One Day At a Time

Fabuous fall, steller Star Wars, and hectic harvest

2010-11-23T19:09:00.000-08:00

So life has gone by at warp speed it seems. Summer was just here and now Thanksgiving is just days away with Christmas on its heels. We have had some C.R.A.Z.Y days here in the Powell family. No only have we started homeschooling with Mateo and Ellie but also had Mateo's 6th birthday party, and have now moved into fall. A little over a month ago we moved into my sister Julia's house for a month to make food for the Christmas tree harvest. We take turns over at the farm serving food and the opposite days we are with all the kids and making the hot meal for over 100 people. All the while having Mateo's b-day and trying to keep our sanity. The party may have been a success but keeping the sanity is still a work in progress.

Here are a few pics to share what my lack of words have not been the been the best at doing.

Cowby up!

2010-08-24T18:09:00.000-07:00

The summer feels so fleeting and I can't believe that September is right around the corner. One of the kids favorite summer events are the rodeos. They are run by two of my sisters at my parents farm. They do about two events each, the ribbon/goat pull and barrels. It is fun to watch them enjoy horses and be apart of a fun family activity.

Summer Rodeo Lovin

Don't mess with these two!

This boy can rope!

Cousins with there numbers

This face kills me, could he get any cuter?

The continuing road to discipline...

2010-08-09T13:33:00.000-07:00

Ok so this is not the discipline I was taking about but you know I have thought about it :) For the last 5 weeks my one-on-one accountability with one of my sisters has grown to four of us now. It is producing some awesome fruit as we focus on being more disciplined godly women.

One of the motivators of change has been a blog called inspired to action. An e-book that the author Kat wrote is called Maximize your Mornings and focuses on simple steps to get a morning routine started and the best part, follow though with. I have been getting up early pretty consistently for almost two months now. This is a huge change for me and I am so thankful for the great things that are happening as the result of accountability, consistency, and time with the Lord. I have a long way to go on the disciplined and godly woman front but there has been some great things happening! Now I better go let the kiddos out :)

Potawatomi Inn ~ Pokagon state park

2010-08-08T19:09:00.000-07:00

For the last few years we have been going with my mom's side of the family to Pokagon state park in Indiana. It is fast becoming one of our children's favorite memories of the summer and it has worked out beautifully for everyone who is able to come. The is a pool, a beach, craft room, and the arcade or the kiddie casino as Scott calls it. We again had a fabulous time this year and we hope to keep building such amazing memories with wonderful family. (I have no idea how to get the underline off so bear with me!)

All the cousins!

Some of the boys

Nana, Papa, and Addy

Lovin the road trip!

The days of summer...our three day stay-cation

2010-07-28T06:32:00.000-07:00

How it is almost August I do not know. These days seem to fly by and before we know it, it will be fall. But before that happens we have been trying to squeeze every last moment of fun in the sun we have. We did not really take a vacation this year and because Scott is not able to be home much we opted to stay home for vacation. The rules were, no home projects, cleaning, laundry ect. No work or homework, and no phones if possible. We had a FABULOUS time! We asked the kids what they wanted to do and then made some fun plans around them.

We had a massive Lincoln log competition complete with a war at the end

First and foremost we spend a lot of time together, in pj's!

We made a huge fort in the living room and watched a movie in it. Mateo and Ellie got to sleep in it that night.

We took Mateo and Elisabeth tubing down the river and then when to Nana's beach, it was an amazing day!

We went on a family hike and had a great adventure in the woods.

Overall it was just what our family needed, we treasure these moments together as a family and hope and plan for many more to come. What we really learned is that you don't have to spend a lot of money and go somewhere exotic to have a great time.

Discipline....Hard stuff. And funny things they say.

2010-05-11T08:10:00.000-07:00

For the last month my sister and I have been meeting for accountability. It has been chalenging to say the least and each week has provided its ups and downs. We work on being consistent with our time in the word and also discipline with our eating. This has always been a struggle for me and I have found that it is only when I have accountability and really defined plan that I see success. This past week I did 5 days in a row and that was a great accomplishment. I am so thankful for grace, for an amazing sister, and for the small victories along the way.

