Christmas is coming!!!!

Mark is back from Africa. He had a great trip. He was blessed by those who were helped and was able to give to so many. It was tough for us at home, especially since it was over Thanksgiving, but I know this is something that he will remember forever and we were able to be with TONS of family while he was gone so it worked out great. We spent the week in Kentucky and had a great time! Thanks Baba, Jenny, Mom, Dad, and Rachel for helping out SO MUCH! We picked Mark up in Nashville Sunday night very late and haven't slowed down since. I have training for work this week for 2 days and have to work a shift on top of that, Mark is busy catching up at work, upward basketball starts very soon, and I have little to NO shopping done for Christmas...ugh! But....oh well...busy is good. Also...

I am REALLY getting excited about Christmas! I think Aaron is going to be like his Mama when it comes to holiday cheer. We set up our Christmas tree last night, which he LOVED helping with, and he has told me no less than 100 times this morning, "I like our Christmas tree mama!" He also sat on Santa's lap this past weekend It went well...no crying...just VERY serious face the whole time. I guess Santa encounters are very serious to him. He even told him he wanted a train for Christmas. I had no idea that's what he wanted. He always tells me he doesn't know what he wants when we ask him. As soon as the jolly man in the red suit asks, he says he wants a train without hesitation. So now I am on the look out for a cool train.

Happy Halloween 2011

a real pro at trick-or-treating this year

all ready to go

Luke and Aaron

(neither wanted their picture taken)

forced to put his hood on...

note the holding down of the arms by mark

This year we went to the Muse household for trick-or-treating. Our neighborhood isn't exactly made for trick-or-treating...so they were gracious to let us use theirs. It was really fun and Aaron hasn't stopped talking about going trick-or-treating since. He even included that in our prayer tonite at dinner, very thankful to God for letting us go trick-or-treating. I was able to snap a few pictures although it's difficult when your child won't stand still long enough for a good picture or put his hood up on his costume...so I took what I could get. enjoy!

Peru 2011

Well I'm back! I had a blast. After a VERY long stretch of flights, I arrived (and Jeannie too) in Arequipa about 2pm on Friday. Megan had lunch ready and we spent some time playing with the girls, catching up, and resting. The kiddos are adorable and fun! All three have such different personalities(Cohen's still being developed of course). Megan was awesome to show us around the city and give us some really fun Peru experiences....like smashing all 6 of us in a very tiny taxi, visiting the Llama place, dropping Ana off at her school, going to the market, worshiping in Porvenir with the church, and so much more. It was great to get to know Jeannie better, and deepen my friendship with Megan. I will never forget the girl talks/laughs, frappachinos, homemade cookies, and Gilmore Girls marathon every night. It was one of the best trips I have taken. I am so thankful for this opportunity and thankful to God for keeping me safe and bringing me back home to my family! The work in Arequipa is being blessed immensely by God and I pray that continues! It's good to be home with my family...Aaron seems to have changed just in the week I was gone. Mark gets the dad of the year award and my I am permanently indebted to my in-laws ( and everyone else in Melber) for helping out so much. Here are some pictures!!!

Leaving...on a jet plane!

Tomorrow afternoon I will get on a plane by myself (yes you read that right) and make the long journey to Arequipa, Peru. One of my best friends, Megan (and her family) lives there and will be husband-less for a few weeks. So I am headed down for a visit! My excitement almost can't be contained. It's been a long time since I have taken a trip by myself (like almost 7 years). I never imagined I would be able to take a trip like this having a young kiddo...so I will enjoy EVERY minute of it. Of course, for those of you who are thinking..."how can she leave her child?" Believe me, this is not going to be easy. He is so much of my world right now that it's hard to imagine walking away from him and Mark tomorrow afternoon to get on a plane. But something that Mark and I committed to before we had children is that having a child cannot and will not be the only thing that defines us. Right now, the mommy role that I fill takes up the biggest part of my life, and it should. I love it and wouldn't change a thing. It is my biggest ministry right now and I am proud to be blessed by God for that responsibility. Same with being a wife and a nurse. However, those roles should not always limit what I am able to do when opportunities (like this one) come up. Will it be hard to leave, oh yea, there will be many tears. But none the less, something that I believe will be good for all three of us! Sometimes mommies and wives need time away....daddies and little boys too! Granted, not all need to fly to Peru to do that...but you get the idea. A time for me to be a girl that giggles with friends and has time to herself that doesn't involve a 2 year old yelling "mommy!" pulling on my leg, or thinking about what to cook for dinner for several nights in a row, or making sure the laundry is done so Mark has a shirt to wear to work the next day. The break will be welcomed. But I will miss them both terribly! For the first time in over 2 years "mommy" will not be at the forefront of my mind....what will that feel like?

