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Back yard fun
IF it were possible... I would say the children.... want to adopt more then Kevin and I...
The kids used the plant pots to pretend they were fairies. Their magic wands were the sticks. Gracie (raspberry fairy, named because she was wearing the raspberry pot) was tapping her hat to make a wish. Alisia was strawberry fairy and the boys were flower fairies. Caleb (in green) was the leader and was trying to get them to take flight.
Isabella is a spunky, singing, cuddly 2 year old
When we were saying our good night prayers , I looked over and saw Isabella kneeling down to pray, she is learning so quick.
At first Bells is shy but as soon she gets to know you, then she is a whirlwind of fun.
Kevin and I enjoy raising the children, it also makes us very happy to see our children showing their nurturing side to each other. For example when Bella gets upset Alisia starts playing the " I am going to catch you" game and starts running after her. Bells forgets why she was crying and starts laughing, around and around the house they go.
Grace prefers to get Bella's favorite blanket and hold her "baby", those two are both full of cuddles, and they love this time together. Gracie is drawn to other children, not unlike her brothers and sisters. She is a little Momma who is not quite at her peak of happiness unless she is helping and caring for her younger siblings.
Jan. 2010
Caleb likes to pretend he is a lion and playfully scampers after the now smiling toddler.
Oct. 2010 Our family is full of traditions, one of our favorite ones is the neighborhood pumpkin patch. They have cute little kittens, corn mazes, fields of pick your own pumpkins and huge piles of hay to play in.
Isabella 1st year birthday
Gabe is our sweet little preemie, born two months early.
Gabe with his birth Uncle John, we traveled from Missouri to Oklahoma to see them, it was so worth the trip.
Gabe watching tv with his loving sister. 2007
Gabe was being so cute today, he came over to me (Jolin) and asked to be picked up, so I sat down and put him on my knee and gave him a bunch of ticklish kisses on his neck, he was laughing and laughing. It was so sweet. He could barley talk he was laughing so hard but between laughs he managed to say
" I tootie on you".
lol
Gabe likes to suck his thumb and rub his ear, sometimes if you are lucky he reaches over with his free hand and will rub your ear too. What a tender hearted boy he is.
Isabella was crying and Gabe reached down with his sweet kiss to help her feel better.
Gabriel loves his little sister Bella, both of them suck their thumbs. Gabe wanted to share his thumb with her, so he tried to gave it to her..... it was so so sweet to see how he was trying to share. She liked her thumb better lol, I guess it was the thought that counted.
Five year old Isaac gets so excited about everything. One of the things he loves to do is read this book about how to fix things around the house, it is so funny because this is not a children's book..
Isaac looking up to his Sister
He was our third child until Gracie became apart of our family. She fit in so perfectly, now he is our happy 4th child.
The car cowboy
Isaac loves his cars, he is always carrying them with him, in this picture....his plan was... to tie the cars around his waist so they would be close and so that his younger brother would not have such an easy time trying to sneak the cars away... it just makes me laugh. Next he tried putting them in a tiny wagon and sitting on them..... this worked until the wagon broke.... lol.
Isaac has always been fascinated with the little things and loves to learn.
Nothing makes me happier as a Mom and photographer, to see my kids enjoying each other and to get it captured in a picture.
This pic was taken right before the story below.
One of my favorite memories of Kevin and Caleb is the day that we brought Caleb home for the first time. Caleb was still sleeping in his car seat when we brought him home. Kevin was exhausted (Caleb's adoption was complicated, we were not sure he was going to come home), he laid on the floor in the living room, grabbed a pillow off the couch and scooted Caleb's car seat over to him. He wrapped one arm around the car seat and baby Caleb (as if protecting him) just before falling asleep.
They have such a sweet bond. Kevin is such a wonderful Daddy to all the children.
Sweet, Protective, Helpful Caleb (7 yrs)
We got to adopt Caleb when he was one month old. We waited for 15 months to get the chance to adopt him. I remember seeing him for the first time, he was this little bundle of blue blanket with two large brown eyes peeking out. My heart just melted, the baby we had waited for so long was peacefully looking back at me.
Caleb helping Isabella learn how to walk
The kids love their yearly photo shoots, they get to pick where we go, what they wear, and a lot of the poses, I love this time together. It is cherished time doing whatever they want to do.
Caleb and Isaac playing in our back yard
Caleb is so sweet.
Caleb and Gracie are birth siblings but came 3 years apart. This was taken when Gracie first came, she was so happy to see her brother. Caleb came first and his birth sister came 3 years later, she is one year older then him.
Energetic and Life Loving Gracie (8yrs)
Gracie came as a 4 year old, she was lonely and really wanted brothers, sisters and a Daddy. She mentioned this to her birth Mom daily.
This shows her personality perfectly, she ate the bottom of her birthday cupcake first and acted surprised that she did.
Tender Memories, Gracie introducing herself to her one day old sister Isabella.
Gracie is fearless, on the other hand her shyer brother Isaac took a bit longer to get used to the "frog".
Caring, Attentive, Thoughtful, Alisia (ah.lee.see.ah) is 9 years old.
Alisia as a newborn, she was so tiny, I miss those days.
We got to adopt Alisia when she was 8 days old, this is her birth-father, (my brother) holding her at the hospital and me cooing over our brand new precious daughter.
Alisia's 9th year photo session. Can you see my reflection in her eyes.....just like she is one of the sparkles in my eye. Artistically...I love that!!!
Halloween 2010
Our oldest loves to read to the youngest and those in between.
