Clarification

We (really I) came up with our cheesy blog name because we had faith that we would some day expand our family. Now the time is finally here! It all came to light when I couldn't function without a 2-3 hour nap each afternoon. We thought...well, maybe...

The morning I confirmed it, John was asleep and I was ready to head back that direction. After all, when you've failed a test several times, you don't really expect a different result. I took just one quick glance before heading back to bed and noticed the 2 lines. You know what that means... Then my conversation with John went something like this...

T: Do you want to look at this?
J: Not really.
T: I think you might want to look at this.
J: (Squinting and looking) Okay. (Then rolling back over. After a few seconds, seems to have an epiphany. Then grabs his glasses and looks again.) What does that mean?
T: What do you think it means?

The million dollar question/statement that we've gotten in regards to our discovering we were pregnant..."I bet you were surprised!"
I'm guessing that, except for those rare people that seem to get pregnant just by looking at someone, pregnancy is kind of a surprise for anyone. For those of you who were wondering if we were trying, the answer is that we were trying to adopt again as soon as possible.

Even though I've written about it and told a gazillion people, it doesn't seem to sink in. We didn't adopt because we couldn't have a baby. We adopted because we knew our baby was in China. So, were we surprised we could get pregnant? No. Just a little surprised that it happened with no planning at all. We really would have been happy adopting all our kids and figured that was God's plan. As always, God surprised us.

The next big statement...I bet you are excited.
For lack of a better term, "Duh!" Of course we are excited to be having another child. I don't mean to be on the defensive, but the way most people say it, what I hear is, "I bet you are excited to be having a biological child." So far, I've been tired and sick and worried. The best thing about this pregnancy is that there is a lot less paperwork than last time! But I am no more excited than I was with Will. Adoption is a very exciting, albeit long, process. Everything from finding the child God picked for us to learning about and visiting another country was priceless. I'm not too excited about the birthing process. I'll just be glad when it's over.

Are we excited to have a tiny baby since we missed out on that stage with Will? I bet Will was the most adorable baby! But John and I had recently decided that we weren't really baby people. Will was walking and talking and lots of fun when we got him. I figure we have a year, give or take, before this baby does that sort of thing. I'm excited about cute baby photos, but the whole baby stage, not really. I expect that to change. But for now, someone sucking their fingers just doesn't sound that exciting to me.

The Miracle Aspect
Having a child is a miracle no matter how that child gets to you. We won't go into the details of how this came to be, as I'm sure you know as much as you need. But beyond that, we haven't really done anything. I'm trying to get plenty of rest, eat healthy, and exercise a little more. In spite of my efforts, or lack there of, we can see on the ultrasounds, that our baby has 2 arms and 2 legs, a little tiny heart that beats really fast, a spinal chord with all these little tiny bones, and itty bitty girly parts. We did absolutely nothing to make this happen. Our baby is a work of God. We don't feel proud that we made it, because really, we didn't.

A world away, God did the same thing in crafting our Will. He also led the powers that be to put us together into a family. Will is so much like us it's scary. He's perfect for us. Even though I never carried him, God chose him for us. We did no choosing from a list of babies. We simply said yes when we saw that sweet face. In fact, we're a little concerned that this baby may not fit in as well. Children, even from the same biological parents, can be night and day. I just pray I'm as close to this baby as I am to Will.

Our Beautiful Baby Girl
No worries. We will love our little girl just as much as we do Will. I just felt the need to clarify, for some, that we will love our Will as much as our little girl. And now, here she is...

Little Lessons

Will in his Easter best

Lesson 1

Another month has come and gone without a post, mainly because I've had so much on my mind...aka worrying. I know I shouldn't and I usually don't too much, but life has seemed to remain pretty stressful this year...some good, some not so good.

So a few weeks ago while we were driving down the road, John and I were discussing our current predicament. Okay. Maybe I was doing a little more venting, and a little less discussing. So I made the comment, "Surely God is watching over us and has some kind of purpose for all this." I probably should end that with a question mark/ exclamation mark/tears. It was more of a "Come on God, prove me right!" kind of thing.

