Saying good-bye.....

Is never easy.

Even when it is time.

Even when you know it is for the best.

I had to say good-bye to my oldest son as he ventured off to LA for {his} dream job.

He moved out two weeks ago.

I am just posting about it now....had to get my emotions under control.  Ya know?

My son, Drew, graduated from Ball State two years ago.  He graduated with a degree in tele-communications....not the easiest degree to find a job with.

It's been a hard couple of years for him.
Jobs came and went.
He had to live at home.
The economy probably was a big factor for his job woes as well.

BUT.
FINALLY.
HIS.BIG.BREAK!!!!!
IN. LA????
What?
LA?

He was offered a position within Buzz Media to be the senior editor for a web based music review site called AbsolutePunk.  He has been writing for them for years.....for free!

Now he is doing what he loves and getting paid for it.

I am so happy for him!

The weekend before he left, my other son came home for the weekend.

It was so nice to have all five kids together.

LA?????
Really????
Why LA???
(cuz that is where the music is, Mom!)

It's sooooooooooo far, far away......


Well,  I had no other choice but to 'put on my big girl panties'and get ready to send him off.

It was hard to say good-bye....

At least Drew wasn't traveling to LA alone.

He had his dad driving with him there.

They made it there safe and sound.
Drew's studio apartment rocks.
He drives everyday to work on Sunset Blvd.  So cool.

He's living the life!

miss him like crazy.......

First Day of school!

Lunch boxes packed.
Check.

Backpacks ready to go.
Check.

Dresses chosen.
Check.

Two little girls ready for school.
Check.

Are they really in 1st and 2nd grade?

I need a {reality} check!

{glasses} her new look!

Someone has something to share.

At first, she wasn't too sure about this new look.

She said it was one more thing that makes her 'different'.  *sigh*

She is getting use to them.

I think she is rockin' the look!

One month and five days.

Has it really been only a month ago that his little stinker (aka: my grandson) entered into our lives?

Oh, how we have enjoyed him these past few weeks.

From a few days old....

To a few weeks old....

To now.  One month and five days old!

Sweet baby Archer you have filled these past few weeks of our lives with so much love and joy.....

Can hardly wait for all the many months ahead!!!

Love you so much!!!

Wordless Wednesday {a little summer fun}

Sunday Snapshot {My Little Bunheads}

When it is really hot out......

Even pony tails can cause my silly and highly active little girls to be sweaty and uncomfortable.

However, a bun really seems to keep my sweet ones a tad bit more comfy.

And that is what it is all about when the temp soars into the 90's.

Sweet Moon Baby....

Avery loves this book.  Shea does, too.  But Avery really loves it!

Sweet Moon Baby An Adoption Tale
Written by Karen Henry Clark

It is so sweet.

It very gently tells the story of one precious baby girl's journey from her China parents to the parents who are earnestly waiting for her arrival.

It is presented as a 'tale' with edges of reality woven throughout the pages.

Avery loves the illustrations.  In particular.....she thinks the baby is 'pretty'.

This tale of adoption opened the door to many questions and some very important discussions.

I LOVE THIS!

Shea, who is a very logical thinker....(she debunked the Santa Clause thing when she was three years old) zeroed in on the thing that is bothering her the most lately....

The WHY.

Why did they abandon her (me)?
Why couldn't they keep her (me)?
Why is China dumb?
Why did God allow this to happen?

Pretty deep stuff for a 7 year old.

Avery's biggest question:

How could both sets of parents be happy and sad?

I would highly recommend this book.
The illustrations are precious.
I love the fairy tale-ishness.
The animals who help the child get to her destination are presented as kind and compassionate.  They kind of reminded me of the help we received 'along the way' as we waited for our daughters.
I value the *reality* that this story gently presents as well.
The reality that there is pain and sorrow with adoption, but there is also joy and hope.....lots of love and happiness as well.

Thank you Karen.
This lovely story provided a way for my daughters to express themselves.
It gave us (and it continues to do so every time we read it) opportunity for discussion.

Avery summed up Sweet Moon Baby quite well:

"Well, at least the baby has lots of people loving her, two mommas and two daddies...just like we do!"

Bingo!