The Braces Are Off!!!

After 7 months, John Adams got his braces off yesterday. He was so excited and so were we. All the months of making sure he brushed his teeth really good and wore his rubber bands and didn't eat anything that he wasn't supposed to had come to an end. In just an hour, he went from this:

to this:

 Pretty Amazing!

 He may have to have them again when he is older but we are just going to enjoy right now and not worry about later.

 So to celebrate, for dinner, we had all the things he had really missed while having braces. Popcorn, peanuts, carrots, jelly beans, and starburst. We also had biscuits, bacon, and eggs. Not sure why I picked breakfast to go with this celebratory meal but that's what we had(maybe because it's easy). 

He loved it!!! Who wouldn't love candy for dinner :)

 We also have a climber in the house. I guess he couldn't see out the window. Our dog was outside and he couldn't get a good look at her through the door. I guess I should think of it as resourceful, right?

 Climbing at the orthodontist office while waiting on John Adams. I think he tried climbing on every chair in there. Very thankful there were only a few people waiting. They may not have shared that feeling :).

And this is where we found Charlie yesterday while Charles and I were fixing dinner. Can't take my eyes off of him for even a second. Oh well, I'm sure I'll miss this stage one day. Right now, it just scares me to death to think of where he will try to climb next. 

Ellie's Baptism

 Ellie was baptized Sunday night at our church. This was such an exciting time for our family. Not just because of her baptism, but also because of her decision to follow Christ. My prayer is that she will not lose the joy of her salvation that she has right now. That she will seek God in everything and love Him with all her heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Charles was waiting on the 'boy's side'. John Adams and Riley had to be back there with us as well. I guess they wanted to make sure we did it right :). 

Charles said a few words, mentioning the fact that Ellie became a Christian during Upward Basketball/Cheerleading. There are so many people that have been a part of teaching Ellie about Jesus and planting seeds for her to make this decision. We are so thankful for all of them. 

As we do often, we had a party afterwards with family and friends to celebrate this wonderful event. 

I cannot begin to imagine what it would be like not to have family and friends who supported us and helped us in the raising of our children. I do not know everything and most definitely need help in this process often. But we are most blessed by knowing that so many are praying for us and for our children. Charles told Ellie that the people who were there will be there to support her and help her on this journey as a Christian. It was such a sweet time and my heart was very full at the end of the night. 

For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

Birthday Boy

Eleven years ago, my life was changed forever. Not only was I a wife, a daughter, a sister, an aunt but now, I was a mother. I had prayed for many years for this moment and it was finally here. John Adams came after several years of trying to have a baby and several losses. He was such a gift and still is. I can not look at him without being reminded of God's grace and his faithfulness. He has brought such joy to our lives and has made me really have to think with some of the questions he comes up with. I can look back now and thank God for our losses because without them, we would not have John Adams. 

Happy Birthday, John Adams!

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.

1 Timothy 4:12 

Tables and Teeth

Monday night, we had Tables of Love at our church. It was such a fun night. Each table was decorated around a bible verse that was selected by the lady/ladies who decorated it. Every table was different and unique and beautifully decorated. Heather Messick was our speaker, she also sang. She has an amazing testimony and such a heart for the Lord. I think we were all in tears by the end of the night but rejoicing at what God had shown each of us. These are a few of the pictures from the night. By the way, you can read her blog by clicking on The Messicks under Blogs I Read.

Amanda and Emily
 Amanda and I decorated our table, which I did not get a picture of.

The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.
Proverbs 27:9

I rejoice in your word like one who discovers a great treasure.
Psalm 119:162

Walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us
as a fragrant offering and sacrifce. Ephesians 5:2

The farmer sows the Word.
Mark 4:14

Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
Psalm 119:105

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns,
 and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
Matthew 6:26

 The LORD then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, and also seven pairs of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth. Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made.”
 And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him.
Genesis 7:1-5

For you will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
Psalm 18:28

Clearly you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This "letter" is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.
2 Corinthians 3:3

 Last night was also very exciting. Ellie lost another tooth, but she pulled this one herself. I don't remember ever doing that. This poor tooth went from not being loose at all 2 days ago to hanging on by a thread last night. There is no telling what all Ellie had been doing to it throughout the day. 

 She went into our bathroom and wanted to be all by herself. There was no screaming or crying. There wasn't any blood either so it was definitely ready to come out.

 OK. I don't know that you can actually tell which tooth just came out. She has lost 6 teeth in 2 months. She probably will not like me one day for posting this picture.

 Such a little tooth!

Now for the prize after the tooth pulling


It has been a pretty eventful week thus far at the Uptain household.  I am looking forward to seeing what God has in store for the rest of the week. Hope you are having a blessed day!

God's Protection

 You may look at this and see and empty bottle. I look at this and see a blessing and God's hand of protection at work.

