Remember that little Spanish school Henry started attending in January of this year?? Well...after only two and half months of Henry getting to know the six classmates and precious teacher, Miss Yellinee...the school closed. Yes, the school did not have enough students to stay open any longer. But, one of the parents at the school offered her house if Miss Yellinee agreed to continue teaching. So for the last five weeks, we have continued ABC's of Spanish at our friend's house. We are sooo thankful we did not totally miss out on Spanish preschool for the remainder of the year. It is a little bit farther drive for us, but it is worth it for the experience...and for this mama to have a break from one of my children. Wish I could figure out a way to make homeschooling work, but with the dynamics of my children right now and the lack of homeschooling community in our area....it does not make sense. The Lord is just calling us to school right now. Henry certaining enjoys it!!
So on the last day of Spanish school in the old building, I took some pictures of Henry and his friends. All of the kids are still attending, except for the young girl on the left.
Next year we are planning on sending Henry to Kindergarten at our local public school. I am a little bit sad about him starting Kindergarten, in hopes that he would be home longer, but this is what we feel is best for our family. I guess we can just take it year by year and see where God leds. It will be a change from being the oldest in most circles to the youngest in his grade...so we will see what the next year holds, but I have a feeling he is going to love all the action, stimulation, and variety of children his age to play with. All this might equal HEAVEN in Henry's world.
The beginning of April led us to spring break and having our a wall knocked out between our kitchen and our dinning room to make life more user friendly, easier for meal times and asthetically pleasing. So we packed our bags and headed to my parents house in B'ham for the week. I did not take many pictures while I was there, because I was managing all of our chaos in another house. But, I did randomly get this one of Mary Taylor and baby cousin, Graham. How precious is this???
Graham is the most chill baby I have ever known.....Matt and Kelly, you soak up every moment with this sweet child.
What five month old would sit in a baby doll stroller and not scream...sweet baby "Dam", as Mary Taylor would say...
T.J. and most of his grandchildren....
Yes, even my dad is telling me "no no!" Maybe he is the one who teaches them that word...
The next couple of weeks consisted of the Cupcake Kids sale and then Charles Tucker being baptized. So things got a little crazy, but it was nice to be home again trying to get into a routine. If you would like to read about those events, go HERE and HERE. In the midst of these events, I was constantly tired and had horrible stomach aches along with other problems. I finally decided to go to the doctor and see if my craziness is due to adoption and three kids or a real problem. Well, a day later, I was diagnosed with Giardia. Yes, I had a parasite. I did not bring it back with me from Africa, but Tucker did and he still can't get rid of them. We have been through four rounds of antibiotics and we are still battling these little critters. But, one round of antibiotics for me did the cure. Thank God... because it was rough. After 48 hours of being on the meds. I felt like a new mama!! I had not realized how tired and worn out physically and emotionally I had been. Thank God for modern medicine. As for Tucker, we are hoping to get in with an infectious disease doctor and get rid of these once and for all. Six months is too long to be dealing with this. It has been hard because he has not been able to bath with the other children and when summer rolls around he will not be able to go swimming. It is transmitted through feces, especially through water. Do most kids from Africa have parasites? Yes, most of the time they do. Orphanages are fresh breeding ground for parasites. They give one another all their sicknesses in those homes. After battling with these myself, I really started to sympathize with poor Tucker who has probably had these his whole life. Some of his moodiness could be because he does not feel good. Poor little guy....Please pray that we rid of this sooner than later.
After I found out I had a reason for the craziness inside of me....two days later baby Mark came home from Uganda. Go HERE to read about his airport homecoming.
The next day we headed to my uncle's church for Easter Sunday. He is a PCA pastor in Stone Mountain and really has a gift of teaching from the Lord. I really enjoyed his insight into the scriptures. It was a special service of praise to our risen savior. Afterwards, we had an Easter lunch and an Easter egg hunt for the little ones.
Our couple of attempts at a group picture...
Time for the Easter egg hunt...
On your mark. Get Set. Go.....
Mary Taylor can be such a ham...
Sweet boy, Tuck-Tuck...
Half way up he got scared and decided to come down. I was really proud of him though! Pretty good for a 41/2 year old, I mean 4 and 3/4ths year old, as Henry corrects me..
Then I got to finally go to a soccer game after missing so many due to sick children, including me. Henry has come a long way from last fall when he cried hysterically before his first game through the whole thing. He loves being on the soccer field running around with his friends. He still loves to goof off, but he is taking this whole competition thing a little more serious. They finally won a game!
It was a hot day on the soccer field...
So on the last day of Spanish school in the old building, I took some pictures of Henry and his friends. All of the kids are still attending, except for the young girl on the left.
