FB Friday

June 22, 2013 ~ "Not too tight or the blood won't be floating." Lol

An hour and a half later, Maya K's hair is hopefully good to go for the week!!!

June 23, 2013 ~ I'm prepping for two days at a Heartland AEA class this week (Wednesday and Thursday). I have not been apart from Maya K for more than 4 hours (and she was sleeping for part of that) since our Gotcha Day (nine months ago TODAY!!!) and now I will be gone for nine and a half hours two days in a row!!! I'm not sure I am going to make it!!!

June 24, 2013 ~ "You are very smart, Mommy. Do you know why you are very smart? You are very smart because you know a lot of things and you know when what I say is a lie." ~ Maya K

We have come so far in the past 9 months, but we still have a ways to go. It was raining hard today when we left the grocery store so I had Maya K get in the car right away while I put the groceries in the trunk. I then quickly went to put the cart away (for the past 9 months, Maya K has always gone with me to put the cart away). I ran back to the car and got inside to find a wide-eyed scared little girl. "Mommy, I thought you leave me!!! I think you not coming back." I quickly assured her that I will NEVER leave her and not come back!!!

June 25, 2013 ~ Can anyone guess what is special about today?!?!

One year ago today, we received that long-awaited phone call!! Nathan asked me to wait until he got home from work to open the e-mail and I anxiously stared at my computer screen until he came. When I clicked to open the e-mail, I didn't read ANYTHING in the message. I quickly looked for the picture that would show me my DAUGHTER'S face for the first time!!!!

HERE is our referral story!!!!

June 26, 2013 ~ Prayers would be appreciated for both Maya K and I as we spend our first day apart!!! I'm confident that things are going to go well, but I'm still praying!!!

We both made it through the day!!!

June 28, 2013 ~ I'm getting ready to order Maya K's school curriculum for the fall. Soooooo exciting!!!!

I took Maya K's flat twists out today and now she is rockin' the "twist out" look!! It looks very cute right now so we'll have to see what it looks like by the end of today!!! I'll try to get a picture in a little while.

"I see you at the church for the bath??" (translation: a wedding shower)
"God can burp too???" (I have to admit I never thought about that before.)
"Does Oreo [our cat] know God???"

FB Friday

June 15, 2013 ~ Let's see if Nathan will actually wear what Maya K bought him for Father's Day to church tomorrow!!!!

June 16, 2013 ~ Happy 1st Father's Day, My Love!!! Watching you become a Daddy these past 9 months has been such a blessing to me!!! I love you!!!!

June 17, 2013 ~ "Mommy, did God know that the bad king was going to kill the babies? Why didn't He stop the bad king? You said He can do EVERYTHING!!! Why He not stop the bad king?" My deep thinker!!! She is already pondering questions that many believers have struggled with for years!!!!

Maya K's bedtime prayer ~ "God, thank you for the....the...the....food I not like for dinner, and thank you for the strawberries that I do like, and thank you.....(continues for another 5 minutes)....Jesus' name, Amen."

June 18, 2013 ~ I'm not sure who is more tired after our day at the zoo - me or the girls. I think it might be me!!!!

The water balloons are filled!!! Maya K gets to learn something FUN tomorrow!!!

June 19, 2013 ~ Grrrrrrrrr!!!! I'm having a rough day.

June 20, 2013 ~ Maya K is having some "separation anxiety" tonight. This doesn't happen very often and I'm praising the Lord when it does!!!!

June 21, 2013 ~ "Mommy, did you and daddy decide who I will marry? When I marry I will ask him if we can stay home so I can be with mommy. Mommy, maybe I marry Ben or Joseph (I quickly explained that she can't marry her cousins!!!). Then, maybe I marry Ben & Joseph's cousin (???). The one who send me the fairies - her boys......brothers. Maybe I marry them???!!!! 

FB Friday

June 10, 2013 ~ We get to leave on our overnight anniversary trip this afternoon!!! Lucky Maya K gets to go with us this year :-). She was THRILLED when we told her yesterday that she is going to get to go SWIMMING at the hotel!!!! We are going to a mini indoor water park; yes, it's kind of more for her than for us this year!!!

Maya K LOVED the little water "park"!!!! After she got up the courage to go down the water slide she did it again and again and again!!!! It took her a little while to figure out how to use the floaties to stay above water but then she kept kicking her feet over and over and over again!!! Her giggles and belly laughs kept coming!!!!

June 11, 2013 ~ Happy Anniversary, Nathan!!! I'm so thankful and grateful for the 9 years of marriage God has given to us. I'm praying that He give us MANY more!!!!

Our first kiss!!!

