My Heart is in Kyrgyzstan

Fundraising

2011-09-04T21:21:00.002-04:00

So, my dear friends that I mentioned previously are hoping to bring Artem back for Christmas!! I cannot tell you how excited I am. For one thing, I am pretty sure it will be his first ever Christmas with Christ at the center- who knows what seeds might begin to grow? Secondly, it is the first step in what I hope will become his forever family! Now, there are a ton of pieces that have to fall into place for this to happen, but this sweet family who previously had no plans whatsoever to pursue adoption are quite smitten with our boy, and are quite open to whatever God has in store. So, let's see this miracle begin.

As is so often the case, the biggest obstacle looming in front of this family is financial. Hosting fees are simply to cover travel and visa expenses, but they can be overwhelming at an already expensive time of year. And we wont even get into the topic of potential adoption fees yet- lets see God move this small mountain first. So, I need your help. I will be posting about fundraising opportunities in the near future- please don't tune me out. We have a chance to make a HUGE difference in the life of this child. Now, if you know me you know my heart bleeds for orphans worldwide and I know that this can seem like a tiny piece. But it is a BIG deal for Artem. What are the current stats of orphans worldwide- 167 million? Overwhelming, I know. But we have to impact that number one at a time. Lets offer some love to the one right here in front of us. He is ever so worthy. Here is the link to the active.com fundraising site. Seriously people- if just my facebook friends each donated $10 each, we would have this in the bag. And if YOU felt lead to repost this on your wall, and some of your friends donated- well- we could start chipping away at that second mountain looming in the distance called adoption fees. Please please please. Let's change his world!

Bring Artem Home for Christmas!

The Day that had to come...

2011-08-08T22:34:00.003-04:00

First off, here is a family shot: Artem was all dressed up too, but he spilled ketchup on his button down shirt! Oh, well...he is still adorable!
This is my brother and sister and law and their youngest, Nathan with Artem. Thanks to them, he even went home with some Spanish words (Tia and Tio mostly)!
And here he is with Nana and Papa (Shauns parents):

And finally Babushka and Dedushka (sp?): This boy is very very loved!

So, departure day. I really thought I was prepared for it. I mean, I was dreading it the whole time, but we went into this with a host only mentality and I thought I was alright with that. It. was. awful. The days leading up to it there was plenty of talks about it. He was so open about not wanting to go back, so free with his emotions and affections. We got plenty of hugs and kisses and I love yous the whole time he was here. One night in particular broke my heart- we were having a chat on the translator and he was expressing his worry about what would happen when he got back to Ukraine. I guess the older boys can be bullies, and if they see something they want, they just simply take it. All the little gifts we got him were such treasures to him- I seriously doubt he has ever had so many possessions in his life. The thought of someone stealing from him made me so sad. I asked if there wasn't a teacher or a caretaker who could look out for him and he looked at me like I was completely crazy. He got a set of earrings for his sister whenever he sees her again- I went ahead and wrapped them in hopes that they would be more likely to stay in his possession that way. He basically told me that if someone tried to take those, he would fight them, but I cringed at that and told him to be careful and look out for himself- no material things are worth his safety.

Packing his bags was tricky but we got it done. Photo album full of memories with our contact info in the back. His Russian English Bible in which I highlighted some of my favorite passages. Clothes, toys, shoes, school supplies, and gifts. Poor kids carry on weighed a ton though! And I managed to slip in a letter and some unseen goodies after he went to bed.

The flight out was really early, so Shaun stayed home with the two younger kids and Ashtyn and I took him. We were such a wreak! Artem was somber at first, but as soon as he got around the other boys, he separated from us and took on the tough boy act. They were all in pretty good spirits- several of them had been through this before so I think they were coping the best they could. When it was actually time to say goodbye however- the tough boy act melted away and he clung to us and choked back the tears. For Ash and I there was no hiding it, we were complete saps. My sweet sweet boy- I don't think he has any idea how much we miss him!!

The one thing that made it all slightly more bearable however is that we do have hopes of seeing him again. I cannot mention any names and it is certainly not a sure thing yet, but some friends of ours that met him while he was here are seriously considering adopting him. So we are praying for that to work out, and hoping they might host him for Christmas. Couldn't let Artem know anything about it poor kid. He is so strong though, and so brave. And he is always in our thoughts and prayers so I know God will take care of him!

The rest of the visit

2011-08-08T22:07:00.009-04:00

Wow, we got way too busy for blogging. Forgive me, i wanted to savor every moment!

I would say the highlight was a long weekend in a beach side resort (I love spg points!!) We headed over to Sand Key and spent 3 nights and 4 days. It was awesome. Ironically most of the kids preferred the pool to the big blue ocean- but we got plenty of both! Grandma and Grandpa went with to help with the kiddos (since Shaun couldn't stay the entire time-boo). Artem got even tanner (if that is possible) and even met a cute little girl from Moscow at the pool one day. Strangely- we seemed to find Russian speakers everywhere we went while he was here- I don't think he has a clue how rare that actually is in the States. They had kids activities at the pool in the afternoon, and he got second on a swimming race- against some much bigger kids too.

We went to Rock Springs with our cousins- water is always a hit with Artem. He did reach a point of being tired of little kids, so my 14 year old nephew Zac and his friend let A hang with them for a bit- which totally made his day. These springs are especially cool because you can take a tube up to the boil, and ride the current downstream.

I pawned off my little ones, and took the two oldest to Disney again. I was really hesitant to do it after the first failed attempt but I am so glad we went! It was fantastic- he had so much fun. We went to Magic Kingdom and he conquered all the mountains- but I think his favorite was the race cars. We closed the place down, staying through the electric parade and the fireworks. I hope he took home some good memories.

Let me add some pics and I will cover the goodbyes in a separate post...

Disney

2011-07-15T18:35:00.002-04:00

Lets just say Disney was a fail. Mega summer crowds, intense heat made for one very unhappy (and uncooperative) boy. There were moments of fun, but not at all what I envisioned. Bummer. Oh well

Week Two

2011-07-14T00:43:00.002-04:00

I was really hoping to manage a blog post more than once a week- pitiful ;) Let me see if I can hit the highlights

*Roller Skating- So Artem takes a little time to warm up to a new idea, so when we first got to the rink he was very hesitant. He did take one painful spill but it didn't take him too long to get back on the floor and he was doing great in no time. He has asked to go every day since then. And informed me with great sadness that he doesn't roller skate in Ukraine. We will have to go at least one more time...

*Sea World- His amazement when he saw the whales was AWESOME. Incidentally, there is a little video segment at the beginning of that show that shows a small child in silhouette holding hands with her parents that had me almost in tears... He rode everything they have. We learned he likes roller coasters which makes me very happy as I haven't had an excuse to ride them in several years. The second day we went he got to touch a stingray and a dolphin which was pretty cool. Oh, and his heelys have arrived so he has been zooming everywhere- and he crashed right into another New Horizons Ukrainian host kid! Actually I am not sure he actually crashed, but he did help the little guy pick up his water bottle which somehow dropped, and a little bit later we saw each other again and the boys started talking in Russian to each other so we figured it out. They were in FL from Maryland- so unlikely that we would meet like that!

*Aquatica- Another huge hit. He tells me that they have water slides in Ukraine, but the lazy river was new to him. He was up for anything (although we arrived at the park during an afternoon thunderstorm which had him looking at me like I was crazy and asking to go "Dom")

*New Horizons welcome party- a day of boating fun at our house (have I mentioned lately how thankful I am for this house?) It was wild- swimming- volleyball-tubing-jet skis-sandcastles-food- food- food-kids jabbering in Russian everywhere. Artem got the slightest bit puffed up with pride that it was at 'his' house, which was kind of adorable. As far as I can gather, none of the other Cenral Florida kids are from his orphange, but they made freinds pretty quick.

*Science center- He is so curious, and such a bright kid. He doesn't miss anything and he catches on so fast. The Science Center is all very hands on so this was great. Also neat was watching him interact with the other kids at exhibits. He was polite and generous, quick to pass a turn or offer a hand despite the language barrier. Fantastic.

Tomorow's big plan is Disney, so I had better get some sleep. Pictures later I promise

Week one

2011-07-05T00:48:00.004-04:00

I apologize in advance. I am getting pretty tired and this post has no outline in my head at all. I just wanted to document week one and the things we did and impressions we have gotten before I lose them.

Most days this week have been spent at home. If you have ever been to my house you know that does not equal boring. Not only do we have more than enough to keep us entertained, we have a revolving door of visitors. If its not the kids from around the block, its friends or family. And lots of them. I think we are overwhelming poor Artem with introductions. Hopefully overwhelming him with love, too! Days at home have consisted of riding bikes, playing video games, hanging on the beach, and taking out the boat. And eating. The kid eats more than Shaun. Loves meat. And fruit, but mostly meat. We did try to go to a community pool, but just as we got there it shut down because of lightning. So plan B was BK playground and ice cream. I also got him to the eye doctor (getting him reading glasses- need to go pick those up), and we have done some shopping for shoes and a winter coat to take back home and such. Typical 12 year old boy, he has little interest in shopping, so we have to keep it pretty short. Helps that he is decisive. He does enjoy getting nice things, though- he has mastered the pitiful "Please?" with those big brown eyes (used it on me for a second pair of sunglasses and a Transformer toy). He catches onto things really fast- very short learning curve. He has almost mastered my iphone translator and camera. He also asked to use the camera and took at least 100 pictures of everything and everyone, especially the dogs. He loves the dogs. He is really good with them.

The ride to church on Sunday was like an hour long (we are taking him to Kissimmee). No car sickness though, like they had us expecting. He was pretty well behaved at church. He seemed a bit bored and a little antsy, understandable since he couldn't catch much of what was going on. We did get him a Russian/English Bible that has the verses parallel to each other so he could at least follow the readings. And, I'll admit during the sermon I did play ticktacktoe with him and then teach him dots. I was trying to keep him from fidgeting and sighing every two minutes! I might have spoiled it for the next few weeks though he will expect games. I find myself torn quite a bit- between spoiling him like he has never been before because hey- I only have a month to do it- and treating him equal and holding him to the same standard as the other kids. Like so far- today I let him drink way more soda than I ever would the rest of my kids. And if he shows a preference for something- like a seat in the car or a certain life jacket- I tend to ask the others to humor him. It is not taking him long to expect that though, although he does still show gratitude. His "Sank you!" is pretty cute. He is a total clown. His teasing is a bit of a dilemma for me as well, though. I love that he is funny and having a good time, but good natured ribbing can start to appear like it might be sass. But how much should I really expect in less than a week? Part of me thinks I should be glad that he feels comfortable enough to smile and say "uh-uh, uh-uh!" in a little squeak when I tell him its time for bed or a shower or something. The important thing is he does do it, even if he might not want to, when I insist. He is really bonding fast (as are we). He loves the kids, and eagerly shares anything he might have with them. He enjoys time with Shaun quite a bit as well. They told us to expect him to bond to the father of the house first, but oddly I think he is a little closer to me so far. I think I'm his safety net, and I am glad I can be. He is quick to offer help to any one of us if he sees a need.

We found a Russian food store in Kissimmee which thrilled him. Not only was he able to speak to the cashier- he got to pick out groceries as well. In case I have any other hosting parents reading, here is what he chose: Sausage...Kielbasa type, smelled almost like bologna. Pickles (cucumbers in brine actually, but same same), chicken filled dumplings that the girl said they eat with sour cream on top, salted sunflower seeds, this little snack bag that was filled with basically onion flavored croutons that he ate like chips. A relish of some sort that tastes almost like a spicy cocktail sauce. A white chocolate bar. And toy filled chocolate eggs (he wanted enough to give all the other three one). So really, we have close substitutes for all of them.

Ok, well sleep is calling me. Sorry for the rambling post. Its been a long day! Let me throw in a couple of pics...(they always end up at the begining)

Day One: Fun at home

2011-06-29T20:52:00.003-04:00

So after a looooong day of travel for Artem, we figured it was a good idea to keep day one low key. We have worked out an interesting method of gesturing and turning to google translate when we need it, but we seem to be communicating fairly well. He is very polite and respectful, but also pretty open and friendly. I was worried about feeding him but he seems to be doing ok. He had Kielbasa, a hard boiled egg, and crusty bread for breakfast. Lunch was a bologna sandwich. He eat every bit of his chicken and rice at dinner. I'm not sure if he actually likes it or if he is just polite. As soon as breakfast was over he went straight to his room to make up his bed, and then helped Mason with his. So far he hasn't let me do a single thing without at least offering his assistance. We spent our morning playing in the water. He wasn't sure what the water cannons were at first but once I demonstrated he didn't waste any time starting a water war with the kids. He got me in on the action as well ;) In the afternoon a good friend of mine brought a bike over for him to use while he is here, along with her 6 kiddos. The crowd didn't seem to phase him at all. The bike has been a big hit- he spent a lot of time riding that. I was pleased that he was obedient as far as wearing a helmet and staying within boundaries- I dont think we will have any trouble taking him places at all. There was an after dinner boat ride and a little wakeboarding action. Artem has shown me up and gotten up on that thing already! Shaun says he seems right at home in the water. So, it has been a very busy day of getting to know each other but I think we are going to have an awesome visit!

Arrival Day!

2011-06-29T20:46:00.002-04:00

Here we are waiting on the flight to come in...(sorry couldnt get Mason to hold still) ;)

And here is the first shot of all of us...

Just the kiddos (Z is peeking in at the bottom)

He was pretty tired and a little bit shy, but he seemed excited and not at all intimidated, really.

New Horizons

2011-05-04T14:47:00.002-04:00

This is Artom:

Artom is 11 and lives in an orphanage in the Ukraine. According to his bio he likes running, playing tag, and soccer. He loves dogs. He would like to learn how to play volleyball and wishes for his own soccer jersey.

Artom is going to come stay with us for a few weeks this summer. It is through an organization called New Horizons for Children. I first heard about it through a fellow blogger. At first, we just felt called to donate to scholarship funds, but then I registered for the photolisting and I saw their faces. Thankfully I have a supportive husband, because after that it was all over ;) We are in the final application process right now. Not quite as extensive as an adoption, but still pretty thorough. I am getting so excited to show him his room, and take him to church with us, and take him to the ocean! I don't think he has ever seen the ocean- can you imagine seeing that for the first time at the age of 11? Mostly I am so excited for him to have the chance to experience a family.

What then you ask?...of course you do. So do I. Right now we are only feeling called to host Artom. Maybe he will find his forever family while he is here with us. Maybe we will feel lead to do more for him. At the very least I can assure you that from here on out he will have people in the world who think about him, pray for him, and will be there for him. Please pray for him, and for us if you will. In all honestly the thought of another international adoption is daunting...the expense, the time... But as always I remain open to Gods will. Perhaps soon we will know his plan for Artom. Just thankful we can have this small part in it.

Medical stuff- TMI I am sure

2011-04-27T17:40:00.004-04:00

Lets see...medical update

First- test results- some irritation in her duodenum. Possible Celiacs- sent out a genetic blood test. Which came back negative- no Celiacs. Continue diet and antacid meds...check back...

Second- decided to seek a second opinion. Went to head GI at Arnold Palmer Hospital. He look at all her tests and results, deemed it toddler diarrhea, and said not to worry. She is growing, she is healthy, she is not uncomfortable....he said even the milk allergy was too insignificant on the blood test to even consider it an allergy. Feed her cheese he said. Bulk up on fiber. And stop worrying.

Third- the blood. After some online research that backed him up, decided to take the chance and follow doctor #2s advice. Couple days later her babysitter thought she saw blood in her stools. I looked, thought it might just be something she ate...called the first doc and promised to keep an eye out. For two weeks, nothing. Seemed to be seeing improvement. And then- again- blood. Seemed to me that it couldn't be anything else, and I have seen it many times since. So went back to first doc, fessed up about seeing another man, and was told to collect more samples. And that is where we are now... could be the reintroduction of dairy (seems most likely)? Could be something else....frustrating!

Testing Tuesday

2011-01-29T17:51:00.002-05:00

Wow- two posts in a month!!

Just an update here- Z is scheduled for an upper and lower endoscopy on Tuesday morning. I am really hoping to have some answers shortly after that. The prep isn't gonna be pleasant....liquid diet for 2 days, and lots of 'clean out' ahead of time. Thank goodness for Grandma's coming over!

