Freeway Chaos

Yes, this is my car.  It was clean when we left for the airport to pick up Becca's mom, who is staying in Texas for 2 weeks.

On the way back from the airport, late at night, I might add, we drove right into a construction area!
We were like lemmings jumping off a cliff.... one car after the other, and we got stuck in the group!

A large truck was in front of us about 5 cars up, and we could not see any signs.  The one lane apparently split into two. The truck went into the construction area, and so did everybody else!

The signs were awful. Once you saw it, it said, "Road Closed" but it was between where the lanes split and impossible to tell unless you had a clear view.

Things got worse from there. Some folks tried to turn around... ON A FWY and go the other way.
Seriously??
We stayed put and a very grouchy fellow with lights flashing seemed to need to remind us that "This is a Construction zone!"  Well duh!

He told us to wait.  At this point there were 3 cars in front of me, and about 10 behind me.
He then started to lead us through the area.  Down, down, down, into a VERY SCARY area with large trucks and heavy equipment digging and putting huge chunks of cement into the trucks.
All of the sudden, the guy 3 cars up stopped and turned around.  We say the truck do the same, so we started to do the same thinking it was a dead end.
Grouchy guy YELLS AT US.... STAY THERE! 
Apparently the nut in front of us decided not to follow the guy.

Finally, a really nice fellow drove up with a big smile and said, "I'm going to stop everybody and I'll come back to get you and lead you out of here. "
So we waited. He came back and did just that.
Another mile through some really rough areas and then he drove up under a construction area with a lot of cement overhead.  He waved his arm like, "common' it's ok" and we drove up and out of there. He told us to have a nice night!
And we were SO THANKFUL!
Man that was scary!
My son's mom in law thanked me for the adventure! LOL

Now I need to wash the car again.

Tragedy Unfolding

There was a murder in our neighborhood.  It happened behind the high school that Anna attends.
The young man murdered, was an ROTC student that Anna knew well.

Sadly, we found out that the murderers were also students. One of them, was in ROTC and Anna knew him well, the other she didn't know well.

We have all been very saddened by this news.

Honestly, my gut instinct is to rip her from the school and bring her home.
I don't know if that is a wise idea.
At least not yet.

This is the SECOND time a child has been murdered by "friends" at the same school, in 2 years.

Something is VERY WRONG.

We feel safe in Wylie, and always have, yet such henious crimes have happened so close by!

The thing that disturbs me so much about this one is that the kids knew each other well.
It was PRE MEDITATED and these young men took this young man's life by strangling the life from him and then taping a sock in his mouth and cover his nose to make sure he was dead. :(

How can something like that be done so callously??  I just don't get it. :(

I met one of the young men. He seemed like a nice, normal kid. He helped Anna with her algebra at the beginning of the year and she borrowed his cell phone to call home after a foot ball game that they worked chains on.

I am so creeped out!

Please pray for our sweetie girl.  She is very sad for her friend that lost his life, and very confused about the ones who committed the crime.

She is doing well, considering the situation. 

I just hate sin.

The EPIC Ya Ya Failure!

So, last night I was supposed to baby sit for Joe and Becca so they could go to a dinner being held at the University where Joseph works.

I had it on my calendar and popping up on my computer to remind me every two hours.  Joe even CALLED me in the morning.  All was a go!

At around 4, I went with Mike to look at some wood that needed to be split.  After that, he suggested we go to Walmart to get a few things.  I happily went along with him, and it was in the middle of Walmart that I realized I had FORGOTTEN to babysit!

We rushed as quickly as we could out the door and he got me home. I jumped out and got on my cell phone to call them and say I 'd be there in 20 minutes.

Becca is so gracious.  She said not to worry, she was already back in PJ's and Joe had gone to the banquet alone.  :(

I felt like a HUGE JERK!

So we talked and I told her I was coming over anyway.  I brought her a Salted Carmel Bar from Starbucks and groveled some.

I stayed over and we talked and watched the boys play.  Baby started WALKING! He took his first steps and we were overjoyed. 
Then Truman was just so sweet.  He was snuggling with his mama and so happy she didn't leave.

"My mama is staying with me!"  :)

Same played with his legos and tried to sell me a picture he colored for 30 dollars! LOL
He did get a dollar....

We had a nice visit and when Joseph came home he was so gracious. 
His only question.... "Where were you at the moment you realized you had forgotten?"
So we could all laugh. :)

He then confessed to forgetting a good friend at the airport. LOL
All in all, it turned out to be a good night, and I owe them a night out.

Joe said that none of the other wives attended either, so all was well.

Oh man..... I was so relieved! 
Bad Ya Ya! Bad!

The Test

The other day, Anna told me about getting a 90% on her geography test. She had no idea how that was possible. 
I wrote about it a few posts down.

Yesterday, she got her test back and saw clearly the grade was a mistake!
Today, on her own accord, she went in to her teacher's class early and showed him the mistake.
His response: "Why are you so freakin' honest?"

