Sleepy Time

Ok, so sleep things are getting a little better around here. Kya was up every 1 1/2 to 2 hours all night long when we first got home, and gradually has slept more and more at night as she has acclimated to being here. Now, she is mostly sleeping through the night. However, now the nap thing isn't going so great. She will not sleep more than an hour at a time--even though she NEEDS to! But, we are hoping that will come around too. WE are open to suggestions if anyone has any fool proof nap tricks. So far we have tried dark room, music and background noise. Nothing has seemed to make a difference.

So, here are some picks of Kya sleeping (ahhhh!) and of the girls in their PJs together.

Four Generations of Love

On Sunday we took pictures with my grandma, which included 4 generations of our family. It was so special, and I am so blessed to have such a great family. My grandma has amazed me with the fullness of her love towards my girls. She fell in love with Makenna and lights up when they are together, and I was worried that she would have a harder time falling in love with Kya. But, as always, her love just shines through. She adores Kya too.

I so wish that my girls could have met my grandpa. I think about that so often and wonder what he would have said. I know that he would have been a skeptic at first, but I also know that he would have melted with their love and from seeing me so happy. We met Makenna in Ethiopia 1 year after he died. It was his death that really made me wonder what we were doing, or what we were waiting for. I just wish that we could have realized that sooner. He was so very important to me, and I would have loved to see him with my girls.

Here are some pics from that day. I took a bunch of my nieces and Makenna. Makenna loves her cousins and does a pretty good job trying to keep up with them. And I took some of my adorable, VERY blue-eyed nephew. Enjoy!

A Few More Camping Pics

A beautiful sunset

The whole Gang-my awesome family!

My brave girl in Lake Superior!

More mini-golf pics

We had to have the pink ball of course!

Here are some pics of Makenna's first time mini-golfing! She spent more time kicking the golf ball like a soccer ball than using her club, but she had fun!!! It was a great night together. Just what we needed.

2 year Anniversary

Daddy & daughter

Mommy & her suddenly serious girl

Wow, time flies! Two years ago today is the day that we finalized Makenna's adoption here in WI. Technically it was re-adopting her, as we had already finalized in Ethiopia too. It was such a big day, and I was terrified I would answer something wrong and they would say no. I had never been in a court room, or spoken to a judge, so I had no idea what to expect. Little did I know that adoptions are the best part of a judge's case load. It's the only time they have something good come across their desk. So, needless to say, the proceedings went great. We were legally Makenna Aster Nelson's parents from that day forward. What a great day!





Each year we try to do something together that day, if not spend the whole day together. Well, tonight Makenna picked the Drive-Inn for supper and we went mini-golfing. It was Makenna's first time, and she loved it! She didn't get it, and cheated like crazy, but loved it none the less.





Here are some pics on our way to the Drive-Inn(including one while she is picking her nose--I told her if she didn't stop I was going to take a picture), while we were eating, and some of us together. I will add more of the mini-golf too.

Fun at the Park

Okay, so still no news. We received an e-mail on Friday from our social worker that they had no news for us...still. But, they are hoping for more referrals, so again, we may still have hope. I am ready to settle in for the summer and resign ourselves to the wait, as it is exhausting otherwise. Anyhow, we went to the park today and although she wasn't her usual self, you would never know it by the pictures. She has been a little clingy and having some issues the last couple of days. I am sure that she knows that we are stressed, and is sort of understanding her life may change soon. She had a major meltdown on Saturday, and hasn't been the same since. So, we are trying to give her all the reassurance that she needs, and spend the time we have right now with her. She did end up having fun at the park, just needed more encouragement to do so than usual. She made it up the rock wall like a pro too. It was so cute!

Count your blessings

I realized today that I amwilling time to pass (so that we can hopefully get a referral) that I will never get back again. By jumping everytime the phone rings, checking my email and the adoption forum a million times a day, not only am I stressing out, but I am wasting the precious time I have left with just our family as it is.

I know that once we change to a family of four the dynamic will be different, and I will miss the one on one time I have with Makenna now. So, today I stopped to realize how cool it is to get to spend the day with her. I am so fortunate that I get to stay home with her 2 days during the week and spend the WHOLE day with her. We call them Mommy & Makenna days. Those days we get to do whatever we feel like. They usually include doing hair, playing outside, some dancing, and the occasional shopping trip. :)

I forget to appreciate what I have right in front of me. She is the coolest kid and is so sweet. And, I have a very supportive and wonderful husband, who doesn't complain about coming home to a less than perfect house, and no dinner on the table. He is just happy that we had a good day. How cool is that? Not that he would complain if there was dinner on the table either. ;)

So, how about you? Have you stopped to count your blessings today too?

Garbage Can Girl

Ok, so I had to share these pics. I was using Ron's office the other day, and emptied the garbage. I swear I left for 2 seconds and this is what I came back to. What a crazy little thing! But, oh is she cute....... Oh, and I'm sure you can guess which face she gave me when I told her to get out of the garbage can!