Self Portraits

My boy has grown so much in this last year--physically, emotionally, academically, developmentally. Nothing says it more than by comparing his self portraits over the last 12 months.  WOW.

Jan 2016

Dec 2016

Photo-A-Day: Days 31 & 32. The End.

The last two days of our photo project:

{Day 31}: Christmas Eve
A full but peaceful day: Another win for the Green Bay Packers; Isaac sitting through and singing Silent Night at the end of Christmas Eve service; Chinese food and little Christmas cups at dinner; singing Happy Birthday to Jesus; practicing our reading with name tags on gifts; staying up past bedtime; falling asleep to Christmas worship. Merry Christmas.

{Day 32}: Christmas

Seeing how we are his last stop before he heads back to the North Pole, Santa accepted our invite for a quick visit. He wasn't nearly as excited as last year, but he sure did talk about it a lot after Santa left to feed his reindeer. 

The camera stayed put for the rest of the day, but there were kids giggling, wads of wrapping paper thrown, snacks everywhere, a perfect gift for a little boy, and even a nap for this momma. The nativity has come and the rest of the year will soon end, but I am once again thankful for the little tidbits of the days and weeks and months that make up our life. A few we catch on film, most we don't. All are important in making who are are as a family. <3

Until the Holiday Photo-A-Day 2017...

Photo-A-Day: Days 26-30

...the final days of our holiday photo-a-day project: 

{Day 26}: Up Early

I was up early to get Isaac some more medications and found myself grumbling a bit as I shuffled from the bedrooms through the house to the kitchen, but then I passed our Christmas tree just as the automatic timer flipped the lights on. Ahhhhh...that's perfect. 

{Day 27}: Christmas Karaoke

He had 30 min of energy this afternoon and took the opportunity to belt out a few Christmas tunes. "BARK the Herald" was the song of choice today.  (yes...BARK. The song will never be the same again)

{Day 28}: Polar Express Date

These two have been crushing on each other pretty hard during song service at church lately. When I hear adult giggles behind my left shoulder during worship I can pretty much guarantee that my son has just laid a kiss on her cheek...and she liked it 😍 (a holy kiss, perhaps?) I think the arranged marriage will work...we are already neighbors and their grandmothers have been besties for a while now so really it's just working out the tiny details. 

{Day 29}: Christmas Lights
A long day at work, trying to fight off the crud myself, deserved a dinner out and a tour around the neighborhood lights.

Signing "beautiful"

Like a drive through Christmas safari! 

{Day 30}: Santa's Key
No fireplace in our home, so how is the big guy supposed to get in the house??  We placed a key outside for him today so he can enter the house without causing a ruckus. ;)

...just two more days left...

Photo-A-Day: Days 21-25

...a continuation of our Holiday Photo-A-Day project...

{Day 21}: Snowflake Lane
Our second annual trip to Snowflake Lane. It was brrrrrr-freezy but super fun! Thankful that our friend Becca could join us, especially to see this photo in person:

Somebody buy my kid some personality, he seems to be lacking!

I think the Snow Queen was more interested in Isaac than Isaac was in her :)

This sweet elf saw me signing to Isaac, disappeared for a moment then returned to sign "I'm from the North Pole. What's your name?"  Isaac was floored...so was I!

We had front row seats to this student-with-ADD-turned-successful-street-performer's mini concert!

{Day 22}: Best "new" Nativity Book
Joseph has always had a soft spot in my Nativity heart. Much was asked of Mary in her obedience to birth Jesus, but Joseph's obedient response as an adoptive father was equally, if not more powerful. I snagged this book at Half Price Books to add to our Christmas library and I haven't been able to read through it once without weeping...

"...What lullabies should I sing to someone who taught the angels to dance and peppered the sky with songbirds? How can I teach him his words and letters: he who strong the alphabet together, he who whispered dreams into a million, million ears, in a thousand different languages? The very thought of it leaves me speechless..."

Father and Son: A Nativity Story

by Geraldine McCaughrean

{Day 23}: Track 13

The favorite Christmas song of choice this year is Track 13 on the "Duck The Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas" CD. Nothing like the velvety tones of the Duck Dynasty clan singing Silent Night to satisfy a 6 year old's heart (...one gazillion times). 

{Day 24}: Home Improvement

Christmas is just 1 week away and it's only 24 degrees outside, but that is not stopping new siding being put up and other much needed projects around the house getting done. Thankful for a contractor that promised to get everything done in time and he is sticking to it!