So since I have been spending so much time in the health food store...and looking at specialized cookbooks- I got inspired. I decided to go on a 'clear skin diet' myself. I'll just admit now- I am really bad at healthy eating!!! Hate it, really really hate it. A lot of the diet changes my research has shown I should avoid are similar to Z's restrictions anyway, so I figure if at least she sees me eating this stuff maybe she wont think I am trying to poison her. So we are both dairy free now, I am attempting to go off refined sugars and eat more veggies. Also added some supplements and yes,probiotics (awesome stuff btw!)

dairy free sugar free?

2011-01-20T14:25:00.003-05:00

Obviously I haven't been blogging for quite some time. This might be the start of a renewed interest- or it might not be. I dunno. Kenzie has just been having some health issues, and I am a bit lost dealing with it. So, maybe I might get some useful advice out of this. At the very least, I'll get to vent!

Without going into too much detail, she is having digestive issues. Its nasty, trust me. Thankfully not too serious, in that she is growing and happy go lucky most of the time. She is beginning to show signs of discomfort, which is resulting in a more determined course of action on my part. The pediatrician discovered she has a milk allergy, so we cut that a few months back. When that didn't fix her issues, and she seemed to actually be getting worse, we went to a GI doc. So far we have learned that her body is not able to process sugars. Forgive me because I am still trying to understand this, but from what I understand, when sugars go in for her, her intestinal tract is unable to absorb them, and so they continue right on through, along with any other contents. I think I understand more about what she doesn't have then what she does....it is not lactose intolerance, its not celiacs disease (thus far), it is not Crohns, IBD or ulcerative colitis. I have a feeling more testing is to come. So far they have run a blood test to determine the milk allergy and taken..ummm...samples to determine that her output contains high levels of sugar...

Last night she woke us up wailing- squirming in discomfort. This morning required a complete stripping of the bed and a really good bath for her. Honestly, we are pretty sure she has had these conditions to some degree her entire life. I am not entirely sure why suddenly she is so miserable and she never has been before. We entered the alternate universe of Whole Foods today...isles and isles of organic, gluten free, dairy free, soy free, free range.....supplements and substitutions and a whole lot of label reading for me. My little miss is really no help in this process as she previously had like 5 foods she would eat and is one of the pickiest eaters I know. She hates trying new things. Doesn't help either that I have a mean sweet tooth, I love my cheese, and I know success is going to mean support from the whole family. So in addition to the journey to the health food store, I just ordered like 4 cookbooks off amazon for various restricted diets. I need to learn to enjoy cooking ( I really don't like it!) and resist convenience foods. This is NOT going to be easy...but I cant stand to see her in pain, I am soooo over diapers and she so cant help needing them right now, and I am worried her condition will begin to get worse if we dont get it under control now. It will be good for all of us, right?

Halloween 2010

2010-11-01T10:58:00.003-04:00

Meet the Flintstones:

Trick or Treating crew:
Sleepy Pebbles:

Lake House!

2010-11-01T10:40:00.005-04:00

Well, I logged in to post Halloween pics, then I realized I never posted pics of the new house. So, first things first:

exterior
backyard balcony view

playroom

Masons room

Master bedroom

girls bedroom

Living room

These are from the first week or two, so some things have been rearranged and added and such, and there are some missing rooms here- but hey- I am stuggling to keep up here- so enough apologies!

Changes

2010-09-06T23:10:00.003-04:00

So I feel bad blogging this without pictures, but its big news and I need to document it here! I'll add a picture post soon- promise. We have moved! We are all so excited that we found the perfect place. Shaun is now 20 min from work, we have doubled our square footage, it is in a fantastic neighborhood with great school, AND its on a lake. We have already been loving the benefits of having one of our favorite activities outside our back door.

Mackenzie has done fantastic with the change. She is a pretty adaptable kid. The move has prompted multiple other changes for her that we have been putting off. She had finally discovered she could climb out of her crib, so she is now in a twin bed. Her second set of tubes have been placed in her ears, so we no longer have an excuse to let her keep her pacifier (we kept saying we didnt want to take it away until after the recovery). And potty training has begun in earnest- she is THREE for goodness sake! So far, the only thing we have had much success with is the pacifier. The boppy just simply did not move with us. That is it, cold turkey, its gone. So she had very little choice, although she does still ask for one occasionally. The sleeping situation is hit and miss- fine on some nights, crazy on others. Naps have sadly fallen to the wayside- no way I can force her to stay in that bed in the middle of the day, and school pickup tends to interfere anyway. And bedtime....well- Z thinks bedtime is party time. All the bedrooms are upstairs, so tracking her is pretty easy. We tuck her in all snug, usually with a book she can look at for a few minutes. We place the baby gate across the door so that she will stay in her room at the very least. And we go downstairs and wait for the herd of elephants. The girl is NOT light on her feet! Off the bed, over to the window, over to Ashtyns bed (poor thing shares a room with her and is suffering in the sleep department because of it!), back to the bookshelf for more books, then to the door....Thankfully all of the toys are being housed in a designated playroom downstairs so at least that distraction is not there. I just keep remembering the super nanny episodes and stand firm...bedtime is bedtime. Problem is she DOES share a room with her sister who really does need her sleep, so we have said forget this and brought her back downstairs until Ashtyn is out a few times. And then there is the potty training. Yeah....not so good so far. She has had a few random successes- absolutely loves being rewarded with a Hershey's kiss. But most of the time I am battling that strong will of hers. I can MAKE her sit there, but I cant MAKE her go...and she cant sit there all day, so she gets up after she tries...and pees on the floor. And then blames it on the dog! I think it may be awhile before we are diaper free...

I do promise pictures later....

She's Three!!

2010-07-26T16:31:00.003-04:00

Hard to believe my baby is turning into a big girl. She celebrated her third birthday recently. It is amazing how much she has grown and changed. Mackenzie has a strong personality all her own. She always has a plan, and she is forever instructing those around her accordingly. "Cmere! Follow me! Sit down! Stay here! Play wit me?" All part of her constant chatter. She has a vivid imagination and loves to play pretend games. She loves playing with her sister's toys- Barbies, Polly Pockets, Ponies... the play kitchen is also another hit. But don't think she is a girly girl- not at all. She adores making Mason's dinosaurs attack his cars, too. I hate to admit it but she has an unhealthy attachment to watching movies on our iPhone. She can operate it perfectly- pulling up exactly what she wants, even skipping to and repeating her favorite parts of movies. This has lead to an obsession with Toy Story. Buzz, Woody, and Jessie are all favs. We took her to see Toy Story 3 on her birthday, which she loved. Afterwards we had some family over for dinner and cake, where she received her very own Woody and Jessie dolls that now travel with us everywhere.

This summer Mackenzie has been enjoying time in the pool as well. She is somehow much more hesitant than she was last summer. She wears her vest and has to be holding onto someone where last year she would take off independently with it on. I regret not getting her in swim lessons this year. I will be so relieved when she finally learns.

We have a new addition to the family as well. His name is Tyler, and he weighs only 4 lbs! He is a Pomeranian that a family near my MIL was giving away. Ty is not your typical jumpy barking little dog. He is calm and quiet and adores being held. Which is a good thing, because between Ashtyn, Mason, and Mackenzie, his paws hardly ever hit the ground. Our biggest worry there is that Z will break him though- she is STRONG and very rough and tumble when she's playing. She does seem to be catching onto being gentle with him (I hope).

We have been living in a feeling of limbo all summer, which has been a bit frustrating. We found a new house and have been trying to close the deal, but it just doesnt seem to be happening. I guess banks don't like self-employment! :) Other than being half packed and not knowing what school the kids are going to go to this fall, it is no big deal really. Yes, the new house is really nice and we were all excited about it, but if God wants us to stay here then that is where we want to be. It is still up in the air- could still happen I suppose. Just as long as we get it figured out before school- Mason starts kindergarten this year,and Mackenzie qualified for speech for 30 min two days a week. Hopefully answers will be coming soon.

Next week Z goes back in for a second set of tubes in her ears, so please keep that in your prayers if you will.

Famous Friends :)

2010-06-24T10:18:00.002-04:00

Mackenzie's bloggy friend and former bunkmate, Ellie (did they ever occupy Tokmok at the same time? I'm not entirely sure) is on the cover of the Lifeway Babies materials this quarter. We were so excited to see this sweet smile, we had to snag a copy! So, for Ellie's mama- here is their picture together. Maybe someday we can get one in person ;)

PS- How is that for a smile? I'm not really sure what that is!!

White Horse?

2010-04-22T12:54:00.002-04:00

Newsweek posted an article on their website this week that I hope you will take a minute to read. It brings national attention to the plight of the 65 waiting children and their families who are in limbo right now- and have been for about 2 years. Reading on John Wright's blog the other day, I was haunted by the story he told of holding an abandoned newborn at a hospital in Kyrgyzstan. Where do these children fall on the priority list of a struggling country? Where is their white horse? I continue to pray for peace in Kyrgyzstan, I pray for an improved government after the restructuring that will improve the lives of all who live there....but most of all, I pray for these precious children. They need someone to speak out for them, they need someone to care for them, they need someone to love them the way only a family really could.

Heartache in Kyrgyzstan

2010-04-07T23:28:00.005-04:00

I have been scouring the Internet for the last two hours looking for information about the events in Kyrgyzstan in the last few days. Reports state that 40 people are dead and 400 wounded in an uprising in Bishkek. (I think it actually began in Talas, and they are seeing riots in Tokmok and other places as well). I barely follow the politics in my own country, so my understanding of the details in Kyrgyzstan is limited. I am gathering that the people have grown tired of a government that is increasingly authoritarian- a president that came to power just 5 years ago calling for change himself but who has been appointing his own family members into key positions of power and moving further and further away from democracy. Add to that the insult of some key opposition leaders being taken into custody and a 200% fuel hike in a country that is already impoverished (remember the rolling blackouts this winter?) and you get some pretty angry opposition. Shots are being fired, bombs going off, cars overturned....they are demanding the resignation of the President and his officials. From what I understand, he has fled the capital and the opposition has put into place a temporary government. I am not really sure how I feel about all of this. I have been hearing of corruption in the government for some time now, but I hate to see the violence and bloodshed that making a change has come to. On the (hopefully) positive side of things- they have put into place a new minister of health who has given a sympathetic ear to the waiting families and seems to want to work for progress in lifting the moratorium on adoptions. So I pray that will lead to some positive change. Mostly my heart just breaks for the people there. Such desperation, so many needs. I see images of places I have walked- car bombs going off near gates I have taken pictures by. Fire and smoke coming from buildings, blood and bodies on the ground. It is heartbreaking. See for yourself (I have omitted many that were much more graphic). Please pray for these people!

Therapy, mornings, and pictures

2010-02-01T08:33:00.006-05:00

Mackenzie has been in speech just shy of a year now. And she has her speech therapist wrapped around her little finger every bit a tightly as she has the rest of us. They have been trying to discharge her for a couple weeks now. To do this, she has to demonstrate certain skills for two consecutive weeks. So, in order to ensure that her one on one play sessions with her good friend continue I suspect, Mackenzie has taken on this strategy. Therapist arrives- Z runs excitedly to her highchair for their session. Therapist asks what she would like to play with, Z seals her lips and points at the bag of toys she has. Much prompting...."Iwathaone" Use your words please "No! Not tha one! Tha one!" The puzzle? You want the puzzle? Nodding. I.."I" want "wa"...puzzle "puzzle". I swear to you, some weeks the sessions are spent with more giggling at her obvious stunts than succeeding at getting her to speak. Which of course, just ensures that she will repeat it again next week...Then, as soon as the therapist leaves "Cmon! I wa football. Cmon! Sit Down! Here. Book? I wa book. (flips through pages, names some common objects) This way! Cmon this way!...." Nonstop chatter- a narration of her every thought. Ahh, Zima...

Mornings are an amusing study in contrasts around here. Ash is always the first one up. She is my morning glory. Huge brown eyes pop open, smile is instantly on her face, she hops out of bed and promptly begins dressing for school with no hesitation. Then, there's Mason. I call to him- he shuts his eyes tighter and rolls over. I scratch his back and hear a low grumble. I tell him its time to get up and get dressed, he tells me he's cold and pulls the covers up to his chin.... When I finally force him out of bed, it is with half closed eyes, tousled hair, slumped shoulders, and plenty of groaning. And then there is Kenzie. For a girl who is so demanding throughout the day, she is shockingly laid back in the morning. I honestly have no idea when she actually awakes- she doesn't make a sound. Eventually I might hear her quietly talking to herself, or I just finally say I am sure she is up by now. When you walk into her room, she scrambles to her feet and reaches out those arms. The smile is so huge that her eyes are scrunched shut, the hand points out where she wants to go, and the narration begins.

Camping and canoeing at Alexander Springs

Holiday Pictures

2010-01-22T17:24:00.006-05:00

sorry baby girl :)

2010-01-22T09:59:00.002-05:00

Kenzie,

So your momma has been doing a terrible job blogging for you as of late. Being our third child, I know you are already in danger of missing out on the careful cataloging of your early years. Ashtyn got professional pictures taken every six months....you do get lots of snapshots (you are more likely to smile for those anyway). Ashtyn got a baby book I wrote in religiously- yours has a few post it notes stuck in here and there, and nothing written in its actual pages yet. I always made myself feel better by telling myself at least you had this- a blog that covers all the major events. And maybe someday I would go back and plug it into that baby book :) I have been so busy with YOU (and your siblings) lately, that I have completely dropped the ball on this. Oh well, I am sure that you like tea parties better than momma at a computer screen anyway. But, so that all of these memories don't fade away when we go onto the next stages, let me try and record some of my favorite things here:

I love the way you put on the most ridiculous get ups-dress up skirts with your brothers boots, an apron from the kitchen and a backpack on your back- and parade around like you are the most beautiful little princess in all the world (you ARE, by the way)

I love the way you come flying at us with a huge smile and a heartfelt "YEA!!" after a separation of any length

I love the way you have to kiss every member of the household before you can go to sleep, and you remind me of this by smacking your lips together

Every other statement out of your mouth is "I-wan-tha-one", much to the dismay of your speech therapist. We spend I lot of time on "I. want. the. ball."

You are the toughest little thing I have ever seen- you will run full speed and then fall flat out on the concrete without so much as blinking, but if someone so much as taps your toe or your head, you exclaim "OUCH!" and look indignant

You have the most amazing imagination. You love to play with dolls in the doll house, baby dolls with the stroller, and cook in your kitchen. One of my favorite play sessions? Sitting at your little table, while you waited on me. "You wan coffee?" you would say, and then make little filling sounds as you pretended to pour it into the little mug. Then, before you could get me any food, you had to 'turn on' the water and wash your hands.

You have the worst sweet tooth ever. More than once I have looked for you in the morning because it is just too quiet. ..and found you sitting on the floor of the pantry, door shut behind you, sneaking cookies for breakfast. You really get insulted that I take them away.

You are two and a half now, and you amaze me with everything you are soaking up. You have more and more words everyday, and you are learning to tell us exactly what you want with them. It is a joy to watch you grow pumpkin. I love you, Momma

Miss Me?

2009-10-09T12:45:00.012-04:00

OK, so it has only been like 4 months or so since I have blogged. Sorry- no excuses, no explanations. Here I am though- did you miss me?

So the BEST thing in my life for the last 4 months has been these cuties:

As much as I may have wanted to hit pause on life lately for a chance to get my bearings again, these 3 have been full steam ahead. Makenzie had a birthday, and so did Mason.

Mackenzie's second birthday- July 17

Mason's fifth birthday- September 22nd.

Ashtyn and Mason both had their first day of school- still going really well for both of them.

We spent lots of time at the beach, and at the pool, and hanging out with friends...

Playdate with Scarlett and Alex

Hollywood Beach- our summer home ;)

Butterfly World with Nola

It was a busy summer- sorry I failed to blog it...I will try to do better.

