Family Update:)

Hi!
I haven't posted in a bit..so I thought I would catch up on a few things...
hmmm...let's see...On Aug. 14th my wonderful hubby and my sweet -n- sassy 12 year old left on a 10 day mission trip to Arizona. They went to work at a home for mentally disabled adults during the day and at night they do a VBS program for kids on an Indian Reservation. It is a wonderful trip, I went with my other 2 daughters a couple years ago. It is long...getting up at 5 am, working outside in the heat all day..getting to bed about midnight. It is an amazing mission trip for our Jr. High kids.
I wasn't thrilled with Todd leaving so soon after the boys coming home...but the boys did fine. They were sad at times and kept kissing his picture on my phone, or would just sit there sad and saying "I'm sad, I miss Daddy and Tay Tay".
I had my older girls here to help, when they weren't busy:) I did really enjoy evenings with the other kiddos. TJ was the man of the house! The girls and I would hang out in the evenings and had lots of great girl talks. I think when Todd came home they even missed me sitting with them and hanging out, so I will keep that up, it was wonderful.
I was soooo sad too. After 16+ years of marriage Todd is so much a part of ME. I am super glad he is home!!
The day he left was a monumental day in our family as well. SHANAY got her drivers permit!!!! Jessica stayed home with the boys so I could take Shanay to go take her test...it was an exciting time, but so nerve-wracking as her Mommy...what if she didn't pass???...i was so anxious. She did great!!! I was so proud of her.
I pulled the van over when we got around the corner from our house. She had never driven the van before...she was going 10 miles per hour and was so worried about going over the line that she nearly hit all the parked cars on the road...i was freaking out!!! I so wanted to be the one to teach her to drive, since Todd was gone this was my chance...after that I wasn't so sure!!! I did take her out another time in the CAR that she was used to and she did better. Someone almost hit her though...HIS fault, not hers.
The day that Todd and Tay came home we were off to Monterey for a week to stay in our timeshare. I had to book this trip 13 months in advance because it's always booked...Jess had volleyball try-outs during the week so we had to drive her back home where she stayed with my friend for 2 nights, and then we drove back to pick her up and bring her back to Monterey. Thanks Jen Jen!!
It was great though...we could walk about 100 steps to get to the beach, 40 steps to the pool and about 15 to the playground. It was super fun. We went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium....i love it there!! The kids did too. The boys did wonderful in the new environment. It's amazing how go with the flow they are. They are both doing great in the water. Soly will just jump right in, not wanting you to catch him!!
TJ, thanks to the olympics, now wants to join the swim club!!
I posted some of the pictures!!! I love that my girls are so into taking pics...i remember forcing them to take pics before...now it's like "take a picture of me doing this..or that...or whatever"...we have a ton of pics!!
The girls are even wanting to scrapbook. While Todd was gone, Shanay had the opportunity to go out with some friends but chose to stay home and scrapbook...i love it!!
I will try to post more about the adoption-attachment soon. Some days are great...other moments aren't...The boys are learning so much, they really are doing great. Markenley recently has lied a couple times...hmmm....but he has a gentle spirit. Soly is funny too..he is super happy. He is doing great too with learning what is acceptable. He used to hit when he would get mad. Sometimes he will hit but then apologize right away.
Markenley is playing soccer and had his first practice before vacation and did so good. Paid attention, did what the coaches said...I am so proud of him.
The kids start school tomorrow. Each year is so emotional for me. I hate them getting older. Shanay will be a Jr., Jess a sophmore, Tay in 7th (JR. HIGH!!) and TJ is in 4th. UGGGHHH
Markenley will be doing home-school preschool too!! He is excited.

The journaling above was written on the 23rd...i am just getting around to finishing it 8/29...
The kids did start school and are all doing great. Jess made the volleyball team and Taylor joined cross country. (in school I would have never CHOSEN to run!! I did anything i could to get out of running the mile :) You go Tay Tay!! Please pray for Jess as volleyball is draining...last year, i am sure it was because of volleyball, is when Jess got drained and ended up with Mono which lead to a whole year of feeling yucky. We are happy she is trying again and is physically able.
TJ wants to play the trumpet and also joined the morning broadcast team. Markenley and Solomon had their 1st day of home preschool and they loved it, it was cute.
This is officially Shanay's 16th birthday weekend. I have been trying to get her to plan a party, i wanted to choose a theme etc. but she hasn't come up with what she wants to do...she does know she wants to go to the SF zoo!! She LOVES Giraffes! That's why in some of the pics she is wearing a giraffe sweatshirt:) I am so not ready for her to be 16!
Well, gotta run to the school to do my PTO duties.
love you,
Renee

Beach Trip and Stuph:)

Soly couldn't wait!

praying:)

guitar hero praise

Sibling torture

Shanay and Jess were home with the boys for a little while today...when we got home they showed us this video. Solomon is afraid of this little wind up toy...call it torture, or helping him get over his fears, i am not sure...what are big sisters for?? I love how polite he is at the end. We love him so much, he is a hysterical little guy!!

