Welcome home Teddy!! We all love you SO much and your ENTIRE family PRAISES GOD THAT YOU ARE FINALLY HOME!!! Happy Sunday to you all, kj

Happy 3rd Birthday Miss Lucy Lane!!!

OHHHH!!!!! How is it that my sweet girl is now 3 years old!!?? Lucy Lane has now been home 2 1/2 years and today she turns 3 !!! Wow...time has certainly flown by!!!!I just had to say happy birthday to my sweet, adorable, fun, crazy, outgoing, funny, sassy, hilarious, dramatic, confident, lovable, CUTE, joyful, Lucy Lane!!! Our family would be just so boring without YOU Baby Girl!!! You are truly a BLESSING in each and every way!!!! :)
We love you SO MUCH and we thank God for you EACH DAY!!!

Happy Birthday Miss Lucy Lane and Happy Tuesday to you all!!! kj

Teddy is Coming HOME!!! They Got CLEARED!!

Just a quick note to say PRAISE JESUS...The U.S. Embassy cleared my sister and her son...and MY NEPHEW IS COMING HOME!!!!!!

I'm sure she'll be on the NEXT FLIGHT OUT!!!!! So over the moon excited for them...and for our entire fam!! That will be 4 sweet, adorable, little Ethiopian Babes around the Thanksgiving table this year!! 3 sisters...4 children that now have a HUGE family that LOVES them more than words could ever express!!

Celebrating the Good News...All Praise Be To GOD!!! Happy Wednesday to you all, kj

Orphan Sunday 2011....Never Forget...

What a difference a year makes...This time last year on Orphan Sunday, I was praying my hubby would allow us to adopt for #6!! This year...our son has been home 6 months...Wow!! God answers prayers in big ways!! :) My sister just came out with this video today...so proud of what Ordinary Hero is doing...and what a GREAT video and message for Orphan Sunday...enjoy... happy Sunday to you all, kj (pause my music at bottom of page)

Ordinary Hero~ The Orphan from Kelly Putty on Vimeo.

Wes Goes To the Beach For the FIRST Time!!!

Just a little update from us...We are all doing great...especially Wes....He got to visit the Beach for the first time over fall break and I just HAD to share some of the cuteness....He loved it....

*Seeing the beach for the first time:
*Touching the Sand for the first time:
And, LL has been to the beach a BUNCH...but she loves it and is so excited EVERY time:

Our sweet Wes continues to amaze us.... He's truly a gift from God and witnessing him on the beach for the first time was such a treat to us all:

He was never scared a bit...he loved the waves, the sand, the water, the fish...everything....
He's the happiest boy you'll ever meet:
Oh, and not to mention that he has a slight obsession with LL...He is constantly pulling on her curls...She doesn't quite appreciate the pulling of the curls :)
Wes discovered he LOVED Sprite out of a bottle:



My Sweet 3 boys.....
My precious 3 girls....
And, from us all....Hope you all had a blessed Fall Break!!!! It is our favorite time to hit the beach....
***Happy Wednesday to you all, kj

Praise The LORD!!! They FINALLY Passed Court!!!!

I heard the words our ENTIRE family has been waiting to hear TODAY: My sister has finally passed court for her sweet son!! Yes, a judge is working in Ethiopia right now....cause....they received the news today: It is official!! Teddy is THEIR son and MY PRECIOUS NEPHEW!!!! PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!!!

Here is my sister at her court date on March 10th...she was able to visit my Wes Paulos and allow the first cousins to meet:

My hubby traveled for our court date in April..and he was able to visit with Teddy and AGAIN allow the cousins to hang.....

Every case is unique and we certainly never dreamed we'd be home in MAY with our Wes..and my sister has continued to WAIT as bumps continued to come up in her particular case....
My daughter Helen got to meet her first cousin Teddy when she traveled with me in May to pick up Wes....

This has been a long, hard road...but this precious boy is OH SO WORTH THE WAIT....

They will be submitted to the U.S. Embassy next....and we PRAY they find mercy on this sweet boy WHO has been waiting SO LONG....
*Thank you all for your prayers...thank you CCI for your endless work on this case...and THANK YOU LORD for answering our prayers and that this sweet boy is OFFICIALLY part of our family today!! What a glorious day!!

(most recent pic just sent to us above :) Happy Monday to you all, kj

How about a TINY, LIttle Update on my Bday...

Yes, today I am 37!! I don't mind getting older..it is actually kind of fun!! :) Well...everything besides the wrinkles and gray hairs taking over my head.....LOL

***I promise, We are all doing GREAT...life is just UNBELIEVABLY CRAZY right now!! Wes learned how to climb on everything in ONE day and hasn't stopped... My other kids could take a tumble after climbing on the couch..and no big deal....Wes falls off the couch and it is an all day sit in the E.R. (which we have experienced :( He has climbed out of his crib and fallen and nearly given me a HEART ATTACK!!! So.... I've felt busy before.....I've felt chaos and pulled in many directions....THIS IS JUST A STEP ABOVE anything i've ever dealt with... Picture running/climbing toddler about to hurt himself at every turn..and 5 other YOUNG children looking at me and NEEDING me...And well...that's my day in a nut shell!!!!!! :) The crazy thing is.....I'd go through it ALL a million more times if I got to be the Momma to my 6 kiddos!! BUT...it leaves NO computer time anymore!! Wes also hasn't slept since his surgery...So, I'm up most of the night with him too...So...yes...challenging time... BUT my Sweet Wes is SO sweet and so darn cute that I'd do anything and give up anything to make sure he's safe...so that's what I've done!! I MUST focus on his safety and my other 5 kiddos for now and hopefully some day I'll find time again to INVITE yall back into our crazy good daily life!!! :) LOL

***Thanks so much for all the sweet emails and comments...I have read them all and so appreciate you guys checking on us...Wes is FEELING GREAT!!!! And, OH SO CUTE:
He got a good follow up report from his surgeon... We did have to schedule another smaller surgery for another MUCH smaller birth defect...but they aren't doing that until later this fall...thank goodness!!! Gives us a little more time to heal!! :)

***We have other good changes going on in our life too right now.....which is all exciting stuff..and I'll hopefully share some more pics and things on that in the future!!!!!!

**A lot of you have asked about my sister's adoption....She has unfortunately gotten stuck in the court's closing..and now she is waiting for the judge to give his final stamp of approval once courts open back up...Should be fast and easy once things get rolling in October...I'll keep yall posted WHEN we hear good news in October!!!! :)

***That's it for now....Thanks again for checking on us..and please know we are ALL doing WELL and just trying to SURVIVE this crazy stage in our life...cause I know this is just a chapter in our life that will soon pass too!! Wes will be running around some day and that surgery will be the last things from our mind!!!! :) BUT FOR NOW...his head must be kept safe....so I'll be back when I can find another little moment for an update!!! Thanks again, and happy Wednesday to you all, kj