Hmmmmm. Nathan gave Maya K some orange soda with dinner (not a lot). Then he left for softball practice. He better be glad that he gave me flowers and a necklace for our anniversary last week!!! Just sayin'.

June 14, 2013 ~ We're heading to Big Creek today!!! Maya K is VERY excited to get to finally play in the SAND!!!! We just have to get through my eye apt. (where they treat Maya K like a rock star and can't stop gushing over her [yes, she notices. I'm not sure how to stop it.]) Then it's off to the "beach"!!!!

Big Creek was FUN today!!! Wading in the water, digging in the sand, collecting trash to dig and build with, finding a dead fish, playing on the playground, splashing your cousins, throwing sticks into the water....these are all Maya K's "favorite tings!!!!"

The meal that makes my daughter giggle and clap her hands when she sits down to eat: rice & beans!!! (We also had chicken, but the rice and beans are what she DEVOURED and begged for more!!!!)

FB Friday

June 1, 2013 ~ Maya K: "Daddy, why you say 'poly cow'?"
Nathan: "I didn't. I said 'holy cow'."
Maya K: "You said 'poly holy cow'?"
Nathan: "Nevermind."

June 2, 2013 ~ "I'm too TIRED to go to sleep!!!" ~ Maya K

June 4, 2013 ~ I'm learning how to make green smoothies :-). So far, so good. They have been YUMMY and Maya K likes them!!!!!

Last week I made a Shutterfly photo book for Maya K of our two trips to Ethiopia. It came in the mail last night and I read the "story" to her of when we met her and then brought her home. Right now she is sitting on the sofa with her friend "K" and she is telling her all about the pictures :-). I love it!!!!

June 6, 2013 ~ We are in the middle of a long "discussion" as to whether or not cows like the color red. Maya K keeps telling me that we need to ask the farmer because he will know what color his cows like. I keep telling her that because cows can't talk, they can't tell the farmer what color they like. She is very insistent that the farmer WILL know!!!!

Can a dog bite his tongue? Why or why not? My daughter wants to know.

My hubby let me get away tonight!!! I enjoyed dinner with my friend Gretchen, and then spent some relaxing time in a used bookstore from which I brought home a large pile of BOOKS!!! (Thankfully, I had a gift card!!!)

June 7, 2013 ~ My dream is to someday have room for more bookshelves so I can have all my "friends" out of boxes and able to be seen and enjoyed!!!!

Here are my "finds" from last night. Along with some beautiful roses that Nathan and Maya K bought me for our anniversary (it's next week, but Nathan doesn't like doing flowers on the "expected" day)!!!!

My next project ~ bring all the boxes of books in from the garage, sort all the books we own, re-box up the books that we don't have room for in the house, label the boxes, and take them back out to the garage. Now the details/questions ~ Should I start hauling all the boxes in myself today since I have the motivation to get started?, should I wait until my hubby is home since he is better at carrying heavy things up lots of stairs without falling down and dropping everything?, should I start sorting the books in the house without the boxes from the garage?, etc. Hmmmmmmmm............

FB Friday

May 25, 2013 ~ Half Afro Up-Do (The pictures really don't do it justice. It is really cute!!!)

We got to go meet little Ruth Luella Hemmings this evening!!! She is a precious little gift from God to David and Teresa!!!!

May 27, 2013 ~ A benefit to being up in the night with a little girl who had a nightmare - the little girl slept until 8 a.m. A secondary benefit - the little girl's daddy let her mommy sleep until 8:30!!!!!!

Maya K had LOTS of spiritual questions tonight. We have talked with her a lot about Heaven since she came home, but have not approached the topic of hell. She started asking tonight about the place where people go in the fire. All I can assume is that she learned this information while she was still in ET. Sooooooo many questions about things that she does not understand yet, but I did my best to answer in ways that she could grasp. The question that stood out to me tonight was, "Mommy, if I go to the fire place because I don't tell God 'sorry', and you and Daddy go to Heaven because you tell God 'sorry', will you be sad that I am not there?" Please be praying for my little girl's heart and that she will come to an understanding of God's gift of salvation. And please pray that God will give me the words that I need to answer her questions in ways that she will understand!!!!

May 28, 2013 ~ Maya K has been home for EIGHT months!!!!

Maya K talks. A lot. When she is tired, she talks even more. Example. "Look Mommy!! Pretty sky!! Very pretty sky!! Pretty trees!!! Pretty flowers. Pretty grass!! Pretty.....what dat? Pretty blue thing!!!"

May 29, 2013 ~ Flat Twists ~ Here is my newest attempt :-). I'm happy with how they turned out, so now we see how long they actually look good!!!

