Laurel - Spring 2010

Laurel's Top Five - Spring 2010

1. She is already learning to sleep through the chaos of five older siblings!

2. She loves having so many little people to play with her. If she feels ignored she just starts babbling because she knows someone will start talking to her!

3. She is already starting to scoot on her belly, even though she isn't quite sitting up yet.

4. She has slightly more hair that any of her brothers did at this age, but she's still pretty bald.

5. When she gets really mad she can let out the most ear-piercing cry you have ever heard!

Zane - Spring 2010

Zane's Top Five - Spring 2010

1. He loves to give hugs and kisses, usually accompanied by "I love you. You're my best friend."

2. His two favorite questions: "Where are _____ made?" and "What's inside of _____?". He asks these about any number of random objects throughout the day.

3. The only time he is still is when he is sleeping...seriously.

4. He strongly believes that he can do anything and everything that his older siblings can do.

5.He is becoming a great little hiker, much to his daddy's delight.

Monique - Spring 2010

Monique's Top Five - Spring 2010

1. She has learned to ride her bike, despite the rocky terrain and lack of sidewalks.

2. She loves to have her hair done, especially in ponytails and braids.

3. She will randomly tell me that she misses Rosas and wants a bean burrito.

4. Her favorite chore is folding laundry...and she does a great job!

5. She loves to play knight and princess...sometimes she's the princess and sometimes she's the knight!

Colter - Spring 2010

Colter's Top Five - Spring 2010

1. His obsession...reptiles. Both the prehistoric ones (like his play-dough dinosaur above) and the ones he finds on hikes with Daddy!

2. He loves a good physical challenge, especially if it involves riding his bike or climbing a mountain.

3. He can't wait to play T-ball next month!

4. He still sleeps with his kitty cat named "Princess".

5. His favorite thing about hiking...finding a good creek to play near.

Sabrina - Spring 2010

Sabrina's Top Five - Spring 2010

1. She has a passion for photography...on both sides of the camera!

2. She is really interested in sign language and is learning to sign some praise songs.

3. She is becoming a great reader and is looking forward to getting her first library card in the next few weeks.

4. She's a girly-girl who loves cute skirts and pretty bows, but also doesn't mind wading in the pond to catch tadpoles with her brothers.

5. She is my "mini-me"...always helping in the kitchen, taking care of Laurel and anything else that she sees that needs to be done.

Wyatt - Spring 2010

Wyatt's Top Five for Spring 2010

1. He LOVES being outside...the crazier the weather the better!

2. He has developed a serious obsession with roads and maps...he "reads" his atlas every morning, draws roads on paper, cardboard or anything else that isn't moving, and spends his free computer time on Google Earth.

3. He adores his baby sister.

4. He wants to live outside...seriously, he has a plan to make it happen.

5. He still loves to snuggle and read on the couch, only now he is the one doing most of the reading!

Idaho Bluebonnets - May 26

They may not be bluebonnets (they're actually camas flowers), but they sure are pretty...and I think the kids make them look even better! ;)

Zane and His Muscles - May 26

Some of my favorite "muscle" conversations with Zane...

Zane: "I want to ride my bike on this road."

Daddy: "This is a pretty steep road. It would be hard to ride your bike on it."

Zane: "But I have strong muscles, Daddy! I can do it!"

Zane: "I can carry it for you, Mama. I have strong muscles."

Me: "Thanks, Zane. You do have strong muscles."

Zane: "Do you want to feel my muscles?"

Me: (as I reach over to feel his "bicep") "Sure."

Zane: (as he points to his elbow) "No, they are right here!"

Zane: (trying to open the refrigerator): "Help me! Help me!"

Colter: "I can get it for you, Zane."

Zane: "Thanks, Colter. You have strong muscles."

"A boy in an orange raincoat..." - May 22

The rain is pouring outside when I hear a knock at the front door. I answer it and see one of our neighbors from up the road...

Me: Hi!

Neighbor: Hi! Um...there is a boy in an orange raincoat that was walking down the road in front of my house. Do you know anything about that?

Me: Yes, that's my oldest son.

Neighbor: OK, I just wanted to make sure he wasn't lost. It's been a while since we've had kids around here.

Me: He just likes to wander...especially in the rain. He was actually walking up to see what the creek was doing with all the rain. But thanks so much for checking on him.

So grateful for neighbors who are watching out for my kids and so grateful for my sweet boy who loves to be exploring outside...even when the weather is less than ideal and others might think it's a little strange! :)

Five Months Old - May 21

Laurel Joy @ five months old

Going to Africa - May 21

Sabrina: 'Bye Mom! I'm going to Africa!

Me: You are? Why are you going to Africa?

Sabrina: To tell people about Jesus.

Me: What are you going to tell them?

Sabrina: That Jesus was born and that He died on the cross for their sins. And they need to pray to Him and ask Him to live in their hearts and let Him be their boss. That's what missionaries tell people.

Me: What are you going to do if they want Jesus to live in their hearts?

