Summer, summer, and more summer

We have had such a wonderful, full summer.  Full of drama as you can see above.  It is amazing at how fast time goes.  It has been good....really good.  My goal for the summer was to read like crazy with the kids, swim a lot and sleep late as much as possible.  I think we did very well with all of it.  

One Sunday we slipped away just Scott and I with two older kiddos.  These are special times for us and they rarely happen.

Croquet and season passes to the amusement park helped keep everyone happy.

Four days a week we had two that swam for an hour on swim team.  This was Ellie's first year and she did amazing.  She has turned into quite the swimmer. I never got a picture of Luke.  Probably because he drug out of bed minutes before he jumped in the water.  It was a good way to wake up.

Leah, Sam, and DonLi also ran in a running league two mornings a week.  They would all ride their bikes so I didn't have to do the usual drop off and pick up.  Some mornings it would be up close to 90 degrees when they were running.  One day Sam told Leah he was leaving before it was over.  It must have been bad because Leah just followed him home without complaint of leaving early and not finishing and of course DonLi was happy to join them.

We live less than an hour away from this beauty.  Scott will load his hikers up and go hiking for the day.  They have done some pretty long hard climbs.  I am happy to stay back with the little less adventurers and look at the wonderful pictures when they return.

This picture in the snow was taken in June.  Crazy huh?

Sparky smiling for the camera.

Game nights.

Fun time with cousins in Texas.

Joel had the great opportunity to serve God using a talent that God blessed him with.  He traveled with a team to Pisek, Czech Republic and spent 12 days leading basketball camp and getting to play some ball with the local teams.  I think it made a huge impact on his life.  We were so proud of him.

I think one of the most exciting things that happened this summer was Jasmine finally had her birthday.  She joined our family last August right after her birthday.  She had to wait for every person in our family to have a birthday.  She was a little excited when hers finally came.  She is now our big 6 year old.

The final shabang of the summer was a trip to Ruidoso, NM.  That is where Scott's dad spends most of his summers.  This summer he got sick and had to go home.  He is doing much better but not up to traveling back to see us.  Scott's brother, Mike and his wife, Jan came to fill in for Popo.  We had a wonderful time with them.  The kids ate up all of their attention.  We really missed Popo like crazy but thanks to Mike and Jan we had an amazing time.

The highlight of the trip was driving the golf cart around.  They all had fun with that.

We really enjoyed the beauty of White Sands.   There isn't any better place for photos and sledding.

We all love you Mike and Jan.  You helped us make some great memories.

And here we are.  The crazy couple that still believes that God is a wonderful, great God.  We will follow Him to the ends of the earth.  We feel blessed beyond measure and so, so thankful for His amazing grace.  God truly loves each of us and has a beautiful plan for our lives.  He rescues the broken hearted and places the lonely in families.  He used two normal people to gather our children up and love them with all we have.  Please, please pray for those who don't yet have someone to love them and give them hope.  Let me know if you would like to give a child a chance at life.  As we wind down the last couple of weeks until school starts my goal is to savor the last few moments of us being all together.

And She is a Smith!!!!

We have waited 10 long months to be able to say those words.  Meet precious Jasmine.  The saying that "Good things come to those who least expect it" applies to us.  Last August, only being home from China adopting Katy for 4 months, we offered to be a respite family for her.  She was adopted from China in Nov. 2010.  Only one month before we traveled to bring Sam home.  I knew her family. As a matter of fact I saw her first photo that they had of her.  I was very excited because out of all the orphanage she could have been in it was Sam's and Katy's.  I helped celebrate her arrival and encouraged the family before they left for China.  One of Jasmines toys that she played with on the day they got her was a toy I had given to them.  After their return I was so excited to meet her and see the family.  Jasmine struggled quite a bit in her months home with her family.  Lots of tears and sadness for her and hard, hard days for the family.  When we said yes to bring her into our home I was so hoping we could be a place where Jasmine truly could let go of her sadness that she had held onto since being adopted and really her whole life.  Now many are quick to judge a family that can just hand over their child for a few weeks much less what has turned into a lifetime but I think we are thinking in human terms and not God's terms.  God had a different plan than what that family or our family could see.  Her first family was the family that stepped out in faith and brought her home and gave her the first taste of a family.  They loved her as much as Jasmine would allow them to and they had all of her medical needs attended to as well as teaching her so many new things.  Even with all of that Jasmine was unsettled.  She came to our family and miracles started happening in Jasmines life.  Having 3 Chinese girls just like her was huge for her.  She slept in the same room with them all which provided much comfort and allowed her to be able to sleep through the nights which she was rarely able to do.  She had several weeks of tears and tantrums and who wouldn't.  She slowly settled in and was able to relax and truly find some peace.  After a few weeks in our home the family decided it would be better for her to be in another family and they prayed it would  be us.  I tell you that out of all our adoptions we really struggled with saying yes to this.  Looking back over 10 months I wonder what that was all about.  She is the spark in our lives.  None of us had any idea how fun it would be to have a 5 yr old running around again.  Everyone has loved her from the beginning.  Right at first the kids would randomly ask if Jasmine was going home the next day.  They feared I would say yes.  When I said "no" they would cheer.  Joel, told us many times that she needed to stay with us.  As I look back over the yr I see a beautiful handprint of God right in the middle of it.  We can't imagine life without Jasmine.   She is beautiful, smart, funny, loving, gentle and very brave.  I just smile in happiness and the special gift God just laid at our feet and there was nothing we had to do but accept it.  Sounds a lot like the gift of salvation that God also lays right in front of us.  There is nothing we have to do but accept it either and when we do our lives will never be the same.  A lot like Jasmine.  Our lives will never be the same again.  She has left her mark on our hearts and she is now Jasmine Janelle Smith.  Janelle is Scott's mom's name that she would have been so proud to have shared with such a sweet little girl.

