Last Day of School

Today was Annaliese’s last day of school – the semester has flown by so quickly! 

We picked up her report card and said our goodbyes to Ms. Jenkins and Mrs. Malone. Many thanks to these wonderful ladies who made Annaliese’s transition go so smoothly and for helping her learn the school basics. We know that having a child so young was a new challenge for both of them and we appreciate their willingness to jump right in and make the semester so successful for her. 

Fun Day

Today was Fun Day at school. Annaliese enjoyed playing, watching movies, inflatables, and a pizza lunch. Thanks to the school PTO for putting this together for the kiddos!

Field Trip

I need to get pictures from my mom, but Annaliese had her first school field trip today! My mom was a chaperone for the class. They went to the Decatur zoo and seemed to have a great time : ) 

Weekend Away

Last Friday, Grandma Jane picked Annaliese up from school and took her home for a long weekend. Jonathan and I celebrated our 10^th wedding anniversary and enjoyed a weekend away in the Chicago area : )

This was our first time away overnight and we were a bit anxious about it, but Annaliese did great!! She had a great time with Grandma Jane, but was also glad to see us when she came home – a win/win!!

Thanks, mom, for the time away. We needed it and we enjoyed it : )

Bad Habits

Okay – so I have to admit that I have a bad habit of rolling my eyes and grunting in frustration when something irritates me. I try to not let Annaliese see it, but she does and she tends to repeat it.

Today, though, I apparently did it to her because she said, “mommy…stop wiggling eyes at me!”

Oh, Lord, help me to have patience!!

Mother's Day

My first Mother’s Day today! If you had asked me this time last year, I may have told you that I thought this day would never come. But, oh, how things changed! 

Jonathan and Annaliese gave me a beautiful necklace (which Jonathan quickly pointed out could be easily added to).

We went out for lunch after church and then came home to a nice leisurely afternoon of being outside and bike riding/walks. Thanks to both of them for making it a special day : )

As I enjoy this day, though, I cannot help but think about Annaliese’s birthmother. She is, and always will be, such an integral part of who Annaliese is and who she will become. Please take a moment to read the following blog post from a fellow adoptive mom who describes it better than I can:

http://amomentcherished.blogspot.com/2013/05/for-her.html

Please say a prayer for her birthmother, and so many others like her, who are “courageous women that poverty has stolen what was most precious to them. And while adoption is the most beautiful experience I have ever been inside of, it is also the most horrific and ugly as it is mottled with so much pain, so much loss, so much injustice.”

Today, we honor her, too.

 

We planted a Calla Lily (the national flower of Ethiopia) in honor of her birthmother today. We then said a prayer for her over it. 

Mother's Day Picnic

Today was the Mother’s Day picnic at Annaliese’s school. She was able to share a time of lunch and play with her two grandmas and one of her aunts. It was also great to see her play with the other children.

She gave me a book that she had made that was all about her mom. It was very sweet. I learned things about myself that I never knew - oh, to see yourself through the eyes of your child : )

There was also a running theme of her having a brother and sister throughout the pictures - I wonder where this is headed... 

Unexpected Outing

Before we left to come home from Missouri, we decided to take advantage of being so close to Kansas City (shhh…don’t tell my grandma we were that close to her and did not stop in – we did not have enough time once the idea crossed our mind!).

We went to the Sea Life Aquarium for Annaliese’s first experience with some pretty amazing fish. She was very intrigued – especially with the sharks : )

 

 



This section had a glass bottom - I could not see it from the ground and could not figure out why she looked so scared to walk towards the fence when she first went up by herself!

Death in the Family

This week we unexpectedly traveled to Missouri for a memorial service of one of Jonathan’s aunts. She was a beautiful woman who was an adoptive mother herself. She was so supportive of our process and could not wait to meet Annaliese. Unfortunately, she passed away unexpectedly earlier this week and was unable to do so before that time.

Her memorial service felt more like a church service than a funeral. It is so comforting to have a hope of how someone you love gets to spend eternity when they loved and served Jesus. We will miss you, Nancy.

Painting

We are FINALLY painting the main living area of our house so that the walls will not be the same color as the ceiling! I thought you all may appreciate Annaliese’s color suggestions…

Lime Pop

Grenadine

Lemon Zest