On another note the kids have been cracking me up lately. I try to remember what they say but I forget so quickly. Well last night in the car I told Mateo he was going to be a great Dad someday as he was feeding Adeline her bottle. Ellie then said , "I am going to be a great mom too" followed by "and since I can't marry Te I am going to have to marry another Prince" too cute.

And my other sibling moment. I got into the car after the kids were already in for a few minute (first mistake) and both were crying.
Mateo: "Ellie scratched me (tears, tears, tears)"
Ellie: "Well mom, Teo boxed my ears!"
I couldn't even get to the discipline I laughing so hard, seriously who did she learn that from? I think it may have been my dad but I am not sure.

One more.
Ellie:"mom do we get to go to mothers day?"
Me: "Of course El, its when you guys get to have a special day for mom"
Mateo: "So mom when do we have little kids day?"
Me: "you do Te, it's called your birthday."

You have to love kids!

Sisters, sisters, there was never such devoted sisters

2010-03-18T11:14:00.000-07:00

For those of you reading that may not have known me from birth I am blessed to have five sisters. Growing up we all had love/hate relationships siding on the love. And just to answer a few questions we may or may not have gotten a million times growing up here they are;

Q: FIVE GIRLS?!! Did your parents keep trying for a boy or what?
A: NO

Q: Is your family Catholic?
A: No

Q: Do you all look alike?
A: No, well at least I don't think so

Q: Your poor dad, doesn't he wish he had a son?
A: No, in fact my dad said he always prayed for girls and that he wouldn't know what to do with a boy. But then again you can ask my cousin Nate who lived with us in the summer. I think dad took all his fatherly aspirations out on him. Lucky Nate.

Q: Do you have a favorite sister?
A: No, to be answered more in depth bellow.

So as you can see we all used the word no, a lot growing up! Growing up with five sisters and now having five adult sisters with whom I share life with has been one of my greatest joys, and greatest blessings. Of course growing up we had our fights and disagreements as well. Like the time we made one sister drink raw eggs to be in our "club". Or when another sister threw a frozen pan of soup at my head with a huge brawl following. Or maybe the time the minivan window was broken by yet another sisterly interaction, which included a head meeting up with the windshield. Then there were the times others tried their hand at picking a fight with one of the six of us. With the admonishment of my parents ringing in our heads "you ALWAYS have your sisters back" we stood our ground for each other on many an occasion.

I think because of these shared experiences, and our parents strong belief in the importance of family we grew up with the mentality that you were never going to get rid of me so you may as well embrace me. We knew that friends may come and go, but our sisters never would. We have all gone out and had different life experiences, backpacking Europe, traveling to Africa, adopting children, mission work in Turkey, life in the inner city, college rodeo, teaching, college, work, and marriage. The facinating and I think God ordained plan is amazing to see. You see, we went from living in four different states (MI, TX, IN, AZ) to now all living within 10 miles of each other. We are all now married and four us us have children (with one more pregnant). We not only value each other but value the same things in life, God, family, others. We are there when someone needs to drop their kiddos off for an appointment, there when you need a meal, there when you need someone to listen, there when you just want to go hang out at the beach, there when you welcome a new child into the world. Our lives are woven together from birth, and though things may change and we live outside that 10 mile radius we will never be far apart.
For you see you can never replace this bond of sisterhood.

I think my sister Julia stated it so well on her FB status the other day:
"So thankful for my sisters. I don't know how people live life without sisters. I could never get anything done without them, and if I DID get anything done, I wouldn't have near as much fun doing it without them. I don't care if they all lived in Siberia, if that's where they were, then that is where you would find me."

What are some of your favorite childhood memories?

Crying it out...

2010-03-11T23:53:00.000-08:00

So it is 2:30 am and yes I realize I have done two posts back to back, wonders never cease. Well this post is deticated to miss Adeline. The reason I am blogging at almost 3am in the first place.

