Missing Daddy!

We are missing Daddy while he is in Israel and Turkey (check on his trip here...it will SO worth your while. The trip is amazing me!) so I thought we'd show off what Daddy and Matthew do EVERY day when Dad gets home from work.

Here is how it goes...

Matthew hears the door open. Matthew runs to the door saying DA DA. Brian gets down on his level and they hug. Matthew giggles and takes off running around the dining room table. Brian crawls after him and lets him go for a few minutes...all the while, Matthew is giggling so loud and hard, I think he's gonna choke. Brian catches him, they fall to the ground, hug and we all move on with the night.

It is one of my MOST favorite times of the day! And Matthew NEVER fails to do the exact same routine! I really need to get it on video so you can hear it too...you should click on the pics to see their faces up close...you can totally hear it with your mind if you see their faces :) We love you babe and we miss you! :)

In the Last Week...

We had a fun week...post stomach bug that made its rounds from Matthew's school, to Matthew, to Brian and finally, me! The runny nose and stomach bug is almost enough to make me want to take him out of school. But, its now or later, right?!?

We also had a few messes, that I know you'd rather not hear about, but let me just say this...combine a kid with a stomach bug with a sick Mom changing a stomach bugged diaper and a kid who LOVES to grab his diaper and swing it around...well, lets just say, Mom ran to the bathroom, Matthew was covered...as was the wall in his room. Okay, so maybe that was an over share, but there you go. This blog is about life right?!?! That is my "real life" right now! :)

Young Life had its annual golf tournament this week. Good thing for Matty, Brian is not much of a golfer and they had a blast just driving around on the cart for hours.

Here he is hanging with some Young Life kiddos in the golf cart.


Here is Matthew with some of the other Young Life kiddos...having his very first chocolate chip cookie :) Happy Boy!



We could not peel Matty off the golf cart. He was in the drivers seat making car noises the whole time. THinking he is showing the bog kids how its done.

Brian said at one point, he jumped out of the cart for a "split second" (Dads terminology) and he turned around to find Matthew pressing the gas, with the break off and rolling forward. He made it about 6 feet before Brian caught him...way too tempting for a 1 year old is all I can say!




We always get a few good play days with the neighbors outside. Jack and Matty in a pink Barbie Jeep...cant you just see this same pose 16 years from now after a mudding trip? And likely not in a pink Barbie Jeep...




We totally have a golfer on our hands! He LOVES the small set of clubs Brian bought him..rain or shine!



MOST IMPORTANTLY!!! Big hugs for Daddy as he took off this morning for Isreal and Turkey. We are VERY excited for all the wonderful things he will learn and see, but there were LOTS of tears (mainly from Mom) before sending Daddy off for 17 days!

Praying for a great and rich trip babe, and that you will come back to us safe and sound! We love you more than you know.

"NO" and The Miracle of Life

So, my child LOVES this word! I mean loves it. I have sent him to "time out" in the last week at least twice becasue of the overuse and ugliness of the use of the word NO! AHHHHH! Did I sai it too much? Why this word? It seems to be a universal love affair with all 1 year olds and the word NO! SIGH...

I was rocking my baby to sleep the other night. He was out, on my shoulder..you know, one of those moments where you just want to freeze time and hold him like that forever. I was praying for him and then said, "time to go night night." He did not move, but yelled, "NO!" I laughed out loud because I did not think he was awake...that word can seep out even in his sleep! Its a stage right? A stage...

In other thoughts..I have been thinking lately about what a REAL miracle every life is. Every single one! I have a good friend who lost her son at 23 weeks of pregnancy. I have had the honor of walking through this place with her and her family. It has made me think how amazing it is that any baby is born healthy and perfect! I mean, NO life is an accident...its too beautiful and intricate to ever happen by chance. Anyway, I started thinking about her baby boy, Caleb, who is with Jesus now and my baby and all of the babies I love, and I am really amazed. All those African babies who are hungry, all the Chinese little girls who are sitting in orphanages, all of them...beautiful gifts to this world that I wish I could figure out a way to love...every one of them!

MATTHEW LOVES GIVING KISSES! Those open mouth baby kisses are just the best...



