Marie Klein Burtt

trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. proverbs 3:5 & 6.

can a human step of faith ever be 100% faith? honestly, i’m not sure if it can. what do i mean? i think faith is something we are called to do in order to obey the Lord. but i wonder how many of us still have a little expectation mixed in with that step of faith. i know i do. i know we did.

fostering was a step of faith for christian and i. we’ve always known we were called to physically adopt a child or more than one child. we didn’t realize the Lord was leading us to foster until we had been married for about six months. when we finally realized we were being called to fost-adopt, we were willing to take that step of faith. but here’s the kicker. the truth of the matter is, we brought an expectation with us, called permanency.

we thought we would fost-adopt our first sibling group. i know they tell you it may not happen, but we were so sure of it. we knew there was a chance that parental rights might not be terminated, but we were pretty sure they would be and we would find ourselves adopting. we never dreamed that the Lord might ask us to foster but not adopt. that would be the expectation we brought along.

the truth is, the Lord hasn’t give any of our kids to us permanently. He’s just loaning each and every one of them to us. for our oldest three, five months was all He planned on, i guess. i can fight it, i can run…but in the end, i have to accept it. the Lord is closing the door for us to adopt our oldest three girls and whether it makes sense to us or not, we have to trust that the Lord’s will is good and that He cares for all of us.

honestly? i’m scared. will my girls be okay? will someone love them and hug them and tell them about Jesus? will someone tuck them in at night and pray for them? will someone brush their teeth and braid their seriously curly, tangled hair? i don’t know.

i know some of you will want to know what, why, how? you will have to trust us when we tell you this decision was not made lightly. it was made with pain, with tears, with fasting and with prayer. it was made with godly and wise people involved. it was made with safety, love and our girls’ best interest. what you must know is that somehow through this painful decision and realization, all four of our girls will be safer. that is something we are asking you to try and understand.

will addy ever understand? will she ever understand why they took away her three sisters? will she be able to trust us when we tell her we know it was God’s will? or with time will she simply forget and not even remember on her own that once she had three older sisters? i ask myself these questions over and over and i don’t have any answers.

i don’t have answers for anything right now. but i know that my Lord will be there with my girls through it all. i know He will go with them and He will be protecting them. I know that He will help Addy understand why someday. And I know He will heal christian’s and my hearts eventually. i also know that it will all take time. please pray for our family and us during this very difficult time.

the girls will leave this thursday. i know it seems suddenly, but we felt it was better to keep it quiet since we weren’t allowed to tell them anything until today (tuesday). last friday, i was praying and i told the Lord, “i feel so out of control” and in that calm, quiet voice he gently rebuked me, “you were never in control, marie.” one thing we would like all of you to know is that we are so thankful to have had the support and prayers from all of you and are so thankful to know that already now, you are praying for us.

those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. he who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. psalm 126: 5 & 6.

love lots,

marie and christian

sometimes foster kids are given a chance to go and do something fun which at the same time provides the family with respite care (a rest). last weekend, our older girls headed to oxnard, auntie sarah headed to long beach and i spent two days not really knowing what to do. 🙂

friday night we went to conejo valley days…which was fun enough i guess but pretty much something like auburn fair only without all the animals/showing/competition. you had to pay to get in and then the only things to do required money…ahhh the life of a cheapskate! they had rides but since addy was the only kid, we didn’t pay for her to go on any (and we had just been at disneyland the week before). they had fair games and food which we weren’t really tempted by. they had a pony ride for $5 and a petting zoo for $3. i did find myself being drawn into the petting zoo since 3/4 of the animals were pygmy goats. (random fact about marie…i raised/showed pygmy goats for MANY years.)

addy was drawn to the petting zoo also. she kept saying, “ohhhh mama, dog-dog!”

she kept telling the goats all sorts of things i know nothing about. they really had a little love affair going on.

here she is giving this little fella kisses which he was more than happy to give back to her. we didn’t even have to pay to feed them…they liked her just the way she was!

possibly because they thought her hair was straw. at one point this little guy came up behind her and all of a sudden i heared her say, “oh ow ow!” and i looked and he had chomped a little clump of blond baby hair right off! this is her giving him a talking to! she really is saying, “no no ow ow!”

there was a band playing some sort of blue grass/folk/old rock music and addy was a fan.

dancing to the tunes…

people watching with mama

saturday i finally made this ballerina tutu from material grammie gave us. she thought she was pretty cute in this little apparel.

hanging out in panties with her daddy. can she look anymore like a toddler? where did my baby go?!

