We're EXPECTING

...two new forever members to join our family November 18th 2011 at 4PM!!! (yeah I know, that wasn't nice :)... haha)


Moe and Roo will both be adopted on National Adoption Day this year. I am beyond ecstatic! When I talk to Moe about adoption and his name changing (middle and last) he gets all excited and says "I want that for me like Tristan". He loves saying our last name and it is so fun watching him delight in knowing that will soon be his last name as well.

Roo, well he has NO idea he's getting adopted so it will just be one big party to him with lots of people celebrating with and around us!

So if you live around us and would like to partner with us on this fantabulous day, mark your calendars. It is Friday, November 18th at 4 PM. I can't tell you that the time won't change as I have heard stories of such, but it will be in the later afternoon so that people don't have to miss work or too much of it anyway. There will be drinks and light snacks (or maybe just cake) served and lots of fun for everyone! Please if you can RSVP to me so I will be able to get some sort of head count.

CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES ... C'MON!

Who's plans?

When we first started foster parenting we figured God would add to our numbers as HE saw fit. We never really put a limit on where we wanted it to end. We just trusted that God knew what we could handle.


3 boys has suited us well. We were great with that and have been for a while now. As they are getting older J and I started discussing the idea of closing our home for a bit while the boys grow a little older and we get them to a good age to understand all the backs and forths of 'fostering'.

That was until the call for Little Miss came in.

She is as sweet as maple syrup but also as unpredictable as rain in TX.


We are unsure how long she will be with us but for now she is here and the boys are LOVING all the 'sparkly, pretty' things that accompany girls! She is no princess though, she LOVES her rough and tumble f.brothers and hangs with the best of them!

We are set to adopt both Moe and Roo on Nov 18th.. FINALLY! And here we thought we were going to take a LONG break. Hmmm Guess God has other plans for our family. So funny how over night and with one phone call everything can change.

All in the blink of an eye.


It is so amazing watching her grow spiritually as well. She LOVES going to her class Sunday mornings and in the evenings going to Lifegroup. She has been learning all the memory verses now right along side the boys. I am amazed at seeing all that God is stirring in her little heart. Now when someone is hurt she says "I'm gonna pray for that" and she is right there with her f.brothers praying over the hurts. What a hungry little heart she has!

Oh, and she's also 3! haha that makes 3-3 year olds and a 1.3/4 year old! Bear will be 4 in 3 weeks appx so it will change the monotony of it all for a little while.

Thank you Lord that YOU know the destiny of our footsteps and we need not worry for anything. You have planned out this family long before we were born. I will trust in YOUR plans!

Keeping Your Cool

When you live in the WAY SOUTH the heat is sometimes unbearable so you have to trick your mind into believing it's cold so that the heat is WELCOME!Sharing cool drinks with the one you love until your brain freezes is choice!

Then you dress in your 'snow' boots and hike to your tent in the woods.
Stretch your legs before you turn in or the cold will cramp your limbs!

All three

These guys are full time. They are on the go and all boy at full speed! I love them so. I am exhausted most days but press in hoping one day I will see all the hard work paying off.

Moe is so close to being adopted it's not even funny. The last part of the appeal process is nearing on July 13th. The case will be heard before the 10th court of appeals for the final decision, on July 13th.

Roo has had both 'parent's' terminated on and has been approved for the adoptions unit but has yet to be moved over.

We are holding out until November to adopt them both. We feel they should both be free and clear by then. It's also national adoption day ( one of the days in Nov. :) ) where all adoptions are free of charge. When you are adopting more than one child... free is a blessing! What am I saying... adopting ONE child, free is a BLESSING. lol... we will count this as a blessing indeed!

This past weekend

was absolutely BUSY! I can't say that I am surprised because all my days are starting to run together. I like to be busy, it may be a disease. Not quite sure. All I know is if I am not doing something or planning on the next thing that's going to take place... then I must be sleeping. And I get about 6 hours of that every night (give or take).

