Oaks Park In Pictures

Here are some pictures from Oaks Park!!!!!!!!!

 

For the First time

For the first time today, YOU went to an amusement park, Oaks Park. It was SO much fun, seeing you having a blast with everything, the Scrambler, the (little kid)Roller Coaster, the Tilt-a-Whirl, the Balloon Ride, the Rockin' Tug, the Carousel, the Cho-Cho Train, and the BIG Slide.
Oh my goodness, you loved everything about being there, the excitement, the rush, the wind in your hair, the joy of the crowd, the craziness of the lines, everything. I'd say you had a blast. :)
I really wanted to upload the pictures from today, but blogger isnt uploading them.

But one thing before I end this post.
The entrance to the Train had American Flags surrounding it, when we got to the front of the line I kept getting swooshed in the face by one of the flags. You thought it was the funniest thing, to watch sissy get hit in the face by a flag, you tried to "get" the flag while sissy held you. It was so cute.
Anyways there is some value to this story besides your cuteness.
It made me think, if mommy and daddy would have said "No" to God when he called them to adopt you, you would have never been a part of our family, I would have never known the joy that you bring, and our family's hearts would have never changed. You would still be stuck in an orphanage, waiting, wondering, hoping for a family.
That flag, buddy, is a reminder of your freedom, the freedom GOD gave you (and everyone else in this country) and whenever you see it remember how much God loves you, that he sent his ONLY son to die for you, and he'd do anything for you. He loves you, and he is the reason you are where you are today.

(I'll try to upload the pictures as soon as I can)
Love you more than you know. <3
Love sissy, Manda.

Thankful!

Hey Little V,
Last night as I was snuggling you right before I put you in your crib.
I prayed to God, I told him I was so thankful for you, that I couldn't even fathom my life with out you in it, I thanked him for all of the help through out your adoption buddy, then I cried.
I cried to myself though, I was in your room with you holding you, crying.
I tried to imagine if mommy and daddy would have given up in the hard times, then i wouldn't be holding you, you'd be in an orphanage, still waiting.
I cried for your birth family, that they never knew how much love you give and how smart you are.
I cried for happy reasons. I was blessed by the most perfect little brother anyone could imagine, EVER.
You are so loved.
I cried for the families who are so scared about having a child with DS that they abort that child, I cried for them because they are too scared of the unknown to even step foot into it.
I cried for all the people who give up in the adoption process because of money, or because its ''Too hard" 
But boy, with out the hard times we wouldn't be here, Life isn't easy. Life's hard some times.
It's not impossible to adopt, because with GOD ANYTHING is possible.
Then I wondered, How was I blessed by you? How come I'm your big sister, little man, I loove you.
Then I told you "I love you, I will never ever leave you, buddy, I love you so much."
I like to think you told me "I yuv you." but that could just be me, maybe you did, but maybe you just babbled.
You kissed me, and hugged me and then I put you in your crib.

I love you SO much babes.
I'm so so thankful for you!
Love Sissy Danda.

Babies, Babies, and More BABIES!(Or Monkeys)

Last week Mommy had a new baby start at our daycare, Baby Ian. At first you didn't like the idea of him being here, You would just stare at him from a distance.You HATE baby dolls so I think you thought he was a dolly. But you warmed up to him, you even held him. (With sissy's help)

Ian Is extra special Just like you, we met him through your play group, he is nearly 3 months and he is the size of a newborn, he is so precious and sweet the last few days i have been holding him for hours at a time. He is so cute!

Lately you have been carying either Woody or this monkey around pretending it is a baby, wrapping them up in a blanket, and putting them in the baby's swing. Its so cute.
You said "Ma Babu" yesterday when Madison took your monkey. It's the cutest things. I guess since you are not in the liking with dolls, monkey or woody is the way to go! :D

Also Buddy boy, you have began to TALK alot more! You say up to 16 words, including, Stop, No, Milk, Hot, Danda(Manda), Denzy(Kenzy), Josh, Dada and alot more! You sign too! 18 different signs! You can sign and say Milk and Hot. Today when I came over with my lunch to the table you looked at me signed HOT and said HOT! With no promting, (My food was hot) You're just so smart, buddy and you've only been home for 4 months and 9 days! You are so amazingly intellegent!

Tonight you have you're play group again.
I Love you Like cookies! :) (EVEN MORE)

My Blessings.

Well, Sunshine, I have a lot of blessings in this life, I was thinking about it just now when i read a quote i used to use all the time when i was 13: "When I count my blessings I count YOU twice"  It was one of my favorite things to right in cards or use just because. I was just thinking that I should let you know my blessings (I mean besides you.)

