What a Difference a Year Makes

I can't help but pause today and think back to a year ago.  This month last year was the HARDEST month I had with Jillian.  We had been home four months and been doing ok, but this month the floor fell out from under her and we did VERY HARD for weeks.  Just going back and rereading the entries I made take me back to that dark place.  I tried to take her to our town festival at the park last September and she melted down as soon as we got out of the car.  We didn't even make it to the park because she lost it in the parking lot as soon as I got her out of the car.  She continued to cry for five. hard. hours. after I got her home that day.  I remember vividly crying over her myself in those five hours and just saying I don't know what you need baby through ugly sobs.

It was a really, really hard place we walked a year ago, but I serve a God who is about restoration.  I serve a God who loves me and has given me all that I need to mother this treasure.  We have continued to travel on she and I.  Many have prayed, many more have been Jesus hands and feet to us and today....TODAY THIS MOMMA'S HEART IS FULL and the screen is blurry because I have been teary all morning.

BECAUSE..

This year, I enjoyed the Marigold Festival with my daughters!

 Jillian is happy, well adjusted, and a MIRACLE baby!

If you had told me it would be this good last September, I would have thought you were dreaming.

I never dreamed she would come this far in just a year.

 Jillian signed out and wanted her sister to hold her.

Emily is a wonderful, amazing helper for this momma.

Today, she got all our food and kept her sister while I shopped for hair bows.

I couldn't have gone without her.

I asked her if next year she could carry two Chinese babies.

She said NO!

I am sure they will be fighting over who gets their big sissy.

 Jillian enjoyed her swings as usual.

 Jillian even enjoyed this crown one of the vendors had for sale.

We always bought Emily one of these when she was little too.

They are only a $1.00 and Emily used to look to find just the right one.

 Momma's favorite part of the festival is the food.

Jillian LOVED eating her lunch..as usual.

We even saw some church friends which made her laugh when they sat down to share lunch with us.

 We even made our way to the outdoor stage and enjoyed a Julie K concert.

Jillian watched a bit anxious at first from the back, but then signed out and went up to the stage.

 Jillian spotted these hoola hoops at a vendor as we passed.

She signed out and wanted to walk over there to get a closer look.

We decided we needed to take one home.

As soon as we got home, she headed to her bean bin.

Beans are calming and organizing for her and I was thrilled that she recognized her need for them.

Today, I couldn't be happier.

(Unless our Annamae was here too.)

First Day of School

We are well into our first week of school.

EEK!

Here is my 8th grader on the first day!

 She is looking so grown up.

I don't know where the years have gone.

Our little enjoyed the first day too because sissy brought home homework.

Daddy was gone and sissy needed attending to in order to complete some computer work.

Our little treasure saw this unsupervised time as an invitation to get into a bit of a mess.

She has learned how to take her own shirt off and so when she doesn't want it on..

she sheds it.  She shed her shirt and did some dumping all in the few minutes that I was helping her sister on the computer.  She is a sneaky one I tell ya.  She wasn't at all happy with helping to pick up all those peanuts.

I have to admit..she is pretty darn cute even when she is getting herself into some trouble.



Fun on the Fourth

We had an incredible family day!

Our sweet treasure never grows tired of the splash park!

Having all of us there just added to the fun!

 She's actually laughing hysterically at being splashed in this picture.

 Running through the water with Daddy,

 screaming while watching other littles play in the water,

 hanging in the shadow of her big sis,

 climbing in her water bin.

It's all part of a day in her life.

Since it was the fourth, I thought it was a good excuse

to pose my girls in their red, white, and blue.

Em is never happy about this, but she did it for me.

 I wish I could stop time.

 She is as tall as I am.

 Together on the fourth is a great place to be..

Happy Fourth of July!

An Amazing Day

It is seriously hot in these parts.  This is great for little miss because she loves her some water play.  It makes her so happy, full of joy, and leaves her smiling so wide her eyes disappear.  I love me some giggling smiles from my girl.  Just watch her...

And just so you know that she does in deed own a swim suit..Here are some photos of this morning in the baby pool. 

Naked or not..She is the cutest Chinese baby in our backyard.  This new, slower pace of life is so good.  I am really enjoying it.  Big Sis even spent most of the day outside making sand castles in the sandbox.  Don't tell her I told you though.

Enjoy your weekend!  Take some time to do something that matters..like making a sandcastle with the ones you love.

Sensory Play Galore

This Momma got out the paint and the shaving cream yesterday. 

You might be thinking..Why in the world would you do that?