My Favorite things

2009-06-15T17:43:00.004-04:00

Things I love about summer:

Sleeping in

kool aid smiles

Popsicles

sprinklers

slip-n-slides

swimming

Flip flops

grilled hot dogs

days at the beach

theme parks (with water features)

sleepovers

free family movies

ice cream

s'mores

the smell of sunscreen

baby girls is bathing suits :)

International Night

2009-05-29T16:18:00.003-04:00

Ashtyn's school had an international night a few weeks back. She insisted that she and Z wear their Kyrgyz dresses. Here they are all decked out.

Another rainy day...

2009-05-28T16:07:00.004-04:00

Well, the rainy season has come early in Florida this year. I suppose when you compare this to the brushfires we have had the past few years, I will take the rain. But as the kids run circles around the living room and kitchen....I do wish I could just send them outside. Right now they are building a couch cushion fort. Ashtyn and Mason made up a variation of the old tune "It's raining, it's pouring, it's so-so-so-so BORING!!" I agree :)

School is winding down now. We have one week left. I don't know if Ashtyn is more excited or me! I am looking forward to summer. A few months with a bit less structure will be nice (assuming the sun pokes through the clouds once in awhile so we can swim a little bit). Mason is doing really well with his swimming- he can go for quite a little bit, and with his head above water even. He will swim underwater if we ask him too. He coaches the other kids in his class like he is such and expert :) Oh, they are in trouble when he starts preschool. He thinks he knows everything already. We finally got him signed up today...I was getting pretty tired of the hoops with public school, so we finally settled on a private Lutheran provider today They offer VPK (a state run voluntary pre K) so it is still free. He had a little tour today, and seemed to really like it. So while Ashtyn is excited for summer...Mason is wishing it were fall already (his birthday falls in September, too, so there is another reason it is his favorite season).

Kenzie is doing pretty well. She keeps me on the edge of my seat. She has really mild symptoms of all sorts of things pretty much all the time, so I am always second guessing myself thinking I should take her to the doc. She has off and on nasty diapers...then as soon as I make an appt, they go away. The nose gets a little icky...and then nothing...She isn't eating really well, but I think that is just her being almost 2. I am really not sure what to do with her. She will have a post-op appt, but not for a few weeks still. They plan on running another hearing test, so I am eager to see those results. And...we are still jumping through hoops trying to find a speech therapist for her within a reasonable distance. I have to say, I am getting pretty frustrated with that. She should be having services by now! Aside from her little health issues, she is great- sweet, funny, always wanting to be with the big kids. Her birthmom had a birthday on Sunday, so she has been on our hearts a lot in the last few days. We have also been thinking about the waiting families a lot, too. There are meetings today and tomorrow in DC...I really hope the mountains start to move. I cannot even imagine how difficult it is for these families, my heart is really with them.

Recovering

2009-05-14T15:51:00.002-04:00

Today began before dawn (that does not happen often for me). Z slept most of the way there, and was in a great mood while we waited to be called back. She did sign Eat a couple times, but with Grandpa there, she was easily distracted from thinking of her tummy. All of the nurses and doctors were great at POPS. The surgery itself was incredibly quick. I had just run out to the car to put away some papers and the doc was done. All went well. He said there was a lot of fluid built up in her ears, and that he expects her to hear much much better now. In fact he told us to kept it quiet around her as she might find it strangely loud suddenly. She was still sleeping when they brought her into the recovery room, so the nurse woke her. I think the meds they gave her turned her into the Hulk. Seriously, I have never seen her so strong and so upset. She was not happy, and had no idea what she wanted to do about it. She pushed me off, but reached for me if I laid her down. She didn't just push away drinks and pacifiers offered to her...she threw them. Once, she even smacked me. Poor, poor pumpkin. She was pretty miserable. And this was a very minor surgery (ear tubes and adenoids out)...I have no idea how you all handle it when they are in for something more serious. Really- you are my heroes. We were on our way home before 10, and she did fall asleep again. When we got home, she was a little grumpy when she woke up again, but she was much easier to calm down then. She ate a little watched a little TV, played a little (grandpa's medicine delivery actually got her a bit wound up:). I think maybe they dosed me with some of those meds too, because when she went down for her afternoon nap, so did I. That was like 3 hours ago...she is still sleeping. Hopefully she will be in a good mood when she wakes up this time! Thank you all for your good thoughts and prayers. All is well. Praise God.

Baby Loves Sign

2009-05-12T14:27:00.002-04:00

So, as far as I know we are still on schedule for this Thursday's surgery. In the meantime, I have been working with our family care coordinator to try to get speech therapy started. Unfortunately, there are no home care providers available in our area, and so far the best she can offer me is clinic setting an hour away from us. Not ideal for half hour weekly sessions. We are still looking. So today's library picks included a lot of books on Baby Sign. I have to say, I am really impressed and encouraged at how eager Mackenzie is to learn new signs. She will mimic them almost immediately, and eagerly repeat them over and over. I will have to be diligent about doing them regularly to make sure they stick, but I am motivated. The best part is...when I sign, I always say the word...and she is way more likely to try to vocalize a new word if there is a sign associated with it.

In other news, Mason starts swim lessons tomorrow. He has been doing so good swimming so far this year. In his Easter basket, the bunny left goggles and a mask and snorkel set, and it is amazing to see the transformation those tools and a little practice and encouragement have made in him. The same child that was terrified a year ago to get his face wet will now dunk his entire face with enthusiasm. He really has all of the skills in place to swim on his own...in fact he has swam a couple of feet between me and the wall several times. Now we just need to strengthen that skill.

Ashtyn lost another tooth the other day. The tooth fairy in our house seems to be very lazy. On several previous occasions, she has forgotten to stop by our house while making her rounds until the second night. So again, with this tooth, she flew right on by on night one (to be fair...the toothless wonder didn't even remember to put it under her pillow). On night two Ashtyn carefully placed an envelope addressed to the tooth fairy under her pillow, and awaited her arrival. The next morning, she came to my room, and then realized she had forgotten to check for the fairy, so she began to rush back to her bed. I tried to distract her by asking her to check on the baby, but it was no use...that lazy fairy didn't make it. I sympathized with my disappointed girl, and gave her a dollar myself, promising to write a letter of complaint and mail it off to her fairy boss pronto. Ashtyn lamented that maybe the little fairy had quit her job, and Mason piped in with "There IS no tooth fairy." Somehow, my optimistic angel found the hope to try one more time. Before bed that night, we read from "Throw your tooth on the roof...Tooth Traditions from around the world." We laughed at all of the different traditions...from our familiar fairy to El Raton the mouse who performs much the same function (I told her no little mouse better be sneaking into MY house to steel her tooth while we slept)...some countries feed the tooth to a dog...others make sure a dog cant get near it, because who wants yellow teeth like a dog...better nice white teeth like a mouse. In some places they feed them to birds, in others they plant them east of a tree...some people throw it under the bathtub, others on the roof (even with cow dung!)...it is a pretty cute book (complete with Kyrgyzstan, where the tradition is to wrap the tooth in bread and feed it to a mouse- not a dog). The traditions are quite varied. So, we decided that since placing the tooth under a pillow was not working out for us, maybe we would try another approach. We put the tooth in a glass of water on her bedside like they do in Sweden, and lo and behold the next morning that fairy had taken the tooth and left behind some shiny new quarters. Maybe we wont have to fire her after all. I still think it would be easier to feed it to the gerbils next time.

Quick Update

2009-04-27T21:16:00.002-04:00

So, I really only have a sec (since I just spent so much time already reading all or YOUR blogs :)...but I wanted to give you a quick update. Mackenzie is doing great- actually picking up new words pretty rapidly these days...cookie being her fav. She did have the evaluation with Early Steps (love them...if you have a concern about your little one, please don't hesitate to have them checked out), and she is going to get speech therapy once a week. Hurray! I am so glad. I am fully optimistic that her delay is a temporary setback from switching languages (I realize no 6 mo old is talking...but they are learning) and from all of the hearing issues. Even so, I am so glad that she will be able to get some focused help in catching up from someone who really knows what they are doing. And...her surgery is scheduled for May 14th. So, I am expecting great things.

And, yes, my friend, I promise to look into ISR further...

Fishing

2009-04-17T15:12:00.003-04:00

Seriously? I think maybe God is preparing me to be some sort of water safety advocate. We went fishing yesterday with Grandpa...just he and I and the two youngest kids. We were delayed quite a bit setting off b/c I had to run to the store to get Mackenzie a new infant life vest- I think we left hers behind at the beach. So glad I did. We were anchored close to an island on the lake. Teaching Mason to cast, snacking on all the good junk food we brought (must have cookies to fish you know). Kenzie was toddling around the pontoon boat...keep in mind it has a rail about up to her armpits. No worries right? Wrong. She grabbed the net, reached it over the rail...and SPLASH! Into the lake she went. Thank goodness for that life vest. It had her flipped onto her back in an instant...crying, of course, but completely unharmed. The funny part of the story is that when I saw baby girl fall overboard, I was just a second behind her without even thinking. I spent the rest of the afternoon dripping wet, when we could have easily just reached over the side and pulled her up. Plus...I hit my hand on something on the way down, bent a favorite ring into an oval, and cut and bruised my hand pretty good. So praise God that she is totally completely fine...and I just cant stop laughing at myself and my hand.

ENT

2009-04-14T19:13:00.002-04:00

Today Mackenzie meet with her new ENT doctor. We discussed her history,and then he examined her. His recommendation- ear tubes and removing her adenoids. I tend to agree. She has had chronic ear infections that have been getting closer together in the past few months...she has respiratory issues, constant congestion and sinus drainage. And perhaps the worst symptom of all in my eyes- she has a hearing loss that has affected her speech development and caused a significant delay. Frankly, I am relieved. She has been on so many rounds of antibiotics and oral steroids...inhalers and nebulizers...I am relieved about the possibility of a very common simple surgery ending all that...and in all likelihood, completely reversing her hearing loss. So while I am of course concerned about her undergoing general anesthesia and the thought of "surgery", I am glad that all of this is actually easily correctable. The Lord has been watching over her this far in her life- I am confidant that he will continue to protect her. So, now we just need to get it scheduled...

Sand and Sun

2009-04-12T23:54:00.006-04:00

Ahhh...the beach. We got to spend 2 days and 2 nights at the coast and it was just what I needed. A little sun...a little sand...and some freezing cold ice water! I am such a wimp when it comes to cold water- I really have no idea how I used to do the 6 am swim practices in an outdoor pool in October. The water was so cold this week. The kids didnt seem to mind though, they splashed away anyway. I will admit that day 2 at Jetty park was warmer than Cocoa. The evenings were cool- but with a light coat- perfect for kite flying. We had a great time, although I will admit- the beach with 3 kids is a lot of work! Sand in the car and lugging beach toys is a small price to pay for these memories however.

Babysitting

2009-04-12T23:44:00.004-04:00

This is what happens when you leave Daddy alone with the baby:

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T23:21:00.005-04:00

Happy Easter! I hope that yours was as blessed as ours was. Our day began with a wonderful service at our church. At the end they had several church member share silent testimonies. They stood at the front with a poster board with a statement about how their life was before Christ was in their lives (or a time that he helped them overcome), and then flipped it over to reveal how he blessed them. For example "Unable to have a child for 12 years." flip to "Samantha born on...", "Practicing Muslim since birth"..."Saved by Jesus Christ Aug 2008...this is my FIRST Easter." It went on like that...from depression, drug addiction, cancer, divorce...to forgiven by the miracle of his sacrifice on the cross, and feeling loved and secure in their relationship with Him. It was really powerful.

After church we came home to share lunch with my parents and prepare for the real party later in the afternoon. Since Ashtyn's birthday is tomorrow and her cousin's was a couple weeks ago, we celebrated Easter and birthdays all together. I loved it- everyone pitched in on the food- and my how we ate! The kids swam, rode four wheelers and mini bikes, played on the playground, hunted eggs... We had a great time. The Easter bunny was thoughtful earlier in the day and had kindly brought some new pool toys and outdoor fun. Kenzie LOVED the pool as usual (she is such a water bug), didn't care too much for hunting eggs, but thoroughly enjoyed having pretty much anyone she wanted at her beck and call. Mostly she drags her grandpa around by the finger all day....but if he gets distracted, she will find another willing adult to push her on the swing, or hook her up with Kool aid or some other goodie. She is so spoiled...you put her in her wagon and she gives everyone the princess wave just like she is in a parade. She is completely convinced the world does revolve around her.

Spring Break Fun

2009-04-07T21:38:00.002-04:00

So Ashtyn is really excited to be out of school this week. We are packing as much fun into these few days off as we can. She had some friends sleepover on the weekend...we went Easter shopping (dresses were done, we needed shoes)...slept over at Nanas...today we hit Sea World with some friends. Hopefully tomorrow we will head to the beach. I am really looking forward to that salty air! I think Z and Mason are glad to have her home as well- we never get to play this much. You should have seen Z's face when we saw the pet show today- she was so into it. I sat there whispering animal names and sounds in her ear. She did her first animal impression the other day- "Quack Quack!" I was so excited for her.

Waiting

2009-03-30T08:46:00.003-04:00

Have you seen this post? Princess Ellie had her first birthday...and like true royalty, could not forget her dear friends still waiting. For those of you who are not aware...there are currently 65 families who have been matched to children in Kyrgyzstan. Many of them have travelled and met these children and held them in their arms. They love these kids....in their hearts, they are their children. Yet they are still awaiting documents from the Kyrgyz government that will confirm that and allow them to bring their precious ones home. These are real mountains that need to be moved- they need a real miracle. My God is that big, He is that powerful. Please, pray for these children and their families. "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" James 5:16

Audiology

2009-03-27T19:28:00.002-04:00

So, Mackenzie had the hearing test. We didn't really learn a lot, actually. She didn't do so well. It showed a moderate hearing loss in both ears. However, the audiologist said that it was most likely due to the fact that she has an ear infection in both ears...again. We went back to her pediatrician in the afternoon, she confirmed it and gave us some meds and a referral to an ear, nose, and throat specialist. She was of the opinion that her results would not be that poor due just to an ear infection...but she was also not highly confidant in the results when I told her that Mackenzie was less than cooperative during the test. So, we go to the ENT on the 14th, and in the meantime I am trying to to over think it. Hopefully we will know more after that.

Spring is here

2009-03-12T13:04:00.003-04:00

A couple of weeks back, it was so cold that it killed off my hibiscus and my bougainvilleas. Last week, I spent 3 days preparing for spring by...raking leaves. Yep, nothing says spring in Florida like getting the dead leaves out of the way for an upcoming egg hunt. This week, it is in the 80s and beautiful! We spent a summer like day in the yard the other day...the kids in their bathing suits, running through sprinklers and bubbles, and eating Popsicles....me pruning back the dead plants from the aforementioned freeze. Hopefully this weather is here to stay...I really hate the cold!

Bubble machine + sprinkler = bubbles all over me fun!

mmmm...grape!

The downside to the arrival of spring is the arrival of pollen. The counts are sky high, and all three kids and I are miserable for it. Ashtyn cannot even set foot in the backyard with the oak trees- she breaks out in a rash all over. Mason and I are cursed with itchy eyes and stuffy noses, and poor Kenzie- her breathing is just awful. She is wheezing like crazy. Doesn't let it keep her down, though. Here she is in all of her toddler "I can do it myself!" glory:

We are in the process of having her speech evaluated by Early Steps (Early Intervention in FL). They will test her hearing later this month, and her evaluation with the speech therapist isn't until April. In her initial screening, she scored 60 in fine motor- average at this age is 25....but in verbal she got a 10...average is 35. I will admit I restrained from any and all possible bragging and presented the bleakest picture possible in that area. She really is lagging, and I really want her to qualify for services. She says "Mama", "dada", and "Ba" (ball) right now. In the past I may or may not have heard "baba" (baby), "da" (dog), "Nana", "Papa" "g-pa" (grandpa, with lots of coaxing), and a very throaty sounding one word smooshed together version of Thank you that is kinda like "gonggong". But that is really it, and all but the first three you really hardly ever ever hear. So here is hoping they agree and offer her speech therapy. She is eager to learn signs...she loves being able to communicate what she wants to us. Not surprisingly, most of her signs revolve around mealtime. Eat, Milk, Drink, more, all done....she even made one up herself that I took to mean lollipop. She was signing eat, but she kept sticking out her tongue and licking her fingers as she did it. I held out the treat, and her eyes just lit up like "You got it! Yipee!" So funny.

