Easter Morning 2013

Well, it is official. The Bigs are now preteens and sleep in while the Littles were up and bathed and dressed, ready to hunt down some eggs. :)

This was our picture before they headed out for the hunt. 

Typical Shaw picture...

I gave the Littles a minute 30 head start and they just didn't move fast enough... Finn was searching for all of the purple ones (her favorite color) and Scarlett the yellow ones...

And no Easter hunt would be complete without a Silly String battle... sadly the Littles were a mere casualty of the Big's battle... Finn thought it was great, Scarlett.... not so much...

My Crew

Can you believe how Miss Finn has grown in the 14 months that she has been home? Her hair is long and beautiful, she is speaking English like a champ, and she loves school. She is sweet and stubborn and a blessing.

Ethan has been home 4 months and is awesome! Love this boy more than anything! He finally has his hearing aids and we enrolled him into school. He loves it and is making friends left and right. We are going through the battles with the school system right now. Typical. And expected. Fortunately I've danced this dance before with Finn and have a wonderful advocate on my side, so I'm actually able to focus on other things... like doctor appts and post adoption issues that will now take front burner...

Miss Scarlett has now been home for a little over two years. She came home with no language skills and minimal movement in her leg and arm (despite the weekly PT/OT that Shepard's Field swore she was getting) and through actually DOING PT and OT here, she is involved in Gymnastics and Cheerleading just like her big sister. She is a snuggle bunny and loves time with her mommy. 

This precious caped crusader, X, has been through Hell and back and is growing stronger and stronger every day! A child, home only 4 months, who once could barely raise an arm can now pull himself up 3/4 of the way to a sit, can sit for 10 minutes at a time, can stand while leaning against an object and eats like a champ! 

Miss Maeve is our 5th grade sweetie. She loves Cheerleading, reading Shakespeare, helping me make dinner and designing clothes. We are so blessed to be her parents. She adores her siblings and is a huge help around the house.

The elusive Shaw is above in the group picture. Getting a picture of him is like catching Big Foot. Ain't gonna happen! :P

Shaw is in 7th grade, swims, thinks himself a "scholar" and is a typical 12 yr old. We adore him despite himself. He is awesome with the Littles, has taken Ethan under his wing (they share a room) and is a huge help around the house. 

Yes, we are beyond blessed. 

Thank you, God, for your grace, your patience and your faith in us to raise your beautiful children. We think it is the biggest and most amazing honor you could have bestowed on us.