Special Moments

We have been enjoying this season of Christmas and have been trying to take some opportunities for some special moments with our kids.

Michael and Riley went out for a special Daddy/Son night and saw The Wizard of Oz put on by our local children's theatre. They had a wonderful time!


The three kids and I went with a special friend of our family to a Moravian Love Feast. We had so much fun! We saw how to make candles, enjoyed some yummy sugar cake and lemonade (with only one spill...yikes!), looked at their craft bazaar, and then ended our time with a violin concert of Christmas carols. It was great!


Mary Kenzie and I joined some of our friends and their daughters for a special performance of Disney on Ice! This year it was a princess theme. Mary Kenzie loved it! Even though, Aurora/Sleeping Beauty only skated out at the very end as all the princesses came out to the royal ball, she was Mary Kenzie's favorite part of the show.


We have added a new stocking this year!


One night Annalise was in an exceptionally happy mood so I tried to capture some cute pictures of our baby under her very first Christmas tree! One of the pictures is a little blurry but I still kept it because you can see her little teeth in it. Last month she went from no teeth to 6!




Our baby is growing up! She can now pull herself up on the rail in her crib! Cannot believe she's almost 11 months old!

Thankful Heart

This season of thankfulness I have much to be thankful for. I am (very slowly) learning that my idea of "normal" isn't always God's best for me. And, more than the "safe" life or the "normal" life, I want to be following His direction for my life. Even if it's not "normal."

"Normal" would have been getting married and then after a couple of years getting pregnant and having a biological child. With "normal" I wouldn't have the blessing of my son Riley.

"Normal" would have been having a second boy when we submitted our second adoption application and didn't choose a gender...because everyone familiar with the Korean adoption program knows that choosing "either" really means you are matched with a boy. With "normal" I wouldn't have the blessing of raising my daughter Mary Kenzie.

"Normal" would have been spending time with my sister Kaitlin as a sister and a friend. With "normal" I wouldn't have had the blessing of having Kaitlin in our home...with our home becoming her home...in the midst of extreme turmoil and loss.

"Normal" would have been assuming that our third child would come to us through adoption. With "normal" I wouldn't have the blessing of our daughter Annalise.

"Normal" would not have been having my family fall apart tragically because of sin. But in the midst of the pain and the chaos and the darkness, I have experienced firsthand the peace and the comfort that can only come from God. For that, I am thankful.

While my life may not look "normal" from the outside, I am extremely thankful for how the Lord is growing me and for the tremendous ways He has poured out His love on me.

Weekend Confetti

Here's a sprinkling (confetti) of some of the things overheard this week...

A few weeks ago Michael had hernia surgery. He is doing great, but in order to let the tear completely heal he isn't allowed to lift anything more than 10 pounds for 6 weeks. One day on the way to Riley's soccer game, Riley yelled out, "Oh, NO!" We asked him what was wrong. He told us that he had some sad news but we wouldn't be able to get a Christmas tree because Daddy wouldn't be able to lift it. We told him not to worry because we're sure that Granddad Parsons will be glad to help us when the time comes to get a tree. Our reassurances must not have convinced Riley because one night while Granddad Parsons was over raking leaves, Riley asked him if he would be able to help us get a tree. He is definitely the firstborn...always planning ahead and trying to make everything work out.

Annalise is becoming more and more vocal. A few nights ago at dinner Mary Kenzie said "yea, yea, yea" really loudly and Annalise started yelling and it sounded like she was making the same sounds as MK. I commented to Michael that was one of her first words and we laughed. We went into the den shortly after that and we were playing UNO with Riley and Mary Kenzie. Annalise started waving her hands around and Riley said, "Hey, Dad, Annalise is making one of her first motions!"

The kids have been watching a lot of "Angelina Ballerina" lately. Mary Kenzie asked me tonight when was she going to turn into a mouse. I told her never because Jesus had made her to be a human girl. She said, "But, I want to be a mouse." I told her I was really sorry but she was never going to be a mouse. The next thing I know she is screaming at the top of her lungs, "Jesus, PLEASE make me a mouse."

On the Move

Annalise is on the move. She still doesn't crawl on her knees much but can definitely get from one end of the house to the other. I cannot believe she's already 10 months old! She has really turned into a smiley baby and loves her food! She may be small, but she can put away some food. Her favorites right now are avocado, bananas, oatmeal, cheese and green beans.

Our Little Patriot

Teeth

Two weeks ago, Annalise's first teeth came in. The way that she chews on everything, I have thought they were coming in for at least four months. She showed no signs of discomfort or anything. This past week has been a different story. I can see her top two teeth starting to come down and this past week has been full of sleepless nights, fussiness, and some very bad diapers. It has reminded me of how hard those first few weeks were with little sleep.

This past week it was also time to take the kids to the dentist. Riley has been going for a while now and always acts like he's going to a party when it's time to go for his appointment. He absolutely loves having his teeth cleaned.

This was Mary Kenzie's very first dental appointment. She was a little more reserved in her enthusiasm but once she found out she got to pick out a toothpaste flavor, get a new toothbrush, and scored the grand prize of them all, a mask just like the dental hygenist wore, she was hooked.

Football

A few weekends ago we headed to Raleigh for the NC State vs. South Alabama football game. We took all of the kids...this was Annalise's first football game. They all did great and despite the constant misting during the game we all had a very fun time!

The Ballerina

Mary Kenzie took her first ballet/tap class yesterday. She has been counting down the days until she could finally go to ballet! She had a lot of fun and when I was strapping her into her car seat to go home she asked how many more days until she can go back.

