{nell news} may picture

On Wednesday one of my favorite social workers at Holt emailed me about something I has asked about earlier and the end of the email said “ps, we got pictures of your girly today! I just finished getting it processed and will get it to you tomorrow.” You better believe I emailed her back lickity split and told her that was cruel and just down right mean to make me wait. And that I would be stalking my email starting at 10 am the next morning.

Thursday morning about lunch, after checking my email no less than 2000 times, I emailed Lisa with the subject “just so you know….”. The body of the email said “my email is working. I’ve only checked it about 2 million times.”

About 10 minutes later, while having our last school time lunch date with Nick a reply came with an attachment, which meant PICTURES!

Nell got Care Package #10! Hooray! She looks kinda possessive of her stuff, doesn’t she?!

And then these three jewels. Ahhhh, my sweet girl!

This series is called: “chilin’. I’m ready to go. HEY, I said I’m ready to go!”

That black polka dot shirt is one we sent, although we had it paird with hot pink pants, but whatever, she rocks it. And the lace socks and the church shoes. Girl has some serious girly, lacey, ruffly style which is funny because it could not be more opposite than mine. I forsee some dressing room fights in our future.

Now let’s examine some of the details of these photos closer…

First, let’s look how much Nell has grown. The picture on the right is from May 15th and the picture on the left is August 18th, about 9 months ago. She is still very tiny, but she has grown so very much!

Now, look at these three pictures and see if you see anything missing in the most recent.

Anybody notice it….

If you guessed Nell is currently not wearing a diaper then you would be RIGHT. Yes, it appears in her latest picture she is diaper free. Couple that with the fact she was saying “potty” on her last well baby check and I think it may be safe to assume we have a potty trained little girl on our hands. This makes me so very happy. Hello NO diapers! I’m pretty pumped about this. But the more I thought about it, I got a little sad over the fact that I won’t be the one hanging out in the bathroom, dancing like a wild woman for peepee in the potty, and giving out potty treats. Sigh. But hello, no diapers!!!

And lastly this picture. Check out that flip in the back, that may be a curl, maybe just a flip out, but her hair is finally filling in and growing! Hooray.

And I’m counting that picture as a smile. It’s as closer to a smile as we’ve ever seen, so for now it counts in my book.

With these four adorable pictures we also got the news that Nell will be undergoing some more testing to hopefully get to the root of this tiny business and the failure to thrive. It’s not too alarming (we think) and we are so glad Korea is on.top.of.it for our daughter. We should get test results in about three months, but no matter what, it doesn’t change who she is- and that is our daughter! Of course, we are praying for the best results, but also praying that if there is something that it is found and we get on the road to treatment soon.

#hurryhomenell

last day of school

Today was the B Team’s last day of school. It’s summa, summa, summer time.

They got a little gift this morning on the last day of school.

They got a new three pack of Leap Frog movies. We love leap frog around here! (and added bonus it will count as “homeschool” to watch them!)

The we grabbed a picture on the porch before heading out.

Just look how much my babies grew this year!

Both boys had parties in their classrooms today and came home plum wore out since they neither one got a nap!

It took three trips to get all their stuff and them loaded in the van! Let’s hit the highlights of what they came home with.

Bates

First off, his folder from the year. My big boy got a happy face every.single.day. So proud of him. What matters most to this momma is his heart and those smiley faces go along way in showing that he respects others and is a kind, sweet boy. Writing your name will come.

This is Bates’ All about Me poster we made the first week of school. Looking at this literally brought tears to my eyes. This boy has some so, so far. I will treasure this poster and keep it forever!

The most favorite thing he came home with was his Memory book from the year. They had the classroom all set up so mommy’s could come in and sit and look through the books with their kiddos. Bates’ was just perfect. And where in the world did that first day of school baby go?

Look how much he grew this year- almost 3 inches and a pound and a half (which is a lot for him!)

The book is filled with different things they did throughout the year.

Page after page of pictures, but my favorite was Luau Day. He is something else. He wore the “shells” like the girls but I only got that picture in a text. They said he threw a fit to wear them! Bless him.

Brodie

Brodie came home with this jewel. Oh my heavens I love it so. It’s perfect and so his crazily cute profile. This will go on the wall, ASAP.

But if you ask Brodie what the best thing he came away with from this school year, it won’t be a memory or an education- it’s this lion!

Yes, his teachers sent him home with this GIANT lion. This lion laid on the floor of his classroom every day (his room was the Jungle Station) every.single.morning when I dropped him off he would whine and cry and they would give him his puppy and he would lay on the lion during early activity. He would join the group after the drop off activity was over, but for the the early morning it was just him and his lion. He and his lion were quite the pair. His teacher is moving up and into a different class next year and her new class won’t be the jungle station, so she was parting ways with her lion. And there is no one else in the world she would rather the lion live with than Brodie Brown.