Since she has been six weeks old or so she has for the most part slept through the night. Then when she got a bad cold a couple weeks ago she started waking up a few times a night again. She was not nursing that great so I gave in wanting to make sure she was getting enough to eat. Well she has been doing much better eating like a champ but alas her desire to hang out with mom in the middle of the night has not waned. So we have been letting her cry it out. (This is of course after we check diaper and make sure she is ok) I know that she can make it through the night without eating, she did it for over a month and a half, and now I have to stick it out for the good of the whole family.

For you see, I know many people disagree on the cry it out method. I read LOTs of books and to be honest when my beautiful babies came home from Guatemala it scared the begibies out of me to let them cry. We documented our lack of sleep on our old blog if you care to walk down memory lane with me. http://powelladoption.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html. I personally try to block out that time of sleep deprivation, which brings me back to tonight.

Our first two children we were doing all that we could to help them adjust, to bond, and to ease the crazy transition they were going through. But do you know what, we all need sleep, them included. I discovered after months and months with little to no sleep that I am not the best mom when I don't get any sleep. And yes it is so hard to hear the ones you love the most cry. But the result, a more rested mom and baby is so worth it. And yes, I will repeat that a few more time tonight I am sure as I wait outside my sweet baby's room until she falls asleep. And I am sorry sweet Adeline but since you did not come from halfway around the world and got the added perk of bonding with me for nine months, you do not get quite the grace period as your brother and sister. I am sure there is a book for that too.

They are only young once.

2010-03-11T19:02:00.001-08:00

They grow up so fast...they will be teenagers before you know it...how I wish they were little once more...time goes by so fast...

I have heard those statements more than once since having children and let me tell you when you are waking up A LOT in the middle of the night, dealing with sick kiddos, haven't taken a shower in three days, and feel like you say "if you hit your sister/brother one more time you are spending the rest of the day in your bed" about a hundred times this week it doesn't seem so true.
But this week my mother-in-law was over and she, having three teenagers, was reflecting on days gone by. She was remembering how simple things were without basketball, track, football, drivers training, ect. When they were silly boys making up plays and roughhousing in the backyard.

And so today I paused, I had that tea party with my three year old, even though I really wanted to clean the house. I let her wear a skirt over her pajamas all afternoon with striped socks and pink cowboy boots because you know what, it will go by fast and before I know it I will be the one gently nudging a young mom to slow down because each moment is precious.

And soon these three faces will look a lot older. But for today I embrace the chaos of life!

Grandma, this one is for you! Welcome Adeline Grace

2010-03-05T05:36:00.000-08:00

Well my Grandma D after numerous comments about checking the blog with no new posts has propelled me into motion once again. The last three months have been crazy and for the most part have flown by. The arrival of our newest angel Adeline Grace came on November 29 after 14 hours of labor and then an unexpected C-section. Not the birth plan I had in mind but after remembering the big picture, healthy baby, healthy mom, I was at peace with how our 9lb 24 in baby girl came into the world.

Since her birth we have celebrated Christmas as a family of five, enjoyed the roller coster of the first weeks of a newborn's life (like not much sleep, learning how to breast feed, trying to keep the other kids going, and again not much sleep). My mom so wisely tried to warn me to not have expectations for those first six weeks and concentrate on survival. She. was. right.

Now just passing the three month mark I can look back and see that in fact life got much smoother after those first six weeks. Adeline is doing great, she is sleeping 7-10 hours a night, rolling over, and loves to "talk" and smile. We are truly blessed to have her in our family.

Other happenings included a three week trip to Arizona at the beginning of February. I flew by myself there with a 3, 5, and two month old. I think all my prayers were answered and the kids did great. Or I am crazy. Thankfully on the way home my Grandma (for which this post is dedicated) flew back with us and was a huge help. We had a great time hanging out with Nana and Papa, playing outside, going to the zoo, and enjoying the AZ sun. It was a great time but we were glad to get home and see Scott.