The Swimmer

This summer we joined a pool and have had so much fun! One of the things we love about this pool is that not only do they have a competitive swim team, but they also have a non-competitive swim team for beginning swimmers. We signed Riley up for it, and he has had so much fun.

It has been amazing to see Riley's progress during the weeks he has been a part of this team. On the final day, there was a "swim meet" so that the kids could showcase the things they had learned.

School Days

Today Riley began kindergarten. Since we never did preschool this is a very new experience for us. Riley was beyond excited about starting at his new school. After going to Open House on Tuesday night he was so disappointed that he had to wait until Thursday to start.

This morning I heard him jump out of his bunk bed. I went in there and he asked me if he could PLEASE get ready for school. I told him he could and he started cheering.

He told Mary Kenzie yesterday that he was sorry but he wouldn't be seeing her as much once he goes to school. He assured her that he would give her a hug and a kiss each morning before he left.

We are thrilled with his teachers and have heard great things about his school. We love that we can walk on the days we want to. Just cannot believe how quickly my little baby boy is growing up.

Desperate

Please take a moment to click on THIS and read about this precious girl.

Turning 3!

Our precious girl Mary Kenzie has turned 3! Where has the time gone???

She started off the day opening her presents from our family. She loved her brand new purse from Riley.



Next, was a package all the way from Oklahoma from Aunt Kaitlin. Gum was a continuous theme throughout the day...now that Mary Kenzie is 3 she can have gum.



Michael and I got her a tricycle and Princess helmet. She and Riley will have lots of fun riding their bikes together in the court.


After opening gifts, Mary Kenzie and I went and had our very first Mother/Daughter pedicure! Mary Kenzie LOVES to have her nails painted so I thought this would be a fun and special treat. We had so much fun together. The place we went actually had small chairs and basins for little girls, complete with their own personal dvd player! The one disappointment was that my camera on my phone would not work so I don't have any pictures of us in the salon. But, here is a picture of Mary Kenzie's finished product!


We ended the day at our pool with our family and some friends. The princess had a wonderful day complete with some cake...which is all she ever wanted for her birthday! I cannot say enough HOW THANKFUL I am that I get to be Mary Kenzie's mommy. Her birthparents will always have a special place in my heart, and a birthday does not go by that I do not remember them and pray that God will give them what they need for peace and a happy, fulfilled life.

I wrap my arms around my little girl and she says, "Mommy, I love you." I cannot help the tears that well up as I think of how extremely blessed I am to be a mom and the enormous responsibility I have to love my children unconditionally no matter what, to protect them, and nurture them. Happy birthday to my sweet girl...your smile is contagious...your laugh is adorable...and I pray that God will use your amazing personality to bring joy into this world.

Six Month Old Sweetie

Annalise turned six months old on Monday! Yesterday I took her in for her six month check-up with the pediatrician. She is doing great and the doctor said she is really strong. She just continues to be a little peanut! She is 13 pounds, 13 ounces...in the 13th percentile for weight. She is 25 inches long...in the 54th percentile for height.

It is so fun to hear Annalise when she wakes up in the mornings. Her coos and babbling are so precious. When she hears me open the door she pops her little head up as much as she can to try to see me and then she gives the biggest smile. Pure sweetness!

Lovin' the Summer!

My July resolution (since I was 40 weeks pregnant at New Year's I figure I can make "July Resolutions" this year since my only New Year's resolution was to deliver that baby!) is to blog more frequently. There are few things more annoying than checking someone's blog and they have the same post up that I read the week before (much less the month before...yikes!). So, I am publicly declaring that I will try to do better! Thank you for bearing with me and continuing to care about what's going on in our lives.

This a photo dump...and a way to catch you up on what we've been up to this summer.

First, my sister Kaitlin graduated from high school! Kaitlin moved in with us last spring and really became a part of our little family. We were so proud of her...walking across that stage, getting her high school diploma, finishing second in her class! She is working as a counselor at a camp out of state. We miss her! Can't believe she'll be out of state for college next year, but we know God has amazing things for her!

Riley had another fun soccer season! He loved his team this year and became a strong offensive player. He loved scoring goals and would get the hugest smile on his face after he scored. I love his enthusiasm!

We have spent some fun time at the beach this summer! Riley and Mary Kenzie love the beach...Mary Kenzie is content to dig in the sand and look for shells for her "collection" as she calls it. Riley has really become a water bug and loves to ride the waves! We went to the beach for a good part of a week with some of my siblings in May. Then in June we went on our annual trip with 4 other families who all have kids our kids' ages. We are still looking forward to one more trip this summer with Michael's family...always a highlight of our summer!

Annalise is growing and growing! Cannot believe she is a week shy of 6 months old! Amazing! She is still super attached (to put it mildly) to her mommy and daddy. But every once in a while she allows someone else to hold her for a minute. She has the sweetest smile and is turning into a cuddle bug. Her eyes are still the same beautiful blue they were when she was first born, but her dark hair has definitely lightened up.

After we took Aunt Karoline back to Raleigh to catch her flight back to Boston (sad, sad!) I took the kids to downtown Raleigh to a fun science museum. Across the street from the museum is the NC legislative building where I worked before I got married. I had the kids stand in front of it so I could capture a quick picture.



Today we had a very fun 4th! We started the day downtown for the parade and then headed to the pool for a fun afternoon! We ended the day with a cookout at Michael's parents' house. Can't believe the long weekend has come and gone already!


As you can see, we have been staying busy and enjoying many fun things! Despite the daily routine that can sometimes seem mundane (does the laundry ever end? ever?), most of the time I still cannot believe that I am MOMMY to these three blessings!!