Delaney

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Little Luncheonette of Terror Weekend

The cast of Little Luncheonette of Terror

We celebrated Nana's Birthday, too!

Baby Nola, Jason, Mandy, Fede, Mimi, and Alicia came over on Sunday.

Theatre make-up

Madelyn and baby Nola

Cousins!

Fede, Nick, Delaney, Jacob, Maddy, Nola, Sophie, and Austin (only missing Bradley and Ella:()

Fede, Jason, Mandy, Nola, Alicia (and Ryan and Maddy creepin')

Baby Nola and Delaney

Delaney's beautiful flowers from KK, Mimi, and the Millers

Mongo - Kelsey and Delaney

Pics from May

Maddy and her BFF Josie (who moved to Virginia)

Delaney and her BFF Delana playing for their class party

End-of-the-year Band Concert

Daddy is so funny

Well,

I broke down and bought a new camera. It's super-cool. It's a Sony Bloggie Shoot and Share. No, it's not as nice as my Canon, but much more versatile for the crazy life I lead;). It takes decent pics and awesome HD video - which enabled me to capture Jacob's first steps a few days ago!!! Wahoo! I'll see if I can post that on here with YouTube.

The summer is finally slowing down a bit. VBS week was awesome and Austin and Nick were here for it. We did a lot of geocaching that week, too. The boys loved it as much as we do! Ryan left mid-week for a 9 day trip to the College World Series and work. Dixie, Nick, and Ella were here last week while he was gone. The kids had a blast playing together! Dixie and I had a blast hanging out, wrangling kids. Over the past weekend the girls and I had Strep throat. Maddy ended up with Scarlet Fever. Miserable. Oh, and I'm currently not employed! No, I didnt get fired, but I found out last week that work is screwing me for the rest of the summer. The supervisor of Women and Children's Services emailed me to tell me that because I didn't attend a mandatory training (that, by the way, doesn't pertain to my position at all and I knew nothing about) I can not work until after I attend the next one in September. Did I mention that said email was sent to me 2 hours after the training ended? She couldnt possibly send me an email a month, week, even day before to inform me of it?!? Why would she... that's her job!!! But, of course, she's still working... Seriously, I go above and beyond at that place... do all their ridiculous online training, hours of workshops and seminars, etc... and they suspend me. Fan-frickin-tactic. Sorry for the rant... But I'm really bummed. I have some great classes coming up this summer that I really enjoy teaching... Not to mention the 6 support groups I run each week. Guess they will just be cancelled. The good news is they can't keep me from doing contract work, which I make 3x the $$$ at, anyway... And maybe this is God telling me it's time for a change... something more inspiring, perhaps...

That's about all for now... Fun summer so far and much to look forward to. You should see pics soon!

Slacker

I promise I'm not becoming a blog slacker again... I just can't find my camera!!!  I have taken some great pics lately that I want to post.

We had a great weekend with Ryan's family and most of mine - just not Ricky's or Jason's clans:(  We celebrated Ryan's 38th birthday and just pretty much hung out.  The kids played and played and played some more and we ate and ate and ate some more!!!  It was wonderful!

This week I have Austin and Nicholas here and next week Ella and Nicholas will be here.  Ryan will be gone for 9 days of that - 6 to the College World Series with his Dad and 3 to Memphis for work.  Yay.  Also, this week is VBS and I'm the Preschool Music teacher this year after being Craft Lady for 6 years.  It's fun but takes MUCH more energy;)  Speaking of energy, last week almost killed me.  It was Fit As a Firefighter camp and I'm Asst. Director.  I am also responsible for teaching Self-Esteem, Coping With Life, Dealing with Bullies, Internet Safety, Zumba, and Yoga.  WHEW!!  It was hot but oh-so-fantastic!!  I love seeing lives change right before my eyes!  Makes the heat and fatigues worth it.

Pride.

