Here's what you missed!

For those who never successfully got onto our private blog, this was the main post you missed. I never got around to much else that I haven't posted here. Since I can show his cute little face, I'm not going to mess with the other blog. It's too much for the person who might or might not have put her breakfast dishes in the bathroom sink. Just sayin'...

This was all from the first day!






Little nugget to share: last week we were out at a Food Truck Friday event and I heard a woman say, "Your children are beautiful". Then she said, "Mam?"

She was talking to me. She said "children." It caught me off guard. I almost started crying. Pretty happy about that.

You obviously don't know my dog.

Oh, the pacifier. A non-issue with Eliot, who didn't care for it. Big D's one comfort that is consistent for his entire existence. The reason I've lost more sleep than late night feedings at this point.

We have over 10 of them, but there's only 1 he will take. Only one that truly pacifies. I've searched high and low to purchase more to make sure I'm not Parker Posey.


Let me make something clear, pacifier. You have met your match, you will not govern the rise and fall of my days and nights. It's on.

Wanna meet Big D?

You'd think we have our hands full but he's really the tiniest of peanuts.

I know, I know... I just said I couldn't show his face but after meeting with our social worker today, she ever so casually mentioned we could start showing his face. So, boom. Here's some of the best. Wanna see more? Cuz there's plenty! As usual, head to Freshartphotography.com

I'm dying, crying, laughing, etc. I can't stop looking at them. Gah!

Big D.

So, why would we get pics of a foster baby with Fresh Art? Cuz he's not really a foster baby in the true sense. If we were to update our status on FB, it would read, "It's complicated." He is a potential adoption that we have physical custody of already. I can't go into much more but wanted to give you a little more info than I have at this point.

We should know more in a few months. And until then, you can't see his cute little face. Or know his name. From hence forth he shall be known as Big D.

Is he ours? No, not yet. Are we pretty much acting as though he is? Yep. Doesn't do anybody any good not to, especially him. He needs to bond and attach to someone while this whole thing gets worked out and I just happen to be willing to chew on his face enough to make the bond happen.

So, what if we bond and attach and it doesn't work out? Not sure, to be honest. Not going there. No need to expect the worst.

And I promise if all goes as planned/prayed for/hoped for, I will spend several blog posts showing you the pics you've missed thus far. Cuz, holy crap, this kid is ridiculous. 100% worth the wait.

Pinterest is making us better parents.

Saw a pic of this activity on pinterest and followed it to this blog. Then showed it to Russ and handed him a cereal box. Done and done.



Eliot's been playing marbles ever since...he's a fan.

In other news...
Oh friends. This whole private blog is a p.a.i.n. The link doesn't work for half of you and there's a limit on how many can view it. There's already a ton of emails on there from last fall that aren't using them anymore and when I added a bunch of you this time, it didn't go through for whatever reason. Geesh. I'm pretty sure the high maintenance of it all is causing this ridiculous heat, too. Sorry. Working on getting all the stuff figured out for ya!

Oh yeah!

This is what that whole "new parent exhaustion" feels like. It's all coming back to me now. I guess I'm just thankful everyone speaks English this time around? =)

Just wanted to jump on and let you know that the private blog I have for a little more blogging freedom is back up and running! If you need another invite, let me know.

I'm off. Much like a zombie.

(which is so handy since they're so in style right now.)

Spillin' the proverbial beans...

Peeps.

The couch?


Now, before you get all cray cray, he's a foster. Sort of.

Not talking deets, but we should know more in a few months.

More later, I'm wiped out.

My hobby/job. Jobby? Hob? Er, nevermind.

(this has nothing to do with my last post, btdubs...)
(don't worry, I'll spill soon...when the time is right...)

Many of you already follow Fresh Art Photography after seeing their work year after year for us. You also know that once I find a service that I love, I mate for life. My tax lady, my hair stylist, my investment guy, my insurance broker, etc.

