Sleeping outside...=...Acrylic paint toenails!

I was making my market day rock animals, and so you have to paint them, right?! Only Acrylic paint stays on .I needed the sun to dry them off, and Borja needed it to lull him to sleep! Meanwhile, I was bored waiting for the sun to take its affect, and I looked over only to notice that Borja was sleeping! I was painting a flower so i had the pink and blue right there. Watch out Borja!!! :)

First 80 degree weekend!

Five touches

Another foul

Kenzie played the entire game today. Cindy told her to "be a wall" on defense.

So, she got another foul.

Kenzie: That girl tripped over my foot. I just helped her go down.

Cindy: it looked like you pushed her.

Kenzie: yah. That's what I mean by 'I helped her go down.'

New Brother

I am so amazed! We already have a referral, not to mention a new brother! I am so excited. I got to take a couple pictures to my school today, and my friends loved him. They thought he looked mischievieous, cute, and smart all at the same time. Listening to his profile, he sounds like the perfect one for us. This is so amazing and mind-blowing. Everyone is super supportive even through this rocky and incredible time. It feels like just yesterday mommy was suggesting even the thought of adopting. Wow.

Happy birthday Borja!

Borja turns 16 today! We had a party with nearly 50 people yesterday to help him celebrate!

Happy cowboy and his posse

John Jacob

Mason had two speaking parts in the second grade concert. He is in the front on the left.

Smiles

We think, we pray

Our hearts have been melted by a beautiful 6 year old boy. We have seen one picture and two videos, and have spoken with someone who recently visited with him. He is a spunky, smart, social little guy who...wait for it...loves soccer. The agency has fallen in love with this kid as well and are anxious to find him a home, saying that "he's special." The woman who visited with him said she loves his sense of humor. Every time she goes in she always interviews the kids. This last time he went up to her and said, "Madelline, can I be you today?" She said "yes," and he took her paper and sat down, looked at her and said, "Madelline, what is your name?"

The videos show an outgoing, social, athletic little kid who claps loud at his playmates, hogs the ball, chirps a sweet noise, and shows his devilish smile when he kicks the ball into the camera-person. I showed the video to Mason and his first words were, "he kicks the ball hard. I like him." Cindy, Felix, Borja, Uncle Mike, Grampy and Lauren all noticed the left footed kicks.

Last night at about midnight Cindy and I, both in tears after looking at the videos a dozen times, took the step to say this is our guy. Now, there are things outside of our control, so the process gets scary and real. What if something happens that we can't adopt this little guy that we have fallen for? Well, so now we pray. Regardless of what happens, this is a special kid and deserves to be in a great family. We hope it's ours.

(I'm not going to post pictures or videos until we get him, but I can email to family/friends, just ask.)

Gunner gear!!

In good hands

Our "village" has really pulled through for us, friends and family alike. Only once did "someone" deviate from the schedule and cause a lost-child alert. Oh and there was the other time that Borja slept in a different room causing alarms in the morning when he was MIA. But no child was actually ever lost, amazingly enough, and in our absence they made it to two soccer games, Spanish lessons, two days of soccer tryouts, school, soccer practice, Keegan's game, Diane's house, church, and a couple of sleepovers.

It was a special chance for the kids to hang with their chosen aunt, Lauren. She gave Mason a haircut--perhaps a self-inspired one--coached him through try-outs, helped all the kids with homework, and grew squishy lizards. Not sure they're exactly looking forward to us returning!

Excursions

Cindy and I have been having a fun time on the Yukitan. Today we decided to go to an island but took one wrong turn and ended up about 200 miles inland at Chichen Itzà. Even though it was one of the Seven Wonders of the World, it was a tourist trap, but on the way we went to some small pueblos, and even found a tortillarilla. For about 24 cents we got a pile of hand-made tortillas. We saw lots of creatures....iguanas, tejotes, camels and lots of wild cats and dogs. The best days have been the unplanned ones where we ended up someplace unexpected. Tulum was amazing...except when I ended up face-down in the sand with food allergies. The rest of it, though, is a place we would come back to...once we've checked the other six Wonders off our list.