To tied you over.......

Just a cute picture to tied you over until tomorrow when I have time to post new ones!!!!

Don't give up on me!

My blogger will not let me upload pictures right now, for some reason. I have been playing with it for a little while. I don't know...maybe it's my computer. I have some pictures to post, I KNOW that I am WAY behind! I'm not going to let the blog go, I PROMISE! It's just not as easy now----can't imagine why!

Thank you for your patience!! hehe!

BABY STEPS!!

JP is taking steps!!!!! He is taking 3 or 4 steps pretty consistently! It is so cute. He just goes from one person to the next with his little arms straight up in the air smiling! Once he reaches his destination he looks around the room (to make sure you're looking at him) and claps!

I am on my way to bed. I have some pictures of the past few days to post, but honestly I am pooped right now! It's not easy to keep up the blog and take care of little WILD man too!

Be patient with me! Goodnight!

Friday Night Highlights!

God Must Love Watching Me Sleep

I know this because I could watch JP sleep for hours. And God loves me MORE than I love JP! That's a lot of love! JP is having so much fun in his classroom at school. When he gets home, he is worn slap out! After I got home today, I sat in his room and rocked him to sleep. For the longest time I just stared at him. I could have put him in his crib, but I longed to look at him. As pretty as I think his eyes are, when he's sleeping his eye lashes are beautiful. They are very long and they lay down on the top of his cheeks. His little lip pokes out! Yes, you heard me....his LIP! Not his tongue! He is beautiful. Every time I rock him I pray over him and thank God for allowing me to have him. I am truly blessed!

I am beginning to think that being a parent is going to grow me spiritually. Let me explain....

I love JP SO MUCH! When I drop him off in his classroom each morning, a knot forms in my throat---I could cry every day. I hate being away from him. I know he's happy, safe, and well taken care of, but I WANT TO TAKE CARE OF HIM!!! I want to watch him laugh, smile, nap and eat. I don't want to miss out on anything! It hit me this afternoon that, that is how God feels about me.....only much, much more! I go 4 or 5 hours without holding JP or hearing his little voice. God goes sometimes DAYS without holding me, or hearing my voice! That must brake His heart. I don't mean to hurt Him, I just get "busy." Sounds valid, right?! I don't think so. I am His child---it's not fair to rob Him of that fellowship. I need to make it a priority to involve Him in EVERY SINGLE aspect of my day...my life!

As much as I love JP, my small mind cannot begin to comprehend how much more God loves His children.

That's what was on my mind this afternoon. Just something to think about.

Naked In My Boots!

I had to share these!

1st Day of School

Well, here they are! A few pics from JP's first day at school! I cried the moment I walked through the door! He smiled the whole time. He went straight from me to his teacher and NEVER looked back! He had a great time. When I took him back today he did the same thing. I do not let him see me at all throughout the day. I peek in to look at him periodically---he's always playing with toys and happy! It does my heart good. My aunt has been picking him up and taking him to her house in the afternoons. I cannot get there fast enough!!! When I walk through the door he screams and crawls to me--he hugs me and looks at me for what seems like forever! I'M SO IN LOVE!!!! His 1st bus ride! (I transport the children, so he's with me!)
I've never been so tired in my whole life! Or at least in the past 12 months!
I think I like Ritz Crackers.

This isn't a bottle!
Who are you and why are you making me eat??
......now you're telling me I have to hold my own bottle?!

I'm pooped!

JP's 1st Day of School (pictures to follow)

The time has come. I go back to work tomorrow. I am blessed enough for JP to get to attend the Meyer Center with me for a while, but the thought of leaving him in a classroom all morning puts knots in my stomach. Don't get me wrong, he will receive the BEST care ever! His teachers are fabulous and will probably spoil him (even more) rotten. I have no doubt that the therapy staff will fight over him. That's not what bothers me.

I will share with you what's going through my head and my heart if you promise not to tell me how silly it is....

From the time JP was 15 days old he has been in an orphanage. During that time, he had several different caregivers. When his caregiver brought him to me at 10 months old, she left.....he cried and she never returned. We moved him into a new unfamiliar environment in Guatemala for 4 weeks. THEN we moved him to a whole other environment. Since we've been home we've left him more times than I care to count b/c Scott was in the hospital. We are FINALLY home and experiencing some normalcy and now I am taking him to yet another environment to leave him for the day! These are the thoughts that are running through my mind:

1) Will he be mad at me for leaving him...again?!

2) Will he understand that I AM returning?

3) Is this TOO much transition for such a little guy?

My stomach is torn up over this. I know that mothers do this all the time. I now see why they have such a hard time doing it! I have to keep reminding myself that he is young and his life is so blessed here in the States.

Just pray for us.....well, probably just me! JP will have a ball in his little classroom---it looks like a jungle gym!

JP & Mary E.

Caught Some ZZZZ's

Last night was GREAT! JP went to bed around 10:00 and slept until 4:00. I gave him a bottle and he woke up at 8:30 this morning!! WOOHOO!

I appreciate every one's comments and advice---keep it coming!

About the food----JP was only given formula and rice cereal while he was in the orphanage. Needless to say we are having to treat him more like an infant with his food. We started him on Stage 1 baby food when we got him home. He's done great with that. The past few days, we have tried some blended up table food and snack-like foods. After I thought about it and talked with his doctor, we decided that this could be SOME of his sleeping problems. I now do not think that his little digestive system is ready for table foods. We are backing off for a while and may move to Stage 2 baby food. I still give him Cheerios and stuff like that. Although he's 12 months, his tummy is more like a 3 or 4 month old.

We'll see if this works!

Random Pics & Some Guatemalan Culture

I LOVE MY MOMMY! We bought this flag in Antigua. I thought we could add some of his culture to his room.




Maybe if I eat mommy's camera bag, she'll stop taking pictures of me!



Me and mommy