Mullins Party of Five

How Time Flies...

2011-11-28T16:20:00.000-08:00

Wow! I can't believe how long it's been since I blogged! Hoping to do better! We are doing great and enjoying the fall weather! After months and months of 100 degree temps (and no rain) the cooler weather is wonderful! We haven't been up to much but here are a few things going on in the Mullins household.
Hannah is doing great...growing up way too fast of course. Hard to believe she'll be 3 in January. She is finally potty-trained. It took FOREVER! But I didn't rush her and she's finally made up her mind to do it. :)
Joey had a great season of football as quarterback until he got a concussion. He had to miss the last 4 games of the season. He is doing much better now but had daily headaches for a couple of months. Pretty scary for mom! Wishing he would pick another sport but doesn't look like that will happen. He has been busy hunting...hoping to get his first buck soon.
Andrew is doing great. He had a karate tournament a few weeks ago and placed 2nd in his age group. We are so proud of him! He is a blue belt and will probably be testing for the next belt soon.
We had a fun Halloween and a great Thanksgiving break. I've included some pics of the last few months. Will post again soon!

Siblings

2011-09-14T09:29:00.000-07:00

Still a Princess...

2011-07-16T22:02:00.000-07:00

...even if she only wears the crown upside down.

Africa Tshirts

2011-07-13T08:23:00.000-07:00

Thanks to those who ordered tshirts. If anyone else is interested, let me know. Eddie will be printing some more again next week. Also, if you want a color besides yellow, we can do that.

You can email me at jamullins@cableone.net. Thanks!

The Heat is On!

2011-07-08T17:05:00.000-07:00

For the past 20 something days, Duncan Oklahoma has been having record temperatures. They have ranged from 101 to 112 and that's not counting the heat index! It's getting ridiculous. In the meantime, we have been in the pool almost every day to stay cool! Although we are enjoying the pool time, I am ready for the FALL! :)
Oh...the "swimming cap" on her head is actually the bottoms to her swimsuit. :)

Popcorn

2011-06-18T20:01:00.000-07:00

Hannah's favorite food is popcorn. I think she would eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I let her. Izzie, our dog, likes popcorn too. :)

New Africa Shirts!

2011-06-13T17:17:00.001-07:00

$10.00 plus shipping. Just email me if you are interested in one.

HAPPY GOTCHA DAY MISS HANNAH!!!

2011-05-26T07:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Meetcha Day Hannah!

2011-05-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

Hannah...two years ago today, we met you for the very first time. We had waited so long to hold you in our arms. It was the best day ever! We love you so much! You are such a blessing to us and to so many others. We love you Hannah Rose Sitota!

Can't Believe It's May!

2011-05-14T12:59:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe we are already half way thru May! In a couple of weeks we will be celebrating our Gotcha Day! Miss Hannah has been home for almost 2 years...unbelievable. She brings so much laughter to our house. I thank God every single day for placing her in our family. Here are a few pics, of course. :)

Happy Easter!!!

2011-04-24T19:51:00.001-07:00

How to get rid of green beans...

2011-04-15T20:08:00.000-07:00

Bath Time

2011-03-20T17:07:00.000-07:00

Spring Break 2011

2011-03-17T15:28:00.000-07:00

Can't believe it's already mid-March! I have been SO behind on blogging. I'm going to try to do better. We are enjoying our Spring Break. We haven't done much other than just hang out together. So it's been wonderful! Andrew got his blue belt in karate! We are so proud! Here are a few Spring Break pics.

Sidewalk Chalk...

2011-02-22T16:11:00.000-08:00

I'm Two

2011-01-31T20:39:00.000-08:00

Does this look like the face of a girl in the terrible two's??? Well, it is!!! :)

Happy 2nd Birthday Hannah!

2011-01-25T21:16:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to All!!!

2010-12-26T14:27:00.001-08:00

Michael Buble...

2010-12-09T20:16:00.000-08:00

My sis and I had a girls night out with Michael Buble! Thought I'd share some pics!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T21:50:00.000-08:00

Pig Tails

2010-11-23T19:05:00.000-08:00

Hannah's hair is getting long and we wondered what it would look like in pig tails. Pretty cute!

Here's what it looks like when we take the pig tails out though! :)

And here's just a funny face. :)

November...

2010-11-12T07:33:00.000-08:00

November and December are my favorite months of the year. I love the fall weather and of course the Christmas season. I'm one of those crazy people who puts my tree up before Thanksgiving. I love looking at it and one month just isn't enough time for me to enjoy it. My hubby, however, would rather enjoy it for a week...maybe two. So while he was "out", I had my boys help me get the tree out of the attic and we had it decorated before Eddie got home. It was fun putting it up and fun being sneaky about it. :) Hannah loved decorating and acted like she had been doing it for years. I didn't even have to show her how to put the ornaments on the tree. So cute. Here are a few pics...

