Okay, so I've had many people tell me that I need to create a blog...so here it is. Nothing fancy...just simple to start and see where it goes from here. I hope to be able to share some pictures and life experiences with others.

Here's an update...We adopted 3 children from the Philippines in October (ages 8, 6, and 3) and we had 3 children already (twins age 9, and 7). So, life is busy...that is an understatement. But life is blessed!

I hope to include more in the future but the creative juices just aren't flowing at 11:10 at night after a long day.

My big thank you today goes out to a friend, Brooke, who came to watch the kids so I could shower (yes, it had been 3 days and I needed it...you know you need to shower when you can't stand your own stinch!) and then I took Emily (my 9 year old) and Phoeby (my 3 year old) to do some shopping and go to lunch. It was a strategic move on my part and a smart one...Emily did great keeping Phoeby entertained and helping so I could actually do some shopping and browsing! We hoped to go to Texas Roadhouse for lunch...but it wasn't open, so we settled for the kid friendly Steak n Shake. Phoeby is now hooked on french fries and hamburgers with lots of ketchup. She's becoming American alright!
It was a nice break!

Scenes from the basement...It gets very loud down there! The kids love it...adults enter with caution!

Phoeby with her favorite costume and car...don't mess with a 3 year old!

Emily likes to pull Phoeby in the car with skates...a new game!

Phoeby learning to skate. It cures the winter time blues when you can't go outside!

Duan and her love of princess dresses!

Christian found the drums!

This has become a Hamstra sport...motorcycle racing with someone pushing on skates!

Craig gave Christian and Stephen an airplane each that he had for years. It is their new treasure!

I wish I had been able to videotape the boys playing with their airplanes. And...I really mean Craig!

My "tension moment" today happened when kids were playing in the basement and I thought, "Well, maybe I can wrap some gifts for family in the guest room with a kid or two while the rest are playing." Wrong! It was going well having Christian help until a phone call happened. Before I knew it, I was talking with the international adoption clinic nurse about parasites in Christian's stool while wrapping a gift with Christian who had no concept of putting tape on a package or how much tape, then monitoring Duan needing to do a #2 in the bathroom and Phoeby saying "I have to lebong! which means poop!" So, I'm still listening to the nurse while the signal cuts in and out and then lifting Phoeby onto the toilet and my cheek pressed the end button to hang up. (I love my iphone, but it is not user friendly for moms who can't use their hands to hold it!) So, after that...I decided leave the one gift we wrapped with tons of tape and try again another day. The gift was for Craig...at least the lebong ended up in the right place! The lesson learned today was...don't answer the phone!

Well, I hope to learn more about this "blogging" stuff. Til next time...

To God be the Glory...