5 kids...for real.

(I've thought and thought about how to write this post...so I finally just decided to sit down at the keyboard and see what comes out.)

We are so very excited to be adding another kiddo to our family. But in reality, kiddo #5 was actually the first. Let me explain...

Over nine years ago, before Jason and I ever ever met, he fathered a baby out of state. He told me about his daughter, who was an infant back then, on our first date. He has always helped financially and stayed in contact with the mother, but there was never a relationship, which was a mutual decision by them both. Jason was here...she was there...they went on with their separate lives.

Until now.

We'd like to introduce you to Alexis....

"Alex" is this amazing, gorgeous, crazy-smart little girl who just happens to look just like her Daddy. She's brainy like Aidan, and creative like Hannah. (Qualities that I've always claimed they got from me, but now, getting to know Alex, Jason is trying to take credit for all the great qualities! Whatever!)
:)

 Our hearts feel like they are literally about to BUST. We feel so lucky to be able to be part of her precious little life. She still lives out of state, so we met her a few weeks ago several hours away at a noisy Cracker Barrel. Jason and I both had butterflies as she approached...and then it was just perfect. She talked, we listened. We learned about her likes and dislikes, and how she just loves school. I'll have to say, she's a pretty rockin' awesome nine-year-old.

I can't explain to you what an amazing, blessed situation this is. Alex's mom and I became instant friends. We talk and/or text nearly everyday...I have truly gained a new friend! She's this incredible, Christian woman who has always put Alex's needs first. What a wonderful relief Jason has knowing that his daughter has grown up in a safe, Christian home! She's happy and healthy and knows the love of Jesus. This situation could have had so many cruddy endings, but instead, it's awesome! God is SO good!

Alex has been dying to meet her brothers and sisters (we didn't take the crew with us when we met her) so she'll be joining us for a long weekend this weekend! Yay! WE CANNOT WAIT! Seriously, we are all giddy like we are waiting for Christmas around here. Aidan, Hannah, Macy and Houston - oh my goodness - they can hardly handle their excitement. They spent about 30 minutes yelling "WE HAVE A BIG SISTER! WE HAVE A BIG SISTER!". (And just to let you know...Aidan is so stinkin' relieved it's not another little kid. He's been asking for an older sibling for a while now. Little did he know!) They are LITERALLY counting down the hours until she gets here. (45 hours and counting....)

My girlfriends have asked how I am doing with this. I really can't explain it. There is such a PEACE knowing we are doing the right thing. Jason and I have talked and talked over this happening the past several years. And now it's such a peaceful, wonderful feeling knowing that we are COMPLETELY in the middle of God's will. Nine years ago he knew the timing of this. He knew how open and accepting the kids, Jason and I would be to sweet Alex. He's prepared all our hearts. And for those of you who know me pretty well, you know that I'd totally be "Ms. 19 Kids and Counting" if Jason would let me! The more kids, the merrier! I'm excited about the role I get to play in Alex's life. I'm even more excited about seeing her develop relationships with her Daddy and siblings. I'm busy planning a fun weekend for us, and can't wait to see her siblings attack her with hugs when she pulls in the driveway on Friday evening.

Life is good. God is great.

Stupid monkey bars.

Before...

After...

I took Houston, Hannah and Macy to the local school playground after dinner to play on Saturday evening. We were having a great time when Houston fell from the monkey bars ladder (about 3 feet) and landed wrong. He came to me whimpering, and as soon as I saw his arm I knew what had happened. It was completely distorted. I was by myself and couldn't reach Jason (at home with Aidan) so I called my Dad and he took us to the Hendersonville Hospital ER. Jason was there not long after we arrived. They pumped him full of painkillers and took xrays. They showed it was a horrible double fracture breaking both bones in his forearm, with severe displacement, probably needing surgery. They sent us to Vanderbilt Children's in an ambulance (scary for me, awesome for Hootie).

They had to put him to sleep to set his arm once there, but he didn't have to have the surgery. (Praise GOD!) He is in a soft cast for now (to allow for swelling), and will go back this week to see if he will need the surgery and to get a hard cast. It was a long, emotional night - we spent a total of 10 hours in two ERs. Having to put him under anesthesia totally freaked me out (while the 20 minute procedure took over 40 minutes) - but we all survived. He's still in pain, and sleeps a lot due to the Lortab pain killers, but all-in-all he's handling it like a champ!

Here's a look at how his arm looked from the top...I'll spare you the picture from the side. Seriously.

Never in my life would I have thought my baby, at three years old, would be in a cast. However, we always figured Hootie would be the first to break a bone - he's a bruiser. Praying to continue to avoid surgery and for him to recover quickly.

This blog post brought to you from the sunny, Gulf Coast beaches...

We were pretty nervous, but it looks like good ole Tropical Storm Debby just skipped on by us! (So sorry to you folks vacationing in Destin and PCB!). We had some ugly skies, and a ton of wind, but not a single raindrop! Today we woke up to gorgeous sunny skies! So we are living it up here on the Gulf!

New Video!

