Some Little Peeks

I thought you all might like some little peeks into the life of a family with 18 kids.  lol  Things are going WONDERFULLY!!  I can't imagine how 5 kids could settle in and adjust so well, but they have.  I have some views into why that is that I might share later, but the main thing is that God is just AMAZING!

We all went to church for the first time on Sunday.  We only went to the preaching service.  We figured we'd start slow and didn't want them to go to class on the first time there.  The kids all did wonderful.  I few very small sounds from them was all that could be heard, except for Keith.  He was ready to get down and crawl, so I took him and sat with him in the nursery after a little while.  

 We walk to church, so it only took a double stroller and two wagons, 

plus lots of people on foot!

We got to a little church that is the equivalent of a couple blocks away.

We filled up 2 1/2 pews!

We were so incredibly proud of them!!!  Who would have thought they'd do that well????  Ahnja was very glad to have a new Bible, though I don't think she has any idea what it is yet.  Anita was very glad they play music and sing, because she loves to dance.  Julianne acted like a big girl and she and Anita were dancing side by side.  (So cute in their matching dresses!)  Nicholas found the whole thing very intriguing I think.  Aleshia was very glad to try to waller her Daddy to pieces.  The other kids were very glad to be back with our church family and show off their new siblings.

Now one more peek and I have to go to bed!  Here is a little of what it looked like tonight, right before we had Family Bible Time!

They got very quiet once we got started though.  

Afterward we sing three songs:  

Zaccheus Was a Wee Little Man

If Your Happy and You Know It

and

Jesus Loves Me

The little ones sit through a story and prayer, so that they can make it to the songs!  

More to come!

We had pictures done today, so I'll post those once I get them back!

Stay Tuned!

Cody Had His Tonsils Out

Last Thursday, Cody had his tonsils and adnoids removed.  The doctor said that his nose was 80% or more blocked by the adnoids and his tonsils were huge.  He is doing WONDERFUL.  He has very little discomfort and the only probably is keeping him inactive for the two weeks that we are suppose to.  That is a lot of work!!!

Here are some pictures of Cody right before he went back for surgery.  :)  He wasn't scared a bit and he's not shed one tear still!

Isn't he the cutest?!

I think this was right before he chose the kind of homemade ice cream 

that he would be wanting made the next day!

I'll take another one soon, but now I spend all his waking time trying to keep him calm!

Love This! (What a Mom of Many Wants for Mother's Day)

Of course, what I want most is my 5 Bulgarian Blessings in my arms, but since that isn't going to happen by Sunday - this is a good one!

Well here is a picture that you should see!  This is my crew coming into Walmart with their Daddy.  He took them on his own inside the store to go get me some flowers for Mother's Day.  I just haven't been able to bring myself to go pick up flowers to make the front of the house look fresh.  All I can think about is the kids across the ocean and getting anything done that might made the trip a little smoother.  So they went to get me flowers and I think they are even going to plant them for me for Mother's Day!

I just had to take a picture.  Aren't they all cute!?!  

We had just left our homeschool group's Field Day,

so they are a little dirty looking and worn out. 

(There are 13 kids in that picture, 

but there was no angle that got them all 

and a few ducked. roflol)

I have to say watch my big family file in and then watching from a distance as they checked out, only to get to go through the entire parking lot in a huge train (they closed the doors on the side we parked on!) - 

was a wonderful Mother's Day present!

Watching them at the Field Day, listening to them jabber all the way there and home, listening to Dayton ASK to get to push the buggy with the two littlest in it, and watching them all tell me who liked which flowers - 

PRICELESS!

AS IS THIS PICTURE!

I am so blessed!

Birthdaying Unroe Style

Jacob turned 9 years old today.  I'd love to show you what the day looked like and a picture of the birthday boy, but I didn't take any today.  Jacob will not look at the camera and it seemed a shame to waste time that we could be enjoying with him while trying to get him to do something that he is NOT going to do.  So I thought I'd paint you a "word picture" of Jacob's special day.

Jacob has RAD, selective mutism, and maybe a touch of Autism.  This was his 4th birthday home and the 1st time that he made it obvious that he definitely knew it was HIS special day and was excited about it!  When the first person told him Happy Birthday before church today, he took off dancing around the room.  He even tried to sneak and look in my Walmart bags when I came home from the store the other day and he heard the kids ask where to hide his presents!  (Come on special needs Mamas - you know that is big stuff!)  He also stood up for the Birthday Song at church this morning, but looked down like he was shy - yet had a very ornery smile on his face!

