What Happened to July?

Sweet summer. It is flying right by and I just happened to look up and notice that July is gone. What?!? Come back, July! I'm not ready for you to go yet...but alas, here is a photo update of what this month was full of.

Visits to the park

 

Yard work

More yard work

Garden bounty

Birthday Hibachi

BFF Bday date

Laughing attacks

Auntie time

Hardcore sand volleyball

Good old family fun

3

Playground adventures

Froyo of course

Grandparents visiting

Chillin like a villian

Still more laughter

WALKING baby

Cheesy, happy smiles

Discovering the sprinkler

Really juicy hugs

Sister/Friend Wine date

Sorry August, you've got a lot to live up to. Good luck.

College Reunion

2006

2013

What happens when you don't see your college friends for 7 years? They grow up, get real jobs, find awesome husbands and have adorable babies. And are still the same amazing people that you lived in a stinky house with for 4 years.

It was so fun to see you all. Let's do it again before another 7 years goes by.

A Moment

I had "a moment" tonight. You know what I'm talking about? One of those moments where you want time to stop so you can just soak it all in. After a long day with Eleanore which included playing, crying, walking/falling, squirming, and non-stop action, she had finally fallen asleep in my arms. I wanted to memorize her perfect little face, her baby smell, her soft breath, and how she fits just right in my arms. I couldn't put her down in her crib quite yet, I just prayed over her and thanked God for this sweet, sweet blessing.

I need more of these moments in my life. Moments where I stop what I am doing, stop thinking of what I could be doing or should be doing, and marvel at what is right in front of me. These are moments I will never get back, and I don't want to be too busy to stop and enjoy and be thankful for exactly what I have right now.

I might just have to go peek at the little one once more before I go to bed...

Life at the Zoo

Please excuse the following non-adoption related post. And all other similar posts. Thank you.

Where's Waldo?

On a beautiful day in July, we met up with my friend Whitney. Well, we were planning to meet up somewhere in Como Zoo, but my cellphone just happened to have a fatal heart attack about 5 minutes before we arrived at the most crowded zoo in town. With no set meeting place. (What did people do before cellphones? Plan ahead? Crazies.)

Good thing we planned to wear purple shirts so we would find each other. We ran right into her at the entrance and had a splendid day. As seen above, Eleanore proceeded to gnaw on her hand all day. #teethingisnotfun

Auntie Whitney was so much fun as usual, her baby skills are supreme. Is there anything this girl is not good at? I submit that there is not.

When I look at this picture, all I see is WHITE LEGS!

 It was just like old times, Whitney and I chatting away while poor Dean wandered off to entertain himself. Sorry Dean. 

 After checking out the turtles and yelling at babies, we headed to Fasika for my first experience with Ethiopian food. How was I not aware of this deliciousness before? A humungous platter of spiced veggie dishes that you eat with your fingers is right up my alley. Heavenly.  I will be back there. Tomorrow.

Whitney, I think this is a perfect e-harmony profile pic. Come hither.

 Thanks for the day of fun, friend. And try not to move out of the country again so that these dates can continue to happen. xoxo

Monthly Adoption Update

Since this is our official adoption blog, I better get some legit adoption updates going here. The way things are going, it seems that I should do yearly updates maybe instead of monthly. Or maybe I am just impatient. Correction: I am very impatient and need to get used to waiting.

We are still in home-study-land, doing paperwork and having interviews and doing more paperwork and getting things notarized and trying to find documents I thought I would never need and threw away and praying and making decisions and praying some more. 

But the truth is, we just can't wait to meet our children, so any wait at all seems long. I keep telling myself that it's not just waiting, it's preparation. And God knows I need a lot of preparation, so maybe it will be a lot of waiting. And that's ok.

So that's where we're at in this process, still in the beginning stages and looking forward to what's ahead. And always trusting that God's timing is perfect.

Strawberry Adventures

We started off our Independence Day celebration with a bang at Govin's Farm with some strawberry picking.

First we had to say hi to Lil Sebastian

And this guy! Can you believe this is a real animal?

Eleanore learned pretty quickly how to pick the berries, but she didn't quite master how to put them in the bucket. Somehow she thought that they went straight from the bush to her mouth (I may have inadvertently taught her that...), stem and all. Greens are healthy, right?

The OCD-mom in me was having a hard time with the strawberry juice everywhere. I've got a lot to learn.

 And the fruit of our labors! Pounds of delicious berries! Happy smiling faces!

And best of all, a lovely time with some of my favorite ladies. 

MORE STRAWBERRIES!!