Monday, August 31, 2009

Fall is in the air

It is so cold in my house this am that I am in sweats! That is a little bit wrong, given it IS still August...at least for the rest of the day!

We are so ready to be back in a routine. E started back this am, much to his chagrin. I think he was still enjoying summer. The kids NEED to go back to school before they do each other in. The middles have taken up arguing as a competitive sport. It seems the first one to give in and cry wins. Mom is ready to give up the referee roll for a while! Time for them to have some space, their own friends, and have their minds expanded for a bit.

Overall, summer was good. Trips to the lake, Duluth, the cities, and more filled many weeks. The kids thrived on biking, football in the front yard and swimming. Sunshine has grown by leaps and bounds and though she started the summer as a baby, she is a full fledged little girl now. Wow. For me it was a really bittersweet summer. Selling the shop was hard, and I still have days where I am so sad that I had to give it up. But these days, more often than not, I am thrilled with the new slower pace of life. I love not waking up worrying and going to bed only to wake up in the middle of the night in a panic. I launched a great shop and hopefully it will continue to flourish.

The fall is going to bring nice routine. J-dog and dad out the door by 7:15 to get the bus to the 6th grade school, the mom mobile loaded and out the door by 7:50 with stops at the elementary school and then on to work at the Y. I am really looking forward to working in the preschool and seeing if it is something I want to pursue further or not. Then mom and sunshine home for lunch and nap then back to pick up the brothers 3 by 2:45. It should be a good routine!

We are quickly approaching Sunshines one year family day. It hardly seems possible that a year ago we were planning the final details of our trip to get her. What a year! She is such an amazing blessing and I can't believe how much she has grown and changed in a year. I am worried about her Ethiopia family. There is a horrible drought right now in the region where some of her birth family lives and famine is spreading quickly. I feel so helpless so far away. We pray that God is holding them safely.

That is all for now...I will be closing out this blog in the next week or so and moving on to one that keeps pace with our whole family! Stay tuned for the switch!

Monday, August 17, 2009

Updates, Updates, Updates!

Oops...so I fell off the blog-wagon again. I was going to be so good and try and write at least every other day...guess I was aspiring a little too high! So here is an update::

Miss Sunshine continues to dazzle with her smile and her 2 year old antics. She has been healthy ALL summer which is completely amazing after having her ill ALL winter! She is growing like a weed and will most certainly need a new wardrobe by fall as nothing from spring will fit any longer! I am not sure what she will do come fall when her beloved brothers are back at school and not at her beck and call. Poor kiddo! She is loving playing outside, playing babies and kitchen, and singing. She is also very fond of carrying the cats around...sorry kitties!

We have entered a very strange phase of life. It's called toddler and tween under the same roof. As I work on little one understanding the word no and contemplating potty training, the tween had his first visit to the orthodontist. Yieks! He is slated for round one of braces on Thursday. Not what he was hoping to hear. He has a traumatic overbite. Not what a mother wants to hear. I feel for him...but his 2 best friends also have braces, so he will be in good company! So nothing like braces and diapers all at the same time!

The other two are chugging along. The middle brother has had a fun summer and grown a ton. He is so good with his sister and has enjoyed playing hard and having fun with friends. I think he will be ready to head back to school soon to his own friends and a little time away from his little brother!

As for little brother...he is having a great summer with some big bumps. He is growing like crazy and just may surpass his brothers in time. He is soo strong and built like a linebacker. He ist he apple of his sisters eye and they have fun being silly together. His bumps have come in the form of friendships. In our neighboorhood, we have two kids across the street who are like siblings..but they are older then the little man and while he plays with them, he is often left out. Then there are the neighbors next door. They are his age and come from a home that has very different values from ours. While they play well together, what they play and the attiudes he is picking up are not good. We had to finally "ground" him from them for the week. He's just too good of a kid to follow the path I am afraid they are traveling. So since he is still only 6, mama put her foot down and now find myself with a 6 year old who needs some entertaining. He will be our right hand man this week!

The hubby has been very busy on projects the last few weeks and has lovingly gutted and rebuilt the kitchen. IT is fabulous!! Not sure what the next project will be, but his time is running out, as school starts in 2 weeks!

As for me...I am so happy. So much less stressed, so much nicer to be around! The store transition went well and is signed, selaed and delivered. I have a few loose ends to tie up, but not much. It is a huge relief! I just got a job this week working at the local Y as a preschool teacher. I can't wait. It will be a fun, stress free job! Yay! Miss Sunshine will be in childwatch at the Y, getting some fun kid time too. It will be a great fall!

So there you go. That's the update. I will post pictures later, but right now am getting the mom my turn on the computer look!