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-30T20:04:00.000-07:00

October Happenings...

2010-10-20T20:24:00.000-07:00

I can't believe October is going by so quickly! I haven't blogged in a while and I'm going to try to do better! Here are a few things going on in the Mullins household...
Joey got a concussion at a football game. Of course this happened while Eddie was coaching a Middle School game about an hour and a half away. Pretty scary for me!He's doing much better now. He also got his cast off (from a broken thumb...again football) so he's very happy about that!
Andrew went to his first karate tournament last weekend and did awesome! He got 3rd place. We are SO proud of him!!!
Hannah is doing well. She's such a happy little girl. I love waking up to her smile...it totally makes my day. She will be 21 months at the end of this week. It's going by way too quickly.
Here are a few pics...because you know how I love pics!!!

Abbie's Wedding

2010-10-01T17:07:00.000-07:00

Last weekend my cousin Abbie got married to Rodney. We had such a good time at the reception. Hannah danced for 3 hours straight...except when she stopped to eat cake. Here are a few pics...

What a Difference!!!

2010-09-29T16:23:00.000-07:00

Hannah at 4 months old...

Hannah at 20 months old...

It's still so amazing for me to look back at pictures of Hannah when we met her. She was so tiny and skinny that we could see every rib. She has grown so much and is so strong and healthy. I so wish the nannies who took care of her for the first 4 months of her life could see her now!

Some Random Pics...

2010-09-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

Some September Pics...

2010-09-18T11:14:00.001-07:00

Hannah usually doesn't mind me taking pics of her and will sometimes even pose for me.

But sometimes she has had ENOUGH! NO MORE PICS MOM!!!

Here Comes Trouble...

2010-09-10T10:26:00.000-07:00

Sidewalk Chalk...Bret Michaels :)

2010-08-30T15:29:00.000-07:00

Hannah is now 19 months old! So hard to believe how quickly she is growing up.

Eddie and I finally got to celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary at a Bret Michaels concert. We had a blast!!!

Little Rocker

2010-08-17T16:16:00.000-07:00

Hannah decided if Daddy set up his drums in HER room, then she should be able to play them! And she did!!!

Andrew's Green Belt in Karate...and a few more Beach Pics

2010-08-11T14:28:00.000-07:00

We are so proud of our youngest son, Andrew. He got his green belt on Saturday!

Beach Vacation Pics

2010-07-30T18:35:00.000-07:00

Guess Who's 18 Months!

2010-07-24T17:30:00.001-07:00

Article by Tom Davis

2010-07-22T08:15:00.000-07:00

Please read this article by Tom Davis about the sex trafficking happening in India. I couldn't get the PayPal button to post correctly so if you'd like to give to this cause, please click on Tom Davis Blog listed under "Favorites" on the right.

Wednesday July 21, 2010
Categories: Orphans, Sex Trafficking, The Poor
It's apparently very simple.

First, you establish yourself as a respected community leader who heads up a women's rights group in India. This will solidify your reputation as someone who protects and defends young girls.

Next, you need to really specialize in something to keep the customers coming back for more. You need, as the marketers call it, a "unique value proposition." You decide to focus on virgin girls. Highly prized and more expensive than girls with experience.

For clientele, you cater to corrupt police officials, local authorities, and the occasional visiting VIP or dignitary. That way, you'll always remain safe from raids and prosecutions.

Last, and most importantly, you need a good supply of virgins. For that you have an arrangement with the local boarding school for girls. Potential customers browse through your photo book of potential child sex victims. Once they make their choice, you bring the girls to your brothel to be raped for profit.

Sadly, this true story is unfolding right now in India.

A well-respected women's leader and her husband run a trafficking and prostitution ring specializing in virgins and young girls. The description above is true in its details, documented by our partners in India.

A rescue operation is in the works, and I am raising funds through this blog to free as many girls as we can. Will you help us?

They have documented at least five minors--all girls--being held as slaves. The rescue plan involves using the local television station to expose the operation, and thereby force the police to conduct the raid.

Will you join me in supporting this rescue operation? Here are the details:

Rescue Operation: $1,250 - ($125 per girl we plan to rescue)
If we successfully rescue 10 girls, that's just $125 per child saved. This involves setting up the rescue operation, getting the investigative team in place, coordinating with the media and police, and conducting the raid itself. Even if $1,250 rescued only one girl, it would be far worth the investment.

Rescue Kits for Each Girl: $450 - ($45 per girl up to 10 girls)
These kits are the first step in restoring a girl's dignity. They contain clothing and personal hygiene supplies. The girls are taken immediately to a government after-care facility, and these kits provide each girl with needed supplies for the long journey ahead.

