END OF SUMMER {Beginning of School}

We had an exceptionally warm summer in OH this year, very thankful to have put the pool in last Fall and enjoyed it sooo much this summer.  The girls have become proficient swimmers and frankly, got tired of it towards the middle of this month.  Not me though.

Spent the last week before school started with them, shopping, swimming (alittle), fishing, festivaling, lazing about; just enjoying the dog days of summer.

We went to the Main Street Festival in an adjoining town and both girls rode some rides and got their faces painted.  What a joy THAT was to get off them...

Yes, there was a bit of pizza mingled in...

Baba had taken them fishing early in the week and they had caught MANY fish!  Well they wanted to go again so I ventured along.  We didn't have the same kind of bait and the fishing wasn't so good, but they had a great time and I was amazed how well they can cast.  I never perfected that move, its like throwing a frisbee, can't do that either!

The above were from round 1...

and these ^ were from round 2, not so successful!

The following day, the girls went back to school...SECOND GRADE!!!

We have a new superintendant and he was riding on their bus when it came, so they got their picture in the local newspaper as well...pretty cool!

 They were up and ready to roll, there were no tears this year and no looking back!

 Even old Zeus made the trek across the street to wait for the bus!

What a blessing these girls are to me, even though some days are difficult, I am so thankful they are in my life! 

As an FYI, Livi is having surgery again on October 5, it is called Pollicization, where they rotate her index finger and drop it down to make a thumb.  We are not going into this lightly and feel it will enhance the use of her hand.  She is excited and understands, and wants to have this done.  Please pray for the surgeons hands to be guided and for her healing!

Locks of Love

I haven't been very blog worthy of late, just a lot of swimming and swimming going on at our place, between work and the hot hot temperatures.  It has been a great year to have a pool! 

Abigail has tried for the last three hair trims to have her hair cut to donate.  When we brought her home, she had had her hair cut VERY short by the orphanage, I'm certain in an effort to control pests.  So, we have let her hair grow ever since, only trimming bangs and two nice end trims, to get rid of split ends.  As I said it's been VERY hot here and I think that contributed to her desire for a cut.  I should also point out that she likes her sisters hair, which is amusing since Olivia dreams to have loooonnnggg hair like Ab one day.  Anyway, she decided it was time.  I got home from work and asked her if it was still time, to which she replied yes!

We headed over to Best Cuts, where we have gone before and the nicest gal was there to take care of us.  She separated Ab's hair into five sections, asked her one more time if she was sure (yes!) and off it came.  She had about 11" of donatable hair as we had about 3 taken off a month ago.  She looks adorable with a little bob and I am so proud of her!  It was very difficult for me to watch, I teared up at one point, but I'm pleased with the outcome, all around.  Baba is out of town, so I texted him a pic, to prepare his heart...and I'm glad I did. 

 Isn't she lovely!

Hi there, its been awhile!

"Summer" is in full swing at our place now.  Everyone is out of school, the boys are both working full time and the girls are being...well...the girls!  Let's get caught up, shall we?

In early May, we celebrated Olivia's 9th birthday, first at home on Mothers Day and then the following week with her very own FIRST party, at Chuck E. Cheese.  She was definitely the star of the show!

(waiting ever so patiently for friends to arrive)

The Birthday Queen

(credit to Sarah for pics, I haven't uploaded mine yet)

Memorial Day weekend was the inaugural pool party weekend, we all came away feeling like we had been on vacation for three days!  From swimming, to eating and drinking, to marshmallows over the fire pit, we were so very thankful for this time with family and friends, while not forgetting what we were "celebrating"; so thankful for those who serve or have served. 

Night swimming was in order for the big kids, they had a great time taking underwater pictures and acting goofy!  Thankful we never took the Christmas lights off the barn! ;)

The girls had a final First Grade picnic at school where memories were made.

We also took a trip to the Hartville Flea Market and bought strawberries, so Daddy could make a nice batch of his famous strawberry jam!  It's the best!! (He ain't too shabby himself)

And rounding out the update, what could be better than a night in mommy's bed while daddy is traveling for work {I could think of MANY things}...who knew this was such an exciting event!?