I just told Nathan that I am interested in buying some "Gorilla Snot". Yep, this is what learning how to style my little girl's hair has done to me!!!!

May 30, 2013 ~ Guess who is turning SIX today?!?! (Thanks to Debbi for the picture taken last week in CO.)

May 31, 2013 ~ Success!!! We just made a trip to WalMart for Maya K to buy two things (with Bday money) that she has been talking about for a long time (a boat for the bathtub and a brush for her baby's hair). AND we also bought some Bday presents for a friend (which Maya K had to decide what she was getting BEFORE we went to the store). This is a HUGE step because Maya K has a very hard time making decisions. She started to get sidetracked a few times but I kept reminding her what we were there for and didn't let her change her mind when she saw something else. We are home and she is happily brushing her baby's hair!!!!

"Maya K you are a CRAZY girl!!! Maya K, you are just a CRAZY girl!!! Maybe Mommy a cat. No, no, I not call her a cat. I call her a puzzle. Yes, too funny to call her that. No, no. Maybe I call her an oven. Maybe I call her cat food. No, cat can't be person. One, two, three, four, five. One puzzle. Two puzzle. We will, we will, we will, we will (x10). Waaaa, Waaaa, Waaaa...." (goes into high pitch singing/humming) ~ quote from Maya Kisanet Joy Maxwell

This is just to show what her hair looks like when we take a style out :-). Keepin' it real!!!!

FB Friday

May 18, 2013 ~ We are having fun in Colorado. Maya K is in heaven with twin cousins to play hide and seek with, a grandma to make cookies for her and to "help" with the turkey, a grandpa to let her dig with a shovel outside in the dirt, aunts and uncle to laugh at her silliness (another aunt and uncle to arrive tonight), and LOTS and LOTS of toys and "new-to-her" books to read!!!

May 19, 2013

May 20, 2013 ~ We spent the day at the North Pole, Colorado. Maya K had soooooo much FUN and loved every single ride she went on. NOTHING scared her!!!!

Having fun at the North Pole.

May 22, 2013 ~ Maya K: "I stopped it."
Nathan: "What did you stop?"
Maya K: "My yawn. I didn't want Mommy to see it."
Nathan and me: "??????"
Maya K: "Maybe Mommy see it and say no swimming at motel because I too tired."
She was FULL of funny quotes in the car today :-). We left CO this afternoon and started our trip home. We had a GREAT time with my family, but are definitely looking forward to getting home tomorrow!!!!

May 23, 2013 ~ Home. I love home.

May 24, 2013 ~ We have next to NO FOOD in our house (ate it all before our trip) and I have next to NO DESIRE to go grocery shopping. This could be a problem.

I found a good reason to quickly unpack and get everything put away after a trip. (No, I did NOT quickly unpack and get everything put away today. Wishing I had.) A friend's water might break and you might be needed to watch her little boy :-). It's a good thing that he's been good about not getting into everything!!!!

FB Friday

May 11, 2013 ~ I went to WalMart without Maya K this afternoon. As I was checking out, the check out lady (who I think is from the Sudan) asked where my daughter was. I told her that she was at home with my husband and she said "I like seeing you together. It is special to me."

As we were putting Maya K in bed tonight, she started asking her "usual" questions. "Why do we have books? Where did Mommy get the books?" etc. Nathan told her that I had bought a lot of the books when we were praying and asking God to give us a little boy or girl. Maya K was fascinated by this. "Mommy asked God for me? How did she hear God? Did you (Daddy) ask God too?" It was a very sweet conversation!!! Then, as we were telling her that it was time to stop asking questions and go to sleep, she asked Nathan, "How did Mommy get YOU????"

May 12, 2013 ~ This has been a blessed first Mother's Day for me. However, I am also remembering Maya K's birth mother and how on Mother's Day six years ago she was carrying my beautiful daughter in her womb. She gave Kisanet life!!! She didn't get to spend much time with Kisanet here on earth and I pray that someone told her about Jesus' gift of salvation so that she is celebrating this Mother's Day in heaven. I am humbled and blessed that God has given me this child I prayed for. Maya K has accepted me as her mommy and I pray that one day she accepts Jesus as her Savior!!! Happy Mother's Day!!!!!

Nathan is introducing Maya K to the "wonderful" world of computer games tonight :-). He is definitely doing more of the actual "gaming" but she is having fun sitting on her daddy's lap and yelling at the compute screen with him!!!!

Maya K is teaching her daddy how to do a "tip-toe twirl" on the trampoline. It's pretty amazing!!!!! (I REALLY wanted to record this "lesson" but Nathan forbade me!!!)

