Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day!  God couldn't have given my kiddos a better Daddy!  We love you Rob! 

Squash from the Garden

Aiden was thrilled that his squash plants produced their first harvest!  We picked 4 beautiful summer squash and fried them up for lunch!  Yum, yum!!!

Family Vacation 2013

We were so excited to be able to take a few days of vacation and go to the beach.  We had such a great time and made lots of great memories.  We visited Ripley's Aquarium, took a helicopter ride and made a huge sandcastle on the beach.  Aiden learned to swim under water on this vacation making it even more memorable!

Graduation Day 6-7-13

On 6-7-13, Shay graduated from 8th grade and Aiden from Kindergarten.  Unfortunately, their ceremonies were at the same time!!  So.....Daddy went to Aiden's and Mommy went to Shaelyn's. We took lots of pictures.  Congrats to our two wonderful graduates!  We love you both so very much!!

Kindergarten Done!

Aiden has had quite a year in Kindergarten!  He has amazed us at just how much he has learned!  We are super-duper proud of him and know that he will make a terrific 1st grader!  I just wish he wasn't growing up so quickly!  (sniff, sniff). 

8th Grade - A Stepping Stone

It was just yesterday that out plane landed in Charlotte and we made our grand appearance with the most beautiful 7 month old baby girl.  Okay, so it wasn't actually yesterday, but it sure seems like it was.  I just can't seem to wrap my thoughts around the reality that the tiny baby girl is now a beautiful  young lady!  Shaelyn graduates from Middle School (8th grade) on Friday.  What?  This is crazy!  I'm sure that I am not the only mother who has wished to reverse the hands of time if only for a moment.  Today was her school's 8th grade banquet and Friday will be the graduation ceremony.  We are sooo proud of the young lady she has become!  We love you Shay.....forever and
for always!

Mothers Day 2013

My heart is overwhelmed with gratitude as we celebrate Mothers Day this year. I am so thankful for a Mom who loved me unconditionally and demonstrated how to live a Godly life amidst an ungodly world.  I am also thankful for an amazing Mother-in-law who is now a beautiful angel in Heaven.  She also taught me some very valuable lessons that I hope to teach to my children.  Both of these wonderful ladies helped make me who I am today.   I am also so very thankful that God chose me to be Shaelyn and Aiden's Mom. :-)  The path God chose for me to become a Mother wasn't always the easiest path to walk, but the rewards for walking it have been immeasurable! Thankful, thankful, thankful!

                                                    Aiden and Mommy

                                                 Shaelyn and Mommy

                                             Mommy with ALL of her "babies".

Taekwondo

We (yes, that includes Mommy and Daddy) have started taking Taekwondo classes on Tues and Thurs nights.  The family that prays AND "kicks" together, stays together!  ;-) Rob and I are enjoying the exercise, Shaelyn likes the uniform and Aiden has a black belt goal in mind!  We are enjoying the classes and time spent as a family!

Grow Garden Grow!

Aiden is very proud of his little garden!  He was very involved in the seed selection and planting process.  He has diligently watered the garden with his little watering can.  He would check the growth status daily (sometime several times a day).  Finally it started to sprout and Aiden was thrilled!   Hopefully we will have tomatoes, summer squash, green beans, cucumbers and radishes at some point this summer!  Love my little gardener!

Riding a Bike!

Aiden gives the "thumbs up" for his training wheels to come off!

 

 

                                                And they are OFF!  Whoot, whoot!
                                                      

 

Aiden says "This isn't so bad - I've got this"!

Until we get elbow pads, and knee pads, Mommy is thinking that riding in the 

grass might be the best idea!

 

Aiden's training wheels came off this evening!  He was soooo excited and Mommy was a bit nervous :-)  I gave him a couple little push starts and off he went.  He is so proud of himself! My little guy is growing up! (Sniff)

Happy 6th Birthday Aiden!

My baby boy is SIX!  I can hardly believe that he is six already!  (sniff...sniff).  We had a family get-together/party for Aiden with an Avengers theme.  We let him choose the theme and that is what he chose.  We kept it pretty simple this year but I still went crazy with the decorating :-) 

Aiden is such a delight and joy to this family!  We are blessed and honored to call him our son.  We thank God daily for bringing this little guy into our lives.  Happy Birthday sweet boy!  We love you to the moon and  back!

Goodbye 2012, Hello 2013

    It doesn't seem like too long ago that we were ringing in 2012 as the New Year!  Now we say goodbye and welcome in a brand new year.  Time moves on. It is not halted by pain, heartache, storms, laughter or joy.  The hands of time spare no mercy.  In looking back over 2012 I can see a multitude of good times, bad times, and times when I didn't know how to react or even feel.   The lose of an entire chapter of our lives, at times seems too much to comprehend.  Losing Mom and Dad (Rob's parents) and the only "childhood home place" Rob ever knew seems so cruel.  Losing Rob's 9 year old cousin to a disease more horrible than any nightmare, seems incomprehensible. Why?  The question I've asked many times, and may never know the answer to.

