Happy Birthday Xavier

Tomorrow my baby turns 10 years old. It's SO hard to imagine that 10 years has gone by already. It just doesn't seem possible. I don't have any digital baby pics of him, SO all the pictures will be recent. I laugh all the time, because this son of mine is definitely his mothers child. He loves to read. He loves to explore. He loves animals of ALL kinds! He has a heart for the Lord and that is truly an answered prayer. Xavier has such a tender heart and is so caring and sweet. Last week during visiting our cousins new baby, he and Naia actually argued over who would get to hold Claire again! He loved that little tiny baby SO much. He was so excited when Naia was born and yes we do have normal sibling issues, BUT he would still do just about anything for his sister. And when he would just about anything for Naia, he would do anything for his brother! There's a picture where he's just looking down at Paxton in the airport from coming back from Korea and the love on his face is amazing. I've never known another little boy to absolutely love a little brother like he does his. Sitting here typing this makes me think of how fast the past 10 years have gone and how fast I know the next 10 will go as well. It's so sad! He still loves to cuddle his momma and daddy and doesn't mind at all if we hug or kiss him goodbye at school! Xavier is ALL boy. He likes to think right now that he's so grown up. I look at him sometimes and just imagine the teenager he will be or the young college student he will be before I know it. Happy Birthday Xavier! I love you so much!

Happy Gotcha Day Paxton!

Today marks 2 years since sweet Paxton was placed in our arms forever! What a two years it has been! He loves singing Jingle Bells. He loves playing with his brother and sister. They dote on him SO much, that sometimes I have to get on to them for babying him SO much! He is such a blessing to our family and we love him "too" much. (When you ask Paxton how much does Mommy love you, his reply is "Too much Mommy!"

Reminiscing....

A conversation with Naia....

A little background...On most Sunday nights we typically go out to eat with the same group of people after church. We've been doing this for YEARS! So this conversation takes place as we're trying to figure out where to go eat; which is a weekly dilemma. Brent had already taken the kids to the car and they are waiting for me under the awning with all the doors open while I talk with the rest of the group trying to decide.

Brent: How about Taco John's?
Me: Which one?
Brent: The corporate version.
Naia(screaming out her door) Yeah mommma, the corporate virgin!
Me, Brent, Tracy, and others: HAHAHAHHAHA!

Go Colts!

Trophy Wife

Brent: "Hey, my hot trophy wife."
Me: "Oh, you haven't seen me today have you?!"
Brent: I guess you're my hot homely wife today then?!

Thanksgiving

We started Thanksgiving last Saturday. We celebrated with Brent's family then. There were about 20 people there. It was nice outside and the kids had the best time playing. The kids are really close with their cousins, and they were all SO good. After eating WAY too much food, the adults played Upwords and Scrabble Slam. Too much fun! If you haven't played Scrabble Slam, you should give it a try! It was so much fun. Brent hates playing it b/c you have to all play at the same time and it's a very fast and slightly confusing game! Some of the kids are even getting big enough to play. It was funny to sit back and listen to them trying to play after all the adults were done!

Sunday afternoon I dropped off the kids at Nona and Papaw's. They were out of school for the whole week and were excited to be going. Xavier went hunting every day of Thanksgiving break and did not get a deer! He had a blast though! Tuesday I went to Mena and Wednesday afternoon after playing golf with his dad and brother, Brent joined us. My mom, grandma, and I all cooked and got all the casseroles made on Wednesday so on Thanksgiving day all we had to do was cook. It was really nice. We had a huge dinner. So much yummy food and desserts! Thursday night after resting for awhile we all left Mena. Brent and the kids came home. Papaw and Xavier headed back to the lake to hunt. The girls went to Ft. Smith to get ready to shop on Friday! I just got Xavier back today. Naia was also sick all week. Finally got into a dr. on Saturday and she has an ear infection. I think it may be her first! Hopefully she'll feel better soon!

That just about wraps up our holiday break! We all had a great time. My kids are getting SO big. Xavier was old enough to hunt all week. He also played games with the grownups after the little kids went to bed. He's starting to get some jokes and is developing quite the personality!

Wordless Wednesday

Xavier Efird: Expository Descriptive 11/12/2010

MY FAVORITE PLACE TO GO!!!!!
Do you have a favorite place to go? I do! My favorite place to go is in my dreams. The first reason I like my dreams is because I can do anything I want to in them. And just last night I dreamed that it rained hundred dollar bills and I was the President so I got to keep it all. then I donated all $150,000,000 to a hair spray company. The second reason I like my dreams is because when I dream I have to be asleep. Personally, I love sleeping. To me, being awake for more than twelve hours is like torture. Being awake alone is like my kryptonite. The third reason I like my dreams is because I can just relax and be alone. If someone wakes me up I totally lose it. When I am in my dreams I can imagine just about anything. My mom says that I sleep so hard that i could sleep through a hurricane. I hope you can see why my dreams are my favorite place to be. When I am in my dreams, I am as happy as a cow with fresh hay.