Speaking of Scott, he is still working at the college. It had been a challenge to say the least. We see him a couple days a week and we are traveling to him more than him coming home at this point. I am so proud of him and his attitude though. He continues to look for another job that is more conducive to living in the same place and we are thankful that during these hard times that he has a job at all. Overall I feel like I am try to allow this life situation of refine me. God knew all along that this was his plan and the result will bring more glory to him.

So that is the life update at this point. I feel spring will be here before we know it and I am excited for warmer weather and green grass. It always points me towards Easter and the new life we have in Christ.

And baby makes three...

2009-11-17T17:37:00.001-08:00

(this was taken soon after we found out we were pregnat, yep they are pumped!)

So no this does not mean that we have had the baby ... yet. I went in today for my check up and they said I was 1 cm dilated and my cervix was "soft". AKA we are not having that baby today. Well to be fare I am not due until next Tuesday so I was not feeling like we were going to have big news.

So with the due date coming up it had caused me, in all my free time, to do some reflection on the soon to be life change that is almost upon us. For the most part Scott and I are laid back people and to be honest this whole pregnancy was not only a surprise but also has flown by with not a lot of preparation or deep contemplation on our parts. This does not mean we are not excited and have great anticipation for this new little one but with two children at home it has not left us with tons of down time to reflect and discuss, heck we didn't even have time to go to child birth classes.

I also think from our past experience of international adoption we not only had to prepare, we had to do stacks of paperwork, background checks, social worker appointments, fingerprinting, home study (you don't even want to know what that entailed), parenting classes, read books, and the list could go on and on. So maybe we feel like we deserve a little break on the preparedness front. And let me tell you last week my mom gave me a little kick in the butt when I didn't have a bag or the car seat ready yet. I guess I could be a little more prepared :)

So when I look at our family and the two on two ratio for the past almost three years I do tend to have some feelings of, "yikes we are going to be outnumbered" but any feelings of nervousness are quickly extinguished by the excitement of our other two children. They are not only ready for their sibling they are beyond thrilled, which in turn makes me extremely excited as well.

So in the week or so left of our four person family I am going to a. enjoy not luging around a 100lb car seat or huge diaper bag b. getting out the door which two children that not only dress themselves but also get in the car and buckle up by themselves c. not having to change any diapers and d. mac and cheese for lunch instead of whatever is on tap at 3am.

So are we prepare, um no. Are we ready and excited for sure yes. We can't wait to see what our family of five is going to look like. Thanks for checking in, we will make sure to update when little Powell gets here!

Fall, birthdays, and baby on the way!

2009-11-08T19:48:00.000-08:00

So this may be a short post because after a great pirate pizza birthday party for a fabulous five year old this 9 month pregnant mamma is ready for bed.

So we have had a great fall, which is my favorite time of the year, I wish it would last for a few more months! The transition back to the house had gone really well. We are not loving the back and forth so much and we miss Scot A LOT during the week but we have so much to be thankful for and so many blessings.

Ellie had been sick for the past almost two weeks. Just in the past two days her fever has broke so we are praying she is on the mend. Mateo turned five this past week, I know I can't believe it, where has the time gone?! We had a birthday party for him tonight with grandparents, friends and cousins. It was busy but so much fun and Te was in birthday heaven. After everyone left, he said "this was the BEST pirate birthday party ever mom!" It was worth the messy house, swollen feet, and prep to see that beautiful face light up.

We are also only two weeks from due date. So it may mean that we could meet this little Powell any time now! I have to confess the pic above is actually about a month ago. We haven't been very proactive in getting preggo pics. It may be the trying to keep up with a 3 and 5 year old, not sure!

I can't believe Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner. I love both holidays and hope with a new baby coming I will be able to enjoy and remember them this year. I sure I will it may just been in a sleep deprived exhausted state :)

So that is all I got tonight, is pirate party mom needs some sleep.

Another move on the horizon...

2009-09-11T07:16:00.000-07:00

So the fact that I am not consistent with out blog does not escape me. I think that when things get busy and life looks like it is changing again I need to figure things out before I put my thoughts out there.