Just pictures

2009-03-08T22:50:00.004-04:00

Happy Girl
Little Cowgirl

Fish!

Mason's fish!

Trying to teach her where it is OK to draw...she is a wall artist normally :)

30

2009-03-03T18:37:00.004-05:00

Hi! Sorry I have been so scarce...in all honestly, I have been a little in the blahs. You see, I just left my 20's behind....I have entered a whole new decade. I am 30. Wow, that even looks old. I am sorry- I do realize many of you reading are essentially laughing at me, thinking it looks great. But think back to when you hit that milestone...I know I am not the only one who is taking this hard.

My family did their best to make it great for me. I spent a beautiful day cooking out at the park with Shaun's family. Shaun and I had a date night. I had a yummy b-day lunch with my mom and some great friends. I have to admit, though, that nothing got me out of the blahs like the thing I thought would be the worst about my bday. You see, it fell on Sunday, which meant I had to be at Awana. Now I adore Awana, but having to be there on my birthday felt a little bit like work, or so I thought it would. But they got me. The leaders knew it was my bday, and they tricked me into going into council time to make an announcement to the kids. Then, they surprised me with a cake and cards (some made by the kids) and generous gifts and they all sang to me. I cried. And I felt better about it. Who cares if I am 30 when I have a family who I adore, and a ministry I am privileged to be able to serve in? There are something like 90 kids at our club, and they all spent the rest of the night tugging on my arm, telling me "Happy Birthday Mrs. Jamie!" with such joy in their eyes, offering hugs every time I turned around. It really doesnt get much better than that. What a blessing they are in my life.

Let's Get it Right for the Wrights!

2009-02-27T22:24:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends of the Wrights,We all know and understand the effectiveness of the work John, Julie and family have done in Kyrgyzstan – the country they love so much and have been called to. Let’s get them there ON THE GROUND full time! We can do this. This post is coming out with other blog posts all over the country – people who have blogs that know the Wrights. Let’s shock them with the provision of financial resources and letters/notes of encouragement to help them return to Kyrgyzstan. They want to go as full time missionaries – they just need our help to get them there.We propose that we raise a minimum of the following:$20,000 to cover a year’s needs on the home front• Home expenses – the place to come back to$30,000 to cover a year’s needs on the foreign front• Travel in and out of the country with family 2 x a year• Travel in the country to the different sites• Family expenses – including the educational needs of one daughter• Lodging and mealsThis is just $50,000. We can do this and we can do it quickly. Here is how. Go to JOHN’S Blog and hit the button that is for the Wrights….support. www.actofkindness.blogspot.comAND guess what – you can watch all that is done there on his blog..you will learn to live vicariously in a healthy way by reading and supporting the RIGHT cause. What an opportunity – Will you help?Let’s do it RIGHT FOR THE WRIGHTS!Blessings, Lynn and Ruby from LAMb International

Progress

2009-02-12T01:33:00.003-05:00

Well, the post placement visit is done- it went pretty well. Mackenzie spent the entire time rearranging every book in the store, but the social worker found her charming, and even pitched in on the clean up. I am telling you- she rocks. Now I just have to get those pictures together.

The next day we had what was scheduled to be a well baby check-up. Kenzie is now 31 inches and 28 lbs. She is growing so fast! And physically, she is hitting her benchmark milestones very well-stacking blocks, throwing balls, using a spoon... She is a lagging verbally however. The doc wants us to take her to an audiologist to have her hearing checked. I know she hears, but is she hearing as well as she should, and could that be contributing to the speech delay? We shall see. And the well baby visit ended in 5 prescriptions (and my doc is not usually quick to dole out the drugs), and no shots. I knew she had a stuffy nose, which for my girl always graduates into a slight wheeze and me putting her on our standard regimen of breathing treatments. But on top of that, she has a double ear infection again. How is it that she never gives me any indication that her ears are bothering her? And since I confessed that I detest pinning her down for 20 minutes for force her to submit to a breathing treatment, the doc took pity on me and is letting me try an inhaler with a chamber. We will see soon how well it works for us. Hopefully we can get her feeling better soon...oh wait...she seems to be feeling just fine! High tolerance for pain is what the doc said.

I am typing this post in my newly reorganized office, and I will soon be retiring to my freshly cleaned master bedroom, complete with a walk-in closet I can actually walk into. Imagine that. Hurray for progress on New Year's resolutions.

101

2009-02-04T22:13:00.004-05:00

psst...hey K...we had a blast at BAB. Thanks!

Hmmm...that last post was my 100th post. Well, here is to 101.

I keep thinking this is the week I will feel caught up, not running so far behind in every area of my life. Not happening. You know that hamster on a wheel? I feel like him. Dishes...laundry...homework...newsletter....meals....baths....it gets checked of one day, and is back in full force the very next day. I had the realization on the way home from class tonight that I am letting these tasks run my life. I am letting my to do list get in the way of enjoying my children. And my husband. And really, what on it is so important? Why am I missing out on time for the people I love the most? So if you do drop by for that nice spring visit so I have an excuse to redecorate...please pardon the laundry on the bed and the dishes in the sink. I need to read to my baby. (Now- please- tell me how I really can do that without having a panic attack over the chores that are not done).

I have another favor to ask of you. I am planning a shower for a friend who recently adopted a pre-teen...it is their first child. Any ideas for what types of things to do at said shower? Or even how to word the evites? It will be a Fri night, ladies and children only...all suggestions are welcome!

Why my social worker rocks....

2009-01-24T19:39:00.002-05:00

...because she suggested we just meet at Barnes and Noble! And why on earth would I argue with that? Stress free-biggest dilemma of the day is now what cute little outfit to put on Z (and getting out the door on time). I feel like I am getting away with something. Do you think she somehow reads my blog? Hmmmm...Now- tell me how I can have my cake and eat it, too. I still want those honey-dos done! And a great excuse for a new area rug in the living room. Quick- someone decide you just cannot get through the spring without coming to visit us in FL.

Post Placement?

2009-01-21T09:50:00.002-05:00

Again?!? Didn't I just do that? At first, these twice yearly visits were a welcome excuse to get some honey-dos checked off of the list. But at this point, with Shaun deep into building himself an office in the garage, and all of the chaos that goes along with that....I am stressing out. Can we become presentable in 3 weeks? Yes, I realize I make more out of this than the social worker does, but seriously- half of the toys from Christmas still haven't found a permanent place to call home. Trivial, yes, I realize it should be. But with all of the slowdowns...actually it seems to be more of a standstill...in Kyrgyzstan adoptions right now, I feel like a post-placement report is a chance to show the MOE what a wonderful thing a family can be for these children...and perhaps convince them to go ahead and do whatever it takes to let those little ones make the journey home. I just need to remember that what is important here is that the children who are home are thriving and learning and growing...not that they have a designer bedroom, right?

Back to school

2009-01-12T11:02:00.003-05:00

So, it's a big week here. Back to school for me. I am finally getting back to my teacher certification classes that I began before sweet Baby Z arrived home. I was only planning on half a semester off....oops. Ah, well, I wouldn't trade a moment of it. I am only taking classes one night a week, and daddy should be able to cover that most of the time, so everyone should be happy. I also have a special class scheduled this week...Awana Commander College 101. Looking forward to that.

New Year's goals anyone? Obviously, I am hoping to take a little time to further my own career goals this year. Aside from that- I am really hoping to get organized! Specifically- the office, the garage, and the master bedroom closet. Hmmm....perhaps I am reaching a bit :)

Oh, yes, and for K...the header is in fact from scrapblog. I didnt use a template, I started from scratch...upload pictures....select backgrounds and stickers...create...publish, export as a jpeg. Email me if you need more help. Love that site!

Perks

2009-01-08T11:23:00.003-05:00

So, I was recently able to enjoy one of the perks of my husband doing work in Miami so often. We were able to go to the 75th annual Orange Bowl game...including the pregame party with all the committee members and the awesome food. I had to get over my guilt for leaving the kiddos overnight for the second time in 3 weeks, but I was assured they would have a great time with Nana. Once I was past that, we had a fantastic time with Shaun's business partner and his family. Honestly, we had very little interest in the teams who were actually playing, but the experience was great. Our seats? On the field. In my entire college career, I only actually went to one football game (I started school at UM, then transferred to UNC Wilmington, which doesn't have football). So this was only my second ever college football game. Shaun is going to a big one today- the BCS Championship game...UF vs Oklahoma. Go Gators! :) (Sorry honey, I have to root for the Gators!)

Happy Holidays

2009-01-02T23:49:00.008-05:00

I am just sitting here, sorting through pictures from the last 2 weeks or so, trying to catch my breath. Sorry I havent blogged, but we have been so busy! I have 2 sisters, both of whom live in the cold cold north. They were both here with their husbands and children over the holidays. It was wonderful to have everyone together...I truly enjoyed every moment. It was never dull I tell you- there are 8 kids altogether, and Ashtyn (at 6), is the oldest! Since I would never be able to catch up on writing about each of our adventures, here are some pics from the last 2 weeks:

Out to dinner with baby M

Mason's favorite things

All the girls...it's a six pack!

Christmas morning

Kenzie taking her babies for a ride...that's a hug she is giving.

Pure excitement on Christmas morning.

Yes,it was warm enough to swim.

The boys.

Rockin good times and Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Hey, having a cousin around to play with isnt so bad...I kinda like you.

Playing dress up

Kenzie...mastering walking up and down a slope...or maybe she was inspecting the bridge.

Mason meeting his newest cousin.

Well, there are like 300 more, but I will spare you those! Hope you all had a Merry Christmas as well!

One year already?!?

2008-12-22T22:55:00.003-05:00

WOW- it really has flown by. Mackenzie has been with us for one whole year already. It doesn't seem like it has been that long already, but it does feel like she has always been with us. She is such a joy to all of us. She has grown and learned so much this year! She is now a pretty steady walker, and she surprises me by wanting to boldly walk ahead in places that a few short months ago she would have clung to me. We went to a Christmas party the other day, and she got down and ran around with all of the other kids. Just tonight, she was all over the lobby at the Animal Kingdom Lodge....walking right up to people...talking to them. She is talking, although not much that we can understand. Mama, Dada, and Papa are pretty clear...beyond that, you have to follow context, gestures, and intonation but she does get her point across. She is feeding herself with her own silverware, she loves to throw a ball, and she loves toys like blocks and shape sorters that present her with a challenge for her fine motor skills. She has the most magical little belly laugh...it has such a pretty ring to it. And I still marvel at how her entire face lights up with a smile. Z, we love you so very much, and we feel so blessed to be your family.

Romantic weekend

2008-12-22T22:43:00.003-05:00

This year marked our ten year anniversary for Shaun and I. He blew me away and planned this amazing weekend for us. If you have ever met Shaun, you know this isn't his usual style, and so I was so impressed and appreciative. We had a really wonderful time. On Friday, he took me to a spa while he did the running around delivering children to grandparents and aunts. I was pampered and polished...I felt like a queen. Then it was off to surprise number 2...I had no idea where we were staying. Getting there just added to the mystery, because he got a little lost on the way, and I didn't see anything that resembled a resort near the intersection we kept circling. It turned out that we were headed to a beautiful little bed and breakfast nestled right in downtown Orlando. I had no idea it even existed, and it was so perfect because it really captured to feel of the place we were married in. We had a charming room with an antique four poster bed and a fireplace in the room. We freshened up, and he told me we were going to walk to dinner. It was a perfect night for it...the weather has been great here. He lead me to this amazing chophouse for a really fantastic meal. The next day we slept in, did a little shopping, had another wonderful meal with some friends... The entire weekend was really picture perfect, and I feel so lucky to have such an amazingly thoughtful husband. Thank you for the last 10 years, baby....looking forward to many many more.

Christmas programs

2008-12-22T22:37:00.003-05:00

My oldest two gave me the treat of watching them perform in the Children's musicals at Church. Ashtyn was an angel with the Joyful Noise choir...she did beautifully, as did the entire choir, and my girl looked so precious. Mason was a shepherd in the Little Treble Makers (that's him- to your left of the boy with the gold hat thingy).

They are 3, 4 and 5...so they were quite amusing. The run through before went much better then the actual performance. Mason was belting it out on round one. By the time the actual show began, he was jumping back and forth from one foot to the other and staring off into space most of the time. There were angels lying down on stage...other angels trying to drag them to their feet....wise men taking off their turbans....and good old Joseph, holding it all together, singing his little heart out in front of the mic. The entire thing was too funny. They have a very fitting name, dont they?

Decking the Halls

2008-12-13T12:54:00.006-05:00

So, my house is all decorated,time for a bloggy makeover! Here are some of the pictures that didnt make it onto the header. I thought I was being slack by not making it to a studio for professional pictures. Who needs a studio!?

I also got my picture ready for the Christmas cards. Here's hoping I actually get them out in time.

Tree Trimming and the Polar Express

2008-12-06T22:53:00.005-05:00

Yesterday morning Kenzie and I found ourselves with a quiet morning all to ourselves. So we set about the task of putting up the Christmas tree. I like to do the 'boring' parts myself, and save the ornaments for Ashtyn and Mason to help with. So my faithful young assistant and I set to work. At first, I couldn't get her to stop crawling under the tree.

Then, she started the drunken sailor walk, toddling around the room.

She must have gotten bored with all of the fluffing of branches and stringing of lights, because she started to look for other things to do. She cooked a little in her kitchen (that's a pan lid in her mouth- silly girl).

Then she fixed her hair.

Had to give teddy a hug....

Eventually, the job did get done...and I got all 20 messes she made in the process picked up as well. When Ashtyn got home from school and Mason got back from working with daddy, they helped me put on all the ornaments. Here are the fruits of our labor:

After the work was done, we enjoyed a "breakfast dinner" of bacon and eggs, waffles, and cinnamon rolls...mmmmm.

Then we all sat down together to watch the Polar Express. You see, I was anticipating our big plans for today, and I wanted to create a proper amount of excitement. We spent the afternoon today at Sea World, and every year at this time they transform the Wild Arctic into the Polar Express Experience. You get to take a simulated train ride straight to the North Pole and see Santa himself (smarty pants Ashtyn informed me that that wasn't the real Santa- he was too busy with work at the real North Pole- all of this was just pretend) I am just glad Kenzie didnt cry when I stood next to him.

Because she wasnt having any part of getting near this big-headed Santa!

Do you have your decorations out yet?

The Tokmok Reunion

2008-12-02T09:31:00.006-05:00

One of the many perks of living in Central Florida is that eventually, most of my far off blog friends will come to me! Yeah- you know you want to take the kiddos to the "happiest place on Earth". Go ahead...and give me a call when you get here. Over Thanksgiving week, we were lucky enough to spend some time with three other fellow bloggers, and Kyrgyz adoptive families. The fun kicked off on Monday night, with a girl's night out for the mommy's- Rachel, Gen, Jackie, and I...and Jackie's good friend M, who was really nice and fit right into the mix. Do I need to tell you what a luxury it is to have dinner while chatting with 4 wonderful women, be able to eat your food while it is hot, and not have to entertain anyone, cut anyone else's food, for take anyone to the bathroom? It was awesome...I had such a nice time. Then on Tuesday, the real adventure began. We met at Animal Kingdom with a grand total of 9 kids (all under the age of 7...5 one year olds) and 5 adults, and we even hopped over to Magic Kingdom before the day was done. Crazy you say? Perhaps, but I would call it a huge success. True, we didn't actually go to that many individual attractions, and yes, moving from point A to point B wasn't exactly simple. But I think it is safe to say the adults enjoyed each other's company, and that of the children..and the kids were smiling and laughing for the majority of the day. Yes, there were a few tears due to missed naps or separation anxiety, but seriously- 5 one year olds! And with a 3 year old and a 4 year old boy- we successfully avoided full-on, ugly meltdown! (Mason did cry when he hurt his hand...oh well, that is understandable.) We had a great time, and it was surreal to see the "Tokmok girls" together again. I want to say they are all within 5 months of each other, and all from the same baby house. Admittedly, at one year old, they didn't do too much actual playing together, but we are hoping the the coming years to foster a beautiful friendship there. And handsome little man Michael will be the object of their affection (except for his sis, Phoebe, who will be rolling her eyes and saying "GROSS!" when the other girls confess they think he is "so cute!") The original plan included a wrap up trip to Sea World on Sat, but by that time, poor Jackie, Phoebe, and Mackenzie were all sick, so we opted out of that one. Hope everyone is feeling better! I would love to do it again sometime.