Then, from the back seat, I hear, "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy! You just said God is watching over us!" Will was really excited to hear me telling his Daddy about a concept we try to instill in him constantly, particularly at night when he's scared of the dark. But to me, this comment was kind of a slap in the face. Instead of living what I've been preaching, I was doubting it. Oh, ye of little faith.

Lesson 1--God is with us.

Lesson 2
As I mentioned, at night we often remind will that God is watching over him. He use to pray that angels would come and sit in his blue chair and protect him while he slept. Now he skips the angels and goes straight for the Big Guy, Jesus. Who am I to question? It reminds me of John Micheal Montgomery's "The Little Girl," when the little girl recognizes Jesus' picture at church because he hid with her behind the couch when her parents were fighting.

One particular night between 3 and 4a.m, on the third time Will had woken me up in an hour, I found Will curled up in his blue chair. When I suggested he get back in bed, he just curled in tighter, put on a silly grin, and said, "I'm with Jesus!" Again, I couldn't argue with that logic. He looked so peaceful and sweet! Of course that didn't save him 15 minutes later when he had peed in his pull-up...

Lesson 2--Peace.

Lesson 3
Will's favorite books lately seem to be his Bible stories. He pours over several at a time and retells the stories. He is going to be quite the author some day. He also write songs, but that's another entry.

Not only does our boy write songs, but he also acts the stories out. For David and Goliath, we take turns pretending who is who. Goliath usually starts with, "What are you doing here, David?" in a big mean voice. Then David winds up his arm and then gently knocks Goliath in the head. Goliath does a slow motion death scene, ending up in pile on the floor.

After catching Will sitting on the sink washing his feet, I asked him what he was doing. His reply, "Washing my feet just like Jesus!" Once again, can't argue with a kid who wants to be like Jesus, so Will usually has the cleanest feet in town.

The Easter story is a little less fun. I refuse to participate in that one, as Will is usually the soldier ordering Jesus around with a "sword" in his hand. (Please tell me that's okay because he's only 3!) Luckily I've succeeded in getting Will to act that one out with much less frequency.

Lesson 3--The joy of The Word.

Will has definitely been my best Bible teacher lately, a constant reminder of God's love for us and a constant source of joy (except maybe at 3:30 in the morning when he first wakes me up). I meant to get an Easter post up, but this is what it's really all about. I'm so glad my little boy is learning to live the walk, even when I'm not!

To Consign or Not to Consign?? Consign, Of Course!

Will cheesing it for a 3rd birthday picture (outfit courtesy of Children's Place birthday coupons)


Happy March! Or should I say, "Happy Consignment Sale Month?" Our visit to Little Lambs went pretty well, with 2 more sales on the planner. I came away with a pretty good load for Will's spring wardrobe. The big bummer was that another lady with impeccable taste happened to be there and got to a bunch of stuff I wanted just seconds before I could snatch it up. I guess you can't have it all!

I must admit that if I am going to buy used clothes, I get pretty picky. I want Will to look like a Rock Star! I have a whole new appreciation for my mother who always spent way too much on clothes for me when I was growing up and hardly ever bought herself anything nice. Thanks Mom! I think I have now turned into her. My taste far outweighs my pocket book. I'm sure everyone would be shocked if I actually dressed the way I dream.

Although we are now super thrifty, the fashion diva in me rears her ugly head and races to the racks, trying to be the first one at the sales so my little boy can look like a million bucks. I'm not ashamed to admit that most of his clothes come from consignment sales. However, I am a sucker for a Children's Place coupon or sale, especially at Easter or Christmas! Since we don't spend $$ having pictures taken, the outfits are my guilty pleasure!

Regardless, I think Will would still look good in a paper bag and, if we lived near Hollywood, that he would have already been discovered. Perhaps I am a tad prejudiced? What do you think?

What a Week!

February is not only a short calendar month, but with Valentine's Day, Will's birthday, and my birthday, it can be a fun and busy month as well. The funny thing is that those events always fall within the same week. This year we even added Chinese New Year to that week as well.



