WHY????

Justus' new favorite word.
But every word is precious to us!
Even why, (for now) hundreds of times a day.
Does he really want to know why?
I'm not sure.
But it's as clear as day!
Why?
This is him signing it.
It's so cute.
I also melt when he says something resembling "I love you" while shooting me the gang sign that is supposed to be the ILY sign.
That handshape is impossible for two-year-old, adorable, brown hands.

I marvel at his progress in communication.
I marvel that I don't even know where the spanking spoon is right now.
What I used to perceive as crazy, two-year-old rebellion, I now look back and realize it was 90% pure anger and frustration.
His personality is different!
He is cooperative, delightful, SO stinkin' funny! We are enjoying each other now like we were meant to.
I am overwhelmingly thankful to the Lord for preparing me for this sweet boy by making me fluent in ASL long before I knew he would exist in my life.

WHY???
Because God is good.
He is faithful.
He works all things together for the good of those who love him and are called according to HIS purpose.
We love Him, and we are called to whatever God puts before us!
Thank you God for Justus!!!

I'm 32...and it feels good

Today is my birthday (May 30th.)
It's also my big brother Brian's birthday- Happy Birthday B!

I did not enjoy my 30th birthday. Besides it coming at a difficult time in my life, it was not exciting to me to enter my 30's. I was quite comfortable in my 20's and really didn't wish to enter a new decade of me. (Or so I thought.) I wanted to be stuck in the 20's. I didn't feel ready for my 30's! I was being rushed, pushed, forced into it. Couldn't we all just wait until we're ready to be 30?
I had decided I was stuck specifically at 25. I think that's a great age. I still don't feel as old as I am. I can't shake the feeling that I just graduated from college. (That was almost 10 years ago.)
There have been many indicators to me that I am old.
-I just said 10 years, like 10 years is nothing. When you're 20 that's half of your life!
-I've had the same make-up bag for 7 years, and I felt like I just got it.
-College kids are starting to look like high school kids.
-The commercials for those cheesy compilation CD's bring back great memories; I replay them over and over on my DVR, incredibly tempted to call that number NOW! (Especially the commercial with the hair bands of the 80's and 90's singing rock ballads. I love that one!)
-I have four kids. That's a reality check.
-The college girls I hang out with have never seen the staple movies of my life, such as "Say Anything", a John Cusak classic. They look at me with blank stares when referencing music, TV, and movies in general.
-Mostly, because I remember when I thought of people who were 32, and they were stinkin' OLD.

At 30, I was a bit uncomfortable, trying to be okay with it. At 31, a tad better.
But today, I feel really good.
I feel very comfortable in my own skin, even if it looks a little older.
I'm so grateful to be who God is making me and molding me to be. I'm so glad to have grown tremendously spiritually in the last five years. I don't ever want to go back.
I have a lot to show for 32! Almost 9 years of marriage. Four incredible kids.
I can only thank God for my life today! Being 32, I have some years to look back on, sharing the greatest mistakes and 'if only I could do that over' moments with my college girls.
I am desperately seeking the wisdom of women older than me on how to be the wife, mother, and woman God is calling me to be today.
I didn't dread this birthday. I have been looking forward to it. It might have taken me two years, but I'm fully embracing my 30's! Contentment, my sisters...it's paramount! God, forgive me for every corner of my life where discontentment is hiding.

Today has been a great day! My husband...have y'all met him? He's amazing!
He made me my favorite cake. It's the most complicated cake ever to make! I am probably evil for preferring it. It's a carrot cake with a glaze and cream cheese frosting. 3 separate recipes. It's amazing. (Southern Living, of course.) Some of you ate it last year on my birthday.
He and the kids made me a birthday breakfast. Fried eggs and waffles.
I got to go running, and even though it was hot, humid, and disghusting, I enjoyed the time to run and pray, listening to music that draws me into worshiping Him-while sweating.
I had a fantastic birthday lunch at my absolute favorite restaurant in town, Madden's, with some sweet girlfriends.
Becky and the kids made me the sweetest birthday cards I've ever received!
And tonight I have a hot date. Rusty is taking me to Messina Hoff! We've never been there, in all the four years we've lived here. I'm super excited!
Also, we're going to get a new vacuum cleaner, which makes me immensely happy, considering the dog is shedding and my vacuums is sucking nothing but air.
Best of all, everytime my husband addresses me, including waking me up this morning, he calls me birthday girl. I love this man.
I'm 32, and it's a great day.

