Creepy AND Cool~

EK went out to walk Macy after dinner and ran in to say there was a big black snake on the driveway.
We walked outside to see it, and I could tell EK wanted to see it closer~

She began picking it up with a stick, then with her hands~

I could have made a big deal about how creepy this was or how terrified I was for her to hold it,

BUT what if I snuffed out her passion for animals with my attitude?

SO I encouraged her to pick it up if she was sure~

I think you can tell by her face how she feels about her bravery!
Everyone was amazed by the snake AND their sister!!!
Getting ready for a little gecko she will be adding to our family soon.

A Natural Diver~

You can't teach this form~

She's a natural!

Happy Solar Eclipse Day~

We have looked forward to this day for such a long time, and we had a party~

 We bought all kinds of treats and I made Solar Sandwiches~

 We were out by 1 watching the sky and waiting by the pool~

 It was truly amazing to be in the path of totality and not even have to leave our house to watch.
Seriously we swam until the moment it would happen completely speculating what would happen.
It was beyond our wildest thoughts!!!~

 Not pitch dark but at least 9pm dark, quiet with loud cicadas, significantly cooler, and complete eclipse to observe~

We were beyond amazed~

SO cool to witness how creative and genius God is!!!

Play AND Work~

Rosie and the girls bought a watermelon and it was the perfect snack at the pool~

Watermelon and popsicle eating belong at the pool!!!

After dinner Scott and I began another yard project in the front~

 We moved to this house about 9 years ago and the plants have grown SO big!
It was time to pull them up and begin again... a clean slate~

 HUGE improvement and can't wait to get the new ones in~

And then this happened~

There is NO way they will ever forget these fun nights!!!

Mother's Day~

Mother's Day was wonderful simply because ALL my children were home for the day~

And they know before I mention it to gather for a photo!

We spent the whole day just being together~

SO wonderful Calla is home in her Mama's arms and cutest couple~

 ALL 10 gathered around me~

  
My sister and family were home too so she and I got a photo with our beautiful mom~

My Beautiful Originals and GrandLoves~

Thank you to my amazing husband and children for making me feel SO loved!!!
It was a beautiful day filled with everything I need, all that I want, and nothing that I don't!

I'd say that's a pretty wonderful Mother's Day!

Watch Brave Calla~

ALWAYS wanting to be like her older siblings!!!
Good job Calla... I really think you will be swimming by the end of the summer!

Our New Biker~

Holly has become our newest biker~

Watch her go~

Good job Holly!!!

Warm January Weather~

Last week on this day we were expecting snow~

And today it is 74 degrees and sunny!
We will take it!!!
PS. Evie learned to ride her bike without training wheels!!!

Calla and the Bells~

We had a huge cleaning day today and pulled the bells out for our music loving little girl~

She absolutely loved them but listen for yourself~

Sweet sweet baby!

Love is Growing Around Here~

It's a beautiful thing to watch siblings scoop up one they didn't know and begin pulling her in~

It's a lot of give and take... mostly giving but can't brag on these amazing children enough~

Evie: "I'm playing with Calla. She really likes me!"
Love is Growing Around Here!
Everything Beautiful!!!

A Fun Week~

These two babes earned their vests and two badges at Cubbies Wed. evening~

One of EC's requests for her birthday was get a haircut so when I took her,
Erin gave her some curls too~

 Cute all four!

Thursday afternoon PC came running in the house to say he had to show me something
and bring the camera~

SJ had finally taught him to ride his her bike~

Now it's EC's turn!!!
A little dress up turned into Cubbie Princesses in high heels~

A Fun Week for sure!!!

Count von Count~

We have a Count von Count in the family.
Payne announced in his usual very confident voice that he could count to 30.
We gave him the challenge and I said keeping going.
With each set of 10 he hit, his face grew more surprised until~

He couldn't believe he did it and all day long I heard him counting under his breath.
By night he was announcing he thought he could make it to 200.
I'm sure he can and already wondering about 1000. :)

Count von Count~

We have a Count von Count in the family.
Payne announced in his usual very confident voice that he could count to 30.
We gave him the challenge and I said keeping going.
With each set of 10 he hit, his face grew more surprised until~

He couldn't believe he did it and all day long I heard him counting under his breath.
By night he was announcing he thought he could make it to 200.
I'm sure he can and already wondering about 1000. :)

Happy World Adoption Day~

Really no words needed~

I think the faces speak for themselves!

When Love Takes You In, Everything Changes!!!

Forever!

Please comment or email us if you want more info of how your family can adopt~

Believe me...