Seriously, where does the time go!!!!!

Ok, Maybe we slipped away from all responsibility to the land of paradise....Kaui.

Yep, just the two of us on a much needed vacation.  It was amazing, wonderful, relaxing, exciting and.....you get the idea.  My older sister, Cari, actually wanted to come stay with the kiddos and she did an amazing job.  The kids are asking when she is coming back so we are going to plan our next get away.  

Easter was a wonderful celebration this year.  Scott was able to baptize Luke, Ellie and MeiLi.  It was very special  and exciting for all of us.  They are precious and special children who really have a beautiful heart for God.  Every morning on the way to school we have been memorizing bible verses.  They are eating this up.  If there is a morning where I am running crazy and forget,  they all are quick to remind me.  It is so fun to be a part of their joy of learning and hiding God's word in their heart.

This is very beautiful, but we have had way more of it than I cared to have.  Our last snow was May 1st.  I am a flip flop girl and this wasn't fitting into my life style.  We are looking good for the next week with warm weather.  Yay!

We have also celebrated Joel's Jr. Prom.  The little girls really enjoyed going with me to take pictures and seeing all of the pretty dresses.  One of the girls asked Joel's girlfriend, Karah, if she could try her shoes on.  It was sweet.  Wasn't it just yesterday I was going to my Jr. Prom?

Well, as you can see there is little downtime for our family.  There is a million things to get done.  Just tonight Scott and I went on a date and talked about how we would move through the weekend and come out alive.  Really, I think we have 4 basketball games and one soccer game tomorrow.  Only 2 more weeks of school and this girl will be doing some sleeping in.  I was telling my friend Cheryl that as I planned our summer everything is being planned around ME being able to sleep in.  God has been great to us.  We are loving this amazing ride that He has us on.  

In love with our family!

How much can you love and not bust?  Many people who are skeptics about adoption might say that we won't have enough love to go around to them all.  I have to say that it is just the opposite.  As we have added each child our love for them and the others just gets bigger.  As I started to write this Sam, came into our room.  He said something really cute and left.  Scott just said, "isn't he so sweet".  Yes, they all are and in their own way.

Sam's new puppy is.....well.....not so small anymore.  However she IS still a puppy as she runs and jumps all over everyone.  They run and scream and she gets so excited over the game that really isn't a game at all.  She has been wonderful not just for Sam but for this tired mama who really enjoys going to dog training class.  Who would have thought I would look forward to Wednesday nights so much with all my business, but I do.


Scott and I were able to speak about adoption twice this month.  Once was at our adoption agency and we talked about adopting a child with GI disorders.  I think we pretty much could have lead the medical conference on many areas of adoption.  It reminded me how God had prepared us so well for this journey.  I really enjoy being able to help our children with their needs.  Our other talk was to our church.  We spoke in all four services and were able to share how God had really changed our hearts and our lives through adoption.  How we have learned so much about God's love for us as he adopted us into His family.    We hope to be able to do that more in both locations.  We have also really enjoyed the last 3 months of High School basketball with Joel.  It is no mystery to those who know me that I love this sport.  My dad was a basketball coach and I lived in a gym and on a school bus.  I love the smell of a sweaty gym and the sound of a bouncing basketball could put me to sleep.  It used to as my mom said I was a week old when I went to my first game.  Anyway, the season is over so my Tuesdays and Fridays are now free.  What will I do with all my free time?

