My wish for you

Hello friends and fellow bloggers. I love the Christmas song "Grown Up Christmas List," so here are my wishes for you this Christmas.

I wish this guy to bring you a present or two.

I wish for you and your family to have plenty to eat in the coming year.

And plenty of friends and family to share a good meal with.

I wish for you lots of peace, love and happiness all throughout the coming year.

But mostly I wish for you to find Christ in your heart, not just in this season of his birth, but every day.

The Stover Gurlz wish you a Merry Christmas and very happy and prosperous New Year!

birthday, Christmas parties & fake snow!

I can't decide if I envy December babies or feel sorry for them. They get so many presents in that month, but then they get so many presents THAT month it must be hard to wait a whole 12 months for some more. We have celebrated a half birthday for Elaina, and that was fun, but I just can't let the 18th of December go by without celebrating her and the blessing that she is to our family.



Make a wish big gurl!


You can hardly see the birthday gurl behind all those presents!

My little chef in the making is thrilled to get an Easy Bake Oven! (I had one as a gurl, so secretly this gift is "really" for me.)

Cupcakes at school during snack time!

On to Joely's pre-school Christmas party. Here she is singing to Santa Claus. I am so happy she stood with the other children and sang instead of running over to me crying. (that's what I expected)

The children are wagging their fingers at folks singing, "You'd better watch out, you'd better not cry, you'd better not pout..."

I'll take a fake smile sitting in Santa's lap over wailing about the Big Guy any day!

At Elaina's "Winter Party," as it is called, they made a gingerbread house, but there was no gingerbread, with LOTS of white royal icing and candy, candy, candy.

Her work of art!

Seriously, who is teaching my kids to do the cheesey smile?

Here is a rare, but cherished, moment. Big sister reading to little sister. Why can't they always be this way?

We went the Gaylord National Hotel to see it "snow" inside. I didn't know that the snow would fall at 9:30 at night, so we walked around and looked at all the Christmas decorations until it was time for snow. Joely was so taken with this "Ho, Ho, Ho" as she calls him.

So, do you see the little white spots?

Joely was reaching up as far as she could to try to catch as much of the snow as possible.

OK, I'll confess, it was foam that was blown out onto the crowd, but it did look like the real thing while it was falling. Not being a fan of snow, at all, I could handle this snow: not cold, no clean up/shoveling, and you can walk in it.

Stay warm and remember: You'd better watch out, you'd better not cry, you'd better not pout...

my shy gurl

Elaina is so much like me yet does not have my DNA. How'd that happen!?!?!?!


I was horribly shy as a child. I finally got into theatre in junior high and loved it. Now, I can get really shy in certain social settings, and especially one on one, but getting on stage or giving a speech no longer bothers me. I can either "become" another person or use the podium as an imaginery wall. Elaina has hidden behind my skirt. I did the same when I was little. She will sometimes whisper when someone says hello to her. I did too. So when she had the opportunity to get on stage at our church and sing a Christmas song with other kids in her Sunday morning group I was SHOCKED that she wanted to do that.


All day long Saturday she kept saying "I can't wait until tomorrow." The group had to sing their song at both morning services. The song was written by a staff member and included some speaking parts, and lots of humor, so it was not a song that they knew readily. They all did beautifully. Elaina even told me she wanted to become an actress one day.


I love it! However, I am totally surprised at her.

I had to take a picture of little sister too! She is the ham in the family, as never met a stranger, has a great sense of humor, and she can cheese it up for the camera. She is standing in front of some decorations in our sanctuary

Our church likes to incorporate pop culture and all types of media into our services. The theme for this month/this Christmas is "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!" If you are as big a fan of the movie "A Christmas Story" as I am then you know that phrase. Each Sunday this month our pastor talks about our lusts/desires for things that take us away from our desire to know God, grow in Christ (e.g. material things, the love of money, selfish wants, and yes, the "traditional" definition of lust). One of the numerous great scenes from the movie revolves around a lamp the father won in a contest. The lamp was a plastic leg covered in fishnet stockings and a high heeled black pump shoe. The lampshade had black fringe on it. The thing was the height of an average woman's leg and was so tacky. Our art and prop group did a fabulous job of recreating some of the other icons from that movie including that hideous lamp. (Although secretly I would LOVE to have one of those lamps. That's how much I L.O.V.E. that movie.)

what a FUN weekend!

Sorry I haven't written in a while. Last week I was CONSUMED with reading Tricia's, Helping Mayan Families, and Mayan Families blogs/websites I just didn't get to my own. Last week 25 AMAZING women went to Guatemala to provide Christmas parties, gifts, medicine, love, and all around cheer to HUNDREDS of people in The Land of Eternal Spring.


I cried every day, happy tears, reading about all the work that was done down there in just a week. But so much more is needed.


