Have I mentioned how much I love this child?
4.21.2010
Mission Accomplished!
We took the Windy City by storm...Brenin style!
Our mission to "eat cake in bed" was well met, and we also found time for the Museum of Science & Industry, Navy Pier, lots of swimming and even some shopping! We were also completely thrilled to be able to meet up with our good friends, Jim & Nyad, for lunch. We had a great weekend celebrating our precious 7 year old, and home felt so sweet upon our return.
Brenin got this cowgirl hat for her birthday and wore it all weekend (it obviously goes with EVERYthing!)
My bathin' beauties!
(check out that tutu on Luca's suit...LOVE that little ruffle butt!)
After a big breakfast, ready for a day on the town!
The Girls
Sweet Sisters
Luca took this one of her big SEVEN year old sister!
Chicago was a bit ahead of us in terms of blooms...
the flower boxes were already full of blossoms and the trees were full and beautiful!
Skyline from the car...including the Sears Tower!
...and what would a collection of city pics be without some TRAFFIC!
The Museum of Science & Industry was such a fun way to spend the day. Virtually every exhibit had some way for the kids to interact and have a blast. Here's Brenin experimenting on an invisible walk-on piano (excuse the hat hair).
Clowning Around
You can take the girl outta' Wisconsin, but you can't take Wisconsin outta' the girl!
It was so fun to watch the girls try everything out.
There was a giant "fairy castle" with a tour explaining all the intricate little pieces (like Sleeping Beauty's bed, the tiniest Bible ever written, diamond plated chairs, etc.) Brenin was ENTHRALLED...this exhibit was totally up her alley.
The girls completing a circuit through one another to make the ball light up!
Many exhibits had a computer pad in front of them so we could experiment with different factors of the exhibit.
There was a whole section on storms, including this tornado, a wind tunnel where you could experience 80 mph winds and so much more.
The kids used the computer to send this hot air balloon up (Luca's favorite part of the day).
A mechanical arm, sensed our movements and responded!
At Navy Pier
...and finally...CAKE IN BED! (phew!)
Still more partying to come tomorrow night...Brenin's been making us sing "Happy birthWEEK to you..." since she's getting to celebrate all week long. I have to say, the girl is fun to celebrate! I'm so thankful that I get to be her mama and so blessed by her every single day.
Happy birthday, my sweet girl!
4.16.2010
Lots of end-of-the-year activities to keep us busy these days, so I apologize for my infrequent updates! Here are a few pics from last week's homeschool square dancing / barn dance lessons (SO fun...thanks Jessica for the invite!) Then a sunny but cool day at the park. Since that day, we've been hitting near 80 for temps, so the shorts and t-shirts are FINALLY out at least part time! The grass is GREEN and the trees are blooming! Love it!
Tomorrow is Brenin's birthday, and we decided to take a little weekend getaway instead of having a big party. She LoVeS to stay in hotels and chose Chicago as a destination. She said she wants to "eat cake in bed," and who am I to argue with the birthday girl?? So, we're off to the windy city to eat cake in bed (we'll catch a museum and a little shopping and R&R too!) :-)
4.03.2010
2 Years and More Easter Fun!
This Thursday marked the 2 year anniversary of the first time we saw Luca's face, the day we received our referral and in our hearts became a family of FOUR. The memory of our caseworker's voice on the phone is burned in my memory forever...."There's a little girl in Shashemene," she said, and instantly I thought, "oh my gosh, my child is in SHASHEMENE!" (Not that I knew what or where in the world "Shashemene" was, but instantly I felt her presence there and she was real...and she was mine!) Our two paths had parrallelled in a way only God could orchestrate, and it was crystal clear she was predestined for our family. I literally shook the rest of the day in an adrenaline rush, and then the painful wait to November began, during which I would stare at these pictures TIRELESSLY, praying that God would protect and comfort the broken heart of this precious lamb.
This is the very first image that popped up on my email after talking to the caseworker, the first time I ever saw Luca's face. L-O-V-E.
I stared at this one so long, I began to notice minute details like the pair of dirty footprints on the wall (can you find them??) If I could have walked to Ethiopia to hold this girl for even a moment, I would have left yesterday. The wait was long, the road hard, and the reward unfathomable.
More Easter activities this week too...won't write too much...I think you get the gist!
Love this one my sister took of these silly little punks!
The girls' eggs had lots to do with sparkle...
...and frill.
And then there were the boys' eggs.
Girl egg.
Boy egg.
Any questions?
:-)
Oh yeah, and here's a conversation we'll be having at
our house every day for the next 2 weeks or so:
Kids: What's for breakfast?
Me: Hard boiled eggs.
Kids: Again?!?
Me: Yep.
Happy Easter Everyone!
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