Professional Social Worker: $6,000 - Salary for 12 months
Once in the government after-care home, our partners will send a Christian social worker to meet with each of the girls and begin to counsel them toward long-term recovery. Until the girls are allowed to leave that facility, our partners will provide consistent biblical counseling from a licensed and educated social worker. Providing this victims' advocate is critical because in many cases girls are returned to the parents or relatives who sold them to the brothel in the first place.

Our goal is to rescue up to ten girls. Although in a similar attempt a few weeks ago, only one girl was freed from her captors. I will keep you posted, and encourage you to continue to pray, to spread the word, and to give as you are able.

Here are two ways you can be involved:

Join our Prayer Conference Call Today
Our prayer team, iFast58, will pray for this operation on their weekly sex trafficking prayer call. Please join them today (July 21) at 1:30pm Eastern Time. Call 760-569-9000 ID: 968101. If you can't make the call, please commit to pray for this rescue.

Make a Gift to the India Rescue Operation
Click the donate button at the top of this post to make a gift toward this rescue operation. A gift of any size will make a difference. Give even $5 to stop this horror. A $45 gift buys one girl a rescue kit. A $125 donation helps rescue one girl (if we are successful in freeing 10 children). A $500 gift pays for after-care social work for the girls. Make a gift today. All donations are processed by PayPal and received by Children's HopeChest, a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit corporation. We are members of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability also. For more information about our ministry, please visit http://hopechest.org.

Re-Post this Entire Article on Your Blog
Feel free to copy and paste the whole article on to your blog for your reading audience.

And The Winner Is...

2010-07-16T17:30:00.001-07:00

SHANNON PLUMB!!!
Just email me your address and I'll get your CD in the mail! Thanks everybody!

CD GIVEAWAY REMINDER

2010-07-15T05:41:00.000-07:00

Remember to enter for The Revolving CD giveaway! Just leave me a comment and I'll put your name in the drawing. Hannah will draw a name tomorrow evening. Good luck!

Funny Face

2010-07-11T14:20:00.000-07:00

The Revolving played last night in a park in Duncan. We had a great time! Remember if you want a chance to win one of their CDs, see the post below! Thought I'd share some pics from last night.

FUN GIVEAWAY

2010-07-09T12:24:00.000-07:00

Just for fun...I am going to be giving away The Revolving's new CD. They are a great Christian rock band. My hubby plays the drums. Just leave me a comment and you will be entered for the drawing. I will print them out and draw a winner next Friday! Good luck!
Click HERE to go to the band's website.

Reunited...

2010-07-05T18:17:00.001-07:00

Got to see an old friend after many years! It was so great catching up where we left off. Love ya Angi!!!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

2010-07-05T10:23:00.001-07:00

Our Little Sunshine

2010-07-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

Finally got some cute pics with REAL smiles instead of fake ones. Caught her when she was about ready for a nap! :)

Camera Ready

2010-07-01T15:02:00.000-07:00

Hannah now poses for pictures as soon as she sees my camera. So now there are no normal smiles from her...just fake ones. Too cute. :)

She is 17 months old and SO MUCH FUN! Here are a few of her favorite things right now.
Dancing (especially to Bon Jovi)
Singing
Playing in the pool
Finding Nemo
Curious George
Sidewalk Chalk
Screaming when her brothers pick on her
Being outside
Sleeping in late

She's growing up WAY TOO FAST, but we are enjoying every single minute!

A Fun Weekend

2010-06-22T20:11:00.000-07:00

We had a birthday party over the weekend for Brady, my nephew. It was so good seeing my sis and her family. She only lives and hour and a half away but we don't see each other enough!

Crazy Hair

2010-06-18T18:37:00.000-07:00

This is Hannah's hair after swimming and a nap. :)

Blog Makeover

2010-06-18T10:34:00.000-07:00

Isn't my new blog SO CUTE??? Becky Burk did it and she can fix yours up too! Click HERE!

Did You Know?

2010-06-16T06:35:00.000-07:00

Did you know there are 147 million orphans in the world? Did you know that if only 7% of professing Christians responded, every single orphan in the world would have a home?

A Fun Day at the Lake

2010-06-14T19:44:00.000-07:00

Summer Fun

2010-06-10T14:18:00.000-07:00

Fort Worth Stockyards and Zoo

2010-06-08T17:32:00.000-07:00

THE REVOLVING

2010-06-08T12:08:00.000-07:00

Check out my hubby's band, The Revolving, HERE. They are Christian rock and sound great! CDs are available for $10 on the band's website. They will be opening for Fireflight tomorrow night at Fuqua Park in Duncan Oklahoma.

Africa Homecoming

2010-06-06T15:01:00.001-07:00

The flight home was about an hour and a half longer than the flight to Addis Ababa. However we slept most of the way and it felt much shorter to me. When we got off the plane, I changed Hannah's clothes and got her "ready" to meet my parents and sister and father in law. We thought we would just be seeing them, but when we exited the terminal, we saw aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. When I saw everyone I started to cry. I didn't think I would be emotional but I sure was. We had waited so long to have Hannah home...and our family and friends had waited with us...and here we were with Hannah on Oklahoma soil! It was wonderful. I will never forget that wonderful day...

