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!!!