TJ's Batman Video:)

My son cracks me up with his wonderful acting skills!! Obviously he has seen the Dark Knight and loved it!

What a week..

My Handsome son's BEFORE PIC!!

This was in the ER after the swelling went down about 75%.

Black and Blue...a few days later!

Day Camp is over...and I am exhausted!!! We had about 90 kids in the camp and each day we had a fun trip planned. Day one, shadowcliffs...a man made lake...the morning started off by being super excited that we had my favorite bus driver from years past. Being a girl, and liking to talk, somehow on our short adventures I have gotten to know her a bit over the years. I was getting caught up and asked her how her hubby was... "he died last Monday"....ugghhhh...i felt horrible. I was sorda in a funk all day..sad for her...

Tuesday...Golfland water slides...HORRIBLE DAY!!!!!

The kids were all given their safety information from the lifeguard and sent on their way to play...the lifeguard forgot to say anything about the mini golf safety rules...the one about not swinging the golfclub above your knees...I can tell you I will NEVER forget that rule...not even 5 minutes after the kids were sent off MY SON (who was one of the kids in the camp) was brought back to me...his face was HUGE, he was bleeding and crying...it looked like there was a tennis ball on his face. I was starting to freak, grabbed a baggie, quickly grabbed ice...and Brenda (our CE director who just happended to come to pay for the day) drove us directly to the ER where Todd met us...Thank you Brenda..The vision of seeing my son that way was HORRIBLE...i will never forget it...his face was HUGE. We got to the ER and they did a CT scan...thank you Jesus...it was not broken. It could have been so much worse..near his eye or teeth.

The swelling did go down a lot...but was still awful looking. Thursday was opening day of Willy Wonka Jr. which TJ has a lead role in (Mike Teavee)...His last play he was in he got a fat lip (huge fat lip) by running into a girls head. He vowed to never do theater again.

I will post pics of his pretty little face...but these pictures are nothing compared to what it looked to at first.

I love Tj's spirit though..by the end of the week he was totally fine...dancing and singing on stage...praising God..no thoughts of his black and blue face.

Wed. Great America---Good day for the most part. It's stressful because it's such a big responsibility. 14 leaders keeping track of all those kids.

Thursday...Ice skating...Little sweet Sophia fell on the ice and our Senior counselor stopped to turn around and help her and her skate hit sophia's finger and cut it pretty bad...we had to call her Mom and Pam (my co-director of the camp) took her to the doctor...she had to get stitches. I just feel awful...I hate injuries...there was a lot of blood.

By the end of that day I was so exhausted. I felt horrible...

Then Friday....

Pool day...we have lifeguards....the counselors are in the pool with the kids..pretty safe...so you would think...

I literally had just scanned the pool and all was well, I had been getting on kids and counselors for goofing around too much.

Next thing I know one of our counselors, Alyson, who is also one of my daughters best friends and spends lots of time at our house was brought out of the pool with a bloody nose. We get her ice and sat her down....it is clear at that moment that her nose is broken. I had to call her mom and figure out where to take her. It was horrible. I feel so bad for her. At this point they are planning on doing surgery on Wed. after the swelling goes down.

I have been directing Day Camp for 5 years with only one injury (a kid was on stage dancing and singing and another kid fell on him and fractured his finger). This year 3!!!

We are thankful that they weren't more serious than they were. I am emotionally exhausted from the week.

One of my high school counselors reminded me that when you are doing good things for God bad things will happen and she said this was one of the best Day Camps ever..thank you Anna Kay.

God was definatly evident in the camp and there were amazing relationships formed and lives changed for God. We raised about $800 for an orphanage/school in Haiti. I need to focus on all the good that was done in that camp. I am blessed to be able to be a part of it. Thank you God! :)

It was hard being away from the boys so much...when i was home, i was tired. Now my busy season is over...i can spend time with the boys! :) Thank you to my sweet hubby and my wonderful daughter Taylor for caring for the boys!

Ok, we did it...we cut his hair!!!

WHAT DID WE DO??? We have been going back and forth about what to do with Markenley's hair. It is adorable au natual..but takes about 15 minutes every morning to comb/condition form the ringlets etc. When it's not conditioned it's super dry..when i over condition it it's extremely icky and greasy and we were all getting pimples from the products.
On the good days i say let's just keep it long...but it's been super hot and I feel for him..so recently I braided it, and like when he came home from Haiti, he was called a girl numerous times.
He also likes to wear hats, that was hard because his hair was so long and if he did take the hat off it looked funny. He also wears a helmet while riding the scooter... helmet hair...not cute. I also really wanted to get to his scalp and really see the condition of it. Solomon has a fungus on his that was treated and now he's fine. We didn't want to traumatize Markenley so we have waited. We cut Solomons hair recently and so we have been asking Markenley if he wants his cut. Some days it was yes, some days no. Recently he was asking to have it cut. We finally decided to just do it. We know it will grow back. This will give us a fresh start. This was so hard emotionally for me...but I do think he looks adorable!! When I first showed him himself in the mirror he didn't like it, didn't want to look...it was so sad. But now he is happy. Here are some pics of the new hair cut...and other pics too. :)

Lunchtime in the backyard!