***I have delayed posting this, in hopes of finding my temporally misplaced camera so I could add more pictures- other than the one I stole from Rach. These ladies can attest to the fact that I have to have the single worst case of "mom-brain" ever! I am sure it will turn up...eventually...in the meantime, let me go ahead and post. Seriously, I used to have brains...I even graduated cum laude...if that means anything at all.***

BFFs

2008-11-26T10:54:00.004-05:00

Here are the tiny BFFs again- Scarlett and Mackenzie. Rachel and I got together for a play date again the other day, along with another PAP in our area. There were also 4 preschool aged boys between all us- if you have boys, you'll understand why it was impossible to get a group picture of them to post here. They were too busy racing monster trucks, spinning, climbing, and basically running everywhere! Good times. I am so glad that there is the promise of more Kyrgyz kiddos in our area, too! I have pictures from another even bigger Tokmok reunion to share, but you will have to wait...I am still recovering!

First Steps

2008-11-17T11:42:00.004-05:00

She has done it! Mackenzie is walking! Actually, she has been taking a few steps here and there for awhile now. She is growing more confidant every day. She is now up to 6-8 in a row, and will stand up in the middle of a room. We are so excited for her. She always has a huge grin when she is practicing- she knows it is something special. While her little Frankenstein steps are adorable, she is so much faster at crawling, she tends to favor it still. It wont be long, though, before she is officially a toddler! Come to think of it, is today the 17th? She is 16 months old today! Let's see if I can get this video to upload...third time's a charm, right?

Family Time

2008-11-12T19:40:00.004-05:00

So, my husband has taken the leap and changed jobs. He is back into the realms of self employment, partnered with a very talented well connected former co-worker from his previous job. So far so good (I admit, I am nervous, I am trying to be supportive here). The point of sharing this here is that there are definite benefits to being self employed, especially in a manner that involves working from home- we are seeing so much more of him! In the last few days alone, we have gone to a medieval fair, went out for pizza and pottery painting, and tonight we discovered a skateboard park in a neighboring town. It has been so nice to spend so much quality family time together. On the downside, we have had several instances of random illness in the process- gotta love taking your girl on a run for the bushes while at the fair! Let's just say poor Ashtyn didnt enjoy the jousting as much as we thought she would. But Mason and Kenzie had a blast. Sorry I dont really have pictures to share right now- I have been bad about forgetting my camera recently!

Mackenzie's First Halloween

2008-11-01T22:22:00.003-04:00

Here are a few pictures from Mackenzie's first Halloween. I think we made sure she got to experience it all. With the way she has learned to recognize a trick-or-treat bag and throw a little fit until she gets a piece of candy, I think she enjoyed it!

Last weekend we went downtown to get treats at all the little shops. She wore Ashtyn's first ever dance recital costume, since the official costumes were not ready to be debuted quite yet. She was an adorable little snow bunny...and she loved those dum-dums!

Here she is "helping" carve pumpkins

Here she is the day of Halloween...the shirt reads "I love my mummy, and mummy loves me!" This is one of my favorite smiles.

Also on Halloween Day- Uncle Cliff's 80th birthday! He is an amazing man, a retired minister...I have him to thank for leading both of my parents to Christ, and thus, in many ways, for my own salvation. And here is Kenzie with her grandpa- stealing all of his ice cream.

Mackenzie's official costume was a unicorn...except she wouldn't keep on the horn. Here she is after it all was winding down, raiding her brother's treat bag. Caught red handed, and not a bit of remorse.

All of us at Sea World's Spooktacular

Lady Ashtyn

Sir Mason

Knight, Princess, and little unicorn with the garden crew at Sea World.

First trip to Disney World

2008-10-24T11:50:00.005-04:00

Mackenzie had her first trip to Disney World yesterday. We went with my good friend from Home in Hawai'i, compliments of a maingate held by a good friend from church (thank you again S and T- it was great!!) The day began at 8:30 am, and we went for a good solid 12 hours. That is the stuff of crazy tourists from the north (love you all!)- not my usual approach as a local. But, despite Kenzie only taking a 20 minute nap all day, they were all having such a good time, and the weather was so perfect for it, we just kept going. Boy, am I tired today! How are you Kerry?

We started off at Animal Kingdom...insider's tip- go early in the AM, when the animals are most active. We went on the safari, and everything was out and about.

I could have almost touched these rhinos!

Ashtyn and Kerry- check out that tiger!

At the dino dig- Kenzie loves to dig.

Helping out her bro.

From Animal Kingdom, we headed on over to the Magic Kingdom. They were all decked out for their Halloween party- it was really cute.

Magic Kingdom

How's that for a pumpkin?

6, going on 16. What a ham.

Philharmagic style...love the shades.

Rockin those shades!

What happens when they get out of line at the Magic Kingdom.

We kept 'em straight!

Mad Skills

2008-10-21T13:54:00.004-04:00

Just after shooting this clip, Mace said 'Maybe I dont need skateboarding lessons now" :) I have to admit, he is doing pretty good...the boy has mad skills!:)
(Can anyone tell me how to rotate this video?)

Kenzie is Mason's #1 fan...she was cheering him on the whole time.

Sorry to leave Ash out again- she keeps being at school when the camera comes out. We will catch her later this week. It is a long weekend, so hopefully we will have some good times.

This and That

2008-10-19T22:06:00.004-04:00

How is that for a smile!? I'm telling you...she smiles with her entire body!

These are Ashtyn and Mason's funkins. You know- those fake pumpkins. Now, I am usually a pumpkin carving kind of girl. But I thought we would give these a try...especially after I found the cute monster attachments (think Mr. Potato Head) for 50% off. The kids had fun, but it wasnt quite the same a digging out the seeds, so I think we will still have to try to find a pumpkin patch. Maybe that will help it feel like fall. 79 is as low as we have gotten so far- it felt great, but I am still trying not to get jealous of all of the leaves and mums and pumpkins by blogger friends have been posting lately.

This is Mason with his swim class...he is to the teacher's left. And is now dunking his entire head underwater...willingly. Ahhh...the things our children will do to please...someone else!

Kenzie was a regular social butterfly at this birthday party the other day- she went to the birthday girl's uncle, her dad and her mom...and she hardly ever sees them at all. She is getting to be so friendly- I think she is getting more and more confident in the fact that mommy and daddy are a constant, so it is getting to be OK to visit a little. I am so glad!

Swim lessons, bus rides, and a walking coach...

2008-10-14T11:54:00.003-04:00

It is getting shamefully long between posts for me. I still check in with all of the blogs I follow every day- I just dont usually feel inspired to write anything myself.

Mason is in swim lessons finally. (Yes, it is still plenty warm enough here for swimming- perhaps you are jealous of that...not me...I want fall- pumpkin patches and corn mazes and changing leaves!) The lessons were a birthday gift from grandma (yea- thank you again!). So far, he has only done one, as the second got rained out yesterday. His teacher is a young kid- 16 maybe- surfer type. Mason is impressed ("His hair is like GOLD" he told me). Which is good, b/c hopefully Mason's desire to be cool for the teacher will outweigh his fear of going under. As long as his head is above water, he loves the pool. He'll practice the kicking, his arm strokes, blowing bubbles...anything we ask of him. Just dont ask him to go under. Hopefully that will improve in the next few weeks. He has announced that he wants skateboarding lessons next, and he keeps asking me if I have signed him up yet. Now, where on earth would we find anyone else crazy enough to let their 4 year old ride a skateboard, much less give them lessons to go on ramps and things like Mason is envisioning? Maybe if he can mange to stop thumb sucking we can arrange something!

I finally commited to letting Ashtyn ride the bus home in the afternoons. Big step for me- I have a hard time dealing with my fear of exposing her to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Within the first week of riding there was an incident where someone had stolen a whistle, the bus had to turn around and go back to school, administration had to come on the bus and "yell" at them...all the middle schoolers had to get off and empty their bags. Poor baby, she told me "They were all yelling and saying bad words, and I just wanted to cry!" I wanted to cry too when she told me. But, wise child that she is, she assured me "Dont worry Mommy, I know I should never say those bad words." Sweetie, I am sorry you even had to hear them. I am sticking to the bus plan though- it is so much better for the little ones- that is an hour they spent in their carseats every day. Now instead, Kenzie can finish out her nap, and Mason can ride his bike to the bus stop to pick up his sister. Kenzie likes the walk, too.

Kenzie is still not walking yet (trying not to get paranoid, here). She is making progress though. Ashtyn has become her personal walking coach, and spends almost all her free time escorting her around the house with Kenzie gripping her fingers. Kenzie can walk now with just one hand for support, and has attempted (unsuccessfully- with an amusing level of self confidence) to stand up in the middle of a room. She is so funny- she does it out of the blue, with no warning at all, and she acts like she just knows she will get it this time. So it is this sudden jerk upwards, followed by a disappointing topple down. Poor baby, it is so hard not to laugh!

So, nothing real exciting going on here. They do keep me entertained!

Post placement

2008-10-03T13:56:00.005-04:00

I recently put together pictures for our second post placement report (scrapblog.com- love it!) We have to send reports twice a year for the first 3 years, complete with a social worker's report and pictures. After that, we get to do the same on our own....for forever I think! Honestly, I cannot remember how many years. I dont mind really- it helps keep adoptions from Kyrgyzstan going by reassuring the officials that these kids are in loving homes and doing well. I do feel bad that I cannot seem to get it together enough to do these reports on time- I keep forgetting about the state certification step and how looooong it takes! Anyway- in no particular order...(minus the cool Tokmok friends page b/c it had names on it I am not a liberty to share here)...

New bike

2008-09-25T23:59:00.002-04:00

Mason is now the proud owner of this very cool dirt bike! Thank you Nana! He had a great dinner- Hawaiian chicken, sweet potatoes, corn, fruit kababs, and chocolate cake...mmm.... He had a great time with his cousins....thanks to our family for helping him celebrate. I have no idea what the deal is with this underlined blue font. I guess I will try again later.

Happy Birthday Mason!

2008-09-23T09:51:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was Mason's birthday. I really think he completely forgot until I told him in the morning. Very little reaction. Then at breakfast, to Ashtyn "Ashtyn, do you know what? Today I am four, just like you." To which she responded "No, Mason, I am six- you are four." Suddenly four wasnt good enough- he spent the rest of the day telling everyone he was six. He also expected some other immediate changes- he had to measure up with Ashtyn to see if he had grown 3 inches to be the same height as her...he reported that now that he was 4 he could now swim underwater without a life jacket (we really do need to work on that one). He also announced that now he could stand on his hands....and proceeded to demonstrate with some success :)

I have to confess- I feel kinda bad. In the past, we always set aside the actual day of our children's birthdays for something really special...there have been breakfasts with Mickey, the princesses, and Shamu, train rides, trips to Disney and Sea World...but yesterday...nada. I had a Bible study that had begun last week that I really wanted to start...inventory in the Awana office to do...groceries to get (for his family bday dinner tonight at least), A to pickup from school, homework to supervise, a dance class to shuttle to (daddy kindly took this one over), and a house to clean for company. We did squeeze in lunch at every preschooler's favorite fine dining establishment...McD's! And he got the batmobile he was hoping for. And Mommy agreed before we even got the the grocery store that he could choose a new hot wheels monster truck (after all, it was his birthday...he got to celebrate by pushing his sleeping sister in the stroller while I drove the cart). And Daddy did take Mason to pick out his new skateboard while his sister was at dance class (read between the lines- we never got around to picking it out for him ourselves!) He does have skating to look forward to this weekend, and that family dinner I mentioned tonight. I do feel like I am letting them down not making the fuss I used to over these special days. But then I think of all the kids in Kyrgyz orphanages and around the world who get nothing at all, and I get a little perspective. We have it pretty good.

Pictures

2008-09-15T10:21:00.003-04:00

She climbed into the chair to steal Ashtyn's breakfast!

Climbing again, this time onto a bench in her room...a gift from Kerry when Ashtyn was what...2? Perfect sized again! The dolls get tossed to the floor.

Daddy's little helper...he's a mini me for Shaun!

Big brother.

How do I accomplish those pigtails? By letting her do this while I work on them!

Catching up

2008-09-15T09:23:00.006-04:00

I am becoming a slacker! Keep meaning to post, but thinking I should wait until I download pictures...that does not happen as often as it used to. So I think I should just post anyway. Right now I am online, waiting for the Awana Store website to load...it is beyond sloooow today, and I have a bunch of uniforms I want to get in for my club before next week. Our club is still going great- I have admit it is all b/c of God's grace and awesome leaders! Still reaching record numbers. I have received a book from Family Life on starting and orphan ministry...it is full of great advice. I am working to move through some of those steps, trying not to let life get in the way...but it usually does. The kids are all doing pretty well...

Kenzie is a riot. Her new fav toy is the shopping cart- she practices walking behind it and pushes it all over the house. It is so good for her- she is getting closer to actual steps every day. Still needs to work on balance, though. I suspect she has added "dog" and "baby" to her word repertoire of "mama" "dada" and "babye!" Hard to say for sure. She loves to give kisses, and it is so funny....she starts smacking her lips to show you she is wanting to kiss you...then she leans in with a wide mouth, usually with her tongue sticking out. They are big and wet and sloppy, and we are all always fighting over her trying to earn one! She also "hugs" by basically just leaning across your body, usually when we are sitting or lying down. If she crawls over and sits next to you, so has to sit right next to you. She practically climbs on you...or the kids...or the dog...and scoots in as close as she can possibly get. She is into everything. By far, my most mischievous child (and if you know Mason, I am sure you are surprised by that!) Remember this incident? That is Mason around one year old with lipstick all over him! Kenzie's current obsessions are actually a little more worrisome. She loves to pull plugs out of the wall (really need to get some new plug covers). And she loves to put anything she can around her neck. Yikes. Purse by the door?- Kenzie is wearing it as a necklace. Camera case within reach?- on it goes, trailing underneath her as she crawls to us to show it off. Ashtyn's dress up necklaces, scarves, the vacuum cord as I am vacuuming. I really have to watch her, the child is going to hurt herself.

Ashtyn is doing somewhat better with school. We have has several heart to hearts, I am trying to make sure she knows she can talk to me. She is getting out of the car much more willingly, and has admitted that it isn't that bad. But she still seems to be complaining of phantom illnesses...I am assuming to try to get out of school. Tummy ache? Children's pepto for you, and off to school! Sore neck? Motrin and school! I keep telling her that school is really important and she cant be missing if she isn't really sick...the kind of sick she will pass around to other kids. This is the same kid I couldn't convince that is was OK to skip one day off school to go out for a day on the lake with her aunt and cousin who were visiting from out of town last year. I know it will get better with time, as she gets more comfortable with the routine and grows closer to her teacher and classmates. I do feel for her in the meantime though.

Mason is doing good...really looking forward to his upcoming birthday (thank you for the card Kerry- he was so excited to get his first bday card!) He is going to be such an extreme sports kinda kid. For is fourth birthday, all he wants is a dirtbike and a skateboard! Crazy boy. He is getting more real friends at Cubbies, and I am hearing about his imaginary buddy Zacky a little less. Although there is always a Zacky story to share if Ashtyn starts talking about her friends at school. Zacky must have 9 lives...so far he has been eaten by alligators and attacked by sharks, but he keeps coming right back. Yeah, the line between real and imaginary is really blurry for Mason. Thankfully he has stopped talking about his "new mommy and new daddy" that live in NC. I guess he finally agreed that we would miss him too much!

Ministry

2008-09-05T20:15:00.003-04:00

So, Awana is off to an amazing start- over 100 kids the first week, and 94 even on Labor day weekend! I am excited to see what God has in store for our club this year. He has blessed us with an amazing group of people in leadership, and I pray he will continue to equip us to meet the need.

