Graysen's Off to Preschool!!

Picking her backpack...

School Supplies...

Daddy brought her to Mommy's work to show off her new stuff!

1st Day of Preschool:  Aug. 30, 2011

She was SOOO excited!

No time to blog these days, but I still want to record memories...guess they'll mostly be pictures.....

Adoption Support and another Giveaway!

You know something I adore?  I adore how adoptive families get behind one another.  How they support one another...people that have never met in real life, people that may never meet in real life.  But we're on a journey together...an adventure that not everyone can understand...and it's important to have support.  This is the story of just such a case........

Remember this shirt?  (I can't WAIT to get mine!)

Well, this adoptive Momma is putting on her own giveaway, just to help another adoptive Momma.  So, so sweet.  Here is the info from her blog:

I really wanted to do a little something for Kim. She is such an inspiration. She is following her heart and calling even though it will be a long road financially, emotionally, and physically (so much to do in such a short time!). So, I tried to come up with a little "giveaway" to help Kim sell a couple of shirts...

I have three really cool, hand-made items that I will give away.

A cute little girl's purse.
Cute tan hat!
Cute black hat!

So...how do you win these cute things? Simple. 

A) buy a t-shirt... earn 5 entries

B) donate to Kim's adoption... each $5 donation earns 1 entry *every single dollar helps*

C) blog about (or share on facebook) Kim's awesome t-shirt design and earn 2 entries!

Be sure to leave me a comment about what you have done and which item(s) you would like your entries to be for.

Come on...we can do this! Your odds of winning are pretty good ;) I (probably Grace) will draw the winning entries on Friday, September 2nd...noon (central time) after Grace's first day of preschool.


Go HERE to purchase your shirt.
Go HERE to donate to Kim's adoption (on the right hand side)
Go HERE to tell Deena what you've done in order to enter her giveaway!

29 by 29 - Kick Off Today!

Today is my birthday!  I'm 28 years old.  I honestly don't mind getting older.  I enjoy it really.  I think I am surrounded by so many women who have aged so gracefully that I see aging as a privileged, not as something scary or to dread.

Today I'm officially kicking off my 29 by 29 list...but I'm still 13 items short!  I need help creating my list!  Please, please, as a birthday present to me will you give me a suggestion as to something I can add to my list?  I can be big or small, something for myself or others.  

Thank you!

love.

Am I not the luckiest mom?  

They were laying like this on the couch by themselves...they love each other.  

love.  

how wonderful.

A fabulous shirt...and a fabulous giveaway...until TOMORROW ONLY!

I recently found this adoptive family.  You can read about the beginning of their journey here. 

 ...and they have a GREAT shirt!

front

back

Isn't it wonderful?  I just ordered myself one!  It gets even better!  If you order one before Saturday you can earn 5 entries toward their awesome giveaway!  Check it out HERE....but as a sneak peak before you hop over there, here are the prizes they're giving away!!!

My Sseko Sandals!

 I wrote about Sseko Sandals awhile ago (here).  I devoured their website and just fell more and more in love with their mission, and their story.  I really wanted a pair!!!  So, I got together 8 of my friends and we all bought some!  They just came in a few days ago and I'm crazy about them already!  I wore them to church and then to work on Monday and they were great both times!

I worried a little bit about learning to tie them, but their videos are SUPER easy to follow!  

I only bought two different straps, but wish I had bought them all!  I'll definitely be making another order before next spring!!  Check them out...I think you'll like them!

Created For Care Retreat

 Remember when I went to the Created For Care Retreat last February?  You can read about the overview of my trip here.  I not only was refreshed and rejuvenated, I met tons of awesome people, and learned tons about topics like HIV.  I also got have a date with God (which was totally worth the trip to Atlanta in and of itself)!

It's coming again!!!  The Retreat this year is January 27 - 29, 2012.  I am SO looking forward to it already!  

Registration is on September 1st, at THIS website.  Make sure you register that day because last year it filled in 24 hours!  

FAQ: Baby Part II

I'll keep answering questions as long as I get them!  I like talking about my family (as if you couldn't tell!)

Will you get rid of your van and get something bigger?


We have always joked that we'll be that family with a 12 or 15 passenger van.  In all seriousness, we really wouldn't be opposed to one if they didn't take so much gas!!  As of now, we all still fit in our van, so that's what we'll stick with.  We will keep our eye out for something bigger in case God sends one our way!  We'd like to have something bigger when the kids get a bit older and we want to haul not only our family, but their friends as well.


Will basketball season cause any inconveniences?


Isn't basketball season always an inconvenience?  It is, but it's also something that brings my husband a lot of joy at this point in his life, so we will continue to do it!  Yes, I will be huge by the end of the season!  I should be right at 8 months pregnant, so we're praying the baby will wait until at least mid-march to make it's appearance!  I am at peace knowing that Lincoln does put his family as the priority over basketball, so even if the baby didn't wait, he would be there in whatever capacity I needed him to.  My back just might hurt from sitting on the bleachers through my whole pregnancy! 

How did you tell family you were pregnant?

We made our moms photo brag books filled with pictures of their grandkids...then the last page had a sheet of paper that said "Baby Redburn coming March 29, 2012."  


How did the Grandmas react?


They were both surprised.  I think they both knew it was a possibility that we would add to our family again, so not shocked, but surprised just the same.  Carl was home when we gave the book to Marcinda, but Charlie wasn't, so Mom called him and had him run home from work real fast so we could tell him too!

Is your pregnancy considered high risk? How are you handling this?

