WEEKEND FUN!

It as a great weekend!  Hope you all had a wonderful one too!  I never can celebrate the 4th of July without thanking the many many men and women who have fought for each of us to enjoy the many freedoms that we currently have in our lives.  It never ceases to AMAZE me that people love God and our country enough to lay down their life for it!  And here we are, enjoying the result of such sacrifice, living in the luxuries America has to offer........

THANK YOU seems so insufficient.  

But I say it from the very bottom of my heart!

This contemplation then lead me to the FREEDOM we are all offered in Christ!  Freedom from our sins (you know, those bad decisions we all make at some point in our lives!), knowing that Christ's sacrifice cleared the slate for every one of us.  Freedom from worry, knowing that our Heavenly Father is walking alongside us no matter how rough the road.  Freedom from having to "keep up with the Jones'" as we know what really matters in life ~ and it isn't the materialistic things that we can't take with us when we die!  Freedom from trying to be someone we aren't, knowing that God loves us just. the. way. we. are!!!  He never makes mistakes!!!!  Freedom of having to figure out the details of our lives, knowing that if we seek God's will for our life, He will never leave us nor forsake us.  And we know that His plan for our lives is always good.  ALWAYS.  

I still cannot THANK God sufficiently for blessing us with our son.  I still cannot find a way to THANK Him for this FREEDOM He has bestowed upon me, just because I chose HIM.  So simple.  Yet, so profound.  So Eternal............

Friday, July 1st was spent at an Allison Kraus outdoor concert at the Botanical Garden, with Eric and Sarah.  Fabulous!  Great company, awesome weather, and a voice to DIE for!!!!!  Seriously, Allison knows how to bless the ears that listen!!!!  {forgot to take photos.  boo!}

Saturday was getting what donations we have for the orphans organized and start packing it all.  We are floored by all the peeps wanting to love on orphans in ET!  THANK YOU!!!!  

Sunday and Monday were both BBQ days {again....forgot to take photos.....double boo!} and spending the days with wonderful friends!!!  

Well.......soooooo.......Monday was also spent celebrating our freedom and rights in another way before the BBQ.  As Jeff and Josh would say, we were celebrating our right to the 2nd Amendment........ yes, you know......the right to bear arms........

 Jordan and his BB Gun.

 Charlie's Angels (minus one)

We mean serious business here......

 Trying out the new Smith and Wesson M&P 15/22......

 Good Father-son bonding......Josh and Jordan.

 Yes, this picture is for reals!

 Included this one for you, babe!

(still not sure why you like this one so much) 

 Honey Shootin' Clay Pigeons.......

 Best Buds!

(Gotta love Josh's shirt!)

Ended the evening with fireworks and fun!

My Momma always said I was her late firecracker.......

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!

As most of you know (because you are so stinkin' sweet and plastered my FB with awesome Birthday Greetings!), my birthday was yesterday, July 5th!  I cannot THANK YOU enough for showering me with LOVE!  

We usually are in Colorado with Jeff's family for 4th of July and my birthday, but this year it was Jeff's turn to be on call, so we stayed in town.  It felt weird to work on my bday, but hey!  They had treats and a gift card for Macy's, bday decorations......the works!  Oh, and Cinnamon Kettle Corn!  Have you ever tasted it!?!?!?  I had not!!!  But am now addicted!!!!!  Need I say more?

My bday was then topped off with presents and a nice dinner, with a Cosmopolitan, and MUD PIE for dessert!  Jeff planned on it being just the two of us, but before I knew that, I had invited Lisa to dinner with us ~ hubby was such a good sport!  Of course he loves Lisa, so it was easy for him to switch gears!  The surprises kept coming............as Jeff's parents knew where we were going for dinner and phoned the restaurant, providing their credit card information..........to pay for our dinner!  Wasn't that thoughtful and sweet!?!?!?

The waitress approached our table and asked me if it was my birthday.  When I said yes, she then asked me if I was "me" ~ by name.  Puzzled, I wondered how she knew who I was.......she said, "I was told to look for a beautiful blonde with a big smile who was celebrating her birthday."  Wow!  She really knows how to get a good tip!  {especially on a day that I am turning older! ha!}

Like my dear friend, Heidi said......another year older and another day closer to our baby "K!"

The icing on the cake, so-to-speak, was getting our first monthly update on our sweet boy ON my bday! He is doing well, growing like a weed and eating well.  He does have an acute ear infection, poor boy.  Would you join us in praying it resolves quickly?  Tugs at our heart to have him sick so far from us.

But we know who has Ultimate care of him...........and we pray God watches over our son as well as prepares all the details to make court go smoothly......and result in a PASS so that "K" will officially be OURS!  FOREVER!!!!

BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER!!!!!!!  

Leaving to meet OUR SON!!!!!

Sweet Dreams, Baby "K!"

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo