Big Girl Room

If you read Sunday's post, you know that our big girl turned seven this past weekend.  When I asked her the best thing about turning 7, she said it was having her room "changed into zebra print".  So, I thought I'd share her new room with you.:)

{We painted and "blinged" her name}

{I made these loft bed curtains...she loves them!}

{artwork by Melia :)}

In the Blink of an Eye...

...a precious, beautiful, amazing baby girl has turned into this...

...precious, beautiful, amazing, SEVEN YEAR OLD!

Some "stuff" about Miss M at 7 years old:

Favorites
Color-pink
Food-ice cream
Thing to learn about-Math
Friend-Eden Strickland
Thing to do by myself-build legos
Restaurant-Logan's Steakhouse
Book-Ivy and Bean
Movie-Barbie Princess Charm School
Game-UNO Attack
Bible Verse-John 3:16
Thing to do for fun-play with my friends
Commandment-"Do not be jealous."

If I could go anywhere, I would go to Africa to see Bek and bring him home. 

The person I admire most is Mrs. Schmidt {her kindergarten teacher}

I am currently praying for Bek to be home by his birthday.

I want to thank Jesus that I have a nice family.

One person I'd like to spend a whole day with is Lexi {my cousin}.

The best part about 1st grade is Specials. {She really loves all of it, but she does have a love for the "fine arts"}

The best part of turning seven is that I got my room changed into zebra print.

One thing I wish for is Clara {Beck} to come home because I really miss her.  {Clara is living in Korea where her parents are working for a school there, spreading the love of Jesus to the Korean people! :)}


When I grow up, I want to be an artist.

One thing I want everyone to know about me is that I'm honest.

...................................................................................................................................................................

A Note from your Mommy:

Sweet Melia,

You are such a joy!  When God blessed your Daddy and I with a baby girl seven years ago, we had no idea what a pleasure it would be to be your parents.  You have blessed our lives in so many ways.

We are so proud of the young woman you are becoming.  You are such a bright young lady and we always look forward to visiting with your teacher who has nothing but wonderful things to say about you.  Even when you mess up, you are repentant and are so quick to make things right.  We appreciate your strong will and your focus towards being the absolute best that you can be.

Your heart is beginning to soften towards the Lord...I am seeing it in little things from your reminders to your brother of the ten commandments to your sweet, sincere prayers about those who are important to you.  I know that soon you will be asking Jesus to live in your heart and I really believe that your life will be an amazing force for Him.

Your future is so bright.  You can do anything you set your mind to.  My prayer for you is that you will allow God to lead your path and that you will serve Him diligently.  I also pray for wisdom in parenting you...that I will do the things that point you towards Heaven and that everything I do and say will portray  Christ's love.

I love you so much, sweet girl.  I am so blessed to be your mommy.  I am looking forward to seeing what this year holds for you!



Some Adoption Misconceptions {via a 4 year old}

Oh, our children...

C and M on our way to Cow Appreciation Day at CFA

When we first started talking about adoption in November of 2009, we decided to be completely open with our kids about what was going on.  After all, adding a child/children to our family will be a huge adjustment not just for the two of us, but for the whole family.  We have been open about the way our family dynamics will change and have spoken to them about race and other issues that will inevitably arise. 

Miss Melia, well, she gets it.  I know there will be lots of things that will come up for her when the adoption is complete, but she knows what she will say when someone says {for example} "That kid's not your brother, he's black."  She plans to respond "Yes, he is, we adopted him from Africa."

She also understands that we will get a referral, wait for a couple of months, go "visit" our child, come home, and then go back to bring him/her home with us.  She gets it.

Camden, on the other hand, not so much.  He really hadn't said much about it {except in every. single. prayer.} until recently, when two hilarious misconceptions came out, as follows:

Misconception #1: EVERY child is adopted.