she always asks to eat sitting on the floor (i don’t know why). saturday morning, i figured why not?

she spent some time filling her belly button with oatmeal…

and showing off a seriously adorable pot belly. 🙂

2t panties are the smallest i can find anywhere and they are not very small…but they sure look cute (and a little funny when you are still wearing all your 12 month clothing!)

this last one cracks me up. i went for a jog (with her in the stroller). for some reason, even though it was 70 degrees already, addy still thinks she needs to wear her beanie and scarf when we go for a jog. she’s really into that scarf, if you can’t tell from the picture!

there has been a lot going on around here…good and bad. God is always good though and that is what really matters, right? 🙂

i don’t have anything brilliant to say or any time to say it for that matter! but what i can say is that today, my seven year old became a believer. and if that is all i have to post about this month…well, i am completely okay with that.

i also am brought to tears every time i listen to this song. plus i have been listening to it on repeat. so basically, i cried for a little while. sometimes, you just gotta cry and no, we aren’t pregnant around here (for all you confused and twisted family members). this song is just powerful, in my opinion. be blessed!

tenth avenue north

“healing begins”

so you thought you had to keep this up
all the work that you do
so we think that you’re good
and you can’t believe it’s not enough
all the walls you built up
are just glass on the outside

so let ’em fall down
there’s freedom waiting in the sound
when you let your walls fall to the ground
we’re here now

this is where the healing begins, oh
this is where the healing starts
when you come to where you’re broken within
the light meets the dark
the light meets the dark

afraid to let your secrets out
everything that you hide
can come crashing through the door now
but too scared to face all your fear
so you hide but you find
that the shame won’t disappear

so let it fall down
there’s freedom waiting in the sound
when you let your walls fall to the ground
we’re here now
we’re here now, oh

this is where the healing begins, oh
this is where the healing starts
when you come to where you’re broken within
the light meets the dark
the light meets the dark

sparks will fly as grace collides
with the dark inside of us
so please don’t fight
this coming light
let this blood come cover us
His blood can cover us

this is where the healing begins, oh
this is where the healing starts
when you come to where you’re broken within
the light meets the dark
the light meets the dark

birthdays? nope…but why not put birthday candles in cake and cookies!

who is this handsome fella? a year ago, we were in moldova and addy was getting to know aiden yeats whom we jokingly said was her betrothed husband. come to find out, she actually has the hots for new baby brother, elias. (she’s actually nine months older than him, if you can’t tell.) who would have guessed that she’d have a thing for the younger men…:-)

this is teresa with elias (who is seven months old) and aiden who is now 3 and a half and talking so much more than last year! somehow in the shuffle of kids and company, i don’t have a single picture of steven. ahhhh the fun of being a mom.

this would be potty training made easy thanks to lolly pops. she actually loves to sit on the potty and claps for herself every time she is successful.

this one hates to sit on the potty and asks ten million times “i have candy now, mom?” her candy must wait until afterward or she won’t actually go on the potty!

this would be the death of my cell phone. amazement #1? sarah found it 2 hours later on the freeway. amazement #2? the apple store bought it back and gave me a deal on a replacement. at&t just laughed. lesson learned…don’t leave anything of value (including children) on the bumper of your car while driving.

easter morning fun. addy is not in the picture because she was sound asleep. yes, someone decided to sleep in until 8am on easter morning cause someone loves their mama, right?!

yet another failed attempt to take pictures on my own…someone finally offered to snap this one. i am not sure why i keep trying.

easter presents from grandma cindy!

now what you can’t tell here is that grandpa jim and christian are actually swinging the jump rope for her. grandchildren will make grandparents do things they never thought possible!

we had a great time at grandma cindy and grandpa jim’s home!

when we were at grammie and pops, we tried taking a few pictures in the girls’ christmas dresses (they wore them to cousin emma’s fairy birthday). what you don’t realize is that this is actually an impossible feat and we probably should just give up now. sometimes you just gotta take what you get, right?

she’s totally ready to be a model, but mom says no. i have to confess…i have more fun dressing my kids then myself most days.

if you couldn’t guess, my one year old is way more into taking pictures than my two year old.

i will probably post again soon. i am on posting catching up, i think. i have more pictures including ones from grammie and pops, emma’s birthday and gardening.

