Almost 10.... I sure enjoy watching you grow.

National Adoption Day...

I read in the paper this morning that yesterday was National Adoption day in America. I could not help but wonder how different my life could be. What if my birth mother had made a different choice? What if? I don't really like to dwell on the "What if" thoughts of life...

I like to think that my birth mom and my Mama were friends in heaven...

I am so thankful for the sacrifice she made for me. She wanted me to be a daughter with both a Mom and Dad who loved and cared for me. Who loved, not only, God but our brother Jesus Christ. I am thankful that Ike and Gloria live in a way that others know what they believe. Because if they had not... My dad's lab partner from class may not have thought of them when her friend told her about her sister who needed to find a Christan family to adopt the child that grew in her belly. I think the Spirit had something to do with my success story.





I am a pretty lucky girl. My mom is one of my VERY best friends. She and I are a lot a like... sometimes too alike. And my dad... Well... I looked for someone JUST LIKE HIM to marry.
I so love my parents. I love all they stand for. I love their crazy jokes and the silly things that make them tick. I love all the made up words my mom uses in her daily vocabulary. She can work a room like no other can. She knows how to kill people with kindness... something I am still working to master... I marvel at their faithfulness. How they love the missionaries they cared for for 3 years. I love the light in their eyes as they speak of their holy experience in Ghana. I love how they love our children.

I love that I am theirs and they are mine... For Eternity.

Happy National Adoption Day!

Not that I BLAME you.

There are a couple of things about the
youngest 2
RitterB babies that people can't resist...

The first is the stunning good looks... They're cute as can be!

The 2nd is their HAIR...
That's right,you can't resist that head of hair!

At first it is the comments... "Look at their hair!" "Oh my gosh I love their hair!" "Did you have to learn how to care for their hair?" "Wow, you don't even need to use headbands for her... she has so much hair."

And then it happens... Just as I know the sun will rise each morning, I know you will reach out and touch that head of theirs... I don't blame you really... I know you are curious of how it feels. It looks super soft... Is it? I don't blame you. I know you can't contain that hand of yours.

For the record... When both Noah and Zion were born their hair was soft as the clouds. I too, could not contain the desire to rub the soft hair along my cheeks...

By the time Noah was a few months old his baby soft hair had fallen out. I remember the day it started falling out in clumps... I was so sad. When it grew back it grew thick and course with tight curls.

Zion was born with a head of hair any woman would want. She has more hair then I could ever imagine. It is thick with soft curls. There is no need for headbands with this baby... Her hair can hold their own to any bow I desire. I have been very careful how I care for "Pinkie's" hair.... With Noah we had a bit of a learning curve...
One thing is for sure....
Nothing can prevent that awful BALD SPOT babies create
for themselves on the back of their head.
I have learned NO amount of HOPE, tummy time, bouncy seat time, bumbo time, moby wrap time, hip huggin' time
{you get the idea}
can prevent rubbing off their hair while on their back...

*sigh* what's a mama to do?
Before long she just may be able to cover the bald spot with a comb over.

OBSESSED!

Our Noah boy... He is a real Gem. Some days I look at him and find myself questioning My Heavenly Father. " What have I done in this life that HE thinks I am deserving to be his mother?" There are lots of couples who long to be parents. Who wait and wait for a child to be placed in their arms. Who's heart is open and prepared to love and nurture. So, how did We get to be his parents? What ever the answer is to my questioning... I am ever so blessed.

Noah boy has become a bit obsessed over the past couple of weeks...
Obsession #1

THIS TREE

No matter where we have this bad boy in the house Noah loves the dirt...

To the point of giving it a taste now and then...
Obsession #2...

DOING WHAT HIS BROTHERS DO...

Noah noticed Ammon and Isaac trying on the box their ninja swords came in... he was not content until the boys helped him try it on for size...
OBSESSION #3

Hanging out on top of the kitchen table.

Obsession #4 and #5

DOG

This is Noah's Dog. Grandma Gloria purchased it on the plane on her way home from Ghana once. {her shopping obsession is a whole other post!}

BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ACTION

Noah likes to hang out on my bed while I am trying to make it... It is our little game... While most days I have to re-make it after he has left the room yesterday I just made him in it... E.T. style.
He watched Yo Gabba Gabba and drifted off to sleep in his new fort...
I thought he was so stinkin' cute... I wanted to just eat him up.
Obsession #6

PUTTING ON A SHOW.

I think Noah knows how cute he is. He for sure knows he is a show stopper. He also knows that we all melt to see him participate in prayer.
He has had folding his arms for months now...

But yesterday he added closing his eyes and bowing his head.
In his mind a hardy AMEN is the best way to finish!
Oh I love this boy! I am so grateful Our Heavenly Father knew he was the PERFECT addition to the RitterB's!