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Friday...Africa Trip

2010-06-04T17:17:00.000-07:00

Friday morning we got up, ate breakfast and packed. I was very sad to be leaving although I really wanted to see my parents and sister and couldn't wait for them to meet Hannah. Our plane didn't leave until late Friday night so we had time to kill during the day. Robel took all of us to the Coffee Factory. I thought that would be a very boring part of the trip but it ended up being very interesting. He also took us to a sports store and the boys got Ethiopian soccer jerseys, which they love! After that we headed back to the Guest House to finish packing. And this is when our wonderful trip took a very negative turn. I didn't even post about this last year because our trip had been so great and I didn't want anything to be negative about it. While we were packing the last few things, my oldest son, Joey said he wasn't feeling well. In just a matter of minutes, he started throwing up very violently and could not stop. We were supposed to head to the airport in one hour and he was laying on the bathroom floor so sick. He was begging me to get another flight but I was so afraid to do this. I was scared that if he got dehydrated or worse we would be at an Ethiopian hospital, which is very different than hospitals in the U.S. I thought if we could at least get him on the plane, we could get to Chicago and get help there before coming home to Oklahoma. I had never seen Joey this sick. I will leave out the gross stuff but long story short, he had to carry a bag with him on the bus and at the airport. And the airport was horrible this time...long lines and it took FOREVER to get on the plane. My mother in law was also feeling bad and I wasn't sure if she was going to pass out or not. At one point, we were told we couldn't take any water thru the gate and Joey needed it desperately. Eddie nearly lost it. Thank goodness he didn't.
We finally got on the plane after several hours and we found out that Eddie and Andrew were on the other side of the plane and Andrew wasn't feeling well. I was devastated and didn't know how I was going to take care of Joey and Hannah all by myself. So I sat there on the runway and began to cry uncontrollably. I'm sure the people around me were wondering what was going on but I couldn't help it. And I could feel a panic attack coming quickly. I was sitting on a plane in Africa...it was about 10:00 at night...separated from Eddie and Andrew and my mother in law...and I had a baby and a sick boy to comfort. Also at that time my mind started to think of all the countries we were going to be flying over...not so friendly ones...and fear took over my body.
I had been praying all day for us to have a safe trip and for Joey to feel better but I started praying as hard as I could at that moment the plane was taking off. And as I desperately prayed, we were in the air. I told God how scared I was and how I didn't think I could handle this situation. I told God that I am not the type of person who needs to see signs from Him, but that at this time I needed a sign from Him that everything was going to be ok. And I needed it FAST! As soon as I said those words to Him, the plane turned in the air and then was straight again. I looked out my window and couldn't believe my eyes. There was a FULL MOON right outside my window and it looked as though I could touch it if I wanted to. I had never in my life seen a moon like this one and it was the most beautiful sight. It was so large that I couldn't see anything else. I could not stop staring at it and God reminded me that He created that moon...and that He created me and that He is SO powerful and there is nothing that He can't do. He told me right then that He would be taking care of us. The moon was the sign that I needed to see and I will never forget that moment the rest of my life. There was absolutely no doubt in my mind that we were going to be safe and that everything was going to be ok. I looked at my sweet Joey, who was all of a sudden feeling MUCH better. He said he didn't feel sick anymore and that he was going to sleep. My precious Hannah fell asleep and I was able to put her in the bassinet that was in front of my chair. Eddie came by to check on us and told me that Andrew was fine and about to go to sleep. All was well in my world and I knew that we were totally resting in God's hands. And I drifted off to sleep.
I will post about our homecoming in the next few days and I will post more pics of Ethiopia.

Kind Hearts School

2010-06-02T11:09:00.000-07:00

I plan to continue writing about our Africa trip (since we just celebrated our 1 year Gotchaversary with Hannah) but wanted to share this with everyone. A few months ago, our family made some tshirts for the children attending Kind Hearts School in Addis Ababa. They were delivered last week and I received this wonderful pic yesterday. We absolutely LOVE seeing those precious kids wearing the tshirts. Hope we can do it again soon!

If you'd like to sponsor a child, please go to Karen Wistrom's blog HERE. Will post more pics of the kids in their shirts after I receive them in the next few weeks.

