welcome home, ellie

so...i really, really want to tell you a very long story about how i met J and her husband K. but i won't. because it's long. like longer than normal. i know...as if that were possible.

just know that i ADORE J. you can't help it. first of all, she's about the most darling person i've ever met. and i'm sorry...even though she's *roughly* my age, i have to use the word darling. because she's just that. not to mention she loves Jesus with all that she has. she adores her family. and she and her husband are so much fun to be with. oh, and buz is friends with her husband K. and he thinks he pretty much rocks the house.

anyway.

long ago, J told me they would be adopting internationally and asked me if i would help document "her" arrival and their new family of four. seriously...i could hardly wait. i had seen pictures of her but had NO IDEA how breathtakingly beautiful she would be.

i met her at the airport, along with about four hundred of their "closest family members and friends." :) it was wonderful. i loved being there. but even more so, i loved looking at the faces of those welcoming this beautiful girl home. there were tears. there was laughter. there were PLENTY of smiles. there was an ABUNDANCE of hugs. i loved every minute. what an honor.

several weeks ago, i got the opportunity to go play with them at the park. and it's crazy. because they are just a little family of four that acts like they have been together forever. again, honored to be there.

J and K, it meant so much to me to hopefully capture some of your early memories of your family of four. but more importantly, i am so blessed to be your friend. thank you.

nothing new

these pictures are in reverse order. and i didn't have it in me to reverse them. sorry.





you like my daughter's tat? yeah, it's classy.





always serious about shoe change. always. and please do NOT mess with her when this is occurring.





um, hello handsome?





my delicate flower showing off her new tat.





honestly, i don't even know what to say. a white g*ngsta gone wrong?





this is how much my daughter sweats. it's sad. (apple SO doesn't fall far from the tree.)





goo getting ready to fetch big h's baseballs.





hey goo. he's going to hit it to the right. i'd move if i were you.





getting ready for the hit of his life.





that would be a STRIKE. bless his heart.





and goo's method is a bit unorthodox.





our very own white trash punk 80s girl in her jammies.





it seems my over-the-top summer extravaganza wore big h out. mind you, the boy hasn't napped at home since he was 3.5.





day 1. see all the hard work?





again...day 1. so impressed with her.


so summer is in full swing.

(hold on. i need a minute.)


last monday was day one. and i was hopping. jumped (literally) on the treadmill and watched the today show while big h watched spectacular spiderman (or as he calls is "spentacular spiderman"). i jumped (literally) off the treadmill after about thirty minutes. big h and i went in and got goo out of bed. she was in a good mood. i was in a good mood. big h was in a good mood.


summertime was here, and we couldn't be any more excited.


we headed to the education store and got all sorts of school supplies and fun things to "organize" our summer. we got new washable markers, a new box of crayons, some bells and triangles for the music class i'm sure to have, charts, stickers, calendars, white boards, etc. i was in hog heaven. my children were in hog heaven.


monday was fabulous. monday night, i walked the mall and had a luxurious dinner with my bff (who is due in about three weeks). such a fun evening. until i realized at 10 that i had missed two calls from buz at...9.


please tell me YOU hate that feeling as much as i do...


i called. he and big h had been looking for something and wanted to know where it was. buz was *less than thrilled* with me that i hadn't heard my phone. and...let's just leave it at that.


and so, tuesday morning began. do any of you have bad days when you and your husband are not experiencing marital bliss? you don't. well, this won't apply to you then.


because tuesday was NOT. GOOD. and i mean that in the nicest way. because if i were to be honest, i might have to put some colorful words on this blog. and i'm not accustomed to doing so. tuesday was bad, people. i was not a nice mommy. i was mad at buz because we hadn't resolved our issue. i was mad at big h because he talked ALL. DAY. LONG. i was mad at goo because she said NO the entire day. i was mad at me because i couldn't muster enough energy to shower. and i do NOT do well without a shower. (mental note: take a shower whenever i can.)


tuesday night, we had community group. and at prayer request time, i simply said, "i'm not equipped for this. i feel very unqualified. and i feel defeated." and the girls and i all did knuckle fives. not really. they just said they'd be praying for better days.


wednesday. not good.


thursday. not good.


i was seeing a pattern that i didn't care for and was NOT going to settle for this summer.


thursday night brought date night for buz and me. well, can i get a hallelujah! first, i showered. then, i put on a cute and comfy outfit. then, we went to a country "bar" and had some drinks and tried really hard to talk over the LOUD music.


i'm old. i'm putting it out there. you know what? buz? older.


to try to talk OVER loud country music doesn't lend itself to heart-to-heart talks. so we went and saw a movie. which ALSO does not lend itself to heart-to-heart talks. but it lends itself to hand-holding. and i like me some hand-holding. we went to sleep feeling better.


friday was bound to be a better day. nana had slept over thursday night, and so she went to donut friday with us. oh...who knew that friday was NATIONAL DONUT DAY? hello? how do i not know these things? well, except that my friend aimee told me. there were *several* people at dunkin donuts.


we got home and decided to take an outing to ikea. now that goo can play there, fun is had by all. so we dropped them off, and nance went and browsed the store at a very leisurely pace. then, we had lunch at a very leisurely pace. all was magnificent.


by the time we got in the car, i knew they would both fall asleep. so we cranked up the a/c and drove around for a bit and decided to let nana run into bath and body works for a minute. her "minute" always turns into longer because she knows someone everywhere she goes. this was the case at bath and body works. so i sat in the car with two sleeping children and my mom chatting it up with someone inside a store. i could not get enough of all the quiet.


perfection.


so we had movie night on friday night, which was great.


and so...today is monday again. and i am determined to make this a great summer. for me. and for my kiddos. and buz, too.