This past weekend starting on Friday evening, I had a photo shoot of sorts. I had some ladies contact me asking if I'd be willing to take them out and help them with their camera skills. I have done 'fun shoots' before where I go out with a few friends and a cute little model and help them where they are having trouble. Not that I am anywhere NEAR knowing it all, but they tell me they like my photography and would like to learn more. I am happy to oblige.

Saturday some of our dear friends came into town for the weekend and we finally got to spend some much needed time together! Their girls are about the same age as the boys give or take a few months here and there. Bear and their eldest daughter Anna-Kate started out friends from birth basically and when they moved we saw less of them. {rumor has it they are moving back though *wink*}


It was so fun watching Bear and Anna Kate play together. Their conversations are some to be remembered. Too bad I have a HORRIBLE memory. LOL. There is one conversation that I do recall that went something like this.


Setting: 2 three year olds at a kitchen bar with fajitas and all the trimmings in front of them on their plates.
Anna-Kate: "I don't like beans."
Bear: "I like beans."
Anna-Kate: "I don't like rice"
Bear: looking at her funny.
Anna-Kate's mom: "Anna, you need to eat your fajita"
Anna-Kate: "I don't like fajitas"
Bear: "What DO you like then?"

The tone in his voice just cracked me up. Absolutely a glimpse of a couple in their college age years, the guy listening to the girl 'complain' about not liking anything and the guy just having had enough, "What on EARTH DO YOU LIKE?" Hahaha

Anna-Kate, honey, one day you will get a kick out of this. For now your mother and I are laughing for you.


We did get some fun pictures of the girls while they were here. Sadly only one or two with Bear in them. They were so cute together but ON.THE.GO! I wanted to get some shots to display at the hospital where my work has been getting hung up. And seeing we can only display one of our boys publicly thus far I was looking for some more faces that I haven't been plastering on CD's for them to choose from.


Sunday came around finally and it was time to attend church. We usually have 3 church services due to our congregation outgrowing our existing building. The church had to start having 3 services to be able to 'fit everyone in'. But during the summer a lot of college kids go home for the summer or families take vacations so the attendance allows for only 2 services. We attend the 9AM service then serve in the young 4 year olds class room for the second service.

We were then invited out to have lunch with some friends and back home in time to put the boys down at about 2:45 (typical naptime... 1PM. They were exhausted!) I needed them to nap b.c my sister's wedding/ my nieces going away party was later that day. So I get some editing done and empty my card and charge my battery for the wedding. 4:30 on the road. Wedding.... party... back on the road at 9:30 (typical bedtime... 7 or 7:30. More exhaustion!) It was wonderful getting to witness my sister's happy occasion though so I am glad we were there!

All I can say is that I am ready for some down time. I want to sit and lock myself in my art room and NOT COME OUT FOR A MONTH!

OH did I mention that there was a CPS and an AFS visit in there this past week, an ECI visit or two and some dr. and ER visits as well.

So as of now... on my plate. I have 3 shoots to edit and two names to paint (names to be done by the 11th of June).

Forward March!

I don't even KNOW what today is but thus far I have made homemade tortillas, hamburger buns, 3 meals and two snacks. I was going to make our 2 bread loaves I typically make every other day but I ran out of ingredients.

I can't tell you how many diapers I washed today and hung out on the line to dry but I do know that spiders like to sun on them when they are out. Bringing them back in off the line I had to relocate at least 3. At least the kind yellow-jackets building their new nest right next to the hang line didn't see me as a threat. They just watched me slave away :).

I have done 5 loads of laundry with the 6th in the wash waiting for the dryer to be done. Two more loads on the floor... maybe 3. I bathed 3 precious boys and snuggled them into bed. Now here I sit like a zombie and I can't really feel my feet for having been on them all day. That's when you know you've done good. haha

I read this quote the other day and it said "If today were a fish, I'd throw it back"... that just may have been today.

He's on a roll

Roo has been on a learning roll lately. He's still a bit behind in many areas but he is learning that LEARNING and GROWING is SUPER fun!

His last weigh in at the dr. was 20lbs at 14.5 mos old. He's still so teeny tiny in so many ways, just not the height dept! He is TALL! I can't remember his height just now and I don't feel like waking him to figure it out SO, I will get back to you on that one.