After church I headed to pick up the cupcakes and got some other stuff at the store, while everyone here had lunch.  When I got home, they were all very ready to get moving toward the wonderful day that was ready for them outside!  We got them ready quickly and out they went.  They played for quite a while.  I went out and got Cody to climb the dome climber all the way to the top.  That meant that suddenly Jacob and Zeeky wanted to as well!  :)  ( I love good peer pressure!)

Late this afternoon we went out to the picnic tables in the front yard and had Jacob's cupcakes and some milk. He was very excited about it and was very excited to open up the gift bag (yes, we've learned that especially with special needs kids that takes the stress out of it!) to see what he got for his birthday.  He was thrilled with the toys that you step on or it the little "thing" (very technical tonight aren't I?) and the Cars characters project from it.  I made sure to get 3 of them so that other kids would do it with him and it would be more enjoyable.

Then 7 of the kids and Brent played a game of wiffle ball out front.  I was putting on dinner, so I put Cody and Julianne in the plastic gate thing.  They'd only been in it 5 or so times ever, so they were excited about that even.  There were tons of giggles coming from that enclosure!  After I got dinner on, I went out to check on their game and bounce those big soft balls off of Julianne and Cody which was just a thrill full of continual laughter!  (Have I ever mentioned how much I love my life!?!)

I planned dinner to hit right after it got dark, since they weren't hungry from all the cake until late!  We took candles (real and batter powered both) out and ate on the picnic tables.  We had pork chops, asparagus, and stuffing.  The kids thought that was the best way to have dinner out in the dark!  Then, Dayton started sneaking up on people on scaring them while they were at the table.  Unique was laughing so loud that I had to make them quit.  The "non-homeschooled" neighbor children would have to have a hard time getting to sleep with all that loud squealing and laughter!

Then we started bringing some of the kids in for baths and showers, while the rest stayed outside in the dark with the glow sticks!  Yes, that is a favorite summer activity and they've been begging to since the first warm day.  Julianne, Cody, and Zeeky were done by that point and asking to come in, so they got to be first up for showers and baths.  The children managed to keep their squealing down to a minimum and played like crazy outside.  I was very glad that the gate was locked and I knew they couldn't get out.  I could however see glow sticks flickering all around the "ark" play structure.  :)

There is so much fun to be had in a large family.  Homeschooling gives us a flexible schedule that allows so much family time and we can adjust our schedule to what works best from day to day.  We don't take "snow days", but we can take a "Sun"day instead.  We can play out late, sleep in later, and still get a good days school in.  We get to spend time together and my kids are the best of friends.  The kids have a full "party" of kids here and can put together a game of about any size any day that they wish.  We don't need a bunch of activities, because their are enough of us to be active without the planned times.  :)  God has truly blessed us and right now all I could wish for us for our next 5 to be home with us too.

Now the children are all soundly asleep and the business day is beginning in Bulgaria, so I am going to head to bed myself and pray myself to sleep begging God to take care of my 5 Bulgarian Blessings as well as move our adoption through quickly so we can get them home.

The next birthday here is only 2 weeks away.  Destiny is exactly 2 weeks younger than Jacob and will turn 9 on Sunday two weeks from now.  I guess we really better get some rest!

Why Homeschooling is Better with a Large Crew

Yesterday I sat and listened while thanking God for my blessings. 

Destiny, Andrew, Crystal, Jose, Dayton, and Forrest have all been reading Charlottle's Web and doing a workbook about it from The Critical Thinking Company.  Yesterday I sat them all in a circle.  They were reading aloud and going over their answers.  They took turns without me having to tell them to while they read aloud.  They let each other all have input while they discussed the correct answers.  When they didn't all have the same answer, I got to listen to them reason it out and figure it out. 

My help really wasn't needed.  They had it under control.  I enjoyed listening to them so much that it was hard to concentrate on homeschooling the younger kids.  lol 

See, if I didn't have so many kids so close to the same age, I would likely have just graded those workbook pages.  Instead, I had lots of kids to talk it through together.  They learned MUCH more this way.  They learned more than just about Charlotte's Web too.  They learned so very much more.  How better to learn about thinking processes, teamwork, cooperation, including all viewpoints, and critical thinking!! 