It is finally summer break... but I can't really let it begin without bragging about the awesomeness of my three oldest kids and their academics during the school year...
Delaney made the Honor Roll (only 1 B all year!), Math Olympiads, Band Award (an had an incredible end-of-the-year concert!), and an certificate for Peer Helper - she took a younger Autistic girl under her wing this year, met with her a couple times a week to do interactive activities.
Madelyn made the Honor Roll, too - again only 1 B!  She made huge improvements this year in every subject she wasn't already great at:)
Sophie graduated preschool - I just can't believe it.  They had a precious musical program for the parents.  I cried like a baby - again.
I  COULD JUST BURST!!!

Sophie at a party for one of her friends last weekend

beauty

Delaney needed head shots for a Summer Theater workshop she attended Saturday for a program she will be in all summer.  Again, Lizzy did what she did best... she captured the beauty in my girl, inside and out.  Thanks, Lizzy!

Birthday

I had a great birthday!  Madelyn woke me (at 7am) with breakfast (2 pieces of honey toast) in bed... then I went back to sleep... and they all woke me up with another breakfast in bed (eggs, cinnamon toast, yogurt, banana) at 10am (yes!)  Then I changed a nasty pee-pee covered crib, plunged a toilet, and mopped the floor (typical day).  Later, we all watched the movie Babies (very cute!) and then packed the kids into the car and went to eat an early dinner at Tropical Smoothie Cafe (yum!)  Don and Jen met us there, took our kids to their house to swim and Ryan and I went to a movie (Something Borrowed).  It was a total chick flick, but decent.  When we got home the kids gave me their homemade gifts.  So, it was a pretty good birthday!  I am healthy and happy as is my family... what more could I ask for?

4 years ago my Dad died.  My Pop.  I miss him so. very. much.  Nothing is this world is quite right without him in it.  I don't know how to make that sentence make sense, but it makes perfect sense to me.  It's just not right.

So, Dixie and I ran away for 34 hours to Orange Beach, one of his favorite places on this earth, to feel closer to him.  We did.  Together we missed him.  We released balloons to heaven on the beach outside of the condo we used to stay in every Thanksgiving.  Hers said "I Love You" and mine was a Disney Cars balloon, because he watched that movie with his grandkids too many times to count. 

It was great, quick getaway.  The weather couldn't have been more perfect.  We truly had a wonderful time.  We sat in the sun, walked down the beach, ate yummy food, laughed, cried, and shopped... just enough to recharge my batteries... well, for a couple days anyway;)

Thanks, Dixie, for including me in that time of healing.  I love you.

Weekend plans

We have a busy weekend ahead...

After I pick Delaney up from her sleepover, we're heading to a Going Away Party for some good military friends who are moving to Virginia Beach.  It happens to be Madelyn's bestie at school... so it's pretty sad.  This is her second BFF who is moving away on her.  She's very sensitive, and doesn't have many good friends - well, ones that I actually want her to play with... only Ellie and Sophia H. are left;) - so it will be tough.  Maybe some Berry Tart froyo will help!  After that we're heading to my sister's an hour away for dinner.  That will be a good distraction.  I'm excited to see Keri.  I hardly ever see, or talk to her anymore:(  She's busy with lots of changes in her life.  That's another post...

Tomorrow, I sing in the Wesleyan Choir at 8am and then the kids have bells and choir practice prior to their performance at 6pm, where I am Choir Director of Delaney's Choir.  It will be a big day of singing God's praises!!  YAY!  But kinda sad, too, because it will be our Choir Director and his wonderful wife's last day.

Wait.  I went from being excited about this post to being really depressed about the McKlveen's and Johnston's moving away:(

AND... Ryan has drill all weekend... and is working all-nighters for his "real" job.  Boo!  Guess we'll see him sometime next week;)

Dang.  Guess I'm gonna need some Berry Tart, too!

May 12th

My Mom should have been 63 today. I miss her more now than ever. Screw that "time heals" nonsence. I woke up thinking about her, walked downstairs in the early morning and saw a male and female cardinal eating at the birdfeeder. "Good Morning, Mom. Happy Birthday." She has her ways of letting me know it's going to be okay. She and my Dad both loved birds. Also, today I noticed the baby birds on our front door have flown away. Coincidence?

Pity Party for Self

I found out yesterday that Ryan will be mobilized August 1st... for a year.  His command, Seal Team 18, has been throwing mobilization dates around for years... but keeps changing them.  Last we heard he wouldn't be leaving until next July...  now this new date is "set in stone".  Crapola.