I want to go on this trip next year.


I also noticed I have not shared pictures of my gurlz in a while. So here are a FEW of the things we did this past weekend. I will spread out the events over a few blogs, to make it worth your while to come on back for more! :~)


I broke down and took the gurlz to see Elmo's Green Thumb. Not money I should have spent, but the memories and happy times are worth the extra month of paying it off. Joely is crazy for Elmo, Elaina likes him, but my almost 6 year old is moving on from these simple characters. However, she enjoyed the event as well. They both were dancing in the aisles, but those pics are either so blurry or so dark I didn't want to waste your time with those.


We had good seats on the floor, so the gurlz could see all the action.

Elaina sang at church (for another post). If you know my shy child then you are wondering if that is a true statement. Now, it was with about 20 other children, and she did not volunteer for one of the speaking parts, but I'll take these baby steps.

El and I also went to a Mother Daughter Tea with area Girl Scouts (she is a Daisy). (this will also be another post) But in between church and the tea, I snapped some photos of them, and then us, in front of our little tree. (I used the timer, so I will blame the camera for the poor quality and NOT the person who pushed the timer button.) :~P

I LOVE the happy smiles in the above picture.

Somebody tell me where to get a grant for an eye lift!!!!!! (I'm starting to age.)

Love my gurlz.

feeling so many emotions

Tonight the gurlz and I went to our first Christmas party of the season. We have been members of a group in the Northern Virginia area made up of families who have adopted from Guatemala. This group tries to get together about 3 - 4 times a year. When we do get together it is so much fun to watch the children interact. They laugh, run, share; they have no expectations from the other children except to just play.

I feel so blessed that my gurlz are in my life. They came home to a forever family. They are fed, clothed, bathed, sometimes read to when I am not exhausted, and most of all loved. There are over 143 million children around the world who need a forever family too. They need a story read to them, to be tucked into bed at night, and for someone to wipe away their tears.

I only set out to make a family, to adopt a little girl; someone I could have tea parties with, make a blanket fort with under the dining room table. I never knew that adoption would change me like this. I have seen the need, I have read the statistics, my heart has been moved.

Here's a way to help out orphans.

I hate that neither of my gurlz came home at 6, 7 , 8 months of age. I missed many of their firsts. But I have them now. I have seen and will see so many other significant firsts. They came home.

Last night I learned about a family who was adopting their second child from Guatemala, to add to their already large and loving family. However, that child will not be coming home. She was only weeks away from coming home to her forever family but was tragically killed in a home invasion. I just can't imagine their pain, their sorrow. I can tell from their blog that they are a strong Christian family, but I am sure this rocks them to their core.

A memorial fund has been established to help this family out. They still owe a lot from their adoption of Josi. They had just sent their last payment for the adoption last week. This horrible tragedy should never have to happen to anyone.

If you want to do something for this sweet family and do not know what to do, here is a wonderful way to honor precious Josi. They have a chip in button on their blog you can donate any amount to in Josi's name. Together we all can show our love to this family in their time of crisis. The chip in button is on their side bar of their blog where you can give your donation. Once you get through to Pay Pal, you can add a comment to your donation.

http://azhderianfamily.blogspot.com/



Here is my joy. These are the faces I am lucky enough to see every day.

100 Things

I stole this from my cyber friend, Holly, who stole it from someone else. Please feel free to steal it from me. Everything I did is in bold and in red.



1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (yes, if singing in a Jazz band counts)
4. Visited Hawaii (it is on my list of things to do)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis (I don’t do bugs)
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped (it is on my list)
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping (it's on my list)
27. Run a Marathon (does a half marathon count?)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt (it's on my list)
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa (it's on my list)
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud (I don’t do mud)
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China (it's on my list)
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia (it's on my list)
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching (it's on my list)
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving (it's on my list)
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter (it's on my list)
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades (it's on my list)
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem (BIG time on my list!)
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (is fish considered an animal?)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Totally copied a post from someone else's blog to your own

So, what have you done?

What an honor!

My sweet cyber friend Kristi got one of these awards for her blog, from another sweet friend, and named me at the bottom of her post, which means she is passing it on to me!!! The only requirement is that I have to list my five biggest obsessions (in NO particular order) and then pass it on to another blogland friend.


What an honor for such a novice blogger with a very young blog. Kristi, you've set the bar high, and I hope to be as faithful and as informative a blogger as you!



1. Hi, my name is Terri and I am obsessed with Alabama football!
2. I love shopping for my Guatemalan Princesas, it is like playing with baby dolls all over again.
3. I am obsessed with helping the less fortunate in Guatemala. I wish I could do more.
4. I am obsessed with the Amazing Race. I want to go on that show so badly.
5. I am obsessed with moving back home to Alabama.


Alright, I tag Rhonda, another great cyber friend.