I love having a lot of kids close in age!  It is a good thing too.  When everyone gets home, I will have 15 kids between the ages of 5 and 13, with all of the kids in that range having someone their same age at least part of the year.  Then I'll have the 3 older ones of course too!  :)  God is amazingly good and I am loving this life that He chose me for!

Progress on the Homeschool Front

Well, three of my boys HATE to write, color, and complete projects that include that stuff.  Cody is still preschool age, so his isn't as big of a deal.  Zeeky hates to do that stuff, but has begun to comply.  He also has shown that he is very bright and learning in other ways, so I'm always happy about that.  Jacob participates in coloring and tracing, but often puts little effort into it and will scribble hoping for a reaction which I refuse to give. 

I just have to share their accomplishments from the end of last week. 

Cody is only 5 and is smart as a tack. 

Cody has CP, but gets around great and does well in all areas.

I found this new book to work with him on actually coloring the WHOLE picture. 

He is good in all other areas, but completely coloring something in has been an issue. 

I can't get the picture to turn around to right side up,

but you can see the yellow page is done and the blue page is not done.

These small spaces surrounded by the color gave us a "good job" on coloring that will hopefully carry over to other coloring projects later on. 

He knows all his letter, colors, can write his name, and is ahead in all other areas,

except for completely coloring in a picture. 

Next up is Zeeky.

Zeeky is 7 years old.

He has FAS, drug exposure in utero, brain matter that didn't form properly,

Reactive Attachement Disorder, Autism, and who knows what other diagnoses could be thrown at him.

He is very bright, but he learns through musical means.

He hates to write or color in any capacity, but is getting better.

Most of my children with Autis, are slow to write and color - so I keep pushing but help them learn through means that they are more willing and able to learn through.

this picture won't turn either, but you can see that he attempted and did pretty well!

Jacob is last, but most certainly not least!

Jacob has Autism, Reactive Attachment Disorder, and Selective Mutism.

I've only heard about 2 or 3 words from him in the last 2 years or so,

but he doesn't generally talk to adults.

All of those words have been in the last 3 months, so we are making progress!

I'm so proud of this.

He stayed mostly in the lines!

He didn't color the stem of the apple, because he knew it shouldn't be red!

He completed them completely and perfectly.

He even traced the words pretty good.  :)

These are things that make a homeschooling, special needs Mommy very happy!!  Progress is great.  Effort and cooperation are even better!!  Three boys doing their work well on the same day, who I often have to push and prod to get work that isn't nearly as complete from, is a gift from God.  It is also proof that if you keep pushing and loving and never give in, then the results come.  :)

I am so blessed to get to be Mommy to  this crew and I can't wait to see the miracles that are yet to come with the kids here and the kids on the way, and maybe even kids we don't even know about yet. 

Please send up lots of prayers.  There is an important meeting that is the next step in our adoption that takes place at 8am my time.  You can read more about it HERE and I will update the adoption blog as soon as we know more.  <3

Friends and Fun

We had a huge great weekend.  Friday we had our homeschool Co-Op, which is highlight for the kids and also for me.  It is great to get together with other Christian homeschoolers!!  I even got to talk to a family about adoption afterward, which always thrills me!!

Saturday, we had a couple families join us here at our house for an "Unroe Style Egg Hunt".  That means that we hid over 600 eggs that were filled with candy and watched the kids run around like crazy hunting them.  We ate afterward and had the island full of junk foods, with sticks of cheese and chips included for a little healthy snack too.  Such great fellowship with other Christian families and all the kids had a blast!

Sunday, we had lots of fun and a little drama.  lol  It started with 13 Easter baskets full of devotional books, huge bubble makers, other small toys, and lots of candy.  Then we headed to church for a wonderful time of celebrating Jesus's sacrafice for our adoptions together with our church family.  The weather was beautiful, so we were able to walk and the kids looked absolutely amazing in the big line walking to church!  (I couldn't help but imagine how much better it will look with our 5 Bulgarian Blessings in that group!) 

Then came the "drama".  lol  I was opening a huge can of green beans and sliced my finger open with the can lid.  :(  I knew immediately that I'd have to get stitches, but I put a terri-strip on it and then wrapped it tightly.  I was able to finish dinner and enjoy it with the kids and Brent's parents.  Then I went to Urgent Care and got 5 stitches! 

