No News

No news today on whether or not we get to adopt
Makaylee's little sister. The committee didn't
meet afterall and they won't decide until some
time in January it looks like. More waiting.
Good thing we have gotten pretty good at that.
I am sad though because I had already boughten
her things for Christmas and was already picturing
Makaylee getting to share celebrating our Savior's
birth with her beloved sister and how special that
would be (she hasn't seen her in over a year). Here's
some pictures of Makaylee and Nyah though. Makaylee
wanted to wear a side ponytail to school! Brings me
back :) Now if I could just find some Aqua Net for her
bangs...

Special Visit

Grandpa and Grandma came to visit last night
and everyone was so excited. I put little
ponies in Nyah's hair for the special occasion.
She wouldn't tolerate it for very long so I
didn't get to do the back. They lasted through
the night, I was surprised.




Makaylee shows Grandpa her album with all the
pictures from when she was 18 months- 3yrs. that
her previous foster mom had scrapbooked for her.
Makaylee was so adorable! (and still is)




Sorry, Orin, I know you hate it when I cut
off your head but then I would have missed
out on Dad's expression!




Grandpa reading Nyah her favorite book - the
first time she sat still all night :)

A Few Days Left

I didn't think I'd ever say this but I'm actually
enjoying watching Nyah grow. Her personality is
just blossoming each day and she is getting so animated!
I thought I would miss her babyness but this toddler
stuff is great. I love being able to interact with her more
and watching her try to communicate with words.



In four days we will know if we get to adopt Makaylee's
2 year old sister. This adoption committee in the foster
care system is kind of like your court date for you
international adoptive parents. So needless to say we are
getting anxious. Orin and I really wanted to adopt Makaylee's
brother as well and keep all three siblings together but we
had to let that go because he was getting aggressive with
Marquez when angry and it wasn't safe to have him in our
home. But we love him and are going to see him regularly so
Makaylee can continue to have a relationship with him. He is
such a sweetheart, really. He just doesn't know how to handle
negative emotions. So, please pray on Wednesday that if it is
God's plan for our family that we will be chosen as the adoptive
family for little sister. Makaylee prays for her every night
and is counting on this. I am hoping she won't be devastated
if it doesn't work out though, because her and Nyah have so
much fun together! Those two are inseparable!

Overdue haircut

Marquez's hair was getting way too
long and we couldn't keep it from
sticking out in crazy ways anymore
sooo... the beautiful curls had to
go. We saved a few precious locks
for his keepsake box since I never
got to have any baby curls from the
hospital.



experimenting for future hairstyles





We had fun with it before we shaved it all off!

Nyah was sick all weekend so we stayed home and had
a quiet weekend full of lots of naps, fluids, and
humidifiers for her. She is feeling a little better
thank goodness. Now that all the project cars are out
of the driveway, there's room to play ball. Orin,
Marquez and Makaylee worked all day on putting
together the basketball hoop and shooting around.
Makaylee was so ecstatic that it could be lowered
to 8 ft. for her. We are going to put her on the kindergarten
YMCA basketball team in January. I can't wait to watch
her. I've never seen a little girl so into sports before!
She's so naturally competitive and can dribble with one hand
instead of two. Now if I can just find Marquez's old Air
Jordans from when he was 6...

Homebody

We were so busy this summer going here and there
that I love days like today where there is nothing
on the calendar that we have to do. We can just sit
in our nice cozy house and enjoy each other uninterrupted.
My favorite thing has got to be seeing the world fresh through
the eyes of a baby in all her wonder and amazement! The wind is
whipping through our backyard and Nyah watches the leaves swirling,
Makaylee is deciding which piece of Halloween candy to eat
next, and Marquez is making paint thinner to work on his model
car with Orin as soon as he gets home. All is right in the
world.

"Cute!... but what is she?"

Every year we go with another adoptive family we met at church. This is our 5th or
6th year in a row. We are quite the herd when we get together :)






Yay, Daddy gets to go this year! He's usually still at work.





Everyone thought Nyah was a bug- I thought it was a monster- who knows?!





Marquez saw two other boys dressed in the same costume as him and was embarassed. I thought only girls feel this way. Kinda like when you show up to prom and someone else has on the exact same dress as you. He he.





It was packed downtown at 4pm- probably because all the dads wanted to get home
to see the big game :)




Nyah was mesmerized by all the different costumes!





Pizza break at our friends house before we go out again





Marquez is so cute!




Auntie Jenae dresses up in Orin's postal uniform to go to work the night shift at the hostpital.