{Day 25}: Feliz Navi-Pneumonia

It hit him quick and hard. A trip to his pediatrician AND to our friends in the Emergency Room confirmed it. The ER team met us with a hearty "Hey! We haven't see you guys in a while!" Darn it, we ALMOST made it through 2016 without any urgent medical issues. ALMOST. Thankfully, we didn't have to stay but a few hours. Here's hoping for ZERO hospitalizations in 2016 (12 months without a hospitalization has yet to happen for us yet...)

...to be continued...

Photo-A-Day: Days 16-20

Less than two weeks until the big day. We are having finding little joys every day to celebrate this great season:


{Day 16}: The Snow Aftermath
 I'm surprised FEMA or the National Guard didn't have to be called in---I mean, I can't even see MOST of my grass! #seattlesnow  #haha #gonebynoon

{Day 17}: Reindeer
Santa's reindeer were doing a test flight and stopped off near our house for a union break. I don't know who was more impressed with who--Isaac or Blitzten.

{Day 18}: Go Pack Go!
Green Bay Packers vs Seattle Seahawks...we smoked'm 38-10! And now my 9-year old nephew has to pay-up to his cheese-head auntie!  This is Isaac's "see, I told you" face. (I wonder where he has seen that before?!) 😜

{Day 19}: Writing Names
All that work at home and kindergarten is paying off. This year he is writing 'names' on the gifts. (this one is for his cousin Ellie...don't tell)

{Day 20}: Licked & Sent!
20 states and 3 countries...some with enough 6 year old DNA on the lick-strip to do an ancestry test. God bless you if you are one of the recipients! We sent it with love. 💗

...to be continued...

Photo-A-Day: Days 11-15

...a continuation of our photo-a-day holiday project...

{Day 11}: Journey to Bethlehem

This experience might well be the highlight of our Christmas season...I mean Top Five Best Things Ever. It was THAT cool.  Think Disney meets Colonial Williamsburg meets Improv meets a petting zoo meets the Nativity Story. Add a perfectly clear (and dry!) 40 degree night, three adults that couldn't stop grinning and four kids engrossed in the Gospel story...topped with actually 'meeting' baby Jesus and singing O, Come Let Us Adore Him at his feet.  It was perfect. (and worthy of more than one picture):

Joining our caravan to Bethlehem

Meeting the Three Kings

Getting ready to feed a camel

What's going to happen next?!

Being turned away at the Inn

Getting caught by the Romans

Finding the newborn Savior

{Day 12}: Sleep In Heavenly Peace
He was literally jumping on the couch and all over me seconds before. He stopped. Sat down. Fell asleep. Nighty-night.

{Day 13}: Isaac's Team
We have been incredibly blessed by a team of specialists at Isaac's school--occupational therapist, physical therapist, speech & language pathologist, special education teacher, para-educator and his sweet kindergarten teacher...whom may end up being my daughter-in-law if Isaac has anything to say about it. I was so very anxious at the beginning of the year about who would be speaking over my boy at school, but the Lord provided a perfect team.  So today we delivered our thanks and a bucket-full of HUGS to each.

{Day 14}: Skipping Advent Day 7
We've read through the Jesus Storybook Bible a couple of times now and there is always ONE story I skip over. And because that story is Day 7 of our Advent Calendar, we skipped tonight's reading. I love my child's name--I love the meaning, I love the Biblical context, I love the sound; ISAAC fits my child perfectly. But good gravy, I just can't read the story of Biblical-Isaac being nearly sacrificed to MY Isaac no matter how wonderful a redemptive story it is...at least not yet. Forgive me Lord, but I'm holding this one for later.

{Day 15}: Let it Snow!!
It's been in the forecast for days. Seattlites have hunkered down, readiness prepared and cancelled events. Live StormCast News has been prepped and reporting from every angle. We are prepared!! We will survive!! Trace to three inches...bring it!

...to be continued...

Photo-A-Day: Days 6-10

...a continuation of our holiday photo-a-day project:

{Day 6}: A Night Out
It was my first night out since 1/15/16 (yes--you read that right) and my first sip & paint with friends.  TOTAL fun! I will be doing this again. :)

{Day 7}: The First Christmas Card Of The Season
This year's award goes to our adoption friends in Tinley Park, IL! They are anxiously waiting to bring their daughter home from China in early 2017 and it has been an absolute joy to walk along side them as they wait expectantly on the Lord. In July we'll get to meet them face to face!

