Bye Bye Pre-School!!!

Sigh.....
Today, my sweet 4 year old spent his last day at Pre-School. I can't begin to tell you what a bittersweet day it was.
We absolutely LOVE our little Church Pre-School. Alex started there when he was only 15 months old, in the Moms Morning Out room, and here we are, wrapping up our time there at 4 1/2.
These teachers have watched our sweet Boy grow and mature and have held his hand each step of the way. They have nurtured him in his spiritual and emotional growth, and we love these sweet Teachers as if they were our own family.

As much as I dread goodbyes..I think I am a little more relaxed, because I know that when the time is right, we will enroll Mia...so I'm not REALLY saying goodbye . whew!!!

And so..to our sweet little graduate....
We are so very proud of the little Boy you have become.
You are smart

You are spunky

You are funny

You are beyond sweet

You are our little Munchkin

and you are a child of GOD...

We love you beyond measure and can't wait to watch you grow....

Memorial Day

Whew..what a BEAUTIFUL weekend to have the long 4 days home together! The weather was warm and sunny..the perfect recipe for a nice holiday weekend OUTDOORS. That's just where we tried to spend as much time as possible over this holiday break.

We boated..

swam....

and ate..REALLY REALLY well!!

Of course, we took this opportunity to explain to the Boys WHAT Memorial Day is all about. We explained that everyday, our troops are dying for OUR freedom. This is the very freedom that makes our country such an amazing place to live. We are humbled and honored to have our Men and Women serving for our Country and pay honor, on this day, to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

We wore our RED, WHITE and BLUE proudly!!!

Happy Memorial Day from our family to yours!!!!

Blessings,
Angie

So close..you can taste it!

Oohhh..Summer is sooooo close, you can almost taste it. 2 more weeks of alarm clocks and lunch boxes and then it is SUMMER BREAK!! I don't know about everyone else, but this Momma is READY!! I am ready for the kiddos to sleep at least ONE hour longer each morning, for no packed lunches, no bothering with homework, no carpool lines...just FUN in the SUN!!!
The last few weeks, we have been so fortunate to have a few more visits from friends and family. The kids LOVE having overnight guests..and Miss Mia has enjoyed having MORE sets of arms to pick her up and hold her!

We have already begun spending lots of time on the boat. Living on the lake means boat rides anytime the weather permits..so...if it's sunny..that's where you will find us for the next several months. Mia has really taken to the boat. At first, she wasn't too sure about it, but now she loves it. She seems VERY interested in the lake(which could be a GOOD or BAD thing..depending on how you look at it). The nights are still too cool to allow the water to warm up for swimming, but we are anxious to see how her first time in the water goes.

The kids are all doing just amazing. Alex and Mia continue to be inseparable. I swear, they have become the best of friends. It is just so sweet to see them interact.

We are STILL working on our sleep issues with Miss Mia. We almost had a nice sleep pattern right before her surgery, but l;eave it to that to go and mess everything up. She usually wakes twice in the middle of the night crying screaming, and I try to only go in to get her only once. TRY, being the operative word. It is just so hard for me to let her lay in there and cry; especially after the last few weeks where I have noticed how attached she has finally become. It is really strange to see the transition. All of a sudden, she is glued to me and does not want me out of her sight. I have waited for this moment, since bringing her home..for her to want ME over anyone else. Well, we are finally there, and it more than warms my heart, but come bedtime, I wish she weren't SO attached. A little distance would do us both some good...like 8 hours distance..ya know??
So for now, we revel in the times when she DOES sleep peacefully and go down without a hitch...
we will get there...eventually....

Alex will wrap up his LAST DAY of 4 year old preschool next week. It will be a bittersweet goodbye, as he started there in the Moms Morning Out room when he was 15 months old. I don't know how I will say goodbye to those amazingly sweet teachers we have been blessed to have over the years...guess I better get Mia ready to start sometime soon!!!

Hope you are all enjoying your Spring and having good weather, wherever you are!!!

Blessings,
Angie

Our happy little girl~ 3 months HOME

I still wake up, pinching myself that WE are the ones lucky enough to get to raise this sweet little girl. She fills our life with such joy. Her inquisitive almond shaped eyes, her big smile, her scrunched nose...simply PERFECT in our eyes.
We thank God for sending us on a path to find her and bring her into our family...
At times, it seems like our time spent in China was sooo very long ago. The emotions were so fresh and raw during our time there, that I feel like I came and went, but barely "remember" it..ya know? I wish I could replay the clock..go back..do it over (knowing how things would turn out, and that she would most definitely be OK), taking in every moment of our time there. The journey..the experience..the culture..the people....after all..it all represents who she is and where she came from. And so here we sit, 3 months later, with those travel memories a little faded, but this sweet girl who absolutely LOVES her new home.
Someone told me the other day.."Well, she HAS to be used to you now...what comes next..when it will come..that you will be there..ya know??' But there are moments when i think...what if she doesnt really KNOW what's next?? I mean..do most 3 months old REALLY know who and what they can rely on?? That's still how we think of her..as this little 3 month old (not literally of course)..but just as a new BirthMom holds her 3 month old baby..that is how long I have gotten to hold OUR little girl..only 3 short months. When she clings to my neck, grabs for me, begs to be snuggled..I just think...I could hold this little blessing 24 hours a day for MONTHS and still not make up for the 15 months she was never held, rocked or loved on..And so that is just what I will do...
She deserves never-ending hugs, kisses and snuggles....and I cant help but still be brought to tears when I think of how long she went without those basic human needs.
We love you beyond measure, sweet baby girl!!.....and you will never be without all of the snuggles you can stand...this I promise you....