Homecoming 2013

It all started 14 years ago.  Al and his group of 7 friends, and their various girl friends, decided to have a Harvest Party.  It was simple- it consisted of carving pumpkins (for prizes), eating chili (made by yours truly) and devouring the most amazing apple pie ever (made by Megan).  It was such fun that we decided to keep holding Harvest Parties after we all graduated!  We swapped houses to meet at- and eventually, we out-grew the houses.  We still wanted to meet once a year, and so meeting at Liberty for Homecoming became our new tradition!  Not every family can make it every year, but we have a blast with those that are able to come!  The group of 7 guys has now grown to 40 people- and we keep growing!

This year we drove with our good friends the W's- gotta love the space of a minivan!  We met up with our friends the W's, V's, and even the P's (he wasn't officially one of the guys, but he hung out a lot!). We had a blast at the carnival, the parade, the football game, the cook out, and wandering around campus enjoying all the new additions/construction!  It was a great day and lots of fun was had by all!

First stop- Dunkin Donuts!

Loving the free cotton candy and popcorn!

Thumbs Up for LU!

Lots of fun on the spiny ride...

My stomach is still smooshed but the kids loved it!

Waiting for the parade and all the candy that they would throw!

Addie and Mr. Mikey on the Ferris Wheel

Hannah and Alden rode on the Ferris Wheel with me

Addie on the Bucking Bronco!

Alden loved this!

Spirit Rock!  Next year we are bringing paint for the kiddos!

DeMoss steps!

Football game!

All I Want For Christmas Are My Two Front Teeth

A little over a week ago, Adeline lost her first top tooth.  So cute!  The one next to it was super loose- and we really hoped it would fall out quickly- 3 days later was picture day at school!  Sadly, it did not fall out in time for pictures- it continued to hang on by a thread!

On Monday night, that thread that was holding on, finally started to hurt, and to with a good firm yank by Mommy, out the tooth fell!  She was SO excited and SO adorable!

Fresh off the bus and happy to show off her missing top tooth!

Tooth just fell out!

My beautiful girl!

I will admit, I should be fired from my job as Tooth Fairy.  {Both kids know Al and I are the Tooth Fairy- a little neighbor boy told them, but they still want to believe and thus want the money to magically appear under their pillows}  I forgot the night she lost her first top tooth and had to quickly cover it up by stashing money under her pillow as she was sobbing on the floor of her room, and have her look again....  The 2nd tooth- I realized I had forgotten about 10min before she usually wakes up (I know, I am SO LAME), and put the money just outside her door.  Let's hope I get better or a REAL Tooth Fairy may need to start visiting....

Rainbow Loom

The most recent "craze" to sweep the Nation is Rainbow Loom.  Twisting color rubber bands into different designs and creating bracelets.  My kids LOVE it.  I love that they sit quietly, focused on patterns and thinking through things.  I love that they think of others to give the bracelets to.  

Both kids worked extra hard and saved up their allowance to buy the actual looms.  Saturday they had enough money and they have been hard at work watching YouTube after YouTube on how to make all different kinds of bracelets.  Lots of them are complicated, especially when you are 6 and 7 years old!  {read this to mean that I have to help and check just about every step if the bracelet is supposed to turn out and not just break apart when they remove it}

It could be frustrating- but I choose to embrace getting to sit, snuggled with my kiddos while they happily look for the bottom rubber band to pull over another rubber band and then re-loop it on another peg.

Lots of happy memories were made.  Lots of YouTubes were watched.  Lots of rubber bands were used.  Lots of frustration.  Lots of patience.  Lots of fun!

One Full Cup

It's easy to be negative in life- there is lots in life that is hard and ugly.

I strive to see the positive, the grace, the ray of sunshine.  I see the cup half-full.  God has given me SO much, I have everything to be thankful for.

Some days it's easier to have my sunny outlook.  Some days it's downright hard.

This post is not made to brag- but for me to have it to reflect on when life gets hard.

Today was simply amazing.  It was full of kindness, happiness, milestones, laughter, and all things good.

First this this morning, I had a Faculty Meeting.  At the end of each Faculty Meeting, one teacher (who was chosen at the previous meeting), recognizes another teacher for being an outstanding teacher/colleague, etc.  In all my 14 years of teaching, I have never won this, nor did I expect to.  I love what I do, I love my students, and I do the best I can.  I'm not one of the popular people, but I love my job and I'm fine with that.  Today, I was chosen!  Eduardo, the raven (our mascot), will proudly sit on my desk for the month of October until I pass him off to another worthy teacher.  It was incredibly humbling to hear the kind things said about me and to realize that someone else did notice what I do.  It is also incredibly motivating- to continue to love my students and impact them positively.