After I got home, we made Resurrection rolls and watched the Veggie Tales Easter Carol dvd.  Julianne is to the point that she loves Veggie Tales and laughs hysterically at it.  All the kids enjoy it, but the older ones would say that they only watch it because of the younger ones.  Thank God for little siblings is all I can say!!  

Ok, so now for some pictures!

Julianne (above)

Cody and Julianne (below) both age 5

Destiny (above) age 8

Zeeky age 7 and Dayton age 10 (below)

Jacob age 8 and Jose age 10 (above)

Precious age 19 and Crystal age 12 (below)

Andrew age 11 and Forrest age 13 (above)

Unique age 20 and Denzell age 16 (below)

Hope your Easter was great!

Choosing Misery

Today as I sat in church I just kept thinking of what Jesus did and the GIGANTIC price that He paid for my adoption. I just can't imagine paying the cost that He did.



Then a thought came to me. It was like God just spoke it right to my heart.



What if I got over to the horrible place that Keith is in and he said he didn't want a family, love, food, safety, etc? (Keith doesn't talk, but try to get the point) What if he would just rather continue to starve, alone, and unloved? What if the price that we paid to get him out of there and the huge amount of love that we have for him just didn't matter to him and he chose to stay behind?



That is honestly what it is when someone rejects God's gift, except for worse. The cost He paid was His Son's life. The amount of love that had to be there for Him to pay that price is more than we can even imagine. The choice that they make is eternal torment and misery, instead of one that will eventually end when life does. They choose that over the love of a Father who promises to take care of them and make them part of His Family.



Keith is little and tiny and alone. He would never choose the misery he has lived in. You could clearly see him enjoy the love of his father when Brent was there.



Why don't people want that with the Father who offers such love and care??? God is right there and offers a free gift and they refuse!



I stood humbled. Do we do enough to make people see Who they are rejecting?? I pray that I can live a life that points others to my Father and makes them want what He promises to give.



Happy Easter!!!! Praise God for His Love that made the Free Gift available.

Easter is a wonderful time here and we are ready to celebrate. Christmas and Easter are holidays that we wait for all year round. They are wonderful times for us to teach our children so much. We of course have family time that is important and we are so sad that our 5 Bulgarian Blessings are not here to celebrate with us.




More important than "how" we celebrate is WHY we celebrate. We are really celebrating the ransom that was paid for OUR ADOPTION. The cost to bring us into God's family was so HUGE that it could only be paid by God sending His Son to DIE. Oh my what a price!! I can't imagine. He DIED so that I could be adopted!!!! Does our world get that??? Do our churches get that???? Do Christians get that???? Do you get that??? Do I get that????



I often hear about the high cost of adoption. People talk about it as if it is some reason thing. They act as if it is surprising. Adopting one child from Bulgaria costs about $21,000. That is a lot of money to us and most people. Adding children to the adoption is not nearly as costly, but there is cost. People often bring up the cost. It is criticized by opponents of adoption. Most adoptive parents think that it shouldn't be so costly. Most of us would do it over and over if we could. Yet there is that BIG amount of money that you have to come up with. We also often hear it referred to as the "ransom". Its like your child is being held hostage and you have to come up with that ransom to bring them home. It is a "ransom" because it is paid for their freedom.



Ransom - isn't that would Jesus paid for us!!! He found us to be "worth it" and each and every waiting child is too. He died for each one of them, just as He did for us. Each of them was made in His image, just as we were. He paid that price for us, because of OUR SINS. The waiting children didn't DO anything to end up orphans and in need. They were just born.



So for all those who think adoption is just "too costlly", so was mine! If you are saved by the blood of Jesus, then your adoption was costly too. None of us are asked to give up any of our children currently home and in our care in order to adopt another. We don't have to throw them out, let alone have them DIE! So many people wonder about taking material things away from their current kids in order to care for another child or save for their adoption. HELLO!!! Heaven to Christians here!! God had His Son die, so I think our kids can do without iphones and big vacations!!!



Jesus died! He didn't stay dead, PRAISE GOD! He overcame death and rose from the dead! We serve a living Savior. That doesn't change the fact though that He suffered a horrible death and even worse the separation from His Father as OUR sins were put upon Him. All of that so that we could be adopted into the Family of God!



