Living Up the Weekends

I recently read a stat that a child has 936 weekends until they turn 18 years old.  That struck a cord with me.  In a quick glance that seems like a lot but that means that I don't even get 1000 weekends with my sweet girls before they will graduate and most likely fly the coop.  That also means that we've already spent approximately 200 of those weekends.  Weekends with my girls will be gone in a blink of an eye.  When that happens and I'm looking back I want my mind and photo albums to be filled with memories.  I am not about living with regrets.  It's not about spending money or traveling (both of which I love to do ;)); it's about spending time together, playing together, talking together, building trust with each other, encouraging each other, loving on one another.  This life is hard.
No matter what my girls' days look like and how hard they are I want them to always remember 2 things:  1. That Jesus Christ loves them and only wants the best for them and  2.  That Mama and Baba love them every much.  

It seems like every time we turn around, I'm getting a news alert that something else terrible has happened in this world.  There are many days that I wish I could put my girls in a protective bubble and keep them protected from this crazy world.  I want so badly to be able to protect them from every bad thing.  But at the same time there are so many beautiful things in this world today AND my girls are beautiful and the world definitely needs more people like them.  I pray daily; sometimes every minute for my girls' safety in this crazy world.  I pray that my family will be a light for this world that needs Jesus so badly.  I pray that we as a nation will learn to love each other and not hate so much.  And I pray that we not waste a minute and enjoy each other while we have the chance.

My precious family hanging out this weekend on the pedestrian bridge.  Love them so much!!
      

Let it Snow...in July??

I was working the overnight shift earlier this week.  I texted Matt around 11pm to ask him how his evening went.  His only reply was a picture...

My only response was "what the hell?!!" and then I called to see what in the world was happening with him in charge!  

So the story goes that Matt was on the treadmill and was coming up to check on the girls every mile or so.  When he came up at the last check he opened the basement door and thought something was on fire.  Smoke seemed to be filling the room.  He was searching quickly to see where it was coming from but quickly calmed down when he heard both girls saying, "we're so sorry"...and then he saw the open ash bucket.  Yep, that's right...that is all ash thrown about my family room.  Matt finally got the story out of them that went something like this; we were playing Frozen and needed snow.  Ava later filled us in that "when you throw the ashes into the fan it really looks like snow"!!  

Now as frustrated as we both were after hours of cleaning I cannot fault their imaginations.  Matt and I have definitely been laughing about the situation but not telling the girls we're laughing.  Needless to say the ash bucket has been moved to the garage!  Never a dull moment at our house!

Celebrating 4th of July!

I love the 4th of July!  Friends, family, BBQ, desserts, laughs, games, fireworks!!  I mean what's not to like?!!  

We did fireworks twice this year.  Once on Saturday night at home and once on Sunday night after the College World Series home run derby.  Ava loves fireworks and can't get enough of them, Ella likes them as long as they aren't too loud and scary.  

"That wasn't too loud!  Those (pointing up the street) are too loud!"  She said this over and over in the sweetest little voice for all the fireworks that were Ella approved :)

Baba let Ava help light fireworks this year.  Mama was okay with this because it was just a smoke bomb.  Ava was so proud and Baba loved every moment of it!

We went to the Ralston 4th of July Parade on the actual day.  We had fun hanging out together watching the passers by and the girls had a blast gathering their weight in candy!

Happy 4th of July!  So thankful for this country and for the men and women who fight for our freedom!  God Bless America!!

Happy 5th Birthday Ava Girl!

I have no idea how I have a 5 year old already!  How does time go so quickly and more importantly how do you slow it down??!!  We celebrated with a full weekend of activities.

Friday night was our evening just the 4 of us.  We opened gifts and then went out to dinner.  We asked the birthday girl what she wanted for her dinner and she asked for one of her favorite things...custard buns!  I love custard buns too but I was also very thankful that she didn't pick Red Robin as I suspected she would.

 Custard Buns!!  Yummy!!

Ava and her special friends at the restaurant who made her an impromptu birthday cake.  She is one loved little girl.  

 Her cake made of brown and white rice and carrot strips, dumplings, and rangoon.  Love this!  So special!

On Saturday, we started with a friends and ended the day with a family and friends party.  The weather did not cooperate.  We had planned a beach themed party complete with bounce house, pool, and slip n slide.  However the weather was 68 and rainy all day!  I woke up and laid in bed wondering how to salvage the party but when I got up and went down stairs my mom had already found a page worth of indoor games for kids birthdays.  God bless her!!

Since last August all Ava has wanted was to have her friends from Fullerton over to her house.  I couldn't wait to see her face as all her friends showed up for her birthday party.  I believe we ended up with 11 kids from 3-5pm.  We did end up getting the bounce house set up in the drive way after a lot of hassle.   We also played games including pin the tail on the dolphin, ball throw, and relay races.  The kids ended up having a great time and Ava was so excited!!  Her smile made all the extra stress worth every minute.

 "I'm so excited!!"

  
 We finished off her birthday bash with dinner and fireworks with family, neighbors, and friends.  All in all, we couldn't have asked for a better day to celebrate our Ava Girl!

