Afternoon at the Ballet

An afternoon at a ballet is the perfect way to spend some quality mother/daughter time with some friends. We were able to see Alice in Wonderland. The young people dancing on the stage today were absolutely amazing. I was completely taken with their skills, not only in dancing, but also in their acting and telling a story. The costumes were beautiful from flowers to flamingos, caterpillars to the Cheshire Cat, and aces to Alice. The ages ranged from a toddler to high school and yet, the dancers blended well. Even Addy commented on how well the older and young dancers mixed.

 

 

Happy Birthday Addy

My dear Addy, today as we celebrate you and everything you bring to our family on your birthday.  You have a great sense of humor which keeps us all laughing.   Even on some of the toughest days, your sense of humor can shine through and bring a smile to our faces.  You especially know how to make your brother laugh, it brings me so much joy to hear you both enjoying each other. 

Creativity is so natural for you.   From the day you first picked up a crayon, you have been one that creates.   Whether it is a picture, a card, or a sculpture, our house is full of your "touch" of creativity.   I enjoy seeing the world from your point of view through your creativity, it opens up my mind and my world.  

You have a positive outlook on life.   Many days, the smile that is on your face when you wake up is still so apparent at night when you go to bed.   You live life to the fullest, enjoying what each day brings, and finding the best that can be found in each day.   You don't let much get you down, often reminding me how to find the fun in each day. 

From the moment that you were placed in my arms, I knew God had given our family a gift.   He gave us a wonderful life to complete our family, someone who bring us so much joy and love.   I enjoy the relationship that we have and look forward to many years of friendship as you continue to become the wonderful young lady that God has intended you to be. 

Addy's Art: Three Winged Pointed Butterfly

A gift from Addy this week:

Letter Writing Exercise

The summer has been pretty quite for us as far as letters from our Compassion family, but last week we received two letters from two of our children. One was from Citlali who is set to graduate from the program next year. I was watching the calendar sad that the time is so quickly approaching. As it appears, I was not the only one watching that, she mentions the completion in her letters as well. This letter is full of answers to the questions I have been asking. I am both sad and encouraged by this letter. Three years of corresponding and it finally feels like a relationship is building which is very encouraging but sad as the year will go quickly. I know she will do great things with her life. She has a heart for God and loves to share the good news with younger children. She constantly write about working in Sunday school classes or summer camps with children. She is reading Second Timothy and "wish(es) we could read it together."

In a letter from Mary Grace, she writes about how proud of E and Addy she is as they do well "in their studies." Continued thanks for the love that she says she feels, she says that we "inspire" her. Again, I feel the relationship forming with this young life across the world. While we celebrated our thirteenth anniversary yesterday, she celebrated her thirteenth birthday. It was a special day for both of us.

I haven't had and/or taken the time to pull a packet together for our children in a while. I have been writing faithfully and sending a picture here or there, but not like what I used to do. So yesterday, the kids and I sat down and got busy creating a fun mailing. I wanted the kids to share about their experience at camp. I asked each of them to write a letter about their week.

I assembled a craft project for the girls and baseball cards and notepads for the boys. E bought each of the kids, my mom's two included, a postcard from camp. I was so touched that he thought to remember them while away. Addy drew a picture. The packets are almost ready for mailing, I just have to write a letter to go with them.























As a side note, I watched both of my children struggle with sharing their week at camp in writing. E got very frustrated when his note was not what he though it should or could be and Addy finally chose a picture to express her week. As I watched these struggles, I have more appreciation for what our Compassion children go through, especially the younger ones when it comes time for them to write their letters to us. I imagine that the excitement of receiving a letter is far more fun and exciting than when they are asked to sit and write a letter to us. I am convinced this is a good exercise or practice for the kids. Definitely something I think we will do again.

Church Camp

They are on their way.   This is the first year that either of them have gone to church camp.  The week was filled with preparations, many trips to the store, much excitement, and a little anxiety thrown in the mix.  

They left this morning, one is all smiles ready for a week away, one is a little hesitant. The house will be quiet this week without their laughter and bubbly personalities.  But I am praying that they will make new friends, come to know God on a deeper level, and have a great week away. 

As for Mark and I.  We have a week of vacation time with just the two of us, and I am excited about that as well. 

Family Time

The weekend found me weary, worn, and exhausted.   I am not sure what it was about last week that left me absolutely drained, but by Friday there was nothing more I could give.    How fortunate I was that Mark sensed that and came home early from work to spend a little bit of time with me before the kids came home.   I know this is a gift, and one I do not take for granted. 

The weekend was intentional.  It was a family weekend.   My sister and her family came down for a visit which was very nice. 

Sunday found me dreading the start of a new week before I even got out of bed.   I woke up feeling the dread seep in.   After church, remembering my change of perspective I decided to do something about that.  We all slipped into pajamas and spent the day doing things we wanted to do, and spending time together.   I put my phone "away" in that I stayed off the social media sites and games that tend to take my free time.   Instead, I focused on my children and my husband.   We went for a walk, yes, in our pajamas, baked cookies, drew pictures, played wii (the first time all four of us have played a game together on the wii), and played in the back yard.   I also found time to read and to just sit on the deck.   The time was much needed. 