we had grand plans. plans to bring matching outfits from grammie. plans to take tons of adorable pictures outside. yes, plans…:-) but alas it all went differently. one outfit was forgotten. we waited until saturday for auntie sarah to take the pictures. emma had a FULL blown cold by then (she’s a champ, cause in these pictures she is sick and medicated). addy needed a nap and was coming down with the same cold. the beautifully sunny week became a cloudy and cold saturday. we ended up putting them in these outfits i had and sarah snapped a few shots of emma the sick and addy the moody. 🙂 i think they are adorable, of course.

we started off so well…with cherrios in hand

they were both kind of grumpy, if you can’t tell

occasionally addy would cheer for herself

we kept trying to get addy to hug, but she just kept talking to her

and crawling on her

and emma kept crawling away

and away

which made addy laugh i guess

getting fiesty

stopping hitting emma in the head, addy!

this would be “addy, give emma a kiss” for the hundredth time.

ah yes, they look like they are having fun.

this is where it ended…with emma giving addy a hug and addy yelling “ow ow ow” and melting down.

something tells me these two cousins are going to become the best of friends pretty soon and share secrets and dreams. i can’t wait until they get to see each other next time.

wow. a month since my last post…it goes just that fast! we are all alive and well around here.

(i think.)

christian was in florida and the bahamas for a week. and while it wasn’t the tropical oasis you are picturing right now, he came home excited and refreshed about ministry. at first i was a little jealous (since i am the wanderer in the family) but after he got home, i was convicted that it was way, way worth being a single parent of four kids and letting him go!

a is doing pretty good in school (even getting a math award) although she is still learning the dynamics of being in a classroom. she is very good in school and probably a little bored, so teaching her to still be focused and respectful is taking a little work. she is growing…half an inch in the last two weeks is just the latest measurement!

b is going to start preschool, finally! everything to do with a foster child involves red tape and time, including enrolling her in preschool. i think we started the process towards the end of january. i have been working on her letters and numbers and colors and shapes and she asks me every morning, “mom, do i have homework today?”

c is getting smaller, faster and all around more active! she is definitely two and some days it just helps to remind myself of that fact. she talks a lot but i am not sure she is thinking all that much while she is talking, heh heh heh! she is positive that everything is the color pink or “lellow” no matter what you tell her. her and addy still play amazingly together which is a blessing!

addy is still the “petite” one in the family (aw, the nice word for short and scrawny!). but oh, does she hold her own. she’s the quietest one of the bunch but she is definitely the thinker around here. she’s also the climber and can scale anything, including a high chair, the sofa, a coffee table, the toilet, etc. she’s giving me gray hairs with that one. she also loves to be outside at any time.

i’ve started potty training my toddlers. c is 2 years, 4 months and very resistant to the idea of sitting on the potty. we are using the bribery method and offering small candies for any form of success. addy is obsessed with the potty and will sit on it whenever you let her so i figured, why not? she is actually the most successful of the two although i am sure c understands what is going on better. we aren’t taking a very aggressive approach and my goal is to be finished sometime this summer, hopefully.

ministry is going good. it took a little time, getting into the “groove” of things and figuring out what works and what doesn’t, but it is really coming together. auntie doh-doh is our other arm, leg and mind and she is playing a big part in the whole thing. sorry grammie, you can never have her back. 🙂 the kids are learning what it means to have both parents work at the church. “we are always here, ya know,” one of them told me last week. it’s true…they nap in the cry room, they clean the church with us, they attend both sunday morning services…the list goes on!

we had friends visit…avery from ukraine/romania and her husband florin and cameron (avery’s brother who is on the east coast going to college right now). we went to the beach and (of course), aunt sarah photographed it for us. whew.

we also had a little surprise party for auntie “g” which included ten adults and thirteen kids!

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

happy valentine’s day from a bunch of goofy girls. we went to first service and actually we were there early with christian setting up. yes, i did finish a and b’s hair in the cafe, but we were there on time! right before taking the girls to their classes, i tried taking a picture of them in their dresses (without auntie sarah or christian or any help at all). it didn’t really go too well, but oh well! either b was pouting or addy was distracted or c was looking at addy telling her to look at mommy or something like that…

after church, the girls’ former foster family took them for the day for a treat. auntie doh-doh had a little addy time…which is kind of fun because last valentine’s day was our first real date after addy was born and sarah’s first time to babysit her and i think, addy’s first time to actually be babysat (longer than a nap).

last year when we came home…the house was clean, the baby was fed and of course, sarah had photographed her. this year, it was the same!

(addy when she was 2.5 months old…check out that dark hair!)