He gave her a 70%, which was generous. :)

I am so proud of her! 
A good character is WAY more important than a good grade!
You PASSED your Test Sweetie!!!! 100%!

Ladies's Retreat

A Beautiful Weekend

This past weekend, I was honored to attend a very special get together with 9 precious ladies from across the United States. 
We had SO MUCH FUN!  But we also had SO MUCH IN COMMON!

These ladies are wonderful moms who have adopted children of all ages.  We laughed so hard that we cried, and we shared stories and swapped wonderful information.

My trip was made possible by one of these ladies and I am so very thankful!

It makes me want to start something similar in our area!

Here are some pictures of our weekend.....

 My feet are in the middle

 Here we are all together! What a fun night!

I don't know why, but chasing all these seagulls was so fun!  It was a one two three go! With Christine. :)

We all left lifted up in the Lord and Refreshed in each other's company. :)

Anna's Grade

I went on a fantastic retreat over the weekend which I will blog about soon.  While I was there, Miss Anna texted me that she received a 90% on her Geography test.

The thing is, she was really afraid to take that test. She had studied, but didn't feel she had studied enough.   She thought she had failed it for sure.

When I got her text that she received a 90 I told her how awesome that was.
This a.m. when we were on our way to school, she opened up and said, "Mama, should I talk to my Geography teacher about my grade?"
I asked her, "Why?"
She said, "Because I really didn't deserve it.  Honestly, I only knew some of the questions and on the rest, I just guessed."

I am so proud of her.  She was being so genuine and honest.

I have never encountered this question.  I told her if she felt she should tell him, then go ahead and tell him, but she did give her best guesses, and that is what she is supposed to do if she isn't sure of an answer.

I'll be curious what her Geography teacher says if she does let him know that she guessed at a lot of test.  I think she just doesn't want him to think she studied harder than she did, or knew more than she did.
Proud of her.

Any thoughts on this?

She Couldn't Make Up Her Mind

And They are Back!

Erika and Sarah are back from the Ski trip! We brought a friend home for the night. :)
Yuri will be flying to Houston tomorrow.

 This cracked me up.... a Dog potty at the air port. :)

 One last group hug.

 What a great group of girls.

Dr. Ellis and the girls.  They just love him.

Our sweet friend Yuri! :)  Yuri is also from Ukraine and was adopted by good friends of ours. :)

Erika and Sarah are Skiing!

They left yesterday with Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, on American Airlines.
What a wonderful opportunity for them.  
Alli is thrilled to have mama to herself during the day. :)
Here is a link to an article in the Dallas Morning News:
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/metro/20140210-teenagers-get-chance-to-look-beyond-disabilities-with-ski-trip.ece

And here are some pictures at the airport.

 Waiting to go!

 Erika had to be searched.

 A beautiful buffet before takeoff

 Our friend Yuri

 A pilot who lost his leg in an accident 4 years ago, who is now back to piloting airplanes.

 Dr. Herring addressing the group.  He has flown almost 2,000,000 miles on AA!

The Send off Picture

How Do You Solve A Problem......

We had fun this a.m. getting Miss Alli out of bed! Apparently after the debate last night, she stayed up to do art.
I understand how she couldn't just go to sleep. I am the same way. After watching something like that, I have to have some wind down time.

BUT..... 8:30?  Sorry sweetie, Out of Bed for you! :)

A Retreat!

I am going to have the honor of going to the Retreat with Christine Reed, from www.smilesandtrials.blogspot.com

SOOOO EXCITED!~
I still cannot believe it..... but a friend talked to me this a.m. asking why I wasn't going.   And then, they made an offer I could not refuse! 

God is so good!  I know that the Lord wants me to go and He made provision for this trip!

SO thankful!

See You Soon!

Alli and Mike had Birthdays!

Alli turned 14 this weekend, on the same day as Mike turned 54! :)

She loves having her birthday, but birthdays have also been a "trigger" for her.
In the past, ( we have celebrated 12 and 13 together)  they brought about huge memories of her bio siblings, and a birthday party in her first adoptive  family.
This year, she was especially anxious with her Birthday coming up and wanted to know exactly what was going to happen! I shared most everything, EXCEPT the fact that her bio sister was coming as a huge surprise. :)
Her sister texted me 10 minutes before arrival so I could get Sweetie 4 out of the house and they could hide. :)
We came back home and the girls offered to play a favorite game.
It sounds awful, being called "Murder in the Dark", a game they made up.
It isn't violent.  It is just a game in the dark  where the mystery "murderer" touches your leg or arm.
Alli's bio sister Tatyana  and her friend Gibson were in the closet hiding in the dark when the game started and within a few minutes, sweetie 4 figured out there were more people in the room.
The lights came on and the hugs started! :)
It was so fun to surprise her!
And guess what!!!
All that birthday anxiety, melted away. :)

Hiding in the closet!

 Sarah gave her a foot ball. :)

 Erika and Mama gave her water color paints

 Sister love

The new mice.....

She had a wonderful birthday time.  All of her sisters loved on her and daddy. :)

I think we should surprise her sister next month for HER birthday. :)