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 Date night! Today we celebrated our 3rd anniversary! I am so blessed and lucky to have this wonderful man in my life! God really knew what he was doing when he brought us together! I can't wait for our next 100 years together!!

Brothers! I love this picture of Corban and James. So cute, they really do love each other, and just proves that it doesn't matter what blood runs in you, family, mom, dads, sisters and brothers is nothing but a heart and God matter. These boys love each other beyond anything we could have hoped or imagined when we joined our families together! I am so happy that God has turned our two different families into one united, boned, incredible family!

FREE Slurpee day!! We took all of the boys to 7-11 for this wonderful treat. They loved picking out their own drink then sharing with each brother to taste all of the different flavors!

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 Best staged picture I have ever see! This was my husbands work at the carnival. I was working so he was in charge of the camera, and wanted something that would surprise me as I looked through the photos of that night. And man did it ever, I laughed so hard when I saw this!!

 Remember when ever eating Chinese food use both chopsticks and hands for ultimate dinning experience! I love my little men!

The race is on! I love this picture of the race at Benny's birthday. I also love how Benny's dads shoes are flying in the hot pursuit almost hitting Jordan.

Miracle Car

There are not even words for all that has happened in our family over the last few weeks. But here it goes, Shawn was in car accident which lead to the totaling of our van, already a huge praise that he wasn't hurt and that he had no children with him! But a crisis already, it took forever to find and get that van, so much planning and saving. We weren't ready to do it all again and now in a very limited time frame, with no money. But we pushed forward, going to dealerships, test driving, scouring craigslist, to find anything that would seat 8 of us so we could get on with our lives. All the while fighting with the insurance over the claim, money owed, low balling prices, etc. Things were not going well at all. Finally one day we found the perfect car, with in our monthly budget, talked the dealer down to a reasonable price and started trying to get financing. Well to no avail, after two days of trying every bank, every where, we were coming to the realization no one was going to give us a loan, and trying to figure out how we got the first loan to begin with, another miracle I am sure of.

We were in talks with many great friends through this own thing, and they just kept telling us to hang in there and that God had a plan and some even said they would do what they could financially for us if need be, not much but something, so we had more calls in for several cars, that hopefully would seat 8. Well none would, and door after door kept closing and we were only 2 days away from our rental leaving and we would be stuck with nothing. So after a few more days of doing all in our power, with much prayer, we just stopped, leaving it, with no other choice, alone, we closed the door on it, which for me was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do.

Graciously Shawn's dad got us his truck to use (again another miracle, from it being available to it getting here from another city) for Shawn to get to and from work, but other than that would take some planing, and figuring out because it only seats 5, but at least Shawn could get to work, the rest would just have to wait. We were so beaten down, unable to figure out what else to do and went to bed pleading with the Lord for peace, patience, and just rest in this horrible situation. Shawn was handing everything so much better than me, I was on the verge of a very huge breakdown, I don't trust well, and I am a huge planner, so in two days with no rental, no way to transport our family, no plan, no money, and no car, I was suffering, trying to rest in my Lord and his plan.

Then the doors started opening, God was working, we just didn't know or see it. He was working on hearts and lives of people for his will to be done. We received a call on Thursday from some dear friends, asking if we could hang on to Saturday. Shawn said of course, we have his dad's car, then the unimaginable happened. They shared that a car would be in our driveway by Saturday, coming all the way from another state, free of charge, a gift to us. Shock is a word that just mildly describes what was happening to Shawn and I in our hearts and minds. They shared that God was laying it on their hearts to give us this gift, that they knew that's what God wanted, even opening impossible doors to get it here. We didn't want and didn't feel like we could accept this huge blessing. We went back and forth on how this was too much, we couldn't possibly, take this. But after so many "thank yous", "are you sures?" "praise God's" and tears, we received our car. Great condition, seats 8, our very own Jesus miracle. Something not possible if I didn't know my Lord and his hand at work all around us everyday, in both small and big ways. We are unworthy of this, undeserving, but so grateful that God chose to bless us in this way. We are so thankful for others that also follow our Lord and do things that are by human perspective crazy.

All of this just reminds me of my Lord saving me in the first place, a broken, weak, undeserving person, and he has given me life, a great life, and eternity with him, something I could never repay, something I am so unworthy of and something there are no words for. We have a great God, don't ever doubt it for one minute!!

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Ok well a few days this week I was unable to get pictures, so I pulled a few more from the newborn shoot I did of my best friends!

This is the handsome daddy with his new son! They are so cute! Just staring at one another. Scott is the most incredible father, I love watching him with his son, amazing! 

 Beautiful flowers that I recieved during a very hard week. Audra is a constant blessing to me, for allowing me to watch her son, and for being so kind and generous. I am very thankful to have the Cathy family in my life!

Carnival night, me and my little men! John wasn't happy about having a picture taken, he was ready to just get to the fun!