(addy now at 14.5 months old with blond hair that is finally growing!)

we, on the other hand, went to santa monica to eat at my favorite restaurant, walked around and enjoyed some frozen yogurt. it was a nice afternoon/evening and we were very thankful for the opportunity to get away. do we have pictures? nope. but we had fun. 3rd married valentine’s day. good stuff.

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!

Psalm 27:13-14

i’ve got goofballs. no matter how you look at it, i have silly kids.

pops came to visit. he didn’t bring grammie. 🙁 at least he brought goodies from grammie. a snuggly teddy for addy. a cheering carebear that says, “yay c, you ate your vegetables!” a piglet that says, “be brave b!” and a really cool surfing scooby for a seven year old a.

grandma and grandpa burtt also came to visit…which is kind of funny because last year for christian’s birthday, we had pops klein and grandma and grandpa burtt, but no grammie klein.

last year:

this year:

(she poses for the camera, of course!)

(this is in response to saying, “addy put the bag on your head.” she does it with anything!)

(yes, they stuffed her pajamas with wrapping paper! she walked around patting it and giggling.)

we had a lot of fun with 3/4 of our grandparents…a little mario kart (who looks more competitive in the picture…the men or the girls?!). we also went to the mall to play in the indoor play place (because it actually rained almost the entire time!).

(ah yes, the seven year old with attitude.)

(and for that matter, the one year old with attitude!)

(silly faces)

Pictures in the dark:

And finally, thanks to auntie sarah, we had a photo shoot with first a and b and then c. when you look at these and see some of the…energy…you too should appreciate the work that goes into getting just one good picture out of them! thanks, auntie doh-doh (addy’s name for sarah).

this is what we were going for:

but this is more typical:

on that note…

The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Psalm 34:7-8

“since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.”

isaiah 64:4

i keep trying to think of something witty or cute to say in this blog…but i can’t. all my creative juices are being used up by motherhood. most of the time, i am trying to decipher what the heck my kids are saying to me and help them reform some of their ideas.

“you think you are brown because you like chocolate and i am white because i don’t? oh boy.”

“your head explodes when you need to go poop…um…i don’t know what to tell you.”

every day brings a new challenge and every day i am sent running to the cross, begging for help. there really isn’t a lot of fruit to see just yet, but i know it is going to be there some day!

i mean look at her. she’s actually holding that green bean like she enjoys eating it. that my friends, is progress!

january 26th was our court date…the biggest praise of all was that social services were terminated. it’s too much to explain and not really appropriate for a public blog, but i can say that we are (slowly) moving in the right direction. one thing to continue to pray about is the amount of visits we have with the girls’ biological parent. right now, it is two visits per week and we requested a decrease down to one visit per week (since we are the ones dealing with the aftermath of a visit and well, it’s not pretty). the judge should make a decision “when he gets a chance” this week or next. our next court date isn’t until may, so for now…we focus on the simple things…obey…take baths…flush the toilet. you know, just the basics. 🙂

yes, i did take pictures while addy climbed a wall and fell off. if it makes it any better, she did it over and over. she really is her mother’s daughter and if she is going to be a good climber, i am pretty sure this is the age to start practicing, right? by the way, you can be praying for addy. she had a blood test (which was horrible) that came back with a few levels too low and too high. then we had to draw more blood (which was horrible-er) to run a few more tests. as of right now, the two easiest diagnosis are:

1. her levels are a little off after having bronchitis (a typical situation).

2. she genetically inherited celiac’s disease and eating gluten free really is going to be a way of life around here. and while you might think this would be easy for me, it really gets me thinking…a gluten free baby/toddler is going to be a lot of work.

and then after all the doctors visits, she gained a cold. oh thank you doctor’s offices. so now we have snot and barking coughs. oh the joy of germs!

i should get to more important things (you know, brushing my teeth and taking a shower), so i will leave you with these pictures of a typical evening around here:

nothing like library books and homework to make an evening complete!

“and he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ therefore most gladly i will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of christ may rest upon me.”

