Here's What's For Dinner Tonight....

From our garden to our table! It doesn't get any fresher than this....and all of it our littles will eat! We planted corn and green beans today in our newly expanded space...complete with 4 ft. fencing and gate!

Changing The Lives Of Orphans Around The World

Please watch this. It will leave you both speechless, and yet hopeful. I pray that this family can one day be involved in something similar to this, as we focus our gaze upward and toward the one who loves these more than me.

Yes..these angelic faces have their moments...and a favor???!!!

...and we just had one. I was updating my blogroll to include some new favs and 2 of our little angels errupted into volcanic lavablowing (is that a word?) ...shall we say politely..."conflict"? Well, I accidentally deleted my whole entire blogroll while my head was turned to quiet paint-covered children that I didn't want to touch cuz I would be painted too.... Lovely shades of orange, blue, yellow and red. Yep. I was mildly distracted and punched the wrong key on my computer. So, a favor? If you read this...and even if I know you well, would you please resend your address for your blog so I can add it back to my list? Either email me at weprincessesthree@yahoo.com or leave a comment here. I will be greatly appreciated and my brain thanks you for not having to do it's own research. Heh. Thanks in advance...and back to resume de-paintifying little girls. BTW...their artwork today is beautimous! We were inspired by the finale of Jon and Kate plus 8!

Watch Out Beckham! Cheetah's In The House! And...so is Ferdinand:)

Yep. Soccer has started again for the ladies...and this time the Cadester has been added in. If you don't know...our grandson Cade was born exactly a month before our plane took off across the Pacific, where a cute little Chinese girl was placed into our arms forever. They are 10 months apart to the day...fast forward 3 years...and are now on the same soccer team. Heh. Makes for fun times! Fun-ny that is. This first day, Katie only wanted to do warm up. She's done then and could care less about the game. She's a logic/engineer kinda girl and prefers mechanics over effort. Cade got knocked over and had to be persuaded to return...hence the photo. The papparazzi captured every moment! Leni and Kristin are on the same team. Let's just say...Leni made hand shadows in mid-field and picked random flowers. Her asthma tires her easily...so kind of like 'Ferdinand the Bull', she will sit wherever...and do wherever. Can you say oblivious to the game? Then there's Cheetah girl. Last week a group of neighborhood kids were all out playing and decided to race. Blonde ambition beat em all.Old, young, boy, girl...she outran the lot. The girl can fly! Given the right environment of course. It has to be her idea and she has to be in the mood. Heh. Now her nickname is Cheetah cuz she runs "like the wind"! Wouldn't you know Cheetah scored a goal her first game? Our Cheetah's very happy and can't wait till next week. The jury's still out on the other 3. Guess time will tell:)Don't you like the shin guards that come up to Katie's eyeballs? Yea..they stayed on all of 30 seconds.

On a sidenote....look closely at the pics and you will see where Katie took the sissors to her beautiful jet-black locks....again. This makes #3. Good thing her hair grows fast!

We Met A Two-Toed Sloth Today...

...and no, it wasn't a relative! BWAHHHHH! We made a trip to the zoo where the girlies met a baby hand-fed sloth. Man oh man...what a life! Sleeping 20+ hours a day and being fed by hand. Geez! The girls who are usually animal crazy...thought the sloth a little slow...and proceeded to bark, growl, and howl at the domestic turkeys who didn't hesitate to cackle back. Uproarious belly laughter! Leni loved the new honey-bee exhibit of which she knows quite a bit thanks to "The Magic School Bus". And Katie we think may be a budding bug scientist. There's enough of those in Fl. that's for sure!!! Looking forward to tomorrow.....when Cheetah girl makes her debut! Hmmmm....what does that mean?

Wow...

Thought for the day from Mary Beth Chapman's blog. This blows me away knowing what they've been through.

"Love of God is pure when joy and suffering inspire an equal amount of gratitude."

Wow. I can honestly say that I haven't responded this way. This quote has given me much to think and pray about. How about you?

My...Cousin Alice's Children Have Grown!

Aunt Tanya sent this pic after the 'ladies' and Mom JO made a re-visit to check up on Cousin Alice and her offspring. This time 2 of the kitties were on their way to their new homes (thankfully not ours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and the kitties we were told survived our rowdy bunch and did not need Prozac after our P.C. left.Do you see any kitties eyeballs bulging from being s-q-u-e-e-z-e-d? (in love of course...only love) Heh. Methinks Cade may need a kitty for his upcoming birthday! There's one left!!

Can You See This From Your Backyard?

The Space Shuttle took off just minutes ago! Living where we live...this is our birds-eye view of an incredible "night" but-not-really-dark launch! Doesn't get much better than this! The girls loved watching the 'rocketship' blast into space!

Lettin ' Little Bunnies Loose In the Carrot Patch....

I grew up in the back woods of Mississippi:) where everyone, everywhere had a garden. It was just the way it was (and still is)! So when these girlies get down and dirty in the carrots and the newly plowed ground....we just let them have at it and get as grimy as they want.They clean up right nice:) They had a blast today...eating carrots straight from the earth (yes, they did wash them:)) and running over our new "expansion" project. So far we haven't grown anything they won't eat. A nice problem to have!!

TAKE MY PEEEKSUUURE!

Today, after escorting M.J. to the cardiologist the girls got a treat at Mickey D's. Katie begged to have her 'peek-suure' taken so here you go! She was unusually delightful today....after her hot fudge-day! BTW...she cut her bangs herself...again. UGH!

