WHAT? You’re a PERSON??? November 3, 2009

For serious?

LEFT TO RIGHT: Tyler (20), Sarah (11), Emily (21), Josiah (1), Ellen (17), Momma (Christy), Trey (19), Mercy (3), Daddy (Les), Annie (7), Jacob (16), Hannah (14), & Ben (12).

hmmmm… October 30, 2009

So what do y’all think Mercy is talking about?

“Our brother in law is getting married.” Tyler?
“Who can I be married to?” No one yet.
“But I can be married to someone, when I’m walking down the island.” The island?

since, of courrse, your just dying to see pictures of my adorable siblings (& friends adorable kids!)… May 19, 2009

or even if you’re not, you might look anyway…

Sweet Josiah

Mercy Kate

Isaac

Isaac & Mercy

 (((Isaac & Ellie are friends Anthony & Hannah’s children: *http://matheniafamily.blogspot.com/*))

Just some pictures for now… January 27, 2009

three guesses what this is a picture of:

1) the floor in the Den

2) Stripes

3) 2 Cows

Josiah selecting his next read

 

 The answer is, C: Two Cows.

At least, Mercy is sure convinced.

 

Not Impressed January 5, 2009

Sarah, Sarah & Hannah

Maybe they were posing for the cover of their new album (on which they sing “Something Crazy” off key and very loudly while listening to the iPod).

Sarah & Mercy

Saturday, Momma & the three ‘middle’ kids (Hannah, Ben & Sarah) were gone to the movies & I was getting Mercy down for her nap. She kept getting up & I had to make her get back in bed. When she had finally settled down I thought, I went downstairs or something– and came back to hear wails and cries coming from her bed. I tried to ignore it for a while since it’s not that unusual for her to fuss a while before going to sleep, but finally (I know, bad child training) I went in there & sat on the bed beside her. It didn’t take any urging to get her to say what was wrong. Between gasps of sorrow, she confessed: “I-(pitiful whine)-got up-(sucking in of breath)-and- the guys- Trey and Emma-(whine)- told me to go lay down-(sucking in of breath)- and I- (sad whine sucking in of breath gasp noise)- was not not very impressed!!!” This was followed by a fresh round of wailing & something that sounded like a big sister trying to hide a laugh & sound sympathetic.

~Ellie

ADOPTION NEWS!!! December 29, 2008

Yeah, I know. After the post on Momma’s blog, this joke is getting a little old. That’s what I’ve been feeling like lately too, it’s geting old. Somehow, it seems even MORE urgent this time around– maybe because I know that probably right now, my little siblings are born & growing older every day- alone. Sometimes we wish we could have everything our way, you know. But we can’t. Because of the curcumstances God has placed our family in, we cannot even begin to work toward having our little ones home. This is where we have to grow- grow to trust God better, trust that He will open those gates in His timing if it is His will for us to do this thing.

So here we are again, much like this time a year ago, and that is the theme of this post- the waiting part of adoption. It isn’t easy. It is so hard, so hard. Now, we’re just waiting to wait- which is extra trying. It will probably be a while before I’ll be posting any news here. I’m waiting for news too.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

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About Josiah’s adoption– pray that we will be able to finalise in February as planned.

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Mercy before the feast

What would have been on our cards if we had taken it on time

Jake & Josiah having a brother moment

add your own caption

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(the pitures in earliers post were a few from our family christmas feast & one of Annie, Jake & Mercy)

It wont let me type anything but the title or upload the rest of my pictures. Weird. December 29, 2008

 

adoption, adoption, adoption… December 4, 2008

Don’t you ever think about anything else, Ellen???

The answer is; right about now, no. Not really. There was a small lapse of time, a few months after Josiah came home when there was room for other things up there, but it has come back with reinforcements this time. So don’t expect much more on here anytime soon . I was even toying with the idea of changing my tagline (“Ellens blog” is so unoriginal) into something to do with the subject, what do you think? However, I DONT have a post written for today, so just enjoy this picture & hopefully I’ll be back soon!

This picture is old, as a quick glance at the book being read tells me. Pig & Pancake has suffered much love since this time (about 3 or 4 months ago), and is not so nice looking now. BUT prepare to be impressed: Mercy & I can repeat that book backward from memory. Yeah. She likes it.

Well, G’night!

John Deere, anybody??? December 1, 2008

Some of you might be wondering why there really haven’t been any pictures besides of Josiah show up on this blog lately. One answer is, we have not really been taking a ton of pictures at all lately, and the ones we do take tend to be focused on the younger portion of the family. And the other ansewer is, Mercy is not being very photogenic lately. And the last answer is, Mercy & Annie have had a cold in their eyes (espeicially Mercy) for about 2 weeks & are not looking their best. But hopefully some other pictures & some writing of mine will appear soon.

But for now, enjoy these pictures of o so cute Josiah & a few with Mercy too.

Mercy & Annie November 28, 2008

 DO YOU SEE THESE TWO GIRLS!?!?! They are usually very good friends… BUT… girl one is the wild, jump-off-the-sofa kind of girl & girl two is the lets-play-baby-dolls-no don’t-hold-her-like-that-she-still-has-a-soft-spot kind of girl. Girl 2 is somewhat literal & girl 1 has a active imagination. CAN YOU GUESS WHICH ONE IS WHICH???

Maybe this scenario will help you make an educated guess:

While Mercy doesn’t exactly have an imaginary friend, she has a few ‘friends’ who she didn’t come up with but likes to imagine she is playing with. One of them is Pig from her favourite book, If you Give A Pig A Pancake. The other one is Avely. Avely is a little girl at our church who Mercy is usually too shy to actually play with- I think Mercy wants to be friends with Avely because she knows she would be pretty fun, but she is shy when it comes right down to it. I also have a sneeking suspicion that Mercy likes her wardrobe– this comes from little things like Mercy dreamily saying: “Oh Ellen, did you see Avely’s crocs?” or “Oh, Avely’s coat is so cute.” Anyway, the other day Mercy was playing with “Avely”.

MERCY: Ellen, where’d Avely go?

ELLEN: She’s over there, playing with that ball

MERCY: Oh yeah [goes over & starts play with "Avely"]

ANNIE: Uh, Ellen… is Mercy really playing with Avely

ELLEN: Well, no, not really, but she imagines she is.

ANNIE: So… does she see Avely?

ELLEN: Not exactly, but she sees her with her imagination. Get it?

ANNIE: uh… not really. [sits there for a minute then looks at me sort of funny] Ellen… do YOU see Avely over there?

ELLEN: with my imagination I do.

ANNIE: [looks from me to Mercy. Realises that we're insane.]

Well? Which one do you think is girl one???