2 corinthians 12:9

hello friends. hello family.

it’s been an interesting week…and a bit of a long one!

i finally took addy to the doctors last week because she was the only kid not getting over the cold they all shared over new years. ends up, her’s had turned into bronchitis with asthma.

just when she was getting better and sleeping better, she became baby cranky and i thought she was relapsing…then we noticed swollen gums…and at least 4 (maybe 6) teeth coming in!

i wanted to go backwards in time however and share a few pictures from january 1st and 2nd. we were able to FINALLY meet our niece and cousin, emma nichole klein and it was amazing! she is adorable in every way, with huge brown eyes and a smile that lights up her entire countenance. i realized that christian and i are not in any of the pictures, i guess because taking care of four children is a little distracting. b is not in any of the pictures, because, well she was sitting in a corner not getting what she wanted and i decided THAT didn’t need to be photographed!

i am learning a lot. christian is learning a lot. sometimes i try to do it on my own and i feel like giving up and then i am reminded that we aren’t doing this alone…god is doing it and we are just helping. perspective helps. and of course early morning devos with my pj-clad, beanie-wearing, pancake-eating goof ball. 🙂

some days are so good. and some days are so hard. and some days, well they are just this kind of day:

on top of everything else this week, we actually had RAIN! and i mean real, not southern california-style rain! it has poured off and on since sunday! sunday evening we had a movie, popcorn and peach cobbler night (because monday was a school holiday)!

ah, yes…they share sooooo well!

the rain has really intrigued my oldest two, who have only seen snow once thanks to our christmas trip up north. a is still shocked that she actually has to still go to school with all that wetness coming down from the sky! here are a few random pictures i took while they were eating lunch and staring outside at the rain. notice how they take turns smiling, being weird, being grumpy…i don’t think i will ever get just one good picture!

yes, the toddlers are actually easier!

a very big thanks to the grandmas, who provided us with some adorable new outfits for christmas. this is one of said outfits:

yes, i do have my slippers on in this picture. memories, yes. perfection, no.

a few last pictures before i take a shower this morning!

a’s first day of school and a present from her new teacher, ms. c!

addy drinking a bottle when she was sick and a sharing some snuggles with her

addy wakes up at 7a, before the other girls. this is one of the ways she helps mama. who needs toys when you have granola bars and empty oatmeal containers?

oh and a smidge of advertising before i end this post. we are reading “the heart of anger” by lou priolo (thanks gma klein). it’s not just for out of control “angry” kids…it’s for all kids. if you have kids, this is a book you should read. it is really helping us go from having a one year old to having a seven year old!

blessings!

it has been twenty-two days since the girls moved in…at times it feels like they have always lived with us and at other times it feels like it was just yesterday that they came. we went and picked them up on sunday afternoon, five days before christmas. at first we thought that they had so much stuff but now, three weeks later we have come to realize that they had accumulated a lot of junk from living in many different places.

i am not exactly sure how “confidential” to be when talking about them and yet i know that many of you want to know what is happening in our lives and are praying for us. with all that in mind, for now i am just going to nickname them…”a” (who is seven), “b” (who is four) and “c” (who is two) plus of course, addy (who is one)! it’s quite a houseful and although i am adjusting pretty well (coming from a family of eight), honestly it is christian that amazes me sometimes. i can’t imagine how much there is to learn going from an only child to getting married and having four children in two years, but he is hanging in there and he is swimming. although i am sure he would rather not be compared to this story…it makes me think of the mouse that was dropped into a pitcher of cream and kept swimming and swimming until he turned that cream into butter and managed to crawl out. and yes, i did just compare my husband to a mouse.

it’s rarely quiet around here until around eight at night and then it is oh, so peaceful. we are first of all blessed with good sleepers. c goes down first at 7 or 7:30 and falls asleep in her own toddler bed without a sound. then a and b follow at 7:30 or 8 (they share a room with two twin beds). after hugs, stories, hugs, prayers, hugs, kisses and a couple more hugs, they stay in bed and fall asleep. i plug their nightlight in, remind them that they are not allowed to come out and i shut their door. then i give addy a bottle and a moment of quietness and put her to bed in the same room as c (and since c is sound asleep by then, if addy does cry it still doesn’t wake c up). addy actually sleeps the least, from around 8p to 7 or 8a. a and b wake up around 7:30 or 8a. our sleepyhead is c, who i usually open her door to start waking up around 9a! i realize you are all quite jealous right about now, but i really think the lord knew that with everything, we were going to at least need sleep.

however, they talk a lot. and sometimes i forget and i just let them talk and then my head is ringing and i feel exhausted and then i remember that they are sinning with their mouths even if they aren’t saying anything “bad.” they argue a lot too and they correct adults without even blinking an eye because no one took the time to teach them that adults need to be treated differently, with respect, not like a peer.

but they love to learn. they soak up everything you take the time to show them. they were excited to learn how to unload the dishwasher. they want chores and to help in the kitchen. they think folding laundry and making the beds and setting the table and sweeping the floor is fun and exciting and a privilege.

