Parting can be Such Sweet Sorrow

Hello? Is anyone still here?

I guess you could ask me the very same question, and a few of you have! If anyone does still stop by here from time to time, let me first thank you…

· for your friendship and support

· for sharing your own stories with me

· for caring about our family to even read here to begin with

· and for continuing to check in on our well being.

It’s hard to believe that I started this blog over 3 ½ years ago. At the beginning, I had really just hoped to keep our family and close friends, most of whom were scattered about in various parts of the country, up to speed in our adoption process.

Not long after writing my first post, I realized how much I truly enjoyed writing. I started meeting other families going through the same process, I made wonderful friends, I offered and more importantly received a huge amount of love and support, and believe it or not I kept my sanity during and after our international adoption journey.

As you know, last year we relocated to the Atlanta area and I became lax in my blogging. Ha! Who am I kidding? I didn’t become “lax”…. for all intents and purposes it was nonexistent in 2010.

Our family is still transitioning to our lives in Atlanta. A lot has happened since we’ve been here which at times has made me elated and at others discouraged. Since our son came home in May 2008, I've joined the ranks of other hard working, determined, strapped for time moms, and then throw relocating to a totally different environment, job uncertainity, and a whole host of other life issues into the mix, and well….I find myself half way into 2011 with no posts whatsoever on my blog.

But…

I still enjoy blogging. And I miss it. And I’m sad and irritated with myself for letting the memories of 2010 pass by and not have a journal of our family’s adventures.

So with that, I am moving away from this blog and invite you to join us over at Our Box of Chocolate - - where life is sometimes zany, sometimes serious, but always real!

Hope to see you there for the unwrapping!

Hugs to you all,

Karyn

From the Mouths of Babes (AKA - It’s a good thing he’s cute!!)

It’s very possible Jesus will rethink Matthew 19:14:

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Because when Cubby saw this

today, he said..........(drum roll please)

“Look Mommy!! It’s CHUNKY JESUS!!"

HA!!!!!!!

In other news, I deserve the World's Biggest Slacker award. I can't believe 2010 passed with so few posts. But, for the 2 people who may still follow this blog, I promise to do much better in 2011. In fact...if you tune in tomorrow I'll have something really exciting to share with you! I just had to write about the "Chunky Jesus" tonight.

Soooo, as they say

To Be Continued!!

Well Excuse Me!

Cubby and I learning our letters and the conversation went something like this:

Me: What letter starts with "duh-duh"
Cubby: duh-duh-D!!!!!!
Me: Awesome Buddy! High-5!

Me: What letter starts with "ssss-ssss"
Cubby: ssss-ssss-S!!!!!!
Me: Awesome, right again! Slap me another 5!

Me: What about "rrr-rrr"
Cubby (in all the disgust and sarcasm that can only come from a 3 year old): A LION mommy!! A LION....

How silly of me!! :-)

Crafty Boys (a.k.a. Good Job Daddy!)

Armed with construction paper, scissors,

tape, a paper towel roll, a cutting guide,
and most importantly
Scooby Doo Graham Bones...

...my boys set out on a crafting adventure tonight

and the end result
a very proud mama/wife
and an equally proud little Russian/American Boy!

Waive that flag high Cubby!
Awesome Job Daddy!!

(thank you everyone for disregarding the mess in the background)

Interviewing the Pumpkin of the Week

Each classroom in Cubby's school has a mascot, and the kids take turns caring for the mascot a week at a time. The student caring for the mascot is referred to as the "Pumpkin of the Week" and the kids parents are responsible for journaling everything the mascot did that week.

Cubby is in charge of the mascot this week, which happens to be a stuffed Bunny. Not any ol' stuffed Bunny. Nope - this one is wearing a special PINK DRESS. Awesome for a little boy to carry around all week! Just ask his daddy! :-)

(She's so smart, she already learned how to spell Ilya in Russian!)

It's been fun having Bunny around, and I'll share the journal as soon as Bunny moves on to her/his next house. For now, though, I thought I'd entertain you with Cubby's "Pumpkin of the Week Interview Answers"...

Q: What is your favorite letter?
A: "U"
Q: Why is this your favorite letter?
A: Cuz "u" and me are family!

Q: What is your favorite number?
A: 4!
Q: Why is this your favorite number?
A: Cuz mommy and daddy and Ilya and Bailey make 4!

Q: Who do you enjoy playing with the most?
A: GOD!!!

Mommy's side note - my heart melted with all of the answers above. However, he really got Norm with this next one:

Q: What is your favorite book?
A: Just Me and My Dad!

Please tell me he'll stay this sweet and innocent forever! PLEASE!

YEEHAW!!

Guess who took their first pony ride this weekend?

Now....guess what a certain little boy wants for his 4th Birthday
(which, according to him, is going to take place in October instead of March!)

OOOHHHH - - and check out his brand new cowboy boots.
He's one handsome dude - dontcha agree?!

It's New to You! (part 1)

Hello everyone! I'm finally coming up for air as our crazy spring & summer come to an end.

April took me to on a life-changing trip to Zimbabwe, Africa
(the "kitchen" at one of the orphanage's we visited)

(one of the 350+ sweet faces that rocked my world)

and sadly, April also brought goodbye's to a treasured family member
I love you Bandit Boy and miss you more than anyone can imagine
this was the very last picture I took of our magnificent, gentle giant

From May - September we did a WHOLE BUNCH of this...

(and yes, this was a particulary FUN road)

...to go to places like Disney World in May and celebrate our 2 year "Family-versary"

...and Alabama in June for a Moscow Family Reunion at Ron & Dinia's

...to Key Largo to celebrate the 4th of July with family and friends

...and Crossville, TN in August for another Russia Family Reunion

...and finally in September, we embraced our "inner rednecks" at Peace River Campground in Arcadia, FL

Although I didn't update the blog as these trips took place, I did journal everything from the past 5 months. So although it isn't new to me, it will be to you! Look for those entries to be posted soon.

Now that we're into Fall, guess what's on this weekend's agenda? ANOTHER trip to Disney! So much for slowing down...

Until next time - - thanks to all two of you for still keeping up with the blog!

Hugs,
Kar