Next year we are planning on sending Henry to Kindergarten at our local public school. I am a little bit sad about him starting Kindergarten, in hopes that he would be home longer, but this is what we feel is best for our family. I guess we can just take it year by year and see where God leds. It will be a change from being the oldest in most circles to the youngest in his grade...so we will see what the next year holds, but I have a feeling he is going to love all the action, stimulation, and variety of children his age to play with. All this might equal HEAVEN in Henry's world.
The beginning of April led us to spring break and having our a wall knocked out between our kitchen and our dinning room to make life more user friendly, easier for meal times and asthetically pleasing. So we packed our bags and headed to my parents house in B'ham for the week. I did not take many pictures while I was there, because I was managing all of our chaos in another house. But, I did randomly get this one of Mary Taylor and baby cousin, Graham. How precious is this???
Graham is the most chill baby I have ever known.....Matt and Kelly, you soak up every moment with this sweet child.
What five month old would sit in a baby doll stroller and not scream...sweet baby "Dam", as Mary Taylor would say...
T.J. and most of his grandchildren....
Yes, even my dad is telling me "no no!" Maybe he is the one who teaches them that word...
The next couple of weeks consisted of the Cupcake Kids sale and then Charles Tucker being baptized. So things got a little crazy, but it was nice to be home again trying to get into a routine. If you would like to read about those events, go HERE and HERE. In the midst of these events, I was constantly tired and had horrible stomach aches along with other problems. I finally decided to go to the doctor and see if my craziness is due to adoption and three kids or a real problem. Well, a day later, I was diagnosed with Giardia. Yes, I had a parasite. I did not bring it back with me from Africa, but Tucker did and he still can't get rid of them. We have been through four rounds of antibiotics and we are still battling these little critters. But, one round of antibiotics for me did the cure. Thank God... because it was rough. After 48 hours of being on the meds. I felt like a new mama!! I had not realized how tired and worn out physically and emotionally I had been. Thank God for modern medicine. As for Tucker, we are hoping to get in with an infectious disease doctor and get rid of these once and for all. Six months is too long to be dealing with this. It has been hard because he has not been able to bath with the other children and when summer rolls around he will not be able to go swimming. It is transmitted through feces, especially through water. Do most kids from Africa have parasites? Yes, most of the time they do. Orphanages are fresh breeding ground for parasites. They give one another all their sicknesses in those homes. After battling with these myself, I really started to sympathize with poor Tucker who has probably had these his whole life. Some of his moodiness could be because he does not feel good. Poor little guy....Please pray that we rid of this sooner than later.
After I found out I had a reason for the craziness inside of me....two days later baby Mark came home from Uganda. Go HERE to read about his airport homecoming.
The next day we headed to my uncle's church for Easter Sunday. He is a PCA pastor in Stone Mountain and really has a gift of teaching from the Lord. I really enjoyed his insight into the scriptures. It was a special service of praise to our risen savior. Afterwards, we had an Easter lunch and an Easter egg hunt for the little ones.
Our couple of attempts at a group picture...
Time for the Easter egg hunt...
On your mark. Get Set. Go.....
The next week we made our second trip to the zoo since being home from Africa. Tucker really enjoys seeing all the animals...
Mary Taylor can be such a ham...
Sweet boy, Tuck-Tuck...
On our way to the train, Henry begged to try the climbing wall. I never realized it was free or that he was old enough to try this. Look at him go!
Half way up he got scared and decided to come down. I was really proud of him though! Pretty good for a 4
We had to wait 20 minutes to ride the train, because of all the school field trips who swamped the zoo that day. You could hardly move there were so many people.
Then back at home, Mary Taylor takes a break from playing and begs to watch "Punzel...Punzel...Punzel..." (Repunzel.."Tangled") on my iphone. Love this picture...
It was a hot day on the soccer field...
Then lastly we joined the Botanical Gardens two weeks ago. What a peaceful, relaxing place. I had no idea how wonderful it was. The children's area is the best for children to run around and explore. They even have fountains you can play in during the summer and every Wednesday they have a story time with singing and puppets. And Henry's favorite was picking the strawberries straight off the vine. I was thoroughly impressed! Can't wait to go back...
It is hard to believe we have almost been home from Uganda five months...Wow, does time fly. I can honestly say being a family of five becomes more normal everyday. Of course we have our set backs of adjusting and attaching, but God is working and redeeming our family to look more like him. Thank goodness he is the one we get our strength from and not ourselves. If it was up to us to raise our children...it would not be pretty.
Charles Tucker is a gift and a treasure of grace to our family. How blessed we are to call him son.
These are some verses that I have clung to these last five months. God is so good and faithful to me each and every day. He is definitly where I receive my lifeline of strength. As, I always say, in and of myself, I am a disaster. Less of me, means more of HIM.
"For this I toil, struggling with all HIS energy, that he so powerfully works in me." Colossians 1:29
"O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me."Psalm 131:1-2
"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." Colossians 3:1-4
