Moments to Remember

When you have 9 adult children that have moved out and are making homes of their own, but you go upstairs to put laundry away and find your 8 year old on your bed reading -- this is a moment to remember. I am blessed. Grown children, grandchildren and still little ones at home. I recognize how blessed I am. I run and get my camera and snap a picture of Bethany. I want to remember this. 

I walk outside on a beautiful autumn day and there is Claire without a care in the world running and playing with such joy on her face -- another moment to remember. I, again, remember how blessed I am and snap this memory. 

A Wedding and a Festival

I am really enjoying the beautiful weather this fall -- I think fall is probably my favorite season. We haven't done much lately but a couple of events have taken place. 

Last weekend our son, Michael, got married to a lovely girl named Kasia. It was a very small wedding with mostly family and a few friends. They are planning on having a larger wedding with more friends and family later as Kasia is from Poland and her family was unable to come at this time. Bill and I passed through Poland when we adopted Caroline from Ukraine and I thought it was the coldest place I had ever been -- maybe it was just my imagination. Michael actually lived in Poland for six years and that is when he met Kasia. 

A few pictures from their wedding day.

Yesterday was the Down syndrome festival and our girls danced with Miracles in Motion and Bella modeled for Gap -- Emily also modeled with her. It was cold and rainy and very messy. It seems like it was also cold and rainy last year. Sarah and Caroline didn't seem to mind the cool weather and rain but Claire felt differently. As you can see in the picture below, Claire wasn't real enthused about dancing in the cold. 

But, most of the kids didn't seem to mind the weather and they did a great job dancing. This is such a wonderful group of kids and I am so glad that I found this group for our girls. 

Bella waiting for her turn to walk the runway -- which was rather messy.

When Bella and Emily's turn came, Bella did walk, but was not very animated or enthused. At least she didn't cry. 

We have had a pretty nice fall so far and in only a few weeks we will welcome a new baby into the family. That will make 4 grandchildren for us. 

What We Are Reading

Bethany has been sick for the past couple of weeks -- extra nebulizer treatments, extra vest time and extra acapella usage. Her days have been filled with one treatment after another. She has coughed and coughed and has had more mucus than she ever has. So, I spent a lot of time reading to her. She is now doing much better and seems pretty much on the road to recovery. She loves the Carolyn Haywood books so we read a couple of those -- Here Comes the Bus and Taffy and Melissa Molasses. Then we read Holly in the Snow by Eleanor Frances Lattimore and are just finishing Deborah's White Winter by the same author. The Lattimore books were written in 1954 and 1949, but Bethany seems to love all of these old books. I think we are going to run out of Carolyn Haywood books soon as we have read so many of them. I search and search for all of her books as so many of them are out of print. 

We ordered a swing for Bethany and she was so excited. I guess I didn't pay much attention when ordering it as I was quite surprised how large it was -- the seat is so deep. 

Bella will be modeling for GAP at the Down syndrome festival this coming Saturday. We think she will look quite cute walking the runway. I am hoping that she will not suddenly get shy and not walk at all.