Happy 9th Birthday Joshua!!!! Happy Adoption Day Jessa!!! (a wee bit late)

 Happy Birthday to my handsome boy!  You are 9 years old today!!!!  (well actually it was on the 29th, but hey I am a bit behind......  :)  oh well)

 6 years ago and a couple of weeks you came to our home......ran though our flowers, grabbed a bike ran back through the flowers with the bike, tore up the yard in the first few minutes.....and we thought to ourselves.....Lord what did we get into...he he he he.......

 Well, let's just say God ALWAYS knows what HE IS DOING!!!!  Even when we don't!!!  You are not talkative, but very compassionate, you love ANY athletics!!!  You are sooo very strong- who knew a young boy could have an 8 pack?  You love having brothers close to your age so you can wrestle and play the "gotcha game".  You love the Lord and although you are not into doing action songs you are great at learning more about HIM.  You LOVE to help out around the house and if asked to do more chores you don't complain.  You LOVE to read LOTS AND LOTS!!!  I remember your sweet little face 6 years ago....and have seen you grow into a wonderful young man!!!  I am soo very very very THANKFUL  that you have come into our lives and BLESSED US!!!  You know we always get comments of how lucky you are to be in our family.....BUT IT IS INDEED HOW BLESSED WE ARE!!!!  LOVE YOU JOSHUA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Ok so because in our own family and extended family we love to have multiple things happen at the same time......Joshua's Birthday was also JESSA'S ADOPTION DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Jessa is my cousin Heidi's daughter.  She is 6 months younger than Joanna....and they have a cute and special relationship- just like their mommies!!!

He he he- so this is hilarious.......there were a few adoptions going on and they said all family members can come up to take a picture.....the judge was blown away by all the family there- he he he....yeah if you can actually see us all there are 7 adults and 16 children ages 13 and under!!!  OH YEAH!!!!

 Love this picture outside the courthouse-- of course Jessa wanted to play with her big sister Makenna's hair :)  Congratulations:  Heidi, Jessa, Mark, and Makenna!!!!!!  What a beautiful family!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Afterwards we went out to celebrate!!!

 Awwwww.......what a beautiful little girl....love you Jessalyn Heather Carlee Dixson!!!!!!!

 Joanna helping celebrate her cousin's special day!!!

 And well....cousins hanging out together is ALWAYS FUN

 Chatting away......

 Adult's talking......

 Happy Adoption Day Jessa - look at her gorgeous face!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  She is an angel :)

And here is Joshua's homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting!!!!  And of course we had his favorite (the following night) food hamburgers!!!!  We are such a BLESSED family!!!!

Praying you all are enjoying your Blessings this holiday weekend.......we are :)