For the past year we have been living and Scott has been working at a small college in Northern Mi. It has confirmed Scott's passion for students and higher Ed and also brought us to the realization that living on campus in a one bedroom apartment with three children may not work for the coming year.

So after a lot of pros and cons lists along with trying to make the budget work and praying what would be best for our family we have made a plan for the next year. This weekend we are moving most of our belongings back to our house that we still own. Even though this is not ideal because Scott will be living on campus during the week and the kids and I will be at the house with some going back and forth as well.

It really is a mixed bag, on one hand we will be near family again and the kids are so excited about that. They will also have so much more room to run and play, especially in the winter when the baby comes and we can't get out as much. On the other hand I will be husbandless for much of the week and I know that will be a struggle. I am so thankful for my husband, his work ethic, his drive, and willingness to provide for us while I stay at home. Even though it is not ideal I know that we will make it work. I am sure their will be more refining that will take place and that it will be a year of growth for all of us.

One thing is for sure, Scott and I have never been on the 5-10 plan ahead track. I truly feel that we live day by day trying to seek out God's will for us. This year may not look how I thought it would but God new this plan all along. I know I will need to continue to trust him for direction and maybe some sanity when the days get long!

It's Wedding Week!

2009-07-28T14:13:00.000-07:00

So the summer fun continues! After a two month suspension from weddings after my sister Alisa and her now hubby Miguel's wedding in May we are preparing for Maria and John's big day on Saturday. I LOVE weddings and am so excited for the next and last VanderWeide wedding....

This past weekend was both John and Maria's bachelorette and bachelor parties which was so much fun and this week is tent setting up, entertainment for the reception practice, and much more.

We are so excited for their lives to start together and I can't wait to have a huge party honoring this new union. I will post pics along with the continues travel back in time posts starting next week

Going back in time....

2009-07-22T18:46:00.000-07:00

So I am going to do some little 09 recap for all to enjoy, well maybe mostly myself so I can remember this crazy past 6 months of fun with a 4 and a 2 year old.

After almost 6 months in our plush and roomy one room apartment both me and the kiddos were ready to get out of the cold and enjoy the wonderful Arizona winters (and open spaces). Alisa my youngest sister and I decided to go for an extended visit to my parents home in Marana AZ. Not only for a couple days but for a whole month, good thing my wonderful parents are so hospitable!

So off we went on our sunny adventure. They both were sad to leave dad but with Scott coming out about two and a half weeks after we got there we knew we would see him soon. Plus they were both super pumped about riding in a plane, can't you tell:)
Not only did we not have to bring our winter coats we got to spend LOTS of time with Nana and papa abuelo in the sun. Aunt Alisa was a great help and we had so much fun with her. One of our favorite places that we went was the zoo. The kids loved it.
Because the house is basically in the country we had lots of time to hang out and get really dirty, basically Mateo was in little boy heaven. Right next door was a big dairy farm so almost every day we would walk and bike and see all the animals. Papa and Te became fast friends with all the quality time they got to spend together.
We also had at least 2 1/2 weeks where my sister Krista and baby Spencer came to the ranch and the kids were so happy to have there cousin there. We had a a great time hanging out and really just spending time together.
Then finally daddy came! It was our first family trip since the kids came home and it was fabulous. We went to the Tucson rodeo, parks, the desert museum. Scott and I also got to climb a mountain with Alisa her fiance at the time (now husband) Miguel, and my dad.

I have to mention that my creative and wild parents also had come up with a health/detox program for the ranch. We ate REALLY healthy aka. lots and lots of veggies and walked/jogged 4-6 miles a day. It was hard but fun with us all on board and we did shed some weight, I almost lost 20 lbs! So thanks mom and dad:)

Overall our Arizona trip was amazing, we had a hard time going back to the cold and Mateo kept asking to move back! So we are hoping to return this next winter after the new baby is here. So this bring us up to March, now only a few months behind. Thanks for catching up with us!

Returning from the dead!

