Let's play a game.....
Guess this picture:

(no it's not a hat)

Mondays Andrew often stays home. This past monday was one of those days. He went bike riding early in the morning, came home for breakfast.
Then we proceeded to clean out more of the back patio. There was a lot of rotten, warped wood that was the deck. Andrew and the kids ripped it out and cleaned it up. It's great having the option of washing the area clean. Before, we didn't know what was under the wood...rats, spiders, etc! My Grandfather had built it years before when he lived here. I'm sure it looked great back then and leveled out the area. As you can see there are large areas that are raised. It will take a bit of thought to figure out how to work with what we have, but eventually we'd love for the back patio to be a place where we can relax, drink coffee and hang out, grow veggies and enjoy some fresh air.





Jeremy is sure figuring things out. He is understanding most of what we talk about. He is such a happy, and for the most part well behaved, little guy. I really am amazed. God has helped us in so many ways to communicate with him and relate to him. I can't explain it very well except that I believe the Holy Spirit gives us wisdom and discernment and the strength to do what He has called us to.
I often have headaches and a brain that feels fuzzy and foggy. I don't know how else to describe it. (We've gone through many tests to find out what's going on, but that's a whole 'nother blog). Many days it is very difficult to function. Last week was pretty tough. But even in the middle of it all God carries us through. I've found out that even when I am hurting and unable to make sense of my head, only by the strength that God provides, I can still love my children and husband, I can still be patient, I can still walk in the Spirit. Sometimes it feels like acting when my body is hurting and all I want to do is cry and crawl into bed, but I can't and I have to choose to lay that aside and gently respond to the kids in the way that they need at that moment. I don't always respond in the right way, but I try to do this as much as possible and I am praising God that He supplies all our needs according to the grace we have in Christ Jesus.

I love seeing each of the kids grow and mature in their responses to life.

We have a Summer Schedule that I put together to help the kids have some structure during these next months. Well, usually the kids have taken a long time to get through it each day...which I don't mind, it keeps them busy and gives them the opportunity to take responsibility for themselves. My younger brother let Joshua borrow a playstation...guess who was up at 5:30am yesterday getting their chores and responsibilities done?! He was done before the clock struck 6:30am! I tried to encourage him in his effort and praise him for his dilligence. But I did have to draw the line that he would have to wait until after Breakfast before he could play the games. He was cool with that. He even had a good attitude when Dad said that we were tearing out the deck first thing in the morning and then they would play the games together when they were done. Good dilligence and great flexibility when plans change, Joshua!

Angela is taking Gymnastics at a gym that is pretty strict. She likes it 'cause she's getting the instruction that she needs to do well. She loved the coach she had in the last level (we saw her a couple times at church and she's very sweet and yet detailed in her coaching). Angela recently passed a test and moved up to the next level, which meant a new coach. This coach is much more strict, and isn't quite as possitive and encouraging, but she's also very attentive to good form (as a teacher these are great qualities, but as a student it can often become frustrating). We've talked a couple times about it and she decided that she would do what the coach says to do as best as she could, and better. Then she could pass another test and move on! She is doing a wonderful job and have a great attitude.

These are chalky gymnastic hands!

What word best described yesterday...~SWIMMING!~
Andrew took Jeremy to work with him for the morning. The kids and I went grocery shopping then met Andrew and Jeremy at Andrew's parents house. We went swimming and slip'n'sliding...had lunch...went home...went swimming in the doughboy....started going upstairs, met my younger brothers as they were going downstairs to go swimming....the kids wanted to go swimming with the boys....so we went back downstairs and went swimming again! I didn't mind at all.
We didn't have anything better to do....and busy, active kids always produce happy kids!

Jeremy gets all excited when he finds out we're going somewhere.
Well today, Dad decided to take him to work!
Jeremy was bouncing up and down yelling and laughing!

