Back to Volleyball

Today was the day. Open gym for volleyball!

This year I am one of the captains on the varsity team & you have no idea how excited I am!

Just had a meeting last week with the other captains - scheduled captains practices, picked out team clothing, and chose the workouts so we can all get back in shape!

It's going to be a very fun season!

A sign that it's been too long since I touched a volleyball... A bruise & a few popped blood vessels. :)

Blessings,

~Michlyn

Soccer Girl

Erin is still playing soccer. Like a pro.

This year, it has been particularly fun to watch her play as her team continues to play hard, have fun, and show us what they got. She's been on this team with the same [incredible] coach for the last 3 years. They are awesome. A couple weekends ago they played in the championship and took 2nd place! (Although it was for a shoot out and not because the other team was better)

Keep it up Erin!

~Michlyn

School's Out!!

Last Thursday marked the end of our 2012-2013 school year! It was a fun day full of pizza parties, field trips, movies, and games! :)

Just for fun we took some after pictures to compare to the ones we took on the first day of school.

School's out, let's scream & shout! (that was a high school musical line by the way)

~Michlyn

Hello February

That was quick... 1 whole month of the new year already tucked away.

A few happenings from January:

I (Michlyn) got my license! :)

Erin & I went to our school's Snowdaze Dance. It was a lot of fun! :)

J won 2nd place with his friend 'A' at school's "Invention Convention". 

He invented the iLego Case for an iPod Touch. :)

Happy February!

~Michlyn

Well Hello There!

Hi everyone! It's Michlyn!

It's been awhile...

Thought I'd give you an update on our always crazy-busy life.

I finished my volleyball season at the end of October. This week we had our banquet to celebrate the season. We had a potluck at school, the captains made a video, both JV & Varsity players were there, and we celebrated the parents and coaches. It was so much fun to look back on all the memories we made in just a couple months. I was awarded "defensive player of the year", lettered for playing varsity, and was also voted to be a captain for the 2013 season. I am so blessed to be on this team w/ girls I love! :)

Erin continues to be our social butterfly! She had her soccer banquet a few weeks ago & also lettered for playing on the varsity team. She's doing fantastic in school and never fails to make us laugh. Something else really exciting is that she just got her braces off!!!!! 5 years people.....

Her teeth are so perfect! I currently have my second set on, and hope to get them off in the next couple months.

'J' will soon turn 10! Whoa - double digits! I remember when I was 10. Both boys hope to have a double birthday party with some friends from school. He is doing great in school, and we always hear positive things from his teacher. He is a whiz at math! I also think he is looking too old...slow down little brother. :)

Our little cowboy 'S' turned 7...just 2 days after Thanksgiving. :) Some know that he is our little comedian! Here are some things that have made us laugh lately.

'S': (belting out a tune): "All I want for Christmas is yoouuu! .... Psshh, who wants a person for Christmas? Weird!"

S: "Mom says I can go on the computer for 25 minutes...That's a lot of minutes right 'J'?

Putting 'S' to bed:
*I pray*
S: Now I want to pray!
Me: Ok go ahead.
S: "Dear Jesus, I thank you for this day and that we'll sleep good. I hope I have no bad dreams, all good dreams with good stories in them, and no zombies or skeletons. 

'T' is still adjusting and recently got a haircut. It was hard to take care of her loooong hair, when sometimes she didn't want us to even touch it. So to keep it more healthy, we cut it. It's short just like when she came home, and it definitely brings out her beautiful brown eyes! We really like it and it's much easier to do when she wakes up. Attachment is always a work in progress with this girl and we hope that sooner rather than later, that things will start to actually get better. She has had a couple actually good days, but the next day always seems to send any hopes crashing down. It's been a big step for our family and change is always hard. We would love any prayers and hope you realize how much we appreciate it.

Blessings, and may your holidays be filled with joy!

~Michlyn

#21

Michlyn just finished up her first varsity volleyball season with the Pact Panthers!

They did FANTASTIC!

I had the opportunity of watch just 3 games, 2 of which they dominated :)

But dad took in every home game, as well as a couple away games - he loves cheering his kids on!

Michlyn played team lebaro and rocked the position!

They played their final sectional game last night & Michlyn came home excited to report she got her first "tick tick boom" ... they didn't win but definitely finished with a BANG!

We're so proud of you!!!

"21 is lots of fun!"



Catching Up in this Fall Season

It's been almost a month since I last posted. Goodness gracious, how can that be?? August quickly finished it self off, and September came in full force! This post is going to basically be a giant catching up post... Here we go!

We started back to school bright and early on August 27th. We are all going back to our small Charter school, except for 'T' who is being home schooled.

I ('M') am a sophmore in high school this year. I've been loving it so far, and my favorite subject is Biology! I enjoy seeing my friends, getting to know my new teachers, and of course I do learn things! :) I started playing volleyball again this year! I started playing for my first year at school this time. I started on JV, but was just bumped up to Varsity. It's been very exciting, and I just love the girls! This year has been busy so far, but very fun and exciting!

'E' started her first year of high school this year! I know... ca-ra-zay! She got together with many of her friends this summer, but was also very excited to start school again. Besides getting up early, she loves school. She has always been our most creative one, so she loves her art class. 'E' is also our only girl soccer star, and is playing varsity soccer for school. Their team has been learning together this year, and just won their first game! She is always telling funny stories from her day, and keeps us laughing.

The boys are also back into the swing of things. 'J' started 4th grade this year.  He is always a little nervous on the first day of school, but did so well. He was excited to see the kids in his class again, and he really likes his teacher. 'S' started 1st grade...what?! Our little man isn't going to be so little anymore. He has a locker for the first time this year, and he actually gets to do homework. Both of them can get distracted while doing their homework, but they're doing great. They have already learned so much!

