A week to celebrate

One year ago today, May 29th, at 9:00 am, we met our son for the very first time.  

Wow, we love you so much!

Memorial Day Sunday

ABC's!  He's come a long way!

Well before we traveled to Korea, the hubs ran across a blog of a family who have three children who are Korean adopted.  He said I needed to check it out because she had documented their trip, and written about their adopting.  After blog stalking for a while, I emailed her.  What a blessing!!!   There were many a time before our trip and after coming home, where I would email or text, HELP!!!!  And she would respond with encouragement, scripture, and empathy on the days that she knew all so well!

Above are her four kids and my four kids! We finally met for the first time yesterday.  We were able to visit for a few hours, and getting to meet her kiddos was so fun after following their family for so long!

Thank you Libby for your friendship.  Thank you for your love and passion for orphancare.  Thank you for reaching out and encouraging me in the midst of your crazy busy life.  Thank you for rejoicing with us yesterday over the milestone that this week brings!  

Mommy look how much I've grown!

We have had a wonderful time..hanging with the cousins too.  

David's official "Got cha" day is June, 1rst.  I have too many thoughts on this past year, so I guess I have until Saturday to document! ha.  All of his monthly posts will be slurped into a blog book that I will have printed for his first year "baby book."  What a year...a FULL year.  My heart is glad. 

Last Day

The girls had a great year.  I can't believe summer is officially here!

We are quickly trying to implement some "summer sanity" rules. #1 NO GOING OUT OF YOUR ROOMS BEFORE 7:00.

I'm an early bird, and if I know there will be quiet until 7:00, I can get up early and get some alone time...thus filling my summer sanity bucket:)

5 persons home everyday = 15 plates of food / day and that doesn't include dad.

I found this easy little utensil caddy at Target.  I slapped some chalkboard paint on it, bringing us to "summer sanity" rule #2:  HELP YOURSELF!

So welcome Summer!  

A year ago today we started our long journey to Korea to get David.  What a year...that's a whole another post, but it does bring me to a documentary we watched last night called "Stuck."  My friend, Libby, recommended it a while back, and we just haven't had time to watch.

The most frequently asked question while we were in the process to adopt David was, "Why does it take so long?"

The trailer describes it, but the film itself follows four families who children were "stuck" in the paperwork.  Our wait for David was 20 months, but he was cared for and not neglected one single day.  This is not the case for the majority of orphans world wide.  They have families in the US but are forced to wait years in conditions that are unfathomable and will impact them for the rest of their life because the first few years of development are so crucial to their physical, mental, social, and emotional health.

The papework debacle is meant to protect waiting families and waiting children, but as this documentary portrays, the system is failing resulting in a steep decline in international adoptions but worse in an incline in institutionalized children who may never know a life with a family.  This film gives a  explanation into what is going on within the governments to bring some understanding about this crisis.  

Proud of my girls

Mary received the character trait of "Sincerity".  Allie received the trait of "Gentleness."

Both are recorded in same video.  I do see sincerity in Mary every day.  She is intentional and  sincere in her motivations to help and to make another person happy.  I was standing, eating my supper the other night, and she jumped up and told me to have her seat because we only have 5 chairs at our island.  If she sees a need, she sincerely wants to meet it.  I love that about her.

Allie's trait surprised me a little bit because at first thought,  I would not describe her as gentle.  For some reason I associate gentle with quiet which she is not!  But her teacher described her perfectly when saying that she is aware of the needs of others.  Since David joined our family, she has REALLY stepped it up.  When any of us is out of whack, she zones in and tries to help be of comfort or tackle the task herself.  Tonight, she could tell I was frustrated, and she set the table and did all the drinks for everyone without my saying a word.  She really is my go-to-girl!

I'm thankful today to be reminded of the traits God has given them and is growing in them.

My Stella

David went every Tuesday to "school/MDO/Mommy needs a break every week/whatever you want to call it"

He had the best two teachers.  They said at the end of the year that he was the "most changed."  

I couldn't agree more!  

He made a best friend this year.  "My Stella."  According to his teachers...when David had trouble sharing, he would walk over and give whatever toy to Stella instead of the child who he was supposed to give the toy too.  They said Stella was his alternative most of the time when he didn't want to follow orders!

Every Monday AM after dropping off other kids to school, I would do my weekly grocery run with David.  Every Monday, Stella's mom would roll in about the same time.  So for the hour we shopped, you could hear an aisle over, "My David?"  

And he would repeat, "My Stella!"

And somehow we developed the same gym routine too, so a couple days a week we would end up at the gym at the same time.  So without much effort, these two saw each other quite a bit!

First friends:)

Dance

Mary just finished her third year of dance.  This was an "off year" from the recital which is done only every other year. 