Melia and Camden are in the middle seats of my soccer mom mini-van on the way home from swimming one afternoon.  Melia suddenly says to me, "Mommy, Camden wants to play together and I want us to play alone...which should we do?" to which I respond "You should play together...that's why God gave you to each other."
Having not gotten the answer she wanted, she groans "Mommy!" while Camden attempts to explain:
"That's right...God said 'Camden and Melia, I am giving you to Trevor and Jennifer to play together.'  And then we were adopted!" 
{Of course, it was a good opportunity to explain that I am their birth mommy and their forever mommy and that their siblings will have a different birth mommy, and I will be their forever mommy, but SERIOUSLY?!}

Misconception #2: I will give birth to our adopted child.

I took Camden shopping today and at one of the stores, there is a play area for kids so he is playing with another boy who is probably 6 years old.  They introduce themselves to each other and then I hear him telling the other boy "I am going to have a baby brother.  Well, we don't know if it's a boy or girl."  The lady who works there is grinning at him and then up at me and I feel the need to quickly explain that we are adopting.
As we are exiting the store, I tell him that he should tell people that we are adopting when he is talking about his new brother or sister so that no one thinks I have a baby in my belly.  He replies "so, when we know if it's a brother or sister, then the baby will be in your belly?"  OH. MY. "No, buddy," I say, "the baby won't ever be in my belly."
So, after some thought he says "So, is Jesus gonna put him to us?"
Sheesh!
After explaining about how his daddy and I will go pick the baby up in Africa, he seems to understand...

we shall see!



Young Love

Oh, Kinley Marsh...

My boy has his 4-year-old heart set on you! 

Last week, when I was holding newborn baby Liv, Camden had this conversation with his Nana:

Cam: Nana, when I marry Kinley, we're gonna have a baby like that.

Nana: Oh, really?

Cam: Yep, do you think my baby's gonna be a boy or a girl? Huh, Nana, a boy or a girl?

Nana: Well, Camden, probably a girl; everyone in our family has a girl first.

Cam: Oh, ok.

Nana: What are you going to name her?

Cam: {without missing a beat} Eva, like on Wall-E. And, she {pointing at me} won't be my mom anymore.

Nana: Sure, she will.  She will always be your mommy like I am her mommy. 

Cam: Oh.

Nana: Where are you and Kinley and Eva going to live?

Cam: With Josh and Katie {Kinley's parents}

Nana: Well, that's not really how it works...you have to go to college and get a job so you can buy your own house to live in.  What kind of a job are you going to get?

Cam: Well, for Halloween, I'm going to be an army man.

Oh, that boy!  It's always something!

{Since then, he has told me several times that he is going to be Iron Man when he grows up.  Saving the world is a noble profession, I suppose.}

P.S. Also on this trip on a particularly trying day for Mr. Camden, I asked him to get off the floor of Dillards and he yelled "You're ruining my life!!"  Is it just me or is this kid a little beyond his 4 years?!

Introducing...

Olive Claire Campbell

My new niece!

Born at St. Mary's Hospital

Jefferson City, Missouri

July 19th, 2011

8 lbs. 8 oz.

20 inches

To my brother, Brandon and his wife, Amy

One proud daddy with his two sisters

Camden and Melia are thrilled she's here, too!

Sweet Little Liv

I finally got to give her the quilt I made her!  My kids lovingly call it the "Angry Birds" quilt.:)

I think she likes it!

Appreciating Melia's Teacher

Last week was teacher appreciation.  Melia and I planned to do two things for her AMAZING teacher, Mrs. Schmidt, shown here with Miss Melia:

However, Miss M thwarted our plans when she got Mrs. Schmidt a gift without my permission on Monday.  Here's how it went down...

I dropped her off at her Nana and Papa's house just like I do every morning.  Knowing that it was Teacher Appreciation Week and she had nothing for her teacher and that her teacher LOVES chocolate, she asked her Nana if she had any chocolate that she could give Mrs. Schmidt. 