Africa Trip...Thursday

2010-05-31T11:57:00.000-07:00

Our Africa Trip continued...
Thursday was a really fun day. After breakfast at the Guest House, we went shopping at a really cool place. The people were so friendly. I carried Hannah in a sling and women would come up to me to peek at her and most would say "Bless you" or "Thank you". The boys bought some t-shirts and I bought more scarves and purses. A girl can't have too many scarves and purses, right? We also bought a traditional outfit for Hannah. (The outfit is so close to fitting her finally...can't wait for her to wear it!!!) After shopping we headed to Metro Pizza for lunch. The pizza was really good!!! Best ever! We had a lot left over so we took it back to the Guest House to have for dinner too. After lunch, we headed back to the Guest House to rest and spend more time with Hannah. It was a great day and a very relaxing evening. I was not ready to head home the next day. I wanted to stay a few more days!

2010-05-30T12:42:00.000-07:00

Finally getting a chance to continue with our Africa trip!
Wednesday was the day we had our Embassy appointment...the day Hannah OFFICIALLY was ours to take home! I had been dreading this day...not sure why...not that I was nervous about it, but I just wanted this part overwith so we could enjoy the rest of our trip. It wasn't bad at all. We were just asked a few questions and our part was over in about 10 minutes. It probably would have been even faster but Eddie and the lady at the window ended up talking about stuff that had nothing to do with our adoption. :)
After our appointment, we headed back to the Guest House and then decided to go with the Heinrichs and Roths to the Zebra Grill. It was just a couple of blocks from the Guest House so we walked. The Zebra Grill was pretty interesting. Eddie got a hamburger and loved it. Andrew got one too but it was way too spicy for him. Joey got ribs. (While we waited for the food, we saw the cook head out the front door of the restaurant and in a few minutes he came back with a tub...of Joey's fresh ribs that he got at the butcher shop across the street. Then he grilled them right there in front of us.) I played it safe and got a bean burrito. It was really good. :)
On the walk back to the Guest House, we did a little shopping. Then we just chilled for the night.
Will try to post about Thursday later tonight...

Gotcha Day!

2010-05-27T17:27:00.000-07:00

Well, I got busy yesterday and didn't get a chance to post about Gotcha Day. We woke up that morning and headed to the Hilton to do lots of final paperwork. I actually chilled for a while in the shade while Eddie did the paperwork. We did find out that Hannah's birth certificate had a different date as her birthday than the day we were told. :)
When paperwork was finished we got back on the bus and headed to the transitional home to get Hannah! As she was handed to me, it was so wonderful knowing that she was with us forever! The nannies were so sweet and they told me her schedule and showed me the formula she was taking. (Eddie bought a few cans later that evening so we could slowly switch her to American formula). The nannies held Hannah and kissed her and we could tell it was very hard for them to say goodbye to her. As we loaded on the bus, they stood on the porch and cried. It really broke our hearts to see this. But at the same time, we knew that Hannah and the other children were very loved and taken care of by these sweet ladies. When we got back to the Guest House, we took Hannah upstairs and bathed her and did lots of cuddling. We didn't have anything on our schedule that night and we were glad because we got to do a lot of family bonding. What a great day!!!

Meetcha Day!!!

2010-05-25T13:29:00.000-07:00

One year ago today, we met our sweet little Hannah for the first time. I will never forget any moment of that special day. I remember waking up at our guest house and looking out on the balcony at the city of Addis Ababa, knowing she was out there somewhere and that soon I would have my hands on her! I knew that all those years of waiting, paperwork, more paperwork, more waiting was finally coming to an end. That light at the end of the tunnel was finally shining very brightly!!!
We nervously ate breakfast with our group and found out that instead of going to do paperwork, we were going shopping and that the paperwork would be done the next day. Seriously? Shopping? All I wanted to do was get to Hannah. But there was a schedule of course, so we went shopping. And shopping I did. I bought way too many scarves but they were so beautiful and cheap! We ate lunch with our group and then got on the bus to head to the transitional home, where Hannah was waiting.
The bus ride to the transitional home was pretty quiet, even with 4 other families. I think we were taking it all in...the people...the sounds...the smells of Addis Ababa. But when the bus turned on to a very bumpy road, Robel, our wonderful guide, said something about being almost there and I felt like I couldn't breathe. The tears were starting to form in my eyes but I did my best to stop them. I didn't want to be bawling when Hannah saw me for the first time. So I fought them back. The bus pulled through the big gate and we were there...and Hannah was inside somewhere. I turned to Eddie and our boys and said "This is it". We waited in the courtyard and watched as a couple of families got their babies. Then it was our turn. A sweet lady walked out the door holding our little Hannah and I could not believe how tiny she was! Just like a newborn baby! I kissed her and held her tight and everything was perfect. She never cried with all of us holding her and loving on her. We only had a few hours to spend with her before leaving her for one more night. The next day would be Gotcha Day and then she would be with us forever! More to come!

