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

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)