Is it summer yet?

I am sitting on my back patio, listening to my sweet hubby run the weed eater around the yard, watching Ainsley dance around and find nine hundred things to do all at the same time, and hearing my middle boys building a lego creation together peacefully.  Could it really get much better than this?  I love being outside.  I love the peace and calmness that comes over me when I have a moment to just sit and enjoy the world around me.  Ok, so it is a bit loud now, because Mike is right next to me with the weed eater.  Oh well.
Baby girl has successfully had her palate repaired.  The doctor came out and said it went perfect.  Pretty great words to hear from a doctor.  For the last two weeks she has healed.  When she first came out of surgery, she was very angry.  I guess the anesthesiologist got the look of death when she first woke up.  She was in a lot of pain.  She was glued to me for the first 24 hours.  We were able to manage her pain with very minimal drugs, and she started eating and drinking right away, so we were able to go home the next day.  Her mouth looked like hamburger, but I guess that is what they were going for.  When we got home, she was very selective in what she wanted to eat, but kept asking for crackers.  She is still on cracker restriction until next week, so I have had to disappoint her many times.  Crackers and cereal are her favorites, and they don't fall within the soft foods diet she is on until next Tuesday.  I am sure it is not the last time I will disappoint her.  The doctor was very happy when we went in to see her Tuesday and confirmed that she is healing very nicely.  She has been such a trooper.  Like I said, she was angry in the beginning, but she has come back nicely.  I always have a fear that the procedure with alter her sweet little personality, but praise God, it is only a temporary change.  She is very spicy, but she was spicy before.  She knows what she likes and she knows how to get it.  She has acquired a very loud squeal thanks to the surgery and it has become a very valuable tool for her to get our attention.  So many times she is practicing sounds with her new palate, and it reminds me of the babies as they are starting to babble.  It is so cute.
The rest of the fam is good.  We are gearing up for Bloomsday.  Fun day for all.  We are also planning on taking a trip over to the dark side to visit schools and start deciding where we are going to live.  We are still sitting on our house here.  We haven't had anyone offer to take it off our hands yet, but we are trusting God has a plan.  We have had a good stream of people looking, so it must look good online.  If you have anyone that would be interested in a house in Spokane, let me know.  We have set a date for ourselves to end our commitments here.  We continued to make plans, knowing we have to move sometime, but putting it off.  We will finish with the kids activities on June 18th, with a trip back over for hoopfest.  Life is scary, but I know God is walking with us, and His plans are marvelous.  I will repeat over and over again that I trust in Him, and I know He has a plan.  I want my family together.  I want my husband to see his kids on a regular basis.  I want a husband that is a part of our life.  I know it will work out, but I am getting a bit overwhelmed with the details.

 Not a great pic, but she loved wearing the goggles around.  So silly.

 I am swollen, but still adorable covered in stuffed animals.

 This is how I roll when Mom and Dad run.

 Oh yeah, both fell asleep that day.

 Love my men in church, worshiping and learning together.

 Happy 9th birthday Holden.

 All drugged up before surgery.

 Swollen face, but adorable in Ainsley's ears.

 I personally think the arm splints are their own little piece of torture.  She learned last time how to break free, so they don't last long.  

 Jen, Mike and I finished a half marathon last weekend.  Loved it and had so much fun.

And baby girl loves being outside, just like her siblings.  The weather agrees with her.  Her smile is amazing and I can't believe how much it has changed in the six and a half months she has been home.  We love our little spark plug.  

Another month

Wow has life been crazy, blah blah blah (Hotel Transylvania reference).  It is the same story every time I sit down to write.  Where has the time gone?  How could it already be the middle of April?  What have we been doing to make the days go by so fast?  Well, the answer to the last question is quite simply, keeping up with 5 kids.  Four kids were busy.  We had a lot of activities, and we had a lot to do around the house.  When number 5 entered, it took the busyness up exponentially.  I am finally starting to get a routine and a system, but it has take the full 6 months since we came home.  That's right, six months.  We are six months home with our sweet princess.  We just passed our 6 month home study, and our social worker was very happy with how she is adjusting.  It is really funny, because both Mike and I just scratch our heads at the necessity of these home visits.  She feels like our baby, just as much as any of the others.  It seems weird to have to visit with our social worker so often, when no one ever follows up after a child's birth with biological parents.  Maybe they should, but that is  a political and emotional road I am not going down today.  I just think it is neat how God has worked in our hearts and baby girl's heart to fit us together so completely.  I love adoption and all it is teaching me and showing me is possible.  I am started to get a stirring in my heart that there is more that I can do.  I know I will be praying about it and I know God will show me, but I am blown away by all adoption has done in my life, and I can't keep it to myself and I can't pretend that I am the same as I was six months, one year, even a year and a half ago when we first started the process of adoption.  I am excited and scared to see where this leads me.
We are having a glorious time keeping our house show ready and on the market.  We are getting a slow but steady stream of lookers, and we are feeling more and more comfortable with the fact that God is in control of even this.  I have a routine I go through every morning to make sure the house is ready in case I can't come back before it needs to be shown.  I have to set an alarm for the first time in forever so I can get everything done before we have to head out the door to school.  The kids are getting older, and don't wake up the second they hear me moving about.  I have been able to get myself ready, and start breakfast and lunches before I hear the first stirrings from upstairs.  That probably means I could set my alarm for a little earlier and actually get my run done in the morning, but wait, I hate early morning.  Guess I will see if I can get myself motivated.  Last night I was so tired, Brandt told me I needed to go to bed.  And that was at 8:00.
Tomorrow is Grace's second surgery.  She will be having the roof of her mouth, or palate, repaired.  After the repair is healed, she should be able to start talking.  She is desperate to let us know what she wants.  She is a sponge when it comes to learning signs, and she is amazing at remembering and using them.  We are so impressed with how smart and well adjusted she is.  It kind of throws the baby Einstein theory out the window.  She has caught up in so many ways, I just sit and watch her sometimes.  She loves her sister and is constantly following her around.  Big sister is so good with her, most of the time.  When big sis is gone, Grace goes around signing her sister sign.  She likes to know where her people are.  She asks all the time where Daddy is, and seems to accept it when I say he is at work.  She is so much a part of our family, it is like she has always been with us.
Ok, so we spent a great spring break in Seattle and at my sister's house.  I enjoyed my time away, not having to worry about keeping the house perfect.  It is also nice to be back home.  We are going to enjoy our time left here.  It is going by too quickly.

 Wyatt's 7th Birthday

 Ferry ride from Bainbridge Island.  The kids loved it.

 Ainsley holding her new baby cousin, Menolly

 Grace enjoyed dyeing Easter eggs

 The big boys were so good at helping Grace find Easter eggs

 Easter egg hunt at the park

 Family Easter picture

 Grace loves the swing

 Fun park time

 Bremerton

 Point Defiance Zoo