Favorite Pictures of All Time

Want to know the first word that comes to mind when asked to select your top five pictures?

Torture.

Panic comes in at a close second. ;)

I want to include them all! From my time living in Spain to all my kids' baby pictures to our wedding to our time in Guatemala adopting Isabelle to our surprise baby's birth...one year ago next week! Cue ALL the tears.

I'm determined not to "cheat" so here are my top five in no particular order. :)

I remember this day so clearly, and it was one of the best. We were spending the afternoon at one of favorite farms the summer after we returned from Guatemala after adopting Isabelle, and suddenly the kids just started rolling down the hills, laughing and laughing all the way down. I don't even know exactly how this pig pile originated, but I'm so glad I captured it.

I look at this now and see a little bit of Levi in each of those three gorgeous little boy faces. I had these fellas all in a time span of 3 years and four months, after losing our first babies and nearly losing my life with an abdominal ectopic pregnancy. Several doctors discouraged us from even trying to conceive because of the heightened risks, and when I see this beautiful portrait, I can't help but be reminded of God's goodness and faithfulness in my life.

At the beach, of course. Caleb was really little and racing his bright yellow dump truck all over the sand around us, the other two boys were jumping over the waves, and we were hopeful to be bringing our Isabelle home soon. (That did not happen, and it would be another year+ before we were reunited and then home.)

I love this picture and our smiling faces here, but I also desire to be transparent. Of course no marriage is perfect, and ours in no exception. We've endured many hardships, both before this photo as well as after, and this picture to me is such a beautiful symbol and testimony of God's redemptive grace.

Oh this picture.

It means the absolute world to me.

Isabelle and I were living in Guatemala on our own at this point, after saying goodbye to both Ethan and Jonah two months prior, and then to Caleb about three weeks before this was taken.

It was hard being away from them. One of the hardest things I have ever had to do.

But we made the most of our situation - we lived life to the fullest while waiting on governments and embassies and such, so that we'd have no regrets about that after returning home. And I don't! :)

 My best friend there, also an American adoptive Mama, snapped this photo before church one morning and it has been a favorite ever since.

You can read about our adoption by clicking on the label in the sidebar. And the picture of Isabelle on the sidebar, which is a favorite for sure!, tells another part of our adoption journey.

 This is my first picture with all five of my children in it with me. Bill took it last Mother's Day after church, when we had little Levi dedicated. This was after lunch when everybody had changed, but the look of sheer joy on everyone's faces is what makes me love this so. Levi was one month and three days old here, and we were already so smitten with him.

Plus, this was before "the shed" and I was having such a great hair day. Yes, I remember those things. :)

 Okay, so I'm cheating, but only by one.

How can I not include this sweet thing?

I still can't believe that he's turning one next week! I'm not ready!

 I'm linking up with Andrea today and have loved seeing everyone's favorite photos so far!

My Most Embarrassing Moment

Hi friends, I'm linking up with Andrea...a day late! Oops.

My adorable sleep-wrecker is bound to be calling on me soon, so I need to get to bed STAT. Goodnight! Here is one of the most embarrassing moments of my life...

Although I have prayed to be able to forget this day, I remember, and it haunts me still. It's so bad. Just bad bad bad.

Several years ago, I started having some serious issues with my hormone levels, and as a result, began experiencing some real girl trouble, if you catch my drift. Think irregular and extremely heavy. Like uncontrollably heavy.

Anyhoo.

I remember that we were having something fixed on our minivan, and the garage we frequented offers a shuttle ride back home or to the office or what have you. Isabelle was in preschool at the time, and the boys were all in school full time, so it was just me. I was chatting with the guy at the counter as he was arranging a ride for me. He was a friendly person, and then he informed me that he would be the one to drive me home. Okay, no problem.

Well. Things were beginning to take longer than they should have. I thought I'd be out of there in half an hour, and now a full hour had passed. I was a little nervous because of the above-mentioned issue, but I was closer to the end and didn't figure there would be a problem.

Then another twenty minutes passes. The friendly guy tells me that he's finally all set to give me a ride, and off we go. Now at that time, we lived about ten minutes away from the garage. Ten minutes. What can happen in ten minutes?

Suddenly I panic right there in the front seat because I can tell that my body is about to betray me. If you've had issues with super heavy flow and/or clotting, then you KNOW what I'm talking about. If you haven't, take my word for it. There is nothing you can do to stop it. Or prepare for it in the front seat of some mechanic's car.

His light grey upholstered car.

Oh. My. Goodness.

I just sat there and prayed with all my might.

Please please please, not now. Not like this.

We pulled into my driveway after what seemed like an eternity, and I wasn't going to make any eye contact just in case, but I totally did by accident, and then I saw his eyes shift downward because something had caught his attention. I glanced down so fast and wanted to DIE, but I didn't stand there and wait for him to look me in the eye again. I yelled Thanks as I bolted for the front door and never looked back.

And of course, I couldn't get the door unlocked. Of course.

So there I was, fumbling with my key, knowing that this man knew that I had soiled the seat of his car.

I finally got the door, and our dog, Ryder, came tearing outside, barking up a storm because he didn't know it was me, and THEN he proceeds to sniff me, well, like a dog.

I was mortified. Humiliated. Needless to say, we found a new mechanic.

And for kicks, here is a post about our epic trip to DC. The one where I tossed my cookies all over our nation's capital. In front of everyone. #imsosorry