Giving Thanks

I am not going to lie - this year has been a crazy one..."working" from home, moving, homeschooling (we'll call it that), Annabelle's health issues....there are days i've said "WHY?" but God has placed people in my life who would look at my life and say gravy boat (Christie Cotney Magera - she's a whole blog on her own) so I have been trying to be in the moment and really try and see all of the amazing blessings I have been given and it wasn't hard this weekend...I am thankful, I am blessed and I am aware!

 

Seriously...could these two be ANY cuter? 

My 2 favorite faces in the world!!

 

 Love this girl and have loved all the extra time I've gotten to spend with her this year...

there's LOTS of bonuses to homeschool (like shopping field trips)

 

sweet Sam, had to take a nap for her black friday midnight shopping trip

we are so thankful for her parents, kathy and dave. who never get in pictures!

 

LOVE

 

Annie wants to be a teenager so badly!

Thanksgiving dinner....

Dave, Kathy, Sam, Braxton, David, Terry, Sherry, Chris, Mary Cole, Mom, Dennis, Mike, Me and Annabelle

Then we headed to the lake for the Annual SHOWDOWN

CLEMSON vs CAROLINA FOOTBALL GAME!

 

My precious Mary Cole - the cutest little tiger!

 

Mike and Shane = TROUBLE!

 

The cutest tiger of ALL times!!

 

 

The hottest bartender around!

 

My girl! I love her even if she is a Carolina girl!

 

I think she's giving him tips on football...I've never seen anyone who knew less about football..haha

PRECIOUS!! Sam, Sophie and Annabelle!

I'm sure everyone knows that my tigers lost the game and as a result I was forced to wear a Carolina shirt

(that's our standard bet around the house) 

I obliged because we lost fair and square...there's ALWAYS next year!!

 

And if defeat isn't bad enough it's a horrible picture of me...well a bet's a bet!

G O T C H A

I know most people count Gotcha Day as the day the embassy signs the paperwork making you a forever family...That's not the date I use - Gotcha Day is November 17th - the day we got on the plane to take you home and knew we never had to look back. The adoption took a turn at the very end - when the phone rang and it was Thanassis on the other line, my heart sank - what came next was crazy...he wanted to know why I hadn't come to pick you up? Excuse me? Well, it turns out the adoption agency hadn't finished paying everyone...I called Aunt LeLe at 2:30AM and asked it she could jump on a plane in 4 HOURS.. She said ABSOLUTELY! I packed my bags - put a note on the door at the store and told everyone I would be back when everything was resolved bc I wasn't coming back without my girl - met Aunt LeLe in Atlanta and off we went - heading to Guatemala like tornados while making our plan of attack! The best part was our element of surprise! No one knew we were on our way until we got there...we sat in the lobby of the Radison until the attorney got there - the next morning after some demanding you were brought to me!

(I immediately took you upstairs and changed you into a smocked dress..hahaha - you also rolled off of the bed and landed between the bed and sliding glass door - I thought "what have I done to this poor baby?") Let's just say the surprise worked - that mean old adoption lady got the money to the right people just in time - embassy interview - check - celebration dinner - check -airport bound - check but none of that mattered to me my heart wasn't happy until the plane took off and the wheels went up! This is the first picture we took as soon as we were Atlanta bound...You were the BEST traveler and had everyone mesmerized ... people stopped in the airport to look at you, you were so gorgeous! Aunt LeLe headed home and we hopped on a plane to Charleston...we arrived at 11:30PM and when we got there - there were lots of people waiting on you with signs and balloons and then your Grannie saw you...I could tell her life had changed forever....you have been a blessing everyday since even on the rough days and even when I haven't been my best (i'm sorry if those days seem plentiful)...I can't believe 8 years have gone so quickly and so slowly at the same time - You have changed my life and are further proof that God is great

cinderellie!

LOL - if you keep up with the blog you'll remember that Annie was Cinderella last year

just fyi Grannie bought her the same costume again (I think it's the light up Cinderella on the front)

I think this has been her favorite year so far...she LOVED passing out the candy she wanted to know what

everyone is dressed up as - she even wanted to go trick or treating at a few houses on the street, 

she says trick or treat and then tried to give them candy...she's so cute! And she adored her costume because she slept in and didn't want to take it off for 2 days (she did take it off long enough to bathe)

Hope everyone had a very HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Happy Fall Y'all!

