Summer Fun

Shayle with her friends:Mali, Vivi and Max

These photos were taken during Shayle's swim lessons back in July. She took lessons with her friends who have also joined their forever families from China. She did very well for her swim teacher but then the very next week would not do anything for me. Jacob and Payton have taken lessons each summer to keep advancing their skills. This year they took diving lessons.
I am so thankful that Shayle will get to grow up with Mali, Vivi and Max nearby. They are close and have already created a special bond that will last a lifetime. What a blessing from God!

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!

These sweet girls wrapped up a gift for me! So sweet.

First Day of 2nd Grade

08/24/09

First Day of 5th Grade
08/24/09

We have been very busy in the Pierce house this summer. Now that the kids are back to school, I hope to get back to bloggy world! The kids have had a great first week back to school and all seem to like their teachers and classes. Shayle will start kindergarten the day after Labor Day. She will be going until noon to allow time for rest & speech in the afternoon and some time with mommy. She is doing very well and progressing every week with her speech. We are very proud of her. She is excited to start to school. Everyday she asks if she's going today since all her siblings are away at school. When I tell her not today, she replies, "Awe Man". Wonder who taught her that.

I have a good excuse for not blogging much the past two months. We have some good news to share with you. WE ARE PREGNANT!!!!

Paper Pregnant that is......................Yes, God has been speaking loudly to us as we spent several months in prayer over adopting again. We have officially finished our homestudy and are anxiously awaiting a referral from China's shared list, which should come out in the next 7-14 days. The earliest we think we would travel would be late spring or summer 2010 if we receive a referral in the next 2-3 months.

Just a few of the documents we have been filling out over the last six weeks

WE ARE EXPECTING, another child is on the way from China!!!! We will no longer be a Party of Seven, now we will be a Party of Eight. We are very excited to see who God brings into our family, most are voting for a baby brother except for Shayle. She wants a mei mei, a little sister. I will keep this blog updated as we move along with this adoption journey. We hope you will join us as we pray for God's perfect will, God's timing and God's all sufficient Grace as we know there will be times of frustration along with times of joy as we seek His will.

More Disney Photos

It has taken me awhile to download pictures from our vacation. We have been busy since being home with VBS, speech, and just enjoying summer. I will post when I can over the next few weeks, as time allows with five kids at home right now. Next week, I will have two away at church camp and Shayle will start swimming lessons. Payton and Jacob are going to take a diving class to try to cool off in this Texas heat!

Disney Photos

Inside Minnie's House

In Front of Mickey's House

Magic Kingdom

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

Shayle had a special day yesterday at Disney's Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. First, she went shopping with mom, Myranda, & Payton to pick out which princess she would like to be. Well, after narrowing it down, she didn't want to be a princess instead she wanted to be Minnie Mouse! She has always favored the color red, but she also loves Minnie and Mickey. She then went to the Boutique to have her royal treatment in Cinderella's Castle. She changed into her dress and then picked out her hair style, which she chose the Disney Diva style. This includes a hair piece to pin into her hair. She had several choices and she chose Pink! So pink it was. She then had the choice of nail polish, eye shadow, and lip gloss. She chose pink and blue polish and pink lip gloss. The Fairy Godmother's finished her hair, nails and makeup and then finished off her treatment with a princess tiara, sash and of course pixie dust. She had so much fun and I must say, she was the cutest Minnie Mouse around!

We then went to Chef Mickey's for dinner where the kids had a chance to take pictures with some of the Disney characters. We all had a great time!

Vacation

Tomorrow we are leaving for DISNEY WORLD!!!!!! Shayle is so excited about going and seeing Mickey Mouse. I can't wait to see the look on her face when she gets to see it all in person. The Fairy Godmothers at Bibbity Bobbity Boutique in Cinderella's Castle will have a special guest this weekend, Shayle will get a complete makeover in their salon. She is going to be so surprised to see all of the princess outfits and then get to pick one out just for her. We did this with Myranda and Payton a couple of years ago and they really enjoyed it. I will post pictures of this special event. Please keep us in your prayers that we will all stay well, Payton complained of a sore throat tonight. She had a shot just a week ago for strep. Also, for safe travels.

Our First Mother's Day

We had a great day today, despite me being sick with strep throat. We went to church, I wanted to be sure the kids got to go to Sunday School today. Then we went to lunch to eat mexican food and home to have the kids shower me with all kinds of gifts, some made at school and some they had bought. Myranda helped Shayle to paint her handprint for me on an extra tile she found in our attic. So sweet and thoughtful! Shayle thought I needed some Mickey p.j.'s to wear when we leave for Disney. However, when I opened them she wanted them for herself. She was confused when she picked them out, she thought they were for her. Actually, every gift she sees she thinks is for her. That's all she knew since we came home just before Christmas and have celebrated all of the kids' birthdays since being home.

Our first Mother's Day was a special day since it was just before Mother's Day last year that I saw the first pictures of Shayle. It brought back many memories. I am one blessed mom and completely honored to have these children in my life. They make me so proud as they are so full of life. I love each of you very much!!!!!

Our Busy Days

After Shayle's Graduation

Jacob having fun camping out

Shayle enjoying a rare treat, caffeine and a smore!

Pay Pay inside the tent

Everyone was still asleep as I went to get into my own bed at 6:30 am

Payton just after her dance recital

Of course every ballerina deserves flowers!

It has been a busy few weeks here in the Pierce household, not leaving much time for blogging haven't even had time to post about my first Mother's Day with Shayle and as a mom of five.

Darrel put up our large 10 man tent last Sunday evening and we all camped out in it on our land. We had smores, popcorn & a movie. The stars were out everywhere and it was nice to gaze upon more of God's creation. The kids really enjoyed it and Shayle thought it was lot's of fun.

This week four of us have had strep, including myself again! I am now taking my 3rd round of antibiotics and Shayle is taking her 2nd round. I have figured out this time, Shayle was the one who had it first, we just didn't know it. She then passed it on to Arron, Payton and myself. What I have realized is that this poor baby has hurt for so many years in her mouth, from her decayed teeth, ear aches, palate surgery and now strep that she didn't know any different. No wonder she had no appetite. She didn't complain of a sore throat and had no fever, I would have never guessed she was sick with strep. We just went ahead and tested her after three of us tested positive. After just one day on the antibiotic, she began eating so much better. More than she has eaten in a very long time. Anyway, hopefully we will all get well as we are flying to Disney World soon for a week with Mickey and the princesses. Shayle is so excited!

Throughout all the sickness over the past week, I managed to stay on task for all that the kids were involved in. We had three playing spring soccer which half of the games were cancelled due to rain earlier this month. Well, this last week we made them all up. We had a total of 11 games in one week with all of them being on the past two Saturdays except for one. That was enough to keep us busy, but Darrel is the coach to two of the teams. Also, Arron has been taking drivers ed and had class six times this past week for 2-3 hours/night. Thank goodness for car pools! Then Payton's dance recital was today, in which she had practice for the past three days. She also is one of the soccer players. Soccer was supposed to end last weekend and we thought we would have only the dance recital this weekend. Well, all I can say is that kids keep us very busy and God has a sense of Humor when we think we have everything planned out.

Shayle also graduated from Pre-K on Friday 5/22. She is excited to be home with mom for the summer!