BIG NEWS: Matthew started Mothers Day Out. This Mother doesnt quite know how she feels about it, but I am sure my social little boy is having a blast at "school". No pictures actually because the camera wouldnt turn on when we got to school..

In other news, Matthew LOVES brushing his teeth. We have a "melt down" a morning when the brushing has to be over. Wow, does he get UPSET! He wants to do it ALL on his own! I mean totally, here he is concentrating SO hard on getting the toothpaste open!




I never posted pictures from the time I spent with Young Life kids in Goergia this summer. I went to camp with kids from Boerne this summer...it was my first time to do anything with Boerne Young Life so I didnt know the kids very well. By the end of the week, I loved every one of them!






Countdown...Brian leaves in 3 weeks for Israel. We are excited for him but also sad because he will be gone for over 2 weeks :(

He will be posting updates here, so keep your eyes open!

Big post for a Big Summer!

So many birthdays this summer...so much fun with friends and family...so much play time and, oh yeah, one small little surgery! What a full summer!


Matthew at "snack time" at church. How did he get so big?! Arent they cute all lined up?


Matthew pre-surgery. He was AMAZING! Such a trooper...laughing and playing pre and post surgery. His circumcision went well...poor little man. Never seen bruising so yucky in all my life. If you are going to circumcise your boy, I highly recommend it in the first few days of life!


Got a whole week of play time with Melissa! She is THE BEST! We would be lost without her!


Happy Birthday Hudson! So glad to play with you at your party..in the sand and water! :)


Had lots of playtime with Jackson this summer...wrestlemania is what we call it! I LOVE THIS PIC OF THE BOYS!


Matty met Chuck E Cheese for the first time at Jacksons birthday party a few weeks back...not sure what to think!


Swimming with ALL the cousins!! So much fun to all be together...


I cant believe we got them ALL looking..what a priceless photo!


Okay, so Matthew Josiah is a Daddys boy - in every sense of the word! When Brian goes in the restroom to shower, or shave, etc...Matthew waits and watches under the door like this saying, "Da Da" over and over until he comes back! Not much privacy these days!


Matty loves playing with the old school radio we have. DJ Master Matty working it out....


Love those beautiful dark brown crossed eyes...love em. Sorry I got so close Matty! You are just so pretty! :)


New game of the summer...playing peek a boo with my computer sleeve. Matty shoves his head all the way in it and then pops it out and says, "BOO" and cracks himself up!


Matty has a thing for horsies, or "orsie" as he calls them.


More fun at Chuck E Cheese for Jacks birthday!



The whole fam...all together! Happy Birthday Kris. So glad we got to be with you for your birthday!


Cousin Tommy was VERY into the birthday dessert! He was lapping up the ice cream like a puppy dog...sooo cute!


Cousin Tenley and Tommy with Matty at Taylors birthday party! Tenley making sure Matthew "was smiling" for this pic. She LOVES Matty and treats him like her little baby every time we are together!


Matty on another "orsie" at Tays party!


All the kids were playing hard at the party...and some Daddies too! :)

We have had a full summer and loved every minute...more birthdays and fun to come!

It's been waaaayyyy too long...

So, Mom has been REALLY bad at posting, so I had to just figure this thing out and take over!

Ten Things in the Last Month:

10. Went to a Young Life property in Georgia with several HS kids from Boerne HS! Very fun! Loved the property and the girls! :)

9. Went to Colorado...first to Frontier Ranch with a friend and worked for a few days (I got to go with Mom to Frontier! It was VERY fun! Mom said Frontier is not 1 year old friendly...whatever that means!) I think she was tired!

8. I got 4 new teeth - BIG ONES! My mouth is tired and I now have 14 teeth! WHOA!

7. We went to a wedding - the whole family - in Denver! One of Mom's old Young Life kids! Mommy got to speak at the wedding! She was really nervous but very honored! Congrats Bill and Crissy!

6. Mom and Dad have been working on getting paperwork started for a second adoption! YAY! Maybe a brother or sister is coming soon...who knows!?!?

5. Mom read the book THE SHACK! Very good, hard at first, but great story! She recommends it...

4. Mommy has LOTS of friends pregnant and cannot wait to meet the babies that are coming...The Hinkebein Baby, Baby Hartlee Menn, and so many others! I cant wait to meet my new friends!