May 16, 2013 ~ We leave for CO this afternoon. So much to get done!!!!

We are four hours closer to our final destination (Colorado). Maya K go to go SWIMMING for the first time tonight!!! She loved it!!! And, even better, she LOVED the hot tub with her mommy!!!!

Maya K's First Time SWIMMING!!!!!

FB Friday

May 4, 2013 ~ "I love God. Do you know why I love God? I love God because He's cute!! He's cute because the Bible say that." ~ Maya K
While her theology might be a little off, at least her heart is in the right place!!!

It's a little blurry, but I had to share Maya K's sense of "style" for bed tonight :-). I "heart" this girl!!!

May 6, 2013 ~ Maya K: "Mommy, may I .....?"
Me: "No, you may not."
Maya K: "May I say 'Why?', Mommy?"
Me: "No, you may not."
Maya K: "May I say 'Why?' I may not say 'Why?'?"
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

May 7, 2013

My Daddy reading to my sister and me. This picture was taken when we lived in Togo, West Africa. I honestly cannot remember a time when books were not very special to me!!! I am so thankful that Maya K loves books!!!

My childhood is filled with memories of my Daddy reading to me. I'm so very blessed to now get to see my Daddy reading to my daughter/his granddaughter!!!!!

May 8, 2013 ~ As we got in the car from a quick trip to Target in the rain, I informed Maya K and "K" of three of the top things that put me in a HORRIBLE mood. 1) Being lied to, 2) Children arguing with me, and 3) Rain!!! Then I quickly had to add a fourth; 4) Maya K squeaking her shoes in the car!!!!

"Mommy, can God fly? Does He have wings? Why He not make people fairies? I want to be a fairy. PLEASE God make me fairy!!! God do.....what that called, Mommy? Mmmmmmm....cle????"
All this because I have started telling her about the many miracles that Jesus did when He was here on earth!!!

May 10, 2013 ~ What a blessing to attend the college graduation of my little sister today!! I'm proud of you, Kristi, and am praying for you as you move on to the next chapter of your life!!!

FB Friday

April 27, 2013 ~ Mixing lotion. Love my KitchenAid.

April 28, 2013 ~ Guess what today is the 7 month anniversary of????

Nathan - "Maya K, please behave in the car."
Maya K - "Yes, Daddy. I will behave."
......Long Pause......
Maya K - "Daddy, what is 'behave' mean????"

Since we had an afternoon service at church today, we decided to eat an early dinner and go to the park. It was a BEAUTIFUL day!!!!! I kept thinking about where we were just seven months ago and praising the Lord for His goodness!!! My family is very special to me and I want to savor evenings like this together!!!

Rollerblading around the pond with Daddy.

Maya K absolutely LOVES rollerblading with her Daddy!!!

Coming down the slide :-).

I can't believe she has been home for SEVEN months!!!

Maya K and Daddy

She's definitely got a little "attitude" sometimes!!!

Pretty girl!!!!

Maya K and Mommy

I "heart" this girl!!!!

April 30, 2013 ~ What a beautiful morning spent at the zoo!!! Maya K, her friend "K", and I had a lot of fun feeding the goats and fish, playing on the playground, watching the fish, and imitating the monkeys :-).

"Mommy???"
"Yes, Maya K?"
.....long pause.....
"Ummmmmmm.......I lost my question."
THAT doesn't happen very often!!!!

May 1, 2013 ~ My version of a busy day has changed in the past 7 months. Today's busyness that is stressing me out consists of getting Maya K moving, fixing and eating pancakes before "K" arrives, a bath for Maya K, getting us both dressed and ready for the day before it's time to leave for a craft at the library, rushing home to get lunch on the table and the girls down for quiet time (which is MUCH needed for Maya K since she was up 2 1/2 hours past her bedtime last night), trying to get school done with the girls and maybe a trip to Aldi for groceries, and dinner on the table early because then we leave for Maya K's gymnastics tonight. Somehow it seems to all revolve around Maya K and "K" :-). I also need to get some laundry done, dishes washed, and a bathroom cleaned. Oh the stresses of a SAHM :-). I do truly love them!!!!

May 2, 2013 ~ Maya K and "K" are watching "Eloise at the Plaza".
Maya K: (pointing at the TV) "Is this Bible? Is this true? This really true? Really happen???"
Me: "No, Honey. This is not a story from the Bible."
Maya K: "Just pretend story? Not for real."

May 3, 2013 ~ We bought Maya K a mini trampoline last night. She is in love!!!!

"God, snow going to stop later? In Jesus Name, Amen." ~ Maya K