The bright side is that he'll be safe in Miami, managing all training going on in South America.  So, that's good... he won't be in Afghanistan or Iraq or somewhere too dangerous.  The resentful side of me wonders why it can't be Nebraska?  So when I'm knee-deep in 4 wild-n-crazy kids, I won't have to think of him sitting on South Beach sippin' a cocktail.  Kinda rubs salt in my wound.  ;)

sweet boy pics

Here are some more random pics I found of Jacob from April. I think he is so incredibly beautiful. I get so many comments on how cute he is... and many comments saying he is "pretty":) It's funny, but when we decided to adopt a baby, I never really considered what he would look like. We said at one point we wanted a dark-skinned child with brown features... could be why we were wanting to adopt from Guatemala or Nepal instead of Russia... I guess because a fair, blue-eyed child wouldn't "match" our family - that sounds wierd, but it really wasn't a conscious thought. I feel dumb for ever thinking that... But, anyway, I had NOOO idea we'd get such a gorgeous child! He is so stinkin' cute, so very handsome. Maybe I say that because he's "mine"... not sure, but don't all Mommas think their children are the most beautiful? I believe that to be true... biological or not:)

11.

Wowza. Delaney is eleven. She had a fun 60s-themed party with her besties. She decided the theme, made and gave out the invitations, picked what to do (tie-dye t-shirts and go to the show Hairspray), picked decorations and decorated. It's nice and easy to have a child old enough to plan and execute her own party!!! It really was fun. She has the greatest little group of friends, too. She amazes me daily!



Birthday girl

Jenna, Delana, Mallory, Delaney, and Anna - Emma was the only BFF missing
Maddy and Sophie, too;)



Weird. This is what you see at an 11-year-olds birthday party. Time's are a changin'! ;)

Good Grief.

I have been so far behind on this blog.... I am finally caught up.  Whew.  Every time I look at it I just get overwhelmed.  Once upon a time I blogged almost every day, and not just pictures, actual words;)  It's not that I had more time, I was just more efficient or something.  Now if I have a free moment I just want to hang out and watch TV, or play with the kids, or sleep!

So much has happened... where do I begin... how much of my heart do I bear?  I guess we'll see...

DELANEY:
She is 11 today.  ELEVEN.  Holy.  Saturday I took her and 4 of her besties to see Hairspray at the  local playhouse.  She had a 60s themed slumber party and we tie-dyed t-shirts, too.  It was a lot of fun!  except they didn't fall asleep until 4am.  Yeah.

She has 2 weeks left of 5th grade.  This year has been just great for her.  She loves school, always has.  She's such an overachiever;)  Her teachers just adore her.  And so do I.  I can't wait until her awards ceremony next week.

She has changed a bit this year... more attitude and bouts of impatience, more wanting to be alone in her room away from us... signs of growing up:(  The challenging teenage years are upon us.  Honestly, I don't imagine they will be too too bad with her.  She is VERY open with me about everything.  EVERYTHING.  All I can say is she in not a typical child, never has been.  I am so lucky to have her.  I think she teaches me more than I teach her!

MADELYN:
That child is a crack up.  She has always kept us on our toes.  I mean, you never know what to expect with her... still.  She'll be 8 this summer!  WOW.  She doesn't love school... but doesn't hate it, either.  However, she does HATE homework... and I do, too... the struggle is just not worth it.  I'd rather put my energy into doing things with her hands-on... seat work is not her forte'.  She has had a couple bullies this year, which could account for her not liking school much.  We've had some lessons on "why" people are bullies... and that has helped some.  It has taught her compassion and empathy.  The thing is, she doesn't hav a mean bone in her body... and just doesn't understand why someone would want to be mean to her... which makes her the perfect target:(

Her BFF at school, Josie, is moving to Virginia Beach in a couple weeks, which is really sad.  It has increased her regular moodiness.  She loves being outside, riding bikes, playing in the yard.  She enjoys reading - unless you tell her to do it.  She is so busy all the time - crafting, playing, just never. stops. moving.  She goes from wanting to have a lemonade stand one second to trying to save the earth the next.  She wants to do cheerleading, tae kwon do, soccer, and dance all in the same breath.  I just love her.  LOVE HER!

