Monday, January 30, 2017

Hello 2017 (?!?!)

Time is flying by at warp speed.

J is Kindergarten bound and is 5 going on 35. We affectionately call him "Tiny Fidel" or "Baby Mussolini" because he dictates our family with an iron fist. Who knew someone so small could effect the climate of an entire family system? C even bends to his every want and need.

After 3 months of VPK his teacher remarked on his Kindergarten readiness test that he could go to Kindergarten tomorrow and be successful. He aced the exam short of one question. He didn't know what a Hockey team was. He identified the "team" but didn't understand why a football team would wear silly masks and carry sticks. We live in Florida. Why would he know about Hockey?
He's lost two teeth, which sent me to google "is it normal when a barely 5 year old looses teeth?!?!"

C is almost 9 years old. We are getting ready to celebrate his 6th (!!!!) Russia day/adoption day! How did this even happen??? 3rd grade has been a real challenge for C. Reading chapter books, taking long tests... These stationary activities do not jive with an ADHD kid. He wants to run, climb, dance, jump... pretty much everything but sit.

He is so smart. Like, let me take this vacuum cleaner apart and re-assemble it. Let me build this 10,000 piece lego set. We recently visited SC after being gone for over three years. As we drove along he remembered where to turn to get to Walmart. How to get to our old house. (That we still own 4 years later, btw. long story. Someday we may retire to that house) Which is just fine with me. I miss seasons. And the vibe of the South. And our friends. But Florida has grown on me. We're settled here. We have lovely friends and a great church. We're slowly hitting our stride. It's nice to drive a few hours and be with family instead of a full day of driving. The boys get to KNOW their grandparents. We're not just twice a year visitors.

And we get to go to Disney. A LOT. It's kinda our thing. ;)

Both boys are happy, healthy and thriving. Mom and Dad are just along for the ride. We were married 17 years this month. I've know Chad longer than I haven't known him. He is the love of my life. It's nice to know we'll be together forever. We still get along. Laugh at each others silliness and/or awkwardness. And in our house, there is plenty of that to go around.

Big C has gone back to school for his masters. We have a contest every semester of who in the family can get better grades. So far, its a tie. His youth group saw a lot of challenges this year with a death of one of our students. 2016 was a hard year for the kids.

I'm still working at the church part time in children's ministry, planning MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and leading ladies group. And laundry. So much laundry.

So, talk to you again in a year? Probably not joking.....