 
    

One Year Fam-iversary

One year ago we were just meeting you for the first time.  You were terrified of what was happening, who we were, and your safe place was being completely over turned. We had been waiting for so long to meet you and hold and love on you. We had months to prepare our hearts, our home, and to change our normal routine.  We absolutely could not wait to meet you and have you but I will never forget the fear in your eyes.  Over the last year you have grown and changed so much and in the process you have changed us too. You have become comfortable with us and in your new home. We see your personality shine through daily. You are brave.  You are spicy.  You are full of love and hugs.   We love you more and more each day. I think of both you bio parents and your foster families regularly and pray for them. They must miss you so much.  And they would be so proud of what you've accomplished this year.   You are amazing!! Don't ever forget that!

One Year List

1.  Your heart is huge. You love your family, you love your friends, you love your teachers, you love animals, you love our neighbors. You often play hard to get with a huge smile on your face, trying to hind but often give in with a squeal and a jumping hug!  

2.  Your laugh is contagious!  You have one of those great belly laughs. One that seems to brew from deep down inside and joy erupts in that sweet laugh. We love seeing you that happy and that comfortable in your surroundings. 

3.  You love your sister more than anyone. You do everything she does...and I mean everything. You order the same food she does, you girls like to curl up in the same chair in the evening and watch a TV show together.  You often get in trouble together.  I love the relationship you girls have and I pray it continues to grow and last forever. This summer you girls are in the same daycare class. I was honestly a little nervous this might be too much togetherness. However, Mama and Baba always find you two playing right next to each other when we pick you up at the end of the day. And when we ask who you played with today you each mention each other first and then name other friends. Melt my heart. 

4.  You are brave!!  So brave!!  Not only have you overcome so many obstacles in the last year but you also take on things that would scare many kids, head on.  At the park I have to watch you constantly otherwise your little body would jump right off the 4 foot opening.  You do things at the park that your older sister won't even try yet.  The park is not a restful place for this Mama :)

5.  You are also brave when it comes to daycare and having a baby sitter come over.  This has been a tough adjustment for you but you have recently been singing "Grownups come back" every time we separate.  You still have some days that you are not happy with Mama and Baba leaving you for a short time but most days you walk in singing your song.  We part for a few hours with a couple hugs and kisses.  We are so proud of you.  I can't imagine what goes through your mind every time we leave.  I pray that fear continues to get smaller each time.

6.   Your speech continues to get clearer and clearer on a regular basis.  It seems like over the last 2 months we are understanding more and more and you are talking more in phrases.  You've made so much progress.  We believe part of your progress is probably due to your recent move to the preschool class at daycare.  I'm sure it helps to have kids around you who are role modeling speech.  But you are also so patient when Mama and Baba work with you and ask you to repeat your words until we can understand you better.

7.  You love TV and movies.  If we let you, you'd watch TV for hours.  Lucky for you, your parents control how many hours you watch :)  Your favorites are now Care Bears, Super Why, and Strawberry Shortcake.

8.  You have learned so much over the last year.  You're learning English first of all when all you'd heard prior was Mandarin.  You also know your alphabet and can count to 12.  You are learning to share and play nice with others.  You are learning to color and to stay in the lines but more importantly you are learning to be creative.  You love to cut paper and make creations from paper and stickers and whatever else we allow you to use.  You are learning to love others and trust that they are going to be in your life longterm.  Wow, that's a lot of big lessons for one year!

9.   You love our puppy Sam I Am, but I think you love telling him what to do even more ;)  You're not the youngest any more and in your mind I think that means that you can tell him what you'd like him to do...all the time.  If he ever is doing something that he shouldn't you're the first to shout, "Sammy NO!!!"  And we can't help but laugh at how serious you sound.  But you also are loving lovin' on him.  Giving him treats, petting him when he comes to snuggle with you, and squealing with delight when he gives you kisses.  When we practice commands with Sammy you love to join in.  You love giving him commands and then being able to give him a treat.    

10.  You are very concerned with your princess status.  Every day you get dressed...changed and dressed again usually and ask "do I look like a princess?"   Apparently if it's not a dress or if there are not ruffles it's harder to tell if it's a princess outfit :)  Ella, you will always be a princess in our minds.  A princess who loves to twirl and play dress, who loves to play outside and get dirty, who loves to dance and sing, who loves to dig in the sand.  You are a princess and don't let anyone ever tell you differently.

Happy 40th Anniversary, Mom and Dad

My parents...they are amazing!  They met in college and through much adversity they were married.  They were young and living on nothing but love.  And now 40 years later, they are still young at heart and very much in love :)  They are such an inspiration to many, myself included.   It's rare to celebrate a 40th wedding anniversary these days but I am so humbled, thankful, and blessed that my parents have been able to celebrate this amazing feat.
I love them so!!  I can't imagine my life without these two...their guidance, encouragement, pushing me out of my comfort zone, and support.  They are beautiful parents and grandparents.  I am who I am today because of the foundation they developed in me.   They continue to be my number one fans.  They're first people I call when I need advice or if I want to celebrate.  I am beyond blessed to call them mom and dad.

To  celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary they rented a beach house for a week, went deep sea fishing twice, and made a ferry ride to Dry Tortugas.   And they took us kids and our families along with them!!  It was an amazing trip with lots of fun, laughter, and memories.  

The Beach House

 Just a few of my favorites from the trip :)

 

My family :)

Thank you mom and dad!  We had an amazing trip with lots of memories we'll remember forever.  Thank you for showing us time and again what true love is.  It's not perfect.  It's a decision to wake up every morning and love the person you said "I do" to.  It's about dreaming together and being each other's biggest fan.  It's about loving Christ and loving as He has taught us to love one another.  Thank you for being a pillar of strength in a world that takes marriage for granted on a daily basis.  Love you mom and dad!