Now, anyone that knows my mother knows that she also is a lover of all things chocolate, so for every holiday, her students give her pounds and pounds of chocolate...some of which she eats/shares and some of which she puts in her freezer for emergencies.  This was an emergency.  So, she opened her freezer and let Melia pick out a piece of chocolate.  What does our little reader pick?  A huge Hershey Kiss with the words #1 Teacher across the package.

When I heard that she'd brought her a present on Monday, I just decided it would be best to get her something every day.  So, the list of Teacher Appreciation Gifts 2011 was born:

Monday

Giant Hershey Kiss

Tuesday

Gerbera Daisy

With the words "Thank you for helping me bloom.  Love, Melia"

Wednesday

$10 iTunes Gift Card

In a card that Melia wrote "Thank you for filling my Kindergarten days with music."

Thursday

Embellished Scissors

Friday

A Tray of Homemade Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Packaged in Cupcake Liners on a Sandwich Tray

With a card that read "Thank you BERRY much for everything."

It was so much fun, I think I may have a new favorite week!! :)

Mothers Day 2011

Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. Prov 31:28

Mothers Day this year was wonderful!

I started the morning with three gifts from my hubby and kiddos:

A Flower Pillow from my boy

A "Chocolate-covered Strawberry" from my girl

And My Ssekos!! 

Then, we went to see the African Children's Choir

It was awesome!!  I thought it might be a little hard to see such sweet little kiddos from the same continent as our children that we are waiting so {im}patiently for, but honestly, it was so good for my heart!

We then went to Trevor's parents' house for lunch {we celebrated with my mom the week before} and then home for a NAP!!  Yep, you read correctly...I got to take a nap.  I had one kiddo on each side of me, even though I was the only one who slept.  It was heavenly! :)

I am so, so thankful for the mothers in my life.  I really spent the day reflecting on how blessed I am to have such an amazing mom and mother-in-law and to have the opportunity to raise my two sweet, beautiful kids.  In addition, I love having the opportunity to do this stage of life with so many supportive friends {and my sister and sisters-in-law} who also have the same struggles and wins with their kids and who help keep me accountable for being the best mom I can be. 

Thank you, Jesus, for always placing the right people in my life at just the right time!

Little Buddy's Birthday Party

Tomorrow's the big day...Camden turns four!!  Last weekend, Cam celebrated his birthday with his buddy Cade at the park.  It was a great day and was fun for all the kiddos that got to come!

The birthday boys...Camden and Cade

The big sisters :) 

Cousin Gavin climbing on the structure 

The boys' best friend, Kenna 

Princess Clara 

Camden swinging {Notice Uncle Brandon in the background...he and Aunt Amy came for the weekend!} :) 

Mischevious Mason (another cousin) 

Eden wanted Camden to blow the "flower".  Papa encouraged this {bet it would have been a different story if it had been his yard...ha!} 

One of Camden and Cade's teachers, Miss Natalie, came to the party...so sweet! :)

The Batman (Cade)/Ironman (Camden) cake 

The boys during the birthday song 

Here is why I love this picture...it was too windy to light their candles, so they just "pretended" to blow them out!

Buddy Kyler 

Melia and Karissa found a "friend" on the playground 

Messy face! 

The Pinata 

We had so much fun we {almost} forgot to open the gifts! 

It was a super fun {and exhausting} party.  When it was over, we went to Camden's soccer game and then home for a nap.  Well, I took a nap while the kids played...seriously!

*Precious moment alert: Cam has been saying every day how he's "growin' up" and he requests that I respond with a growl and "STOP GROWIN' UP!"  This has been our game for the last couple of weeks.  So, on Saturday when I laid down for a nap, he crawled up and snuggled right next to me and said, "Oh!  We gotta pray!

Dear Jesus, thanks for my fun party and that I'm gettin' bigger.

And, please be with my mom and help her not to be sad that I'm growin' up!

Amen!"

Ahh...precious!