Lunchtime for Soly too!

Taylors Umpa Loompa wig!

ADORABLE!

GUITAR HEROS!

Daddy is cutting my hair!! :)

LOOK AT ALL HIS HAIR!!!

HANDSOME MARKENLEY AND BEAUTIFUL SISTER SHANAY!

SOLOMON IN HIS TRUCK!

MARKENLEY LOVES TO HELP!! HERE HE'S TAKING OUT THE TRASH...
PRE-HAIR CUT!

KITTY CAT LOOKS CUTE WITH MARKENLEY'S HAIR!

SOLOMON!

I LOVE BASEBALL!!

VACUUMING HIS HAIR!

BROTHERS!

I DO LOVE HIS HAIR...I AM KINDA' MISSING IT!! :(

California's Great America

We took the kiddos to Great America today. It was the boys first time. We also took Zack..my friends little boy who the boys love. :)

TJ is great with the boys...and just the right height for the rides that the rest of us are all too tall to go on! I think he secretly likes it!!

Jessica...using the hydrant!!

Zack and Markenley

TJ and Solomon!

We ran into some good friends and her daughter Steffy rode with Markenley!! How fun!!

Too SHORT!!

It's a good thing the boys are blessed with RESPONSIBLE sisters!!

Update...

Hi,
Well..how is life, really??
Crazy...busy...but good....mostly.
Summer is super busy for me, which means my whole family.
We started off summer with Sports Camp, which i coordinate...then July 7-11 was VBS which I was one of the Directors. Todd did the music/teaching time and Shanay and Jess were leaders...Shanay was in charge of Markenley's group. Taylor was a helper in the preschool with Solomon. Our VBS was at night this year, due to the construction of our new building. This was great because I didn't have to drag the family to church at 6 am! The boys did pretty good...mostly....
On Wed. night (evangelism night) Markenley LOST it big time. He was doing this screaming thing..over everything! I am trying so hard to teach him to sit on time out. When he is in these moods he is just out of wack...i think it's due to the over-stimulation...i don't know for sure. I had to leave early...I felt horrible. I was in tears the whole night and just emotionally drained. Thank God for my team..they were all supportive.
On Thurs. I was just praying that he would be fine. He was GREAT. I did sorda' bribe him..he wanted a half a piece of licorice and 2 m and m's that i had and i said he could have it after VBS if he was nice to Shanay and was a good boy. That's like 3 hours to wait...and he did. Friday he did great too. I do try to keep tight reigns on him at church and I don't let him just run around and do what he wants...we are still working on boundaries.

I don't know if I have shared this or not..but as we were waiting for the boys I would often think of my love for the boys and our longing for them to be home in relation to God's love and longing for us to be with Him.
As Markenley was having a difficult time fighting me the other night and kicking and screaming and resisting my love...i thought about that...is that what I do to God?? Do I sometimes ignore what he is trying to tell me? Just as I know what Markenley should do...God knows what is best for me. I am thankful that he is always here for me..i hope Markenley will know God's love just as fully.

There are definite times where we feel like we are drowning...next week I am in charge of our Day Camp (it's an ALL day camp for 3-5 graders) and then I am pretty much done with the crazy schedule for a while and can be home all day. Hopefully that will help.

I do feel like the boys are doing good....then we will have little set backs. They are good boys.
Today we were all home and we were in and out of the house. TJ brought Markenley in and I thought he brought Solomon in too....and we were all in the house...after about 7-8 minutes I noticed we were all in the same room, except Solomon...AHHHHH
I freaked out and ran out in the front yard...there was Soly, all by himself on the scooter!!!!
Thank you God for keeping him safe. I can't imagine what he was thinking!! He was probably excited that Markenley wasn't there to take the scooter!

I do worry about attachment. I worry that I am doing the right things. There are times where Markenley will resist eye contact and closeness, other times he is all snuggly. I struggle with not taking it personal and holding back any love towards him..I constantly have to remind myself that this is new, and it will take time.

The boys are sleeping in their own room. They actually go to bed pretty easily now. Markenley is fine as long as he knows what is going on. He will ask if TJ is going to come sleep next to him "later, when he's finished". TJ does have his own bed on the top bunk, but prefers to sleep with Markenley. They went through a period of time where they would both(Markenley and Solomon) look out the window...they aren't allowed to do that!! Now Markenley will say "Markenley no touch window...Solomon touch window". Little tattler!

Markenley does learn fairly quickly. He likes to make us happy. He seems to be happy.

Solomon is a happy little guy...does have his tantrums...when he gets mad he hits, kicks, bites and spits....it doesn't take long to get him calmed down though. Those are just his orphanage survival skills kicking in.

We continue to take one day at a time..asking for God's help and healing. With 6 kids in the house life is crazy..and trying to meet everyones needs is tiring...but we are so blessed.

Hugs,
Renee

more pics

4th of July Pics! Proud little Americans!