My New Brilliant Plan for our Lives...

We had an 8 hour car ride yesterday. With four kids. I think there should be an award of some kind for that.

8 hours of listening to kids movies and watching po-dunk towns fly by will make your mind wander.

Actually, the mind wandering started earlier in the week. You see, I read a book (recommended by Laurie Mounce) this week that was set in the mountains of Georgia. It didn't take long into the book before I was certain we needed to live in the mountains. Last year, while at Camp Ozark, I read a John Grisham book where a man was sent to Italy through the witness protection program, and I was most certain that we needed to live in Italy. (Or at least visit! I've never been to Europe.) Rusty has been to Europe and some other cool places, but prior to high school graduation, I'd only been out of the state to Arkansas. I come from a large family, and my Dad has always been in the ministry, so our vacation budget was nill. We lived in the Houston area and we vacationed in Galveston. Usually in a church member's condo, or some such free/cheap deal. I now realize that family vacations are about family time, but back then, I was more than annoyed with a car ride squeezed between my smelly, leggy brothers, perfecting their burps for the family vacation burping contest. (A contest I never entered. I was a girly girl.)

All that to say...I sometimes have the longing to travel! But I don't want to just spend a week or two in some interesting, completely different location. I want to spend a whole year there. I want to spend all four seasons there. I don't want to spend just a summer in the mountains. I want to see the Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer come and go. I want to know what it's really like to live in snow; (if it is anything like I've romanticized it to be, or if I will totally hate it.) I want to know what it's like to hike up a mountain in your backyard everyday instead of going to the gym. I have so many questions! I want to know what the people are like...what their churches are like...how our lives would be different.

When we pass through a small town in Arkansas, I spend the next 20 min. imagining what it would be like to live there and go to First Baptist Church Delight, AR, etc. I do this with every place I see. I construct an elaborate imaginary life there. My kids go to the K-12 all-in-one campus, we go to Melba's Homecookin' Diner every Thursday for lunch, Rusty runs a small practice behind our house...it goes on.

So we've decided we could do short-term missionary work in all of these places. Rusty could set up a practice to meet a need in the community and immediately establish a rapport with us and the community. Then we could share Jesus with the people in our new temporary home! What a great plan! Do you think I could get the mission Board on board with this?

So here is the list I have compiled of the interesting places I want to live for a year each.

1. Australia.

Preferably somewhere near the Barrier Reef. I understand this is a very unchurched region. I learned a lot about Australia this year in Kindergarten, and I'm fascinated. Besides, Emma would do anything to go to Steve Irwin's zoo where animals are NOT kept in cages! She is violently opposed to that! We have watched enough of the animal shows on TV to want to see a wallaby and kangaroo in person. And most of all, I REALLY, REALLY want to listen to those people talk for a year. It will drive Rusty nuts!

2. Roatan, Honduras.

We went there once on a cruise, and the beach was unbelievable. The poverty was heart-breaking. We've always talked about going back there to do mission work.

3. Montana.

I am dead-set on living in the mountains.

4. The Appalachian Mountains.

Yes, the mountain people! Rusty hasn't read the book "Christy", so he does not share this dream. I am sure the mountain people need our help!

5. Lake Tahoe.

This is a gorgeous place! We visited there when we were first married, and we've always dreamed of retiring there. It has mountains and the beautiful Lake! Our mission here will be Ski Doctor. We can minister to all of the tourists via medicine, while my kids become expert skiiers.

6. Alaska.

I'm not sure I could endure this kind of cold in the winter, but this is Rusty's contribution to the list. (I'll throw him one.) However, it definitely is an interesting place. I could go with it.

That's my list for now. I have a feeling every book I read will add another year to the adventure.

I want to know what places you guys would choose...join my dream world.

Any suggestions?

Adventures of Camp Ozark: Part 2

This looks like a beach vacation.
It's not. It's CAMP OZARK!
It's the sand volley ball court.
This is from Monday night. We had so much fun!
Emma has been charming people with her daredevil ways, and today spent hours on the water trampoline.
Heather, I tried the meaningful conversation while brushing her hair, in order to give a more authentic "Little House" feel to our cabin tonight, but she was a Cheetah, so we didn't get very far. I don't think there were ANY girls like Emma on "Little House."
This week is totally different from the past weeks we have come to Camp Ozark...we usually come in July when campers are here. This is Orientation week for the counselors. So there are no campers, only oodles of fun college students...who love kids...and there are only our kids and the permanent staff members' kids here. So our kids are FAMOUS. Jax is well known around the bumper boats for his schmack talk, and constant spraying of strangers. He's so precious! He watched closely today while Rusty and I did the ropes course and zip line, and yelled up to me "Mom, I love you! When you come down, can you hold me?" I love this boy.