A Carrot A Day....

Like our fingerling carrots? Yes, that is a real carrot, grown by our own little ladies! They're almost ready...well, already ready according to some. I tell ya...these girls are eating anything and everything we've been growing! Our garden has been an awesome project!! "Hoppy" likes his carrots too! FYI, these carrots (and we have bunches of them) were all grown from seed. I'm amazed anytime we actually harvest something because from seed to table is indeed a miracle (especially when I'm growing it:)) Right now we're picking lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, onions, spinach, tomatos, peppers....and lots of herbs. We just planted green beans and cucumber. All this in some containers and an in-ground 20 x 15 space...done as organically as possible. Next project.....expansion time!

Spiritual Heroes

I've had an idea about doing a series on fighting nominalism in the Christian life for a while now. It's still in my head and not penned as of yet. Somehow life with 3 little ones and one now 21 year old at home gets in the way. However, after seeing this post today from Randy Alcorn's blog I decided this is a great time to start it. Randy discusses who his earthly spiritual heroes are and why at length here. This just got me thinking...These are normal humans who have gone before us, or are contemporaries, and are/have lived their lives in a way that impacts the world with the gospel. What they have done with what they've been given is extraordinary and worth following both in their writings and others memoirs. I was fascinated to learn Randy's list and immediately began thinking of my own. I'm hoping to have my list done soon, and will post it here. Who are yours?

Party Like A Rock Star!

Jon's in town in honor of someone's birthday!...He is why Julie was 'Snooooowwwweeeddd-IN!' last weekend. This weekend we'll be partying like rock stars... (mini-rockers included!!) Click on pic to enlarge! I love this one!!

Encouragement for Those Considering Adoption *Updated*

Great, great post on John Piper's blog today about ways to encourage those considering adoption. When we first started our adoption journey over 8 years ago...we had many, many that responded heroically....and those that definitely didn't...and let us know it. What was suprising to us was the ignorance from Christians about what scripture says about orphans and the fatherless. This article is awesome and reflects our hearts then and now completely. Adoption is more than just providing a child with a home, and being a parent. It's living the gospel out loud... day in and day out..while selflessly giving your life away.This is EXACTLY what Jesus did for us in laying down his own life for us..the sinner. This world is NOT our home so committing years of our lives to the care and nurturing of God's children was a no-brainer for us. I hope this post both spurs you on and gives you the means to encourage others in pursuing God's call on their lives in the area of adoption. Last weekend, I had an opportunity to speak with someone who originally thought we were absolutely crazy to begin adoptions. I'm happy to report that this man with tears in his eyes, looked directly at me and told me how in watching us he saw that 'these little girls had been taken from the very pits of hell on earth and given to us.' After observing us these many years...now he gets it. That was a pretty awesome moment.

You can email me anytime at weprincessesthree@yahoo.com :)

What Would Possess One.???!!! *Updated*.

This is my 5th three-year old. You would think I'd heard it all at least one time around...but no. This one is unique. Lately Katie has been asking to take a fav toy or toy set to bed with her. No biggie right? Well, she's quite the budding artist and has been making some fabulous media lately...Last night she decided, very firmly I might add...that she wanted to take her buddy "Stapler" to bed with her. Yes she did. Did I let her? No. But it required a very lengthy word transaction to get her to understand that staplers don't belong in toddler beds with...well...toddlers. She didn't get it. Today "Stapler" hung out with us and she even made him a special 'purse'. No fingers have been pierced in the course of said events. Mommy does supervise FYI.:) Her fine motor skills are extraordinary...but me thinks she might need a new special friend.

*update* Katie tried her darnest to sneak "Stapler" into school today. She swore he needed to go with her. "Stapler" is home in his happy purse, happily "stapled" together!:)

Please take a moment to scroll down as there are two posts today! We're just full of news aren't we?

This Is What Our Today Was Like ....

This lovely photo was in my pics file so it's fair game right?? This is what we ALL looked and felt like after Julie was snowed in in Carolina. Not just snowed in mind you...but stuck..plain 'ol stuck on a sitting Boeing that wasn't going anywhere. So then...neither was she. The plane she had boarded wouldn't de-ice (it just kept refreezing...such a comforting thought knowing your child is on there by herself!!) so they canceled her flight after sitting on the ground for 4 hours...then she had to sleep on the floor of the airport...then re-board the next morning at 6am only to still be in her seat on the plane...sitting on the ground at 11:30...and not yet de-iced.The airline only offered cocktails(!!!!) but no food. Nada. None. My little angel scavenged on M&M's and Pringles from her bag. Then the nifty little de-icing truck ran out of antifreeze....THEN the clincher was when the toilet pipes froze on the plane. Heh. Never heard of that one myself. They let everyone off the plane...only to reboard and arrive home....17 1/2 hours after they were supposed to. She's upstairs now...safe and sound...and asleep. BTW...if you get the chance, watch the original 'Out-Of-Towners' starring Jack Lemon. The dad called her and played portions of the movie to her throughout this remarkable experience. This movie is in this family's official top ten list (whatever that is). Anyway...The mommy now officially hates snow and what it does to airplanes! This was a little stressful! Julie had a marvelous time and I'm sure would love, love to expound on it if asked. Just don't ask about snowy airplanes. Thank you Lord for bringing her home!

While The Cats Away....

We're ready for our Julie to come home from Carolina but let's just say....these ladies have been enjoying some kickin times with 'the top open-wind whipping through our hair' in Julie's car!! Heh!