I thought about getting tats advertising all of their contact info. It could look like the back of a race t-shirt. Just a thought. You'll be the first to know if that idea materializes.

Focus, people!

Okay, so for those of you who don't follow Fresh Art (yet), you might not know that I work alongside Jodie and Kim as their client stylist. People, I'm having a freaking blast. It's looked differently every time, according to the client's needs and I couldn't be having more fun. Many of you ask what I really do so I thought I'd spill the beans on my comings and goings as a stylist.

Before the shoot:

*Some clients bring lots of clothes options to the shoot and I pick and organize and accessorize in the moment. I feel like I'm on a reality show with a time limit.

*Some clients have me to their house and let me raid their closets, making them try on different combinations.

*My last client asked me to go shopping with her for a few new looks altogether. She hates shopping. I love shopping. We had a blast. I officially changed my title to shopping mentor.

At the shoot:

*I bring extra accessories, just in case. (it justifies owning them all...)
*I bring hairspray, baby wipes, bobby pins, etc to master whatever the elements try to do to your hair, etc. I'm locked and loaded.
*I've started helping clients switch to a second hair style half way through. Everyone loves switching outfits but there's rarely a convenient location to re-do your own hair. That's where I come in! I'm like a ninja with those bobby pins.
* While Kim and Jodie work their magic, I'm intrusive and bossy. (personality strength?) If your hair is out of place, your hand is hanging funny, you're standing in an unflattering position, whatever, I'm all over that. I offer ways to switch it up, providing a third set of eyes making you look goooood.

Here's some of the sessions I've worked with!

My first was an engagement session. They were my guinea pigs. Pretty cute for guineas, huh?



My second session was a sweet maternity session with Tom and Sharon, such a fun couple to work with, such a cool story:



Another maternity session, cute family, cute cute cute! Emily has a great blog I started following after meeting her. She's crazy talented and creative, peeps, such an honor to help style them:



One of my latest was another maternity session with this super hot couple. Seriously, they made my job crazy easy with their eye for style:



Another really fun session was Kelly's maternity shoot. I felt like I was playing dress up with a doll working with her! So fun! Can't wait to see them as parents!



My most recent was a senior session, Jessie, who's an aspiring actress, so we were the perfect match! I like to fuss over clients and she loved being fussed over. We might have even ventured into co-dependence, actually.


Isn't she gorgeous? Wished I looked that pretty when I was going into my senior year, geesh!

This post got a little carried away. You're welcome.

Silence

Silence because life has been busy.

Silence because grieving is thick.

Silence because I'm trying out a new hobby.

Silence because I was pretty sad. a lot.

Silence because transitions were happening.

Silence because 5 year olds are busy.

Silence because we got a phone call.

Silence because there's a thing called Pinterest.

Silence because that phone call turned into visits. Lots of them.

Silence because a room needed painted.

Silence because we have a some news.

Hot bump-its in the summertime...

Trivia question: Is this a bump-it or a teased poof? Thanks JulieW, hope your team bumped up your score!

Anne, please tell me you stopped this woman and told her there's an animal on her head? Maybe she was just hiding concessions under there to sneak into the ball game?

Becky, please tell me you got Snook's autograph?

This one came from Mary Beth with this note:
The story behind the picture: The day before Mother's Day, I took my mom, brother, and nephew to the Cards game. A few rows ahead of us sat Bump-it. I wasn't really paying attention, but at one point she turned her head and I thought to myself "MUST...GET...PICTURE". I sat with the camera at the ready just waiting for her to turn her head, like a hunter waits for its prey. She turned, I snapped, and smiled with joy. Then I explained to my mom that I took a picture of a stranger to e-mail to another stranger, who's not really a stranger, though we've never met. I got a "my daughter is crazy" look from my mom.


Keep them coming, peeps, nothing delights me like getting these pics in my inbox. Btdubs, if you sent me one that hasn't been featured yet, I'd love a resend. Had a little problem with my email a bit ago.