Justus is that adorable little boy who signs. This has captured the heart of every beautiful college girl here. He has also learned to WHOOP and put his thumb up as a crowd-pleaser to the Aggies. I certainly didn't teach him that. We have to credit Bec-Bec (Becky who is here with us, having fun, and helping us out tremendously) with that one.
Unfortunately, Justus has been sick, and is running fever for almost four days now, and has a terrible sore throat. This has only limited his fun marginally. After we had dinner Monday night, they had a dance, and Justus got in the middle and did a little break dancing, while people gathered around and cheered. He was trying to show these white people how it's done.


Treston, quite the hit of the entire camp!
I seriously could have charged admission on this night, because we had dinner "on the grounds" outside, and we just stripped him down and let him go to town on some rice and fruit. It was the mess you might expect. But these cute college people do not see chubby babies covered with rice, in their ears, up their noses, everyday. They gathered around in large groups just to watch. Treston was unbothered. There was food present. That was all that mattered to him. When the food runs out, he starts yelling. This is a pic of his first ice cream. There was no way we were going to get away with having some and deny him! He's pretty easy-going, until it comes to food, as you can tell! The girls have lined up just to hold him, so we let a group take him while Rusty and I braved the ropes course and zip line today.

Other highlight: we went fishing last night. Does anyone remember the phantom fish that I caught last year, unwitnessed by people over the age of 5? Well, we all got lucky this year. Everyone of us caught a fish, and Rusty even caught a hook in the finger. Such are the dangers of fishing with kids. I got some very stereo-typical, adorable pictures of my kids holding up their fishes proudly before throwing them back. It was awesome!

By the way, thanks for the recommendations on reading! I am almost done with one of them, and ready to start another. I have enjoyed reading for hours and hours at night! It's been great.

We will be packing it up all too soon. I do miss all of you guys, and will see you soon. Pray for us, driving straight through on the way home (8 hours) with tired (and some sick) kids, and many valuable things precariously strapped to the top.

And yes, Ashley, we'll just squeeze you in next year! I think they expect us to keep bringing more and more kids each year, at this rate. I don't know where another one would sleep, but that wouldn't stop the Ingalls family, would it?

I'll keep you posted on further adventures. Love to all of you!

Camp Ozark Adventures: Part 1

First of all, pure success...we made the trip from Texas to Arkansas with two double jogging strollers and a car top carrier full of our belongings strapped to the top of our loaded-down van...straps flying in the wind...semi-trucks passing like hurricane force winds. We made it. And so did our stuff. I can only sing my husband's praises for this huge VICTORY!
We have been basking in the gorgeous weather here! (Prior to today, which is rainy.) It has been absolutely gorgeous, couldn't order a more perfect temperature. It's been a sweat-free camp, and I didn't even know that existed. I don't feel so disghusting at the end of the day that
I want absolutely nothing to do with myself...to run away from ME.
We took a hike with the entire camp up to the cross (at the top of a mountain) with the kids. Now, hiking was not in my vocabulary years ago when Rusty met me. I am a changed woman. I am a good wife. (At least for hiking. I don't know about anything else.) I actually like the physical challenge. However, I'd enjoy it more if there were not the risk of my children falling to their death. Much more.
These pics tell the story of what my kids have enjoyed the most. The newest addition to Camp Ozark...bumper boats that SPRAY other people. What could be cooler than that, at least in Jax's mind?
I believe I'm eligible for "Mom of the Year" for getting on a boat with Justus and letting my
children spray me relentlessly for about 15 minutes. The kids barely got a drop on them, but I was soaked. But it was fun.
Emma, of course, did the zip line and ropes course the very first thing when we got here. She is as fearless as ever.
We are sleeping four kids in a one-room cabin, which feels very
"Little House" to me, minus the air conditioning unit and the refrigerator.
We are having a great time!
Love to you, our friends!

Let the Book Discussion Begin!!!

We are beginning our online book discussion of Shepherding a Child' Heart by Tedd Tripp this Monday, May 21st!

Please know that ANYONE is welcome! This is just a collection of Moms and Dads, all over the country, who want to discuss how to apply God's Word to our homes.