SOME GAVE ALL

Thank you soldiers and veterans for serving so selflessly. Thank you so much for the sacrifices that make every time you put on your uniform. And to my own soldiers, we love you!

Hunter

We spent last weekend at the lake; Xavier trying for a deer. He looked SO cute all dressed up in his hunting gear! He didn't get a deer, but it wasn't for lack of trying! I should have taken pictures of him and Papaw ready to go, but I only got ones of Xavier. Naia and Paxton just played outside most of the weekend! It was SO cold, but they didn't seem to mind.

Happy Halloween

Pumpkin Carving and Decorating

Ten Years Later

Telling My Age

This weekend is my 10 year High School Reunion! I can't wait to see everyone. Even though tons of us keep up on FB it'll be SO different to actually see everyone in person! The best part of the weekend is that my best friend from high school AND still today is coming all the way from Florida! We'll also be getting to see the other third of our trio! Should be a fun weekend! SO here are some pics from HS for all of you to laugh at with me!

Something I think Men Don't Get

This week in church our Sunday School lesson was from Beth Moore. We've been studying the Psalms of ascent. Being at the bottom of the hill waiting to get to the temple for our chance to worship and make offerings. The being at the temple and just praising God and thanking Him for getting us there safely. Well today's lesson was from Pslam 130 & 131. About the Lord being our hope. Redeeming us. Like a weaned child sitting in his mother's lap.

Mom's is there ANYTHING better than sitting down at night with a sleepy, bathed, lotioned, sweet baby. There is nothing better than that feeling. David distinctly says like a weaned child, b/c that child isn't in your lap to be fed. He's there because he KNOWS that there is comfort there. That this is where all is right in his little world. Safe and peaceful in momma's lap right before drifting off to sleep. AND how many of us mom's spend that time praying over our child, praying for him. Certainly is he's sick and not feeling well. In Judges 13 Manoah "entreats" to the Lord. Praying over and over for Samson, his unborn child. There's just something about a freshly bathed, cleaned diapered, pj's on, little baby cuddled in your lap.

All the men in our class just sort of looked at the mom's like we were a little off. But all you mom's out there....don't you just crave the days when your babies were little enough to do this?!

2 Years

This post is a few days late, BUT I did think of it then, just didn't post.

On October 2nd it has been two years since we first heard about our sweet Jeong Sol. Since that day, that phone call, he as been ours. We just knew. On the day of, I just knew that that day would be THE day. That Thursday Oct.2nd, I would be getting a phone call from Ed. I just knew. Call it a mother's intuition.





Also, on Oct. 1st it has been 1 year since finalizing Paxton's adoption.




And on Oct. 4th, we received Paxton's citizenship certificate in the mail. What an amazing two years it has been!

Paxtonisms

Last week in church we were talking about Jacob & Esau and I asked the kids who the brothers were. Jacob &....Yeehaw! HAHAHA! The other teacher and I laughed SO hard. He was completely sincere in his answer!

He's also saying funny things like, Cowabunga dude. Excuse you when HE burps. Which he also thinks is hilarious! He's started telling us love you too when you tell him you love him.

Such a sweet boy!

Sorry for the lack of posting lately! We've just settled into our school routine so well, that I just take time to read and then move on! Hopefully I can remedy that.

The weather has been really great here lately. We've had good rain so maybe our leaves will be really pretty in a couple more weeks. We've been really busy at church the past few weeks. We had Back to Church Sunday a couple of weeks ago and we hit a record high of attendence. About 230 people in our church! It was awesome. We had a great turn out for SS and certainly for services. Afterwards, we fed everyone! I got "stuck" (haha....pun really wasn't intended!) making cotton candy! The kids loved it. We had hamburgers, hot dogs, popcorn, drinks, and cotton candy for everyone that came and even a few people from the community that heard we were feeding people for free! Last week we had youth led Sunday. They did a really great job with music, skits, and our intern preaching.

I love watching to see what the Lord is doing in our church! It's exciting to see His people excited again! I love seeing all the new people that are getting involved.

Blogger won't let me upload pictures, SO that's it for today!

Wordless Wednesday

Brownie Making

The boys helped me make brownies for a Ladies' Luncheon at church a few weeks ago. They loved getting to do all the work by themselves.

Perfect Day

This is how we spent a perfect day last Saturday. Daddy has been working a lot lately and we were ALL really happy that he finally had a day off. And the weather was beautiful!