Just me....

No pictures! ;-) Gary has the camera with him this week while he and the (older) boys are on their mission trip in Guatemala.

It feels so weird to be here with all of them in Guatemala! We wanted to go, too! And it's been a little hard on everyone to be united for once and them separated so shortly after, but we won't have to wait too long to be reunited - 6 more days!

So, Austin, Logan and Mommy are alone again and go figure, I have become quite competent! Dishes - done. Laundry - done. House - semi clean. Boys - cleaned and dressed everyday! Mom - mostly showered, but at least, dressed everyday! Bills - paid. You get the point....

I even managed to put the twins down at 9:30pm tonight, a vast improvement on their pre-family departure of 11 - 11:30pm! Let's hope this trend continues once everyone returns.

Also glad to report that what little mourning/attachment issues the little guys were working out last week seemed to have dissipated. They were both waking up about 4 times a night (this after sleeping through the night in Guatemala and the first week or so home) to do a Mommy/Daddy check before being coaxed back to sleep. Initially we'd wake to very loud screams that took quite a time to comfort to a minimal cry out that was soothed by a pat or two on the back. We are now at Day 3 of sleeping through the night again...and this mommy is very grateful that her babies are feeling safe and content.

Other than that, the boys are doing just fabulous. They love to run and just "go" all the time. Everytime we go out, I hear "Whoa, those are very active little boys for 15 month olds." "Wow, they seem 'really' advanced in their mobility!" You're not kidding!! I've lost 15lbs since they were placed in my arms 7 weeks ago! Tee-hee, it's great!

Well - I'll try and get pictures soon and who knows if this 9:30pm bedtime keeps up, I may become a legit blogger again!

Thanks for the comments and for visiting!

Finally - a spare minute to post!

Wow! I can't believe it's been three weeks since we've been home! And I can't believe I've had my baby boys for over 6 weeks! I didn't even realize how much they've grown and changed in those six weeks until I thought back to when I first had them in June and that they were more wobbly on their feet than they are now. Lots of other changes too.

They have now doubled their vocabulary! They now say - "Ut-oh" , "Neh" (for "no" - usually said with a pointy finger and scrunched up face....just like Mom!) "Bye-Bye." All this added to their previous vocab of Mama, Da-da and Tota (for "pelota" which in Spanish is ball). We are just moving right along in our groove of things. Life is completely amazing and several times times I have broken out into tears right in the middle of doing simple little tasks like feeding them - I can't believe they are right here in front of me and I get to provide every little meal for them. I never thought this day would come. Or waking up in the morning - I'm overcome with emotion as soon as I wake up because I know all I have to do is roll over and see my two prince's in their bed. Putting them in their carseats, singing along with them, and the best yet we they get busy playing - all of a sudden they'll need a mommy check and will search the room for me and come running at top speed for a hug and a kiss, my heart just folds!

Okay - how do we tell them apart....well, at night or when it's busy, we don't. ;-) But for the most part Daddy, Evan and I can tell them apart with ease. To us, Logan is much skinnier and Austin is a just a wee more plump! For everybody else, Austin still has a nice little scar on his head that he acquired while living with the foster family.

Here, Logan is on the left and Austin is on the right. His little round scar is on "your" left hand side.

Logan on the left again, but you can't really see Austin... ;-)
Hmm, Logan is on the left yet again and austin on the right...and come to think of it, this is the way they sit in the car, too. Wonder what subliminal message is going on there?
Okay - so ,more pics, with some labels this time...

Logan "Hey, backin' up here, watch out!"
Austin making the "broom, broom" sound!

Daddy playing the keyboard with Austin...

...and then with Logan

In the pool at Grandma Barbie's..(this is Austin)
And Logan....
Austin....
Grandma and Logan...Logan just finished saying "Woof, woof" to the doggies.
And Austin just finished saying "woof, woof"Oh, aint it cool to have big brothers! Evan and I were at Bed, Bath and Beyond shopping for new sheets for him. We each had one of the boys in their own cart because you can't fit two up front in just one. Evan grabbed a Velour blanket and threw it over Austin's head to play peek-a-boo....when he lifted up the blanket, this is what we saw..... ;-)

And moments before these pictures were taken, Austin and Logan were "helping" each other climb up the plastic box to reach the counter and play with the items on the counter. I didn't capture that, but thought these photos were still cute!!

"Go away, Mommy....We're playing..."

Okay - I'm off to bed, enjoy the pics. Thanks for all the praying and continued love and support we receive from all of you!

More pictures!!!

Helping Mom and Dad unload the groceries.... and helping them do the dishes. And having a leetle fun while we're at it...
Yay! Grammy Taylor came!
And Grandpa Taylor!...All the way from Maine!!

WooHoo! And they brought presents....

I can open it all by myself!!

So can I!

Hmmm...maybe not?
OH!! cool toys!!

Ummm.....whatz everybody doing?

And whatz all that singing for?

Oh!?! We're celebrating our 14 1/2 month BIRTHDAY!!

...OOh, big cake!

Hey...good stuff...

Yummy!!

Yep! We like cake!

They're STILL here!!!

Every day, I wake up and look over the side of my bed and see two gorgeous little boys laying there and I thank God that I am not dreaming....They're still here!! Thank you, God, they're still here!

What an incredible week it has been. The boys have just been going non-stop. They love a crowd. They love to entertain and to be entertained. They're wearing mommy to a frazzle, but there just couldn't be a more happier frazzled woman on the planet!

It's only been a week, but it seems like forever already. They are our world. It just seems like they've been a part of us forever. And yet, it still seems surreal that they are actually here!

I'll be short tonight and will promise to update more regularly...here are some pool time pictures of our little hunks!!

And Breathe...

I've said it before....but this whole past year while waiting for the boys, it just felt like I couldn't breathe, like I was just holding my breath waiting for them to be here. So finally, now I can breathe again!!! Surreal - that's how best to describe our life right now. That these two precious angels are here at home, in our arms, just a few feet away at any given time just seems 100% completely surreal to us. It just hasn't sunk in yet.

Every day, every minute with them just seems like such an incredible blessing, the best gift God could have ever given to us, to think of all we went through, wondering if this day would ever come and all we have to do is open our eyes and see them, or listen to their (quite constant thank God) pitter-patter of little feet around the house or their (again, constant) peels of laughter - and just keep telling ourselves over and over again, they're HERE!!!!

We'll never be able to thank all of you for your faithful prayers and support. And so many of you I've never even met - but I know you're out there. We felt your presence and your support through all of the battles. THANK YOU all - God is Good, All the Time...All the Time, God is Good! And He has Blessed us, indeed!

Okay, so for details.... Logan is ALL better! Yippeee! He is quickly gaining the weight he lost during his sickness. We weighed them at the airport (on the baggage scale, he heh he) and Austin weighed 21.5lbs and Logan 19lbs...;-( But, now Logan's cheeks are puffy again and it's getting harder for Mommy and Daddy to tell them apart!

Austin and Logan LOVE their big brothers, Mason and Evan. And Mason and Evan have jumped right into caring for them. It's amazing to watch them all play together. Austin and Logan also adore their grandparents and spent their first day over at their house today (meeting their four-legged brothers, too!) and had a blast! I have SO much more to write, but it's getting late and I know what you really ALL want is PICTURES....so here's a few...