2010-05-19T16:49:00.000-07:00

Next week we will be celebrating our Gotcha Day with Hannah. It just amazes me to think back to how little she was when we got her...8 lbs at 4 months! Now she's a whopping 20 lbs and running all over the place! She was this quiet little baby and now I hear "Momma" and "Daddy" about 100 times a day. She absolutely LOVES to dance. It doesn't matter if music is on tv, or in our car, or our ringtones or alarm clock...if she hears music, she automatically starts dancing. (We have it on video and I'll post it soon. :)) Before we went to Ethiopia, I had heard that Ethiopians were quiet, mild mannered people...and when we got there I found it to be completely true. Well, not the Ethiopian who lives at our house! She is quite vocal and can throw a fit when she doesn't get her way. And I'm talking about a throw-herself-on-the-floor fit with arms waving and legs kicking. (Ok...as I'm writing this some music started on the tv and she is dancing in the kitchen...love it!) Anyway, neither of my boys did this tantrum throwing so this is new to me! If anybody has any good ideas, send them my way!
We are so crazy about this little girl and we really can't believe that we will be celebrating Gotcha Day next week. I will probably post some pics and talk about our trip again in some posts in the next few days since our trip will be on my mind. More to come!

Last Post Placement Visit and Prayer Request

2010-05-15T16:11:00.000-07:00

We had our last post placement visit with our wonderful caseworker, Deirdre. It's so great to have that finished but at the same time we are going to really miss seeing her. It's hard to believe that we've had Hannah home for almost a year. Just doesn't seem possible.
On another note...please keep my friend Karen and her husband in your prayers. I can't go into detail but they are in desperate need of prayer for their adoption. Thanks!

Some Exciting News...

2010-05-05T08:59:00.001-07:00

My husband is in a Christian Rock band, called The Revolving. They released their first album and it's great! CDs are only $10 right now and will be available thru the band's website later this week. If you want one sooner though, you can email me and I'll get you one. CLICK HERE

2010-05-01T21:44:00.000-07:00

Just a few Africa Shirts left...

2010-04-27T11:29:00.000-07:00

We only have a few Africa tshirts left (see design on the right). Let me know if you are interested and I'll see if we have the size you need. Adult tshirts are $12 and kids are $8. Thanks!!!

Sidewalk chalk...so much fun

2010-04-23T15:44:00.001-07:00

2010-04-17T17:15:00.000-07:00

I know I usually post about Hannah or my boys or adoption...but sometimes I just post about stuff that makes me happy. And...Bon Jovi makes me happy. :)

Last weekend, Eddie and I got to go to Dallas and see him in concert. We had so much fun and stayed overnight. It was our first night away from Hannah but we all did great! :)

This little guy was sitting two rows behind us. He's the cutie from The Blind Side. I think he got more attention than Bon Jovi. Well...not from me though. :)

Check this out!!!

2010-04-15T21:52:00.000-07:00

Check out my husband's band, The Revolving, (a Christian rock band) and listen to a few of their songs from their album which is coming out very soon!!!
CLICK HERE
Leave a comment and let me know what you think! Good or bad! :)

Easter Pics

2010-04-08T18:28:00.000-07:00

T-Shirt Update

2010-04-08T09:05:00.001-07:00

We still have a few t-shirts left in stock in case anyone is wanting one. The adult shirts are $15 and the kid sizes are $10...that includes shipping. We have 1 adult small, 2 adult large, 2 child large (size 14-16), 1 child medium (size 10-12), 3 child small (size 6-8), 1 XS (size 2-4), 1 3T and 1 2T. Let me know if you are interested and I will get them in the mail asap. Thanks!!!

Fun Pics

2010-04-03T11:16:00.000-07:00

A Fun Afternoon at Grammy's House...

2010-04-01T21:33:00.000-07:00

Hannah's Egg Hunt at Daycare

2010-04-01T11:46:00.000-07:00

Hannah had her first egg hunt today at her daycare. She found one egg to put in her basket and then she was finished!!! :)

Here's the one egg she put in her basket.

Maybe by Sunday she'll be ready to hunt again. Guess all her cousins will be happy if she hunts like she did today! :)

T-Shirts

2010-03-30T06:29:00.000-07:00

We have a few tshirts left in stock in case anyone is still interested. We won't be printing anymore of this design so we are just selling the sizes we have left. Also, we are selling the adult shirts for $15 and the kid sizes for $10...that includes shipping. We are now out of pink. In the blue, we have 1 adult small, 2 adult large, 2 child large (size 14-16), 1 child medium (size 10-12), 3 child small (size 6-8), 1 XS (size 2-4), 2 3Ts and 1 2T. Let me know if you are interested and I will get them in the mail asap. Thanks!!!

Some Fun Pics...

2010-03-25T07:21:00.000-07:00

Kind Hearts T-Shirts

2010-03-21T13:51:00.000-07:00

Eddie and I are so excited! We are donating tshirts to Kind Hearts, a school in Ethiopia. The kids will be getting the shirts next month when a lady from Hopechest delivers them while on a mission trip. We look forward to seeing pictures of the children wearing them. Will post as soon as I have those!!!