Celebrate Him! Not with eggs, chocolate, and family alone though!! He doesn't want your chocolate (though my kids love it)! He wants your LIFE! If He died for us, then we should be pleased to live for Him. We should want to be His Hands and His Feet!! We should want to ADOPT, because we as adopted children should know the Hope and Love and Need.



This Easter don't forget what it really all means! It is about adoption. It is about love. It is about sacrafice. It is about Jesus! Now what are you going to do about it?

Go visit Reece's Rainbow and see all the waiting children!

They all are hoping that you really "get" Easter this year!



The Hidden Treasures Auction ends tonight. There are some great items up for bid. I'd love for you to go bid and it is a step in the direction of caring for orphans. I'd much rather you adopt though. Children are waiting and they are God's children.

So Much Going On

There is so much going on.  Most of it is happening on the other blog right now though.  lol  The Mulligan Stew Giveaway just ended and really blessed and encouraged us more than you could possibly realize.  The Hidden Treasures Auction started today to help with adoption costs in honor of Keith.  Without even realizing it, they started it on his 5th Birthday (and Ahnja's 10th birthday). 

It is so hard today to know they are celebrating birthdays without a family again.  This will be the last one though! 

Here are some posts to go read and see all that is going on:

TODAY

Mulligan Stew Giveaway Thank You

This will take you to the HIDDEN TREASURES AUCTION.  Each item has its own post so you have to keep going back and even click on March 31st because some of the things were posted that night.  LOTS of neat things and all the proceeds help with our adoption costs!

Those should fill you in!  :) 

Here are some pictures of Julianne from after church today!

ISN'T SHE ADORABLE?!?

Great Kids

I just have great kids.  Is that bragging?  Well, yes maybe it is.  It is also just the truth though!  My kids have been making things to sell in the Hidden Treasures Auction that starts Sunday to benefit our family.  :)

2 baseball blankets

2 Sports blankets

I think they did a pretty awesome job!!  They were all tickled to get to help in some way.  These things may not be professional, but they sure are from the heart.  I watched Andrew (who has RAD!) work so hard to do his coloring the very best he possibly good.  They are all quite proud of themselves.  :) 

Dayton even let me take his picture to post online (not his style to be posted) so that he could hold up the child size afghan that I finally got done for the auction.  Sacrafice that siblings make for the siblings that they can't wait to hug!!

Here is a link to the auction.  There are lots of great items, including an ipad, gift certificates, hand made items, and lots more!!  I think there are suppose to be about 80 items!!  It starts on Sunday!! 





Large Family Play and Things that were Never Suppose to Happen

Yes, one of my great joys is to listen to my kids play.  I love to listen to them all running about and making up this huge scenes from their imaginations.  The laughing and the giggling mesmorize me!  I catch myself just sitting so still and listening.  I don't want them to know that I am listening to every little word.  Yet as their mother it thrills my soul. 

Today's "players" in the big production running through my house were Julianne, Cody, Zeeky, Destiny, Jacob, Dayton, Andrew, and Crystal.  There was so much going on that my mind couldn't keep up!  Eight children, all playing happily without even ONE argument!  You must know that it thrills a mother's heart to have so many playing at the same time and not one argument. 

Zeeky, Destiny, and Jacob all have Autism diagnoses, along with other "labels".  They are all children who we were told when they came would never pretend play.  That makes me laugh!  All three were supposed to have "mental retardation".  That just plain out makes me mad!  Destiny is one of the brightest people in the world!  Zeeky and Jacob learn differently, but they surely do learn!  I love it when my kids break all the "rules" that were set for them and exceed all expectations!

Andrew and Crystal both have Reactive Attachment Disorder.  They sometimes have some very rough spells.  They've both been home for years.  They've both had good spells and then gone backward.  Its the nature of RAD.  Yet for several weeks Andrew has done the best that he ever has!!!  Crystal just finished a very rough spell and is back to the sweet daughter that I get to enjoy.  Both gave genuine hugs today.  Both laughed and played and ran about as if there wasn't even RAD there.  They'll be more rough times for sure, but today they were pretend playing and goofing off with their siblings.  :)

Then there is Julianne.  She of course didn't say a whole lot during the course of playing.  She ran right with the bunch of them though!  They included her and Dayton protectively made sure that she didn't get run over.  They gave her a part and made believe she filled the role even when maybe she was just a little too ornery to do it. 