While Addy and I were drawing, E was working on his creation which I liked and wanted to share with you:

 

 

This morning, I laced up my running shoes for the first time in a month.   With no goal in mind, but to get out and get back in the groove of things, I ran the neighborhood.   As the muscles began to warm and the blood began to flow, my lungs filling quickly with fresh air, my body falls back into sync.   A beautiful morning for a run, my mind goes back to a year ago when I was running this route training for the half marathon.   Perhaps my mind goes there because I am missing running, a very weird thought for me.   Perhaps my mind goes there because there is a 10k run coming up, and I am wondering if I want to do that run.  Part of me says yes, part of me is shies away.  

Today is not the day to decide.   Rather, today is a day to get out and enjoy the warm breeze on my forehead and cheeks.   Today is a day to keep my eyes open and see nature waking up from its winter rest.....

... and I did. 

Performance Day

Performance day at our house.  

  

With this performance came special outfits.

Help from Dad makes the perfect knot

        A beautiful smile from one who feels like a princess today

They are ready

When 

Did 

They 

Get 

So 

Big?  

With their teacher who is a wonderful lady

Addy's performance 







E's performance

I am so proud of them and the hard work that 

they have put into their pieces.  

Wacky Hair Day

Today is Wacky Hair Day at school.     

Before wacky hair day was over last year, they both had plans to make this year bigger and better.  With a lot of time planning for the day, they wake up early in the morning ready to get wacky.    The more the hair is gelled, colored, or sticking up, the better.  

E gels his hair and contemplates color, after much consideration, he has thought through no color, one color, two colors, three colors, and settles on two colors.  Quickly spraying his hair (and hoping I don't color the bathroom at the same time,) he is happy with the results.   He decides to forgo the hat this morning as he rushes out the door for his before school meeting.  

While working on Addy's hair, she looks in the mirror and wonders if she will have the most wacky hair in the class.   When she thinks no one is around to listen, she is singing about how wacky and cool her hair is.  She is riding high on the ability to be outside the box of getting ready for school.   I love this and hope that she is able to remain carefree for many more years.  

I enjoy their excitement about wacky hair day.   Growing up, I never wanted to be wacky or stand out, it is not who I am.   My equivalent of wacky would be to wear socks that don't match, which were in my shoes all day so no one could see them, something my children do on a daily basis because they enjoy mixing things up.  That for me was wacky.   I was afraid to be different, to stand out, to do something that others may laugh at.  

Today I am celebrating wacky-ness of my children because I was never able to let go and be wacky as a child.

Weekend in Review

The weekend was a good one despite being busy. Saturday was a day spent at home cleaning in which I was able to get some things done that I have been wanting to do get done for a long time.   It feels really good.   Sunday, after visiting friends and family, we began a project that E received for Christmas. 

Homemade Root Beer

Sanitizing Bottles and Equipment

Waiting for the equipment to be sanitized

 I love E's smile in this picture (his daddy has a way of making him laugh)

 Adding the Root Beer ingredients 

Pouring Root Beer into the bottles

And now we wait! 

The kids had a great time making root beer, and we only had one spill, so over all it was a success!   

While tucking in the kids on Sunday night, I asked them what was the best part of their weekend, and after hearing their responses, I had to agree, visiting the new puppy was definitely the highlight.  

What a cutie he is! 

Words (3) Wednesday: Totter

As you probably know, going to the mailbox each day and looking in to see if there are any cream colored envelopes is something that I look forward to each day.   I absolutely LOVE to hear from our children around the world and see what they are up to or what they decided to write to us about.  Unfortunately, there have not been any letters for about a month, but as I look through my book, we did receive ten in December!  

Now, however, I am even more compelled to watch for the mail carrier to come to our mailbox, because I am waiting and watching for news concerning the children that live under our roof.   The past few weeks they have been completing some testing and additional assignments at school in preparation for next year's classes.    The results should be in our mailbox anytime now.

These extra assignments and tests will help us to determine the classes needed in order to keep them stimulated and challenged above and beyond the classroom curriculum.    This is new territory for Mark and I, and we have been on a huge learning curve.   Luckily, we have had wonderful support from friends and advisers at the school.  

But that is not the end of the wait and the wondering, we are waiting to see where E is going to attend school next year.   We have the opportunity to send him to a school that I think will be a wonderful fit for him to learn and excel, but to get in, the application has to go through the lottery process.   Talk about my sitting on pins and needles waiting!   That letter will come in February, so I know that the waiting process at the mailbox will continue for awhile longer.  

I can hardly believe we are getting ready for middle school next year!   I think of middle school and I remember how hard it was for me, it was such an awkward time in my life.   We moved when I was in seventh grade, which made things a little more difficult, but I think that either way, it would have been what it was and what I hear that it is from a few other people, difficult years. 

Obviously this will be our first go at being parents of a middle school student, and I hope that as we totter our way through the unknowns, that we can make it through it without too much damage.   I hope that I can remember to look back at my time in middle school and remember what it is like to be in the middle of it all, and be sympathetic, supporting, loving, and just be present in his life.

Linking up with Julie for Words (3) Wednesday today.