I am SUPER excited about this...sharing what God is teaching Rusty and I, as well as all of you. Encourage husbands to contribute as well.

So, quick! Read chapter 1 and be ready to discuss on Monday!

Go to www.allthingswifeandmom.blogspot.com for the discussion, and you can click on "Who are these crazy people?" to learn more about the women facilitating the discussion.

The Most Important Thing We Do All Day

The most wonderful part of homeschooling this year has been that it helped me get into a solid routine of Bible Study and prayer with the kids in the morning. We had a hard time before this year finding a time in the evening to do this...you know how the evenings can go sometimes. Tired kids, bathtimes, phone calls, etc. I was often frustrated that we were not consistent and disciplined in this time with the kids, and also that I never found a children's Bible story book that I liked.

I know some of you also do this with your kids, some in the evening, like Kathryn, and some very early in the morning! (Bless you Shannan and Christy!)

We too have started everyday with a lesson from scripture, and time in prayer together. (Like many of you, I've been using my own "curriculum" for this, coming up with lessons myself.) I wouldn't miss this precious time with them for the world! Hearing their prayers, having time in the Word with them, this is what it's about! This is where growing them spiritually, bit by bit, happens before our eyes. What a blessing to lift up Rusty and his office, patients, and staff everyday with my children has been! How awesome it has been to pray for Justus and Treston's birthmoms' salvation everyday with my kids! How amazing it was to pray for healing for my Mom everyday for a long time, and then witness God's supernatural healing of her, and hear my kids say "of course Mom! We prayed for that!" No matter how late we may be running in the morning, they know that we NEVER skip the most important thing we do all day...our Bible Study and prayer time. And Emma would never let me get away with it anyway. She LOVES the stories from the Bible!

Becky, the superhero who comes to help us and have one-on-one with Justus while I teach school, recently brought this Bible Story book over, and I am loving it! I have never found a book I like this much. It's a compilation of Old and New Testament stories, written very well, but every story "whispers the name of Jesus" as it says on the cover. It accurately represents how the whole Bible is about God's redemptive plan for saving us through the sacrifice of His Son, God Himself.

Check it out. I just ordered us one off of Amazon for $10. And I would love to hear any ideas or routines you guys have in your homes for teaching your kids about the Lord, through Bible study, prayer, scriptures memorization, whatever. I know all of our homes are different, and we can share new and exciting ideas with one another! Being surrounded by other Moms and Dads doing this really encourages me and spurs me on!

Quick!!! I Need Vacation Reading...

Rusty and I are so excited to be vacationing soon. We are headed to Camp Ozark for our yearly nature adventure. Of course, I will keep you updated with stories and pictures this year of the Fearless Emma, capable of awe-inspiring feets on the ropes course and zip line, crazy hole-in-the-wall places we will eat at on the way there and back, and the ultimate adventure...sleeping a family of six in a one-room cabin. It will be wonderful!
But I am in desperate need of some really good vacation reading, and I need your book suggestions.
I want fiction. I don't want any book that's going to make me think hard, or make my life better. Those are the books to read during my real life, not my vacation life. I really enjoy Christian fiction, like Francine Rivers. What is wrong with that woman? Why can't she write faster? I don't think I've had a new book from her in years! She would definitely be my favorite.
Anyone have a good recommendation that I could run to the library and grab? I don't want to take a gamble at the library, and end up with a stinky book. I like to do a lot of late-night reading by flashlight while at Camp Ozark. It will totally make my week! Help!

Being A Mom

First of all, Happy Mother's Day to my Mom, Cindy, and Rusty's Mom, Bernadette. Where would we be had we not been mothered by you?
Mom, I know I am truly blessed as a woman to have had a Godly Mother modeled before my eyes everyday. I still go to you when I need wisdom, because I know it is grounded in the Word. What a gift!

As for me, I don't know that I have anything to say that is not cliche about Mother's Day. I guess I just wanted to convey how much I LOVE being a Mom! This is my chosen full-time profession, and I am being dead honest when I say there's nothing else I'd rather do! Being a Mom to Emma, Jax, Justus, and Treston brings me such joy. Being "busy at home" as Titus 2 puts it, truly is our calling. I know that's not a popular idea, and I'm grateful for a pastor who will say it, and also a Dad who said it from the pulpit recently. I don't feel under valued because I have a husband who encourages and praises me. I don't feel unfulfilled because I know this is a high and sacred calling. What I do is of eternal value. I don't want to miss a single moment of it. I don't feel unstimulated because I have my smart little students who are challenging me to learn and be a better teacher! (I can't believe how much I learned in Kindergarten!!! Don't laugh! Do you know what the only mammal is that lays eggs? Emma does.) Now of course, there are days I feel tired. There are days I feel frustrated. Thankfully, my feelings don't rule who I am. Mostly, I just feel overwhelmingly grateful. This is my dream profession, and I'm living the dream! Thank you God!

