Happy 6th!

I am a few days late but I would be remiss if I didn't write about Patrick's 6th birthday! He had a great time celebrating his much anticipated event. And his big gift from us - a day trip to an amusement park - has yet to be completed. He chose a baseball theme cake and had some great baseball gifts. He was so happy!

Perhaps I have seen the most growth in my sweet son, Patrick this year. It has been a year of tremendous growth and maturity. My ever-responsible son has continued to blossom into a selfless and sweet boy. How blessed I am to be his mom and I can't believe God chose me! I cherish the moments we spend in conversation, reading books, playing games, and working together. What a wonderful son.

____________________________________________

Dear Patrick,

My heart is full as you celebrate your 6th birthday. It's so hard to believe how quickly the time has passed. With each passing year, I see you grow and change and mature. I love you SO much.

This year, I have seen you continue to be a leader. You take responsibility very seriously and I appreciate that. You work hard to include others and to take care of your brothers. You are a loyal and faithful son. I still cannot believe that God chose you to be in our forever family. I am so privileged to be your mom!

Patrick, I love how you excel in school and work hard. You do well in your classes and you have learned so much about self-control and kindness this year. I'm so proud of you! You are athletic and great at team sports!

You have a lot of interests including building with legos, playing games, riding your bike (!), playing baseball and soccer, reading books, and drawing & coloring. You amazed me when you learned to ride your bike in one day this summer! You also taught yourself to whistle and you lost two teeth this year - both were very big deals.

What a beautiful heart you have, son. I love to hear you sing and pray and ask questions.

I can't help but think of your birthmom who chose life. And I'm so very thankful for her choice and so thankful that God brought you into our lives and family! I am thankful every. single. day. I love you, Patrick - always and forever. Happy Birthday!

Love,
Mommy 

*P.S. I will add pictures at some point! :)

Hair Saga

All right, here it is - I'm totally vain and I color my hair because I am going prematurely gray. I can admit it and I'm fine with. Whew, good to get that out of the way. :)

The problem: my hairdresser of 12 years is away for the whole summer. I can't go a whole summer without having my hair colored and cut. So, I decided to try the beauty school - I remember being a student and practicing on people's teeth (by the way, I think that might be totally different - it doesn't show!). I went on Saturday and requested a more experienced student thinking that they couldn't mess my hair up that bad. Um, I was wrong...

The next problem: the color. I requested a natural color with blond and red highlights - my usual. We discussed the color and she began. People, I have NEVER had so many foils on my head. It was crazy and it took forever. She commented that my hair took color quickly and after her smoke break, she washed it out. I started to worry when I saw the color in the mirror but decided maybe after it was dry it would be better...

Another problem: I didn't realize the final issue for a couple of days...really until I was at home and bought a new hand mirror. The haircut. It was cute from the front and I liked the way it laid. It was awful in the back - a big chunk of hair cut halfway up. I could not fix it very well - it just wouldn't lay right. It was NOT what she told me she was going to do.

Seriously, the instructor said it all looked good...

Oh people, five days I lived with it. I tried to be okay, I said I wasn't going to fix it but I rejoiced when I saw red washing out... Then I caved, I simply could not make it behave and I do NOT like to draw attention to myself. So, I walked into a salon and asked them to fix the cut - the hairdresser did an amazing job. I'm scheduled to go back tomorrow for the color...I'm still deciding if I can live with it...

The hair is getting expensive. I am mortified that I lived with it and yet, going to the beauty school was a calculated risk. Sometimes the difference between a bad haircut and a good one is a couple of weeks but I don't think a couple of week was going to help.

I can laugh about it. Hair will grow. My mortification is completely vain and I know that. People have tried to be nice about it and a special thank you to the little girl at the Y who stopped me to tell me how much she liked my hair - that was very sweet. A no thank you to my brother who said I looked trashy and my little sister who said it was simply awful - it made me even more self-conscious. And I'm sorry to my husband for not listening to you right away about the cut. Thank you for loving me and laughing with me. Yes, I'm still laughing about it...mostly...

So...here is the striped fiasco (I did not take a picture of the cut):

Be Kind. Please. It's been a tough week. :)

Oh and it is not white in the front - it is bleach blonde. And just so you know, it actually has faded a little since this picture...oh and the picture doesn't really do it justice.

10 Years

It's hard to believe that I graduated from college and passed my boards 10 years ago! I'm so blessed and privileged to be a part of the dental profession. I have worked for most of those years - varying amounts based on the needs of our family. :)

The past 1 1/4 years have stretched me professionally as I have helped to open a new practice and switched from paper charts and film x-rays to all paperless and digital. It has been an exciting year - supporting an amazing dentist and watching the practice grow.

