A year ago, this little guy came home to us... such a gift from God.
This is a picture our agency took of him and sent us after we had successfully passed court June 2010. We had to wait until August to bring him home, oh but so worth the wait... so blessed.
It is hard to believe it has been a year, although some days I feel like he (and all of our kids) have been with us forever. Each unique, each a gift.
The last few days of summer are dwindling down. Our kids have been on an extended summer break with our move requiring early withdrawal. I think we're all experiencing the "it's time to get back into the school routine" feeling. It will be exciting to start in a little over a week, yet sad to say goodbye to summer fun and family days...
The kids are showing off their new school above...
Joshua and Jana are two peas in a pod...
A little restaurant outing while papa was out of town... What can I say? I love the soup and salad lunch with bottomless chips and salsa at Chilis... :-)
I finally made it to SAMs Club to stock up on a few things. I braved it with the kiddos...
My strategy? Well, we enjoyed $1.50 lunches (amazing: hot dog and a super sized soda) first and then I mandated they keep both hands on their giant soda cups while following me throughout the store... ha ha. It worked for the most part. Then I had helpers to unload once we got home. :)
We had fun.
This little ham, (ha), started kindergarten back in Georgia! I could not resist posting my sister's pictures of her precious children. David Isaac - you have grown up too fast!!! :-)
LOVE this: David Isaac saying goodbye to his sis, Isabella...
A great first day! (Soli looks to be more interested in whatever is in that box - ha ha)
Thursday of this past week, I loaded the kids up and headed to my parents' house in Virginia. Here, Victoria is modeling her new outfit - thanks mamaw!
I've been doing some reading workbooks and a little math with each of the kids all summer. James loves it, let me just tell you - not! Ha. He has the most to overcome in learning how to read. It is hard work to try and catch up, with a major gap in vocabulary from 9 years of speaking Russian/Ukrainian. Your prayers are appreciated for him especially as he enters school with this obstacle... as well as from kids who look for anything to poke fun at. He is so sweet. I am proud of him.
Random: my mom's dog, Joy, loves to curl up making Titus jealous when I get home to smell the traitor scent...
My parents' front door... a nightly reminder of our soldiers deployed... Rick & Jess, we can't wait to have you home!!!
Friday, late morning, I hit to road back to North Carolina leaving my kids behind. It has been a bit strange without them. My senses are still alert as I keep thinking I'll hear, "Mama"... that mama radar, you know?!. Funny. :-) Dad sent me a few pictures...
James - Mr. Project Man...
Meanwhile, Tony and I went out on a date: shopping for school supplies! Woo hoo! We were successful and it was actually fun... just being together.
This is what you do when you have five kids... ha.
Meanwhile, back in Virginia... Camp out with the kids...
Saturday morning we had our last in house core team worship with our IDC Raleigh crew... first of all, check out the new shirts to help at upcoming community gatherings...
It was such a sweet time in the Sigmon's home with Nate teaching through our church covenant... The room was wall to wall with some really special people we've particularly grown to love as co-laborers in the faith... There is much work to be done, but we are excited about what the Lord is going to do...
Come Thou Fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace
Streams of mercy never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise...
After lunch, Tony and I headed over to Cary to join in for the last portion of the Pure Religion Orphan & Adoption Conference. It was great to see friends, old and new. It was great to sit under Geoff Moore's worship leadership. He is also an adoptive parent and has such a humble spirit...
Tony spoke on adoption in Galatians 4:4-7.
Tony and I parted ways after the conference: he flew to Chattanooga, TN to preach and I went out with some Raleigh friends to dinner & a movie: The Help. What a great movie. They did a good job of capturing the book. It was a fun girls' night out with new friends.
Meanwhile, back in Virginia... (ha)...
Random refrigerator art... but I love it. It's about time to purge it (since it was from my birthday last month!), so I thought I'd capture it on film...
1 comment:
Just a thought for James starting school with new kids and his reading...our daughter had much the same concerns moving from one town to another and new school all last year. She still remembered and was able to read some of her Russian so we wrote out an introduction to the class in Russian. (As here they usually have new students stand and say a few things about themselves.) It said something like:
"Hi My name is Oksana, I am 11 years old. I came to live in Canada when I was 8, I like to ice skate and play with my dogs."
That was all said in Russian which got everyones attention. Then she said it again in English. The teacher here talked to the class about what it would be like for them to move from one country to another without speaking that other language and said some things might be a little more difficult for Oksana but that she was just like all them, that they liked and did the same things etc. She came home from school the first day with so many new friends, she was excited and happy and still the same way now. We will be praying for James and his transition into his new school. (All your kids) Blessings.
Catherine
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