Let's not forget Dayton in it all of course.  He is so serious in so many ways, but he was so thrilled that he could keep the younger 4 playing along.  He went ahead and acted silly and pulled the little ones into the game.  He came every few minutes to report some great accomplishment of the younger kids.  He was so thrilled that they were playing along and that Jacob and Zeeky were following directions.  He doted on Julianne and Cody and made them feel important and he had a lot of fun in the process.  If Dayton didn't love his siblings so incredibly much, then he wouldn't have played because he is so "grown up".  Yet Dayton had a blast too!  He had a blast because of being with the brothers and sisters that he loves so much!

Then there is Cody!  Cody is the most recent addition and the youngest (by a little less than 4 months!).  Cody has CP.  I can remember talking to him on Skype before he moved in.  He was asking if someone would help him run the bases when he got home, because he "couldn't run".  lol  He sure can run now!!!  He was all over the place and didn't fall one time - well except for when he was spinning in circles!!  He kept right up with all the other kids and never missed a beat!

Now, do you see why my life is so wonderful!!  I got to listen to all of that while reorganizing my school closet!  All of those things that never were suppose to happen!  Not one fight or argument!  Just lots of giggling and running about, interrupted occassionally by a very proud older brother reporting to me the things that were thrilling him too.  He had no idea that I was fillled with the same thrill while I listened to him playing with them. 

Wow, how I can't wait to hear my next 5 blessings running about and doing things that they aren't expected to do!!  God is amazing!!!!  Being the mom of a large crew in which so many are considered "special needs" means that every single day I get to watch God's miracles unfold right here in my home!

The Rough Part of Large Family Life

I always try to be completely honest about our family life.  In doing so I will now share the rough part.  Here it comes . . . . Are you ready????? . . . . . . The dreaded part of our life . . . . . . 

LAUNDRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Laundry must be in the process at all times.  It takes about 5 loads every day to keep it done and during times of sickness, heavy outside play, or extra stuff going on will require more.  Nothing is as bad as the SEASONAL CHANGE OVER though. 

Because of our family size, closet management, and keeping children from pulling out winter clothes to wear in the middle of summer - we put all off season clothing in the attic.  They are loaded into the big plastic tubs and put up until the next season.  When that season arrives, then we must pull them all down, wash them on a light cycle, and sort them to whoever will be wearing them that season.  We have piles of the outgoing season ready to go into those tubs and put them right back up as we pull them done. 

We have been working on this for the last 2 weeks now!  I've done about 50 plus tubs up to this point and I have another 8 to 10 tubs that will come down probably tomorrow.  :( 

Every seasonal change over, I begin to wonder about joining a nudist colony.  Anything seems better than this!  Then I look in the mirror and quickly realize that I wouldn't even be able to survive the first day.  Then I go back to doing the laundry!

This seasonal change I am very thankful for one thing.  I don't have any sizes that need to go back to the attic this year!!  I have children in absolutely every size known to mankind.  I am keeping down clothes for our 5 Bulgarian Blessings that are on the way, since they should arrive home before the next seasonal change!  Every outfit that I've loved over the years will be worn again this season!  If you by chance haven't met our newest blessings, then be sure and hop over to our ADOPTION BLOG and click on the names Keith, Aleshia, Anita, Nicholas, and Ahnja.  There are videos and pictures of Brent's visits with them on there!  There are also several opportunities for you to help us out and have opportunities at some great gifts through 2 giveaways that are going on right now.  There is an upcoming online auction to benefit our family starting soon.  We would be glad to send you a "Thank You" picture as well.  All of those things are list in THIS post.

Right now, I'm going to do more laundry!  I will thank God for it this year, because He gave me all these wonderful blessings to do the laundry for and they are all jumping in and helping which makes it much easier!

A Really Great Teenager

I'm sure most parents aren't full of pleasure over their teenagers.  lol  I hear parents complain about their teenagers a lot.  I have to say that it is rare I could find anything to say that isn't "great" about Denzell. 

So I am going to brag on him.  He deserves it!

Denzell is an all around awesome young man.  He participates in church actively.  He enjoys being called on to lead in prayer, take up the offering, and even sings in the choir. 

