Monument 10K- Tradition!

This year, the Monument 10k, one of the largest 10k's on the East Coast, had weather that was simply perfect!  It's been cold- bitterly cold- rainy, or hot and steamy.  You never know what the weather will be like in April in Richmond!

Last year, Al didn't get to run in this race since he was needed to help on a job in DC- we did have fun in DC, but I digress.  So...  We were super excited to go back this year!

Al left earlier than the kids and I - we stopped at Dunkin Donuts to get Munchkins (what else says "Go Runners!" than sugared bread?), found parking (which is no small feat) and then made our way to our standard spot- mile marker One!

For those of you who don't know Richmond, at this spot, you can stand on the grassy median and cheer all the runners on.  The race loops around and then goes by on the other side of the median- mile marker Five!  From one spot you can literally watch the entire race!  And there are bands playing on either end the block.  Perfection!

Ready to cheer for Daddy!

How the race got it's name- only 1 of the many monuments!

Alden proudly displaying his sign- Addie didn't want to show hers...

Ready to cheer- sign, check- donuts- um, they were all gone, so that was just mean!

The front pack- these men were amazing!

And the main man we cheered for- looking strong!!

Mile 5- we have crossed the grassy median and are on the opposite side of the street.

Alden High-Fiveing Daddy

Adeline getting a High-Five

It was a great race- it was Al's 6th time to run and he did well!  In years past, he has run it with a friend or group of friends- and I hope that can happen again in the future.  If not- we still enjoyed spending all the time outside together and being a piece of Richmond history!

Beyond Blessed

Each and every day we are blessed- we have a home, we have our health, we have vehicles, we have food, we have jobs we love, we have amazing schools for our kids, we have each other- but mostly, we have God's grace.  We are working on keeping that our focus- it isn't always easy and we fail daily.  The good thing is that nothing we do will get us more of God's blessings- He loves us and blesses us anyway!

This week was full of blessings- in many difference forms- we are beyond thankful! 

Alden is really excelling in baseball- his coach is awesome (Al)- he is really enjoying it and isn't too shabby either- but I'm not biased at all....

Alden hitting the baseball- see the white dot?

Spending some one-on-one time with Adeline, she found the largest four-leaf clover I have ever seen!  Her words "Mommy!  Look at this HUGE clover?  God is REALLLLY gonna bless me!"  The fact that she knows blessings come from Above makes my heart overflow!

Monday, Al was in Detroit, Adeline had gymnastics after school, it was raining, and we were all beat- stumbling out of the car, arms full of all our school and gymnastic "stuff"- these treats were waiting for us on our front walkway!  The kids were surprised that Trader Joe's had "fairies"!  No, not fairies, just a sweet neighbor who remembered me saying what some of our favorite treats are from TJ's, and on her shopping trip picked them up and dropped them off for us.  Blessed- 100% blessed!

On our adoption journey we have met some truly incredible people.  The P family is one of them.  E has answered many of my questions about the adoption process.  Her sweet kiddos have come over and played.  We have had dinner together.  They are amazing!  One of her fundraisers- they are currently adopting a sibling group from the Congo- were these snazzy t-shirts.  She asked that those who bought them sent her a picture of you wearing them.  She is putting them into a book to show to her kiddos when she finally gets them home from Africa.  We are honored and blessed to be a part of that- and the fact that we look cool is pretty awesome to boot!

Life is short- we are blessed- oh so blessed!

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

Alden started baseball on Sunday- he was so incredibly excited!  He loved that it was baseball AND that HIS Daddy is the Coach!!

Ending Strong

Spring Break was fantastic!  It started with NY, food and family and ended with horses, friends and Legos!  Sounds pretty amazing, doesn't it?!?

Addie has been obsessed with horses- and Al, being the wonderful Dad that he is, researched and found an amazing deal- all day Thursday and Friday she got to go, take care of horses, ride horses, play horse games, make horse crafts....  She loved it!

The horse she rode- Candy

While Addie was gone all day, I enjoyed some sweet one-on-one time with my little boy.  He is simply amazing.

He organized all his Legos- even labeling the bags with the colors!

The weather has been ah-mazing- the kids played outside with friends and had lots and lots of fun!

Playdate with friends

We even got some time in with friends on the Wii!

New Blog

So- as many of you know, we are on an adoption journey.  It's pretty amazing- and I wanted to be able to share it with others.  I have been able to read some other people's blogs about their adoption adventures- and I want to be able to provide that same sort of helpful information to others.  I also want our adventure preserved for Asher and Annalise.  Thus, http://fourplustwoequalsone.blogspot.com has been created.  Check it out!  I will periodically mention it here, but that is where I will mostly post our adoption specific updates!

Easter- Red Neck Style!

After church we headed up to Jen and Frank's house.  There we enjoyed a traditional NY Italian holiday- meaning LOTS of food, LOTS of loud conversations (all going on at once), LOTS of laughing, and LOTS of happy memories!  

Counting Cousins!  5, 6, 7

All the cousins- Frank's brother's girls- Just a glimpse of the future....

Easter AND Nate's birthday- it was Thursday!

This sums up all their personalities!

 We also hunted for eggs- lots of fun!

All tuckered out!

Nate got a "real" bow and arrow for his birthday- and Uncle Frank taught all the kids how to shoot it- what fun!

Bows and arrows, snowmobiles, dart guns (not photographed) and lots of food= an amazing Easter!

Traditional Easter Pics

I love getting to snap some pictures of the kids all dressed up...  Easter morning was perfect- maybe a bit too bright- but I love how my kiddos personalities came shining through!!

I am one blessed Momma!!