I have been feeling God's nudging towards a new ministry for quite some time now. I have explored it some, but overall I have pigheadedly told him that I just cannot take on anything else right now...I have enough. And he has reminded me over and over that it is His plan I need to be worried about, not my own- he will equip me where he has called me. So I am trying to move forward in his will and establish an adoption/orphan care ministry at our church. I have been doing my homework online, and have ordered this book for more inspiration. But what I can really use right now are ideas from all of you. Does your church have anything like this? What do you do? Do you wish they did? What would you want them to do? I do know that I want it to be a support for foster and adoptive families, a source of information and perhaps inspiration for families who are thinking about taking that step, and a chance for other families to come alongside and support foster and adoptive families, and help in orphan care worldwide. No problem, right? Help!

Post "Labor" day report

2008-09-04T17:19:00.010-04:00

Three posts in one day- a new record! I read this on Smiles and Trials- a blog I have become completely fascinated with. Thought it might be fun to try myself. The idea is to give a "Labor Day" report on all of your children- bio or adopted. For bio kids- how long were you in labor? Overdue? How much weight did you gain? Did you find out the sex? How did you know you were in labor? Where did you deliver? Drugs? C-section? Episiotomy? Can you dig up a picture? For adoptions: How long to complete? From where? Age at adoption?

Ashtyn Jade- April 13, 2002. I gained over 60 lbs with her- yes-over 60 (all gone within 8 months- the wonders of breast feeding!) I did find out the sex, but only a few weeks before delivery (begged and begged for another ultrasound- it was considered non-essential- I used my dad's heart condition as an excuse) In total, I ended up with 3 ultra sounds- one at 12 weeks to determine due date, the one I begged for so they could "look at her heart" (and I could find out her sex)- and then at one of my last appointments I was measuring small (even with the 60 lbs, strangely), so they wanted to check on her- she had just dropped...she had so much hair they could see it in the ultrasound. I went into labor 10 days early- mostly b/c we were moving and I was up and down scrubbing baseboards and patching picture holes in walls. It was a very light, very bearable labor all day...went to the military hospital in Jacksonville, NC after dinner b/c I thought my water had broke. They treated a burn on Shaun's hand and sent me home, saying they would see me at my appointment the next week. We returned a few hours later- turned out I actually know what I was talking about and I really was in labor- I think I was about 7 cm by then, and progressing rapidly. They never even got a chance to put in an IV line- Ashtyn was born, 8 lbs even, at 4:04, delivered by a Navy doc who I had never met, who couldn't have been more than 23 and had to be talked through the episiotomy by the nurse. No drugs, no problem.
Mason Reid- September 22, 2004. I think I gained around 40 lbs with him- better, still a lot. He was closer to his due date- maybe one day early. I did find out the sex with him- I am so impatient! Cant remember how may ultrasounds- maybe 2? I know there was a 3-D one- so cool! Again, I had a very long, but very mild early labor. I had a doctor's appointment early in the day anyway, so I tried to get her to guesstimate when he would come. Shaun was working for the railroad at the time, she he was out of state and I was worried sick he wouldn't make it back in time. I meet my mother-in law for lunch- she took Ashtyn with her to spend the night. Shaun made it home...still no progress. I remember walking around the lake in Celebration at some point...when was that? When we went to bed on the 21st I was still having contractions, but they were irregular and infrequent, and mild enough to sleep through. They woke me in the middle of the night...I woke Shaun right away, told him we needed to go now. My water broke on the way to the hospital. He was born literally within ten minutes of arriving at the hospital- he was lucky there was no traffic or he would have been born on the side of the road. He was delivered by the first midwife they could grab and pull into my room- no idea who she was...didn't notice her much- I was just glad someone was there to catch him. No drugs, no IV, they didn't even convert the bed into a birthing table. It was insane. He was 8lbs 3 oz, and absolutely perfect.
Mackenzie Azima: We applied to CWA in April of 2007. We learned of Azima in August of 2007. She was born July 17, 2007, full term and 7lbs 1 1/2 oz in Sukuluk, Kyrgyzstan. We held in in our arms on Dec 20, 2007. So that was an 8 mo "pregnancy" with no major complications. I have to say that while my paper pregnancy was shorter and less physically demanding than my physical pregnancies, the paper pregnancy was much more trying emotionally. There are so many unknowns in adoption, and so many things that are out of your control. Yet it is just as rewarding in the end!
Happy late Labor Day to all of you...what's your labor story?

Sigh of relief

2008-09-04T17:03:00.002-04:00

Whew! Thanks for your hugs and prayers- it worked! No diabetes, not even a UTI. She actually just needs more fiber. Did you know that constipation is the most common cause of frequent urination in kids? I didnt- I am sure you are all so glad you know that now! As far as the anxiety about school goes- could be contributing to the problem I suppose, but the problem could also be compounding the anxiety at school- so hopefully getting a handle on the bathroom thing will help a lot. And I continue to be in close contact with her teacher- she is very supportive. So we will do everything we can to make first grade a great experience! I think maybe I have a little perfectionist on my hands- just like her mama!

Mama's worried

2008-09-04T10:14:00.002-04:00

So I think the new school year brings some level of anxiety for everyone. New teachers, new classmates, new expectations. Ashtyn has been overall cooperative about school, but not super excited and eager like she has been in past years. She is a very bright little girl, and makes friends easily, so school has never been an issue for her. So I found it very concerning this morning when they had to practically drag her out of my car crying. She couldn't tell me why she didn't want to go to school, just that she didn't want to go. So I have spent the morning speculating what it could be. First grade is harder...I am sure it is more focused, there is more work...she has homework everyday. And while she is bright, she works at her own pace...which is sometimes painfully sloooww. Maybe she is finding it hard to complete assignments? And she has pretty high expectations for herself. She told me she cried a little yesterday when she didn't know the answer on a test (she couldn't read the question I think). I think they are doing those begining of the year evaluations...the ones that just track what level they are at so they can see their growth throughout the year. Her teacher responded in a very appropriate way (it was one of those one on one evals), telling her that it was alright, to just look it over and make her best guess. I told her not to worry, that as long as she tried her best we were so proud of her...I was sure she did just fine...and if she didn't know a word, she should just do her best to sound it out. The entire thing seemed to upset her very much, and I could offer little comfort.

Now let's add to that that she just got glasses. She looks adorable, mind you, and she was super super excited to need them. But her enthusiasm has waned, and she told me the other day that she liked "The old me, without glasses." I told her she looked beautiful in her glasses, and I liked her either way. Could the kids be making fun of her? She hasn't told me they are.

Perhaps my biggest worry is possibly related to both of the above- and perhaps TMI. She has also been having to go to the bathroom a lot in the past few weeks- at least every 20 minutes or so. So having to get up and go to the bathroom could be causing her to miss key instructions, and fall behind (especially when she already works slow). Could she be getting a hard time about that- maybe her teacher thinks she is faking to avoid work? ( I emailed her this morning) And my biggest worry- could this be a symptom of juvenile diabetes? Hopefully I wont have to worry for long- we are off to the doctor's for testing this afternoon. So please, if you have a moment, pray or my baby girl. I hate that she is going through all of this, and I am worried sick that this is more than a UTI. Thanks.

Settling in

2008-08-26T10:19:00.005-04:00

Well, we are finally settling into the school year routine. It is still a bit tough to drag everyone out of bed in the morning, but it is going fine. Ashtyn is making friends and likes her teacher. The school is getting the traffic congestion under control (thank you for giving me back 45 minutes of my life!) Mason and Mackenzie are bonding together pretty well. She is by his side in their little kitchen:They are hangin' out at her crib (which he filled with stuffed animals):

And he has enough silliness in him to get crazy with big sis on the weekend, too:

Can you tell this kid is filled up with life and laughter? Dont let him fool you though...he is like the little boy in the poem: When he was good, he was very, very good, but when he was bad he was horrible! Trust me, it's not all roses :) Oh! I keep meaning to post this. The little daredevil has learned to ride his "wobbly" bike without training wheels. He says when he grows up he is going to race BMX in the Olympics. Maybe so...he shocked me by learning this at the age of 3:

Azima is lighting up more and more. She had to get in on the dress up, too. Here she is sportin' her Kyrgyz hat:

And loving some cherries:

She is showing us more everyday how much she is growing and changing. In a lot of ways, she doesn't seem 13 months yet, but then she surprises us by showing a clear understanding of how things work. She loves to put headbands on her head and sunglasses on my face. If she gets lucky enough to get her little hands on a necklace of her sister's (we have to work on picking up the non-baby items) it goes right over her head. She picked up a tiny baby doll the other day, and just hugged and hugged on it, it was so sweet! Here is one that just made me laugh. She crawled up to the cordless phone lying on the floor, put it right up to her ear, and tried to say hello. I tried to get her to recreate the moment, this is as close as I got (sorry- I have no idea how to rotate it):

Back to School...sort of

2008-08-19T10:59:00.002-04:00

Well, school is officially back in session my friends...sort of. Today should be day two, but instead it is a hurricane day. Actually, tropical storm day, which I never realized actually warranted a day off of school, but apparently the local school board must have all just relocated from New York or something, because they decided to cancel today. C'mon people! It is barely storming. Yes, I realize that it hasn't really reached us yet, and yes I realize I will soon have lake-front property from all the rain it is going to dump on us, but please! At it's worst, I expect this storm to bring us a couple of gloomy days, a whole lot of rain, and maybe a free tree trimming of those loose and dead branches. Remember '04, the year we got slammed with 3 hurricanes in a row?! I am just praying we are not headed for a repeat of that. By the time storm 3 came and finished off our screen room, I just laughed as it came crashing down....laughed because I knew that meant the insurance would certainly pay to repair it, and, hey...at least it wasnt our roof (which had minimal damage, but the insurance company also paid to replace...nice!) My biggest worry that hurricane season was actually that Mason would make his big debut in the middle of storm 2...I was hugely pregnant, under a lot of stress, and there is something to the whole drop in the barometric pressure theory. So we stayed at my mom's house for that storm, who happens to live next door to a doctor, just in case. Thankfully, he stayed safely inside, made his debut (barely), at a regular hospital, and was home in time to witness storm number three and the aforementioned screen porch crash at the ripe old age of 2 days! But I digress...hugely!

Back to School....Ashtyn's first day came back with weak reviews..."We didnt have any fun and it was all rules, rules, rules, all day long! They told us we would have a little fun in the media center....but we didnt!" Poor baby...I am confident it will get better. Her teacher seemed really nice and really great with kids. As for Ashtyn, at least she didnt have to sit in the car rider pick-up line for an hour and a half at the end of the day! An hour and a half, seriously! Sitting in the car with Mason and Mackenzie. What do you do with them for that amount of time? Here is what Mackenzie did to occupy herself:
Play with the ball
Throw the ball
Throw a fit because she threw the ball
Insert pacifier that mommy threw at her
Go to sleep

And Mason:
Scribble briefly in a color wonder book
Throw color wonder markers all over the floor
Look for a moment at a View Finder
Throw View Finder and all of his disks all over the floor
Draw for 2 minutes
Fall asleep with crayon in hand
(Please note that I spent 3 hours cleaning out the van that morning...he even helped...and he knows better!)

And what did I do (other than picking up the markers and crayons and view finder)? I was actually pretty productive:
Ate a snack
Applied full make-up
Filed nails
plucked eyebrows
Painted nails
Checked dance schedule
decided to go for the "smoky eye" look
figured I might as well go ahead and do the full French manicure, b/c hey...both kids were strapped down and sleeping and I wasnt going anywhere!

So, when I look on the bright side, I had a little mini spa right there in my van. Hey, if these storms ever pass and we get to take her back to first grade, maybe I will wear flip-flops for pick-up that day and plan a pedicure. Who am I kidding- I wear flip-flops every day!

Racing to a finish

2008-08-15T01:26:00.004-04:00

(Pictures added)
So it is officially the middle of the night, and I am up late again. The summer has just rushed by, and I am trying to beat the clock and get everything done on schedule. Which means less sleep for me. Tonight (and the past few nights) I am up late preparing for a directors meeting for Awana...we are starting up again on Aug 24th. I have never had to kick off a club year as commander before...whew! There is so much to do! Most of it is fine, b/c I can do it late night...I am stuck on how to make phone calls though...3 busy kids dont lend well to a long list of contacts I need to make. I really need a few more leaders.

Mason got new bunkbeds yesterday. He is really excited to be sleeping on the top bunk. The whole bedroom situation since bringing Mackenzie home has been a mess. The first few months we put her crib up in Ashtyn's room, Mason was in a toddler bed in his room, and Kenzie actually slept in our room in the pack n play. But every time she stirred, we would get up with her, so we decided we needed a little distance between us to encourage better nighttime habits. So...the crib went into Mason's room, and he got a twin bed in Ashtyn's room. I was determined this would be a temporary arrangement however...mostly b/c I didnt want to have to redecorate 2 entire rooms. Plus, my mom had made the girls beautiful matching quilts! So, finally, we are getting things straight. We got him bunks since he has grown so accustomed to sharing his space with his sister...that way she can sleep in his room whenever she wants (he begs her to EVERY night). The girls room is a girls room again, and Mason is asking for Monster Trucks in his room now. Could he have picked a theme that is harder to find? Good thing Grandma sews!

Shaun took the day off today to spend with the kids...he has worked so many weekends and had so may trips out of town, it only seemed fair. Our original plan was to go to one of the beautiful Florida springs. The weather, however, didnt cooperate as it was rainy and overcast all day. So, we ended up at Monkey Joes...one of those inflatable playgrounds that are a paradise for kids and quickly drive me crazy with all of the noise and commotion. The kids did have a blast, though, so I dont mind suffering through. This is the first time Mackenzie has really been mobile at a place like that...she had fun exploring everything once she got used to the place.
Tomorrow is meet the teacher for Ashtyn. School starts on Monday. I cannot believe the summer is almost over! I am really not ready.

Blog Award

2008-08-08T09:44:00.003-04:00

Thanks Andrea, over at Holding on for the Ride, for the blog award! We finally met in person at the CWA picnic...she has 2 adorable kiddos, one from Russia and one from Kyrgyzstan. My older 2 got pretty attached to AP that day. They rode in the horse-drawn carriage together. Here is the bling she sent my way:
So, now I am supposed to answer some questions about myself and then pass it on. Here goes:

A. Attached or single? Attached

B. Best friend? my husband, Shaun

C. Cake or pie? Pie

D. Day of choice? Saturday

E. Essential item? Diaper Bag- always overpacked, always on my shoulder

F. Favorite color? blue...actually that shade of blue green you see when you are out boating in the ocean and the water changes from the shallow reef water to the deep ocean. Breathtaking

G. Gummy bears or worms? yuck! Chocolate, please!

H. Hometown? born in Valparaiso, IN...raised in Kissimmee, FL

I. Indulgence? ummm....reading blogs?

J. January or July? July

K. Kids? 3

L. Life isn’t complete without? Family and faith

M. Marriage date? 12/19/98...ten years this December! (and what would have happened if I had answered A. differently?)

N. Number of brothers & sisters? Two older sisters...three brothers in law, one sister in law

O. Oranges or apples? Apples

P. Phobias? Shaun's driving! Specifically, his sleeping at the wheel

Q. Quotes? Galatians 6:9

R. Reasons to smile? the moment daddy arrives home from work- smiles all around

S. Season of choice? Summer

T. Tag seven peeps! (see below)

U. Unknown fact about me? I was engaged at 17

V. Vegetable? carrots

W. Worst habits? procrastination

X. X-ray or ultrasound? I looked forward to ultrasounds...begged for them really, so I guess ultrasound (especially the 3D kind- so cool)

Y. Your favorite food? steak

Z. Zodiac sign? Pisces

So, now I get to tag 7 of you to do the same. The trick is finding 7 that havent already been tagged, and that I actually have 2 ended conversations with (I tend to lurk on some blogs):

1. Rachel: Rach is the kind of person you feel like you have known forever the first time you meet her...but in actuality, I am sure there is a lot I can learn about her.

2. Jackie: Maybe an award will get her out of hibernation :) It's OK...we really do know you are crazy busy...just miss hearing from you , that's all.

