Camping cabins

Our housing over the holiday was wonderful in Williamsburg, but you could say that my directional skills I usually have and use, were left in Florida. We circled the town a number of times and the company I kept, did not help at all. Steve is a support, but not observant. Brent and Amy are directionally challenged so they say a number of times daily. So we found the local walmart and kept our driving to a minimum. The kids loved our cabins, and we did too except for the lack of water, toilet and heat. Oh, there was heat, but it was cold. I mean cold. In the twenties cold. And the water...none. Five hundred yards to the bath house. We bought a bucket at walmart for those early morning bathroom moments. But it was great. If you go, you should look up the KOA. It was only $29.00 a night. Bunks for the girls and a full bed for us. A little squeaky, but really pretty and CLEAN!

Eating out colonial style

Our first night in Williamsburg we decided to have a dinner at a local tavern to set the mood. It was so interesting to know we had eaten where George Washington had eaten or at least in the kitchen where he had food cooked. Steve ate his food in about four seconds flat...it was small...and he was none to happy about that $23.00 seafood gumbo that was gone that quick. The girls were little ladies and were so well mannered.

Miles and miles and miles

We loaded the car and hit the road on Thursday night. We landed in Hardeeville, South Carolina around eleven. The girls hooped and hollered because we were in a hotel. They are easily amused. The next morning,good breakfast and early on the road we went again.

We were on a mission to get through three more states before dark. We did not quite make it by dark, but we had a great time. We are good travelers, us, Porvazniks. We got a little extra bonus when we were heading into Baltimore and the snow started falling. Oh we squealed. It was so cute. What a great memory.

We finally arrived at my college roommates house, in Maryland, had dinner and then headed out again in the snow, so I could go visit her mom. She is sick and ready to go be with Jesus. It is sweet and sad too.It is amazing to witness such love and strength in a woman who has raised seven kids and 18 grandkids and all of them serve the Lord.

We had a quick trip and then it was back on the road again. But this time south. We were headed to Williamsburg, Virginia for a wonderful time of walking back in time to visit the colonial town. Success came a few hours later and we made it.

More details to come...

Aunt Kaitie's in charge

Every now and then I get the chance to give my kids away. It is never for more than a day or two at a time!! I have convinced myself that the girls need love and correction from others besides me! HA! Double HA! when it comes to their Aunt Kaitie and correction! My sister loves to do all she can in the few short hours she has them to undo all boundaries and self-governing ideals I have tried to instill into my children. She is single (with a cute boyfriend). And very princess like. She is just sharing her way of life with them. Spoiled. But what is a few hours of candy, movies, ice cream, skating, swimming, fast food, Target, and basically the moon, when all one has to do is ask for it? That is her mission statement as an Aunt.

I am really not complaining, the girls love their time with her. Olivia especially thrives on her aunt's long blond hair, makeup, nails and cute car. She loves her big hairy dog too!

So thanks Kaitie. You are earning some serious tally marks in your column of life. Moving to Tenn. will probably delete all the tally marks, so consider that in your packing.

By the way Mee-maw, thanks for all the love and attention from you in all of this. You are not innocent either...don't be fooled, I know your ways. And we love all of them.

Defining moment

I was in church yesterday and listened to a man speak about comfort zones, defining moments and obedience. It was a whirlwind of information. How glad I was that we stayed and took part. One of my friends had one during church yesterday. It was about seeking after God as her first love. The kind of love where you can't get enough. You have to be near Him. Your mind swims of thoughts of Him. Your stomach gets nervous just anticipating Him. You dream of Him. Consumed by Him. That is what and whom she seeks.

Chewing on it again this morning during our bible time, I was able to rehash some of it on a elementary level. It was a interesting conversation.

My girls see things in the perspective of "shynes" and "embarassment" when it comes to doing something they don't usually do, aka comfort zone. Like being the first one to speak to another kid they have never met. Like offering to unload groceries from a ladies cart because she is in a wheelchair. I love watching their comfort zones stretch. I beam with joy at seeing their confidence grow.

Defining moments. Does one resonate within you? Stephanie from a very young age has told me how the Lord speaks to her. I shutter to think of the blessing she has at recognizing the Lord's voice. She was healed in her early weeks of life from a immovable right arm. She had defining moments at seven.

And mine? Moving to Paraguay. Marrying Steve. Choosing adoption. Just to name a few.

I would love to hear some of yours.

Ocali Days

What a great day the girls had with their Aunt Sam. Steve and I were in an all day class for our adoption process (which was great, by the way) and so the girls spent the day having fun with the Symonds. Of course, fun is relative to the situation. Uncle Aaron did not find the scattering of salt fun, but to kids, it was like confetti. And Emma did not find a stomach virus at all fun, she had to miss out on the day. Oh my!

The celebration of Ocali Days focuses on primitive times and early floridian history. The girls learned so much. They ground corn into flour. They watched laundry being done by hand. Arrowheads being carved. A blacksmith at work. Baskets being woven. Cannons being shot. A primitive campsite. Talking with a "live" Indian. It was a great day. They gave their Aunt Sam a workout in making their spending money stretchhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Michael Buble has nothing to do with this day, but I put it on the video, and this song "Everything" is just one I love.

Happy belated halloween

Over a week late, but with lots of candy still hanging around, here is our belated halloween pictures. I am not hating life though since the girls are not badgering me constantly for another piece, they have a little and then are fine for the day.

My camera was left at our friends where we went for the evening of trick or treating. The girls ended up sleeping over since Steve and I had a youth lock-in (yes, the stay up all night and hang with teens,kind)and we did not want the girls to taste of that fun just yet. So thanks Mela for the great party and for taking care of my girls.

Olivia just could not decide this year what to be. The ideas ranged from a belly dancer to a cave girl, but she settled on a colonial girl when we walked into Cracker Barrel and she spied the beautiful purple gown costume. She was lovely.

Stephanie always had planned on being an indian. She was the cutest blond Native American I have ever seen. I loved her walking stick, her headdress and her purse. She is not one for wigs or makeup, she has a mind of her own.

So it seems by this lot of girls I have in my house that we are ready to jump into celebrating Thanksgiving with two girls who look like this. Turkeys better watch out!