We just registered sweet Leah for High School.  How in the world can this be?  She is precious and will do so great.  It won't be at the same school as Joel so next year we will have 5 schools between them.  Actually 6 if you include our college boy.  We have middle school night for Luke next week.  Hmph.  I don't like this.  It really makes me happy that I love Scott and enjoy him more than ever because in the end it will just be the two of us.  He keeps me laughing and we sneak away on dates every chance that we get.  As a matter of fact we are slipping off to Kauai in April.  I am already dreaming of the beauty. I love that place.

Here is Dr. Seuss, Abraham Lincoln and Mary Cassatt.  It was a very fun night hearing from all the 3rd graders about someone great.

This past week Katy had a surgery on her belly.  Everything went great and now she is recovering.  She is a brave, wonderful girl.  We have had her for 1 year now.  I cannot tell you how much Katy has blossomed.  We were talking about all she has learned this past year.  She has learned to speak and read English, do monkey bars, swing, ride a bike and swim.  She has been in for 3 medical procedures and visited more specialist than I can remember.  She has pouted, cried, hugged, talked and talked some more, made friends, started school in the USA, learned how to share, speak more quietly, eaten more noodles than you can imagine, grown taller, smiled more, loved her family with passion, but most of all she has learned that there is a God who made her, loves her and wants her to know Him.  He didn't make a mistake in building her body a little messed up inside.  He allowed it so she would make it to our family.  I think one day she will be able to help others with her condition.  That is just how she is.  We can't even imagine what God will do in her life. One thing we are soooo, sooo happy for is that when God asked us to go and bring her home we didn't say, NO.  We would have missed this precious girl and she would have been left with so little.  God is so Great.

We are looking forward to the warmer weather that is starting to come.  Well, anything about 40 feels wonderful.  Until I find a moment, probably on Tuesday or Friday, to share more of our lives.

Time off is GREAT!

     We have had such a wonderful time together over the past week.  Time off and time as a family is so nice.  As you can see we haven't really had a quiet moment but that is ok.  Scott and I have slipped off for a date or two.  It was my prayer that the kids really know why we celebrate Christmas.  Sam and Katy are just beginning to understand the things of God since they spent their lives not knowing about Him.  However and interesting fact is that Katy told me she prayed every birthday, or maybe more like a wish, but she used the word pray.  She would pray for a family.  She has her family now and is spending her first Christmas with us.  She is soaking it all up.

      I love the kids smiling faces and happy hearts.  I love the fact that God used this family, with no special gifts or talents to love a child that had nothing.  It is a true miracle.  The bible talks about God giving us power.  Not the super hero kind really, or maybe it is!  There is no way we could have done what we have done without it.  God has given us the power to do things that we never dreamed possible.  We look back at the past 5 yrs and have to laugh.  We have added 5 children in five years.  Who could do that accept one injected with a reckless faith and complete power from God himself.  I look into their eyes.  All of them.  Bio and adopted and am just amazed.  I couldn't have dreamed this up in my best of dreams.  Ok, now if you are thinking that things are easy and fun all of the time......well they aren't.  We have kids from hard places.  Kids who never knew real love until they came to us.  They are learning, questioning, testing and healing.  I have mentioned many times before that on most days we fall into bed at night in complete exhaustion.  You cannot imagine how many socks this house wears in a week and the shoe buckets are over flowing.  Oh and if that wasn't enough we added Sam's golden retriever to our family in December.  Her name was Annie but I think we have all decided to rename her Chewy.  She loves Barbies, Ugg boots, kids hair, clothes, fingers.....well just about everything but her really nice chew toys.  I have heard screams from downstairs.  There are at least 5 kids sitting on the very back of the couch while Annie, I mean Chewy, is trying to play.  I think it is play but it looks more like attack to all of them.  I have no idea what they will do when she realizes she can jump on the couch.  hmmm.

We have ice skated, built gingerbread houses, sledded, watched movies, slept late and just relaxed.  After the break is over we will jump right back into it all.  High school basketball will be in full swing and Josh will begin college.  Leah will be playing indoor soccer and on and on.

We are hanging on for the ride but if you wanted to send a prayer our way after you read this we would love it.

           Meet Annie. 

Josh's 20th Birthday.

We finally all have matching stockings.  A very sweet patient of Scott's made them all.  They are beautiful.

Sam showing his figure skating ability.

Gingerbread houses.

Golden Santa.  Joel works at a thrift store and I visited a couple of times.  I guess both times I commented on the golden santa....so guess what I got for Christmas.  I love it.

Scott took the brave and adventurous ones sledding at Rocky Mountain National Park.