Ethan is 13!

It's official. We now have a teenager in the house (gulp)! We celebrated this milestone birthday by taking him to lunch at Steak on a Stone and having family over for dinner later in the evening. Tonight he is having friends over to "hang out". Turning 13 deserves a week long birthday celebration don't ya think? It is hard to believe I have been blessed by the incredible gift of motherhood for 13 years now! Ethan enjoys playing soccer and is also taking guitar lessons. Ethan is becoming such a wonderful young man! He is kind, sensitive, and helpful. I am so proud of the person he is and can't wait to see who he becomes.

He adores her......

and the feeling is mutual. She adores him. It is a sweet relationship. The last 10 months have been a little bumpy for him giving up his spot as the baby in the family. We have had to work through some jealousy issues though he keeps his feelings pretty well hidden. To someone looking in you would think he has adjusted just fine. But I know better. He has struggled and though it is getting better it is still there at times. It may be in the way he stares silently as he watches Mia and I play together or it may be how he acts out at times to get my attention. His place in the family changed the most when she arrived. He became the "middle" child. Add to that she was the first little girl in the family which brought even more attention for her and less for him.

Still he loves her and he is begining to settle into his place in our family as her big brother. He is fully aware of how much she loves him. She laughs hysterically at his silliness. She has discovered his passion for soccer and loves to chase and kick the ball around the yard with him. She loves to sit in the chair with him in the evening and share a snack. I love to watch the bond they are forming. It is a sweet relationship.

Mother's Day

It was my first Mother's Day with all four of my kids! We took lots of pictures to mark the occasion. Logan loves taking pictures! He does a great job at trying to make Mia laugh(and is usually successful) while he is taking pictures of her. I was able to get pictures with each of the kids individually but the battery in the camera died before I was able to get one with all four of them.

The morning started off with Dan stopping by Panera Bread to pick up some bagels and cream cheese for breakfast. He was also sweet enough to bring home an iced green tea for me. The man knows me well! We had a light breakfast because Mia and I were skipping "all things soccer" today and going out to lunch with my mom and grandma. Soccer stops for nothing around here I tell ya, including Mother's Day! We had a nice lunch and afterwards we took "shop till you drop" to a whole new level. After shopping we drug ourselves to the nearest Starbucks for a much needed afternoon pick me up. Dinner was served by my dad and then followed by strawberry filled cake!

I am so blessed to be able to journey through motherhood with my four amazing kids! I love each one of them dearly and love being their mother. I am convinced there is no greater joy in this world than the joy of being their mother!

Mia did shop until she dropped!

One year ago today....

we saw this face for the very first time and our lives have never been the same! It is hard to believe a year has already passed since we first saw Mia's sweet face! I remember it like it was yesterday. I opened the email sent to us by our agency containing her referral information and pictures. Her "mug shot" picture was the last picture I saw but it was the one that grabbed my heart immediately. Her eyes drew me in and captured my heart. I felt an instant connection to her. She was the one we had been waiting for for over three years. She was the one we prayed for, dreamt about, and longed for. In that one moment there she was. Revealed. She was the missing piece to our family puzzle. The road to her was long and difficult at times but I am so glad we took the journey that ultimately led us to one of the greatest blessings in our lives!

Happy Easter!

Easter egg fun

This past weekend Mia went on her first Easter egg hunt! She cruised around in her stroller and her brothers did the work of finding eggs and dropping them into her basket. It's great to have adoring brothers! She loved to try to open the eggs and see what sweet treat awaited her. Oh how she loves the Hershey kisses and Reeses peanut butter cups! After the hunt and overindulgence of candy Logan took Mia for a ride on the swings. Logan is a rough and tumble sports loving kid but Mia brings out his "sweet" side and it was fun to watch the two of them together. He gently swung on the swing with his sister ackwardly trying to hold her. Very sweet!

Kalahari pictures

Ranch lovin girl

This is what happens when Mia and ranch dressing combine! Actually any type of dipping sauce for that matter. Ketchup, ranch, and even applesauce. She is going through a stage of rubbing any type of dipping sauce through her hair. Take your eyes off of her for a minute and have one of these condiments on her plate and this is the result you are likely to get. Though I have to say this is some of her best work yet!

Cardiologist appointment

Mia had a checkup with her cardiologist today. As soon as we stepped in the doctor's office the meltdown started and continued until an old friend showed up in the form of Versed. As soon as this magical potion took effect she was a calm and even smiley little girl. I am lovin the Versed because without it we would have a very combative and scared little girl on our hands=no fun. She laid still for her tests playing with the "stickers" on her chest and watching Dora. Her tests all looked very good and her cardiologist is very pleased with her progress. We will go back in six months for another checkup. Her cardiologist is certain that Mia is not using the pacemaker but it will stay in place unless she would need another surgery which we are hoping she will not need for years.

I am so thankful that I am able to breathe another sigh of relief and thank God that Mia is healthy. It is still so very hard for me to enter that hospital and walk past the PICU doors. As we were walking to the office there was a family in the main waiting room and I could tell by the looks of worry and anxiety on their faces that their child must be a patient in the PICU. I said a quick prayer for them as I walked by remembering the mix and height of emotions that a parent experiences when their child is in a critical state. I have yet to take Mia down the PICU hall to visit the nurses and doctors that took such wonderful care of her. I would love for them to see her looking so healthy! The difference in her in six months time is amazing! We have not made that visit mostly because I know at this point it would be too terrifying for her but also because I do not think I am ready. I do not think I could go past the room that she spent three weeks in without becoming emotional. I am not ready to relive those images and those days. Not yet anyway.

Today was a good day. A very good day. The feelings of anxiety and yes even fear that I walked in the hospital with were replaced with feelings of joy and a grateful heart for my healthy little girl.

Cake fun and more CNY!

My first soccer ball

Playing Lucky Ducks

My first taste of my birthday cake!

I never "smashed" my cake instead I used my spoon and dug in! mmm good!