Favorite Foto Friday......Happy Leap Year!

Lyza.....not leaping, but rather almost "sleeping"! Does that count???

Maddy is most definatly leaping!

Happy Leap Year and hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!!!!!

Need A Supporter.......

These little cuties are in need of support at Eagles Nest! They were just brought in this past weekend and thanks to the current supporters of the children, these little ones were able to be placed with the wonderful staff at Eagles Nest. Please click on the following link to see how you can be a supporter of one of these little ones, or another child in need at Eagles Nest. You can also view the facilities and learn about the care these children are getting as the the current slowdown on adoptions in Guatemala continues for new cases.

http://www.boggsministry.com/Site_2Rosas Are Red

Irma Candaleria

Jairo Horacio

Wild, Wild Tuesday.....

Welcome Home Tracey and Baby Gabriella!!!

Today has been a crazy day! I got up this morning and got Lyza ready so we could run a few errands.....go to the bank, get gas, go to another bank, post office then to G.G. and Grandpa Mark's so that Lyza could visit with them while I ran to the pharmacy! It felt good to get out and about! But then by the time Madisyn got home from school it was starting to snow again. Chris got home shortly thereafter and we all went to dinner at Kiplee's! Fun Stuff....they have games and stuff there as well.

After we got home I started Madisyn on her homework and Chris went and got Lyza the chest for her bedroom and put it together. When I left with Maddy for dance class it wasn't too bad out, but when we were done......wow! Roads were covered with drifting snow, not a plow in sight and it took us about 20 minutes longer than normal to get home. We just took it slow, as you couldn't see any yellow lines or hardly any of the road! There have been plows out ever since we got home though and the snow has stopped, so I am sure they will be clear by morning. She really is not wanting another snow day! They are already having to decide where to tack on a couple of the days from when they were out last week! In the past two weeks they have only gone to school 4 days.....make that 3 for Madisyn because she had to go to the Dr. on one of them!

We received word from Eagle's Nest tonight that they received all of the donated items we sent them with the Kennedy family this past weekend! She said Sydney is delighted (I bet......she's only 2 mos) and that they will take pic's of her in her Easter Dress and some of the clothing we sent to her. I sent them a camera of my own to play around with too! I want to take it all in and see what is in store for me when I go to visit! I can't wait. I can't wait to get her newest updates either.......I can't wait to see how much she is growing! She sure is special baby!

And a cute one huh????

May each of you be blessed this week!

If you are interested in helping/sponsoring a child at Eagle's Nest, you may click on the website on the left and it will take you to their homepage. They just received two new precious little ones this past weekend! I will be sharing a post tomorrow on the new babies available to sponsor and their photos. We have a little girl and a little boy with the cutest hair!

Check back soon for information!

~~ Misty

Monday......!!!

What a wonderful Monday! Kinda dreary....but made for nice napping weather! Madisyn finally got back to school today......I asked her before school if it felt weird actually getting ready for school! I spent most of my day cleaning up from the weekend, playing with Lyza and going through our normal routine. I fixed dinner....then we took Maddy to the library for a few books for a research paper. We have suddently become very interested in the "House" channel....watching them fix up houses, rearrange on no cost budgets, etc. is amazing! We are addicted and have decided to redo a few rooms in our house! We have a little country farm house that is very old, but has some of the nice old traditional features that remind me of my grandparents home. We are short on space, but have a full basement that is "in process" of being finished in......plus we have an upstairs that is still unfinished! Time and Money!!! One day it will get there....in the meantime....we are just enjoying close quarters....or on some days, not enjoying it! At least that is less space that Lyza can get in to! We really don't have much going on this week other than dance class and our post adoption home visit! We are meeting my mother this weekend and staying over in a hotel....that should be fun! I know the kiddos are looking forward to seeing her. I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Pretty Ice Pictures!

We finally got out of the house today!! We went to eat lunch at a local Mexican restaurant and then we went to Michael's Craft Store to get some scrapbooking supplies for Madisyn! It was so nice to get out, but I think everyone in town must have been glad to get out because the parking lots at the mall and driving in town were unbearable!!!

Way to go Indiana Hoosiers!!!

FFF....Now and Then!

Maddy and Lyza NOW!

Maddy and Lyza THEN!

Madisyn Ronelle NOW!

Madisyn Ronelle THEN!