Hannah Rockin Out to Free Bird

2010-03-19T21:01:00.000-07:00

Enjoying Spring Break

2010-03-17T11:58:00.000-07:00

This last picture is Hannah's crazy look. If you can't tell, she is screaming at the top of her lungs. Then she stops and grins. :)
We are having a fun, relaxing Spring Break. Lots of family time!!! Hope everyone else is too!!!

Fabulous Friday

2010-03-12T11:48:00.001-08:00

I am so glad it's Friday...and better yet...Spring Break is next week so I'll be off with my kids and hubby all week. It's really nice that Eddie and I both work for the schools because we get to be off from work everytime they are out of school. Love that! I'm really ready to have some family time. We have no plans...pretty much just hanging out together. So I'm hoping the weather is nice so we can be outside.
Hannah is doing great. She cracks us up every single day. She absolutely LOVES music. My boys liked it too as babies but she is crazy about it. The second she hears music she starts dancing...waving her hands in the air and turning in circles. A Justin Timberlake song started playing on the radio while we were in the car last night and she started bobbing her head along with the beat...and then the hands started waving. I thought we were going to have to pull over because we were all laughing so hard. I've got to get this on video soon and post it!!!
On another note...there are a lot of changes taking place with Ethiopian adoptions. These changes might be for the better but they might not. Please pray for families who are in the process right now who are affected by the new rules. Pray that they have peace about it knowing God is still in control. Adoption is such an amazing journey...full of ups and downs...but totally worth it!!! Just keep these families in your prayers!

Too Many Hannah Pics...I Know

2010-03-09T18:47:00.000-08:00

Pants on Her Head

2010-03-08T16:35:00.001-08:00

Lollipop Lollipop...

2010-03-05T18:44:00.000-08:00

REFERRAL-ANNIVERSARY!!!

2010-03-03T06:21:00.000-08:00

One year ago today I stayed home from work with a terrible migraine. I had probably brought it on myself because I had been so stressed out from waiting for the phone to ring for the past month. I was almost in a state of depression because we had been waiting 10 months since Ethiopia received our dossier. However, we had really been waiting almost 4 years since we first began with China. I was truly at the end of my rope and knowing we were so close was making me crazy. I wondered if we really ever were going to get "the call". We had requested a baby girl at first, but then decided we needed to leave it in God's hands. We trusted that He had the right child in His plan for our family whether a girl or a boy. Usually, with Ethiopia, if you request either gender it is usually a boy who is referred. We already had a lot of "pink" but decided we could exchange things if needed. Anyway, I was at home laying on the couch, fighting a migraine and had taken a pain pill for it so I was kind of "loopy" and feeling sorry for myself. My hair was pulled up in a clip, no make up, and I was wearing my favorite pj's...not exactly the way I had planned in my head for our "referral video". :)
Anyway, when the phone rang I almost didn't answer it. I had contacted our agency a while back and asked them to call on my cell phone since I would probably be at work. So I wasn't expecting my home phone to ring. I decided to go ahead and pick it up and noticed it was a long distance number. I recognized the pre-fix as AWAA's and honestly when I picked it up, I thought I was going to be asked again if we were ok with a boy or a girl. I had pretty much given up on getting a referral that day...that week. When I heard Terra's voice I could tell she was excited when she said hello. I sat up quickly, forgot about my migraine and listened carefully as she told me that "today is the day" and would I like to get Eddie on the phone. I knew he was in class and couldn't get phonecalls very easily so I told her it was okay and that I'd get him home in time to see the referral pics. She told me they matched us with a baby girl...and I think I stopped breathing at that moment...and then I began sobbing so much I couldn't hear what else she was saying. I pulled myself together and grabbed a pen and paper to write down things she was telling me. All the time though in my head I was thinking "a girl, a girl, a girl"! Her name was Sitota and she was very tiny, but healthy. All the weight of the 4 years of waiting was lifted right off of my shoulders and this was really happening. She said to be expecting an email right away with Sitota's picture and some info. So I texted Eddie immediately and wrote" We have a baby...Come home now" and he was at the house within a minute I think!! He walked in the door and I was a sobbing mess. I told him we have a baby girl and we hugged and hugged and cried together. I will never forget that moment or the look on Eddie's face for as long as I live.
It doesn't seem like a year ago that all this took place. But at the same time it seems like our precious Sitota (who's name means gift) has been a part of our lives forever! We are blessed and could never imagine our lives without her! So for all of you who are waiting for your referral (especially you Karen) hang in there. God's timing is perfect and all the waiting, crying, and waiting some more will be worth it!

2 Days...

2010-03-01T18:33:00.000-08:00

Two more days and it will be a year since we got our referral for Hannah! How the time flies!

