the Par-tay

Today was the party!! We had 15 kids(it was hard to get an accurate count- they move so fast!) and several adults-- ending up to be about 25 people!! My baby girl turnes 8 years old. I have tried and tried to explain to her since about age three she really SHOULD stop this growing up thing. ;-) But every year she informs me it must occur. This morning said, so "Sweet Petite, are you feeling eight?" She says, "oh VERY!" well, I can barely remember myself being eight, but judging from the pictures and her sweet smile all day, eight must be feeling pretty awesome.
Her big gift was a gi-normous barbie home.(which by the way, Nikki and I decided we really are going to play with!!) My little niece Audrey hopped of Nonnies lap to throw herself in my arms and squeal, "oooh will you get ME one of those and bring it to MY birthday??!!" It was like the little rabbit on the Robin Hood cartoon, "come again, on my birthday!"
Olivia got to spend the whole day with our dear friends, who drove 2 1/2 hrs to see us! It was a great, busy, chaotic day full of fun and giggles.

Veteran's day 2009

Thank you thank you to all the American soldiers!! The men an women who serve our country and fight so hard for the freedoms we enjoy. The Moore family does not take it lightly!!

Birthday Bunny!

Okay, so we don't believe in the Easter bunny, BUT we are loving a birthday bunny!!
My Olivia turns 8 this month and has wanted a bunny for about 4 years. Of course with our littles as babies it was impossible. Now they are 4 and 5 we were thinking about it. But they are expensive at the pet shops. We were concerned a baby bunny might be too fragile. Well last week a friend of mine posted an ad on facebo*k about her rabbit needing a home. She GAVE us the rabbit, (who is neutered!!) and a cage, water bottle, litter box, shavings and food. EVERYTHING he needed! Olivia is so excited. He spent his first day being very skittish(who could blame him?) But today has been a giant furball of lovin'. We are so grateful that God grants us the desires of our hearts in such amazing ways-- even the somewhat crazy desires like a pet rabbit my little girl has prayed for. But I can tell you this little girl understands the power of prayer and love of God even more. She had tears in her eyes when she found out my friend GAVE him to us for FREE!!

New baby in the family

My new nephew!!! Henry Luke arrived today at 6:39 pm. He weighed 7 lbs, 2 oz and was 19 inches long. He is truly a beautiful baby!



Isn't he just a darling little fella?????


Seriously... are you overwhelmed by cuteness or WHAT????


His sweet and strong mama Ashley, who worked so hard to keep him strong and so hard to get him here. I am just so proud of her!! This my friends is what WE did today. lol, ok, so I just held a hand and said Good job a lot and took a few photos, but still I AM quite proud. Tomorrow I get to have his big sister Audrey for the day. Can't WAIT to hear what that sweet baboo has to say about him. She giggled and said he was naked! And her mommy took clothes so the Dr would dress him up. lol

The homeschooling journey

OKAY, so we know that homeschooling will be a challenge sometimes. It is just a given. I had an amazing God brought opportunity though that came about for me to follow a personal dream and made it even MORE challenging! I have been thinking for 9 years now about pursuing a midwifery career or at least becoming a certified doula(labor assistant). I had asked a few questions a few years ago from some ladies I found on different yahoo groups, but then sort of put it all out of my head when our babies came along. Now that our littles are 4 and 5, I started thinking about it more. Then one day I got an email from a woman I did not know, but it was marked as a "reply." When I read it, it was about an online school for midwifery,and they have a doula course. We had a little extra money and enough to get the course and the books. I asked my hubby and he agreed and whoosh! I was enrolled in an online course! So I am in the final week of my 6 week course. I am on my way to being a certified labor assistant. I hope to be able to even teach childbirth classes someday. I am so excited to get to attend births, help women AND potentially make money with it!! Now that is the happy side.
The dark side of that issue is that it was SO STINKING Hard to TAKE classes, teach kids, run the house, etc etc. I could notr believe how many nights I was up at 2 am turning in online assignments! I have not been able to blog! I have not taken PICTURES! I feel so out of the loop!! But I have almost reached my finish line of a really important goal. Wahoooo!!!