Louisa Faith Anay NOW!

Louisa Faith Anay THEN!
Tomorrow I will add......NOW and THEN pictures of me and Chris! How fun is that going to be??

xooxxo

Misty

Ice Day.....No school again!!!

What is it with kids losing their teeth at my house??

Jordyn was over today due to no school for ice....and out came a tooth!

The pizza delivery guy is tired of us I think.....since we have had so many snow days, the girls have become obsessed with ordering Dominoes. They said he was really nice today but about went in a ditch three times on the way here (it's only about 5 miles)..so it must be slick out! We got about 1/2 inch of ice maybe....a little snow over it....now back to sleet again! I am so thankful on days like this that I am a stay at home mama'!

Lyza and Sista

Ahhh...Nice Doggie

Lyza apparantly has a lot to say to the dogs as you can see in the videos below! Normally she is in bed when we bring the dogs in for the night, but last night Chris went to bed early since he is still sick and so the dogs got to come in early. Lyza was so excited, as you can tell! But when he put them in our room on their beds and shut the door she cried the biggest crocodile tears you've ever seen! So...he let her in to "talk" to them...and then let them in the living room to play with her a bit! Funny, Funny kid! I hope they know what she is saying....cause we sure don't, but it sounds very important!! "Gracie" is our three year old Weimeraner and "Molly" is our two year old mutt! They are good sports about all this noise, though "Molly" isn't so sure about it all just yet!

Just push the play arrow!!!

Just Push The Play Arrow for Take #2

Article Link.....

Please view this video below and you may understand more clearly the need for help in Third World Countries. It is undescribable to think that our daughter may have grown up this way, that the many other children who are now in their "forever homes" are now safe from this type of life. If you would like to help support our family on our mission trip in July an account has been set up via paypal. Contributions will be made to help out with these costs, and costs to Eagle's Nest Foster Home to care for the children there, for if funding runs out these children could be taken by the government and are destined for a dim future.
There will be a 30 second commercial before the video begins!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/22732432#22732432

Paypal Donations(www.paypal.com ) may be sent to guatemalafund@yahoo.com. Please type in Guatemalan Donation in your subject line.

I found this article link interesting! You may too!

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/JohnStossel/2008/02/06/usa_makes_adoption_harder

Package on the way!

We got to ship our first package to Baby Sydney in Guatemala today! Hooray! It felt so good......we sent the package to a missions group who will be leaving and arriving in Guatemala on Saturday! I sent her an Easter Dress, Some hair bows and other misc. items that are a must have! I also enclosed many clothing items, coloring books, crayons, stickers and toys for the other children at Eagle's Nest and a lot of body lotions, shower gels and knick knacks for the caregivers! I can't wait to get photos back of this precious Angel when they return home from their trip! I am sure she is growing by leaps and bounds!!! Things sorta returned to normal in our house today....Madisyn back to school, Chris back to work and Lyza back to her normal routine! Mama' is still running on empty and I ran around all morning getting our package together to send to Guatemala so that it could get shipped off today to arrive in time. We just found out last night they were leaving this weekend to go! I am so thankful for their generosity and taking the package for us! Lyza is feeling ok and her spots actually look a little better today! We will see what tomorrow holds!! Have a great evening!

~~ Misty

Chicken Pox

yes.....my baby has chicken pox! She spike a 102.2 fever yesterday and I chalked it up to her cutting so many large teeth right now. This morning she woke up with spots all over her. I called her dr. and she confirmed the chicken pox.....as she was vaccinated last week and GOT IT, INSTEAD OF PREVENTING IT! Poor Critter....hope it is a mild case and it doesn't last long because I have a full week ahead of non stop on the go things to do! I went and picked Maddy up from Louisville tonight and she still sounds like a horse or a frog in her throat too! Chris sounds like a lung is going to come out his mouth at any moment. How in the world I have avoided being sick is beyond me. I currently have a headache, but given the germs in the house right now I am not going to complain! I even had to reschedule our post adoption home study another week! They'd for sure take one look at this bunch and say we weren't fit! HA!

We received another email from Gloria today! Thanking us for the photos of Baby Colochita (The Curly One) and how they are happy she is healthy and so well taken care of! We correspond with them a few times per week....I can always make out part of it, but work with my translation books and memory to piece it all together! I always love getting word from them that they received a package! It has been a very long day, so I will cut it short. Be sure to watch the below video....it is too darn cute not to see!!!