He is a great big brother!  I mean honestly, the boy could give lessons.  All the kids look up to him, even when they may not like what he has to say.  He spoils his little sister and before that spoiled Dayton even when Denzell was only 7 years old.  He just LOVES his siblings. 

He really does so good that I can leave the rest of the kids here when I need to run a quick errand or take a child for an appointment.  I left him here with the kids the other day and came home to a kitchen that he had cleaned, a dishwasher loaded and running, and dishes dripping dry in the dish drainer.  He had pulled the trash and had it ready to take out.  I DIDN'T ASK HIM TO DO ANY OF THAT!!!! 

Tonight he knew that Dayton was sick, we were gone all day, and I was waiting on a call from Brent.  I had determined that I was just leaving the kitchen for morning.  It wasn't bad and I could have loaded a few things that were left in the counter into the dishwasher and turned it on as I went to bed.  The dishes that needed hand washed could have waited in the sink until morning.  DENZELL WENT IN AND CLEANED THE ENTIRE KITCHEN WITHOUT MY ASKING! 

Honestly, I am so blessed.  I appreciate so much that he will just jump in and do stuff without being asked.  I've NEVER asked him to do dished that I can recall.  Yet, this is twice in the last week or two that he has just gone in and run a sink of soapy water and washed them. 

Some day you know that I am going to hear the woman God has planned for him gushing over how wonderful he is, right???  I know it!  As a part of a large family, he can do just about anything and jumps in to help wherever he sees a need without ever being expected too.  He will be a really AWESOME husband to some lucky woman some day (not too soon prayerfully) and I am going to be so thrilled to watch him be the most awesome "daddy" some day (even further off!).  I can't wait to see the huge plans that God has for him that will have to be awesome to watch considering his willingness to jump in and "serve" wherever needed.  God really uses people who are willing like that!

This picture is old, bc my normal laptop with all our family pictures on it is having a keyboard issue, but this just says it all.  He spoils his sister (even when that means looking a little goofy to amuse her) and is just the best!

Cody (Who is FINAL!!!!)

Cody's finalization was yesterday.  It feels so good to know he is all mine and I don't have to worry about social workers and documentation from doctor's visits.  It feels even better that he is no longer a ward of the state of Texas.  Making choices for his best interest is up to us now.  He could spend the night with a grandparent or aunt without having to ask permission.  If he is asleep and one of the kids has an early morning appointment, then I don't have to wake him and take him with me.  He can stay asleep and be here with Denzell in charge.  (Julianne often never knows that I left because I am back before she wakes up, but poor Cody had to be drug out of bed for appointments that weren't his.)

Ok, now for the pictures.  :)

The above picture is Cody at an appointment the day before his finalization, when Daddy was already on his way to Texas.  I think he is smiling because I told him that next time he can stay at home and not be drug out.  :)

That picture is from a VERY late night party after Daddy got home the night of his finalization.  He was sleepy, but pumped!  He picked out the cake at Sam's Club.  I let him decide how to have his name written.  He still insisted on "Cody Unroe".  He's been home 6 months and he is still obsessed with the last name! 

Isn't he just the cutest??  

Cody's Adoption is FINAL!

Cody's adoption is final!  It finalized this morning.  Brent went to TX and was there less than 24 hours.  He is back home now (and preparing to leave for Bulgaria next Friday).  We have finished the "Finalization" cake.  He got his keepsakes. 

For the first time in Cody's life he is not a ward of the state.  He no longer has a social worker.  He no longer has a GAL.  He no longer has to have paperwork filled out at every doctor's visit, eye appointment, and dental visit. 

Cody is just an "Unroe" now.  :) 

I will post pictures tomorrow of him from tonight with his cake (that he picked out and helped decide what to write on it.  For tonight I am going to go and watch a movie with my crew, even though it is 11pm.  :) 

Cody's Phone Call Confusion

Cody's Guardian at Litem called today.  She wanted to know how Cody is doing.  I was happy to report that he is doing wonderfully.  He runs around all the time and gets around wonderfully without the braces now!  He hasn't had any issues with his breathing and even kicked a little viral thing that was going around without issue.  He fits in wonderfully!  (That's only natural since God planned him to be my little boy and a part of this family!)

She then wanted to speak with Cody on the phone.  I went in to see if he was awake.  We had an early appointment this morning and he was grumpy by this evening and needed a rest, but doesn't normally take naps unless he's just grumpy and needs to go lay down.  I was thrilled that he was awake and smiling after just about 20 minutes in his bed. 