{Day 8}: Lawn Dude Gets A Tip

My 'lawn dude' has graciously put the Christmas lights on the house line for several years for which I am VERY thankful.  We came home tonight to see him hovering on the roof in the wind & rain checking bulbs---after 2 hours of putting up lights, half of them weren't working. Ugggg. We are buying new ones. He is coming back. Lawn Dude is getting an extra tip this year!

{Day 9}:  Errands
The list was long today for our first day off in quite awhile. Usually I try not to schedule more than 3 or 4 stops, but today it was an 8-stop morning. Yikes. We finished off with a trip at the Almond Roca Factory (a hometown specialty) for some extra Christmas treats.

{Day 10}: Christmas Wreaths
I think this tradition started as a way to clean up tree branches after a storm; nine or ten years later it's become a regular Christmas event for four families--food, kids, music, laughter...oh and Christmas wreaths.

...to be continued...

Photo-A Day: Days 2-5

...a continuation of our holiday photo-a-day project:

{Day 2}: Christmas Books

Reading has been VERY important in our world of late. The literacy light bulb has flipped on and he is slowing understanding the letters make words which make sentences which make stories. He is excelling in school WELL beyond what his little extra chromosome is "supposed" to allow him to do. Every night we read, two, three, five books as he falls asleep on my shoulder. Happy I'll have a bibliophile in the home with me. 📚

{Day 3}: Gingerbread Houses Are Evil

Who invented these pre-fab things?! And why does it take three adults with multiple degrees, one of which who is a paid engineer and general contractor, nearly loosing their salvation to prep the houses while the four children stare at us like we are buffoons? Why are we not smarter than the ancient cookies and Spackle-like frosting??  Next year, it's milk cartons, superglue & candies that are actually eatable...the way the Jesus intended. 

{Day 4}: Movie Date
As a single child of a single mother, he oddly craves quality time. I know when he needs it and he certainly makes it known when he is receiving it...gobs of kisses all over my face...even in the middle of the movie theater. 💗

{Day 5}: The Last Four Words
When BFFs live 1,598.2 miles apart AND there is a Gilmore Girls revival on Netflix, you get creative (which was good because we needed a support group at the end!)

To be continued...

Photo A Day 2016: Holiday Edition

This is year three of our Photo A Day: Holiday Edition project. Year one was a bomb--I seriously hated it. Year two was actually a lot of fun.  I found that knowing I was carrying the camera provided some unintended structure to a time of the year that can be quite overwhelming. Year three...I'm looking forward to it! I have no idea what the next 32 days will bring, but I'm excited to see what it looks like. Here we go!

{Day 1}: Head of the Table
He weaseled his way to the head of the table and made himself at home. After leading prayer ("Dear Jesus. Thank you. Amen") and singing the doxology, he ate two bites and promptly fell asleep in my arms. Whoa tryptophan!    For him I am thankful.

Happy 6th Birthday Isaac!!

Happy SIXTH Birthday, Isaac!

My baby boy isn't a baby any more...he is SIX. Being six means standing tall and running fast and telling jokes and desperately trying to learn how to snap. Six is getting angry at your mom sometimes, and helping your friends and being in love with your kindergarten teacher. 💗 

It's not five any more. Five year olds need to take naps every day. Six years don't need naps...they just fall asleep on the couch at 6:45. Five year olds have to stay in the cart at the grocery store, six year olds get to scan and help bag the food. Six year olds can write their name and know all their shapes and colors and numbers. SOME super special six year olds are even at the top of their class in knowing all their letters...upper AND lower case.  (YES!) 

Six is a year of growing and responsibility. It's discovering your limits and finding ways to surpass them (in a good way). It's swimming across the pool by yourself and finally figuring out the bike. It's a BIG accomplishment being SIX. I think this boy of mine is going to do just fine. 

Turning six involved a full weekend of celebrating: A special lunch at school on Friday, a swim party with friends on Saturday, and going out for ice cream on Sunday. I want to take FULL advantage of celebrating my boy. I want him to know that ESPECIALLY TODAY he is loved, he is wanted, he has a hope and a future and throws of people who want to celebrate exactly who he is. Too many babies enter this world without joy, without wonderful expectation. And sadly I suspect when my little chromosomally-enhanced boy made his first appearance six years and an ocean ago,  there was a gasp of hopelessness instead of a prideful burst of joy.  I have set to reverse that! So we will celebrate!  And celebrate BIG on this earth the way I know our Heavenly Father celebrated when Isaac was born. So happy birthday my little man. YOU. ARE. LOVED. 💖

Waking up a six year old!

Happy Birthday lunch at school

Birthday sundae!