'T' is being home schooled again this year. I did a post a while ago on "Table Time". This is something she does mostly all day everyday. Since she has gone through so much trauma and is still having attachment issues, it is best she is at home with mom. Table Time is something that is predictable for her. She can color, do worksheets, she has beads, legos, and sometimes polly pockets. It a way that will help build her trust with us, and keep her world simple. So her every morning routine is the same, and my mom keeps up with her and best as possible - So she's in charge, and not 'T'. As she learns to be a kid again, and to slowly trust us with her everyday needs... It strengthens bonding & attachment. (I will do an "achievement" post on her soon) She also goes outside a couple times a day, and enjoys the fresh air. The routine is definitely different, but we do what is best for the whole family's needs.

The weather has been getting pretty cold already... Actually turned the heat on in the house for the first time today. Most of us LOVE Fall though! The colors, bonfires, and crisp air. And thought I'd end with a picture I recently took. :)

Happy Fall everyone! 

~Michlyn

Soccer is in Full Swing

We have soccer 4 nights a week. 'E', 'J', and 'S' are all in soccer. They all are great soccer players, and we enjoy watching their games! It's a crazy schedule with practices, games, tournaments, and then jamboree is at the end of the month. :)

And you know what's so awesome about 'J's team? ......Our dad coaches!! :)

Last but definitely not least, our only soccer playing girl - beautiful! :)

~Michlyn

Kindergarten Graduate

   

He's a Kindergarten graduate! Wow. Our little man is going into 1st grade.

My mom got to watch his graduation, with the rest of his class.

He sang some songs, and received his awards.

He wore his graduation hat, and smiled real big.

He loved his teacher this year. (We all did actually) She was so nice, and loved our 'S' too.

Watch out world, he's on his way!

~Michlyn

W is for winner!

Saturday marked our AWANA clubs, second annual "Pinewood Derby"

All week long, the boys worked at making their cars, along side Dad :)

S. set out to make a camouflage hummer truck.

J. made a batmobile type race car.

Both looked AWESOME!

Of course, thanks to Dad, who put in lots of time, energy, patience and creativity of his own.

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J and S both came away with 2nd Place trophies!!!

All three boys couldn't be more proud!

Way to Go Boys!!!

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The sweet icing on the cake...

DJ came home in deep thought about the days events.

He summed it up...

"This is what life's all about. Spending time together, in search of the simple victories. Not the latest and greatest toys, driving new trucks or cars but days like today!"

He also posted this verse;

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Matthew 6:21

I can't think of any thing to make a man more handsome :)

And he's mine!!!

field trip, fiesta, & parties, oh my!

Fortunately & unfortunately,

our weekend  was very busy.

I had the priviledge of chaperoning a field trip to the Como Park Conservatory

with J's class on Friday.

It was great to spend the day with J. and see the conservatory through the eyes of many third graders.

We were on a mission to find 4 different types of plant & animal life.

When they did, they recorded their findings through drawn pictures :)

Their creativity is fasinating!  

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The weekend also included

a Fiesta Mexicana event with our High School Spanish Students.

M. participated in a musical number with fellow classmates.
She did great and they all made us smile :D

 

The evening was filled with food & lots of laughter!


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The big girls and I attended an Initials party at Gramma Carol's during the weekend too!

We spent time together with other "girls" eating, laughing, and catalog shopping.

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On top of all that, DJ and I also made time to attend a 70th birthday party for a dear friend.
The time was filled with sharing the many ways Kathy has & continues to impact our lives.

We laughed a lot and pray Kathy felt as special as she makes others feel so often!

~~~~~~~~~

I felt fortunate to take part in many fun events over the course of the weekend.

Unfortunately, my being away for the snippets of time causes much anxiety at home :(

T. especially is struggling this Monday morning.

I anticipate it to take some time before she is feeling safe again.

In the mean time, we'll take our days moment by moment...

and two eyes made out of coal?

Despite fighting her first Winter cold, T headed out to play today.

With all the other kids back to school, she quickly occupied herself with a little snowman building.

I do have to say, she's persistent.

The snow is hardly sticky but with a bucket and lots of determination...

A snowman was made!

I handed over the sought after carrot nose,

T. found twigs from yesterday's disgarded Christmas tree for arms

And what else do you use for eyes...

Doggie Doo ... Yuck!

Hey, it's her snow creation - who am I to squelch such orginal thinking???

A+ for creativity!

Happy New Year,

~Becky

Momma to some cool genius kids ;)

Friends Come for a Visit

We had some friends come for a visit today! They live quite a few hours out of state, and it was so nice to see them again! My parents met them in Ethiopia, when they were there to bring their little boy home. We got to hang out at our house, talk, laugh, and then got to go out to dinner to celebrate my mom's birthday! :)

A friend of ours, Beka, is staying with us this weekend and so we had double the fun!

Beka and 'L'! :) Such a smart girl!

This is 'E' and I!

All of the girls together! We squished together for a picture!

All of us girls squeezed onto my small bed, to play a fun game of "Catch Phrase"!

'T' and 'C' - Friends unite again for the second time, since being home!

They both have grown so much! Such cute Ethiopians!

They have three biological children (two older and who could not make it) and a 15 year old son, who didn't make it into any pictures. They also have two beautiful daughters from India! 'C' and 'T' have now been home close to 16 months! It's crazy how fast time flies, and the many friendships we can make!

Blessings, to a wonderful Sunday!

~Michlyn