Next up- Adeline lost her first top tooth!!  I will say that it was super loose last night, but she wanted to wait and have either Miss Sarah (from Goddard) pull it, or her beloved Mrs. Blevins (teacher).  I a SO thankful that she has such loving teachers!  I know that she is loved and taken care of all day long.  She is learning so many lessons I could never in a million years teach her- and I am thankful!  I am also thankful that this tooth fell out- picture day is Thursday!  And I am praying that the other tooth falls out before Thursday! I just may actually buy the school pictures if that happens!

I don't have a picture of this, but Adeline requested a Big Girl Bible!  She loves reading her "baby Bible" the one with all the pictures and shortened stories, but she wants one to use in church so she can follow along.  Al took her to get one, pretty purple, and even put her name on it.  She is growing up so quickly and I am honored to see Christ working in her heart!

While Al took Adeline to get her Bible, Alden was my super helper.  He cut up the tomatoes for dinner and then he read two books to me!  I love getting to spend one-on-one time with him- he is such a funny and neat boy, especially without an audience to entertain.  He loves to cook- he loves food in general- and he loved the fact that I gave him a knife...  I may have created a beast....  And it was so sweet to hear him read to me- chuckling at the jokes Dr. Seuss was making.  He enjoyed reading- and for him, that is a first!

Today at school, a sweet friend handed me this shirt.  We both love funny shirts, especially those with Pi.  She saw this shirt and thought of me- and just gave it to me!  I have the best friends!  Adeline loves it, too, her class mascot/theme is pirates!

Another blessing- I got an email from CFA that our fundraising check was in!  How nice to have something to put into the bank?!?

Al is home all week!  

My students behaved, learned, and were enjoyable.  

My math team created two weeks with of lessons plans today.  

The kids played nicely together.  

It rained and the temps are no longer in the 90s.

I could go on a bit longer, but you get the picture.  Today was pretty amazing.  I'm soaking up the blessings to have them to reflect on in the future!

Referral!!

Thursday, October 3, 2013 our family changed forever.

We got the email stating that our request for the twins in Lithuania was granted!!

To state that we are over-the-moon-happy doesn't begin to come close!

There are still a few lengthy steps that need to be taken- but there is a chance that we could have the twins home by Christmas!  Please pray for that happen- this would just be wonderful!

We need to wait for the actual documents- birth certificate, proof of orphanness- to arrive from Lithuania.  Then we can file with USCIS (which IS open since they are fee based).  Since we are medically expedited we will receive back our approval in about 10 days.  That form will then be sent to Lithuania where a judge will set a court date- this date is typically in 6 weeks.  We will plan on being in Lithuania before that court date to meet the twins and love on them for a few days.  Al and I will attend court and request that the 30 day waiting period be waived.  {This is something you can realllly pray for!}  In about 70% of the cases, the judge does waive the waiting period.  IF he does, the twins become Perreca's right then and there!  We will still need to bring the twins to the capital and get them US passports and visas.  All said- it should take about 2 weeks.  2 weeks doesn't sound long- but the temps are super cold and there isn't much more than 3-4hrs of daylight, 2 weeks can be a challenge.

So, please pray that things go smoothly and that we have peace while we wait....  Also pray as we have 3 fundraisers in the works now- we know that God can provide the $10,000 we need!

Pumpkin Time (really, it is, don't let the weather fool you)

Every day going to and from school we drive past Grandma's Pumpkin Patch.  This is the patch that we took Adeline to when she was 10months old.  It's super simple, you can walk around the field, talk with the owner or her daughter.  It's simple and we love it!

This year the kids have been eagerly watching the pumpkins grow with each passing day.  You can imagine their delight when they finally saw the flags hung up and the Open sign!  I did have one request- that we wait for Daddy.  Friday, after school, with the temps hovering around 90, we went!  Shockingly we were not the only customers!  

The kids had a blast looking at all the pumpkins- both those in the field and those already picked.  I seriously think Alden picked up just about every pumpkin there, searching for just the right one.  Adeline, she looked around, looked at a few, and then made her selection.  Quick and painless!

In the end, we left with two pretty amazing pumpkins- and they each had a pumpkin to bring home, too...

My cute pumpkins!

Open for Business!

Checking the field they watch every day

This one's heavy!

Addie's perfect pumpkin!

Next up- deciding what to carve....  Top of the list is Lithuania.....  Not too sure people would recognize it.

Bacon!

Alden loves food.  He has since he was 6mo old.  This piece of his creative writing is precious and hilarious all rolled into one!

Translation: My magic pot is cooking bacon.  There is a lot of brown bacon.  I picked bacon because it is healthy and I love bacon.

This is hilarious since he has only ever eaten turkey bacon and it really looks like regular bacon in his picture!  We don't eat it all that often!  

Being the amazing mother that I am, I went out and bought real bacon for him!

This is the thanks I got:

He has since decided that he only loves turkey bacon and does not care for the real stuff one iota.   This is fine by me since I like real bacon!