Project 365, Week 26

This week was enjoyed at OBX...Outer Banks, NC for our every-three-years family reunion, when about 40 people gather from six different states to stay in a (very large) house near the beach for the week. I came back with an embarrassing number of photos, which I hope to post someday, but for now I just chose a few.

June 24

Our first-born turned 13!! She's such a joy! She is enthusiastic and happy, loves a good adventure, she laughs without reserve, she is observant and has an inquisitive mind. She's a huge sports fan and she loves life. We're so grateful for her!

June 25
After dinner, I went to the beach with this crew (shenanigans not pictured).

June 26
We take our sunrises very, very seriously. :)

June 27
My brother arranged for a group of us to drive an hour to where TobyMac was performing at an outdoor arena.  It was such a fun evening and the dads were able to get the kids up close, practically on the stage. They will not soon forget the experience.

June 28
That's the lot of them (three missing from the week).

June 29
2nd Annual Family 5K Fun Run on the beach at day break. :)

This is us, all 39 who came (missing 5).

June 30
We left early to beat the traffic off the island, which got us home with enough time to unpack and grocery shop and go through mail. So thankful for a great week!

Project 365, Week 25

It was a full week with many blessings. I'm thankful for this little space where I can pause and record a portion of what's happening in our lives. 

June 17

Little Dakota was born the day before so I was at the hospital first thing in the morning the next day. I  felt honored to be R's first phone call when they got to the hospital. He was a bundle of nerves and emotions and wanted to talk with me and share his news. Those are the kinds of things that keep us going in this foster care journey. And the baby sure is sweet!

Soccer tournament, Day 2. We all went so we could be with Shaun on Father's Day. He's not a flashy kind of dad, he's really at his best when he's just with us. He lives his every day life so faithfully and purposefully.

He ended the day investigating a broken fridge. :( We take for granted that he knows how to fix everything and he does it well.

June 18
We stopped at the hospital again so Shaun could say hi to R and meet the baby.

We all met at my dad's house to celebrate Father's Day. When we get together, we have enough for two soccer teams! :)

June 19
After my surgery three years ago, I was set up with a visiting nurse service. I had several nurses, all amazing, but one ended up being the primary regular one. For eight months (which still blows my mind even though I lived it) she/they came to my house every other day to do wound care. We became pretty close and we've stayed in touch. This morning we met for coffee...I gave her bags of unused medical supplies that I not longer need and she gave me some running socks. :)

Good river times.

June 20
Last day of school. I tearfully wrote a note to each of the teacher's and staff who have greatly impacted our kids lives over these seven years. Its been such a special school to us...two blocks from our house and affordable with staff who care and are invested. I'm so, so grateful we've had this opportunity.


The first day I walked away from the school after dropping Avery off in first grade I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. I felt a similar feeling picking the kids up from St. Mary's for the last time.

But the last day of school is still the last day of school...yay!!

We used to go directly to DQ to celebrate. This year, Avery went to a friend's pool and Amanda went to a friend's lake. Though I happy they have friends and fun things to do, a piece of my was silently saying, "but wait guys...what about our cones, our tradition??"

June 21
Graduation Day for K! She's the first in her biological family to graduate from high school, something most of us can't comprehend. She's had to overcome so much to be able to walk across that stage and we're so proud of her!

When we signed up for foster care, we inadvertently signed up our extended families as well. They've been champs about supporting us through the years, not hesitating to dig in with whatever kid we happen to have. In addition to this crew who came to the ceremony, K received many beautiful cards and gifts. She so appreciates feeling like she has a family.

June 22
Errands and shopping and packing....

And, we're off! :) Amy started a group text, so we got to follow all the pieces of the family as they set out for our family reunion.

June 23

By the magic of coffee and Daddy, we arrived in Outer Banks about 10am. We spent several hours at the public beach waiting for our house to be ready, smug about the fact that we were not sitting in the long traffic line getting onto the island.

Project 365, Week 24

June, June. Each year you seem to take us to the edge of what we can handle. Too much goodness in too few weeks. 

This week was emotional as we started to do "lasts" and even "firsts". Change, even when you choose it, can be hard.

June 10

Lots of work on the house, getting it ready to show/rent/sell.

June 11
My Manda Girl, helping me take pictures of a very clean house to post an ad online.

June 12
What an amazing thing to watch healthy kids do active things. Aidan's team played against the town we are moving to. He was not impressed with their skill level, but was happy for his team's win.

June 13
The kids school had a "good citizen" initiative throughout the school year. The program that they used provided a free pass to the aquarium so they did a school-wide field trip. I got to talk with a mom friend for the bus ride and then hang out with my three kids at the aquarium. It was a fun day!

That evening, we showed our house to a couple and GOOD NEWS...they love it and want to rent/buy it! They are blending two families, Brady Bunch style so the house, with its six bedrooms is perfect for them. They are great people and are giddy about the house, which makes it much easier to hand it over to them. What a blessing to have that piece of the move resolved!

June 14
Tough day/good day for us all. Avery and Amanda went to the new town's middle school to shadow for the day. They were all nerves but kept a can-do attitude about it. It was brutal dropping them off and stepping into this new season, but from what I gathered from our chat over ice cream later, they had a great day. By that evening, I'd gotten an invitation for Amanda to attend a birthday party of one of the girls. :)

Shaun and his two brothers and their dad used H & R Block sponsored tickets to the US Open in Long Island. They got to see the big names and benefited from corporate food and AC.  Such a great experience!

That evening Aiden went to a minor league game with a friend from school.

And K, J and I attended a DCF-sponsored banquet, honoring all the high school graduates. The determination and perseverence and guts that these kids have to have in order to get to this point in life is astounding.

June 15
First day of school last fall 2017

Last day of uniforms spring 2018

After Mass, there was an awards ceremony. Our kids got high honors and Aiden received a handwriting award.

I cried as the teachers stood up to be honored. These people have given so much to our kids over the last seven years and I'm so grateful we've been able to be a part of this community.

Sweet, sweet girls.

June 16
Early morning soccer tournament for Shaun and Amanda and their adoring fans.

Target was the main sponsor and they had such a fun area of music, games, snacks, entertainment, etc for in between games.

Sarah's sister hosted a picnic and the kids were thrilled to see cousins.

Happy Father's Day!

That evening was Maddy's last dance recital (we also got to see Trevor and Renna dance). It has been so much fun watching her grow and develop her gifts.