2009-07-20T20:12:00.000-07:00

So after;

a) being told that people are sick of checking my blog and seeing winter pics

b) feeling like I will never remember all the things from this crazy season of life

c) still checking others blogs and feeling guilty about not keeping mine up

d) and after almost six months finding my camera cord to download pics

I have returned to the blog world with joy in my heart!

Obviously there is a lot to cover and one post is not going to do it justice. My last little sister is getting married in two weeks so I will try to bring this blog up to speed while I am home this week.

We have had a beyond busy summer with camping trips, two sisters getting married, one grandpa getting married, college rommie reunions, and yes for all those who do not yet know, getting ready for baby number 3!!! I am 22 weeks preggo and do in November, which I am sure will be here before we know it.

I am going to leave with some ridiculously cute photos of my dream children (and my hot hubby) and give a few more details over the other posts to come.

Children say it best!

2008-12-21T12:58:00.000-08:00

We have been crazy busy and so enjoying this Christmas season. Both our children are really excited about Christmas this year and Mateo especially, remembers last year and can't wait for it to get here. We have really tried to keep the focus and the real meaning of Christmas and I was blown away when we were in the cafeteria this week and a student came up and asked Mateo what we did for Christmas, he said in a very excited voice "we are celebrating Christ's birth!" I was so thankful that he was able to see through all the commercialism and realize that the real reason to be so excited about this season is the gift of our savior. I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas and can say with excited anticipation, we are celebrating Christ's birth!

Here are some long delayed pics, now that I have them downloaded. Enjoy!

Tree time and Thanksgiving

2008-12-03T17:21:00.000-08:00

We had such a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and family. We also did a lot of helping on the tree farm I was raised on. Picking out the Christmas tree each year is truly one of my favorite memories all year! Our kids had a blast in all the snow and we were busy selling trees and baking cookies. When you have a big family and three of your sisters are pregnant at the same time, there is always something to be done. I can't believe that Christmas is just around the corner and I am ready to keep the main thing the main thing, Christ and his gift of life to all of us!

BOZ!

2008-11-25T16:39:00.000-08:00

My husband and I have gone back and forth on what things our children should and shouldn't watch, what is appropriate, how much is too much. They love Dora and Diego, Toy Story and elmo. In and of themselves not so bad but I am always looking for something better to fill they hearts and minds. We have several Bible song DVDs but I have to be honest that a lot of christian animation is well, cheesy. So when my friend Kristin recommend a pre-school dvd series with Christian values I was a bit skeptical. Well my friends, Boz is an official hit in our home. My mom got one as well and all the grandkids LOVE it. It has great lessons and also teaches about numbers, colors, sharing etc. You should check it out at bozthebear.com. I think there may be a Boz dvd under the tree this Christmas!

"Life is what happens when you are making other plans"

2008-11-19T13:14:00.000-08:00

I came across this quote recently and I really gave it some thought. I am a dreamer, I love looking at what ifs and what fun adventure may be right around the corner. My whole life I have loved to travel, experience new things, new cultures. I would look forward and plan all that this new adventure would entail, who we would get there, what we would do. The planning was half the fun! I think having children has shifted my viewpoint a little. One we can't get off for a new trip or adventure any time we want:) But also because of how quickly our children have grown and change everyday I fell like I am grasping on to those moments, trying to make each day count. I don't want to get complacent and wake up and our children are teenagers and going off to college. But I still find myself getting caught up in the plans of life instead of really living it. And that is why daily I want to strive to glorify the Lord and really live, not wishing for something else but loving the moments that come.

Some food for thought...

2008-11-17T12:17:00.000-08:00

Angel another adoptive mom is on a mission to change poverty. She has inspired and challenged me many times and today yet another time. She put this quote on her blog and I think it is so profound;

"There is a rawness and a wonder to life. Pursue it. Hunt for it. Sell out to get it." " Build a fire in your heart. Follow God's impulses. Adopt the child. Move overseas. Teach the class. Change careers. Run for office. MAKE A DIFFERENCE." "Don't listen to the whines of those who have settled for a second rate life and want you to do the same so they won't feel guilty. Your goal is not to live long. It's to live. Sure it isn't safe, but what is."

