Nashville, Tennessee, July 2011~

Hillary McCabe-Olsenn here.  Hope this finds y'all well and happy!  We couldn't be better, especially since our family has grown by one more child: we now have six children!

We just adopted a son, Levi Ping Gunther, from China.  He is nine months old and is as cute as a bug!  He just came last month, and already the entire family has fallen head over heels in love with him (well, I can't say the same for the twins, but that's okay: they'll get used to their baby brother in time LOL)!

Heather, who will be seven years old in a few months, is thriving and growing normally.  She plays soccer and pee wee softball and is having the time of her life.  She has proven to be a gifted little athlete.  It's hard to believe that she even had heart problems because she is a little ball of fire!

Her younger brothers Chandler Bryce (5 1/2) and  Harper Clint (4 1/2) also play sports: they both play on a pee wee baseball league and like their older sister, they are having a ball.  They absolutely love it!

The twins, Paisley and Pressley, are the apples of their daddy's eyes: they have themselves wrapped around his little finger.  He cannot escape; he is ready to do their bidding at a moment's notice.  LOL  Yet now we have little Levi, and the twins aren't sure what to think of this chubby, squalling, black-haired family member just yet.  LOL

Remember that book I'd mentioned the last time I wrote in my journal?  Well, it has become reality; I just heard from the publisher, and my manuscript has been ACCEPTED!!  So I am to be a published author!!  My book is entitled: "By God's Grace: Heather's Story -- A Story Of Healing, Hope, And Miracles".  It should be out by Christmas if all goes well.  I'm praying it is; when I get my shipment, I will be sending my family (and friends) autographed copies! :)

The weather has been stormy this spring, and part of the summer; hopefully it is starting to settle down somewhat.  It has, however, gotten quite hot here in Nashville: I'm having to make sure that my family stays hydrated while they go outside and I have plenty of bottled water on myself as well.  Whenever we get done outside and step into our air-conditioned abode, it just feels so darned good! :)

I'm happy to say that Heather passed her classes in the first grade; in September, she will start the second grade.  She has proven to be a very smart little girl.  Gunther and myself are so proud of her!  And Harper will be starting kindergarten in September, so that means more school supplies when they go on sale later this month or next month (not to mention, new school uniforms).  That means I will now have three children in school.  (Paisley, Pressley, and Levi are too little for school.  They will stay home with me, their mamma.)

Well, Levi is screaming his head off, so that must mean he's ready to start the day (or else he needs a change).  I will write in here again soon; until later, this is Heather McCabe saying so long!  May God bless you as much as He's blessed me and my familly!

~Love, your friend in Tennessee, Heather.  :)