Happy Fall Y'all!!

Damn you Dora...

As Annie and I were laying on the couch today, Dora on in the background (I really can tune her out) I heard Annie say "Dora, my eyes aren't good"...it took me a minute to register that Dora had been asking for help looking for something and said "you've got good eyes"...I just sat there for a minute not breathing to kinda wait and see how it panned out...then Annie says "mommy - my eyes aren't good" I said "no I know they aren't" She was going to tell me how much she didn't like not being able to see but I tried to focus her attention on something else which thank God worked because I don't know if my heart could take having to explain to this sweet girl how God made her exactly as she should be...I try not to think of all the things she's missing but some days, I tell ya, it is hard...

but if HE trusts me then I've got to trust myself.

I won't go into the countless things she CAN do, we'd be here a year!

ps....i've got to admit, I thought "are you freaking kidding me?" when homeschool became the only true option for this girl but as always He shows me He's got it...this child is FLOURISHING at  Envision Academy in spite of the fact that I'm the lead teacher AND principal!

(still laughing at myself...never say never)

FIGHT like a GIRL!

october is breast cancer awareness month

and we had a party yesterday to celebrate....

after numerous doctors visits
one week we went everyday - double appts some days
(it felt like we lived there)

 

TWO lumpectomies.....

 

2 quick, easy recoveries with no pain meds
she was up the next day after both surgeries

we thought it would be fun

definitely a very party worthy day..

to hang some signs in the windows

 

 annie loves a party - she was happy to help!

Picasso you ask?

 

 she had that sweet toothless grin all day

getting things ready...

 what party would be complete without a cake??
publix chocolate with buttercream frosting
(it should have been pink)

.

3 weeks, 16 treatments, 1 bell ringing, a certificate 
and she's DONE with radiation...
Diana 1 - Cancer 0
she fought like a girl and kicked some ass!


Go Grannie Go!

Annie Annie bo bannie

 

YEAH - she lost her 2nd front toof....she has the best toothless grin and it seems that her teeth are falling out in their own perfect timing...

isn't she precious...this is how she "watches" dora and diego - she "listens" but don't be mistaken - she knows EVERYTHING that happens in those episodes!

after much ado about something - i have decided to homeschool Annie this year - I feel like the bad started to outweigh the good in her school environment and after years of making fun discussing the idea - i was put in a position where homeschooling in all of its glory craziness STILL seemed like a better option than sending her to public school....


Since this is Annie's scrapbook it didn't seem fair to mix her in with the home/design/whatever blog...so we're back because growing up any way other than girlie just doesn't seem as glamorous!!

Frick and Frack

My oh my....do you notice a pattern here???









it seems as those these priss pots are complete and total ladies of leisure!!
whenever one lays down for a rest the other quickly follows!!


**these pictures were not taken on the same day**


LOL - they sure are cute!!!

Family Lake Week - 4th of July

Yeah we're on our way for family week at the lake!! it's a week of lounging, boating, eating, napping, golf carting and why yes - drinking!! We had so much fun that this is the only picture we got of us!


and they lounged....



and continued lounging...well between her adventures outside (mom taught her how to get back into the house so if the door opened she was GONE) and eating anything she could get her mouth on!! hahaha she was on vacation too!!



i went to the back to see what the sleepy heads were doing and had to run to get the camera hoping they wouldn't move...somehow annie had managed to wriggle her way around and was using mike as a pillow....hahaha - they were both OUT!


and my sweet little priss pot was there!! she is seriously too cute for words!!



and they had so much fun playing in the sprinkler together..



gawd what a gorgeous face!!



lol - even in her minnie mouse suit!



Sprinkler fun!!



toothless grin ;)



she partied like a rock star....

there was too much going on to take pictures - mike and i took the bigger kids on the boat and flipped them off the tubes...had "some" beers - laughed our asses off with everyone - we had a contest to see who could stay up the latest...YEP i won! but then really did i? hahahaha and we ate and ate...mom and i did some shopping (i got pink cowboy boots) it was a much needed vacation!


HAPPY FOURTH!!!