I may have mentioned before that we LOVE Moms Club! Will attended a Mom's Club V-Day party and needed valentines to hand out, so we put on his ring bearer tux that he also LOVES, bought a rose, and made some pictures. We may not have topped him being cupid last year, but you have to admit, he is a handsome fellow!

And as an added bonus, all we have to do to get him to smile now is say the word "poop." He is such a BOY!!!

In case you were wondering, Will "signed" his own name on the card! (With a little guidance.)



Happy Chinese New Year! If you are interested in Chinese New Year at all (or even if you are not!) you should check out the free show at the library downtown. They change it up a little each year. It's very interesting. Plus it always inspires us to get will into Kung Fu some day and/or Chinese sword dancing! They are start lessons at 4 years old, so look out next year!



Will chose a Disney's C@RS theme for his birthday. After months of being obsessed with trains, he has moved on to Disney's C@RS. I have to admit I am excited that he likes these over matchbox cars. There is still something cute and little boyish about the Disney version that makes it easier to get excited about them than the others. If I'm going to play with them, I want to have fun too! Of course we are looking at between $3-$5.50 per car instead of 50cents...quality, not quantity.



As usual, my birthday was one of the first pretty days in the middle of the COLD gray winter. I like to think of it as God sending me a birthday present! After church, we went to eat Mexican and I got to wear the sombrero for the first time in my life. Will was really excited. Once they sang to the guy at the table next to us, I knew my turn was coming.

I hope everyone else had an eventful month like we did! And these were only some of the adventures...

Ho Hum

It seems like the holidays have been gone forever. When we took down the Christmas tree, Will kept saying, "It's over, Mommy? Christmas is over?" But in spite of the calendar, Will insists on looking for our chimney every time we pull out of the driveway (because Santa comes down the chimney!). Will also managed to stow away the chicken that dances to his own special rendition of We Wish You a Merry Christmas and The Chicken Dance. I've been trying to reassure him that the Christmas season will officially be upon us again in just 10 short months.

So here we sit at the end of January, a usually less than eventful, ho hum kind of month. But already lots of little things have happened and the year is 1/12 over! So here's to January and all the little events that made it pass quickly...

Happy belated birthday to my sweety, John, who turned 39 this month. Among other things in your time on earth, you've managed to snag a beautiful wife ;) and a brilliant son! Cheers to you! But seriously, there is no one on this earth who's character I admire more. I love you!

Will got to meet Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber. He asked why they weren't talking. John told him they were shy because they are use to just hanging out with other vegetables.

We saw 2 snows. Will got to make snow angels and go sledding for the first time. He is begging to make a snowman, but unfortunately we are still waiting for snowman snow that will stick together.

Wohlford Photography participated in our first (hopefully of many) bridal fairs. We have already booked a few weddings for the upcoming year and look forward to more!

We have had our first 2 family movie nights, beginning with Disney's CARS. Will is now obsessed. At least 10 times a day we must retell the part of the movie in which Mater and Lightning go tractor tipping. Will is developing his own story telling skills as we put our foot down to telling the story for an 11th time and Will must tell it to us instead.

We decided on a preschool for Will. The sign-ups for the fall begin in January and fill up quickly. Kind of crazy! I never really thought I'd send my children to pre-school, especially not at 3 years old. But it's one of those things I just felt in my heart we needed to do. Will is smart and social and can use a little extra variety and stimulation. At such a young and impressionable age, we wanted him to attend a Christian school. We were also looking for a place that would challenge him when he's ready to move ahead. (Yes. You probably figured out we think he's smart! As a teacher, I'm going to try hard not to be his teachers' nightmares!) So after looking around, we decided that Will will be attending Porter Memorial. I'm sure my parents are secretly happy about the Baptist influence. I just can't wait to see him act out the Christmas story in December!