and then the pouting comes and the tantrums and the throwing and kicking. they haven’t been restrained. they haven’t been told “no.” they used to make their own decisions like what to eat for breakfast and what to watch on the television. they don’t necessarily want a bunch of “grown-ups” running the house and acting different. they are offended when they are treated differently because they don’t see themselves as the kids and us as the parents.

yet they are soaking up the bible. we simply speak biblical truths to them everyday, over and over. we are working hard on not making it about us and we are trying not to discipline the external symptoms. we made a chart that has “god” on the top, “mom and dad” in the middle and “kids” on the bottom. we remind them everyday that god has commanded them in the bible to obey their parents and that when they do, they are obeying him also since we are obeying god. we try not to say “don’t correct me because it hurts my feelings” and instead say, “the bible tells children to obey their parents in ephesians and colossians and since we obey the bible in this house, that means you must obey us.”

some days go by and before i know it, it’s bedtime and they haven’t had a single issue. other days they are all in their beds at 6:30p with a couple books and christian and i are in the living room, just sitting on the sofa wondering what we got ourselves into. tuesday night to wednesday morning and friday night to saturday morning are the hardest because of something called visitations. the hoops, the hurdles and the red tape of fostering a child is…daunting, intense and somewhat ridiculous.

and while right now, there are moments when i think we aren’t making a single difference in their lives i am reminded and gently rebuked by a scripture that my mom sent me –

galatians 6: 7-9

do not be deceived, god is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. for he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the spirit will of the spirit reap everlasting life. and let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

amen

p.s. i am completely aware that sentences should never start with: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so…i did get an a+ in english composition…i just don’t care anymore. i have way too many other things on my mind. 🙂

my laundry piles the first week they were here…i think it ended up being five or six loads

how seven suitcases ended up being this much clothing that fit or was appropriate, i have no idea

we tried to have them sit on santa’s lap…it did not work. b was excited the entire time in the line and then took one look at him and said, “i do not want to sit on his lap.” addy and c wailed until christian and i held them. only a was excited…the others look like we traumatized them. :-/

at least he gave them books that they loved reading outside the mall while christian waited in line to pay a million dollars for that stunning previous picture.

we made sugar cookies and played the wii during the week since it was christmas vacation!

we celebrated on christmas’ eve’s eve with grandma and grandpa burtt

(i know, addy is thrilled in this picture)

we went to burbank on christmas eve with friends that we grew up with and are pretty much family

we wore matching christmas jammies from auntie sarah and set out cookies and milk and oatmeal (for the reindeer) because besides being scarred for life by seeing santa at the mall, i guess they were actually still excited to get presents. 🙂

we even got bikes and really cool toys because god always provides in random ways!

we went up north (night time driving, baby) and spend a week at grammie and pops klein’s house along with dora and spencer (who was waiting for his mommy and daddy to bring home his new baby sister!).

sacramento train museum

bedtime rituals (i know, i know…another thrilled picture of addy!)

we even went to truckee to play in the snow, where we all had a blast (can’t you tell?)

oh and rode the gondola and played with uncle andrew and uncle timothy and finally crashed on the way home.

i have a few more picture, but they are still on my camera and it is getting late. we were also able to meet emma nichole klein, my beautiful new niece who i could not snuggle enough while we were there. i will try to post those also when i get the chance!

but until then, be blessed!

yes, i’m finally posting addy’s one year pictures…even though now she is thirteen months! we had a little photo shoot, courtesy of auntie sarah and it turned out great (even though we woke her up, put her in a dress and took her picture all before sarah left on an airplane on an early saturday morning!)

addy is still an easy baby (toddler?) as you can maybe tell from the pictures. she is just very busy…something we should have guessed when she was trying to walk around the coffee table at five months old (before she had even learned to crawl). i really can’t turn around…she has discovered how to open baby locks and if the bathroom door isn’t completely latched, she’ll gladly put all her toys away IN the toilet.

however i haven’t met a happier baby yet. she is adjusting pretty well to three more kids in the home and simply trying to “catch up.” she pretty much spends the entire day running after them! she grew so fast in the beginning and now the doctors say she is “petite” for her age…guess she blends in well with the other “shorties” in the family!

enjoy!

mama’s happy girl

christmas teddy bear that plays music

that bow is barely hanging in there!

checking out the grass

she gives everything a hug or kiss lately

this is one of my favorites!

still eats anything she can find

oh yes, opinionated too!

oh to be amazed by your own fingers…

and she communicates well. this one says: ALL DONE!