3. Hillary: Havent ever meet her in person, but I suspect we would hit it off right away.

4. Kerry: My dear friend...I am breaking out of the Kyrgyz blog ring here...we have a very long history...swam together in HS...got SCUBA certified together...bridesmaid in my wedding (the bachlorette she threw still makes me blush)...same major in college...now living the dream in Hawaii

5. Ivy: We met first over dinner in Bishkek. It was so nice to connect with a family going through a similar process while so far from home. Her waiting has finally paid off and she is home with Dylan!

6. Holly: Mom to a bio son and a Kyrgyz beauty who is hearing impaired...inspiring

7: Johnda: Josie's mom...hopefully it will lure her out of hiding :)

I enjoy reading all of your blogs...I think I indulge a bit too much!

The Speed of Life

2008-07-27T20:33:00.011-04:00

If you recall, at the begining of this summer, I was looking forward to "a summer full of lazy, relaxing days"....well, there have been very very few of those, but we have been having a great summer! I really cannot believe how fast the time flies. Two weeks of VBS, two weeks of vacation....since arriving home we celebrated Mackenzie's first birthday, spent the weekend at Ft. Lauderdale beach, came back for doc and dentist visits, a picture appointment, and yesterday we had Mackenzie's party. Whew! I am worn out. Too bad all the kids are still going strong!

For her actual birthday (the 17th), we went to Disney village to play in the fountain and then out to dinner with the family. Z finally wiggled out of my arms and got the chance to get into those fountains just like her brother and sister:

At dinner, Kenzie had ice cream for dessert and got a Cabbage Patch Kid that looks just like her!

The beach weekend was an impromptu tag-along...daddy had to go back to S. Florida for work (I think his employer should just get a little apartment down there, seriously)...when he said they would book him in a beach front hotel, of course the kids and I agreed to tag along! We had a fantastic weekend- playing in the sand, swimming by the pool. Kenzie is SUCH a beach baby- she absolutely adores it. She loves to wiggle those little toes and dig those chubby fingers into the sand. She even thinks it tastes pretty good, much to my dismay! She is so bold crawling into those waves- no hesitation or concern whatsoever, even when they come crashing into her face, she just looks up at me and smiles. I am so excited, because the beach is about my fav place in the world, Mason enjoys it on occasion, and Ashtyn barely tolerates the salt water these days (they did have pretty good time on this trip- I think I am wearing them down) The icing on the cake for our beach weekend was that we got to meet Jackie and Nola in person! Well, technically, Kenzie has meet them before, back when she was still just Azima: Here they are now- arent they cute? I think we overwhelmed poor sweet little Noli (my kids are not shy in the least, and Kenzie is a bit of a bulldozer!) Nola really is a delicate flower- she is even more beautiful in person, and so sweet and tender. Jackie, it was so great to meet you and have the chance to get to know you better (still sending positive thoughts- you need to post so everyone in blog land knows you are doing OK)! I hope we can do it again sometime!

Kenzie's birthday party was tons of fun- only slightly overwhelming to her. She finally had to take a little break:

Here she is with her friend Scarlett. (Hey- you try to get 2 newly mobile babies 1 and under to look at you!)
Rach kindly made the long drive over. She commented "I dont think we could live any further apart and still both be considered the Orlando area" I will come to you next time Rach, promise! :) Scarlett's big day is coming soon!

At her party, Z collected a nice little donation to send to John Wright (a missionary in Kyrgyzstan)...I know he is on his way home, but I know his work isnt done! He'll be back, and in honor of her birthday, Kenzie wanted to send lots of thoughts and prayers along with her birthday gift through John to her friends back in Kyrgyzstan...they will always hold a piece of our hearts.

So, things have been moving at the speed of life...no sign of slowing down. Oh well, they are only young once, right? Jump in!

CWA Picnic

2008-07-16T14:27:00.007-04:00

So we are back from our 2 week road trip. Three kids, three adults (my parents and I- Shaun had to work, so this trip would never have been possible without their help), and all of our gear crammed into a minivan! We covered a lot of ground. Florida to Indiana, Illinois, North Carolina and back to Florida. The kids meet more cousins than they ever could have imagined they had! More on the rest of the trip later- my pics from the first part of the trip and the 4th are on my dad's computer so that I could make room for these:

This is the Kyrgyzstan crew at the CWA picnic in NC. It was so great to finally meet the people who brought our family together. We will be forever grateful to A, G, and M for everything they did to bring Mackenzie Azima home. It was also incredible to meet the other bloggy families...it was almost like reconnecting with old friends! Here are a few shots from the day:

Ashtyn, AP, and Mason

My girls

Mackenzie and Phoebe were roomies at Tokmok.

Phoebe, AP, and C

Lori (JJ's mom) and Kenzie-
JJ was so busy, I never caught him on camera- I think he was having a good time!

We had a great time meeting all of you- I wish we had more time to chat! Always busy with all of those adorable kiddos running around, isnt it?

Russian

2008-06-26T14:47:00.003-04:00

She a genius! *smile* Kenzie speaks Russian! Her current favorite syllable is "da" I say "Kenzie, are you hungry?" "Da!" "Are you tired?" "Da!" "Do you want this toy?" "Da! da!" Just in case you speak about as much Russian as I do, "Da" means "yes".
She is learning a little sign language, too. I think there might actually be a glimmer of actual understanding there, though. We are just working on the basics...you know- milk, eat, more...that sort of thing. She does an excited double fisted "Milk" (looks like you are milking a cow). "More" is more like applause with her so far, and eat is still entirely missed on her. She still gets her point across though.
Bible school is going really well. I am teaching Rec for 1st through 5th grade. We are having a blast. Ashtyn is bringing a friend from school- they both seem to be loving it. And Kenzie has attached herself to a young lady who is helping in the baby room. She tends to choose a fav wherever we go. If I am there, I usually get the honor...Tia kept her a few weeks back, and se latched onto her Tio...this week it is the granddaughter of a very sweet lady at our church...she must be around 12 or 13, and they are buds.

Keeping up

2008-06-18T17:28:00.002-04:00

Kenzie adores her big brother and sister. She lights up when she sees them...she loves nothing more than playing with them. So now that she is crawling, she follows them everywhere, which is making me realize how not baby friendly most of their toys are. I am constantly reminding the older two..."pick up the Legos, put away your Polly Pockets...no, you cannot make that craft with Kenzie at your heels." Their solution this afternoon was to go into the girls room and close the door. And there was Kenzie, hot on their heels. The door shut just before she could reach it, so I had to rescue her, banging on the door and whining to be let in. Poor baby- I was the youngest, too, so I remember the feeling of wanting to play with your big sister and facing a closed door! But at the same time, they are 3 1/2 and 6, so they do want to play big kid things sometimes! Somehow I see this getting more complicated as she gets older :)

Nick Hotel and turning 30

2008-06-16T13:10:00.006-04:00

Shaun celebrated his 30th birthday this weekend. He reported that he was sorry that he could no longer say he was in his 20s, but other than that, he took it just fine. We had an entire weekend of celebrations, so that helped, too! He reserved a room at the Nickelodeon Family Suites through his work (Thanks John!), and took Friday off. So we had a great time by the amazing pool (which is more like a water park). We brought my nephews, too, and the kids had smiles from ear to ear all day! Saturday we went to the lake property and rode jetskis and went water skiing (thanks Tia and Tio and Aunt Lana and Rick!) After all that fun in the sun, my girls are both brown as they can be...and Mason and I managed not to get burned and get a little color, too. Nothing compared to the girls though. After all the busyness, we kept Father's day simple and quiet...we ordered pizza with my Dad at their house. This week they are attending VBS at the church we go to Mops at....next week is Outrigger Island at our church! The summer is off to a busy start for sure.

Milestones

2008-06-05T16:21:00.003-04:00

It has been a few days, but I finally got the pictures off my camera...Ashtyn's recital was a huge success. She danced like the ballerina in her favorite book- "light on her feet". Here she is just after the performance:

Today was also her last day of kindergarten. They had a little awards ceremony for the kids in her classroom...Daddy went, and only took one picture that has other kids in it, so I am not allowed to post it! He did do a great job video taping however, so at least I got to see her play her hand bells and get her award! She did really really well in kindergarten- I cannot get over how well she is reading and writing and even doing math! Mackenzie is very happy to have her big sister home with her for the summer, though! Here they are this afternoon, after a swim:

On the move!

2008-06-02T17:19:00.004-04:00

(Revised title, compliments of Shaun "Mobile, Agile, and Hostile")
She's done it! She is officially a little carpet crawler. Actually, she reminds me a little of a Marine at boot camp the way she low crawls across the floor. Many of you may call it an army crawl, but around here, the motto is Semper Fi, so I say it looks like a Marine. More like her Daddy every day! Here she goes:

Spread your wings and prepare to fly....

2008-05-30T22:18:00.005-04:00

My little butterfly is about to be in her fourth dance recital. Fourth. She began when she was only 2 1/2 years old (cutest little snow bunny you ever saw). This year's production is Tarzan...Ashtyn is a butterfly. It is a really beautiful number. The actual recital is on Sunday; tonight was dress rehearsal (I enjoyed 2 hours of free time with no kiddos- what a luxury! I got my eyebrows done, I had Starbucks...). Here are a few shots of her in her full ballet glory. I just know I am gonna cry-especially with that song! Here she is practicing at home. She is practicing to the video I took in class a lot. She claims to be nervous this year- I think it's a bit of an act...she has never had stage fright before.
A couple more years, and Kenzie will be up there, too. I am loving having sisters in the house. I am so glad Kenzie has such an adoring big sister to look out for her...I hope they will always be close.

I will let you know how it goes on Sunday!

Doing better

2008-05-21T21:44:00.003-04:00

Thank you all for your prayers and well-wishes. Little Man is doing a lot better now. He even went for his first swim since the incident, and it went really well. Daddy gave him the option of a life jacket or water wings and the ring, and he opted for the latter. He went right in with no reservations....paddled around, laughed....he did show hesitation when it came to going under water- him or any of us. So we reassured him that as long as we know what we need to do to keep each other safe, that going under and "diving" can be a lot of fun to. Then he got into cheering on Daddy and Ashtyn as they dove under and popped up in front of him. He wouldn't go so far as to go under himself, but he wasn't a big fan of that even before, so that is OK for the first trip back in.

We had yet another doctor's trip this week- it is becoming quite the weekly ritual for us. This time it was for a well baby visit- that kind I can handle! Kenzie is now caught up on her shots, and her lab work came back great. No thyroid issue, no other diseases, not even an iron issue. She's great! Doc is pleased with her verbal and fine motor skills, we are working with her at home on her oral motor (specifically feeding) and gross motor skills. Even that she says is a slight delay, but she is still within the window, so I am finally relaxing a bit. And, she is finally sleeping in her own room. We put it off and put it off b/c we didn't want her waking Ashtyn. Finally we got so tired or her every little whimper waking us (which made for really great nighttime service in our house and the establishment of not so great sleeping habits in Kenzie), that we said enough- she is out! So Ashtyn is bunking in Masons room for right now, which he loves, and Kenzie is learning to soothe herself back to sleep. She doesn't love this arrangement, but I really think she sleeps better in there, and she is definitely learning to settle herself. So everything is going better here- looking forward to an uneventful couple of weeks as school comes to a close...and a summer full of lazy, relaxing days (do I even know what to do with a lazy, relaxing day?)

Gratitude

2008-05-13T14:46:00.004-04:00

This Mother's Day was one that I will never forget. It taught me so much about gratitude.

Ashtyn was absolutely bursting to show me all the things she had created for me at school and church. She really wanted to make the day special for me, and she really did. I adored her treasures...from the handprints with the poem, to the construction paper flowerpot, to the adorable paper teapot card with a tea bag gift inside. I was so grateful for all of the things that she lovingly created for me.

Then, we had a baby dedication service at church. We stood before the church and committed to raising Mackenzie in a Christian home...to raise her on biblical principles, and do our best to prepare her heart to hopefully one day accept Jesus as her Savior and Lord. As we were standing there, I remember thinking "Thank you Father, for giving us this opportunity with her. Thank you for trusting us with this child...for bringing her here into our family...from a country where she likely would have never have heard of Jesus, to a place where we can raise her in the loving arms of a church family who will help her to understand more about your love." I was so grateful.

After the service, our family joined us at our house for lunch. Grandma and Grandpa, Nana and Papa, Tia and Tio, my nephews...we all gathered around the table for a delicious meal. Kenzie slept through most of the party...taking a 2.5 hr nap after church, and allowing me to eat all my food while it was still hot! Again, I was grateful.

After lunch was over, I began cleaning the kitchen and the kids went into the pool with family members supervising. Mackenzie woke up, so I sat down to feed her her lunch. It was a beautiful afternoon, we were all enjoying it.

Then we got a reminder of just how fragile our lives are. Suddenly there was a commotion outside...I heard them calling for Shaun. I jumped up to follow, and saw them carrying Mason out of the pool..unconscious...not breathing. I cannot describe the feeling of watching them try to revive him, praying God would see him through this. Time seemed to stand still...it seemed like forever that he was lying there lifeless, lips getting bluer and bluer. Then, after Shaun rolled him on his side and gave him a few good back blows, he began to come around. Relief doesn't even describe it. Then he was in my arms...I was thrilled when he threw up water all over me...absolutely thrilled. I guess he had slipped through his swim ring so silently that although there were 3 other kids and 3 adults right there with him, no one heard a thing. As soon as they realized, they acted very quickly...it made us all realize it really does only take a moment. The paramedics took a few minutes to arrive...Mason asked for his favorite footie jammies. The looked him over, said he was doing pretty well considering...but that they wanted to get him to the hospital just to be sure. Since the nearest children's hospital is pretty far from us by car, they called in an airlift. So Mason and I both had our first helicopter ride under less than pleasant circumstances. The Lord was with us, and he received the best possible care at the hospital...there was an entire team waiting for us when we arrived. Chest x-rays revealed some water in his lungs, so they kept us there for 5 hours to be sure it would reabsorb. He was breathing on his own the entire time, he didnt even have to be put on oxygen. It was a terrible situation, but I could still see so many reasons for gratitude in it. He was doing fantastic..the doctor said she had never seen a case where the response was so quick. I am grateful to my brother and sister in law for seeing him and getting him out....I am grateful to my husband for never flinching for a moment, just doing everything in his power to bring him around. My parents, his parents...that made it so easy to be able to see to Mason and not have to think twice about if Ashtyn and Mackenzie were taken care of. They even thought to pack a bag for Mason and I in case he was admitted. All of the medical professionals who gave him such personal care and kept me completely apprised of the situation...the child life specialist, Chaplin, and social worker who made sure all of our needs, concerns and worries were addressed. So...it was a mother's day I will NEVER forget...one I never want to experience again, yet still, one that made me so grateful. Most of all for the precious gift that my children are...their precious little lives, and they way they have changed mine. I cannot imagine my world without them in it...I am so grateful we were given another chance. Praise God!

Medical update

2008-05-09T09:52:00.002-04:00

So Mackenzie had a big day yesterday. We finally got in for her OT evaluation. The official diagnosis was nasopharyngeal reflux. She also has a weak swallow and poor tongue movement. Sounds serious, right? Let me alleviate your worry...she is up to 22 1/2 lbs now! Thriving. Yes, she sounds like a piggy when she eats (very wet breathing, result of liquid in her nasal cavity), but she isn't letting it slow her down. The OT gave us some good tips on helping her...slow her down with a stage one nipple, stop and give her a pacifier in the middle of a feeding, feed her while upright...she also gave us tips on exercising her little tongue. She is doing fine with Stage 2 baby foods....the OT is slightly concerned that it will be a problem later. She is feeding herself those little puffs and baby cookies now, though...she really really loves them, and she does pretty well. So, we don't really have to go back unless we don't see an improvement in the next few months. We also have to watch her gross motor skills...specifically crawling. Kenzie is 9 months now, and not crawling yet. I wasn't overly concerned about that...she sits well, she pushes up on her hands and knees and rocks, she surprises herself by scooting backwards...all pretty good. Then I had one of those moments where you think "Hello! I should have seen that myself!" The OT was concerned about how wide her stance is. When sitting and when in a crawling position, her hips are open pretty wide. I have thought "Wow, she is flexible", but I never thought "That might make it tough for her to crawl." But really, try crawling without your legs right under you...open them wider, more like a frog. Not so easy. So, we are to encourage a more normal position, and hope her muscles strengthen. If not, it's off to PT in a couple months. But I have faith in Mac...she wants to get moving...she will work on it. She has come a long way already.

