Bella -- 16 Months Home

Bella has been home for 16 months now and things are still going great. She is happy, content, charming, easy to please, eats almost anything, plays well by herself and with others and seems to be bonded with all of us. 

Her adjustment here has been amazingly easy -- except for the first week or so. I feel she must have been loved and well cared for in her orphanage to be so well adjusted. If she wasn't, then it really is amazing how well she has done and how loving she is. 

I can't imagine not having this child. She is dearly loved. 

Decided to walk over to the ice cream store after feeding the ducks. Bella loves ice cream. 

Brain freeze -- she was so excited she was taking quite big bites. 

After the ice cream we walked a few minutes -- then back down the path to the duck pond and the car to go home.

I love honeysuckle. It reminds me of summers spent at my grandmother's house in Tennessee. 

Sophia's turn next time. Just thought I would do them separately as I didn't want to post too many pictures and I have so many I wanted to post. Don't want to go overboard. 

Catching Up

The past few weeks have been so busy that I haven't even gotten around to posting. I like to blog important events in our lives as well as the small things, as this blog is a kind of journal for me. Sometimes when I can't remember when something happened, I just pull up my blog and check the dates -- that's kind of nice.

On April 27th our grandson, Joshua, was dedicated. Almost all the family was there including Shannon's parents and brother from Pennsylvania. It was a nice ceremony and he looked so sweet. The bad thing is that I forgot to bring my camera. I still can't believe it. I take my camera almost everywhere I go, and then on this really special day I leave it at home. The good thing is that Shannon's mom brought her camera and several of my kids took pictures with their phones. So, we do have some pictures taken during the ceremony. Joshua smiles almost all the time. 

Then on May 9th our daughter, Megan, graduated from medical school. She has worked so hard and this has been her dream for so long. We are all so proud of her. She not only is smart, but she is a wonderful big sister to all of her younger siblings. Sarah constantly asks about her and when she comes home for a visit Sarah is the first one out the door to hug her. Megan actually took a year off from college to help teach Sarah one year. 

Then the next week, Megan and David were married. Megan has been very busy with school, graduation and then a wedding. She said she was ready for a break before she starts her residency in June. 

Bethany got a new vest as her old one wouldn't stay on anymore. She got purple this time. She says this one makes her tired -- no idea why.

Andrew was happy yesterday as his older brother took him fishing. He hasn't stopped talking about it, but I guess with 10 sisters at home a boy needs some time with a brother. 

 Now we just have Sarah, Caroline and Claire's dance recital and then I think we are going to just relax for most of the summer -- at least, that is what I am planning to do.