I tried to explain to Cody that it was someone that he had met while he lived in his "old house" as he often calls it.  He really wasn't interested in the call though.  He heard the cell phone ringing and was more interested in that.  He knew that Daddy would be calling right about then.  I tried to tell him that we'd call Daddy back, but he was still distracted.  He asked "Who is that?" about who he was talking to.  Finally I took the phone back. 

She is going to try and call back tomorrow and talk to him.  I had Brent talk to him about "who" was on the phone since Brent had seen the GAL when he was visiting Cody.  That didn't seem to help though.

He is now royally confused.  He told some of his siblings that he had to talk to his "Grand Cousin" on the phone earlier.  He told someone else that he thinks his new brother is suppose to call tomorrow.  (He is very excited about Keith especially because Cody will get to be a BIG brother then!)

I have no idea if I can get him to actually talk to her tomorrow.  Poor little guy is so confused!

On a good note, in about 57 hours he won't have a GAL or a social worker for the first time in his life!!!!  He will be FOREVER AND OFFICIALLY OUR SON, just as he has been in my heart for years already! 

Julianne Pictures from Sunday

We had a boil water advisery until Sunday night from a water line break.  That meant that I didn't give Julianne a bath Saturday night.  Julianne likes to drink the water from the faucet and will drink bath water or eat the bubbles if she gets half a chance.  I didn't want to risk her consuming any of the water so I didn't put her in the tub and just washed her off good.  The problem is that her hair had been in braids and she took them down, so her hair was crimped looking.

I decided to put her hair up in twist on each side Sunday morning.  She looked adorable and she knew it!

Isn't she beautiful????  She even wore her brown glasses since

she was wearing brown clothes and shoes.

When bedtime came we took down the twists.  That left her with some beautiful "curly" hair.  I really wanted a picture (ok well maybe more than "a" picture).  Julianne was feeling especially ornery too.

 

Can you see the orneriness? 

When she sees the pictures where her tongue is sticking out, she laughs and shows me she can do it again!

She thinks this one is especially funny! 

Honestly though, she has such a big personality! 

I can't wait to see the personalities of her "Chromosomally Enhanced" siblings come out and develop after they get home.  :)

But with big beautiful eyes like these, who can resist her antics? 

Not me! 

My pretty girl can steal my heart every time.  Those giggles after she is ornery just make it all the more fun!  All in all she doesn't do anything bad, just a little ornery.  haha  She does have a bad habit right now of liking to "rip" things, but it is getting better.  Thankfully, she really doesn't have any other bad habit, just lots of giggles!

News

We got our written referral!  That is an awesome praise!!!  :)  You'll want to check in on our adoption blog regularly as Brent will be leaving in less than 2 weeks for Bulgaria!  I won't be repetitive and post all the same stuff here.  The link is on the side bar!  I'll post pictures from his trip as I get them and what he learns about my babies.  :) 

Friday was My Birthday and . . .

I had really hoped for our written referral for my birthday present.  It didn't happen.  :(  I know God is in control.  I did still have a wonderful birthday. 

Denzell and Dayton made me two birthday cakes.  I walked away and they didn't need much help.  I reminded them to spray the pans and I did have to go and get the right beaters to go in the mixer for them.  (It was really cute because I was walking by and saw the beaters go flying across the room.  They had the wrong ones in the mixer and it shot them out.  hehe)  The two of them did the rest!

They beat up 3 boxes of cake mix.  The cakes were WONDERFUL!  I have to say I'm still impressed more than 24 hours later!  They put them in the oven and got them out all on their own.  Then Dayton decided he wanted to write on my cake, so I found him the icing in the tube that he could write with.  I came back to some wonderful looking cakes too!

Dayton did this one for me.  I think that is pretty awesome for the first time someone tries to write with icing!  He is 10 years old and takes life very seriously, so there is no picture of him with the cake.  lol

Denzell iced this cake so wonderfully.  He is 16 and is much more cooperative about pictures.  He's a teen and though he takes life seriously, he's still not nearly as serious as Dayton.  lol

I had a wonderful birthday!  How could I know with this crew of 13 wonderful kids to enjoy??  I just know that when my next 5 are in my arms, every day will be even happier.  Getting to watch each of them on their first birthdays home will be EXTRA special.  :)