This is my favorite hero!!! My father. This picture was taken November 17, 1963.

Thank you to all the Veterans out there for supporting my right to freedom then and now.

My little pieces of Heaven!

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

It is much easier to become a father than to be one.
~Kent Nerburn, Letters to My Son: Reflections on Becoming a Man, 1994

He didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.
~Clarence Budington Kelland

A father carries pictures where his money used to be.

To all fathers, the happiest of days; you’ve earned it!

The first official day of summer camp is today!

Remember how I didn’t have a plan? Yesterday we were still without a clue what to do with TJ, so my hubby set out to see what was in the area of where we work. Thankfully, he located a baseball camp, ironically just what TJ said he wanted to do.
Hubby called to find out if they still have room and left a message then took off to Sports Authority to buy him a glove. Hubby, Sara and TJ each left with one! I’ll use the one that hubby got a while back for a left handed person, though he didn’t understand why. I gave him the look and reminded him that I’m ambidextrous. I’ll play like the kids. What better way to teach them practice makes perfect and we’ll get some use out of the glove that was ordered wrong some 4+ years ago?
I swear there is a glove for hubby there too. AMB3 wanted one, but they were all way too big for her little hands.

Let’s not forget the balls to practice playing catch… or the cup to protect him. The cleats that were supposed to be $25 that were really $35. Hubby only grabbed the size; he never looked at the shoes. They where not the ones we looked at initially, but TJ thought they were much better.
He can change the Nike check to one of 6 colors.

And socks long enough to fit under the pants.

After spending $189, there was another $9 for the pants we forget the first time. Then we got to the car to find we lost one of AMB3 shoes, so I had to venture back to the store.

Fortunately, we got the call that they did have room but we were still missing stuff. Looking for a wee tiny crock and the rest for two more pants and the ¾ shirts. No crock and yet another $36. And off to camp he goes.

Yesterday was the last day of school for my older wee ones. I walked in the door from work to get my standard greeting; AMB3 (formally baby A) screamed mama mama, while my older two came running for loves (aren’t I the luckiest mom in the world?).

The next thing I knew the 8 year old gave me a look like he was about to tell me something bad resulting in him in big trouble. To my surprise he hugged me like he never wanted to let go and started to cry. He was telling me he was going to miss school. It was so touching. I’m tearing up now thinking about it.

While still holding TJ, Sara showed me the beautiful pillow case she brought home from her teachers. It was covered with clouds and other sky like things. My favorite part was her name. She was ready to replace her Dora case for this one. TJ still holding on, I continued to look at the other goodies they brought home.

Then I had more tears when I found what TJ’s teacher sent home. It was a little memory book. His name is on the cover with several pictures inside of his teacher and class and a wonderful message inside: “To the most improved student this year”, along with many more tear jerking sentiments. GOD BLESS her. It was the sweetest gift I think I have ever seen that I had not made my self. LOL. Then TJ showed me the picture of him and his teacher and he lost it some more. I told him it would not be the last time he saw Ms. Rodriguez; he’d see her again next year.
Remember all the good times and carry them with you.

I knew he was sweet and sensitive… I feel sorry for the girls when he gets older. He will break some hearts.

Now we get ready for the summer. OOH JOY! I am usually one of those moms who has the whole season planned out, but not this year. I guess we’ll wing it as we go. What do you have planned for your kids this summer? Anything so much fun that we have to do it too?

Sara’s (formally K) teacher called late last night. My first thought was this must be really bad if she is calling us at home at 9:30 in the evening.

We’ve had regular conferences about Sara throughout the year, none of them I care to remember… but this turned out to be a call I want to jump up and down and scream about… and maybe do a little dance!
I knew this kid had it in her; according to her teacher, Sara has made a great improvement in the last two weeks, bringing up her grades. Even on one of the tests she was the only one in the class of 36 to get a perfect score.

I guess we are going back to Build A Bear to dress her cat! LOL! I am so proud of her as I am all my wee ones. Keep up the good work baby. I love you.

As I mentioned before my son T did very well on the FCAT. My co-worker’s ’smart, gifted’ son also took it this year. I’ve been dying to know how he did; I knew he did well, but wanted to know how well.

