Christmastime

It's time for a catch-up!  As always life has been busy but good.  The days are full of playing and teaching and laughing and tests of patience.  I wouldn't trade it for anything!

December was a lovely month here.  We finished up school, which continues to go very well, and were all ready for Christmas break.  Two weeks with no school - what a nice break for Mom and students!  

We have had only one snowfall so far this winter (hooray! I really could do without the snow!).  I'm so glad we made the effort to bundle up the kids (getting four ready for snow is quite the event).  They had a blast playing out in the snow.  Olivia wasn't too sure about it and mostly followed me around saying, "Uppy!" and wanting me to pick her up.  

It was kind of crazy how warm it was when we went to cut down our Christmas tree.  Usually it is freezing and we have to hurry.  This time it was not that bad - we are all in our spring jackets!  I laughed so hard when I looked at this picture that someone at the tree farm took of us.  I have always loved Brad's antlers :)

Matthew sang in his first Christmas program at church this year.  What a blessing!  All of the kids loved learning the songs and getting to watch him sing his heart out on stage brought tears to my eyes.  For so many years I watched those programs with an ache in my heart wondering if I would ever be watching my child.  And now here I was - and there was my son!  I am so thankful.

Christmas this year did not go how we expected as Brad got a call in the middle of the night saying he needed to work Christmas Eve and Christmas day because of storms that had come through the state.  He had to go away overnight and the kids were pretty disappointed he couldn't be here with us (I was too!!!!).  Thankfully my parents and youngest sister were here to help me with the kids and we managed to have fun even though it wasn't what we'd hoped for.  We held off on Christmas presents and our big Christmas dinner and had that with Brad on the 26th.  It was busy and wonderful to be altogether.

It was Olivia's first Christmas with us but it really is hard to remember what it was like without her.  She is such a part of us!  We are so glad she's here!

Here We Are

I'm sitting at the kitchen table looking out into the backyard.

Christmas music is playing and there's a fire in the fireplace.  I like to break all the "No Christmas music before Thanksgiving" rules :)

Hannah is pushing Livvy in the swing and all I can see is Livvy's huge smile.  They are the best of friends...for the moment!

The boys are running around screaming as loud as they can.  Our neighbors must love us.

I just finished the 6-month post-placement report for Olivia's adoption.

Six months?!?!  How can it even be that six months have gone by already?

And how can it be that I've only been kissing these cheeks for six months?

School is going well.  Busy.  It's so busy.  But we make a little progress every day and somehow they are learning so many new things!  Nathan is starting to read and he is beyond thrilled about it.  Matthew is trucking along with much less resistance than last year.  Overall...a good year so far.

Brad is doing so well.  He had quite the health scare over the last six months.  It began in China with pain in the night and got progressively worse as the months went on, to the point where he was not able to eat solid foods.  

Stupid gallbladder.  We are glad that's gone and so thankful it was a fixable problem.

We are dating again.  Each other, I mean.  It has been years of not being able to go out without children being newly home and needing us.  We are in a good place, settled, and everyone is just getting older with no new one on the horizon.  It's a nice place to be and I'm quite enjoying it!  Going out with Brad from time to time and getting through the baby phase with the kids is such a blessing.  

Guess what I did this week?  I slept through the night!  It was just once, but....it was once more than usual!  We are slowly but surely moving in the right direction towards more sleep and less wake ups.  It's glorious.

Here we are.  It's a good place to be.

Lame Blogger Award...

There's probably no one out there reading...well, maybe my mom :)  I know I totally get the "Lame Blogger Award" for my lack of posting.  I'm feeling the urge to write and document again so I may be back a little more often.  Life is so full that all my good intentions seemed to get swallowed up in...life!  I'm not going to lie, four littles keeps me pretty busy these days.  It has taken me quite a while to get adjusted to the pace of life and the whole not-having-a-free-moment thing but I am at last feeling like I have my head above water (some of the time) and I am finding some free time (here and there).  

