The Girl's Gone Crazy

The girl has gone crazy waiting for her friends to come swimming today.





In other Ivy news....I went outside to see her yesterday and she was telling the neighbor boy that her dad didn't live here anymore (He was on a golf trip for 3 days) I had to gently tell her that he did live with us but sometimes he needs to hang around boys too.

Lately, if she asks me a question she will end it with "tell me the whole story" Like,"Mom, where do seals live...and tell me the whole story. Mom, start from the beginning." Ahhh the life of a 4 year old.

Home Tour Tuesdays (Part3)

The Living RoomLiving room (looking towards the front door and the stairs)

As you walk in the front door.
View from sitting on the big couch. Just around the corner is the kitchen.
My mantel might be my favorite part of the room. I love my new "I" and "L" letters that my friend Kim K. made for me.
Hopefully, this is the only dog we will ever own. ("Big Dog" given to Ivy by Aunt Hollie)
Established sign on top painted by Natalie Craig. Given to me by my friend Lynn for Christmas. This cabinet holds all of my pewter serving pieces. I remember a woman telling me once that when she got married, she bought one expensive thing for her home a year, She would save for them and now she has a home of really nice things but they all have a memory attached to it. That's what I did for a while to get my pewter pieces.
(Don't mind the dust! Oops!) The Happily Ever After sign was given to me by a boutique owner in the area when she heard we adopted Ivy....so sweet.

Matt and I live in a town home so space is limited. I finally got all of the toys upstairs when we changed our spare bedroom into a playroom. Lucy has her toys down here but gone is the bassinet and baby swing. I am not a fan of baby things all over as I like a clean home....NOT COMPLAINING just sayin'.

Happy Birthday Ashley!

Happy Birthday to one of my oldest and dearest friends. Ash, there are so many things that I love and appreciate about you. I love to laugh ,eat, visit, shop with you. I have learned so much from you over the years watching your love in keeping your home. You have been a loyal, faithful,constant friend. I love you! Kelli Kel

Daniel is kicking my booty

This past year I was looking for a bible study. Not a theology book to read (which I love to read and will share some of those in a different post) but a bible study where I really studied a book of the bible. The Lord in His providence had me start with Esther. I asked my in laws for a Beth Moore study for Christmas and they got me Esther.

It was such a great study for me to do while we had court dates for Lucy, people would come out of the woodwork and want her, etc. That bible study gave me such comfort because I knew, from Esther's own life , that it didn't matter how bleak the situation looks, God's plan trumps anyone else's and what He decides is what will happen. When evil people are against God's people, He will take care of it. I was way more relaxed and trusting about Lucy learning these truths. God gave me that study at just the right time.

I saw some tweets from Candace Cameron Bure that she loved Beth Moore studies but Daniel was her favorite. I "tweeted" her about it and she said it was her favorite because of all the rich prophesy in it. After Esther, I started to tackle it next. WOW.....It is such a great study. There is so much in Daniel! I am learning so much! I love it! It is a lot to keep straight but I am continually thinking about what I have learned. I am in the middle of learning about the Antichrist. It is going to be so powerful that when Daniel finished seeing his vision ,the bible says,

"Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my color changed, but I kept the matter in my heart." Daniel 7: 28

Maybe someday I will tweet more about it , but I wanted you to know that I am really enjoying it. It is really challenging me!....Start with Esther, it is easier! Haha!

The other thing that I want to say is something about Beth Moore. I didn't know too much about her. I asked some older women from my church. They didn't know much but I took it as something that Grace Community and PBC had never endorsed any of her studies. I tried to "branch out", think for myself and try one. Apparently I like them or I wouldn't keep doing them. I am not endorsing Beth Moore (because I don't know enough about her other work) but I will say this. She has a passion to personally study God's word and really find out what it says. I have prayed that I would be just like her in that area. I will also say that in regards to the book of Daniel, I have gotten out my MacArthur study bible and they both basically agree about what is going to happen in future events.

