officially ours twice

She was officially ours in Ethiopia and as of this morning, she's officially ours in the United States as well! We completed Evie's re-adoption and name change this morning. Her new US birth certificate will read Evangeline Meaza Cox with Jason and I listed as her parents. We had to swear to love and take care of her for the rest of her life. The judge even gave her a bunny rabbit which she loved. She is ours twice-over and we are thrilled to be done with the very last step!

pumpkin patch 2013

We skipped the crowded, crazy pumpkin patch and went to a smaller one for Evie's first pumpkin patch experience. We met Nana, Grangoat, Uncle Brad, Aunt Nova and cousin Solomon for lunch & pumpkin patch fun. The kids enjoyed the hay ride, corn pit and petting the animals. The only traumatic experience while there...some chickens got loose, a dog attacked and killed a chicken right in front of Judah. He survived and had a great story to tell afterward.

beaver's bend with the beck's

We had the best time last weekend with our dear friends, the Beck's, at Beaver's Bend. We played in the creeks & rivers, cooked s'mores, hiked, cooked, ate, caught crawfish, canoed, talked and just had a wonderful, relaxing time! We're going to have to make this a tradition!

I love this picture. Lori and I have been friends since we were 10 years old and now our sweet baby girls are only a couple of months apart. Can't wait for their friendship to blossom like their mamas.

first time to the zoo

I love our zoo and love taking my kids there! This was Evie's first time to the zoo where we met our friends, the Shaw's, for a day of fun while the boys were in school. Shhh, don't tell them. :-) There are two new baby elephants - they are so cute!

All three of my kids have had their pictures made with this baby elephant over the years.

Evie's favorites while there: being outside, walking around and looking through the bars and the exhibits with water behind glass.

Evie and Savannah are checking out the fish.

She was tickling Spencer's feet and making him laugh!

We had to get a picture with Daddy's favorite, the otters.

She LOVED feeding the birds!!!

Evie and Spencer were too cute together! Evie is about 9 months older than Spencer, but he is such a big guy and her so little that they are about the same size. They both had elephant shirts on that day.

The zoo totally wore them out. Evie's first time to the zoo is a success!

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Also wanted to point out my cutie 9 year old. He just finished his first book report on a non-fiction book and chose Ethiopia. He had to write a report and do a project. We had to cut the project up into a puzzle, so his sister will have a cute sturdy Ethiopia puzzle when she gets older. He also loves wearing his daddy's hats and coats. He is growing up way too fast!