Friday Favorites...

Phillip & Avery met me at the park for lunch on Thursday... when I pulled upI seen this picture. LOVE ITAvery can now hold her bottle.

The Story of Hannah...

This story truly touched us... At Christmas our friend Jay (Payton's dad... previous post titled "Payton & Avery) called to tell us about Payton's friend Hannah. Payton is a big fan of Avery's blog and she shared it with her friend Hannah.. Hannah and Payton go to school together. Hannah had a lesson in Sunday school about how Jesus was a little baby boy at one time and the wise men brought Him gifts. The teacher told them to choose a baby and send them a little gift... Hannah had just seen Avery's blog, now keep in mind we have never met Hannah... Hannah decided she wanted to pick Avery as the baby she would share this gift with. Jay called us to let us know this at Christmas. Phillip went to get the mail last week and we had a sweet letter from Hannah along with a gift card to Walmart... this is what the card read... " Dear Avery, Hope you had a Happy Valentines day! You are a very cute baby! Jesus Loves you! Love, Hannah". Thank you so much Hannah, you have truly touched our hearts with this gift and with your thoughtfulness.

Avery's Weakness...

Avery loves to lick Phillip's apple and the rim of our Diet Coke bottle... Here are a few videos. Turn up your volume and enjoy...

Adoption?...

My friend sent me this email and I wanted to share it with everyone... What a blessing God has given us, He has filled our hearts with so much love and joy and her name is Avery Marie.

Teacher Debbie Moon's first graders were discussing a picture of a family. One little boy in the picture had a different hair color than the other members. One of her students suggested that he was adopted. A little girl said, ' I know all about adoption, I was adopted.. 'What does it mean to be adopted?', asked another child. 'It means' , said the girl, 'that you grew in your mommy's heart instead of her tummy! '

Friday Favorites...

Loving the baby

Phillip found my old Cabbage Patch Doll and let Avery play with it... She is kissing the baby. : )

Happy Valentines Day...

Avery's first Valentine's Day... Aunt Jeanie & Uncle Trammell sent Avery a Valentine's onsie to wear (she wore this earlier in the week)... MiMi & Pappy sent her a Valentine bib and a jacket with little hearts all over it, Christy & Cole gave her a Valentine outfit and Mrs. Marsha & Mrs. Patricia from church gave her a bib...

Thanks for the bib Mrs. Marsha & Mrs. Patricia
Jacket from Pappy & MiMi

Outfit from Christy & Cole...Thank YOU!

How Cute!!!!!!


Bib from Pappy & Mimi

Friday Update...

Sorry for the delay in posts, things have been a little hectic around here since Avery's surgery... Tuesday was very hard at home, Avery was very upset and who can blame here who would want to have the inside of their mouth stitched up. When she got home she was very excited to see her comfort zone, she started to kick her legs and give us a smile. The nights are not so good, she is sleeping about 1-2 hours at a time and we think it has to do with breathing... this is so new to her now that her palate is closed and I think she wakes up very scared. Just keep praying for her to get rest and be peaceful. The doctor was very pleased with the results, the first thing he told me was that the hole was very large... but he said he was able to fix most of it. Praise God for that!!!! When the nurse in recovery called me this is what she said..."I am rocking your beautiful baby girl and have her calm, but let me tell you one thing she is feisty". That made us laugh because we know how feisty and determined she is... gotta love that baby girl. They finally brought Avery to us after surgery and the same nurse told us this "you can tell this baby is very loved" that touched my heart and made me so proud. Thank you all for your prayers and emails. I am so happy that God has allowed us to share this journey with you all. We love you!!!!!!

Avery waiting with our youth pastor Todd in the waiting area at Scottish Rite before surgery

Avery in her little hospital gown before surgery

Avery and mommy after sugery... look at her little arm guards. A man was leaving the hospital with his child and her gave Avery a balloon.

7 Months Old Today...

and look at me. : )

First let me say...hard to believe Avery is 7 months old!! I just can not get over how fast time goes by. As you can see in this picture Avery can now pull herself up in her crib, (when did this happen???) time to lower her crib mattress... she is so proud when she pulls herself up. : )Today is pappy and aunt Jen's birthday too... HAPPY BIRTHDAY pappy & aunt Jen!!!!!!

Prayer Request... Avery's Surgery

I just wanted to let everyone know that Avery will have surgery on Monday (2-9-09). The surgery this time will be to have the doctor close her palate. We hope this will be the last surgery for a while... I have been told that this surgery is a little harder, due to age and just because they will operate on the inside of her mouth. Please keep Avery in your prayers. We will probably be in the hospital for one night maybe two. I will have someone update everyone as soon as possible. Thank you all so much for your love and prayers, without God we would struggle to get through all of this, but because He is our rock and strength it gives us great comfort that everything will be OK. Love you all!!!

Sitting, Talking & Crawling...Oh My

Turn up the volume to listen to the video. : )

Avery is learning so much at one time and let me tell you... she is hard to keep up with. : ) She is pretty much crawling, she gets on her knees and moves a little then falls on her stomach, she is sitting up on her own, she is a wiggle worm for sure. Time is going so fast. : ( We love every minute of her adventures, there is never a boring moment at our house these days.

WV Family Pictures...

"Look at That Hair"...

