Continued...

So much for "tomorrow"... dang!!

OK, so where was I?
How about a little more about Cora's birthday?
Cora is 7... (huh??)
We adopted Cora when she was 2.

This is Cora then (she had just turned 2 when we met her in Ukraine)
This is Cora now...

I would love to say it has all been bluebirds and rainbows-but that's not life.
I have grown, and struggled as a mother. Even as a Christian. I came to BE Christian, in the whole-hearted sense, because of this child. God is always in charge. (Darn it!)
But there has been a LOT of joy... and many blessings. Our family wouldn't be the same without Cora in it!

Five years. Five years right now we were in Ukraine doing one of the hardest things of our lives.
Five years ago I was missing my boys so much it physically hurt.

Five years ago, our lives were changed forever.
There are days I cry, "I can't do it." And God makes it clear many times-"No, but I can."
Take the wheel... I'm all for it.
(Looking at these last pictures from 5 years ago, makes me miss my little house in the country a bit-but NOT the green couch! LOL!)

OK, back to the update...

It snowed already (hard!)...
I was at work.
Kelly was my snow-bunny model. Somehow this didn't make it onto the store blog... hmmmm.

...had an impromptu photo shoot with Cora (the one above was part of that)
The light was so yummy! This one isn't edited at all... I like the fall glow to the setting sun on the fields...
I know there are a lot of fun things I could do with affects-and probably will the future. It isn't perfect, but it was fun!
My kids headed to the sailing club this weekend for sailing-pumpkin retrieving game!

They were WAY intrigued by the sailing boat going in...
and then getting to go out and sail...
Here they all are-all the (local) cousins. Quite the motley crew!
Cora and Daddy (and Grandma Dinah and Arra) went out on the committee boat.
They had to collect 9 pumpkins, and they had numbers-they had to add to 26.
They couldn't get any closer than 25-but had a great time, and got a FANTASTIC prize!
They each got a $15 gift card from Toys R Us-you would have thought they had a free ride to college! LOL!

I couldn't help but get a couple fun shots of Cora in her Halloween outfit.
It was a gorgeous day on the river...
And for goodness sakes a layout!
I got this vintage card at Willow in Dubuque. They had many.
Gabriel is 5 months younger then his sister, which means he'll always be the baby.
I really am loving the newest Cosmo Cricket! It has been my favorite of their releases!
The boyfriends line is fabulous!
And to tease the Holland Family just a bit (so they know there is some good stuff in their shoot-I think they were concerned, seeing as we had SO much running around after their active (adorable) 18 month old!! :) )
Don't worry Hardaway Family... some teasing coming your way soon! :)