Have a wonderful Day!

~~ Misty

Funny Lyza.....

I need some teething medicine NOW Mama!!!!!!

She is cutting two molars on the bottom that are huge....and two teeth up top! She is a slobbering mess and I guess this was her way of telling me she needed some teething tablets!

Oh....Daddy got me something fun for Valentines Day!!! Yippee!

Lyza disovering that her toy squeaks...she's only had this toy for about 8 mos now!

Hilarious.....

Hit the Play arrow to view her funny disovery!!!

Dia feliz de Armistad....Happy Valentines Day......times TWO!

We are safely at our hotel in Louisville! Our room is great and we left early so Madisyn could enjoy some swimming....which she decided not to do. She said she just wanted to play with Lyza, catch up on homework and stuff before taking off on her flight! Which was fine with us! Chris is super sick again....went to the dr. before we left this morning and has bronchitis, chest junk going on and is not good. Probably if we could have just gone home, we would have. However, our room was a guaranteed room because........WHEN WE ARRIVED there were roses, champagne, chocolates, a gift basket of body butters, shower gels, lotions, candy, stuffed animal and a few other things! Cute champagne glasses and chocolates on our pillows! VERY NICE!!! Chris also went this a.m. and got the girls their gifts......Maddy was happy to get a "Jonas Brothers" special edition cd and dvd combo and an angel bear stuffed animal! Lyza was happy to get a soft stuffed puppy dog with chocolates and a Little Einsteins dvd!!! Mama got a new book entitled "Secrets" and a journal to match called "The Secret Keeper". They are leather bound and very nice. You will not believe the verse/paragraph I first turned to in the book! I will post that tomorrow. Very fitting for our situation right now with baby Sydney!

It is kind comical because the hotel is filled with Farmers! Yes, farmers from all over! There is a huge tractor show at Freedom Hall. When I checked in the lady asked if I was here for the Farmers Convention! OK, is it my looks, or the twang that gives way to the "farm/country girl" in me?? I kinda snickered and told her no, but that sounded interesting, as I grew up on a farm. Well..in the shuttle it was Maddy and I with about 6 farmers around my dads age. Just listening to their conversations were cracking me up! I bet they were thinking I had no clue what they were talking about. It reminded me so much of home though! Then on the way back in the shuttle it was some "young" farm boys.....and I wonder to myself if they had a clue that I knew they were talking "crap"....ha! I wanted to speak up and tell them that was incorrect info, but I refrained with a smile. After all, they were California farmers, and I am sure that is a bit different than Indiana farming! Very entertaining though....so I completely do not feel out of place in the lobby typing this in my flannel pajamas. As a matter of fact, looking around the place I actually look pretty normal!!! The funny thing when we came into the hotel Maddy and I were sitting waiting on the shuttle to the airport and an old farmer walked in with his flannel shirt and overalls on a hanger! I imagined my daddy walking in with his on a hanger......EXCEPT, and yes, this is true....if my dad goes biking, he wears two pair of clothing.... He says he is saving on baggage because he has one set on to wear that day, then one outfit for the next day also. Yes, my dad is a redneck and I love him to pieces....but he does come up with some Doozy ideas!!!! Love ya Paw!

I took Maddy to the airport via the shuttle from the hotel and we ordered dinner in from Puckers. It was so-so.....but that is ok since I am on a "diet"! :-) We played with Lyza.....took some video of her discovering a toy squeaks....she has had it forever and just made this discovery! It was so cute. She just laughed and laughed at it! I will post that tomorrow as well!

I miss Maddy and if you are reading.....I love ya girl and will see you in just a few days!!! I hope you had a wonderful Valentines day and hope you liked your little "surprise" in your luggage!!!

To our family....we are here, safe, sound and well......Chris isn't well, but Lyza and I are doing fine. We are holding off on swimming/hot tub tonight and going to go in the morning since Chris is running a fevr tonight. Have a great evening and can't wait to post my paragraph and video tomorrow!

xoxoxo

Misty

Weekend Getaway.....

Ok....a one night get away but that is good with me! We will be staying over night in Louisville tomorrow night as our "Valentine" gift to each other. We have to take Madisyn to the airport! I am sure we will have a great time.....a night away from home is always good in some ways! We had a wonderful Valentines Day.....the kids enjoyed opening a gift of two.....Lyza still kinda liked the paper, or just whatever her "sista" had! Have an enjoyable, safe weekend !