I smile just looking at this picture - can't believe I get to be mom to all of them!  Super fun.  Super exhausting!  Wouldn't trade it for anything.

We have purposefully chosen to have a quieter life right now.  We did not sign up for any of the very good activities we wanted to do this fall (piano lessons, soccer, other things for the kids) and I feel so glad about that choice.  We have spent a ton of time walking in the woods, hanging out in the backyard, reading books...I feel like the days are busy but we have also carved out some much-needed down time with these activities.  There will be time for the other activities down the road, but for now we choose slow.

One of the bonuses (and the challenges) of choosing a slower pace is lots of time together.  Siblings are learning how to share, to think of each other, to play together.  It's good and it's hard.  One in particular has had a hard time with the transition of a new little sibling.  I think my least favorite part of parenting is dealing with sibling fighting (my mom is snickering now because she can totally relate thanks to me and my younger sister!).  

It really feels like Olivia has always been part of us.  When I see pictures of us with three kids now...it's strange!  She has fit so perfectly into our family and I'm amazed with her pretty much every day.

One of my favorite memories from the summer - looking out the kitchen window and seeing these four playing on the swing set.  I remember one day looking out and seeing Livvy chatting away to Matthew and it just struck me: "She is one of us.  She belongs."

There are moments of frustration dealing with sibling issues but there are also so many sweet moments.  I can't imagine these kiddos without each other!  Matthew particularly has a soft spot for Olivia.  He is so gentle with her and takes such good care of her.  The other day I looked outside and the kids were running around laughing.  Olivia tripped and fell, and as I watched all three of the other kids ran up to her, helped her up, asked her if she was okay, brushed her off and then ran off again together.  It brought a smile to my face to see the care they have for each other.

Some days I look at this little girl and feel as though I might burst.  I was pretty terrified of adding another one to the family.  I was scared about her medical needs, scared that she was 2.5 years old and terrified of strangers, scared about the workload.  But every single day I kiss those cheeks and see that smile and REJOICE that we said yes!  She is such a gift and I know just how blessed I am.

The "Back to School" Post

It has obviously been quite a while since my last post!  We have been busy enjoying the beautiful summer days and honestly they have just been flying by.  I can hardly believe it is the end of August already. 

We are a bit ahead with our school schedule this year and have already been back at it for over three weeks.  Why?  Mostly because...we can!  I love the flexibility of homeschooling and for us, it was time to start.  The kids were anxiously asking when we would be starting again, we have the time, and by starting earlier we are able to loosen up the schedule a little throughout the year so that when we have to miss school for appointments or sickness, it doesn't put us behind at all.

I was pretty nervous about how things would go this year with four at home, but after a few weeks we are finding our groove a little.  Some days are pretty overwhelming, some days are easy and laid back and we accomplish everything very quickly.  Some days I think, "Homeschooling = greatest thing ever!!!" and some days I think, "Is it too late to enroll them in school?".  The good outweighs the hard, though, and every time I question if we are doing the right thing, I look at our list of reasons for homeschooling and know this is just the right thing for our kids at this point in time.

The kiddos were so excited for their first day of school!

Little Miss Olivia is not doing any schoolwork, just lots of playing, potty training, snack eating and little activities to enjoy.

Hannah just turned four and is doing preschool at home this year.  She loves to be a big girl and wanted school work like her brothers, so she is working on a couple of beginning writing/coloring books, learning her letters, and counting.  She loves school and asks to do it as soon as we get up!

Nathan is such a hardworking, excited student!  He is a joy to teach with his willing and eager attitude.  He is 5 and started Kindergarten this year!  He has better handwriting than many of the fifth grade students I used to teach and absolutely loves to color and draw.  He is very creative and I can't wait to see him learn to read and write independently. 

Matthew is 6 and is in the First Grade this year.  He is an awesome reader already as that came very quickly and naturally to him last year.  He has already read a few chapter books and I am constantly finding him reading books about sharks, whales, and bugs.  He is very good at math, hates handwriting and coloring (but thankfully does it without a battle this year....so far!), and is a good speller.  He is a joy to teach!