Maybe I did it because we were going stir crazy after three days of rain and being stuck inside

or maybe because it is therapeutic for our girl...I'm not sure which.

Whatever the cause..she is stinkin' cute in her diaper with that cream all over her.

I had a couple of big girls (one being sissy) out there playing too.  They liked it even more than Jillian did.  Look at Jillian on the left striking a pose.  This is her newest game with sissy.  She makes the arm motions and sissy copies her.  Her big sissy in under her control completely and Jillian insists on it!

More game poses..

Eventually, Jillian grew tired of the mess and moved on to other thrilling backyard fun.  She played on her swing set and didn't let those creamy hands slow her down.  She also played in the water table.  She thought it would be more fun to hang upside down while putting her hands in the water.  Gotta love my dare devil. 

We are never going inside this summer.  The backyard is the place to be for loads of fun! I love it out there just as much as the girls do so if you need us in the next three months..just come around through the gate and we'll be out back.  Happy Thursday to you all!

Our First Valentine's Day as Four

So blessed to have both of my girls together this year!...

A handmade card.

Gifts..chocolate gifts..the best kind at our house.

Heart shaped pizza..

Yummy!

Bball and Piggy Tails

We love us some basketball at our house. Daddy coaches Darling Kiddo's junior high team at her school and it has been an awesome week for her team. They won their regional game and are headed to the state tournament next Saturday! We are so excited because we are crazy about basketball and winning is fun! My girl has turned into quite a player these days. She looks so big and so grown up out there that it is hard to remember the chubby three year old who couldn't even dribble. She has turned into such a great player and while this isn't her most important attribute for us to cultivate as we shape her into a Godly woman..we love ball so much that it is so rewarding to see her being successful!

She scored 13 points on Friday and she loves, loves, loves to play. She has gained so much confidence and watching her daddy coach her just makes me happy inside!

Oh yes she did...Jillian let me put her hair in piggy tails. It is getting longer ever day and my is it at that messy growing out stage. Can't wait until when it is long enough to really put up and she will finally sit nicely for a good haircut. Until then, we will just have to settle for this hairdo. The three of us were all surrounding her in her room last night. Big Sis with the camera, daddy with his camera phone, and momma with her flashlight trying to get a smile out of her. She must think we are all nuts. Of Course sissy said..You're going to blog about this aren't you? Yes, sweet one..I AM!

Great shot of the piggies..

Oh Be Still My Heart..She's so cute! Hair bows here we come!

A Sister to Love

What could make a little girl smile like that before bedtime?

Why..her sissy sharing a story with her of course!

You know, I'm not going to sleep now momma!

I Almost Said No

It was late the other night and I was getting the girls to bed when I discovered my Jilly had filled her pants. Perfect timing..I cleaned her up and changed her, but there was the issue of the dirty diaper upstairs. So, I bagged the dirty diaper and asked Darling Kiddo to please walk it downstairs and put it out the backdoor so it wouldn't contaminate the upstairs with its odor. She hates poo diapers. Really hates them. She usually leaves the room when I change Jill's diapers and she usually makes a big scene too. So because of her feeling toward the poo diapers, she refused to take the bag downstairs. Part of me wanted to just tell her to get over it and take the poo to the backdoor. I was tired, still had a toddler to wrestle to bed, and her to tuck in too. Regardless, she offered to stay upstairs with sissy so I could get rid of the poo myself. I agreed hesitantly and went off with the bag in hand. I came back upstairs after throwing out that diaper to find Jillian and big sis snuggled up in their pjs on the bed. Big sis was not only watching sissy for me, she was lovin on her next to her all snuggled up in her bed. It was a precious sight for a momma to behold..my two girls snuggled up together like that. I wish I could have captured it on film, but my camera was not near and so I am going to have to rely on my heart to record this moment. So glad that I didn't say no to big sis's offer. So glad that I took her up on her deal and handled the poo myself because seeing them together like that warms my heart.

Giggles Galore

(I have to begin with a confession..We must not be making Em practice her piano enough as Jillian has been home five months and this is the first time she has heard the piano. Summer break was long..but back to lessons and practice for Darling Kiddo.)

Wonder what could be causing this...

and this...

and this..

Why this...Of Course!

Sissy is back to piano lessons which means practice. Jillian loved the sound and the vibration in the floor as sissy played the keys. She asked us to play that piano all night and giggled with joy as each of us "played". Look at how she is holding her sissy's hand. Who can stand it? So cute..

So thankful for my girls..So much love to share.