 Today, I was working on some things on the computer. I could hear Charlie playing in the other room(which is literally 5 ft. from where I am) and didn't think anything of it because I could hear him. You know, if it gets quiet, then you worry. That was not the case. I could hear things clanking around and really thought he was playing with his toys. John Adams comes in and starts saying,"Mom, Mom" in this very panicked voice. I walk in, and there is something all over the floor and Charlie is seating in the middle of it. What in the world? So I start trying to find what he has gotten into. Yes, you guessed it. Goo Gone. He has opened the child-proof top and poured it everywhere. But wait, that isn't all. I pick him up to start cleaning up the puddle. And realize he reeks of this stuff. I touch his face and his mouth is all greasy. OK!!! Panic Time!!! I have absolutely no idea how much of this stuff he has ingested but- as you can tell- it is a very small bottle and the floor is covered in it. I call a friend who is a nurse and she comes by. I also call Poison Control. You would think, with 4 children, I would have had to call them many times, but, no, this was a first. At this point, John Adams is crying. He is scared something bad is going to happen to his little brother. So, I get him and Charlie and we do the only thing I know to do. Pray! God calmed us down and Poison Control told me if he hadn't coughed or anything when he drank it, he was probably fine. Keep him awake for 2 hours and if he starts coughing or struggling to breath, take him to the ER. Thankfully neither of these things happened. Praise the Lord!!! I am so thankful and will be double checking to make sure the child-proof lock is in place instead of making that assumption from now on.

 On to happier topics, we have been able to spend some time with Mary Alan. She and Charlie are very curious about each other. We went to lunch with them. 

 We also went to see my grandmother. 

 Charlie and Mary Alan shared a snack.

 She is too cute!

 This may look like an attack but it is really a hug

 I have also found out this week that Charlie loves the vacuum. my other children were scared of it. He chases me around the house trying to take it from me. I do hope this love for cleaning lasts :)

His other love is his doggie. I love it!

Exciting News!!!

Our precious daughter, Ellie, asked Jesus to be her Savior and Lord last night. She had been asking questions for quite some time but after discussing it with her did not feel she understood the discission she was making. Well, yesterday, in carline of all places, she asked me if she knew understood what Jesus had done for her but had never asked him to forgive her of the bad things she had done and to be in charge of her life, would she still go to heaven if she died. Big question for a 6 year old. It was very hard for me to have to tell her that no, I didn't think so. It is easy, as a parent, to want to sugar-coat those hard questions-and there is a place for that- but this was not one of those times. So when Charles got home, she asked him even more questions over dinner. When he got finished asking her questions and she asked what she needed to, she said she wanted to pray right then. It was so precious to hear her sweet prayer. She even started to cry. Of course, I already was :). It was a very special time. 

We are so proud of her. Even today, she got home from school and said she could tell God was already changing her heart to be more like Him. I can already tell this Momma is going to have a some convicting coming from her baby girl! 

Today is also a special day because my 90 year old grandmother is moving here. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's about 2 years ago, and although she has had sitters, my mom and uncle felt it was time for her to be closer to us. She has always lived about 2 hours from here but now she will be right down the street, at an assisted living home,so we can visit her whenever we want. I do ask you to pray for her. She doesn't really understand why she is having to move and no one can help her understand. It is very hard on my mom but we know this is where God has lead her to be. He has opened the doors wide for her to live here. We also know it will take time for her to settle down and become familiar with her surroundings again. We just have to trust Him!

They're Home! They're Home! They're Home!

The Colbert Family has finally been reunited, including their newest addition, Mary Alan. Y'all, she is precious. She is even cuter in person and full of energy. The whole family and several friends gathered at the airport last night to welcome them home. There was a lot of anxious energy going around the room before they landed. Their flight had been delayed due to a storm, but we were so thankful the weather calmed down long enough for them to get home safely. 

 Ivy and the girls modeling the crown they had made for Mary Alan

 The family 

 Thankfully, it was late or we might have been asked to leave the building

 And here they come!

 Meeting Ivy

 And Christian

 And Hunter

 And Mrs. Carol

 All the Colbert kids

 First family photo

 With Carol, Bailey, and Colby- Mary Alan is named after their husband/dad, Alan who passed away last year.

He was Kelly's best friend and a wonderful, godly man.

 While all the commotion over Mary Alan was going on, Charlie was playing in the carry-on size check box.

 Mary Alan thought this was a great spot, too. So she decided to join him

 Are you sure this is big enough for both of us?

 Absolutely! Perfect Fit!

 Today, we celebrated birthdays for Abby, Mary Grace, James, and Rachel

Cousins

I cannot tell you how happy I am to have everyone home and to have that precious Mary Alan here. Last night was much like waiting in the waiting room for a baby to be born, except Michelle has been in labor for a REALLY long time. Mary Alan is doing great. Praise the Lord! She slept a lot on the plane rides and still slept last night. She was so sweet today at the birthday party. All the kids were playing with her and were so excited if she let them hold her. I think she is going to fit into her family just perfect.  I don't think this whole process could have gone better. Isn't that how it usually works? We have all been disappointed at times, that the adoption was taking so long. We wanted her here the day we found out she was coming. But looking back, it couldn't have been a better time. He does know what He is doing. Thank you Lord, for your perfect timing and for this precious child you have made to be part of our family!

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11