It’s been a couple of very full weeks! Right here’s a tiny peek into them…
Kaitlynn made the choice to give up determine skating — one thing she had been considering for awhile and felt the time had come when she discovered two of her coaches could be transferring this summer time. She completed out her testing that she needed to do after which skated her final session the final week of faculty.
She has realized and grown a lot by means of determine skating and we’ll at all times be pleased about the way it has performed such a major position in her life. However we’re additionally excited for her to have much more time and area in her senior 12 months to have the ability to pursue different issues that she’s not been in a position to as a result of skating has taken a lot of her further time.
We went to Starbucks after skating after which sat within the automotive and celebrated and recounted all of the presents and blessings of skating these previous a few years. It was a particular option to mark this second for her. We are able to’t wait to see what this subsequent 12 months holds!
Kierstyn continues to essentially take pleasure in swimming classes!
Engaged on the photograph board for Kathrynne’s commencement. I’m so grateful that Kaitlynn and Kathrynne helped me decide which photos to incorporate after which helped me create the board.
Making an attempt on her cap and robe the day earlier than the massive day!
We had been so blessed to have so many relations on the town for Kathrynne’s commencement. It was enjoyable for them to get to take pleasure in our little youngsters!
All dressed up for the commencement and never tremendous comfortable about it. 🙂 Don’t fear, he solely cried for about one minute — in fact the minute I used to be attempting to take this photograph — after which was comfortable as may be as quickly as we acquired into the automotive!
It’s official! She’s all carried out with highschool!
One of many particular elements of commencement day was seeing Kierstyn go round and work together with a number of seniors she has come to know and love. I like that our youthful ones can carry a lot pleasure to so many youngsters!
Not the most effective household pic we took, however I needed to share this one as a result of David’s expression is priceless!
I needed to recreate this photograph that we took final 12 months with Kathrynne and her greatest good friend, Isabel, at her commencement. I can’t consider Kaitlynn can be a senior this 12 months!
I didn’t get many photos of the social gathering or the meals desk arrange, however right here’s what the gorgeous balloons appeared like earlier than we set this desk with Chipotle!
My hope was that the commencement and social gathering could be deeply significant for Kathrynne — and it was! From the the particular time with prolonged household, to expensive mates who confirmed up for her social gathering (nearly 70 individuals got here!), to the wonderful social gathering decor and meals (because of @graceemayberry and @roseandplumliving + Chipotle)… she simply felt so cherished and celebrated!
Kathrynne and I sat in our room on the finish of the day (Jesse was gone with David all night time at a sleep examine… due to course it had gotten scheduled months earlier than on the day of commencement!), and we recounted so many particular recollections, humorous moments, encouraging conversations, and simply the goodness of God all through the entire day.
Every part got here collectively so superbly despite the fact that there have been a whole bunch of transferring elements for the day. Whereas I used to be bone drained on the finish, it was the form of exhaustion that comes with a lot pleasure and success!
One highschool commencement down, 5 to go!
We acquired to look at my good friend’s 10-week-old child for the weekend. He was a trooper and slept by means of a lot of the commencement social gathering after which got here with us to Silas’ out-of-town baseball match!
Micah is rising up a lot!! He simply began strolling (see the video right here) and is speaking rather a lot and desires to attempt to do the whole lot his older siblings do plus eat all of the issues on a regular basis!
Our screened-in porch is getting hours and hours of use as of late. The climate has been so lovely and the shade is simply good that it’s nearly at all times a pleasant temperature out right here!
Jesse and I’ve additionally been occurring lengthy walks many evenings. It’s good train and recent air, we get to have some centered time to speak whereas pushing little ones within the strollers.
Jesse snapped this image of me one morning just lately. I find it irresistible a lot as a result of that is my life proper now!
I posted the above image on Instagram with this caption: “Will he ever discuss?” “When will he get his feeding tube out?” “What do you assume his future will appear like?”
I get questions like this nearly day by day. And I so recognize how a lot individuals care about our David and his future.
The reality is: I don’t have solutions. I don’t know if he’ll have a full vocabulary some day. I don’t know if he’ll get his feeding tube out. And I do not know what the long run holds.
However I do know this: he teaches me day by day that our society places numerous worth on what we see outwardly. That speaking and strolling and consuming and interacting socially are the markers of success and the definition of progress.
There’s not a transparent linear progressive trajectory for David. There are various unknowns for the long run. However he’s forging his personal path and he’s excelling at it.
Will we hope he learns to speak with phrases? Truthfully, as a substitute of constructing that the objective, I’m celebrating that he has gained so many pre-verbal expertise, that he’s not often annoyed with communication, and that he’s studying increasingly methods and cues and verbal sounds to point what he desires.
Sure, the hope is that he ultimately will get his feeding tube out and eats 100% orally, however for now, we’re insanely happy with his progress in deciding he’s inquisitive about meals, that he typically desires to eat now, and lots of days is consuming 120+ energy orally. That’s HUGE!
Most of all, we have a good time the present he’s to our house and lives and the way a lot he loves life. He doesn’t care in regards to the targets others set for him or whether or not he’s hitting them. He’s simply comfortable to sit down and play with a ball for an hour. He doesn’t know that some individuals really feel sorry for him or that he’s labeled “developmentally delayed”; he’s simply thrilled to sit down in our laps, hug us repeatedly, and play peek-a-boo and have dance events.
Daily, David teaches me that what we frequently place a lot worth on (checking issues off an inventory, hitting targets, outward progress) isn’t the be all finish all of life. Loving individuals, residing within the current, and absolutely absorbing the right here and now are among the most necessary issues we are able to spend our time doing. And let me inform you, David is off-the-charts profitable at these three issues!
Kaitlynn and Kierstyn made cake pops at some point just lately.
On a night stroll!
We had an surprising shock occur a couple of weeks in the past: we acquired to begin babysitting for the little boy we fostered for 8 1/2 months again in 2020. We had been commonly babysitting him the previous two years after he reunified together with his mother. However then she had gotten constant childcare and so we hadn’t seen him for nearly 6 months.
Properly, some issues modified together with his childcare and she or he requested if we may assist out once more. We had been thrilled to take action!
So we’ve had him for 30-40 hours per week the previous few weeks and it’s been such a present. He’s 3 and filled with vitality, but in addition the sweetest little one!
And he ADORES Micah!
I took this photos of the 2 boys the opposite day! I simply love how increasingly they’re changing into such buddies!
Baseball tournaments with 4 little ones (since we’ve been babysitting for C at most of them just lately) imply you carry a LOT of additional stuff!
We introduced spray bottles with water eventually weekend’s baseball match and it was a HIT!
There you might have it: a bit peek into the previous few weeks! When you made it by means of all these photos, whew! Thanks for being right here and being such cheerleaders for our household! We’re grateful for this life — even on the actually tiring days! — and we’re grateful for every of you!