She finally told me this morning that he got a 4.8, which is fabulous! I was so excited that T did better, stacked against an acknowledged ‘gifted’ child. It’s terrible, but I’m sure I had a smirk on my face because inside I was like WOW!! I just wonder if my son knows just how well he did? Does he know how really proud of him I am? I hope so because I am VERY PROUD of him. I’m always proud of my kids; they’re just really good little people… but this is a landmark event in his life.

Baby, keep up the good work! At this rate you can go to the University of Miami when you grow up and head off to college. Or Harvard! I love you sweetheart. You can make any dream you have come true, all you have to do is try.

This weekend was my birthday. It’s usually just like any other day; I can do with out all the hoopla.

This year was different from any other year for some reason. It felt like all the birthdays that have been forgotten in the past were made up for this past weekend. Friday night we went to dinner with Tom and Aunt Em and my bunch to Dave & Busters. We played games and laughed and really enjoyed ourselves.
Then Saturday my parents came over. It wasn’t planned for them to come on my birthday weekend – it was a fluke but a nice one. My Dad played games with the kids and M2 got a hair cut from Gamma while I tried to learn this blogging thing for myself. (Yes, someone else posts everything for me at the moment. ) Then the net went down. Of course!

Later we went to Dinner at Long Horn and then Target since the grandparents brought the wee ones gift cards. What an adventure for the them. LOL. I don’t think they’ll buy the kids gift cards ever again.

On Sunday the gang go together for lunch at the sports grill and then my hubby and bunch went to Build a Bear for the kids. (My son took the FCAT this year and he got his scores back on Friday. He got 5 in math and reading). Then we took the kids home, and while gamma baby sat the adults went to a movie. Went with Bobby, Mrs. B & Tom too. Afterwards we did Dave and Busters again. Got home around 2:30am and then Baby A was up at 6:30 on Monday because I forgot my alarm clock down stairs by her room. So I was up early on my birthday.

To finish off the weekend there was a BBQ with the whole gang and then a visit to the pool. WOW am I glad that this weekend is over so I can recover. Thank you everyone for the special weekend. It really means a lot to me.

Sunday my hubby invited the real aunt (EM) of Baby D over as well as our good friend Tom. He also issued invitations to the kids who have in the past invited T & K to play with them. Reciprocation starts at an early age! He then made lunch to find out one the girls is allergic to hot dogs! (OOOPS)

The kids had a great time at the pool, though Baby A didn’t like the water because it was too cold. I solved that by taking her over to the small kiddie pool which felt like a hot bath and she absolutely loved it. She ran around and then fell down. Not knowing how shallow it was, and that she could just stand up, I came to the rescue even though I was less than a hand’s reach away. My legs were wrapped around her in a large circle as I provided a pool within a pool.

We all got some sun but healthy sun block sun. Not over the top like Em did last week.

The young guests were, oh I don’t know. I’ll let you be the judge:
Em pulled out sun flower seeds and the cherubs immediately clamored: ‘give me some’. What ever happened to manners, like ‘may I have some PLEASE’ or even just a ‘thank you’ after it was handed out?

Then we asked them to throw the seeds in the trash and not on the ground where people walk – including themselves. Of course Baby A tried to eat the left over seeds from the ground. Oh, joy.

When it came time to leave we asked the kids to towel off, because we like to be as dry as possible before getting in the car. My kids listened (I was in shock too) but the guests looked at us like we had the plague. I don’t know how soon it will be before we invite them with us again… Uh… never?

Today marks one of the biggest days in my family’s life. We were blessed with the legal adoption of my two older kids on this day in 2002. Tomorrow marks their baptism in 2003.

What started out as a way to assist someone in my life so they could be there for their kids turned into a life changing event in my life. With this change came giving up a job I had for 12 years and was making great money. I was never home. I worked and average of 72 hours a week. My hubby had all the late night duties and most weekends with the kids. I was missing so much. Today I thank GOD for all those changes and blessings.

Then the adventure of getting the kids baptized which really took me almost two years. Form the time I was told they would be my children I tried to plan but I hit one wall after another.

I want to write something profound here to match what I’m feeling… but the words just don’t want to come out. I feel so blessed to have the kids and I want the world to know. How do I say it without taking away from the wonderful feeling it leaves in my heart every time I write the date. And I’ve written the date at least 50 times already today and I will many more times before the day is out.