El Día de los Muertos

Halloween Adventures started on the 26th of October this year when Hunter the Good Witch invited Jordie Pordie a young Witch in Training to an evening out on the town! Panara Bread was their destination! Hunter came earlier to practice her mad wicked make-up skills... Jordie was in dream land for sure!
On Wednesday we attended our annual church Trunk-OR-Treat... Our friends and neighbors joined us in the festivities... No matter how many tricks I asked for all the kids wanted were treats... go figure...
Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow along with Jordie the good witch and the Friendly Cowboy Mr. D waited for the Cute Diva Hannah Montana before gathering goodies.


Mr. D sure loves our babies... If I didn't know any better I would guess HE was their big brother!

What girl doesn't DREAM of wearing TOO much eye shadow and it being accepted in public?
Noah boy dresses as the Frog Prince to the church party... he really makes the cutest rib bit sound.


On Friday the kids attend Missy's annual Halloween party... Well, Not our sweet Isaac. Dumb ol' flu bug choose his body to party in this year... Booooooo Nonetheless... Missy's Boo Fest is THE party of the year folks... Marc-a-roni and I had been invited to attend a charity dinner and missed out this year. We have been given play by play of the spooky adventures from our Good Witch. Sounds like it was Frightfully FUN!
It was fun to have TinkerBell and two Clone Troopers for an evening of Trick-OR- Treating.
Elder Peterson and Elder Davis dressed up as Missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They even worked their ties into the color scheme...
Our good buddy Scott dressed up as a husband missing his Soldier! We missed her too... Maybe Buzz misses her most... As for Tink.. well, you know how Tink is...
Mama RitterB could not pass up the moment to make her Noah boy's wildest dreams come true.
What Toy Story lovin' boy wouldn't want wings like Buzz?

When all is said and done Halloween is really ALL about the candy and about how your parents will let you eat as much of it as you want for that one night... After that it is rationed out for the next couple of weeks...

Oh... Just in case you were worried... NO I will not let Noah jump from the catwalk to see if he "CAN FLY"
Miss Zion was dressed as a PRETTY PINK FLOWER.
After all folks...She is my "Pinkie"
Since Isaac was banned to the outer regions...(the guest bedroom) for the evening we thought him dressing up as the "swine flu" would be most fitting!

El Día de los Muertos

She's done it again!

A few weeks back Kris came to Missouri. Our long waited photo shoot (well maybe not all that long.. Zion is was only 3 months...) had finally come! The Peek we get of the RitterB's so far is AWESOME!!! I am one lucky girl that's for sure!

Take a peek!

I know...

I have spent the past couple of days attending Time Out For Women. This years theme is Sweet Assurance...
Each speaker testified of things "they" knew. Knowledge that helped them as they strive for a closer relationship with our Father.
On Wednesday afternoon my heart stopped beating for a moment. As I opened the blinds along the kitchen wall our back yard came into full view. As if almost over night my trees leaves had changed color. If I were to choose my favorite season based on color I would pick fall. I feel the most peace with burnt orange and Blacks, Browns and ambers. But, is Fall really here? If Fall is here then Winter is creeping around the bend.
Missouri winters are hard on my soul. The bitter cold and snow less days seem to drag on for what seems like years.
{We have a rule here in the RitterB home... A rule made by me... We are to pick a season and ONE season only to complain. For example: One can not whine about how HOT they are at the Zoo on a sunny summer day and Cry about the extreme FRIDGED air in the dead of winter. Yes, it is uncomfortable to be hot and sweaty. Yes, it is uncomfortable to be freezing your bum off... But I dont want to hear about both... SO PICK YOUR SEASON AND COMPLAIN AWAY! Last Wednesday my SEASON TO COMPLAIN officially started! I HATE THAT WINTER IS ON IT'S WAY!!!}
I think maybe our Father knows the dread I feel with the cold. I think maybe he is helping me ease into the idea this year. This year our tree in the backyard is particularly beautiful. Beautiful enough to make my heart stop for just a moment and marvel at His creation. While taking a few pictures I could not help but think that in a couple of weeks my tree will be stripped of all it's leaves. It will be left bare.
I really enjoyed my flower in my faith pot this year. It reminded me of my sister, Sharmayn, purple always does that. I noticed as I came back to the house that my flower was still in bloom. Yet, was dying. The stems had started turning brown and no longer held tight to the tiny buds it worked so hard to produce. Like it or not... Winter is on it's way. *sigh*
We were asked several times today to jot down some things "I KNOW." I thought of my purple flowers and my tree full of Burnt Orange, Amber and Browns.
[I know each year Winter will come. She will stay for a while. But, I KNOW that the sun will shine and the warmth will come again.]

I am most grateful for the lessons I have been taught over the past couple of days. I'm a lucky girl you know. My Marc-a-Roni held down the fort quite nicely. He is good like that to me. [I KNOW I have him for Eternity... ]