Room Switcheroo

As we shared we are in process of adopting an older child. We have been working hard on getting all the details squared away so when the day comes, it will be a smooth transition. Our first step was to let Avi Joy and Nehemiah share a room. Then focus on changing his room to our new kiddo's room. We are setting the room up as if it is a girl. If it is not, then it will be Avi Joy's room and the two boys will share.

I was looking hard for a bed and could not find one that I liked. My girlfriend Kristin found this bed at a garage sale for $5 (with rails) and gave it to me as a gift. I had to think long and hard about my 'vision' for this new bed and I am thrilled with how it turned out!

BEFORE: White, tall spindles, no toppers.
AFTER: Sage green, distressed and aged with dark green.
Adam put the bed together- go hottie.

Remember this? I had shared I was working on her thinking of you quilt... well it too is now finished and I am in LOVE with how it turned out. So proud of this accomplishment- and it was easy- I am inspired to do more.

Here is Nehemiah's room before. Actually it was a little different (had a chair and different layout) but I didn't snap the pic until after we put the mattresses in the room.

And the after- YEAH! It is so sweet and we are all looking forward to meeting whose room this will become. All the artwork is from Vietnam in both the kids rooms.

Here is their new room. Nehemiah is in the crib and Avi Joy is in a toddler bed. We have a few things we would like to add to this room as well. Curtains, not too girly or boyish are hard to find and his framed Ao Doi (Vietnamese outfit). Her Ao Doi from when she was a baby is beautifully framed and we are hoping to get his framed soon too.
We were SO excited to spend the afternoon in my friend's classroom. Mrs. Fisher teaches first grade at my old school and we both enjoy getting together to allow me to get my teaching fix. I read 6 books to the kids and seriously had the best time.
Nehemiah colored while we all read.
My 3 year old among the 6-7 year old kiddos. She loves books so this was a wonderful playdate for her. Sometimes I wonder what she thinks about me doing stuff like this. I showed her my old classroom and introduced her to my teacher friends... I can see her wheels trying to piece everything together. I truly loved my season of teaching at public school, but as for now, its my at.home.mom.season.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

The Perryman's

Precious little girl- (2 part post)

Avi Joy had her first dance "recital" today! Enjoy a quick video of their performance...

Here are all the little girls in her class. She talks about several of these girls, but she always wants to stand next to her sweet friend Akeelah, in the black leo.
We also had some fun in the sun this week (before it got too cold/rainy to play outside). This series of pictures was my favorite. We see all these faces often. I am curious to see what new faces she has in store as she gets older...

"He will endure as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations.

He will be like rain falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth."

Psalm 72:5-6

Precious little guy- (2 part post...)

As we shared in this post, we truly love sharing our child's life story. Avi Joy INSISTED that she know Nehemiah's adoption story as well. It was just the push I needed to get his adoption book finished and printed. Hopefully this will inspire you to write down and share your child's forever story with them...

Here is our ham. He can go from screaming mad to happy baby faster than any other child I have ever seen!
Getting caught in mommy's watercolors. I don't blame him really.
Does he NOT look so BIG in this picture??
Here he still looks like my baby...
This week at Bible school the kids studied about David and Goliath.
I recently heard something about this story that stuck with me...
The David Perspective:
They thought- Goliath is too big to come up against and win.
He thought- Goliath is so big how can I come up against him and miss.
OHHH how I love this perspective.

The Perryman Family

Lovin Psalm 34

ALL SEPTEMBER PICS
Piggy-back rides with NanNa. Nehemiah's idea of this game was being set on NanNa in front of sister then nosediving onto the floor. Repeat.
The power of Dora. For him, it was the power of the snack, then off to play. But this week he did start screaming backpack and map.
We celebrated my niece, Annabelle's, 2nd birthday this week. We have 1, 2, 3, and 4 year olds on Adam's side of the family (and hopefully 5-6 year old coming soon!)
Her first haircut. Given to herself. Not-licensed of course. To sum up the story:
She was hiding from me...
I asked her why she was hiding...
At this point I could not tell she had cut her hair, but it was one of those mom-knows-all-moments and I just KNEW!
"Did you cut your hair?"
"NO" she says.
"Are you sure," I ask again, "NO." she says again...
I went on a hair hunt- found some little curls.
I asked her where the rest was and she told me she hid it in the trashcan.
GASP!
She cut, lied and hid the evidence. : (
So she had several conquences. sniff sniff. I was one sad mommy. Those bangs have been growing since she was born people!
This is his usual "UP" look. Listen for the loud whining- this too shall pass.
I wish I had better responses sometimes! CHOMP!

On a lighter note my sweet girlfriend gave me a blog award and it required a top 10 about yourself...

Have a great weekend. We have some really fun stuff coming up next week!
My love this week- Psalm 34

The Perryman's

An eventful week...

Every year, on the first Sunday in October, Adam's family has a big reunion. We had a wonderful day spent with those we love, not to mention the delicious food that spanned six tables.
Here are a few of their second cousins, Darion, Jake and Will.
Lil' linebacker enjoyed some football.
Heather and I have a blessed friendship. We were in the delivery room together (so to speak) when we adopted our first children on the same day in Vietnam. We again rejoiced when we both had sons. And now their third kiddo, precious Samuel, has joined their family forever.
Look at his cheeks. OH so kissable! Yes, over 10lbs.
A few snippets of tiny dancer.
Official nerd gear. She began hooking her pens on her shirt.
The butterfly effect. She flutters around, singing, looking beautiful and brings new life to all things in this house.
We LOVE going to the state fair and having dinner. We were able to see our friends, the Lydens family, and rode the merry-go-round with them.
Our adopted great-grandparents... we celebrated Bob's 70-something birthday!
Brother was spoiled rotten and spoon fed lots of chocolate cake : )
While he ate, we hugged on big sister.
She is practicing to dress herself. This usually happens during nap time. (which is slowly turning into "rest" time, i.e. play and dress-up because she doesn't really need naps anymore : ( this outfit was complete with a nosebleed. Poor gal, that nose is bleeding all-the-time.
Love this: Back off, I'm blazin (from Buffalo Wild Wings)
Brother got some beauty time this week. Testing out some new do's for him. I am not into the rock-n-roll look for those under a certain age, but he did look pretty cool with his faux-hawk.
What did I learn this week? Well it was something great. It changed me. On the inside and helped me see a new side of prayer. It was from my Revelation study this week...

"...The twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." Rev 5:8
I mean WOW. There are 24 elders sitting around Jesus in the throne room and they hold OUR prayers, which brings sweet smelling incense into His presence. I love the picture of this, so beautiful.

The Perryman family
p.s. We are on day 3 of the kids sharing a room. Its a major adjustment, but we know it will just get better and better. We are working on big sis's room, so I am excited to share that soon. (If its a boy, that will become Avi Joy's room and the boys will share.)