     Without doubt, the "storms" of 2012 have been fierce however, I am thankful that God lifts us up above the storm clouds for moments of relief and sunshine.  He has been our Rock and our Fortress!  The tears of sadness have given way to joy and laughter if but for one moment at a time.

   God has answered many prayers for our family this year! We were relieved to find out that Aiden's eye twitching was nothing more than a childhood "tic" that will go away in time. When so many at Rob's work were losing their jobs, Rob still has his. God blessed us all with good health this year - no major issues! The point I'm making is this......no matter the storm,  no matter the pain.....GOD IS FAITHFUL and GOD IS GOOD! He holds the future and I am extremely blessed to have the assurance that He is holding our family in 2013! Happy New Year!

   

Christmas Eve 2012

                                           Aiden and Shaelyn all ready for Church
                                           Sunday morning!

                                         Angry Bird PJ's for Aiden this year
                                         and "Cupcake" PJ's for Shaelyn.

                                       
I can hardly believe that it is Christmas Eve 2012 already.  Crazy how time simply flies!  Tonight Shay and Aiden opened their PJ's (a tradition that we do every year). We made Christmas cookies, a giant gingerbread man, lit our luminaries outside and just enjoyed being with each other.  We are so blessed!  The kiddos are in their rooms (not asleep yet) and you can feel the excitement for "Santa's" arrival.  Thankful, thankful, thankful is all I can say!  Merry Christmas!!!

Memories

Today I have been flooded with emotion as I think about the loss of Rob's Mother (63 yrs) in Dec 2011 and Rob's Father (66 yrs) in Nov 2012.  In less than 11 months we lost them both!  The loss is hard to convey in words.  It is a chapter of our lives that is now over, a door that is  now closed forever.  The only childhood home that Rob ever knew is now sitting empty with a for sale sign in the yard.  The only thing that remains are the memories we have.  It is hard for me to think about anyone else living in that house. It is Mom and Dad's house.  Mom's "apple" kitchen, Dad's chair that he sat in all the time, the Lily of the Valley flowers on the side of the house, the Rose of Sharon bush out front, the rose bush by the front door that I trimmed many a time and the lilac bushes that bloomed beautifully every spring!  In my mind I can see every picture on the wall, every figurine on the corner shelf and I can hear the chiming of Mom's anniversary clock......time.....it goes on regardless. I can remember the many nights around the dining room table playing phase 10, pictionary, scattagory and many other board/card games.  The yummy food that Mom would prepare and I would always wash the dishes after the meals.   There are so many memories!  It is hard to accept that memories are all that we have left.  Life is cruel in that it is here for just a passing moment.  Nothing stays the same.......time moves on.....making no apology for the changes that occur and the lives that are effected. 

Live each day as if it is the last moment you have.  Hug more often. Let go of ill feelings and grudges.  Don't spend your life finding satisfaction in material things - none of it will go with you! MAKE MEMORIES!!!  Lots of good memories!  One day... memories will be all that this world has left of you.

Teeth

We have had a lot of "teeth" excitement lately at our house.  Aiden has lost 3 teeth within a 2 week span.  His permanent teeth are on their way in and are already filling the holes left.  The tooth fairy has been quite busy keeping up with Aiden's tooth lose.  He even lost one at school! 

Today, we took Shaelyn to the orthodontist to get her braces off.  She was a bit nervous and a lot excited about having them removed!  She was a trooper through the 2 hour ordeal and now has a picture perfect smile to show for her 2 years of braces pain.

Fun, fun times!

Aiden showing us what has been keeping the tooth fairy so busy!

 

                                         In the chair for the last time with braces!  Yes, Mommy
                                         had to go back to get pictures!  lol
                                            

                                               They are OFF!

                                                                      So pretty!

Happy Halloween!

Aiden was a Ninja this year for Halloween.  Shaelyn was a "cat" but she alluded the camera.  We took the kids out trick or treating to a really nice subdivision close to our house.  Daddy drove the truck and Mommy, Shay and Aiden rode in the back so we could jump in and out easily.  LOTS of candy was received and great memories were made! 

 

Happy 4th Forever Day Aiden!

Four years ago today, God blessed our family in the most amazing way!!! We were introduced to our wonderful little boy at the Adoption Center in Chongqing, China on Sept 8th, 2008. The blessing that this little guy has been to us is hard to describe in words! He is the sunshine in our family and God knew we needed him desperately! The journey to Aiden was not an easy one, but we would walk that path a thousand times if necessary to have our son! We love you Aiden more than you will ever know!! Happy 4th Forever Day!

 

                                            Aiden opening his Forever Day gift!

                                               A Frog Webkinz and a cool gun.

                                              Aiden's laugh makes my heart smile!  He is
                                               soooo happy!

                                              Aiden smiling while we sang to him... "Happy Forever Day to you"

                                            Four Years with his Forever Family!