Court Date!

We got our court date to finalize Josiah's adoption this week! It's been set to be held on August 23rd at 4:00 in Pensacola! We are getting soooo close to having Josiah finally be 100% Cotton :0)

Some of our awesome friends made some little onesie's for Josiah to wear. The first one is for him to wear now ... it say's "Almost a Cotton" and then they made another one that says "100% Cotton". :0) I LOVE THEM! I'm thinking that I might put the 100% Cotton one under a button down shirt for court and then once the judge declares him ours forever I'll bust his shirt off to take pictures. :0) Here's a picture of the "Almost a Cotton" one. He was sleepy and not in a mood to deal with mommy's picture taking time. So I didn't capture any with that big huge smile that he normally gives me ... but there's still time :0)

24 more days to wear this shirt!




We are still trying to figure out how to get the rest of the money in by our court date. We have an awesome bass guitar that someone donated to us to sell that is worth $2,400. If we could just find a buyer for it we would be set! We have $1884.24 still to raise. Please be praying with us that it comes in QUICKLY!

Twenty-Eight & a BBQ

5 month picture in my great grandma's rocking chair that my family gave to us when we were up in Ohio a few weeks ago. I LOVE IT!

Josiah is officially five months old now! Sooooo crazy that time has flown by this fast. I really feel like we should still be at the hospital waiting to take him home right now. These have by far been the best five months of my life. Each day is a new adventure as a mommy. I am amazed at how fast he is growing and changing each and every day. He's learning so much and is definately not my little baby boy anymore.


mommy's little cow boy :0)

Josiah is learning how to sit up already! He still needs lots of help ... but each day we practice a little more and gets better and better.



He loves to sit in his little excersaucer and play with his toys. He's teething like mad right now ... no teeth yet, but I know that they are coming! He really is so laid back and such a chill baby. He's so easy going and only cries if he's hungry. He notices himself in the mirror and cracks up at his reflection. He giggles all the time and it's about the cutest thing you have ever heard. He has brought so much joy to our lives ... I can't imagine my life without him.

We went to the beach with some friends last week. It's really his second time at the beach (first time he did great!) He hated the water this time. It was a little bit colder than last time ... little man is a diva when it comes to the temperature level of his water lol. It has to be super warm or he will scream his head off. So he enjoyed playing in the sand better ... still was able to capture some super sweet pictures of him though. :0)


such a sweet little face! (check out those eye lashes!)


laughing and having a good ol' time playing in the sand :0)

Last Saturday was my 28th birthday. We spent the day having a HUGE BBQ fundraiser for Josiah's adoption. A sweet sweet sweet family of a student that I taught two years ago offered to buy and cook all the of the bbq for us so that all the money that came in from the dinners went straight to us ... a 100% profit! We sold .... get ready for it .... 102 DINNERS @ $9 EACH! The dinners were either pulled pork or 1/2 a chicken with baked beans, cole slaw and bread. We were slammed the whole day! We actually RAN OUT OF FOOD TO SELL! Go God! Many people gave us extra money to go toward our adoption fund as well. The family's sweet little boys set up a lemonade stand to help raise more money too. They were so sweet. Love, love, love this little family! We are so blessed to have such amazing friends who have loved and supported us through Josiah's adoption! The grand total for the day was ..... $1,175.89! How stinkin amazing is that!?!?


The set up for the BBQ fundraiser


The cook himself ... Jason!


One of the little boy's Chase holding Josiah.


Josiah and Daddy took Mommy to Long Horn for her birthday dinner. This is the best birthday yet ... I finally got to experience a birthday as a MOMMY!

OHIO + LOTS OF PICTURES = :0)

We've been back home(Florida)for a few weeks now, and I'm missing Ohio like crazy. I had the best time sharing our little man with all my family for the first time. The time between visits back home is just way too long and I hate it.

