What's happened in the last six months, A LOT.
January had us settling down from the holidays, parties and get togethers. It also was a big change for the littles as they started pre-school. Mom was worried about their transition, but it was all for nothing. They kissed me goodbye, walked into school and that was that. They have loved attending and ask every day if "I go to school today" each morning, even Saturday and Sundays. William was so amazed by his sisters dancing in lesson that he too joined dance and is taking tap and ballet with Jocelyn. This kids in his dance class don't notice his cute little arm, but in June when they have their concert and he is on the stage for all to see I hope the audience is as kind.
February we did a mini road trip and spent a long weekend in Williamsburg, VA with all six of the kids on our first official vacation since Marin and Tristan have been home. We had a good time, the kids loved the night time ghost hunt in Colonial Williamsburg and of course eating at all the restaurants. This littles did well with the travel and the first time away from the house since being home from China.
March had a big change at the house, we renovated the old (and I mean O-L-D) kitchen which made life a little rough during construction but we muddled through and the kids got to help knock down a wall so that was exciting to say the least. Marin and Tristan had their last appointment with CHoPAdopt and now we just need to see their various specialists as necessary.
April means baseball starts and in our house that's big news. Griffin began his season with Team Friedrich and the clan was there to support him (whether or not he wanted it). William also started his Challenger League team and loves is mentor/buddy Anthony. Tristan and Marin see William play and they both ask if they can too. Yes, next year, anyway. The kids on Will's team are amazing. It is comprised of kids with any type of medical need from limb differences like William to kids with CP, stokes and Autism.
May probably should be in capital letters. One word says it all - Disney and if you ask the kids, their highlight so far for this year would be this trip. The littles LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it. Everyone was at such a great age to enjoy a little something different about the trip. Griffin and Elena had a little bit of freedom and went on a lot of the high velocity rides on their own. The middles and littles, being so close in age took in all the special rides and we finally after all these years went on Dumbo without a two hour line. William and Jocelyn were just tall enough to take on Kali River Rapids and Expedition Everest and did so a number of times. Every character meal was met with squeals, hugs and such happiness that I still get chills thinking about their reactions to the characters. Mickey, Lightening McQueen and Mike and Sully were big hits with Tristan. Marin, she was a princess everyday and would pose like a champ for photos with them. At one point I didn't break out the camera since we already had our photo taken with Mickey at this particular restaurant and she told me to get it out and take her picture, so of course I did. Since she has to wear two different types of shoes because of her foot/leg difference, she was more than happy to show her little foot's shoe to each and every princess since it had a gold crown on it.
June has been another busy month. Griff's team won their division and are also playoff champions for this year. He hit his first home run and it was a monster 20 feet or more over the center field fence. And what did he do after he hit it, he come out of the dugout to hug his mom and high five his dad. Mom was weepy needless to say. Elena, William and Jocelyn will have their dance recitals the end of the month. We celebrated Tristan's birthday at school this month and school officially ends on the 14th. We are working on securing all our pre-approvals for Marin's upcoming surgery, the first of many. I will admit I'm a little nervous about it. While the difference between her two legs is significant as is her club foot, she gets around like a whirlwind and nothing stops her. I just hate to see her laid up, in pain and not able to be the Tasmanian Devil she is. In the end it will all be for the best but mom and dad don't want to see her in pain in the mean time.
We've already enjoyed some picnic time on the back patio and look forward to many more. July will be fun as well. Fourth of July is a big holiday in our town with a big parade and fireworks as well as a neighborhood picnic. Our friends from our Beijing trip for William's adoption will be coming out our way for our yearly visit and we are excited to see them (we missed them last year as we were in China meeting Marin and Tristan). The end of July lands us in Baltimore for a month for Marin's surgery.
Wishing everyone a fun-filled, fantastic summer.
You've been busy! Love the photos! Happy Summer to you and your family!
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