We have joined a homeschool co-op that starts in a few weeks and I am very excited about this.  There are many families in the co-op and the boys will be in a K/1st class together on Wednesday mornings.  Hannah will be in a Preschool class and I will help in the nursery where Livvy will stay.  I think it will be great for all of us!

We're off to a good start and I can't wait to see what the rest of the year holds!

Smiley Girl

This little girl has been home with us for about 8 weeks now and the days are flying by!  She fits so perfectly in our family its amazing.  She is one of us, there is no doubt of that!  Her smile is contagious and her giggle is one of the best I've ever heard.  She is quick to smile and laugh but certainly knows how to let us know when she doesn't like something.  She is talking up a storm and we are amazed at the short sentences that are starting to come from her spontaneously - "Mama shoes on?" when she wanted me to go outside the other day, and "Hannah's drink" when she sees Hannah's cup.  I continue to be surprised by how easily she seems to have accepted us as her family.  She is such a joy to us and we are so glad she is here!

We received simply wonderful news this week about Olivia's health.  I believe I mentioned here that Livvy was diagnosed in China with a brain tumor.  We were told by a pediatric neurosurgeon this week that she does NOT have a brain tumor (which we already thought to be the case based on other opinions from radiologists and doctors who had looked at her scans).  It is wonderful to have her here with us, to see that she is okay and developing well, and to hear the great news that we do not have to have this concern in our minds anymore!  She has a small soft spot on the back of her head that may need surgery in the future, but for now she is doing great and will not need to see the neurosurgeon for 6 months!

One of the biggest challenges since we've been home is the relationship between these two girls.  They certainly started to bond in China, and that bond continues to grow, but since we have been home Hannah has struggled to accept her little sister.  They play together all the time, but unfortunately neither of them has the skills to get along well with another child at the moment :)  Basically that means that they fight all the livelong day and it's making me bonkers!  I know, imagine such cuteness making me bonkers?!?!

Sleep has been very difficult in the last few weeks especially.  Olivia is a champion sleeper (I am SO thankful for that!!!) and she sometimes wakes up once crying but is easily calmed down.  We pretty much just go in and she lies back down, we cover her up and kiss her and she goes back to sleep.  Amazing!  Hannah has had sleep issues for years and shows no sign of that letting up anytime soon!  Night terrors and anxiety seem to plague her at the moment and we just hope that she will outgrow this...soon....like, maybe this week?!  I have been so tired and find it hard to be a calm and patient mommy when I have been up a lot in the night.  

Summer is a lovely, slow time around here and we are enjoying days at the park or the zoo, swimming in our little backyard paddling pool, and playing for hours on end.  I am busy with school plans for the fall and looking forward to homeschooling Matthew (1st grade) and Nathan (Kindergarten) while trying to keep the girls occupied.  Some days I say "Bring it on!" and some days I want to hide under a blanket at the thought of it!  Raising four kids is one of the hardest things I've ever done but there's nothing I would rather be doing!

At Home With Four

It is hard to believe that over a month has passed since we first met Olivia in China!  We have been home with her for three weeks but it is already hard to remember what it was like here without her.  She fits in so well we can hardly believe it.  She fills in a space in our family in a way that just astounds me.  We are all so happy she is here!

Our little Livvy is a lovely little girl.  She has stolen my heart very quickly and I just adore her.  She is a sweet, loving, funny little girl.  She loves playing with her brothers and with Hannah.  They have all accepted her into our family and they all know she is one of us.  Hannah has only asked twice if Livvy can please go back to China :)  Most of the time she is thrilled to have a new little sister and playmate.  I can hardly believe it but having Livvy here has actually made life a little easier because now Hannah and Livvy play together (where before Hannah would follow me around a lot during the day).

I'm so relieved to be home and settling into life.  It feels wonderful to have the trip behind us and to know that things are going okay.

More to come...