Fourth of July In Utah

PARADE

Not sure where Ella wandered off to...

Family Picnic

Bridger and Hunter give their Uncle Clint the worst time about being a University of Utah and Indianapolis Colts fan...so we decided to have a little fun with him. If you look closely at the cake-the second line says "Clint loves Tom." We laughed so hard and asked Clint how his "new relationship" was going. He took it like a good sport, but said we were all going to get food poisioning.

Daddy and Ella

BOATING

Bart and Clint trying, then failing to stay on the tube with a girl at the wheel-Go Cherise!

Aunt "Scaredy Cat" Cherise and Ella

The kids outlasted the adult

Kaylee, Hunter and Bridger

Being ever so humble, Bridger won the contest of who could stay on the tube longest

Goofing Off

Bridger wake boarding

Hold Onto Every Moment

Today, my dear, sweet husband challenged our family to keep better personal journals. Since it has been 4 1/2 months since I last posted anything, I guess that would make me a horrible journal keeper. The challenge is on and although, I continue to stalk my favorite blogs, I have been really slack in keeping my postings up to date.

Summer is in full swing. Time is slipping away faster than I could ever imagine. Just trying to enjoy my beautiful children.

My friend took these AWESOME pictures of my kids...they made me cry. Thanks Judy-you are so talented!

Ice Skating and Chick-Fil-A

Ella loves to go to her ice skating lessons! Her teacher Miss Jennifer, who happens to be a local news reporter for this station, is awesome. Ella has made some great friendships in this class, one of which is a girl adopted from China, named Delany. What are the chances that I sign Ella up for an ice skating class and she meets a girl adopted from China, her age and lives only a few miles away. I couldn't believe it! I love that Ella has a new buddy that she can identify with. After lessons, we all went to Chick-Fil-A for lunch. Of course, Ella's favorite part was the ice cream!

Life

Yes! I know that I haven't posted in a while-I been told by many. Some have called my blog "lame and pathetic; in need of resuscitation." I needed a break-so much was going on in my life-some being caused by these cute little faces.

Adopting an older child comes with so many benefits, but it also comes with past memories-memories of a life you took away. A five year old does not have a real clear understanding of the big picture of life. I have had more conversations with Ella about "forever families" than I have had reading her books. Some days, I spend the whole day telling Ella that we are not taking her back to China or to live with a new mommy or daddy. Some nights, she still wakes up screaming. How I want her to understand she is home. I know this will come with time, but it breaks my heart and exhausts me emotionally.

All the while, I have been trying to finish up a few college classes. I went to college for three years before I got married so I have been on a quest to finish. Some months, it is not a quest, but an obsession...I get so wrapped up in just finishing that I loose site of other things going on around me. I have decided that going to college as a mom is like trying to win the lottery-nearly impossible. It takes me one year to finish two classes online. I finally decided that I would go back into the classroom this fall and finish up with an education degree. But, I think all day kindergarten is probably on the chopping block due to state budget cuts, so Ella will be home at half day. No way I can go full time to school. I have to remind myself that it is not my time to finish this goal-being a mom is my number one priority. So, here's to starting back to school full time in the fall of 2010...or 2011...2012.

Life is rather cluttered-you just muddle through and try to put a smile on your face, be positive and find joy around you. I have so many blessings-Life is Good!