You don't want to miss it!!!

Field Trip to the His Radio~

We were so excited to be invited to His Radio for an interview about our adoption video~

: http://www.hisradio.com/rob/2015/11/orphan-sunday-the-ankerich-familys-adoption-story/

We loved telling the story about Will Perry!

The littles were so amazed to watch the interview and see themselves~

 We all took time to write notes to our favorite radio hosts~

 LOVE Rob, Alison, and Jim~

LOVED the experience and sure hope we get more opportunities!!!

His Story Told on His Radio 89.3~

November is National Adoption Month and Sunday is Orphan Sunday so we were so excited to release our video yesterday to share our adoption story.

As Scott drove to work Tuesday he was listening to His Radio 89.3 and had a thought to email their station with our video in hopes they would want to use it to bring awareness to Orphan Sunday.

He did email and one of the cohosts, Alison Storm, emailed him right back to say she loved the video and asked if we be interested in an interview at the station.

OF COURSE!

This morning we left home about 5:30 with all the kids and drove to Greenville for one of the most exciting things ever~

Alison, Rob, and Jim were SO nice to us and truly we felt we had known them always. We were not nervous and the kids were welcomed with open arms. {In a radio studio... LIVE!} SO cool!

We loved sharing parts of our family story with them and later Alison sent me a link to Rob Dempsey's blog with our interview.
Please click on the link below to watch~
Orphan Sunday: The Ankerich Family's Adoption Story

We are SO very thankful for this amazing opportunity and a chance to point our story straight to Jesus because really...

It's not our story.

It's His Story Told on His Radio 89.3.

If you haven't had a chance to watch our film shot by 314 Productions, here you go~

This morning in my quiet time I read this~

It hit me like ton of bricks... We would be foolish to approach adoption looking only for how it applies to us or others, forgetting to find what it says about Him.

Adoption is Jesus. He adopted us into His family when He took our sin to the cross and lives today that we would have eternal life with Him. 

Everything in our family, our adoptions, and this film is for Jesus and His glory. May He be glorified in it only and He would bring more orphans home to their forever family!!!

Holly and Nursery Rhymes~

I got a little video of Holly 'reading' the nursery rhyme books this week~

She was super proud and I think learning SO well!!!

Story of her Name~ {CallaAnne}

The day we got a confirming yes we had the file,

and yes her heart had a great repair,

and yes we truly knew she was our daughter,

we sent Letter of Intent (LOI) to China.

That same evening we had Scott's sister over for dinner.

I felt James 1:27 so clearly depicted in our family

with one less orphan and a widow at our table.

I thought it would be a sweet thing to name our baby after her Aunt Susan.

Because you know her name was my next dilemma...

we couldn't keep calling her 'that little girl'. 

We extinquished every single name list online that week

and on Saturday Scott said he kept thinking of a song with beautiful in the title.

I did a Itunes search and came up with Charlie Hall's

On the Road to Beautiful~

We just sat listening and worshiping.

At the end of the song I thought we should find a name that meant Beautiful

and the first list I pulled up gave us the name Calla.

We paired it with Anne (after her aunt) and means He Favors You.

CallaAnne~ Beautiful and Favored.

Chosen and Loved already!!!

Coming home to her forever sometime in 2016!

Two New Swimmers~

Amazing that one day the bitties are swimming with puddle jumpers {which we LOVE}

and the next Evie gets up the courage to just try swimming without it~

And she DID it!!!

After that first try, she was all over the pool and even jumping off the diving board.

The next day it was Holly's turn...

only being home One Year means more fear to overcome and super courage

which she mustered up and became a swimmer just like her big sis.

Just WATCH~

They are both going off the diving board and swimming like little fish!

The pool just got way more fun for them!!!

Foundational Learning~

The Bitty girls are learning their letters and sounds...

(and didn't want to do anything in their drawers) SO

I pulled out our Leap Frog Letter Factory video and popped it in~

 I wrote the alphabet on a page in their journal and they trace the letter when they sang its sound.

Evie was rockstar at this and Holly was loved the singing!

I was back and forth between all kids and loved snuggling up to hear SJ~

 read a chapter from her Henry and Mudge book!

Back to check on bitties and found they had drawn a crowd~

 After the video, I put out the ABC stamps and they stamped all the letters

while remembering their sounds. 

(Evie helped Holly find her spot)
Gotta Watch THIS~

The boys had their own reading time going!

Partner reading is the best!!!

Post about EK's contribution to the morning HERE!

Everything Beautiful