Just a little braggin....

Yesterday, my nephew won his 4th straight district championship title. He's been wrestling since he was a wee-little man (think bitty wrestling), and years of practice, dedication and sacrifice have paid off for him (not only by my nephew, but by my sister and her awesome husband who have driven him all over the country to attend various camps, tournaments, and training events). We are so proud of him! He will represent his area next weekend at the state tournament. We wish him all the best! Way to go Benny-haha.....We love you!

My nephew (navy singlet) on top of the competition

labels.....

Fat. Skinny. Gifted. Dumb. Athletic. Clumsy. Beautiful. Homely. Nice. Mean. Friendly. Snobby. Delayed. Accelerated. Labels.......some can be positive, while others can be quite negative. Lets face it....no one wants to carry around a "bad" label with them for a lifetime. Positive ones are A-ok, but with socially negative labels comes a plethora of struggles. It seems like I wasted away a large part of my childhood trying to escape some of the negative labels that plagued me as a child, and I still carry around a lot of insecurity from some of them. I know....sad! I'm a grown adult and shouldn't care, but I do.

You may wonder where I am going with this. We are all uniquely, beautifully, and wonderfully made. We are all a series of ingredients, or labels.....like reading a recipe. God knits us together and gives us all gifts to serve His purpose. These are the labels that we should care about, but we don't. Humans, in our selfishness seem to be more concerned about worldly labeling than eternal labeling. People have created the "bad" labels (and the good for that matter). Society has decided what is desirable in a person, and we have also decided what is undesirable, or socially unacceptable.

My daughter stims. My daughter has sensory issues. My daughter may not play with toys like your child. My daughter may tap her nose while dropping a toy, or she may pop her fists together with force when she is frustrated. My daughter is non-verbal. My daughter may do things that others may perceive as "weird," but guess what.....I don't care about what you think. I don't need people to stare at her in the grocery store and tell me what they think is "wrong" with her. I don't need you to tell me that you think she is autistic (which her doctor reconfirmed again yesterday quite emphatically...your child is not autistic....btw!). I do not need you to tell me how lucky she is to have a family because we are the blessed ones. I love her. I rejoice in watching her smile while hearing sounds that she has never heard before. My heart skips a beat listening to her giggle over and over while the wind hits her face. I laugh seeing her sign for her milk cup when I open the refrigerator. I am overjoyed to watch her explore her environment. The labels we choose for her are......chosen, child of God, daughter of the Savior, redeemed, wonderfully and beautifully made, forgiven.....These are the labels that we care about (and all of my children labeled), even though society may not agree.

I have fallen into the labeling trap at times. I have spent the past 8 months over analyzing everything that my sweet A' does. I have obsessed about silly things that I shouldn't worry about. In a strange way, perhaps I desired a "label" from the medical establishment, although I was fearful of it at the same time. I wanted a magic bullet. I wanted to be able to tell people, "oh, she does that because she has....., " or, "she does that because she is......" Selfish of me, I know. Insecure of me, I know. I don't need to explain her behavior to anyone. She is who she is. Amazing!

Oh, and for those of you who are wondering how her appt. went at Children's yesterday....very well, thank you very much. Her neurologist was very pleased with her progress. She has made "significant gains" and from a medical standpoint she is doing quite well. Her diagnosis, or label by her neurologist is "thriving in her new environment." I think I can handle that. :)

busy, busy bees......

We have been blessed w/some pretty amazing weather around here lately (nothing like what the Midwest and east coasters are going thru). It has been in the high 50's to low 60's and with it comes lots of fun time outside for the kids and I. I have been weeding out flower beds (as best as I can because I just don't bend at the waist anymore) and even saw a bee buzzing around the yard. The daffodils are up and just getting ready to start blooming, and the tulips are not far behind. I've already mowed the yard a few times, and it's only the first week of February. LOVE THIS WEATHER!!!