Blessings to everyone for a wonderful, healthy, CONTENT summer~  Let's talk soon!

Rockin' Around the Clock {At the Hop}

My girls had their First Grade program last night, the theme was "At the Hop". 

Oh.my.goodness.  They have been practicing and singing and dancing for months now.  Who knew 150 First Grade students could rock the house so well!? 

It brought tears to my eyes to see Olivia, up moving and shaking, thinking about how far she has come in the last year!  She was definitely one of the more enthusiastic singer/dancers, being located in the front, on the end!  Abigail was in the middle but could still "shake it up baby"! 

They had so much fun and it was truly a joy to behold! 

Easter {He is risen!}

What a wonderful weekend it was! 

The girls and I colored Easter eggs on Saturday, I forgot what a mess THAT can be!  They had gotten kits from Build-a-Bear and we had a fun time putting tattoos and stickers on our eggs.

Then Sunday morning, we started out with Easter bunny surprises, which Olivia just couldn't grasp.  She came home right before Easter last year and doesn't remember it at all.  Trying to explain the Easter Bunny to an almost nine year old sounds, well, ridiculous.  So I didn't try too hard, just let her enjoy the candy and small gifts the EB left!  That was enough.

{Notice the Easter baskets Grandpa Bernie made for my boys many years ago}

We then got all dolled up for church and headed off to hear wonderful worship music and an awesome message, He is risen indeed!

After lunch, we headed off to Uncle John and Aunt Ellen's for an Easter egg hunt (x 3 or 4) and a feast fit for a king!   It's always good to be with family and this year didn't disappoint.  Everyone seemed truly glad to be together.  The girls enjoyed running around with their cousins Liz, Emmie and Maddie, letting off some steam!  And my boys hung around all day, spending time with us; that doesn't happen too often so we savored their company as well. 



waiting not so patiently to eat so we can go hunt for eggs...sigh*





My girls on the hunt!





Tried to get everyone looking at me, not so much!



It was a great day, perfect way to celebrate a risen King!

One Year {HOME}

I cannot believe it has been one year today since our Olivia joined our family.  In some ways time has gone sooo fast and yet, others, it stands still.  Livi has come so far in 12 months, we take it for granted. 


We had conference with her teacher the other night and discussed her reading and where she is on the "scale" for our state.  This scale doesn't take into account that Olivia spent the first almost 8 years of her life speaking a completely different language (or two).  It doesn't matter that she knew no English until a year ago.  The State only looks at her as a first grader who is behind.  It's very frustrating but we are so thankful and blessed to have a battery of teachers who GET IT!  They see how far she has come and recognize that she will only continue to blossom. 


The biggest challenge for Livi now is, she can say a word, sound it out perfectly, speak in fluent sentences, but she doesn't know what the heck some of it actually means.  It'll come.  We try to point things out to her on a daily basis so she knows what a flag is or what a jacket is (vs. a coat) etc.   I try to put myself in her situation as often as possible and understand her frustration.  We are so very proud of her! 


There have been so many firsts this past year, too numerous to name them all.  The ocean, swimming, dentist, motorcycle ride, birthday party, her own clothes, her own toys, major surgery, LOVE, RULES, FAMILY.  And through it all, she has kept that winning smile. 


We love you Olivia ZiJing!  You have blessed us greatly!

{and we obviously need to take some new pics, thank goodness Easter is almost here}

"I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him."

1Samuel 1:27

and yet ANOTHER first {Daddy's Harley}

Olivia has been waiting impatiently for the weather to break so she can go for a ride on daddy's big bike.  We have had unseasonably warm weather here in Ohio (thank you very much) and he got the bike out last weekend. 

After a few battery issues, it was all systems go.  Our girl has a smile that lights up a room and the ride she took up the street and back didn't disappoint!  I see my seat has been replaced by my two girls since Abigail can't resist a ride on the bike either... 

Maybe a side car IS in our future?