It’s been just a few very full weeks! Right here’s a tiny peek into them…
Kaitlynn made the choice to give up determine skating — one thing she had been considering for awhile and felt the time had come when she discovered two of her coaches can be shifting this summer time. She completed out her testing that she needed to do after which skated her final session the final week of college.
She has discovered and grown a lot by means of determine skating and we are going to at all times be glad about the way it has performed such a major function in her life. However we’re additionally excited for her to have much more time and house in her senior yr to have the ability to pursue different issues that she’s not been capable of as a result of skating has taken a lot of her additional time.
We went to Starbucks after skating after which sat within the automobile and celebrated and recounted all of the presents and blessings of skating these previous a few years. It was a particular strategy to mark this second for her. We are able to’t wait to see what this subsequent yr holds!
Kierstyn continues to actually get pleasure from swimming classes!
Engaged on the picture board for Kathrynne’s commencement. I’m so grateful that Kaitlynn and Kathrynne helped me decide which footage to incorporate after which helped me create the board.
Making an attempt on her cap and robe the day earlier than the large day!
We had been so blessed to have so many relations on the town for Kathrynne’s commencement. It was enjoyable for them to get to get pleasure from our little youngsters!
All dressed up for the commencement and never tremendous joyful about it. 🙂 Don’t fear, he solely cried for about one minute — in fact the minute I used to be making an attempt to take this picture — after which was joyful as might be as quickly as we acquired into the automobile!
It’s official! She’s all accomplished with highschool!
One of many particular elements of commencement day was seeing Kierstyn go round and work together with a number of seniors she has come to know and love. I really like that our youthful ones can convey a lot pleasure to so many youngsters!
Not one of the best household pic we took, however I needed to share this one as a result of David’s expression is priceless!
I needed to recreate this picture that we took final yr with Kathrynne and her finest buddy, Isabel, at her commencement. I can’t consider Kaitlynn will probably be a senior this yr!
I didn’t get many footage of the get together or the meals desk arrange, however right here’s what the gorgeous balloons seemed like earlier than we set this desk with Chipotle!
My hope was that the commencement and get together can be deeply significant for Kathrynne — and it was! From the the particular time with prolonged household, to expensive associates who confirmed up for her get together (virtually 70 folks got here!), to the wonderful get together decor and meals (because of @graceemayberry and @roseandplumliving + Chipotle)… she simply felt so liked and celebrated!
Kathrynne and I sat in our room on the finish of the day (Jesse was gone with David all evening at a sleep examine… due to course it had gotten scheduled months earlier than on the day of commencement!), and we recounted so many particular reminiscences, humorous moments, encouraging conversations, and simply the goodness of God all through the entire day.
The whole lot got here collectively so fantastically regardless that there have been a whole lot of shifting elements for the day. Whereas I used to be bone drained on the finish, it was the type of exhaustion that comes with a lot pleasure and success!
One highschool commencement down, 5 to go!
We acquired to look at my buddy’s 10-week-old child for the weekend. He was a trooper and slept by means of many of the commencement get together after which got here with us to Silas’ out-of-town baseball event!
Micah is rising up a lot!! He simply began strolling (see the video right here) and is speaking lots and needs to attempt to do all the pieces his older siblings do plus eat all of the issues on a regular basis!
Our screened-in porch is getting hours and hours of use nowadays. The climate has been so stunning and the shade is simply excellent that it’s virtually at all times a pleasant temperature out right here!
Jesse and I’ve additionally been occurring lengthy walks many evenings. It’s good train and contemporary air, we get to have some centered time to speak whereas pushing little ones within the strollers.
Jesse snapped this image of me one morning just lately. I adore it a lot as a result of that is my life proper now!
I posted the above image on Instagram with this caption: “Will he ever speak?” “When will he get his feeding tube out?” “What do you suppose his future will appear to be?”
I get questions like this virtually each day. And I so respect how a lot folks care about our David and his future.
The reality is: I don’t have solutions. I don’t know if he’ll have a full vocabulary some day. I don’t know if he’ll get his feeding tube out. And I don’t know what the long run holds.
However I do know this: he teaches me each day that our society places a number of worth on what we see outwardly. That speaking and strolling and consuming and interacting socially are the markers of success and the definition of progress.
There’s not a transparent linear progressive trajectory for David. There are numerous unknowns for the long run. However he’s forging his personal path and he’s excelling at it.
Can we hope he learns to speak with phrases? Actually, as a substitute of constructing that the aim, I’m celebrating that he has gained so many pre-verbal abilities, that he’s hardly ever pissed off with communication, and that he’s studying increasingly more methods and cues and verbal sounds to point what he desires.
Sure, the hope is that he ultimately will get his feeding tube out and eats 100% orally, however for now, we’re insanely pleased with his progress in deciding he’s occupied with meals, that he typically desires to eat now, and lots of days is consuming 120+ energy orally. That’s HUGE!
Most of all, we have a good time the present he’s to our residence and lives and the way a lot he loves life. He doesn’t care concerning the targets others set for him or whether or not he’s hitting them. He’s simply joyful to take a seat and play with a ball for an hour. He doesn’t know that some folks really feel sorry for him or that he’s labeled “developmentally delayed”; he’s simply thrilled to take a seat in our laps, hug us repeatedly, and play peek-a-boo and have dance events.
Daily, David teaches me that what we regularly place a lot worth on (checking issues off a listing, hitting targets, outward progress) isn’t the be all finish all of life. Loving folks, dwelling within the current, and absolutely absorbing the right here and now are a few of the most vital issues we are able to spend our time doing. And let me inform you, David is off-the-charts profitable at these three issues!
Kaitlynn and Kierstyn made cake pops sooner or later just lately.
On a night stroll!
We had an sudden shock occur just a few weeks in the past: we acquired to start out babysitting for the little boy we fostered for eight half months again in 2020. We had been usually babysitting him the previous two years after he reunified along with his mother. However then she had gotten constant childcare and so we hadn’t seen him for nearly 6 months.
Effectively, some issues modified along with his childcare and he or she requested if we may assist out once more. We had been thrilled to take action!
So we’ve had him for 30-40 hours per week the previous few weeks and it’s been such a present. He’s three and stuffed with power, but additionally the sweetest little one!
And he ADORES Micah!
I took this footage of the 2 boys the opposite day! I simply love how increasingly more they’re turning into such buddies!
Baseball tournaments with 4 little ones (since we’ve been babysitting for C at most of them just lately) imply you convey a LOT of additional stuff!
We introduced spray bottles with water eventually weekend’s baseball event and it was a HIT!
There you have got it: a little bit peek into the previous few weeks! Should you made it by means of all these footage, whew! Thanks for being right here and being such cheerleaders for our household! We’re grateful for this life — even on the actually tiring days! — and we’re grateful for every of you!
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