Our next stop was the lab for blood work. This is standard stuff, just because we know so little about her medical history...we have been trying to do it since she got home. But after 3 unsuccessful trips to the lab my insurance likes, I begged the doc for another option. So we went to the lab a the local children's hospital. What a difference! They admitted she was a challenge, they had to search forever for a vein. But they finally located one in her foot, and got it in one easy stick, and were able to get all the blood they needed. Thank goodness- the next person that stuck a needle in my baby's arm and fished around hoping to hit a vein was going to meet a very angry Momma Bear! I am curious about those results...I want to see what they say about her thyroid. Her soft spot is huge still...doc said the thyroid test would tell us if it is something to worry about. I think she is referring to congenital hypothyroidism, but I already looked it up online, and I dont think we have anything to worry about.

So basically, she is really healthy, but we are super paranoid!

Reunited!

2008-05-01T16:15:00.005-04:00

Yesterday we had a pretty exciting playdate...with our friends Rachel, Alex, and Scarlett from Bringing Home Baby Girl. Kenzie and Scarlett both spent the first few months of their lives being cared for at the Tokmok baby house, so it was a reunion of sorts for them. Pictures are so much more fun than words to document their reaction to seeing each other again:
"Hey, that's pretty neat...whatcha got there?"

Yes, they have a strange way of showing their affection for each other.

"Hey, I like that bow...gimme that!"

Holding hands...awww....

The whole crew...Alex, Kenzie, Scarlett, and Mason..not an easy picture to try and get!

It was a beautiful day to be at the park, and always fun to spend some time with our friends. We really hope to make it a fairly regular thing. Maybe this summer, Ashtyn will be able to come, too!

Spring fun

2008-04-24T23:06:00.004-04:00

Mackenzie's favorite backyard hangout...the sandbox.

Mackenzie's first swim. I thought she would cry b/c that is what happened before when we dipped her toe....but the pool heater was on this time, and so she thought it was a lot of fun. She splashed and kicked..she even liked the baby raft!

Trying for a picture with six eyes and three smiles....

Seriously, Mom, how may times are you going to try this? It ain't gonna happen!

Happy Birthday Ashtyn!

2008-04-21T20:09:00.002-04:00

She's six! How did that happen so fast? I am going to have to pose a pic of the kids in the party clothes...I never got one with any of the siblings together (and the girls had the cutest matching dresses!) Happy birthday baby girl.

Fa'afetai

2008-04-09T23:34:00.010-04:00

That is Samoan for Thank You! It goes out to my dear friend K, who surprised my kiddos with a really awesome care package 'just because'. K is now Home in Hawai'i...I think she picked up these goodies on one of her Pacific Adventures. Here is Kenzie...I think she looks kinda Samoan. I love this little dress!

This face cracks me up...my little cabbage patch kid!

Thank you K!

Ta-Da! Mason sporting his new look...I like him in green. Check out that lei...coolest thing ever...cellophane filled with treats and tied off with curling ribbon in between each item to make the lei. So creative! Did you come up with that yourself, K?

A great big "I love you"

Oh! I am so surprised!

Sending you lots of kisses (with my new Hello Kitty lip gloss)! We miss you!

Enjoy the pics! And thank you again.

100 Days

2008-04-07T22:08:00.003-04:00

Azima has been home with us for 100 days! I almost cant comprehend that. In some ways it feels like she has been here forever, in others I am still very much learning to juggle 3 kids. In her honor, let me share a few milestones she has reached since coming home:

Teeth...she began cutting teeth...oh....pretty much upon arrival. She is a quick teether, and really doesn't make too much fuss over it. Certainly does not like cold teething rings...she doesn't like anything cold. She is now up to 7 teeth, and working on number 8.
Sitting...she has been a solid sitter for a few months now. Irony there is now that she can sit up and play with her toys, she really doesn't like to lie on her tummy and play, so crawling still seems pretty far off. Although she has been known to lean into a pretty good straddle in order to reach a toy that is just beyond her grasp. Maybe one day she will fall unto her tummy and then take off. (I have seen her try to pull her legs up under her, she just doesn't have a strong interest in trying)
Eating...when we tried to spoon feed her in Kyrgyzstan, she cried and cried...she just hated it. So we waited a few months, and now she loves her food! She is like a little baby bird- you should see how wide that mouth can open!
Growing...she was no petite little thing when we got her- about 15.5 lbs at 5 1/2 months. But now, she was 20 lbs at her 8 month appointment, and I believe 26 inches long. She is so healthy! (we had to get a new carseat, as the infant seat only goes to 22 lbs...and she has gotten too big for her Bumbo seat...which is fine, cause she is sitting now anyway)
Talking...Kenzie really isn't a very noisy baby, but when the mood is right, she will carry on and on. "Dadadadadada!!!" is a favorite when she is in a really good mood. "Mamamamama" seems to come out when she is upset- now why is that? They aren't really words for her, just sounds, but who does she want when she is upset? That's right- Mama!
Bonding...I am still undecided on how well we are doing here. She is definitely bonded. She knows Mommy and Daddy, and even Ashtyn and Mason...she lights right up when she sees us. No longer does she cry harder when I pick her up, like she did those first few days- Mommy now has the magic touch. Now she cries if I try to hand her off to someone. Here is where I am confused- separation anxiety. I know that it is normal, especially at this age, it is almost expected. She seems to have the worst case of it of any of my children. I am sure I am reading into it too much, but I feel like because she hasn't had as long to form a really secure bond, she really is afraid I might just disappear. It has happened to her before, and as young is she is on some level I think she knows that. But, we have the benefit of being together all day, and the only time she is really with someone else is in the church nursery or when she is with Nana or Grandma (she is bonding pretty good with both of them, especially if I am not around). I am sure we will get through it, and at least it's not usually that she is hysterical, just slightly fussy.

Other ways she has changed...Mackenzie is so much more social now....smiles come easier, and once in awhile you can even get a really good belly laugh. She is very very nosy...intensely examines everything around her. She has gotten very grabby, and I am glad to say that she is much more likely to put things into her mouth (usually a big pain for moms, but her lack of oral exploration was kinda strange, and had me concerned, so I love to see her put things in her mouth) Oh, I am not sure if I ever reported this...she went for her swallow study (fascinating, by the way)..no physical abnormalities. She simply drinks too fast. So a new nipple and a little pacifier break in the middle of a feeding to slow her down is all that is in order. She has also gotten spoiled! She has figured out that she much prefers to be held and played with, rather than sat down to entertain herself with a toy...if I am within arms reach, she is fine...but if I try to do anything else...she lets me hear about how she feels. Oh, well...I guess I like 'em spoiled. We used to ask Ashtyn when she was about 2 "Are you rotten?" and she would respond "Rotten to the core!" So of course this one should be a little princess, too!

Congrats Kenzie on 100 days home! You have brought so much joy into our lives, we are so glad to have you here!

Spring Break

2008-04-04T23:18:00.009-04:00

Sorry I havent posted much. I picked up some kind of bug and have been sooo tired for over 2 weeks! Luckily, the mono test came back negative, and I am starting to feel normal again.

Shaun has been doing some installs at the new Hard Rock park in Myrtle Beach, SC. So when he told me he had to be there over Ashtyn's spring break, we decided to tag along. He had to work quite a bit (as I expected), but we did get to see him for dinner, and even lunch one day! It was nice to be able to spend a little time with him...and the kids loved the adventure of staying in a hotel. The digs were pretty nice, too...2 bedrooms, full kitchen, awesome breakfast buffet...very cozy. It wasnt exactly beach weather (should have stayed in FL if we wanted fun in the sun), but we did manage to squeeze in 2 drizzle free hours...and Ashtyn and Mason even got their feet wet. Kenzie and I were content to play in the sand. She really loves digging in the sand!

We decided to take a side trip one day while we were there...before kids, we actually lived in Eastern NC. I still have friends in the area, and one I really wanted to see one that lives not too far from Myrtle Beach. I was thinking if I drove up two hours and she drove down one, we would meet for dinner. So we piled in the van for a little road trip....what I thought would be a 2 hour drive was actually 3 and a half! Yikes! Poor kids...waaay more driving this week than they were anticipating. Luckily they were pretty good. Mackenzie is an AWESOME little traveler. She is so good in the car...restaurants too. She is our third baby, and she really gets the prize for best public behavior at this age and stage. She likes people watching I think...saves the fussiness for at home when she is bored.

Our road trip took us first to the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, where I used to work as an Educator. They have since tripled their size, and are now a really beautiful facility ( I liked it before, it was just kinda small). We had a great time...the kids just love aquariums, and I was trying to find the bones of the place that was once so familiar. I got to see many old co-workers, which was awesome. That was the last job I had...I worked until the day before Ashtyn was born, and have been a stay at home mom ever since. It was a dream job really, and since we moved right away after Ashtyn was born and I no longer knew anyone in this area, I didn't exactly always love that first year home with her. I don't want anyone else raising my kids, but I missed my job and the interaction with other adults. I realize how lucky I am to have this time with my family, and I think I finally have the swing of it most days...it was just a rocky start for me, I really loved my job.

After our fishy fun, I got to see my old friend Rachel. We go back to when we were both transfer students at UNCW...we met at orientation, and grew really close really quickly. She even sang at my wedding (beautiful voice on that girl!) She has been a great resource during the adoption process, as she is actually a Korean adoptee herself (I had no idea of that fact the first time I went to her parent's house...I was really thrown off when a Caucasian woman answered the door:) I have called Rachel with questions after my "conspicuous families" lessons (lead to funny stories about stupid things people say...no, her parents did not import her to clean their house!! really?!?!), questions about saving birth names, desires to meet for learn more about birth families....she has been very very open and helpful, and I know she will continue to be. She and her husband have 2 beautiful girls themselves, our oldest being 8 mo apart...they really hit it off. So we had a great time catching up after waaay too long apart. Hopefully they will be coming to see the mouse this fall and we can do it again.

So, now we are home again (minus Shaun, who still has work to do there :( and I am supposed to be finishing details for that leader dinner (key chains by the way...with inspirational verses...that will be the gift...not exactly the creative stroke of genius I was hoping would hit, but they will have to do).

Ideas?

2008-03-31T00:13:00.002-04:00

So, I realize this doesn't exactly fit with the intent of this blog...but I know some of you are pretty creative, so if you don't mind, I would like to ask for your help. This Saturday I am hosting a leader appreciation dinner for the people who serve in our Awana ministry. These are amazing people who do so much for this ministry, and I really want them to feel our appreciation. I am looking for a favor idea...some kind of little gifty thing that will be equally enjoyed by our male and female leaders...maybe one of those little kits with creatively significant items and a little verse to go along with them...Do any of you have ANY ideas? Maybe you have received something like that before? Any help would be great...I am drawing a great big blank.

Easter pictures

2008-03-24T13:22:00.007-04:00

Kyrgyz leprechaun

2008-03-17T22:15:00.006-04:00

I have a thing for holiday dressing. And I have a little Irish in me. So we were all decked out in green today...even the little Kyrgyz leprechaun. I wonder if they have ever heard of St Patrick in Kyrgyzstan? They didn't seem to know too much about St. Nick, and he is ever so much more popular. Somehow, I don't think they would understand the wearing 'o the green, or the mischievous little gold thieving men who apparently leave a trail of green and gold glitter behind (at least they did in Ashtyn's classroom...she told me "It was such a mess...but so beautiful!) Honestly, I really have no idea what real significance St Patrick's Day has...can anyone enlighten me? I just like the super cute hairbows-see:

My Little leprechaun

She loves her little hoop!

Picture update

2008-03-15T09:24:00.006-04:00

So I have been trying to get pictures of Mackenzie with family lately...I am trying to finish up our post placement, and I realized that I have been really bad about getting pictures of her with everyone! So we meet up with Grandma for a picnic the other day...

Mackenzie with her Grandma at the park.

Me and Mason

I just love Kenzie's profile...all cheeks!

Ashtyn looking lovely.

And yes....those are names! I had to laugh recently at my friend Rachel's blog (Bringing Home Baby Girl)...she finally got frustrated with the initials all the time. I have to say I agree with her- it's just downright confusing. Mostly, its a security thing...but who really reads this blog anyway? Most of you know us personally! So..I give you Ashtyn, Mason, ad Mackenzie (aka Kenzie, Azima, Mac...) Just don't approach us in the street and call my kids by name...I might just run the other way!

How I have changed....

2008-03-04T21:28:00.003-05:00

A few years ago I would not have been caught dead in a mini van. Shaun always teased me about one, and I always said I would never drive a mom-mobile- if anything, I would drive an SUV. Well fast forward a few short years, and here I am...I love my Dodge Grand Caravan! Three rows, power sliding doors, stow and go....all the perks a growing family could want! So imagine how sad I am today. My car is in for repair...nothing major- new motor for my power window, just wanted to fix it while it was under warranty. But they had to order the part, so I had to come home in a rental car. Nissan Pathfinder. I have only driven it for maybe 45 minutes altogether, but I am not loving it. Sure, it looks pretty good from the outside. But Z's rear facing seat will not even fit in the third row...I had to put it in the second behind the passenger seat, which I had to push all the way forward so it could fit. Should be fun tomorrow when I drop A off at school and she has to climb over the baby! And yes, you can flip down sections of the second row for easier access to the back...but nothing is easier than the nice wide isle in between the captain's chairs in my caravan...I even stowed one seat for even easier access to both girls in the back. But I sound like I am whining. Actually I am thankful- for the van in the first place, for the warranty to fix it, for the convenient rental car, and especially for my Mom, who rode up to the dealership with me today, and hung out with me, Z, and a rather grumpy little M while we waited to hear what the problem was...and to my other mom, who picked A up from school when I couldn't make it back in time! Thanks Moms!

First Beach Trip

2008-03-02T23:15:00.007-05:00

So, in our household, I am the beach lover...I love the salt air, the warm sand, the sound of the waves, the expanse of sparkling blue water that seems to never end...(hello- Marine Biology degree here! Love it!) My husband however, is not a fan. He says it stinks, he hates the sand down his bathing suit, and he hates the way his skin feels after a day of swimming in salt water. Go figure- opposites attract. SO anyway, the point of all this is so that you could understand how strange it was today that Shaun was the one who took Z on her first trip to the beach. No me, I had to stay here and be at Awana. But it was his brother's birthday, and the rest of the family was going, so he really wanted to take the kids. He came back with some tired kiddos and some pretty cute pics. Regarding the first two...what can I say, my girl has attitude! I think her expressions are pretty funny! And can you believe that belly!? I think we better get a one piece, baby girl! :)

Here she is...looks like she's building her first sandcastle.

Not sure what daddy did to get this response, but she is cracking up in this shot...

And I had to slide this one in from the other day...her first pigtails!

Happy Birthday to me!

2008-03-01T22:49:00.006-05:00

So, yes, today is my birthday. Best present? I got to sleep in! Till 10:30! Wooo-hoo...it was awesome! We went to Sea World in the afternoon...yes, I know we go there a lot, but we have passes, and we always have a good time. Z likes the fish. So here I am on my birthday, with my baby girl:

And here is A...she got splashed by a stingray...her reaction was so funny!

Here is M...on the move, looking for trouble.

And precious Z...not highly impressed by the dolphins.

Found it!

2008-02-25T23:08:00.008-05:00

Finally found the camera! So here are some pics of some of our recent adventures for you. The first group is from a trip to the Aquarium with my sweet nephew. We all had a great time!

We LOVE this girl!

Z at the aquarium...those fish are pretty cool!

A & M making...fishy faces?

I told you he was a crab!

That water is COLD...and are you sure this thing wont sting me?

Rodeo Day

I suppose I should explain Rodeo Day. While the rest of the country takes a holiday on Monday for Presidents Day, in our little cow town, we get the Friday before for Rodeo Day. Hard to believe there is a cow town just minutes away from Disney World, but our county is really big on ranching actually. So every year, we head off to the county fair, ride rickety fair rides, check out pungent piggies, marvel at the size of a steer up close, stuff ourselves with funnel cake and cotton candy, and laugh at the "city folks" who try out the mechanical bull. Good times.