Speaking of homecomings...

**This post was written in May! Just never got around to posting it and now seems the perfect time...

There's a little box to the right on my blog that allows you to search my blog. If you type in "Melissa" almost 20 blogs come up. And those don't include the ones where she's pictured but not mentioned. She's kind of a big deal.


This pic was taken the day before I left Antigua, July 2007. As I packed up everything to bring home my Eliot, I was 99% sure Melissa was right behind me with Madi. Again, July 2007. SEVEN. I thought she would for sure beat Sharon and Bella outta there.


Long long long story short? She's home.

Madi is finally home. Since March...

4 (score? no, not yet) years ago today...

Your assignment, should you choose to accept it.

So...yeah.

People. There's a huge opportunity coming right around the corner.

Have adopted kids? Want to adopt? Currently fostering? Want to foster? Curious about any of that? Even the tiniest bit?

Click here for the info for a conference coming up this fall. And I'm not sure how long this lasts, but if you enter FOCUS as the discount code, you get 50% off. People, that is crazy cheap for a 2 day conference!

Get pumped!!


Also, if you don't already, go "LIKE" Show Hope on Facebook. Here's why: Show Hope will receive $5,000 for every 5000 new “likes” up to an additional $25,000, resulting in a total donation of $45,000 to Show Hope. This agency is legit and all it takes is a simple "like" to add more funds toward adoption.

Go. and go.

Happy 4th!

Our 4th started with doctored up pancakes, flag style...

Daisy was not so amused by Eliot's patriotism.



We braved the heat and sat under the ol' arch to watch the Fair St. Louis air show.

Aaaand, we found ourselves among friends participating in an attempt to break the Guinness world record for largest kazoo concert. I haven't heard yet if we were successful or not! I think those Guinness people are following me around.

5 posts in one month?

I don't know the last time I was this bad of a blogger. May and June were 12 kinds of crazy and those were coming off of a rough April, but that's redonk.

It's 1 am on July 4th. I can't sleep. I blame the 2 and 1/2 hour nap we all took this afternoon. But both boys are sound asleep.

So, I'm blogging.

I have at least 7 drafts in the que but they all need some work and I want to get this moving again. This blog has meant so much to me over the last 4 years, I need to get back into the habit of it being an everyday thought turned into regular posts.

I'm on-purpose not posting about anything real. Not even pictures. Just to blog.

Cuz that's what I miss. The everyday that I captured in our lives. Regardless of who's reading it. Cuz I'm reading it. Future me.

Happy July 4th, all!

Friend of friend...

If you've been following this here blog for the last few years, you know that we love leading trips to Guatemala. We've had the blessing of taking two trips with Kappa Kappa Gamma girls from Baylor.

On both trips was a girl named Katie (I'm not going all third-person on you here, there were 2 of us.)

(She's that firey red head lookin' awesome in the middle there...)

Apparently the week after the first trip in 09 she went to summer camp. And met a young couple. And got all I-just-met-you-but-hey-let's-get-personal. She asked them if they'd ever considered adoption, cuz apparently Eliot's cute face was burned into her brain like everyone elses.

(one of my fav fav fav pics of Eliot. He's riding in a tuk tuk on that trip)

After Katie asked them that question...well...I'll let Wynne tell what happened next...read this blog post from October last year on her blog...her adoption blog...

So, yeah. That feels kinda overwhelming. In a good way.

Does anyone else feel super humbled when you find out your story was used to further God's glory? That some little peanut will be adopted into a loving family who is working their tails off to get him? I'm not taking credit for that, please don't read that, I just get pretty giddy knowing our story was even a teeeeensy bit impactful.

Okay, anyway, we had a blog-world-meets-real-world moment! She was in town last month for a wedding so we met for lunch! It was so great!

If you're into adoption blogs, add her to your reader. She's a great writer and I'm so excited to keep up with their journey!