I have chosen not to read her other books. There is one other bible study I want to do of hers but I probably won't read her other topical books. Why? Because there are so many other theological books that I want to read..... I might change my mind.

One argument that some people complain about her is that she teaches men. However, every bible study that I have done of hers is directed towards women.

Regardless, I have enjoyed my studies. I might not have agreed with her on every single thing but most of it I have and I would never come right out and say that she has been wrong in what I read. These studies have drawn me to my bible. There are 5 days in a week studies for a number of weeks so it really keeps you accountable to read.

What are you guys reading?

Making Memories

Yesterday was my 1st official beach day with the girls for the summer. It started out really cloudy and cold but ended up being a beautiful day!...(20 minutes before I left!) I bought a junky pac n play for the beach and gave Lucy her toys in there, she did so good playing for most of the day. My friend Corrine and I took Lucy shopping. They have a REALLY NICE kids consignment store in Carpenteria. I got Lucy a sweater and dress. Corrine found a beautiful beach pail. (I am not doing it justice by calling it a beach pail.)

One thing that I started to do with Ivy is to collect beach shells. Last time we were at the beach I took Lucy and Ivy to collect some. This time we left Lucy with Wendy and I took Ivy and her best friend Kate....sorry no pictures. Ivy would find a shell and ask me if it was good enough. If the shell was not broken, I would tell Ivy yes and she would collect it. Then Katie would make an X in the sand so we could find our way back to where our stuff was. It was cute. I love looking at these shells. It makes me think of so many memories that I am making with my girls.

I thanked God as we were walking for His beautiful creation, the ocean , the sand and the shells, I thanked Him for great friends to be with , and most importantly that I could spend the summer with my girls and not have to go to work. I am cherishing everyday.

Lucy did good until around 2pm. The sun had just come out and we were just starting to enjoy it, Ivy was having a blast, but the 3 of us packed up and headed home as Lulu had called it a day. Ahhh summer....

P.S. Home Tour Tuesdays will resume but I didn't plan it with my beach trip and all.

Father's Day 2010

Matt with his girls.


Ivy age 4 checking on her "garden".
Lucy, almost 10 months.
Sisters....

I am thinking of a lot of men today. My own dad that I got to spend a week with. Yeah! I love you dad. A wonderful father in law...Happy Father's Day Tim. Of course ,Matt. But I continue to think and pray for those men who have longed to be a dad, prayed to be a dad, thinks that they would be a great dad but are not one. I remember those hard Father's Days when we wanted to have children but were unable to. This day can be a hard day for many. I'm so thankful that the Lord blessed Matt with 2 beautiful girls. It truly is a gift from the Lord. One that Matt has been such a great steward of these 2 precious gifts.

Lift up a little prayer today for the men who want to be....and to you men, God is faithful and true. Praying that your time will come.

Father's Day Outing 2010

Daddy and Ivy mini golfing.



Lucy entertaining herself while we golf.

Lucy chillin'.
We had a fun Father's Day outing today. We worked hard to find things to do that Matt would like to do, especially since he lives in a house full of girls. We went to Castle Park in Sherman Oaks for mini golf. I was there but always taking pictures. Lucy lasted 2 holes (we went in the middle of her nap time.) So I left Ivy with her dad to play and I sat with Lulu checking Twitter and Facebook.

We then went to El Torito Grill and had a great lunch. When we got home, I took Ivy over to Aunt Hollie's to swim, I went to Target, Lucy took a nap and Matt has been watching the US Open all afternoon. A great family day if you ask me.

Garage Sale Finds

Posh Baby diaper bag that my mom got for me for $5. It is a $200 bag. The lady got it at a boutique in Santa Monica. It was hard for her to part with it and I understood. I have some good diaper bags and I might shed a tear when it is time to let them go. I have gotten tons of compliments on it already.
Here are some really pretty blue jars that I got at an estate sale. ( I am loving glass jars right now....which I will post about later.) I got all four for $1. They look so cute that I left them on a book shelf in my bedroom. They have also been a good teaching tool for Lucy as she wants to play with them and I tell her no.

