As of late I have been looking back at previous posts and remembering the memories that they hold like they were yesterday...and then there is a gap between February 28th 2012 and December 17th 2013. I have missed being able to look at the high {and low} points from the blog to write the last two years Christmas letter. And my husband made a comment a couple months back, my mother yesterday and a couple other people in between that they missed my blogging. Truth is, I have also! So here we are, we are going to play a little catch up...and see if we can try to at least do a once a week post about our family!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmuFSsoJ5D6AgKNC2zgPZ1zf5WdFETbPk-F-QKQeVY64STspkrNyVX5C5Lr9wkME86ai-2FFim9G7LXHlp3l3I4y3j39tPqDu2UvluqUnCoPZALNMAYg03jNRNfomDxTIFP3u7vgS_RqAq/s320/DSC_9689.jpg)
I celebrated my 30th birthday this summer. I remember when my mom turned 30...it seemed like such a big number back then...now it doesn't. Funny how so much in life is that way!!! Handsome and I also celebrated our 11th Anniversary in August. That number DOES seem big when you are talking marriage {these days} but I wouldn't do it any different...this man is my best friend and I'm so thankful God put our paths next to each other.
I am still doing Pumpkin Patch Daycare in our home. Celebrated our 5th birthday with that one in October...have been blessed to have so many wonderful clients. With all the little people in my life I really do not have much left over time for me...but it is only a season and it will be over far too soon.
Handsome just celebrated his 2nd year at the waste water treatment plant in town and is loving that job. He has been working hard on fine tuing the landscaping around the house and also getting rid of the 1991 blue that was all over the inside of the house. The main living space is pretty much finished (except my wish list of new cabinets & counter top) and this winter in his free time he is going to tackle the kids' bedrooms and the bathrooms! He doesn't get much free time either, but he enjoyed a couple hikes this summer/fall and also just ended a 39 week Bible study that has really blessed him. Just recently he has started helping out with a youth Bible class on Wednesday nights. His time is occupied with those things along with helping with cooking & cleaning and taking kids to and from appointments, dance & church!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFypj2u7kKr9o4sOkFlEa-7jvKrBJe9trfJT43Zdceuw_kedQERB-IcapGWJ1q8XKKr4iMX01E5DgVanhRVsromCwMvqUnSD4mHT1Qm1gph0fwFOfHsZBA8sHsPinIJUm6NpslBy37fXav/s320/DSC_9702.jpg)
Our Precious Princess! She turned 7 in September and is full of life and energy. She is a constant reminder that I am not a Mama to only babies/toddlers any more! She is in her 6th year of dance and got to join a competition team this year. She is confidant that the team will be bringing home a trophy. Some of her other milestones this year were: she is in 1st grade (home school), being big enough to go down the water slides at the Rec Center, getting new 'big kid' glasses, starting the process of braces (just today), finding out she is going to have surgery on her adenoids and also her feet are now bigger than Mamas.
I appreciate so much about this girl. She laughs so often, she helps out with the babies and keeping Pumpkins rallied for me. She is very active when it comes to anything that DOESN'T involve work!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uKERdRSWqVDi53VO18aNOTYnZoG6LutdePlVZK4m4t6QETmbHNeRdmkm1ESWgwUT9_wGYgaKtdwqtSfFxW-IGqcZtYiOSGOTFQ0qZRBLXSWeWioJUpMtCi63gCjfNKoNpHEGcSWQZUTo/s320/DSC_9650.jpg)
Our Sunshine has had a tough year but looks forward to his 7th birthday the end of this month. After 18 months of us pulling our hair out of some very peculiar destructive behaviors we finally found a doctor that would help us...he evaluated Sunshine and came to the conclusion that we had figured a couple of years ago: Bi-Polar and Oppositional Defiance Disorder. With his 'family' history (the little that we know) this is not a shock to us. We are now learning how to help him and he is able to be a part of our family more because he is able to function more than he was before. His smile will still melt your heart. With his troubles I decided I was no longer able to home school him and so in August I cried as my baby boy walked away to the bus stop for the very first time. We are thankful for the team at school that is helping him! He loves riding the bus. He also has found a love for Uncle Si on Duck Dynasty...something the whole family agrees on!!! He is the first one to get dirty and the first one to give a hug if someone is having a tough day. He enjoys anything that moves and building things with Lego's or Lincoln logs!!!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmCo6KRw7qiHJHI9IN4eXamjxfSaiMrG0cGWw0Ji_nvPc2NYPAiYAeCxqbVw16VG1PRXbsuiHzaHblRAmLGfjzmjh-L1LesCLZZlYwoWXbOajEu7nqWpYGJaivVYjZWxOysWB_1Fbh8KG/s320/DSC_9672.jpg)
Our Cupcake. I could write a book about this crazy loving 2 year old! She has definitely rewritten some of our parenting in the different ways she has taught us to love. She happily holds the title of the boss to her brother and sisters and they oblige. She is so full of life with everything that she does...and has some really fun quirks about her as well. She has wiggled her way into our -no kid zone- bed every Wednesday night and wouldn't have it any other way. She loves to be a big girl and try new things, but sometimes bites off more than she can chew and is happy to run back to snuggle a hug or find safety in Daddy's arms! She loves babies...both dollies and the real deal. She often knows what my Pumpkin Babies need before I do. She has a great love for her Papa and wants to hog him whenever we are around him! Cupcake looks forward to starting dance after the new year and is all worried about making sure Mama puts the groceries away in the correct place every Sunday afternoon. One of her favorite things to do is to dance to "What does the fox say" or "Gummi Bear" on Wii Just Dance Kids!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiIch1QvAnyfEC8mx7Y0BX180gE_cFXg1NAVs1ogao2yqDa7xRlPHhexdxiXr19QYS8rHi8f394es3YkT83PHvbTRqPmA1hH8nQ2-KmxHt_y-E7WF1GvS_BECPIMO6vwmGm6Wy1Gy5IIhO/s320/DSC_9657.jpg)
Our LoveBug! She is a happy happy happy 2 year old that can frequently be found singing, counting, or laughing. This little girl has been full of surprises! Born addicted to cocaine proved to be a little bit of a trial in the beginning, just when getting through the 3rd month of withdrawals we discovered she had cerebral palsy. While it is a very mild form, the combination of being addicted to drugs in utero and the CP makes her a 'difficult case.' She was blessed to be accepted by the Shriner's hospital in November and will be making her first trip to Minneapolis with Daddy for her first appointments in March...just before her 2nd Anniversary of her adoption day. She makes you laugh and is our family clown...we are so blessed to have this little lady in our lives. She has so many little ways she communicates without words, which is nice because some days she is unable to speak in ways that she can be understood. Sign language also helps us out too. On her rough days she doesn't like to be around the daycare kids and actually prefers playing in her crib so she can just lay down and nap as needed. I breaks this Mama's heart to have her spend so much of the day alone, but at those moments that is what helps best. She has occupational therapy every other week and physical therapy every week. In the new year we will be doubling both PT & OT and adding Speech also.
We are blessed to have two little dark chocolate foster babies that have been with us for just over a month also. That brings the ages of our 6 kids living here to 7, 6, 2, 2, 2 and 1! It makes for a busy household...but can I just tell you how amazing it is to remember back to 10 years ago when we had our first miscarriage and hearing that is was unlikely we would ever have children!
My hope for this blog is to post weekly (sometimes more or less.) I would be happy if you would follow along, but understand if you are not interested. Love Being Mama ended up being more for me to remember all the ways I LOVE BEING A MAMA, and I look forward to continuing on that journey!