This was an incredible year for both boys. Last year Brodie had been home just a few months, so we were just trying to survive school. This year, my Brodie boy, moved up a class into a class that was a bit older than him and came out top of the class. He can tell you all the Bible stories, knows all his colors, letters, and is spelling and at the veeeeery beginning stages of reading. He couldn’t make me any more proud.

And Bates, this was the best year yet for him. He grew from the kiddo who would cry every morning to the boy would could see momma in the hall and wave and just stay with his class. He met some challenges this year and faced them head on and coupled with an incredible set of teachers who love him like his momma does, he is set to overcome them! Things are clicking together for him and we are going to channel this momentum and kick up Summer School at the Brown Academy!

Here’s to Preschool 2013!

mother’s day

Happy Mother's Day! I sure got spoiled this year. 

It started on Friday when Nick came home with this....

I have always wanted an editable arrangement. So that is super fun in and of itself, but what makes it even more fun is Nick is NOT a gift giver and Gifts is my love language, so unfortunately that doesn't always mesh well. I had mentioned a few months back that I want an editable arrangement and he must have made a mental note, and he delivered, so it was super sweet and way impressive that he not only remembered I wanted one but actually did it! Major points.

And a bonus point to Nick for the card that was from Bates, Brodie AND Nell!

Sunday morning, we took a few pictures on the porch before church. My biggest blessing in life is being these boys' momma. I sure sure sure do wish our little pink player was home and in her momma's arms, but I'm blessed to be loving her across the ocean.

After church, we started the "few of my favorite things" afternoon. 

First up, these two. Definitely in the top three of my favorite things!

Then lunch at one of my favorite places, Your Pie.

A nap with the bteam!

A happy hour trip. Yes, you know Sonic drinks are one of my favorite things. Here's a fun fact though, I do not eat at sonic. Not a fan of their food, maybe a grilled cheese, but I'm just a drink fan.

A trip to Target. And new shoes. Check and check.

Yes, Cotton Candy. I'm a two year old. Yum.

Finished mulched flower beds. I am not a fan of mulching, but I love love love a finished project on the house to do list. Marked that off the list.

Yes, this. My hammock in the back yard is one of my favorite places. I got some quality time and my legs got some quality time with some vitamin d.

Then more presents, which totally fits in my favorite things, you know since gifts are my love language. 

A super sweet, and way appropriate card from Stacey.

And a massage gift certificate from my boys. I will be happy to spend an hour and a half on the massage table. Thank you very much.

And to cap off our fantastically wonderful family filled day, we did our annual balloon release. We let the boys each "write" a note to their birth mother and foster mother and tie to it to a balloon and release them to fly all the way around the world and into their hearts.

The boys didn't want to "write" this year, just send the balloons on their merry way, so I followed their lead and went with it. We kissed our balloons and off they went.

Thank you Bates, for making my dreams come true and making me a mommy. You have softened my heart, and you have your momma in the palm of your hand. You are my joy, son. 

Brodie, you have brought me more laughter in the days I've been blessed to have you as my own then my entire life before you. You have challenged me and stretched me and made me such a better person. You my son are my greatest surprise and the laughter that fills my day.

And Nell, you are the daughter I only dreamed of. You are a tiny little perfect package that the Lord used to show me that the plans of my heart are trumped by the exceedingly better plans of the Lord. You are my heart, and it won't be complete until you are in my arms. 

And to the guy who allowed my crazy plan of "let's just adopt" to be how we built our family, thank you. I wouldn't be a mommy without your love and support we wouldn't be living the crazy life that we have been blessed with. Thanks for being my partner in this, Nick!

And to those mothers who walked this joyous road before me, I come from a solid line of mothers. I only hope to be half the mother you women are and carry on the generational torch of awesome mommas this family has. You women are the rocks of this family, and I never truly appreciate your love, sacrifice, and support until I became a mommy myself. So to my momma, mawmaw, mimi, ninny, gan, and mandi, hope to be the mother, grandmother, and aunt you are to me.

strawberry pickin’

Mother Nature has seemed want to keep us out of the strawberry patch, it has rained every single weekend we have planned to go!

But after soccer on Saturday, we braved the misty weather and somewhat cooler temps and headed to Valley Home Farms for our 2nd annual Strawberry picking!

I think it’s safe to say we all had a great time!

After we filled our baskets to the brim, we made a stop to see our cow friend.

And of course you cannot leave without some strawberry ice cream!