Sabrina: I'll pray with them. That's what you and Daddy will do with me when I'm ready to ask Jesus to live in my heart.

Me: You're exactly right.

Sabrina: See you later, Mama. I'll be back in November.

Me: Wow! That's a long time!

Sabrina: Yes, but we'll come back to visit for your birthday!

Mountaintown - May 14

It all began when Wyatt declared, "We are going to move into a cardboard box!"

After several hours of work with duck tape, mailing tape, a pocket knife, some markers and several cardboard boxes...

Mountaintown was created!

Since then the kids have slept, eaten and even done their lessons in Mountaintown. Last night they even elected Colter as the mayor!

Mountaintown ~ established 5-12-2010 ~ population 5

Part of the Gang - May 10

Since training wheels don't really work on the uneven trails around the house, Danny went ahead and took off Monique's training wheels. It took a few days...and several big falls...but she is now riding around the flat part of the yard with ease. I still don't like her going downhill, since she hasn't completely mastered the art of using her breaks! I knew she was officially part of the "Griffis Bike Gang" when Colter said, "Mom, please don't make Monique go inside to take a nap. We want her to ride with us!"

Small Town Boy - May 1

Wyatt seems to have a love/hate relationship with big cities. Here are a couple of snippets from conversations he and Danny had last week while we were in Boise...

Wyatt: What road are we on now?

Danny: Interstate 84

Wyatt: Wow, we're on the interstate! Look Sabrina, it has 12 lanes!

Later that same day we were at the campground about an hour from Boise where we were going to spend the night...

Wyatt: Dad, the campground is getting too full. Now we don't have enough room!

Danny:That's what happens in campgrounds near cities. There are more people here.

Wyatt: Well, I'm just going to go camp in the woods by myself!

Our Truth - April 15

The Joint Council on International Children's Services has dubbed today "We Are the Truth - adoption blogger day" in an effort to recognize adoption success stories from around the world and share the truth about adoption. You can read more about this here.

There is so much I could write about the adoption of our girls, so many feelings I have surrounding this special aspect of my role as a mother. I especially love the picture adoption paints of our spiritual lives. Adoption is a deliberate choice...it's not something that just happens. It is something that is planned, prayed about and pursued with your whole heart. This is such a beautiful picture of what God did for each of us...He chose us and pursued us with His whole heart.

We have been, and continue to be, richly blessed because of adoption...our family would not be complete without our girls. Sure there are challenges, but that is the nature of parenting. Ultimately, adoption is a miracle, one that I am so blessed to be part of every single day.

How many ways can you answer a question? - March 31

A delivery guy came to the house today to deliver our new futon. He asked...

"So how did you end up all the way up here from Texas?"

Our responses...

Sabrina: "God told us to move here!"

Wyatt: "Well, it took us three days. We drove through New Mexico then Colorado and up to Wyoming and across Montana..."

Me: "My husband is one of the new family practice doctors at the hospital."

Our Dinner Conversation - March 18

Wyatt, Sabrina and Colter have spent the past few afternoons making plans for building a "kids' house" outside. At dinner tonight they shared some of their ideas with us...

Wyatt: We are going to build a kids' house right outside by the kids' place. The walls are going to be some of those tall plants from the garden and the roof will be grass.

Colter: Or we could make the walls from that wood. Remember that wood we found, Wyatt? But we would need some nails.

Sabrina: You are going to be cold in this house.

Danny: Why?

Sabrina: Because we are going to take the roof and use it for our house! (lots of giggles) I'm just tricking you. We won't take the roof off.

Danny: So you won't be using this house anymore?

Wyatt: Well, only if we need to. Like if the kids' house falls down or something.

St. Patrick's Day Fun - March 17

We celebrated St. Patricks Day by making our traditional green rice krispie treats. This year we used green icing (thanks, Noni!) and lots of sprinkles to decorate our shamrock-shaped treats.
As you can see, some of us got a little "sprinkle happy" but they sure did taste yummy!

Happy St. Patricks Day from the O'Griffis Gang!

A Bible Study Tea - March 15

This afternoon the kids were having a hard time deciding between playing church or having a tea party. After some discussion they decided to do both. Their "Bible Study Tea" was very successful and quite entertaining. They each took turns "reading" a Bible story from their Bible (who knew that the story of Daniel could be found in the book of Jeremiah!) while we munched on goldfish crackers and sipped water. Wyatt's story of David and Goliath was full of humor, Colter gave a detailed account of Daniel in the lions den, Sabrina (who was feeling a bit shy) asked Zane to "read" for her and Monique's story kept going on and on without any end in sight. Makes me wonder what a "Bible Study Tea" will look like with them in a few years!

Pretty Toes - March 13

Look at these pretty toenails! What I love is how their polish selection tells so much about their little personalities. Sabrina...my girlie girl who loves to please...picked the pink polish with just a hint of shimmer. Monique...who is a bit impulsive and loves attention...selected the blue glittery polish. Wonder what color Miss Laurel will pick?