He has no idea what "work" is. He just knows that Dad leaves in the morning "to work". This will be a fun way for him to understand a little bit about where Dad goes. The first week Jeremy was home Andrew stayed home from work. But I remember the first morning that he had to go back to work and was getting ready. Jeremy got all excited 'cause Dad was putting on his shoes - to him that meant that we were all going out for the day. He was quite confused when Andrew kissed everyone goodbye and left out the front door, while the rest of us stayed home.

Andrew is such a great Dad. He really focuses on what he can do to bond with the kids.

Throughout this transition we've tried to be watchful to the older kids to be sure they are doing well through all these changes too. Last week Andrew took Joshua out for the afternoon to have some time together, and yesterday he took Angela out for ice-cream to a place down the street from us. They were able to have some good talks about life and how to deal with the good and the difficult. It didn't take anything big or expensive, just that one-on-one communication and reassuring that they are loved.

Joshua Young 2009

Last night was Joshua's Piano Recital for '09.

It always moves me to hear him play. When he practices he loves to improvise adding beats and notes to make the song come alive.
When he plays in front of people he enjoys it. Many people get nervous when they have to play in front of people but for Joshua it actually makes him better and he feeds off the excitement of the audience.

His hands literally dance on the keys.

The first song he plays he composed and titled it:
12 Bar Roller Coaster Blues
Then he plays:
First Loss
Rigadoon
Landler
Russian Dance
Ecossaise
Wisdom of Snow (This is one of my favorites that he learned from the Transiberian Orchestra)
Baba Yaga

Sunday we went swimming at Grandma's house.

Here they are taking a break and warming up in the sun:

Brothers and sister

Jeremy has discovered Bob The Builder. It is very cute hearing him try to sing the song, "Bob the Builder, can he fix it?....Yes he can!"

The day that we prepared to leave Haiti we had the wonderful opportunity of hearing the children, that Jeremy has grown up with, sing a farewell song. It was so beautiful. We were surrounded by 70 children and their Nannies. The whole room resounded with their voices. They sang for nearly 5 minutes straight. On the video I only put a portion of the songs. Later I will post all the songs if you'd like.
:)
After they were finished singing all the kids rushed over to give kisses, hugs and high-fives. What an emotional moment! That also went on for a good 5 minutes.





Jeremy was pretty blank faced the whole time. He had seen all this before but it was always about someone else. Now that he was in the "hot seat" he was still processing all that was happening and wondering what the next thing would be. He had been prepared for this moment for a long time. But what "going home" actually meant?...this was something that could not be described, only experienced. At that time he had no idea what to expect.
During our stay we saw him smile and he giggled when we played...but the whole time he was still hesitant and unsure. But once we flew out of Haiti and into Florida, and actually landed and were walking out of the airplane, did he completely let go of all hesitation. He had his Papa and Mama. Jeremy's papa and mama. He threw his arms around me in the airport, hugged and kissed and snuggled in my neck. It was the most night and day difference! I think he finally knew that the old was gone and the new was here.

Jeremy has adapted quickly.
We've seen big changes in him.

When he first came home he was curious about everything! What is that? What does that do? What's in there?
He's getting used to things and people. He knows most of our family (grandmas and grandpas, uncles and aunts) by their picture and can point to them and say their names. He's more relaxed around familiar faces and warms up to them easier.

Here's a video of when we first met Jeremy.
Slowly but surely I've been working on editing video of our trip to Haiti.

(I usually can grab a minute here and there but to get some good solid time is difficult still.)

What a sweet moment that was. After 2 years of receiving pictures and updates it was a huge joy to embrace him face to face and tell him how much we loved him.
Once we met him we spent the rest of our time in Haiti (3 days) with him. He stayed with us in a guest house. We got to play with him and just hang out together. It was a great learning time in an atmosphere that was sort of familiar to him.
He REALLY loved playing with the squirt gun. That was the first time that we heard him laugh!

ENJOY!