Growing up next to Fort Knox, I always managed to become best friends with the army brats (their term, not mine). So each year I had a new best friend because my old one had moved away! This month I said goodbye to another good friend of mine, who's daughter also happened to be a good friend of Will's. It brought back some sad memories for me. I tried to explain what was going on, but Will didn't seem to understand much until we left her going away party. As soon as we left, he kept begging to go back to her house and it broke my heart. Thank goodness that now, unlike when I was a child, we have Facebook, blogs, and cheap long distance to keep us connected! (We'll miss you a lot Nancy and Sophie (and Paulie and Dan)!

Will has developed a fear of Goliath and other giants, as well as an increasing fear of the dark. When he's scared we remind him that God is watching over him. We've talked briefly about the fact that Jesus is coming back to get us some day. The other night while we were praying, Will asked if Jesus is going to come back and get us. I told him yes. Will continued by asking,"He got good toys?" I replied, "The best." But just to be sure, he asked, "Him got cars???"

I have loved every stage of Will's life so far (except the waiting for him!), but by the things coming out of his mouth lately, I'm really looking forward to this 3 year old stage coming in a few weeks!

The Top 9 of 2009

Christmas letters are difficult for me to write because most people list all the wonderful things that have happened to them during the year, often citing those things as blessings from God. In the spirit of honesty and genuineness I believe my favorite Christmas letter I ever received was from friends who openly discussed the fact they they had gone bankrupt during the year. I am so happy that God blesses all of us at times with wonderful events to fill our Christmas letters with cheer. But if having a list of celebrations indicates God's blessing on our lives, our family is in trouble! God brings hardships too. Sometimes they last through several years of no Christmas letters. But I refuse to believe that means God isn't going to bless us soon, or that He isn't blessing us right now in ways we can't yet understand. Or in ways not quite worthy of a Christmas letter, yet blessings all the same.

While I like to consider myself an optimist, I also have to be honest and say that life is not all a bed of roses. Some years it is less-rose filled than others, and this was one of those years. So in all honesty, I must say, "Good riddance to 2009!" That being said, let the optimism kick in with a huge welcome and faith that 2010 will bring a few extra belly laughs.

But here are a few blessings we did receive in 2009... The Top 9 of '09

1. This was our first full calendar year with Will, in which we watched him learn to communicate almost anything he wishes, talking up a storm. He grew from my "baby," to my "big boy." He's potty trained and ready to take on the world.
2. I spent a full year as a SAHM (stay-at-home-mom). I love being with my boy, teaching him, sharing in his triumphs, being his primary care-giver. I can't tell you how many times I've heard that staying at home is a wonderful thing to do "if you can." I want to be the first to tell you that I can't. No one with any sense would look at our income and tell us they recommend me staying home, but that's what I did anyway. Because this is an area we feel strongly about, and God made it work.
3. I joined 2 SAHM organizations this calendar year...MOMS Club and MOPS. I've met some wonderful ladies and managed not to become a total recluse. I've been challenged and refreshed and learned that, in spite of my talking about Will all the time because I love him so much and spend so much time with him, I am still my own person. I maintain an identity outside of him. I am who God created me to be on many levels, not just as a mom.
4. Our photography business has taken off! We're excited about all the new things we have done this year...new clients, new events, new equipment, and new ways of doing business. Instead of a hodge-podge of things I have been wishing to get in gear my whole life, all my new years resolutions this year center around a do-able business plan. This is our passion and a large part of our hope for the future. A special thanks to everyone who has worked with us this year!
5. John and I celebrated 7 years of the best marriage around without getting the 7 year itch! Still best friends!
6. I turned 33 this year. The same age Jesus was when he died. So much accomplished in his short life (drastic understatement!). So what to do with mine? I learned a lot more about giving this year. Since monetary giving is often out, I learned a lot more about serving physically. Doing for others. Also appreciating the fact that I can, that I am physically and monetarily able to provide some of the little things that others might need. That work isn't bogging me down so I can focus on "more important" things.
7. I embraced simplicity. Fully participating in the coupon system, learning to make-do with what we often had at hand, still finding that we had more than we need, more than many others. Hearing about lavish gifts that others were planning to give at Christmas, it really hit me that I actually LIKE the way we do things. We don't go into debt or worry about how we are going to pay for all the presents. We don't agonize about finding the perfect gifts or need to run around like crazy to get everything done. Our Christmas is still full enough of presents, as are birthdays, Easter, etc.
8. FaceBook! Silly? Maybe. But anything that helps me stay connected to friends is a blessing. Maybe I waste a little too much time on a couple of my favorite games there, but coming from someone who always feels like I need to be productive, the down time is not only welcome, but much needed.
9. In spite of some rough and dark patches, we have managed to retain the hope that what God has placed in our hearts, He will provide for. We cling to our faith, believing, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10 and "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