I cannot, repeat, CANNOT believe that I have been given this opportunity. I feel so blessed and grateful beyond measure to several people who are making this possible. Of course Mark is taking on double duty of mommy and daddy while I'm gone, a job I know will not be easy. I love and appreciate him for taking this on! Another big thank you to Papa and Gigi for keeping Aaron most of next week while Mark goes out of town on a business trip! I know you will enjoy your time with my sweet boy, but you will also be WORN OUT! He's a never ending ball of energy. He is so excited to come stay with you all that he probably won't even know I'm gone! I know my mom and dad will be with him every second they can too! There are a few others (you know who you are) that literally made my trip possible. I would not be going with out you. So from the bottom of my heart...THANK YOU!!!! I will enjoy every minute of it and praise God for the opportunity. So...off I go!!! Lots of prayers would be appreciated!

Big Boy!

Tonite we went to the park for a while. Aaron LOVES to slide and also perfecting his ability to climb. Enjoy the pictures!

Recent happenings

I thought since I have been a slacker on the blog lately I would just give an update about what is happening with the Adams! Things have been relatively busy around here. I think it's pretty safe to say that we have a big boy on our hands instead of a baby. It's not something that I admit happily because I would LOVE for him to stay little forever! Actually I think I want him to stay the age he is right now forever. He is so fun and hilarious to be with. Mark and I tell each other all the time things that he says and just crack up laughing. We will be moving him to a big boy bed soon. It makes me sad, but I know he's ready. This big boy is growing up faster than I am ready for...I think it will always be this way huh? He is pretty much totally potty trained...with some accidents here and there. I am constantly amazed at how much he can pick up and then repeat at just the right time. My favorite thing right now is that he is picking up things we are teaching him about God/Jesus. He pays close attention in worship and is starting to tell us what is happening. Sunday during the Lord's Supper we were talking about eating with Jesus like we normally do and he said, "mom, do you eat with Jesus too!?" He is also very interested in reading his kids bible we bought him when he was just a baby. Yesterday, impromptu he told me that 'that man, and that lady hid from God in the trees," and then followed up by telling me about Noah and the 'big ark boat' and all the animals. He comes home almost every Sunday/Wednesday singing a new song (that we don't know) about God that he learned in bible class. I love it! Aaron still wants to cuddle in the mornings and evenings...which I take full advantage of all the time. I know there will come a day when that will not be the case.

We are slowly adding furniture to the house as we find it. It's coming together nicely. Still need a guest bed though. Mattress on the floor is the current arrangement for guests. Our roof has been replaced this week...thank you hail for enough damage that insurance paid for it!

I will be leaving for Peru in a few weeks. I will be gone for 1 week. It will be the first time that I will be away from Aaron for more than a few days. I am SO excited to go, but getting more and more nervous as the time approaches. Mark is VERY capable of taking care of Aaron, but there's just something about leaving for that long and so far away that is getting to this mama. The trip is going to be awesome. I love to travel and absolutely LOVE the company I will be with. I will miss both my boys terribly!

That's a long enough post for now. More later. I'll include some random pictures of the little..I mean big boy for your enjoyment!

Aaron (2) and Cole (7mo)

Eli and Aaron with O'Pa

Aaron's big boy bed at Gigi and Papa's

(thanks Gigi!)

A boy and his Papa in their overalls!

Weekend visitors

It's been TOO long since we have spent time with Josh, Lori, Weston and Taylor Willeford! So...we made a plan with them to come visit this weekend. We really loved the visit. We all agreed that we MUST do this more often. Our kids are the age now where they can really play well together. We ate dinner friday night and then went on a short hike on Sat morning, followed by the kids playing on the swing set and in Aaron's little pool (it was horrible hot!). Talking and laughing were abundant. Couldn't have had a better time! Here are some pictures of our cuties!