He's not talking still. He can say some things such as DA (dad - he HAS to sound like his big brothers!) Momma, ah duh (all done - while signing), He has been saying 'Pea' for Please (also while signing), and he will shake his head if he doesn't want something. He still doesn't clap or have a sense of what we are talking about (such as, "where's the dog?" or "point to the dog") and those are some of the things ECI has been helping us work with him on.

We have a feeling his personality is JUST.LAID.BACK and he COULD do these things if he wanted to but b.c he really doesn't HAVE to it's no biggie to him! Which to us it really isn't either, it isn't hurting him and we take care of his needs. It is just something that ECI would really like to see him get going, learning :).

He is finally walking. It's not his MAIN form of transportation just yet but he is letting go and walking across the room now. He still has the drunk leg going on but he's got it down and can even turn while standing up and go the other direction. I am so proud of my littlest guy!

NOW, on the other hand, his other new found joy is climbing the stairs to bubbies top bunk! THAT I am NOT excited about! They have a slide on their bunk and he LOVES to slide, so up he goes! We turn around and he is already up to the 3rd step!



SO proud of himself! Here come brothers right behind him to cheer him on (or send him zooming down the slide - take your pick!).

Way to grow baby Roo!

OH... AND THE BIGGEST NEWS (if you don't follow my facebook, he is now legally free for adoption!!!! We are still waiting for Moe's case to close out COMPLETELY to move forward with both adoptions together!)

cobwebs

It's time for me to clear out some of the cobwebs of life and get back to updating those in the broken loop.

I have very limited time these days so I am going to have to figure out how you ladies do this where you type a few lines and explain a decade! I am so not good at that.

Pictures would be great but they take entirely too long to upload if they are lg files, which all mine are pretty stinkin' large. I would shrink them all but then that takes FOREVER too! hmmm maybe I can figure out a day task thing and make that work for a day. Uploading pictures for blogger!

So to update just a little at a time. I took my photography to the next level and went business mode. I am legal eagle now. My business name is Bri Wachsmann Photography. Original, I know. But if you EVER meet another Bri Wachsmann... let me know! haha

After I did that I met up with a guy that wanted me to go even MORE pro and he wanted to see my work all over the place, so he started marketing for me. He suggested that I come up with another name to promote what I am aiming for, Child photography. So I came up with a secondary name (that hasn't gone completely legal yet, just face value thus far. I have searched it and there is not another so I just have to go register it now), Peppermint Sticks | Bri Wachsmann Children's Photography. It's a bit long I think but we wanted the name and my name on there. I have had a logo designed and everything now to just implement it all.

As of now Hillcrest Pediatric Clinic has accepted my work and we are getting prints ready to go up on their walls!!! My work will be displayed on the walls of Waco's biggest Pediatric clinic! I cannot tell you how excited I am to be going to this next level with what I love.





I am going to try and update my foster/adoption blog as well so be on the lookout! ;)

If any of you have fun helpful tips on how you update your blog with littles in your life, enlighten me please and I will keep updating :).

Boys and all that entails

So Bear has been on this 'pee pee' kick.

He knows that he has a 'pee pee' and that is what he refers to it as. He is getting to the age that he talks about it and I guess there is a time that it HAS to be talked about... granted I don't believe that the breakfast table is one of those places, but apparently Bear does.

About a week ago he was talking about him being a boy and boys have pee pees. We have had this conversation while bathing him before so it is not new that he was conveying all this.

So at the b.fast table he was putting two and two together and naming all the boys in our house... yeah, if you are counting, that's ALL but me! and talking about how they are a boy so they have a pee pee...

He gets to mommy and he looks at me and says and mommy has a smaller pee pee. HAHAHAHAHA I mean where does he come up with this stuff!

We explained that Mommies don't have the pee pees like boys and left it there, then explained to him that the table is not an appropriate place to discuss such topics. It ended there.

Well tonight, attack of the pee pee talk surfaced in the middle of my sweet 3 year olds bedtime prayer.