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 One of my favorites from the very handsome Titus's newborn photo shoot. My very beautiful, glowing best friend and the new man in her life! I love that this photo shows her overflowing joy. I look at it and it just takes my breath away. Titus staring at his mom and her just glowing in the wonderfulness of being a mom! Perfect!!

Their tiny perfect little family! I love how relaxed this photo was, not staged, just hanging out with their little man, talking and laughing! Again Perfect!!

Me and my boys being silly! I had the most wonderful, perfect mother's day. I am a very lucky mommy! I am so overcome with joy, fullness, and gratitude that God has given me 6 wonderful boys to call my own. Most days there are not even words for what I feel inside when I think of each of these little men. It's such a big job and some days so hard, and everyday I still can't believe God has chosen me to be their mom, but I wouldn't change a thing in the world!  I am so grateful that this gift has been given to me, and I will forever praise the Lord for it, and honor him back in how I raise these boys to be men of God. To just add icing to the cake, they are so funny, I laugh so hard I cry at least once a day! :)

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 The boys and their lego creation. They spent all afternoon building this battle station.

Memphis's new place to play. Behind the sofas. He thinks it's his own private fort back there. 

Great photo from the game. The last ditch, off the ground, effort made by the other team (gray) to catch our team (blue) running for a huge touchdown.

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 Best buds already. Jordan just sat and played with Shadow all afternoon, rubbing his belly, playing chase and just soaking up the sun!

 Starbucks treat day out!
We decided to go to Starbucks for their wonderful 1/2 price frappachinos or as the boys call it frappes, fraps, chinos, etc. No one could really get the name down! :) The boys loved picking out their own and drinking it's deliciousness. They were so cute.

Rain drops. 

 I couldn't decided which photo I wanted of the rain drops, so you get both.

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Camera phone fun! Memphis and Jordan both love to play with the camera on my phone and take lots of pictures! I love this one of us!

 I took the boys out for some football photos. This is one of my favorites of Ximon. I got some great ones of James and Zeke as well, but I could only pick one for the day! So relaxed, so focused, such a great picture!

Ximon running for his big touchdown. He ran from one side, clear to the other. With a great trick play that Shawn designed! And our quarterback carried it out as great as Ximon did the run!  I am not sure how long our field is, but man he was fast, and took it on, leaving people behind left and right! :) ! I can't believe I even got pictures of this run, because I was jumping up and down and yelling!! It was an amazing thing to watch, and as his mom (and I know dad too, because he was on the field freaking out), we were glowing with pride, honor and joy in our little man!! After this play he did need a bit of a rest, I don't think he fully believed or understood right away what a big play he had just ran, only that man he was dog tired, and his legs needed to rest!!

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Food chopping wii game! It was so fun to just sit, watch and snap a few pictures of the boys doing their karate moves. They were trying to get the highest score, to beat their brothers of course, a little healthy competition is good right?!! Zeke was laughing, kicking, just having a blast, and I was snapping away! Love it!

 Corban with the best face ever! So full of joy and excitement! He was running around the back yard, chasing the dog and just laughing hysterically. I was so happy to be able to catch this picture of him! :)

Bryce and me waiting for Corban's bus. I love his face in this picture, it's like his thoughts were  "lady, enough with the camera already, but I'll look cool for this one last picture, then you must put it away"! :) I love this little man!!

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 The boys jumping and throwing helicopter leaves in the air. I love everyone's face in this one. They were having so much fun, and loved having their pictures taken! It brings me so much joy when they say "mom  watch me, mom take my picture, mom did you see me", and I get the honor of saying "YES" back to them, and then showing them all of their pictures, their joy, and excitement! They is no greater thing in this world then being a mom, I wouldn't trade it for a thing!!

 Zeke and one of his many tackles of the game! I am so proud of him and all of his hard work in football! In this game in particular, he had his eye on this guy in the gray and one other on the grays team. If they had the ball he would chase them down, if we had the ball he would not let them pass! Great work this week!!

A day out with mom and dad! All of the boys minus these two were gone today in various places. So they got to ride in the car cart, which for us, never really happens, because when all 6 boys are with us, if we pull out the car cart, arguing tends to happen right along with it. :)  It was a great day filled with car carts, slushies, wii games, a trip to the dog shelter, and then home for a great dinner and some down time waiting for the rest of our little men to come home.

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 Little guy in our yard. I cannot believe how tame these rabbits are. I was right up on this guy taking pictures of him and he didn't move at all.

MJ hard at work coloring while the other boys do homework. As soon as the boys walk in the door he wants to be right with them, no matter what they are doing. So for the past year or so, when ever it's homework time, he gets his own things and sits down to work on "homework" too. I love it! 

I took so many pictures of this fully bloomed weed. I know they are weeds and I should hate them, and kill everyone that I see in my yard, but they are so beautiful and I love to take pictures of them. And the boys love to pick them and blow them into the wind. Besides I have now named them Memory Makers, I certainly can't kill a memory maker! :)