The boys have been reacquainting themselves w/their various dirt piles and spending hours digging for bugs, worms, and other creepy crawlies. Miss M' is happy racing Chloe, our beautiful Golden Retriever around the yard, or jumping feverishly on the trampoline. Although Miss A' has been walking around like crazy the outdoor terrain is a little challenging for her, and she can't quite maintain balance on the uneven ground. She is, however quite happy to swing, go down the slide, and sit in the grass enjoying the new texture on her hands.

We've also had a lot of celebrations around here. The end of January and February are busy birthday months. My little nephew, Kyle turned 1. My own momma turned 60 (ahem...I mean 40) on January 26. Miss M' turned 11 on the 30th of January. My brother-in-law celebrated his 21st birthday a few days ago while finishing up basic training in California. Poor guy.....he can't even get a phone call from loved ones b/c of Marine Corp rules. My niece turned 5 and had a fantastic birthday party on Saturday at a children's museum. My father-in-law will also be 60 on Thursday. And, last but not least.....two of my nephews will celebrate their birthdays in February....Benjamin (Feb. 9 and a big 17 years old!) and Kyle (Feb. 27 and 14 years old!). So......happy birthday to all of our loved ones!!! If I forgot anyone, sorry. There are a lot of you. :)

Today, I had the supreme privilege of accompanying my handsome son and his class to a ballet performance in a nearby city (a HUGE thank you to my awesome mother-in-law for watching the two young ones while I went....much appreciated, and we love you!). I had a great time spending some alone time with J-man, and I even caught him smiling on the bus ride down. He reached over and hugged me and told me, "thanks mom. I love you." My little J-man isn't super affectionate, so it brought tears to this momma's eyes. We had a great time together, even if ballet is not my boys "cup of tea." He leaned over to me about 5 minutes into the show and said in a most annoyed voice, "is this for REAL? Can we go now?" Later, I looked over to find him snoozing right thru all of the dancing. It really was beautiful to watch, but I can't apologize for my boy.....he is who he is. :) Alas......maybe my girls will appreciate culture and the arts. I can only be so hopeful.

Tomorrow, we will head off to Children's for another neurology appt. for Miss A. Please keep her in your prayers. It should be rather routine, but the appts. are usually pretty exhausting for her and for her momma. :) A' will have her last home therapy sessions on Wednesday and Thursday, and then she will begin preschool next week. My little lady is going to school!

Anyhoo, that is what's what around here. :)

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you.....

Miss M' is the adorable gal in the bottom left corner. I'm working on my nieces' computer, so I had to use one of her pictures. I know, I know.....no one is looking at the camera, but what do you expect w/my busy munchkins.....

To you, Miss M......

I still remember your week long induction like it was yesterday. I went in on a Monday morning and spent the day hooked up to an IV w/some cocktail of labor inducing meds running thru it. Nothing! Tuesday, more medicines, but still no Miss M. Wednesday.....had the day off from induction related procedures....doctor thought it would be good to see if a day at home might progress things along. I rested on the couch that day thinking about what you would look like, if you were a boy, or a girl, how much you would weigh, how painful was labor anyway, would you ever come out, would the name we chose suit you, did your mommy have the gestation of an elephant since you were already 15 days overdue, etc., etc. On Thursday morning we were back at it again, and finally, on Saturday morning at 6:45 a.m. you made her grand entrance into the world. I remember very vividly one nurse telling me I was not in active labor just minutes before my water broke, and I think I shot her the "evilest" eye known to mankind. About a half hour later, as I held you in my arms I couldn't help but shoot a snide smirk her way and say, "see, I told you so". I know.....very mature of me, but I was sleep deprived, 23 years old, and still in pain!

On Sunday morning we took you home, and it felt strange to go from just your daddy and I to a family of three. You had all kinds of guests come and see you. You were the very first grandbaby on the Vk side of the family, and I was told by g'ma O' that g'pa D' was very excited to have a granddaughter. Finally.....another girl in the Vk family. :) Both of your g'pa's and g'ma's visited along w/your aunties and uncles. Auntie Amanda had to come up on the following day after we returned home from the hospital b/c I had no idea how to sponge bathe a baby, nor put clothes on you without breaking you. Thankfully, she reassured me that you would not "break" and to quit being so silly about it. Your daddy was pretty comfortable w/you because he had lots of practice w/siblings, but I had no idea what to do with you. Happily, we both figured out the mommy/daughter thing pretty quickly. You were an excellent sleeper almost immediately, and if you did wake up at night it was strictly "business". You were only interested in getting a quick snack and then back to sleep you went.