Ivy and I have been going to garage sales for about a month now. It is something that Ivy and I enjoy doing together. She is quite the shopper and at 4 years old can work a good deal when she goes up by herself and asks for the price. It was fun to have my mom tag along with us this weekend.

Home Tour Tuesdays (Part 2)

Kelli's Kitchen


Computer Area
Half bathroom on the right
One of my favorite things....red salt and pepper shakers that I got from Bristol Farms when they were going out of business. I got them for $6!

Signing of adoption papers

Lucy with our adoption case worker, Kristin.

Well..... everyone just left and I am in a quiet house. Lucy is sleeping, Matt went back to work, Ivy is with my parents, and the social workers just left. We spent an hour signing adoption papers. At the end I was choking back the tears. Lucy will not be adopted until we go to court but this day was huge. She is out of the foster care system, I got all of her files, medical and info. on her birth parents. I have so many emotions but I will share a few.

Sitting in church last night I was reflecting on the last 7 years of my marriage to Matt, our hopes and dreams, our desire to have children...how I prayed to have a baby for so many years and the Lord gently told me no. We never had a heart for adoption the way some people do but the Lord changed our whole lives through this trial. How do I even begin to thank Him for this wonderful, beautiful path that we have been on for 7 years? Before we adopted Ivy, this trial brought Matt and I to a closeness with each other that we might never have had. Matt is a strong, beautiful soul who any child would be lucky to call "Daddy". I truly love him more now by seeing how he obeyed the Lord through such hard times, how he loved and cared for me during my deepest hurts.

I thought about Ivy. So much to say about her. I often wonder if she will ever know what she truly means to me. Not because she is my daughter, or she was adopted, or because she is my first, but because I love the PERSON she is. There is no one like her. I often think that there is no one on this earth (besides you honey :) that I would like to spend my time with. My world would not be the same without her in it.

I thought about foster care. How before Ivy was born we said that we would NEVER do it. (I will say more about this when I write out Lucy's adoption story.) Again, the Lord changed our hearts to this hard, hurtful, loving, tender, selfless journey that we have been on for the last 2 years. I think of Delicia, Isaac, and especially Sissy. I still don't totally know why he didn't make her mine. It still hurts but I do know that I trust Him with my life and the direction He has taken it.

I thought of Lulu and the joy she has been for 9 months. Not just a joy to me but to so many people who love her. I can't wait to share my life with her and her life with mine.

I thought about my church. I have never been to a church like Placerita Baptist Church. They would pray for Matt and I every week. Strangers sending us cards, pastors calling us even when they were across the country, people bringing us meals. When I think of PBC, this is how a church should be. Last night when they announced that we were signing our papers, the whole church clapped. It still brings tears to my eyes. God's family is so wonderful.

Last but certainly not least, it made me think of both of my birth moms. One I have met, hugged and kissed, called and visited with, the other, I will never know. One sacrificially gave me my daughter, the other one didn't have a choice. I love them both. I pray for them both. I am thankful to the Lord for them both.

Thank you Lord for today. You truly know what is best for my life more than I do. I choose Your way!

Ivy's Swim Lessons

Lucy playing with Asher's (our neighbor) hair. He loves it.


Great job Ivy! You were a good listener to Teacher Karen!

Grandma and Grandpa Gorsh are Here!

Aunt Hollie playing with Lucy
Ivy with her best friend, Aunt Hollie
Grandpa Gorsh swinging with Ivy
Grandma Gorsh cuddling Lucy
My parents flew in from Iowa yesterday. It has been so much fun already. Ivy and I sang Grandpa a song (I sang it...Ivy belted it out as if she was on American Idol...I was a little shocked....and no, my daughter does not sing on key.)

Hollie, Mom, Lucy and I went to watch Ivy's swim lessons and then we went home for some YUMMY Carne Asada tacos. I should have taken pictures of that. They were sooo good.