Well we are back to school in a little less than two weeks. Gage being the "rules" kid that he is is ready for that! He starts middle school this year! Mom's not ready!!!!!! I think that he is! We are excited for him though. We have really stressed to him that he will really have alot of new responsibilities this year. No more one teacher for the whole day! He really has had a great summer going to camp, spending some time with Gi Gi and Poppa and with Dad. He enjoys his time more and more with Elisha the older he gets! He loves to play Elisha in Madden 09.He and Elisha are very excited the 2010 is out. We are trying to teach him that "we" have to save up money for the things that we really want and that there are also things that we need. He has REALLY grown! He is in a size 12 now and I believe by Christmas he will be in a size 14. He is almost as tall as I am. Elisha and I have been able to spend some time together this summer since we have been working 10 hr days. This has really been a welcome to our busy schedules!We will no longer do that after this week! Yay! Well enough for now! Tired! Need to go to bed!

April Showers Bring BASEBALL!!!!!!!!!

Gage started baseball this year and LOVES it. He has not complained one time about practice or going to the game. I am so glad that we finally found something that he loves to do and that he and his daddy love doing together. Gage plays left field and has really gotten the hang of things. His coaches can't believe that he has never played before. God has blessed him with such a wonderful talent. We finally won our first game on Thursday night! GO REDS!

We went to the nursing home yesterday while daddy went to the A-Day game with Brian. They had a blast. Gage always wants to take Miss Mildred something on nursing home day. He really didn't like to go to the nursing home when he first came to live with us but now he really loves it. He randomly asks me what's her name you know at the nursing home.....it starts with a M (he remembers her name now) during the middle of the week. God has really blessed us with a magnificent boy! He would be perfect except for the 5th grade ATTITUDE that I am beginning to see is prevalent in every kid that age! When he knows that it's time to go he wants to know of we can leave early to go get Miss Mildred a bow, head band, bracelet, or stuffed toy. What a blessing it is to see a child that age love that way!

My parents went to Branson this week so we got stuck baby sitting! It was fun having Scarlett and Lucie around to play with Maxx, Charlie, Copper and Lillie. They had a great time! Mom called everyday to tell me what they had done and dad called daily to check on his babies(by the way if you don't know my dad....this would be his dogs....not his daughter, son in law or grandson). We missed them on Easter, but video taped Gage hunting Eggs for them.

Gage spent a week with Gigi and Papa for Spring Break. He really went over there to spend a few days...he wouldn't come home and my dad wouldn't give him back! They had a blast. They went fishing and to the park at Sherling Lake two days, fourwheeler riding, and cleaned up the yard. HMMMMMM why won't he help clean up at home....HHHHHMMMMMMMM! ( - = He loves that Papa and wants to spend LOTS of time with him! He can't wait until this summer when he will get to spend some time with Grandma Rose and Grandpa Rodney as well as Gigi and Papa.
Well as always...Continue to pray for us as we always pray for you!
God Bless!
Anne Marie

Long Time!

I know....I know!!!!!!! You are all yelling at me! Sorry ( - = We have been a little busy around our house since Christmas! January began with signing papers and when I say papers I mean PAPERS! With all of that taken care of we received a phone call from our DHR worker with a scheduled appointment for Gage's finalization of his adoption! Little did we know that that day was going to be a VERY long VERY happy day! After the proceedings we went back to DHR to celebrate Gage having a forever family! My camera died so my mom took most of the pictures! (Mom I love you alot....could you send me the pictures?) When we got home and got ready to go to WOW Wednesday we were surprised by our wonderful church family(and when I say family I really do mean family...Thanks you guys! I don't know what I would do without you) with a party for Gage! You all really have no idea how much that meant to us as a family! After that we were preparing for our first LONG trip as a family! Gage hates to travel so I was really wishing away the fact that the trip was 10 hrs 1 way! Gage did GREAT! He never complained. He mostly played his "DS" and slept! We got to hear so really great lessons and learn all about L1 (Love God) and L2 (Love others) These were the Elements of living! We are grateful that we had such a large group from HXR go to Winterfest. We really had a great time of Bonding and Spiritual Growth! Guess that I better go for now! Please continue to pray for us as we pray for you!

Christmas

We have had a wonderful Christmas this year! Gage got lots of wonderful presents that we have all enjoyed. Santa brought him a Guitar Hero which has reminded me of how old I am getting, Grandma and Grandpa Stansberry got him his Northface jacket that he has been begging for, Maw and Paw got him reallllyyyy cute Braves crocs and a watch that he loves and Gigi and Poppa got him a DS that has really intrigued us all! We are really blessed to have to split time between two wonderful families. God has blessed us with many things this year. We were able to help a family through church this year and help Gage with the idea of giving and what Christmas is all about! Elisha really surprised me with a beautiful charm bracelet! I was so very excited. I have posted pictures of Christmas this year! God Bless and please continue to pray for us as we pray for you!

Pumpkin Patch

Sorry that it's been so long again. Since August we have been very busy with school starting and my promotion and Elisha beginning his classes again. We visited the pumpkin patch at Critters for Christ and had a great time at their zoo! They had donkeys, goats, kangaroos, lemurs, horses and even a camel named Noah! I will have to post some pictures later. Every thing seems to be going well in the Freeman household these days. Gage is learning that 5th grade is a little harder than 4th grade and that he actually has to study a little. We are getting a little closer to his adoption date every day! We are very excited! Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we always keep you in ours!
Anne Marie

Sorry..........

Sorry that it has been so long y'all. Nothing much going on here except for work and school. Elisha starts refereeing this Friday and so Gage and I won't be seeing much of him on those days. Interesting fact...how many of you knew that a crab could crawl under your 11 year old sons bed and live for almost a week. Man that sucker is still kicking. We did go to the beach for a week this summer which was quite a change from the steady pace of our day to day lives. We got to actually relax for a few days! A big thanks goes out to mom and dad for their gift of an Anne Marie and Elisha night out on the town. We really didn't know what to think going to see the Late movie and getting home after twelve. We were BEAT! Interesting how much your life can change in a little over a year and how much joy one little fellow can bring into your life! What can we say! We LOVE him! He just had a birthday and got a trick bike and more money than I have ever seen!!!!!! Wow I couldn't believe it. I think that he might actually save up for a PSP. Who knows! His teacher says that he is one her very best kids and he seems to be taking an interest in Baseball, Tennis and Swimming. He really likes the Scientific books that his GiGi and Poppa buy him and LOVES his Uncle Rodney. He draws pictures of basketballs and the number 21 on them. I am so very glad that he has adapted well! For me and Elisha life as usual, up at 6:45 bed at ten and work somewhere in the middle.

Why is Everybody Sick?????????????????????????

Well we all made a nice quip trip to the local SARHA Center because we all had the CRUD! Gage and Elisha got medicine and I got a shot in the rear end! Something is not so quite fair about that! SO that was all over and we are all tired, but have to keep going because so much is going on! This week we all three volunteered for the Special Olympics of Alabama. We timed the races for the swimming competition and we also got to cheer them on! It was a really great day! We then left from there and went straight to the Nursing Home for the Singing and then straight home for a Bible Study for the Youth Group at our house. Next day we went to church, took the kids out to eat and then went to a Youth Devotional at Collegedale, after which we went back to church @ Hamilton! We are tired people. Oh and Gage is sick AGAIN! Bless his little heart! He looked awful last night. He really doe shave horrible allergies! Maybe we will get some good rain soon! As always pray for us a we pray for you!