Endings and Beginings

Xin's pre-k teacher
Lunch and swimming with good friends.

We took a picture in this same spot 3 years ago when this sweet family departed for Germany. My how the kids have grown! And we added 1 more!!!

The little kids finished their pre-school program last week. We were so proud of Xin as he came a LONG way this past school year! The big kids completed all their subjects over the past couple of weeks. Soccer ended-thank goodness! Speech ended yesterday. And spring said goodbye as we hit 98 degrees this week. So began summer......swimming, Eagle Sports summer conditioning, cookouts, Popsicles, no schedules. Our good friends, the Rhodes family, visited us this week from Germany and we had a fabulous time catching up. We miss them terribly already as we had to say good-bye to them way too soon!

As I will miss the cooler temps of spring and the beautiful flowers that grace the south during that time of year, I welcome summer and all its lazy days, fun-filled days, beach vacations, time spent together as a family and those sweet little tan bodies and freckled faces that appear on my children accompanied by the yummy smell of coconut scented sunscreen. Happy Summer!

A Marvelous Day

Yesterday was Family Play Day at Augusta National Golf Day where Will is blessed to work. Once a year after the club is closed they have a family play day. You can play the big course, the Par 3 course, fish, ride around and just observe and they also serve you a fabulous lunch with a wide assortment of yummy foods. Will took me and the big kids out yesterday and we spent the whole day enjoying each other, attempting to play "golf" on the Par 3 course and eating way too much food. We had some really good shots and then some laugh out loud until you are crying shots. Of course Will impressed us with his skills. We had a MARVELOUS time spending the day together in such a beautiful place. We are truly blessed!

Mother's Day

Six years ago I sat in the 1st grade classroom- on those tiny little chairs that don't really fit the bottoms of Mamas- of my oldest child Julia. We had a Mother's Day Celebration. These are always so sweet and the teachers do such a great job of making us Moms cry. So I was already teary when I realized that someday I would be sitting at one of these for my other daughter (we had just put in our application for Jaida) and motherhood would take on an even deeper meaning. Well, little did I know that 6 years later I would have 2 adopted children and I would be sitting on those tiny little chairs again in the classroom of my son. We arrived today and the children were all seated quietly, I don't know how she does that, awaiting the arrival of their Mommy. There was a lovey table adorned with flowers and goodies. There was a shelf nearby with gift bags. We found our tiny little seat and on it was a crown our child had made for us to wear. Xin had the biggest smile on his face and he kept waving and blowing me kisses. They started to sing some songs about Mommys and how they tuck us in at night, give us kisses, give us hugs.......oh how it hit me. The tears began. This little guy had only had a Mommy a few short weeks last year this time. Wow! I am his Mommy and he is singing to me and smiling at me and blowing me kisses and I am wearing his crown. God gave me the privilege to mother him. I can't say I have done it all right over the past year. I have second guessed myself a thousand times in trying to figure out what this little boy needs and how to give it to him. But I am his Mommy. God chose me. Xin has a Mommy now. He can celebrate this day now and he will always have someone to blow kisses to and make hand print art for. Adoption is amazing!

Motherhood is amazing! I started this role somewhat later in life than most. I never really liked the career thing. Marketing major, sales job, good money, meeting lots of people....but empty really inside. Then they handed me Julia. I knew this was what God created me for-well, maybe not right away, maybe after the c-section pain subsided, the mastitis went away and she slept most of the night. What a privilege and an honor it is to be a mother. God blessed me with 4 children and I could not be more fulfilled. I have a wonderful mother who blazed a clear trail for me and showed me that it is the greatest job of all! So to my wonderful mother, my mother-in-law, my sister, sister-in-laws, friends, I wish you a very Happy Mother's Day and a heart filled with gratitude for the position God has placed us all as keepers of His creations.