"Dear Jesus, Thank you for mommy, and help her to have a pee pee, and patience, amen"

Oh wow! Please Lord if there is EVER a prayer that I ask you to NOT answer... the first part of that one would be it. But I do still need the patience. Thanks in advance, the pee pee-less mommy"

Today

Pawpaw John (J's dad) took the older two boys. This is the first time they have been taken by anyone just to be taken for a fun day.

I am in shock. I don't know what to do with myself. I started crashing as soon as they were out the door. I am NEVER tired during the day. I always have something to keep me going. Stuff to do, 'school work' for the boys, laundry, editing, SOMETHING. Not today. I don't even WANT to do anything else :).

Granted we still have a little bittle Roo in the house but how much easier that is with two adults and no kids.

I pray they are having a wonderful time away :). I know I am!!

What I've been doing...

Taking pictures of sweet sweet babies, families and children :)

More to come later... When I have another moment to sit down.

Until then, eat her up!

In this boat

I would give (almost) anything to be in a different situation with a LOT of things in our lives. But I am not. I am here in this boat, sitting, waiting, dreaming for something to be different.

I am by nature a doer. I see things that need to be done and I do them. God has been teaching me to be patient in waiting. For the things that I would change, I have NO control over. I cannot just go get things done, I have to wait, and wait patiently lest I go insane.

We are still in a waiting period with Moe. They held a frivilousness hearing recently (don't ask, I can't begin to explain what that is, but as silly as it sounds, it is real). Basically all that came from that is more waiting. The appeal has to play out and then we should be able to move on at that point. SHOULD is a very large word when it comes to us and all we've experienced.

Today was Roo's final hearing. I pretty much thought it was going to be cut and dried. Yeah, silly me.

He has been here since he was 7 days old. Straight from the hospital where his mother took one last look at him and has not seen him since.

The dad who was named was tested and denied father. The list was long but nobody was moving on it b.c mom was not signing an affidavit saying that was the final list.

Mom was recently terminated on, but they've found her and asked her who father is, yet again. She named a guy who she named in the beginning. Said guy is deceased. Not sure why they are just now finding it okay to try and track him down. I was told it's because they now have an address. Funny in a YEAR you couldn't find THAT address.

So today at his final hearing... it got pushed back until April. This will give them time to locate "mystery man" and serve him papers, have him tested to determine paternity and possibly give him a chance to step up or go home.

I am really sick of being in this boat. I threw the oars in over 5 miles ago. There's nothing I can do with them... I am just floating along, waiting.

On a good note. J went to his appointment today for the cancer. The dr told him that if you are going to have cancer this is the best kind to have. I guess that is a good thing. The kind that he has is not aggressive and does not grow in or out. It grows sideways (which is why I noticed his mole growing sideways across his skin and not out as a mole). They figure it was mostly removed when the biopsy sample was taken but they will do an outpatient surgery to remove the rest of the surrounding tissue just to be on the safe side and to test it further.

I am so thankful for a positive diagnosis for him. I could not bear to imagine something being wrong with him. He is my heart. I love him and I want the very best for him!

Thank you all for your prayers and faithfulness to our family! We are forever indebted to you all!

This little guy is a week (and one day) away from ONE!

And isn't he a doll! I Love this little guy!

He is so teeny tiny and it makes me smile. He has a fight in him that most grown men do not possess. A fight to get where he wants, a fight to push on even when it seems impossible and a fight to live life to the fullest.

There is never a dull moment with this cutie pie. And he has looks for DAYS. I don't think I have seen the same exact look on this little boys' face. Well maybe I have but it is VERY RARE! He has MANY!

He is at the bottom of the charts for everything but height. He is right at the middle for that. For his size he is TALL. But I guess for a one year old he is still tiny.

He is not a talker at all. He will babble off and on but nothing consistent. He can say Dada, nana, tuh tuh... um pretty much a buncha jibberish :). He can sign finally. Please, more, and all-done. He is a crawling fool and can pull up on EVERYTHING. He is still a little delayed in a few areas so we still see an ECI specialist. She has become our friend so we don't quite mind it any.

His final hearing is in a week and I am so happy to be at this leg of our journey with him.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and loving support you have shown to us and our family! We are blessed!