So, to my Miss M', a very happy birthday to you! You are an amazing young lady, and your daddy and I are so blessed to have you in our family. You have an incredibly gentle, kind heart, and your compassion to others is ever present. You are an wonderful helper, and a fantastic shopper. :) I love spending time with you doing "girl stuff," and you make me smile with your sassy sense of humor and quick whit. I love that you share your moms love for all things vintage and would rather go antique or junk store shopping than hit the mall (although you are also a fan of it, too!). You have a special way with animals, and you have always had a soft spot for them. Thank you, Miss M' for waking up daily with a smile on your face and a true eagerness to see what God has in store for you. Love you, mom...

just a little update....

Ah.....my blog. Why do I neglect you so? For those of you who have been checkin' in I am sorry that I haven't written anything lately(thanks for the inquiry Shirlee....I am a huge fan of your blog, and you inspire me w/all of your great posts :). Life has been busy w/two three year olds, a third trimester mommy-to-be, a very energetic young man who will be 8 soon, and my beautiful daughter who is galloping toward her 11th (gasp!) birthday.

Here's a lowdown on what's new at the VK ranch:

My darling Miss M' will be turning 11 on Saturday. She has been debating on what she would like to do on her special day, and she has finally narrowed it down to a few choices. Originally, we had planned an overnight excursion (amazing hotel nearby w/a waterpark!), but she surprised me the other day by asking if she could look on the internet and find something different. I was actually thrilled b/c the thought of cramming 6 people into one hotel room wasn't very appealing to me! She has informed me (rather sternly) that we WILL be finalizing our plans tonight. Yes ma am'. Girl knows what she likes. :)

Mr. J' continues to LOVE all things Lego related. He retreats to his room regularly (mainly because his little meimei can't seem to keep her hands off of them) for hour long building sessions. It amazes me to see what he can come up with. I think boys are definitely wired differently than girls, and Lego's prove it. I spent the greater part of an hour trying to read the instruction on how to assemble a Lego car. I turned around to "help" J' and D', and they already had it put together and were working on another. Hello......maybe I should leave asssembled items to my boys! They are so mechanically inclined, while their momma is strictly a "gotta have a diagram, instructions, and video if possible to show me how to build it" kind of a gal.

D' LOVES playing with Mr. J's Lego's while Mr. J is away at school (mainly because Mr. J' doesn't share his creations very well). He is also really into "reading" me books and helping out whenever he can. If I give the boy a rag and the Windex.....watch out. You may just have sparkle where you didn't expect sparkle. :) He is also obsessed w/knowing what time it is. I swear that I hear him say, "hey mom, what time is it?" 10 times per hour. I always reply, "why D'? Do you need to be somewhere?" He says, "nope....just want to know how much longer it will be until bobo (Mr. J') comes home." He loves his bobo!

A' is keeping me on my toes! She is into EVERYTHING!!!! The other day, J' and I were reminiscing about her, and we both thought about how we would pray that she would just have the desire to do something w/out us prodding her to do so. Well, I'm happy to report that our prayers have been answered. Yay me.....just in time for baby!

The pregnancy is going well. I'll be honest. . . I have a hard time draggin' my bum off the couch to do anything, but I'm managing. I can't wait to feel my feet again because little sweet pea has decided that sitting on my hip/nerve is a very comfy place to be (for HER!), which in turn makes my feet fall asleep and my hip absolutely throb to no end. She is quite a little mover, and it makes me giggle to watch my stomach bump, jump, and wiggle. I think I've got an energetic one on my hands. :)

I'm working feverishly (ok....a little overly dramatic, but that's my style!) to get the nursery completed. Yesterday, D' and I assembled the crib. Thankfully, I have put it together and taken it apart a few times, so it was easy....nothing like Lego's. I picked up a bassinet and car seat at a fabulous consignment store (I'm a sucker for a good deal!). The boys have moved into J's room and happily share bunkbeds now (which D' and J' informed me were the best gift ever!). Miss M' and Miss A' still have their own rooms, and baby vk will move into D's old room. It is handy living in a big farmhouse....lots of bedrooms for lots of kids.

