tis the season...

I couldn't drag my feet any longer. It was time to cut Samson's hair. Eddie was not happy, in fact, he fought with all his four year old might to keep the scissors away. It took all my strength and patience to hold him down. He literally went ape s$#% through the entire ordeal. His Aunt Sherri couldn't have been sweeter, and somehow she got it done. Eddie can see now. He looks so handsome! The rest of the day, Eddie kept telling me, "Mom, I don't like my haircut!". But I think it is growing on him now that he doesn't have tangles every morning.

Before...
After...
Jacob was a champ, his haircut was a breeze and he loves it. Here are his before and after shots...

I'm not sure how I feel about him looking this grown up, but I'm pretty sure I can't stop it!

love this lady...

This week we got a chance to visit Jacob and Saren's birth mom, Maggie. Isn't she beautiful? I love her so much! I see her so often in my kids....when Jacob makes his nervous face or grins his charming smile or when Saren nods her head cooly and says..."Yah" and every time I fix her beautiful, black hair.

This is our kids' adorable, look-a-like, Marshallese cousin, Robbie.

Thankful, is not an adequate enough word to explain how glad I am that God brought Maggie and my family together, almost seven years ago. I will never be able to tell her what a blessing her children are to our family. She made me a Mommy! Maggie, as well as Eddie's birth Mom, Jenny, are my sisters! I know God has great things in store for both of them because they have blessed my family in such an immeasurable way. I respect birth mothers in a profound manner. Birth Mothers are willing to suffer and have their hearts broken, so their children can have the best life they can give them. It is a true act of selflessness, which is what being a Mom is all about. Lots of love to you, Maggie and Jenny.

the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker...

In an attempt to channel "The Hunger Games" Peeta, Dave is learning to bake bread. Just kidding, he doesn't know who Peeta is but the baker part is not lost on me. Maybe I should buy him a manly stenciling kit?

Normally, my Dave doesn't cook, bake, fry, saute, baste, boil, carve, stir, cut, chop, dice, simmer, sear or do anything that requires a culinary skill set. In the past Dave has occasionally grilled, but kind of badly. Since he got excited about this whole sour dough phenomenon, he has made nine loaves of bread! What is going on? And the sourdough loaves are getting progressively prettier and tastier. It is awesome! I knew there was a reason I looked cooking over baking. He is always surprising me. I was not, however, that he could only slightly hide his annoyance at me taking this photo.