My pregnancy is not considered high risk (per say).  They are, obviously keeping an eye out for the same problems that I've had in the past, but so far no extra appointments, etc.  I will have the extra screening done (by ultrasound) for birth defects, but Lincoln and I are going to let the Dr. know that we ONLY want to be informed of fatal defects (like anencephaly).  (So basically, if they see that our baby is prone to Down's Syndrome or something else during this visit we will not know.)  We had this done with Graysen as well.  They are also doing a little research as to when to start medicine for cholestasis (the condition I had with Graysen).  There are "new" meds out that can help reduce the effects of that.  


I've been a bit stressed about having a healthy baby, but have tried (really hard!) to turn it over to God and know that He already knows the number of days of this baby's life!  (Also the rate of one family having more than one ancephalic baby is something like 4%!)




Mindy - yes, you can always babysit!!!  (If you want to take on 5 kids!)

1st Grade

Every year you will see a post that starts like this:  I can't believe I have (fill in the blank) graders!!!  Here it is for this year...are you ready?

I can't believe I have 1st graders!!!

Although they begged for me to put them in the same class this year, I told them no...and so, much to their dismay, they have three different teachers:

Silas Sintyaheu:  Mrs. Siders

Hunter Lee:  Mrs. Hammonds

Blake Bizayehu:  Mrs. Schell

I pray for you boys every. single. day.  as you're away at school.  I pray that you are surrounding yourselves with others who will challenge you to walk a straight path.  I pray that you feel Mommy and Daddy's love while you're away from us.  Even more, I pray that you always remember that God never leaves you.   I pray that you are developing relationships that will assist you through your life..and ones where you can be of assistance to others.  I pray that you love learning, and that you will use your knowledge to do something for God's kingdom...for in the end, that's all that really matters. 

You guys are the best!  Happy 1st Grade Year!!!

FAQ: Baby Edition

Did you like how I just threw the baby randomness at you the other day?  Not that every life isn't to be celebrated, but when you've got a family as big as ours, there's not much surprise another one is on the way, right?  I thought I would do a FAQ post and answer all of the questions that we've been getting lately!

When are you due?


March 29, 2012.  


When did you find out?


July 21st.  We were going to try to keep it a secret for as long as possible, but "long" wasn't very long...was it?


Do you want a boy or a girl?


We just want a healthy baby!  Honestly, I'd love another daughter, a sister for Graysen, but...boys are less likely to have anencephaly, so I'm petitioning God for another son (go ahead, call me crazy!)  Everyone has the feeling that it's a girl except Silas....but Graysen did dream it was a boy a few nights ago...who knows!


Are you going to find out the gender?


I would like to have a surprise.  Since we have both it doesn't matter to me...but Lincoln doesn't do surprises...and he doesn't have patience, so I have a feeling we'll be finding out.


Are the kids excited?


Yes, over the moon!  Hunter lays on my lap and talks to the baby every day, and Graysen is already fighting the boys over who's going to get to hold it the most.  (I'm going to be lucky to get to hold this child at all!)  I think it will help solidify Blake and Silas' as part of our family as well, as they will be big brothers just the same as the other two kids (more on this later).  


Didn't you rid of all of your baby things?


Yes we did!  We didn't dream that 4 years after our youngest was born we'd be having another baby, but this was God's plan...not ours!  We are blessed to have lots of close friends who are going to allow us to borrow their baby things so we don't have to purchase them again!


Where will you put him or her?!


Babies are small....it's just the baby things that are big!  We are praying to be able to build an addition onto our home (we live in a very modest 3 bedroom, 2 bath home) a few years from now.  The baby will stay with us in our room for quite some time...we like to keep them in with us as long as possible, then, they'll join either her sister in her room, or his brothers in their room!


Is this why you went back to work?


No, it's not, but we are thanking God for knowing what was best for us before we did, and allowing me to find such a family friendly job!  The extra income will definitely help us with our growing family, and being in the school district I not only have the same schedule as my children, but I also work in an office where I will be able to pump whenever necessary, and Lincoln can bring the baby to nurse at least once a day!  


Are you CRAZY?


Yes...yes, we are.  We're crazy for the Lord, and although our large(ish) family is against the cultural norm in America today, we can't think of anything better to invest our lives in than other people.  Our dream is to teach our children to love God with all of their might, and to guide them along a path that leads to Him and eternal life.  What bigger blessing in this world than to have children to disciple?

Tiger Shark Water Park

It's just so. much. fun!

zoo

 What a great day! 

 

 I really enjoyed my day at the zoo with my four kids.  

 

 Like really, really enjoyed my day with them!

I didn't worry a single time about losing any of them.  We went with our church, but didn't stay with them the whole time.  We had passes that allowed us unlimited train rides, carousel rides, lunch, and admission to the children's zoo. 

Toward the end, Hunter got tired and hot and wanted to just ride the train.  Blake and Silas didn't want to do that, so they went with Miss Charla (our children's minister from church) and I took Hunter and Gray.

I only had to correct Blake's behavior 3 times!  (Once for spraying the drinking fountain all over everyone, once for not moving back from the mist machine when I asked him to, and once for spinning a display too roughly.)  Usually in situations like these, he gets too overwhelmed and has much more trouble practicing self control, so it was a good day!

Hunter and Graysen and I rode the train to the penguin exhibit...what better place to cool off! 

The kids enjoyed posing with almost every statue that we found!

The best part was that at the end of a long, hot day I didn't have to drive home!  I just loaded the bus with everyone else and rode home!