Thankful thursday

Hmm, but it is really Friday MORNING. I have to say, there are so many things I am thankful for. When I get started I sort of snowball. I had the priviledge this week, to spend a night out with my sweet friend "L". Then my dear friend "I" and her little boy came today. It was chaos and I was so scared she would be scared away for LIFE. But she wasn't!! She asked if she could please come again next week!!(??) God is so merciful.
Then tonight I was swamped in clothes up to my knees sorting winter stuff, give aways, and washing EVERYTHING all five kids own(or so it seemed), my friend "T" said she was mom-napping me away for an hr. "E" and "T" took me to our fav. restaurant for coffee dessert and laughs galore. I am afraid we cleared our section because they were worried about us. We laughed so hard-- I am sure they thought we should be at the bar!
So, I am thankful for girlfriends. The ones who love us and keep us bolstered. The ones who pray for us and stand in the gap when we can barely stand. The ones who can look us in the eye and be honest. My sweet Kirsten,Lesley,Charity,Monique, Ingrid, Teri, Edna, Tammie, Joey and Jenn. Then my online buddies Linn, Jean, Lori, Chelsea and "the source" lol. I cannot begin to tell you how encouraged I am by you!
I am humbled and thankful.
I am so amazed that with 5 kids I have had to buy so few clothes! I have been so blessed with good friends who share. We have a bit of a routine now. A circle of moms who pass the stuff around. I Love that Monique,Kim, Kirsten, Lesley, Charity and I can say "hey do you have the girls sz 5s?? I need those or, I need the boys 10s. . . do you have those or does Lesley??" lol I love that we have dresses that we save and are so special because they have been worn by 5 little girls! I love that my friend Kim has tears in her eyes as she says every season, "thank you for clothing my boy, you have clothed him from the day he was born!" No my sweet sister, God has-- for all of us!I love the familiar scent of my friends when I open a bag of clothes freshly laundered from their home and it doesn't smell like Tide or Downy, but a hug from THEM!! I am so grateful for that.(even though I am knee- deep LITERALLY and have washed about 10 loads today! lol)
I am grateful for my kids, that they are not obligations, but little people. And people that I LIKE to be with!! They are hilarious, smart and so much fun.
I am thankful that my husband is trying so hard to be what God has called him to be. He is an awesome provider and has God's favor.
I am thankful for a home that is big enough for us all plus two more! And that God saw fit to make me a joyful mother of many! I am oh so grateful.
I am grateful for parents that did their very best and against so many odds, taught me compassion, love and mercy.
I am grateful for my sister who(God bless her!!) has "raised" so many of us and loves with such force it can take your breath away!
I am grateful for my younger brother, who shows me more and more every day what it means to love and live so fully and freely. And for the Sister in love who just amazes me with her strength and integrity.(and of course for the niece who is like a bundle of sunshine and the new baby nephew on his way!!!!!)
I am thankful for our childrens' birth mom. She is an awesome woman and loves us so much it amazes me every time I see it in action. There are some who say her job is easy. . . but I know better. It cannot be easy to be selfless enough to give a life to another. I am in awe of her.
God has been so good to me. When I was formed in my mother's womb, HE knew me. He KNEW ME. Called me by name and had good plans for me. I am so grateful that he ransomed me and his lessons of love and faith through adoption journeys. . .are so incredible.
I pray that as I listen to the rain tonight, I can swim in His Goodness. Feel the warmth of His love and spill over onto others. Have I mentioned that I am thankful?? ;-)

Hezra's Thoughtful Spot

Today we read again a chapter in "The house at Pooh Corner", and a chapter of Hank the Cowdog.(our current read aloud books) In reading the Pooh book, I have discovered some very realistic, and surprisingly modern- day characters. Bear with me a minute or two (yes, pun intended).
Okay, so we have Rabbit. He is so obviously OCD it isn't even funny. He has serious control issues and is just sadly, not as smart as he would like to think. I think that poor rabbit could use some Prozac and a weekly meeting with a kind therapist.
Then there is Owl. He is quite narcissitic (okay I know my selling is off!!) I think he tries to cover up his inadequacies with big words and lots of talk. He needs to see Dr Phil and just get REAL! Go on Oprah OWL!
Next, we have poor little Piglet. That little guy has such bad anxiety issues we need to start him on a pretty high dose of anti anxiety meds JUST to get him functional. I think that might help his stuttering too!
Eeyore is obviously very depressed! He needs a good round of anti- depressants and again, a good therapist. A few friends and a night out here and there wouldn't hurt the poor guy either!AND maybe a MRS EEYORE?? Just a thought.
Of course there is Pooh Bear himself. That fluffy little bear has a bit of an eating disorder. He has serious food issues. I mean, he plans his whole DAY around food. All the while calling a whole pot of "hunny" a "little something." Portion Control and Weight watchers could help. But he needs to be honest about his amounts! Oddly, they call him the bear of very little brain. BUT he is a creative(if not so talented) songwriter and poet. He figures out almost all of the solutions to their problems. AND he is good at making and keeping friends. Not a bad bear if you ask me.
Kanga is the sweet bio and adoptive mom who took Tigger in under her wing(er pouch as it were) and cared for him so well. Calling him Tigger Dear and all.
Speaking of Tigger! THAT is an obvious case of ADHD if I ever saw one! He needs Ritalin --not that stuff Kanga gives him!!(energy stuff??!! She is sweet but I think she may be a little ditsy) Roo. Roo may be the only normal one in the hundred acre woods. He is the bouncy but happy little fella. He loves his big brother(Tigger) and obeys his mom. Very sweet kid.

Ahh, it makes on feel very sorry for Christopher Robin. He has to the what 5 year old ringleader of that strange crew??? Kind of a lot to put on a kid!

So, that is my take on the characters of Pooh corner. I wonder what Milne was trying to tell us?? Maybe he made these quirky characters to remind us of aunts, uncles moms, dads, sisters and brothers(and let's not forget friends) That is why they have seemed so real. So memorable. AND so timeless. They are like family. Ya gotta love that!