In spite of what kind of 2009 you had, may your 2010 be even better! God bless!

Thankful Throughout the Year

My favorite Thanksgiving Day picture--Grandma Apple doing a puzzle in the floor with Will.

You may have noticed that I missed the entire month of November. Blog posts often run through my head, but the time and focus to sit down to write is not quite as abundant. For November, the month of Thanksgiving, I did try to focus more on being thankful. Since Will is old enough to understand the holidays a little better, I wanted to figure out how to impress on him the importance of being thankful. As in all parenting, I must lead by example. So here are some specific things I am especially thankful for...

Faith that tells me our circumstances are not forever
Hope that God will once again provide for what He has placed in our hearts
Will usually sleeps through the night :)
Though John's hours are unpredictable and downright yucky, he comes home every night, and isn't half a world away fighting a war or traveling often with his job
My husband works very hard (even though he doesn't get the credit he deserves) to provide for us so that I can stay home with my son
My son is not only adorable, but also Mr. Personality...I predict he will someday be the class clown
My parents are willing to drive 2 hours just to babysit Will when I need them
I have found a few other babysitters :)
I'm more acutely aware of the needs around me, making me more appreciative that I have exactly what I need, and much of what I want.
God allows me to help others. We don't always have the money to give, but I am amazed at the abundance of "stuff" I find that I can give to others in need. That may not seem so amazing to you, but this is coming from a mom who sold everything she could get her hands on at multiple yard sales to make money to bring home her little boy. I am frugal in my spending, more so with each passing day, so I don't buy a lot of junk. The junk seems to multiply!
Everyone who has encouraged us with our photography and let us take their pictures
Sneaking in Will's room and watching him sleep
The sound of Will's laugh
Will is basically potty trained!
A genuine smile on the face of my husband
Will has learned to say, "Yes, Sir." (And sometimes Ma'am.)

Now for Will. Since he began praying a few months ago, it is obvious that he has a thankful heart. We pray it stays that way! For the first several weeks of prayer, his prayers always ended with, "Now Daddy go to work." He misses his Daddy and that's big on his heart. While it broke our hearts, especially John's, we couldn't help but giggle when he said it.

But in spite of his growing and changing prayers, one thing has remained constant...Will's prayers always start with, and mostly consist of, the things he is most thankful for, in that special no holds barred way that only a child has. He is not only thankful for the things of the day, as you would think a little boy would be preoccupied with, but he mentions things that made a big impression on him months ago. For example, we only made it to 2 of his cousin's football games this season, but we have prayed prayers of thanks for those 2 games for at least 50 nights!

So here are few of the things that Will thanks God for, not just my speculations, but things that have actually come out of his mouth...
food
go to Josh and Steven's foot ball game
Steven (Josh's friend he's met exactly twice)
ride Papaw's golf cart
my golf cart
I play with my golf club and golf ball.
snacks
play outside
Joseph Beth
library
go to Mimi Papaw's
being ring bearer (which he's been begging to do again...actually shed tears over)
birthday
sing some songs (especially, Alright, Sideways, and Down the Road--He's a country boy.)
bird pooped on Mimi's car (we talked about that for months)
sit in Papaw's lap
Mimi Papaw coming
Will look good.
going on train tracks
backyard
read some books

May the spirit of thankfulness continue throughout the year. Why else would I be writing this in December ? ;)