~~ Misty

Happy Valentines Day!!!!

Happy Valentines Day!

Wishing you many blessings on this day and every day!

Some explanation on the photos? I know you are wondering!
Chris,Madisyn, Lyza and I are sponsoring a new baby in Guatemala. Due to the current "hold" on Guatemalan adoptions (though it appears positive they will soon reopen) many babies being born are going to orphanages and foster homes that are run by charitable organizations and volunteer foster mothers.

Baby Sydney, as we will call her, is in a foster home called Eagle's Nest at the present time. She is being cared for with about 20 other children at this time. Some will go to the "adoptive" parents who are sponsoring them when the "hold" is lifted, others may be placed with agencies or new foster mothers. We do not know what Sydney's future will hold for her, or what God may have in store for our future with her. Que Sera' Sera' , what is meant to be will always be.

In the meantime we are blessed to receive bi weekly photos of her as she grows, her medical records, and past history. We feel so very blessed to have been able to watch her grow for the 6 weeks we have been sponsoring her and to receive her newborn photos. She is currently 2 months old. I am hoping to raise the funds to be able to visit the orphanage and volunteer the end of June. I wish I could go before then, however, with two kiddos at home, time will just not allow right now. We are so very blessed to have three beautiful, healthy little girls! Please pray for her future and her well being. We know she is in good hands, as the foster home is run by a Christian couple from the U.S.A and are in contact with us weekly! Even if she does not come home to us....as of now, we consider her as one of our own and pray that she will go to a forever home in the future.

The following is her information:

Cindy Estaphany Tzaj Tahay

D.O.B. 12/5/07
Weight: 6 lbs 11 oz
Length: 18.5 inches
Foot: 2.7 "
Head 13.3 "

My First Ride in the Sled!!!!

Brrrr....it is cold out here!!!

What are these things on my hands?


My First Ride in The Sled!!!!
Click the play button to watch me!!!

Also check out "Sista's" blog for her adventures! www.maddysgab.blogspot.com/

Another Snow Day!!!!

Ok....standing in the snow is not so bad!!!

Sledding is even funner!!!


Sitting in the snow? I am not so sure about this!!!

Maddy crashed into the barn!!!! For her video view her blog at www.maddysgab.blogspot.com/

Jordyn and Madisyn ready to sled!

What a fun day we all had yesterday sledding, hot chocolate, ordering pizza, sledding again!! We had a huge branch break off on of our trees though from the ice! We had a wonderful snow day....but it seemed very busy me cleaning up after the girls as they went in and out....getting them ready, getting them undressed, dryer going all the time! Whew! They are getting ready to go out again now, so I am more than sure today won't be much different!! Isn't having girls fun.....I love it!!! I doubt I will get out in the snow until this evening when Chris gets home and can help me a bit! Until then I'll just keep the chicken soup warm and the hot chocolate brewing!!! Stay Warm!

~~ Misty

Snow Day!!!!

Yes....we went from "Day at the Park"....to "Snow Day" within a matter of days! The kids were let out of school early yesterday for pending bad weather......which turned out to be ok because I had to take my kids and myself to the dr. for viral infections!...So Madisyn wasn't at school yesterday anyway. The predictions were actually right on time so it is a good thing they let out early. We got several inches of snow with an inch or so of ice on top of it. Now we are battling downed power lines due to the thickness and weight of the ice. It is still freezing rain outside now.

I felt so sorry for Madisyn this morning as she went outside to play, alone...and was sliding down the hill on her bottom. No sled. SOO, I called her friend, Jordyn, because she does not live far away and her dad is in construction so has a nice big truck! They brought three sleds and I geared them all up and outside they went! Loads of fun. You can just hear the branches breaking and as you walk it is all crunching because of the ice. Makes for pretty cool sledding though! I did it myself, but won't post those pic's!!! I'll spare you this once! They made their way inside to hot chocolate and chicken noodle soup. I will save Lyza's first sledding experience for Daddy. She doesn't like the snow and I"m pretty sure she will not like going down a hill on a sled in it either......so I'll let Daddy have that "First"!!! Have a warm evening!!

~~ Misty