My top 10 favorite things about being a dental hygienist (in no particular order):

1) Patients - They make my job such a pleasure. I love seeing them every 3-6 months and sharing in their lives and families.

2) Smiles - Cheesy, yes - but definitely true. Knowing that I can help encourage and create positive self image is a joy!

3) Educating - Whether it's in classrooms or with individuals chairside, I appreciate the opportunity to educate about oral health, homecare, and general health.

4) Flexibility - This has been the perfect career for our family - being able to work part time and as little as 1/2 day/week has been great.

5) Benefits - God has called our family to adopt and we have been so thankful for the way He has used my job to help with the cost.

6) Team - I have worked with amazing people over the years.

7) Kids - I LOVE seeing kids. I've always worked in a general practice and would not switch but I love when the kids come (most of them... :)).

8) Relationships - I touched on this with #1 but I have met some wonderful people who have become friends.

9) Health - Knowing the link between oral health and the health of the entire body makes my job all the more serious...not only educating my patients about that link but in actively treating disease.

10) Success - Working towards the success of the practice through creating trust and loyalty. I love seeing my dentist meeting the needs of our patients.     

So...there you have it! I mostly love my job and feel incredibly thankful!

And I would like to say a big thank you to the patient who asked me last week how long I have been a hygniest and acted shocked when I said 10 years...she said I didn't look old enough... :) Bless her.

These Things Must Be Recorded

Two things should be noted:

1) Patrick taught himself to whistle a couple of weeks ago - I am quite impressed. He LOVES it and honestly, I think having something that only he can do has been great for him!

2) The crib is officially down. Titus was happy to make the switch and would have done it sooner but I wasn't quite ready... :) I'm actually okay with it.

And incidentally, Calvin has increased his prayers for a baby for our family. :) I'm definitely not sure how I feel about that, though we are open to God's leading! He has been advocating for quite some time with the support of Patrick and with the opposition of Titus.

Surgery

What a full week. And somehow nearly three weeks has passed since I posted last. For shame.

Calvin had his surgery this past Wednesday. We decided to drive up Tuesday night so he could have a good night of sleep before arriving at the hospital at 6 a.m. For the first time ever, he was the first surgery. It was quick and went well. The doctor explained that tubes were his best option and that hearing aids would be the other option. That was more direct and blunt than we had ever discussed before. We are praying and trusting that these will work and hopefully they will stay in longer than the last couple of times.

This time, Calvin was more upset coming out of surgery. They waited to bring us back until he was awake but it really scared him and it was hard to calm him - I was nearly in tears myself. He calmed down more when I climbed into the hospital bed and held him. My poor little guy. He also had more pain this time with his left ear especially - thankfully after a few doses of pain medication, it seemed to mostly resolve.

I'm always uptight about surgery but he was a champ. Here's a picture of him after the gave him some medicine to relax him before surgery - yeah, he was relaxed...and funny!

So thankful to have this behind us! We are hopeful that speech will improve and that he won't continue struggling with hearing. I know it frustrates him.

To Recap

- Calvin (as we anticipated) will have tubes again. We are just waiting for the call to schedule. I anticipate that he will have the surgery before the end of June. It's outpatient though I am always a nervous momma. :)

- Andrew has struggled with health since April 29 and was finally diagnosed with mono. We are glad to know what is going on but dreading the long recovery.
- My youngest brother graduated from highschool last week - thus ending my mom's 27 years of homeschooling. We had a celebration for her, too. :)

- I had the privilege of attending the 7th Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit. God did some serious work on my heart. I'm not sure exactly what that means practically speaking but I have not doubt in God's continued call for me and for us to advocate for parentless children. I'm continually challenged by the parallel of my adoption in Christ. And the number of orphans (here and abroad) is still staggering. Such a need for orpan care, such a need for churches and people to get involved!

- Early this year, I was asked to join the Board of Directors for Two Hearts for Hope. After prayerful consideration, Andrew and I decided that I should accept. It's a privilege working with them and seeing God grow the ministry. Two Hearts is expanding into Russia which is very exciting. Please check out their website to see how you can partner with us as we minister to orphans in Kazakhstan and Russia. We have some great fundraising items like re-usable grocery bags, necklaces, shirts, and cookbooks. We are currently raising money to replace the windows in an orphanage - they are in very bad disrepair and contributing to health issues in the children. It's a big project!