To start off, We have a HUGE close-knit family bud, This is dad's side, we all live next to each other, like literally, who can say they have that? :) Not very many people!

We have 7 cousins and 2 aunts and 2 uncles and Papa and Grandma. Us 7 kids, and Mommy and Daddy. (Its Big I know)

We have a nice house to live, enough food to eat, loving caring people in our lives, and God, buddy, never ever forget that GOD Loved us so much he sent Jesus to die for our sins, buddy, okay?

The Bible says: "For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten son; That whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have ever lasting life." John 3:16

God, will never leave you or forsake you, bud, he loves you more than you know, he loves you more than anyone on this Earth loves you! I'm not exaggerating at all.

Did I ever stop to think how truly blessed I am? Not until now, babe, we are blessed beyond words!

I am genuinely blessed by you, brudder, there are seriously not enough words in this world to describe how much I love you, I love you with all of my being, i loved you before i met you, I loved you when you were just a picture, I loved you when you were just a thought. Babe! I LOVE YOU MORE NOW! I can't even remember the days before you came home, it seems forever ago, it seems like you've been here your whole life! It seems as though you never lived in a baby home, it seems as though you lived with us since birth, maybe its because you look like mommy, maybe its because you mesh so perfectly with our family, or maybe its just simply because you were born in our hearts by a truly miraculous blessing from God.

Never lose sight of what really matters, Family, Friends, Love, Purity, Joy, Peace, Hope, and most importantly our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Vahny, just by your being and God leading us to you, We are changing the world buddy, whether it be by the way this world looks at people who are 'different' or by trying to save as many orphans as we can!

You're the reason I am who I am today!

And Sunshine, when I count my blessings, I DEFIANTLY count you twice! (I actually count our whole family twice!)

Love more than the shiny stars in the night time sky!

Love Sissy Manda!

Smile.

Hey Sunshine, I Always think smiling is the most important thing in life, and buddy, ever since you've been home I've smiled so much. (This series of pictures were taken on the 24th of July)
The words(lyrics) that you are gonna see are from the song "Smile" by Uncle Kracker, it's one of my most favorite songs buddy and I hope you like it too. :)

~SMILE~ UNCLE KRACKER~

You're better than the best
I'm lucky just to linger in your light
Cooler than the flip-side of my pillow (that's right)

Completely unaware
Nothing can compare to where you send me
Let's me know that it's okay (yea, it's okay)
And the moments when my good times start to fade

You make me smile like the sun, fall outta bed
Sing like a bird,
Dizzy in my head
Spin like a record,
Crazy on a Sunday night

You make me dance like fool,
Forget how to breathe
Shine like gold,
Buzz like a bee
Just the thought of you can drive me wild
Oh, you make me smile

Even when you're gone
Somehow you come along just like a flower pokin through the sidewalk crack
And just like that
You steal away the rain
And just like that

You make me smile like the sun, fall outta bed
Sing like a bird,
Dizzy in my head
Spin like a record,
Crazy on a Sunday night

You make me dance like fool,
Forget how to breathe
Shine like gold,
Buzz like a bee
Just the thought of you can drive me wild
Oh, you make me smile

(Oh, you make me smile)
Oh you make me smille

(Oh, you make me smile)
Oh you make me smille

(I do not own this song.

All pictures belong to me.)

Love you more than the grains of sand on ALL the beaches!
Love Sissy, Manda

 

A Sunny (and hot) Sunday!

Today the sun shined ever so brightly and it was HOT, well nothing close to 100degrees but it was around 80 (thats pretty good for Oregon). So after church and after we ate lunch and celebrated my birthday at Grandma's and Papa's we went SWIMMING in our pool, well Makenzy, MaeMae, Jordan, and I did, you were taking your nap.

When you woke up from your nap you played in your little kiddie pool. (For some odd reason you wouldnt go in the big pool.. ) I'll post those pics in a different post because there's so many of them!
One thing you did today that showed your smarts, You were sitting by my bedroom window and you looked out towards the pool where Madi, Kenzy, MaeMae, and Jordan, were swimming, looked at me and signed "SWIM" Good job buddy!
We also had a Veggietales Boys N The Sink dance party.
You came up into my room after the dance party and we danced some more, you got on of my books and 'read' it. :)
You did THE cutest thing we'd be dancing and then we'd lay on the floor and you'd do some silly gesture, I'd copy you and then you just laughed and laughed, its so cute, your laugh, it makes me laugh! You're just the cutest smartest little thing! And I can't Imagine my life with out you!

Love you more than the grains of sand on ALL the beaches!
Love Sissy, Manda