We left after Alya got home from work on Thursday and drove through the night. We figured that this would probably be the best time to leave so that Josiah could sleep the whole time. We got on the road about 6pm and Josiah fell asleep right away and continued to sleep for 10 hours straight! He did so good! *side note* As a new mommy, I cannot believe how many places do not offer changing tables in their facilities ... seriously, it's 2011 get with the program people! *so annoying!* We got into Columbus around 7am .... to say we were tired would be an understatement! We stayed for the first half of the week at my aunt and uncles house (really 2nd cousins but you get the point) They were so great, and Josiah love, love, loved Debbie :0) Twenty of us met at our favorite pizza place (pizza in the south sucks ... gotta go up north for some good pizza!) It was so fun. Then Alya, Josiah and I left to go over to my old youth pastor(s) house for a fun game night.


Josiah and Howard


Josiah and Debbie


Josiah meeting his Pop (my dad) for the first time at the pizza place.
We had a big family get together that Sunday, which was such a fun event to finally introduce Josiah to everyone!


Josiah and my mom (his mamaw) and great aunt Lisa!


Josiah went putt putting for the first time :0)


Josiah at his first 4th of July fireworks show!


Josiah watching the fireworks for the first time. He did GREAT! Didn't cry at all ... just watched in amazement :0)

Josiah got to experience his first time swimming in a pool!



We had to say goodbye to daddy on Wednesday night because he had to go back to work. Mommy and Josiah moved to my other aunts house to spend the rest of the week. We spent a total of six days without daddy which was a lot of hard work for mommy, but so worth it! (even though we missed daddy :0) )

Josiah looks so pitiful in this picture lol he really just woke up but it looks like he's super sad that his daddy is leaving him.


Josiah meeting his 3rd cousin Rachel and her new baby (4th cousin) Sloane!


My sweet boy


Josiah thinking he's big enough to drink water out of a big boy cup now :0)


Josiah, Mommy and Aunt Wanda :0)


Josiah and his great papaw! :0)


Josiah and his great grandma


Josiah and his Aunt Shelly (my sis)


Josiah and his cousin Kayleen (my sis Shelly's daughter)


Josiah and his Aunt Tammy (my sis)


Josiah meeting his cousin Mitch (my sis tammy's son)


Josiah meeting his cousin Nick (my sis tammy's son)


Josiah and his Uncle Matt (my bro)


Josiah and his cousin Tyler (my bro Matt's son)


Josiah meeting his cousin Madison (my bro Matt's daughter)

Josiah and I left bright and early on Monday morning. I had this grand plan of leaving after he woke up for the first time to eat his bottle because he always goes back to sleep. Little did I know that Josiah would have a CRAZY sleep schedule for the two days prior to leaving as well as the night before. He was up like every hour which is so not like him! I ended up leaving at 5:30am with only having four hours of sleep. I was EXHAUSTED! Our plan was to stop in North Carolina to meet up with a bloggie friend of mine. We've known each other for about a year now and have become good internet friends :0) so we decided to make it official and meet each other in person! She just adopted her daughter from Jacksonville actually (which is crazy that it was so close to us) and is only two weeks older than Josiah. It was sooooo great! Felt like we've known each other forever .... and I can't wait for future family get-togethers! :0) The trip to NC was an eventful one .... only seven stops and 11 hours of driving (was supposed to only be 7hrs 45min) I tried a different plan leaving NC and slept in as late as little man would allow and just took my time getting things together. Josiah did MUCH better on the second part of the trip back home and it only took us 6 hours instead of 5. Not too bad in the long run.



*DISCLAIMER* It was early in the morning but we are still both beautiful new mommies :0)


Josiah and Moriah meeting for the very first time! :0)

The trip was amazing and I already can't wait until Christmas comes so that we can do it again. It's so fun experiencing all of these "firsts" with our little miracle boy. I love being a mommy so so so much. My heart is so full and I've never been happier in all my life. :0)