I had to post these pictures... No matter where we go someone is going to stop us and say something about Avery's hair... usually it's something like "look at all that hair". Ms. Gloria a lady at our church said she thinks that we put fertilizer on Avery's hair. Here are some pictures of just how long her hair is and one of her playing during her bath.

"Babies First Christmas" Ornament...

Today is January 22 and it also Avery's poppy Phil's birthday… as most of you remember Phil went home to be with the Lord on September 10, 2008. I thought today would be the perfect day for this post and to remember Phil.
As Christmas approached I realized I didn’t have a "babies first Christmas" ornament and this was kind of strange to me because usually someone gives that as a gift. I went to Kohls one day and looked for one but they didn’t have any so I thought about telling my mom (mimi) because I know how she is… she would of searched until she was able to find one. The night we went to Stone Mountain with Debra and Jess, Debra ask me if she had gave me a "babies first Christmas" ornament and I told her no… she said "well I have one that Phil had bought for Avery and he gave it to me to put up". I wanted to cry this was why I never had received or bought a "babies first Christmas" ornament. This ornament is so special to Phillip and I and I look forward to the day that I can tell Avery this story. Phil was thinking ahead and wanted Avery to have this special ornament with her name on it… we will smile and think of this story every year we hang it on the tree.

Avery with her Poppy Phil

Dedication...

When we went to WV for Christmas we were able to dedicate Avery at my families church, Inwood Family Worship Center. We wanted to wait until after the adoption was final and then dedicate her and this was a wonderful opportunity to share this moment with our entire family... We had 35 family members stand with us as we dedicated Avery to God. What a moment, God is so good... like our pastor said "if you don't believe in miracles, just look at Avery Popham".

This picture is so cute... This was during the prayer. Avery with Pastor David

Monday Memories...

Sorry for the slack on posts, I will try to do better. : ) Just a few fun pictures to share with you. MiMi sent Avery a package and Phillip just had to put her in the box of foam peanuts... well Avery must of thought they were real peanuts, she wanted to eat them. : o


Here is Avery sitting in the chair with her book... she loves the tags on anything, they go right to her mouth.

Look at this pose, she has her toe in her mouth.

Growing up so fast.

Four Generations...

During Christmas Avery was able to meet and spend time with her great-grandmother Mary... This was such a huge joy and a great blessing!! My grandmother is 84 years old and has been such a huge part of my life and for Avery to meet her was so special to me. My grandmother is such a strong, caring, independent and beautiful lady, she has also been a huge influence in my life. Love you Mom W. ( i call her mom as well : )

MiMi ( my mom), Mom W. (my grandmother) Me and Avery

Mom W. and Avery 12-25-2008

Friday Favorites...

Avery is all about sticking her tongue out and she will just smile so sweet. Love this face!!!!

I LOVE this picture, Avery looks so sweet... Aunt Jen gave her "Converse" sneakers for Christmas... the are pink and look so cute!! Thanks for the "Chucks" anunt Jen.

6 Months Old...

1-6-2009

Avery is 6 months old today. WOW that is 1/2 of a year, time sure does fly!!!

Happy New Year 2009...

We went to our friends house next door to bring in the New Year... Avery rang in the new year on David and Wendy's bed... Here she is sleeping, I put her new year's bib beside her.Avery on 01-01-2009

Happy New Year everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Over The River and Through the Woods...

to Pappy, MiMi and Aunt Jen's house we go... We arrived in WV on Tuesday morning around 12 am. Avery did really well for her first long trip in the car. We had the most wonderful Christmas. Avery met her family in WV and one moment we have waited on forver... she met her aunt Jen for the first time. We have many Christmas traditions... Christmas eve we go to my aunt Cheryls house for dinner and on Christmas morning we open gifts at my dad and mom's house then to my grandmothers house for lunch and gifts. On Christmas night we go to my Uncle Trammell and Aunt Jeanies house in our pj's and have a feast and open more presents.

Avery with her Pappy and MiMi.


Avery met her cousin Brenden for the first time... We follow Brenden's blog. : ) http://jmbdugan.blogspot.com/

Christmas Eve at Aunt Cheryl's house Aunt Krista is holding Avery in this picture. : ) Aunt Oletta is on the end to your right and cousin Amanda is on the end to your left... Uncle Jerry is hiding out behind Amanda.

Uncle Lyle telling the Christmas story at Aunt Chery's house.

Pappy feeding Avery... look at her pulling at her sock.

Avery just got her bath and she is chilling with MiMi.

Christmas morning at Pappy, MiMi's and Aunt Jen's

I love these next two pictures... Avery fell back and in this picture her eyes are closed... she just laid there for a minute. SO SWEET.


She loved the Christmas paper the best... here she is with her elmo.


Avery with Aunt Jen.

Here we are at my grandmothers house on Christmas, Avery was opening on of her gifts.
Phillip and Avery at my grandmother's house.

Avery and Aunt Jen hanging out watching TV.

Love this picture.

Avery with Uncle Trammell and Aunt Jeanie.

This was Avery's stack of gifts at Uncle Trammell's and Aunt Jeanie's. : )


This is Avery with my friend Michelle... her little boy Dean is the cute little blonde headed boy. Michelle and I have been friends since the 6th grade.

Here is Avery with her Great Grandmother... What a blessing.

Avery with her Aunt Laurie.

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. God has truly blessed us this year with this beautiful miracle.