SOPHIA:
Oh, what can I say about Sophia?  She is SO happy all. the. time.  Even when she is in SERIOUS trouble... she laughs... which gets her into MORE trouble.  Everything is a joke to her, which is cute in most instances, but not when she is in time-out!  She's very smart, already reading, doing simple addition and subtraction.  What can I say?  She is happy-go-lucky, independent, manipulative;), free-spirited, friendly, out-going, huggy and kissy.  That girl LOVES to dance!  She breaks out into dance everytime she hears music.  She is forever doing "shows" for us... which last and hour... or her just dancing away in her own little world.  She has unending love, patience, and adoration for her baby brother.  I mean, she never stops thinking about him... where he is, what he's doing.  She is constantly doting on him and has been in his face since day 1.  She still wants to hold him and feed him and teach him.  It is amazing.  The novelty has not worn off for her;)  I love it... and so does he, most of the time...

Sophia is beyond ready for Kindergarten.  She told me the other day her favorite thing about pre-school is "paperwork".  Haha!  She gets bored easily and is constantly doing crafts and playing school, whether with Jacob, her American girl dolls, or Barbies.  She loves Barbies!  We have found that taking those away is the worst punishment.  And buying her a cheap one is the best reward;)  She is in the stage of persistent questioning of "WHY?"  It is totally exhausting.  There is just a tiny, itty-bitty bit of "baby" left in her and Delaney, Madelyn and I are trying to preserve it... like how she still mispronounces things... we don't want to correct her;)  Why can't she stay little forever???

JACOB:
Wow. That boy.  The last post updated most of what's going on in his world...except I forgot to mention one thing...  His love for music.  That baby has been able to hum melodies for songs since about 9 months.... staring with "Gloria in excelsis Deo" before Christmastime.  It is amazing.  He can hum just about anything he hears.  His favorites are "Twinkle, Twinkle" and "This Old Man."  His absolute favorite toy is the keyboard.  He will pull his walker right up to it and play, play, play!  Incredible.  It will be fun to watch where this love for music goes...

MY HEART BURSTS EVERY DAY FOR THESE CHILDREN.

 

Jakey

I realize not everyone knows what's going on with Jacob and his developmental delays. He's been in Physical and Occupational therapy for about 3 months. He has PT every other week and OT every week. He qualified when he was 12 months old because he wasn't pulling up or crawling yet, and he locked his knees all the time. What they have discovered after testing is that he is a couple months behind in gross motor function (poor core strength) and about 5-6 months behind in fine motor function. He was prescribed leg braces and a walker. He's been doing really well and they think he'll be "caught up" by the time he's 3. But if he's not, he can go to a special preschool class (at Sophia's school) where they can work with him even more. In March, he had tubes put in his ears and we discovered his vision problems (significant astigmatism). He's now showing more balance and is much more vocal:) He will be evaluated for speech therapy when he turns 18months. He is happy and loving and curious and cautious. He is emotionally appropriate and learns quickly. He says a couple words ("uh-oh", "all done", "da-dee") and is signing several words, too.

Let me tell ya, though... Regardless of his physical delays, he is such an amazing kid. Nothing slows him down! He finds a way to get and do what he wants. And you better watch, out... he'll plow you down! We knew, because of the abuse his birthmother sustained, that there could have been damage resulting in delays. We don't know if this is a result of that, or something else. But this is all stuff we were informed of... and we thought long and hard about, and agreed to. We love this little boy so very much. I think about what his life may be if he were somewhere else and didn't have these opportunities, if he didn't get 10 zillion big sister hugs and kisses every day, if he wasn't exposed to love and laughter and books and stability. What would he become? I KNOW God has great plans for this precious boy... that he will become a man who knows family, support, and unconditional love. He may not be able to say much yet, but he will definitely have something important to say one day!

His favorite mode of transportation;)

Random April Pics

Jump Rope for Heart - Madelyn jumped for "Aunt Lucy". She raised $150 for heart disease research! So proud!

Man, those doe eyes...