J, Sr. is great! He loves God, his wife (ahem....I am assuming:), loves the kids, and loves the farm. He has been so helpful lately, and I really appreciate him. He has graciously agreed to watch the munchkins for a few days at the end of February so I can go with my in-laws, niece, and two brothers-in-law to watch another brother-in-law graduate from basic training in San Diego. Some may say, "um, big deal." But, it IS a big deal to a farmer. They can't stop working....ever! As his dad says, "cows have to be fed." So, he will have a very full schedule w/two three year olds riding around w/him in the feed truck. Last night I tried to back out b/c I felt bad leaving him w/the extra work, but he insisted that I go. He assures me that he's got it covered, and yes....the man always does. :)

So, that's what's new in VK land. Thanks for reading. :)

Only a month......

Walkin' to mommy today. You can view some of her first steps about a month ago in a previous post in November.

Here is Miss A' about one month out of taking her first steps about 6 months post "gotcha" day.....not bad. :) Honestly, when we were forever united w/Miss A' in July my first impression was that she would probably never walk without assistance (for those of you who don't know, her original referral read that she had cerebral palsy and deformed legs) Her legs were so weak with no muscle tone, and they didn't seem to track correctly. She would often lift the same leg twice in a row, throw them into strange configurations when we would "help" her move along, or just drag them behind her while we "drug" her forward.

Lesson learned for mommy (*sigh*....again. I'm not a very good student!). This girl has brought me to tears more times than I care to admit. :)

Practicing her walking w/my niece, B' and I today.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.....

We have a family tradition each year of spending Christmas Eve w/the VK family. Mom Vk puts on a great party with tons of food, fun, and fellowship. This year was no exception! We enjoyed spending a few hours w/most of the family (a few brothers and sisters-in-law were out of town.) It is always fun to see the VK family growing year after year w/new babies and new "in-laws." I love watching all of the little cousins (who all happen to be about the same size right now) run around and giggle together....super fun!

Before heading over to Mom and Dad Vk's house, we spent a quick 1/2 hour opening presents at our house (see below). The kids had a great time, and so did J' and I. I remember last year blubbering thru Christmas thinking about our daughter still in China. What a difference a year makes!

Today, we slept in, ate a big, yummy breakfast (like my momma used to make on Christmas morning), and then we were off to church. I LOVE the Christmas Day service. I LOVE singing the traditional Christmas songs, most of which make me tear up while singing (sorry, I'm sappy!) It truly is an amazing time of the year.

From our family to yours. . . . May you all have a very blessed Christmas!

Uncle Rob, Kennedy, Uncle Eric, and sweet baby Kyle.
Cousin C' opening her presents while cousin M' looks on.

J', Jr. opening his remote control cars from G'pa and G'ma Vk. . .loved it! Thank you, G'pa and G'ma.

Uncle J' waiting patiently for his turn to open a present.

The twins trying on their dress up costumes. . . such little princesses.

G'pa Dick reading Luke 2. It's a VK tradition on Christmas Eve. He suggested we try the Dutch bible this year, but since he and G'ma are the only ones that can understand it, he opted for the English version. :)

Cousin Sophie given Miss A' a Christmas smooch.

The "aftermath." Notice how Miss A' is the only one left. She was very excited to have full access to all of the trash leftover from unwrapping presents.

Oh, my boys. They never seem to want to keep their shirts on. :) Here, J', Sr. is showing J',Jr. his new blankey and Wii game from G'pa and G'ma Smith. J' was really excited to have a new tractor blanket made by G'ma Donna.

Miss M' checkin' out her new pj's.