T-Shirts

2010-02-28T18:07:00.000-08:00

Finally got pics of our new Africa shirts...posted on the right. Let us know if you are interested! We have them printed and they turned out really cute!

Ethiopian Food and Friends

2010-02-27T20:34:00.000-08:00

Hannah's Doing Great!

2010-02-25T21:07:00.000-08:00

Hannah is feeling so much better. We are so glad she got over RSV quickly. She's back up and running! Well...not really running, but she's walking everywhere! :)

Read This Post

2010-02-24T16:10:00.000-08:00

Everyone needs to read this post "my heart spilled..." It really touched me. Katie lives in Uganda and has adopted 14 girls. Click HERE

Hannah Feeling Better

2010-02-21T12:56:00.000-08:00

After a quick trip to the ER at about 2:00am this morning, a breathing treatment, and some meds, Hannah is doing much better! And I am too!

Hannah and Mommy Sick Today

2010-02-18T10:57:00.000-08:00

Hannah and I are feeling really crummy today. I think we have a cold. If you think of us, please say a little prayer. We are so ready to feel better!

Some Fun Pics

2010-02-17T09:39:00.000-08:00

Hannah and Eli Sittin' In a Tree...

2010-02-15T14:27:00.000-08:00

Is this a cute pic or what? I totally stole it from the Winters blog. CLICK HERE. Their precious son, Eli and Hannah were hanging out together at The Queen of Sheba restaurant the other night. So cute!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T11:03:00.000-08:00

I love you Eddie! I'm so blessed to be married to you!

Adult T-shirt Price Reduced

2010-02-13T20:32:00.000-08:00

We are selling the adult tshirts for $18 instead of $20. I think we found a cheaper way to ship them. The kid shirts are still $15. We can print as small as 2T. We will be printing some this week so let me know if you'd like to be included in that order. Thanks!!
P.S. The price does include shipping.

Walking, walking

2010-02-13T12:20:00.000-08:00

Hannah's having so much fun walking! She'll get across the room and then look to see if we watched her. We'll clap and then she'll clap and then she usually gets off balance and crashes. Guess it's time to cover our fireplace up! Any suggestions for that??? Let me know!

Dr's Appointment

2010-02-09T10:46:00.000-08:00

Hannah's dr. appointment went great. She's 18 lbs, 10 oz and 28.5 inches long. And there was absolutely no sign of a heart murmur so that is great news. When the doctor heard one at her last visit it was due to her fever. Thank you God!

Walking and Teeth :)

2010-02-09T09:05:00.000-08:00

Hannah is taking more and more steps everyday. It's so darn cute! Of course we all cringe when we see she's about to crash. :) She's getting braver and braver though! She's growing up right before our eyes. She now has 3 teeth, 2 on the bottom and 1 on the top...and another one about to poke through on the top. So she's been a little cranky lately...not the happy-all-the-time Hannah like in the pics. :)She goes to her 12 month checkup today so I'm anxious to hear what she weighs now. I think last time she was 17 lbs. I'm making her daddy take her today since she has to get an immunization. :(
We're going to The Queen of Sheba Restaurant in OKC tonight. I'm really looking forward to some Ethiopian food! Love it! Hopefully I will remember to take some pics. Will post later!

Paypal...and guess who's walking!

2010-02-06T10:24:00.000-08:00

Finally got paypal posted for tshirts. If you are interested in a shirt but would rather pay by check that is fine. Just email me.
Also...Hannah took her first steps this week!! We are so proud of her!

NEW AFRICA SHIRTS!!!

2010-02-04T09:28:00.000-08:00

Check out our new Africa shirts (to the right of this post). The first design is a pink shirt with a brown Africa and the design within Africa is pink. The second design is a blue shirt (lighter than color shown) with a white Africa and the design within Africa is white. We have them in all sizes, starting with Toddler to Adult XXL. Adult shirts are unisex. Kid shirts are $15 and adult shirts are $20. You can pay with a check or thru paypal. All proceeds go to our adoption loan! Email me at jamullins@cableone.net if you have any questions. Thanks!

That's My Girl!!!

2010-01-31T20:44:00.000-08:00

When Bon Jovi started playing on the Grammy's, Hannah started dancing and clapping! Guess she's about ready for her first Bon Jovi concert!

Some Pics...

2010-01-31T19:39:00.000-08:00

Couldn't Have Said it Any Better!

2010-01-28T07:05:00.000-08:00

Why adopt-
Because, really, these kids are no different from your own. Not at all. Because it’s just not okay with us to say no to a child who needs a home when we have one. Because it’s just not okay with us to say no to a child who needs a family when we have one. Because it’s just not okay with us to say no to a child who needs room to thrive when we have room and can make room. Because it’s just not okay with us to do nothing.

(adoptive mom, Heidi)
This quote came from a great adoption blog,
http://mycrazyadoption.org