- We are busily begininng work on our 2nd annual 5K! It has been renamed An Orphan's Hope 5K (formerly Walk for Kaz). This year it will be held in Tennessee! We are so excited to see how God will  work as we raise funds, raise awareness, and enjoy a wonderful day. If you are interested in participating, early registration is now open! We are also looking for sponsors and people to spread the word! Check out our website.

- As if we don't have enough going on, I'm working a few extra days this summer. We are so thankful for the provision of a good job. Andrew and I are both at our new jobs for about a year now and both know we are in the right places!

- We are also planning our first big family vacation! We've done church camp, 3-4 day trips but never a week. We are all very excited to enjoy a week away this summer. We are thinking it will be a beach destination...it's been entirely too long since Andrew and I have been to the beach. We loved our year in Southern Florida and while we won't go that far, we look forward to introducing the kids to the ocean, eating delicious seafood, and relaxing.

Whew. And now you are mostly caught up. Here are a couple of pictures because really, posts are more interesting with photos. :)

 The boys at the Children's Museum - seriously, getting all three to look at the camera and smile is nearly impossible. :)

Meeting Max for the first time! So sweet!

Cleft Team Appointment

Tomorrow Calvin has a full team appointment in Chicago - it's a long (exhausting) day with lots of specialists. We leave super early in the morning and get back late. I think we will be told that he needs more speech therapy (which I am trying to figure out) and that he is having significant hearing issues. We've noticed a rapid decline in hearing and therefore enunciation and speech progress since March. It's tough - tough to see him struggle, tough that he realizes and is frustrated, and tough that I can't just make it better. Oh how I wish I could take it away for him. But he is a strong kiddo, a fighter.

So we will trek north, enjoy the time together, eat some fun snacks, and find out what the next steps will be on this journey. I'm thankful to be on this journey with him - cheering him on, helping him understand, loving him through, and reminding him that he is a great and handsome little boy. I can't help but be proud of him - the grace, the strength, and the determination.

God knew we belonged together and God created a way for him to be a part of our family through his clefts - what a blessing!

Spinning Tires

Do you ever find yourself struggling with the same things over and over again? I wonder why I keep coming back to the same things. I wish I could just learn how to manage everything and move on! :) Seriously!

I'm already working on planning school for next year - for the whole year. I have to, I need the organization, I need the plan... It won't go perfectly as planned and I'm sure I will re-evaluate and plan throughout the year but knowing that there is an organized plan makes me so happy and relieved!

So you probably guessed that I'm still working on organization. I have had to embrace (or at least accept) that life with three active (and absolutely wonderful!) boys needs flexibility and that things are definitely NOT going to go exactly as planned at least some, okay, most of the time. It's okay, I'm getting there - on the accepting and the flexing that is. And I'm constantly seeking to train them in responsibility balanced with lots some fun. :)

Being a mom is the hardest and most rewarding job. Many days I feel like I fail more than succeed. But the sweet smiling faces, the contrite apologies, the hugs and kisses, and the love make everything worth it. I think I've grown more as a person since becoming a mom than ever before and it's super humbling to have to apologize to my kids when I have failed. Together we learn and strive and grow. We love each other more. They tolerate my crazy (and sometimes irrational) need for organization and I love them for it!



Everyone in different directions - lots of fun, lots of crazy! :)

 So I continue to work towards some of my goals, let go of others, and spend more time with my beautiful family. 

Half Fail

This was the weekend I was supposed to be in Tennessee running/walking my first half marathon. I was nervous and excited and looking forward to spending time with friends. However, it was not to be. For many reasons, it became clear to Andrew and me that I needed to stay home. It was a hard decision and I definitely felt disappointed by it. I still intend to complete a half marathon at some point - hopefully in the not too distant future.

But what this post is really about is the positive life changes that have come about since I signed up for that TN half. It got me back to exercising. While I made an effort to be faithful to it last summer, it didn't stick. For the past 3-4 months, I have exercised and average of 4-5 times per week - a variety of pilates, strength, toning, and cardio. And I feel better - more energy, healthier, and stronger. More than that, my kids exercise with me (at least some of the time) and I know it's a good example for them. I'm thankful for the motivation to a healthier, more consistent (and disciplined!) lifestyle.

So despite my disappointment in not being able to meet one of my bucket list goals, I'm choosing to focus on the positive changes that it has brought about in my life! Not going was the right decision - we have no doubt. I'm planning to keep it up and hopefully next time, I'll be able to actually attend and complete a half!

Congrats to my friends who met their goals this weekend - so proud of you!