Growing

What a difference a year makes! They have grown in so many ways. Physically they are growing quickly. Everyone is getting taller and gaining pounds. They are all getting too big to play as rough as they used to with Mom. They are doing well in school. Still don't really like it much, but they are learning. The workbox system has helped tremendously. We get more accomplished and they are slowly becoming more independent. In terms of attachment they are growing. There are no all day "unhappiness" episodes. Still some need to control things and some attitudes, but leaps and bounds better than last fall. I found these pictures from last year and this year. My how they have grown!


Fall 2009

Fall 2009

Fall 2010

Fall 2010

Moths, Spiders, Grandma's and Football

I have tired to blog a couple of times and couldn't get the pictures to load. I finally checked under the Help tab and it was an easy fix. Why didn't I do that sooner?

School has been going pretty well. None of them ever get up and say "I can't wait to start school!", but there is less complaining. We also seem to just in general be getting closer to "normal". More and more the behaviors we deal with are typical kid things and not so much attachment/adoption issues. There are still moments, but they are generally that - just moments.

So, here's what has been going on at our house this month. I have pictures for everything except one. Probably about 3 weeks ago Juan Pablo came running home from the neighbors house and said "Andrew ate a moth!". I wasn't sure if I should believe him or not - he does have a tendency to exaggerate. Andrew wasn't too far behind him. When I asked him about it he gave me a kind of sick look and nodded his head yes. Evidently he was trying to impress the neighbor boys. From what I understand he only ate about half of it. :) (and I was assured it was dead before he took the first bite) They really never do fail to surprise us.

We spent one day a couple of weeks ago learning about spiders. We colored spider pictures, made finger puppets to sing The Itsy Bitsy Spider to, did search a word puzzles, made a spider out of pipe cleaners, drew a spider web with cool metallic markers and learned about spiders. We also went out into the yard and looked for spiders and webs. There were lots of pictures taken of spiders, but I will spare you most of that. We did find a spider right in our front yard that had a great web. The boys actually found a couple of bugs for him (or her) and basically put them into the web. We got to watch him wrap them up and save them to eat later. Yucky, but cool also.

Juan Pablo with his activities.

Andrew with all of his things.

Maicol.

This is the spider we watched in our front yard.


We have had fantastic weather and have spent as many afternoons as possible outside. These are pictures from the park in our neighborhood. We went down to see how low the reservoir is and then played on the playground.

Juan Pablo

Maicol

Andrew

We made a trip to Grandma's house. As usual the weather was wonderful. We spent time playing in the yard and also walking in the woods.

Eating ice cream bars. One of their favorite things about going to Grandma's. :)

Maicol playing catch with Grandma. He has suddenly become very interested in baseball. Since I am from southern Ohio and followed the Reds he has become interested in them and has loved watching them on TV.

Walking in the woods. Not sure what Dan was pointing out, but they were certainly interested.


Today we finished Upwards flag football. Maicol is the only one that played. He absolutely loved it. They had a championship and his team came in second. It was a close game. He can't wait for next year. He had a wonderful coach. We hope to have him next year.

Maicol as quarterback. Getting ready to take the ball from the center.


Team picture. Maicol is on the far left.

Beach Vacation 2010

We have had a wonderful time at Laguna Beach this week. The trip down went well, and really our 4 days here have gone very well. Some whining and complaining, especially as they get more tired and miss home and routine. All in all a good trip tho. We will start back tomorrow, spend the night in Alabama and get home Sunday evening. The boys have loved playing in the waves and searching for wildlife. The waves have been pretty big, which is fun, but very tiring. Dan has to go out with them and he is tired too. We haven't collected many shells. The waves are just too big. I'm not too sad tho - lots less "valuables" for me to bring home. We did go to a state park today and found several small sand dollars. They have also loved no school! I really had hoped to get some things ready to bring in order to make the most of our time, but it just didn't happen. Maybe next year....



Juan Pablo and Andrew at a rest area in Alabama.

Dan trying to keep track of everyone in the waves.

Maicol

Andrew making sand angels.

Andrew, Maicol, and Juan Pablo at sunset.

What's in the bucket?

A crab Mom scooped out of the ocean!

Off on a "mission" at the state park.

Maicol

Looking for sand dollars.

Small hermit crabs.

Then and Now III

Our three boys at a street side park in Ibague

Maicol playing cards at Patricia's in Ibague

Juan Pablo and "Andres" in our favorite park in Ibague

Maicol - ThenMaicol - Then

Juan Pablo - Then

Juan Pablo - Then

Andrew - Then

Mom and Andrew - Then

Andrew, Juan Pablo and Maicol - First Halloween in the U.S.

Bethany and Maicol - Now

Andrew and Jonathan - Now

Now

Now

Now

Now - St. Louis Zoo

Well, it's been many moons since I (Dan) have blogged, so on this, our 28th anniversary, I thought I'd give it a shot. Yesterday was our 3rd anniversary of signing for the adoption and adding three more gifts to our family. Sometimes it seems like it all happened just yesterday, and sometimes it feels like a lifetime. I wouldn't want anyone to think that adopting 3 children is easy, but I also have to say that it is totally worth it all. There are times that I'm on top of the world and enjoying my family so much. But there are also times when I'm really depressed and wondering if I was nuts to do this at my age. With 2 family anniversaries to celebrate and the anniversary of the terrorist attack on the U.S. to think about, my emotions are a bit close to the surface. I think I'll try this another time.

These pictures can't begin to show how far my three new boys have come in the last three years, but I hope you enjoy them.

God bless you all,

Dan

Where did June go?

Not sure what happened to June - but I'm sure it was wonderful! I just can't remember. :) We have spent everyday at the pool after we have whined our way through school. I hate, hate, hate whining! But, it just seems that we "need" to do some everyday. It certainly decreases as time goes on, but it just won't seem to leave our house.

Maicol spent a week at church camp the end of June. I think he had only been away from home for one night a couple of times, so a whole week was a long time. He went knowing no one and seemed to have a good time. He wants to go back, but not right now. He said it was "long". His brothers really, really missed him. We took the week off from school and spent it cleaning out the garage and attic. It was so nice to get rid of alot of junk and we hope to one day soon get a car in the garage! :)

The biggest news is Maicol celebrated his 11th birthday. We were able to avoid Chuck E Cheese and went bowling instead. I think it is something we will do again. The "big kids" came too, and it was fun. Maicol was thrilled because he beat Mom one game. Of course he had help with bumpers, but he did still win.

We're off to St. Louis tomorrow. Excited to get away for the weekend and see some other Colombia families.

Karen

The birthday boy and his brothers.

Maicol

Maicol

Andrew and Jonathan

Opening his gifts. We gave him a bow and arrow (suction cups). Hopefully safe enough for a boy who still has trouble controlling himself.

The brothers keeping a close eye on the gifts as they are opened.

Juan Pablo

Andrew