Jason and I are FLOORED by how many views we've had on our initial adoption video. At LEAST 17,000! Wowzers! It's been amazing how many emails I've received from people in the past year who have watched the video, and have then contacted me telling me they were prompted to adopt! Just goes to show that Little Miss Macy hasn't just changed OUR family, but so many others!

So, Macy's been home for over a year now, and I figure it's time for a new video showing what this spunky, funny girl has been up to. Enjoy!

CLICK HERE FOR MACY'S NEW VIDEO!

( Or click on to the link to the right ------> )

Blessed

It's been a busy day, but even in the hustle and bustle of this Mother's Day, I've still been able to pause and realize just how very blessed I am. I've got four amazing, funny, healthy children. Out of the four, I have one that was born two months premature, one that was given a 0% chance of survival inutero, and one that I was led to on the other side of the world. Blessed - yes! Amazed that God has chosen me to trust with these four little souls - oh yes!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mommas out there! And a HUGE celebration goes out to all my Momma friends in the adoption process that found out AMAZING news this week! My friend Shannon got her referral this week (Haiti)! So did Laura (Ethiopia)! My friend Fran is meeting her new daughter this week (Ethiopia)! My friend Cindy is FINALLY able to proceed with their adoption as they are officially in IBESR (Haiti)! My friend Stacie found out she's traveling next week to bring her son home (Congo)! My friend Susan is meeting and bringing home her daughter this week (Philippines)! And one of my dearest friends, Emily, is bringing home her TWO daughters this week (Haiti)! (I'm so geeked up for the homecoming Wednesday I can hardly stand it!) These friends all followed our adoption process with Macy, and it's been incredible being along side them during their process! 

Bunny pictures this weekend!

For all you local peeps....Amanda Humphrey Photography (that's me!) will be doing Easter portraits with live bunnies again this year! This has been a huge success the last two years, and I look forward to doing it again this year. I'll be doing them at Hazel Path Mansion in Hendersonville, on Gallatin Road (across from Wendy's), on Friday and Saturday mornings 10am to 1pm. No appointment necessary, it's first come, first served. Cost is $25 and that will cover your session, and a cd with 8 to 10 edited images on it, along with the copyright release to reproduce them however you wish. Cds will be ready before Easter.
Tell your friends! I'd love another big crowd this year!
*Note: There's a slight chance of isolated storms on Friday and Saturday. We will be doing the pictures on the beautiful covered porch, and will be shooting rain or shine! Spread the word!

More Stupid People.

I've shared with you all before about all the lovely stupid people I've met since bringing Macy home. Stupid, ignorant, one-track-minded people. (Gosh, that doesn't quite sound like Jesus oozing out of me does it? Well, if I could think of a more Christ-like way of putting this, I might have tried. But I came up empty, so stupid it is.)
It was 82 degrees (maybe even warmer) today in Middle TN - perfect Spring Break weather if your destination is, well, Middle TN. I wanted to take full advantage of the sunshine, so we all took the tags off our  brand new flip flops and headed to the local Greenway. When this area of town was built a couple of years ago, I thought, "Oh great, a park with no playground. We will never go there." Well good golly Miss Molly, was I ever wrong. My kids LOVE this place. And I don't even take anything - like bikes or balls. They just go and run and explore. Today we packed a picnic lunch (courtesy of Sonic) and had us a fun couple of hours. Just when I was about ready to wrap things up, Aidan says, "OH! Let's walk up to the library and check out some books". Now I'm not one to crush my children's love for literature (erg!), so I dragged my legs and little ones down the path and headed to the library. The kids were great...even Hootie was making an attempt for using an inside voice. After finding their books they wanted to play on the kiddy computers, so I let them while I stood behind them looking at a book. I then see two women, obviously library employees, scurry by me whispering in a rather concerned tone. I could tell they were looking for something as they glanced up and down all the aisles. A few minutes later they came back up to where we were (by the way, we were the ONLY people in the children's room of the library today) and walked right up to Macy, tapped her on the shoulder, and say, "Sweetie, did your Mommy leave you here? Because we've been looking for her because we don't want you to be left in here all alone." I was literally three feet behind Macy. I say, "Excuse me?" And they say, "Well, my co-worker here thinks her Momma must have left her in here and children aren't allowed to be in here unattended, so she came and got me and we've been searching all over for someone." (Insert image of me seeing red right about... now.) I simply say, "She's mine. I am her mother." They reply with some "umms" and "ohhhs" and scurry off.
AGHHHHHHHH!!!!!! HELLLOOOOOOO????? They didn't even ASK if she was "with me" (which is what I usually get) or if I'd seen her mother. All they saw was a little black kid with no black momma in sight, and made their own assumption. And HELLO unobservant librarians, she and Hannah were even wearing coordinating dresses. And we ALL came in together. HELLLOOOO???? And if you are going to be so stupid, PLEASE do not do so IN FRONT OF MY CHILDREN. Poor Macy already realizes she's different than the rest of her pastey-white family...she doesn't need you reminding her in public.
Anywho.....
Other than our run in with Mrs. and Ms. Racial Profilers, we had a lovely afternoon....