More Signs and more websites...

If you've seen Justus lately, you know he's getting crazy fluent in sign, and has even gained some new words.
There is an even better website I want you to check out. It's http://www.aslpro.com/cgi-bin/aslpro/aslpro This one has a much more extensive video dictionary! Awesome!
I have made a new list of signs that you are almost sure to see if you walk into our home on any given day. Ready?

Loud
Hurt
Gross
Touch
Not (also use for Do not or to negate almost any action)
Dirty (also the sign for dirt)
Diaper
Change
Need
Good
Work
Firefighter (We use a different sign than what's on the website. Make a B handshape, and put it to your forehead, facing thumb out, like the badge on their hats. Justus points to himself and then signs this about 100 times a day. He wants you to know HE'S going to be a firefighter!)
Name Signs:
Justus (Make a J handshape in your hair, on the side of your head, like for curly hair.)
Treston (Make a T handshape, and tap it against your chin a few times)
Emma (Make an E handshape and sign girl with it)
Jax (Justus made this one up himself...tap your index finger to the side of your forehead, like the sign for "think", and then turn it out into an X handshape, in one motion. It's easier than it sounds.)
Mom- sign for Mother
Dad-sign for Father, but Justus baby signs these with just one finger, FYI.

Okay, so now let's put those into Justus sized sentences. This is like a cumulative test.
Practice Sentences:
Justus, please don't touch. (Justus please not touch)
That's too loud! Treston is asleep. (Loud! Treston sleep)
That's yucky! Don't eat that. (gross! not eat)
You need a diaper change. (FYI, I don't sign "dirty" for a dirty diaper, I sign stinky, by just holding my nose. Dirty is not really appropriate for a dirty diaper.)
Does that hurt? I'm sorry! (Hurt? Sorry)
You want a firefighter book?
Where's Daddy? At work. (Daddy Where? Work)
Good job Justus! (Good Work)
Your clothes are dirty. Let's go change. (Clothes dirty. Go change)

Remember, if you sign these things with no expression, it's almost meaningless! Take note of the expressions of the signers on the website. When you meet a deaf person, the expression will almost overwhelm you. But there is grammar built into expression! A deaf person would rather have expression than perfect signs! That's just a side tip when it comes to learning ASL. It also helps with communication with Justus. The more expression he has, the more likely we are to understand what he's signing.
Remember, he still uses baby signs. He doesn't sign these things perfectly. You have to be around him to get used to his signs. But it doesn't take long!
Thanks for those of you really learning! It shows how much you love our sweet boy!

Taking Action!

May 6th has come and gone. Hallelujah!
Sunday marked the end of a waiting period for us with Treston. It feels good to be on this side of May 6th. It's a day that's been circled on my calendar for months.
Many of you have asked me where we are with this adoption. My answer has had to be "waiting." There was a waiting period that had to take place before any legal action could be taken.
We waited.
Now we are ready to take action! We want to make what we already feel to be true, about Treston being our baby, a legal reality!
Pray for New Life's lawyer, who will be representing us. We have already seen God move; as Rusty prayed and fasted about this, God gave him the name of a patient of his who is a lawyer, experienced in family law. Rusty actually saved this man's life once, so we called in a favor. (He was in his early 30's with no risk factors for heart disease, and had come in with some chest pain. Rusty decided to check into it more, despite his age, and found a 90% blockage. The next day he had major bypass surgery. It's awesome when God speaks to your doctor!) This lawyer has been advising New Life's lawyer, and they decided to move the proceedings to OUR county! We are excited about this, because we have heard the judges are more conservative here and apt to move quickly, and we won't have to drive all over the world to attend the court proceedings.
We believe God already has a judge for us. We know He knows the outcome, but we are called to PRAY. So again, I'm asking you to pray also. Unless you have been through this, it's hard to imagine. But going to court to let someone else decide if your baby can stay with you is a strange thing. It can be very scary. We have clung to Phil. 4:6-7, as it says "Don't worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. And then the peace that passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." We cannot worry, we can only pray, and be thankful for the amazing things He has done in Treston's life already.
The Adoption Party will be joyous! The Baby Dedication will be so sweet! Writing his new name will be fun! Please pray with us for this to come to pass, and for all of the details. Legal proceedings can be a mess, and lengthy! We are praying against that.
Some of you have asked about the details of Treston's situation, or even Justus'. I may have awkwardly evaded your question. I'm not always good at that, because I am naturally a forthcoming person. But let me tell you why...these boys have stories behind their adoptions. They have birthmothers, and birthfathers. I understand that people are curious about this. But these are their stories to tell. Some of the facts they may wish to keep private, and I'm not going to spill it to everyone we know, every person we chit-chat with in Target for that matter, for their sake. It's not that I don't trust you with this information, it's just not fair to them. As adoptive parents, we need to be discreet. I have not really explained that publicly, but I hope that makes sense. The real story is God had a plan for their lives. He picked them up and planted them in the family he knew from the beginning of time would be theirs. It grants us all a greater understanding of being adopted as Christians, as the Bible puts it. It is a true picture of the gospel story, living and breathing in our family.
Thanks for your prayers! We treasure them. We're going to make this boy a Bacak!!!