Little brother was clearly not impressed.

My Mary is sneaking up on me!

A true mom is....

It's very hard to read, but Allie says,

"A true mom is:  Kind, loving, busy, tired, patient, joyful, peaceful, gentle, and self controlled."

Wow, I'm so glad "tired" has been added to the fruits.  Gives me one I can achieve:)

This is from Garrett.

Note number 2:  She "sighs" to relax.

Oh goodness....Like I said, kids don't miss anything!

Pre K graduation

#3 Pre-K graduation!

Garrett is such a ham.  I keep telling him enjoy the summer because next is BIG SCHOOL!  

He still wants daddy to carry him.  Next year may be a bit of an adjustment:)

lil weddin'

My sister and BIL are about to celebrate their 11 year anniversary, but they didn't do anything for 10 year because Emily went on bed rest with Hannah last year about that time.

Adam wanted to do something special, so he had a surprise vow renewal ceremony.  

She was so shocked.

Both their parents and family were in town for Hannah's baby dedication, so we had planned to go out to eat.  Long story, Adam had set up quite the scavenger hunt all over town.  It was really funny some of the stuff she had to do.  She was so surprised when she walked in our back yard, to find their pastor and family waiting.

It was a very sweet ceremony.  Adam has recently changed jobs and cut back because he has started seminary to prepare for full time ministry in a few years.  This is a big landmark in their marriage obviously, so the ceremony was also to pray for and "commission" them as they move forward into ministry.

The happy couple....AGAIN:)

And they dedicated sweet Hannah to the Lord on Mother's Day.  She's a perfect little baby:)

As for Mother's Day....I have four kids.  I don't know how that happened???  Almost every day I do get a little overwhelmed.  Collectively, they need me...more than I want to be needed:)  God uses these little people to make me look to Him EVERY single day.  I can't do it without the peace of God because they are anything but peaceful! ha ha

Kids have a way of bringing to light who you are, and that's one of the toughest things I find about being a mom.  You can hide your ugliness to alot of people, but your kids see right through it, and so daily I pray for grace to raise them as God raises me.  And daily I fail, so I keep praying.  I think that's why we have four.  I'm a slow learner.

Five years

Happy Birthday Garrett!!!  

We went to Sho Guns tonight because the sisters told Garrett that he should totally pick it.  He loved it.  Said it was, "the most amazing place."  It was probably the first time we have taken all four out to eat, and it was actually FUN!  

We had an animal party...but Garrett was most fascinated with the critters.  (One of the pet stores will bring animals to your house...doesn't that sound like a great idea??)

Yes the doggy survived David's squeezes.

And that's a snake....note the lizard is now crawling on Mary.

I don't remember the name of this one, but Garrett never moved.  He was fascinated by the creepies.

UUUM.  Yep I didn't review the list of animals, but they did go back to the store.

My precious boy.  How has it been 5 years?  This year has been a big one for you.  Sliding from the baby of the family to the middle child was quite bumpy, but as all children do, you made the adjustment.  Garrett you are funny, very silly, affectionate, happy, and crrrrrazy.  You are the only one who wakes up and without fail, finds me for a hug and HUGE smile.  We love you so much big boy!

Happy

Sometimes "happy" is just hanging on the porch together.

Long time no see

Our long time friends that moved away came in for a visit last week.

Mary and K are 9 months apart, and as of now, they are the exact same height.

Enjoying the beautiful weather

We stopped by the church after school and took a picture in front of "the tree."  It's a tradition ever Easter.

I wish they'd stop growing.

They were about to jump in the car to go home, and little K was so sad:(

Thanks for a great visit friend!

It's just a tooth...and?

I don't know why Garrett is losing his teeth so early.  His bottom teeth have been so loose, and the second one fell out today when he was eating an apple.

From his face you can tell, he's not crazy about the whole tooth loss process!

Then I noticed a chunk of hair gone!

Yep he shaved it with "the machine daddy uses to make his face smoothe."  

This has been a ROUGH week...and it made me laugh:) Could have been so much worse!

Back it up

I've hardly sat down at my computer in 2 weeks. 

Today was HOME day, so I'm catching up.

A week ago we made a quick cousin/gparent trip.  Unfortunately it poured down rain the whole weekend, so I didn't get many pics.  We visited the game and fish commission museum, and the kids were happy about it.

Someone had caught a 66 POUND catfish out of the Arkansas River.  NUTS.

These are the "cousin twins"..only 1 week apart in age.  They are going to be great buddies.

Bunny and Mary giving it a go.

Big D worked really hard on this...with a little help from Katie.  

It's pretty exciting to lose your first tooth at Bunny's house.

This pic is a preview to another post.  Uh Mary.....Mary...there is something crawling on your neck...and you don't seem to know.