3. Mom went to be part of a fun team that staffed a Young Life property in Arizona called Lost Canyon. It was a week of Young Lives which means teen Moms and their babies! Very fun and amazing week.

2. I went to the ER for the first time ever! Got me some DermaBond (basically super glue for your skin) because I split my forward open...

1. Everyone is HOME! And our Aussie family is in town! YAY! We are all back together again!

Enjoy the pics...


Jen, Mom and Lindsey at Lost Canyon! What a fun team!


The 3 of us on Western Night at camp...Jen SO wishes she was a Texan! :) We love you Jen! You look SO hot in the awesome shirt we got you!


Baby Boy LOVES to sit in the car and honk the horn and make the car sound...vrooooom....


Here it is! Matty's first ER trip! All glued up! He was so tough!


Matthew still LOVES him some glasses!


Amy, Jessica and I - they were the Child Care Coordinators and they ROCK!


Sarah and I with one of the sweet babies from San Antonio! SOOO cute! Sarah is a teen Mom that is now in college and a Leader! She is so awesome...so proud of her!


Teen Mom's and their babies from San Antonio!


I fell in love with this little girl...her name is Malaysia and she is beautiful and sooo sweet!


A bunch of teen Moms at Club with their babies...what a site this was!

LOve you all and we will be better about posting! Both Matthew and I!

Peace!

Thoughts..

have been wanting to post, but have been in one of those modes of life where...well, it could be a very thoughtful and deep post. So, I have sat down with my thoughts and my journal twice to try and post, but my thoughts don't seem formed yet...so, I push the computer away and have not posted in weeks. Our family has had SUCH a FUN FUN FUN summer so far. We've played and laughed and swam and giggled and been really blessed with life.

At the same time, I have been "thoughtful" lately. I have been thinking SO much about the beauty and mystery of adoption. Wondering what Jesus wants me do with all the things he has taught and showed me. I've been asked a lot lately about the adoption and where we are. When my response is "we are really at the same place", my sweet friends hearts sink a little and I see it in their faces. It makes me feel loved. Reminds me how Brian and I have not been alone on our journey. Thats awesome! That sounds like a trivial response to all of you who have walked through the last 5 or so years with us, but I don't really know that I have words other than...just awesome! Really awesome.

I wonder a lot lately about racial issues. Why do we have the views of other races that we do?

I wonder a lot lately about the poor. They matter so much to Jesus. I want to be with them and learn from them. From their purity and their hearts. I want to give what I have been given. But, do I do it from the right posture? My heart is pure, I think, in my desire to be with them.

I wonder a lot about spiritual gifts and things of the Spirit. I have SO MUCH to learn. I wonder so much about this.

I wonder about my wounds. Why I take offense when I do. Why I hold on too tight to people I love. Why I still feel "I am on the outside looking in" in so much of life. I want to be less prideful, more humble. I dont want to be opposed by God. Which is what the Word says about "the proud"

Wondering about healing. About asking for it, praying for it, looking for, trusting in it. Why doesn't it happen every time?

I found this quote and it spoke to me...

Ecclesiastes 7:4 states, “Sadness is better than laughter, for sorrow has great influence over us.”

I believe that part of the message within this passage is that the tears we cry in the midst of our pain, God uses—much like water softens hardened ground—to tenderize our hearts so we may have a greater understanding of suffering and have compassion on a suffering world, a world that doesn’t know our Heavenly FATHER, the one who adopted us.

So, I have been pondering a lot. This little man has taught me about joy and gifts.



When I took this picture, I looked at it and thought...this is how My Father sees me. My Heavenly Father. What if I approached him like this every moment of every day. What if I trusted that looking to him and raising my hands and life to him like this really made a difference?!?

I fear I write down more personal things than anyone really wants to hear...however, here it is. The Garrison family...

First Haircut for our Little Ham...

Matthew loves putting on glasses...as you can see, he cracks himself up! I just love this picture...



So, the rat tail that was forming took us to the barber shop (isnt that what its called for boys?!?) Anyway, the "sucker" made it a great experience...

Such a big boy!






He did great until the very end...poor little guy!