Chew on this for a while and see what God may be saying to you. If you want to check out more of what Angel is up to for the kingdom go to thevoiceofadventure.blogspot.com

I love photobooth!!

2008-11-12T07:48:00.000-08:00

If you can't tell, I love the photobooth feature on our computer! I kids and I had a great time with some pics this morning! I love that I don't have to get the camera out and download the photos.

Scott and had a great weekend, I will update more on that soon but now if is back to work.

We're not all fun and no work around here:)

When mamma gets a day off!

2008-11-07T05:21:00.000-08:00

So what's a girl to do when she has a day off from being a mom, does that really happen? I know we don't get sick days but I was unclear if vacation days were available. Well when you have an amazing family willing to take your kids so you and your husband can have a weekend away I guess it is a possibility! This is the first time since the kids have been home that we have gone away together and I am so excited! Scott has to work today so I have the whole day to myself, no crying or winning children. No running around like a crazy woman, picking up the same toy for the hundredth time. No braking up fights and cleaning food off the floor/table/children/myself. Ok so I am totally going to enjoy this little break, not that I won't miss my kiddos, I actually did even as I left them at Nanna's and Papa's last night. But I will take full advantage of the freedom! I am going to get my hair done today along with sleeping in till 8 (yes that is sleeping in now:) I am going to work out at my leisure and get a massage! Then tonight I am going to go to a lecture on C.S. Lewis with my husband and out to eat. Yes it sound like an amazing day that I am going to enjoy every minute of!

Mateo...My little man

2008-11-04T18:40:00.000-08:00

I can not believe how fast the last year an a half has gone and how much my little boy had grown. We first met Mateo when he was almost 20 months old, just a toddler a baby in so many ways. We flew to Guatemala right after we saw Mateo on a waiting children list. Everything happened so fast and God paved the way for us to not only to pursue adopting Mateo but also the funds that were needed. I didn't know what to expect but since that day when Mateo ran into our life full force nothing has been the same.

Mateo,
I can not tell you how blessed I am to be your mom. We got the chance to talk to you foster mom Aura tonight on your birthday and I was reminded of how much you have grown and what an amazingly strong and brave boy you are. I was also reminded how loved you were from the very begining, not only by your heavenly father but by the family that loved you in our absence. Aura kept saying that over and over tonight, that she loved and missed you, what a gift. During our conversation you looked at me and said, "mom I loved you in Guatemala" And that is the bottom line, you loved me from the beginning, and we fell for you at first sight. How that happened I still can articulate or put into words, I only know that God himself had to have prepared your heart for our family. We were worlds apart but somehow God crossed our paths and now I will never have to let you go, get on a flight and not know the next time I would see you or hold you. There are so many things that make me stop and soak in the joy of being in your life. When you run and jump and act "all boy". When you laugh uncontrollably with our tickle fights, and you crawl up on my lap and lay your head on my shoulder just so you can cuddle. You are my first born, I treasure even more each passing day since I missed so many of your first days. Thank you for being patient with your imperfect mother and learning with her about this thing called family. On this day, your birthday, we celebrate your life and the goodness of God that brought us together.
WE love you TeTe,
mom and dad

A New Page is turned

2008-11-04T08:52:00.000-08:00

After almost a year and a half of being a family of four I felt the need to start fresh on the blog front. We have had so many changes and transitions since I started our powelladoption blog. It has been such a blessing to look back over that time and I want to be able to do that as we watch our children grow and hopefully add new members to it. I thought it was fitting to start this new blog on the fourth birthday of our little man, Mateo. We are beyond blessed to have him in our life and are excited to celebrate his life today. I will do a little update on all our family but a special one about Mateo later today. So welcome to our new adventure, yes they are happening everyday and we are taking it one day at a time!

I also wanted to include our previous blog in case you wanted to follow our journey to our amazing kiddos. It is powelladoption@blogspot.com