The Lady in the Orange Shirt

Get to know the lady in the orange shirt...

I think we're going to be great friends.

This is the cool new ASL website I found! It has a video clip for an entire dictionary of words! The other websites I found like this you had to subscribe to and pay for. But this one's free!!!! Don't you love free? It is exponentially easier to learn signs from a video clip rather than still pictures. This was a great find! The address is http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm It's a long one, so just add it to your favorites.

I will post a new list of signs very soon, so you can check this out. Those of you learning, keep it up! We have to learn quickly to keep up with Justus! He's amazing. He's putting together three signs at a time easily, when just a few months ago we were at one word utterances only. (And they were limited.) I'm so proud! Our home has changed so dramatically!

Justus is happy!

He makes jokes!

Our Spanking Spoon is not so tired!

He never throws his poop anymore! :)

He tells me what he wants for breakfast!

He tells Rusty things that have happenned in his day!

He knows all his shapes and colors!

He's learning his alphabet!

For all of this, we give great glory to God! He is good!

Just In Case I'm NOT the Only One Who Doesn't Know...

You all may know this, but just in case...
There is this amazing show on the Discovery channel called Planet Earth.
I got the tip from my parents, but scolded Heather for not letting me know first, and she just "assumed I would know."
Well we all know what happens when we assume.
So I'm assuming some of you don't know.
You may not be interested in a nature/wildlife show.
I would never have given it a first glance before I married Rusty, who LOVES this stuff, and then passed on a massive obsession for it down to my daughter.
This is Emma's absolute, hands-down favorite show! She thinks the "woman from Planet Earth" (narrator: Sigourney Weaver) knows everything, and is the greatest source of knowledge she has! It has opened up a new world for Em. I am very aware that I have nothing left to offer Emma as a teacher when it comes to animals. She has now surpassed my knowledge of animals. My only edge on her is I know how to read big books. When she conquers that, I will lose! She has an insatiable thirst to know everything she possibly can about nature and wildlife. After she watches a "Planet Earth" once, maybe twice, she has it memorized. She wants you to watch it with her, but she will narrate the whole time. You don't get to hear it from Sigourney Weaver.
So this show...it's pretty cool. I was just watching the filmmaker's stories about how they get the "never before seen footage" (which they say every 10 minutes). For instance, we saw some rare and beautiful birds from a remote area of the world do their mating dance and it was AMAZING. But the poor camera crew waited for 8 weeks, 8 hours a day, in a camoflouged tent, waiting...all day...doing nothing but sitting in the same spot, looking at birds. Can you imagine? All of these stories astounded me.
You truly do see things never before seen in nature. They are learning things no one knew about all kinds of species on land and in the sea because of new technologically advanced cameras, and somtimes filming with them from the sky. You've got to check this show out! It's so educational for kids and adults, but be warned: the circle of life is accurately represented. Animals eat other animals. I have to skip forward sometimes because I don't like that, but Emma doesn't like to skip anything. She can take it. Can you believe that? But if there was a hunter, of ANY animal present hurting an animal, she would be irate!!! She'd get on her six-year-old soapbox so fast! If you hunt, please don't mention it to Emma. She will never be able to see you the same.