one year later…

It would be fruitless to try and explain, make excuses for my year away from the blog....but I guess I'll just say life got in the way. It was our visit from Pam and Peggy (2 of Sean's sisters) this past May that really made me realize how important it is to keep this going. We are so far away from them, and it's so nice to have as a way to know what's going on in our lives. And to keep as a memory / record of our lives down the road.  I know a lot of people who print out their blogs each year and make them into books...something to think about!

We had a wonderful visit with them....although much too short! It was so good to just talk talk talk and get caught up. We miss our MA family SO VERY MUCH! A visit back east in 2014 is a definite.

It's been quite a year. We decided last Fall to no longer continue with our adoption journey. Niall was with us for 3 months and for various reasons we decided not to move forward with the adoption process. My heart broke into a millions pieces and it was a very rough time for our family. My dream of having a house full of kids is over, and I try not to dwell on it too much or sadness just takes over for me.

A very smart woman, and one I hold VERY dear to my heart, wrote to me....."maybe your family is already so much greater than your in-house count".  I continue to focus on that.

Dylan turned 10 in April…amazing. He will be in 5th grade this coming school year and had such a wonderful 4th grade year. School is not his favorite, but he goes without complaining. It makes us sad because he is “B” student with putting very little, to zero, effort in. He does his homework, but he rushes through it just to get it done. He still plays soccer and basketball and loves the trampoline and his video games. We continue to be very proud of him.

Sean continues to be very happy at Nordstrom and continues to be healthy and cancer free. We are very thankful and grateful for both. Big changes for me this spring as I started working outside the home. I stopped watching Makena last August when her grandma moved in with them…Dylan and I miss her so much and talk about her all the time! I continued to watch a few other kiddos here and there over the fall and started looking earnestly right around Christmas time. I found a part-time job at Ameriprise Financial at the end of March and it’s been going pretty smoothly. It was a HUGE transition for me, and I still really miss being home, but I am very blessed to find the hours that I did (10-3). During the school year Dylan doesn’t even know I’m gone. It has been an adjustment finding the balance for all the “home stuff” but it’s getting smoother and smoother. 

Here I am on my first day….new shoes (semi-heels), new make-up, new pants (jeans and yoga pants are not acceptable attire – darn!), 25lbs lighter, and VERY nervous! I took this for my neighborhood friends saying “off I go!”.  They all have been SO supportive of my new venture and a couple have recently gone back to work too, so it’s been nice to commiserate.

We have a summer full of camping trips planned. We’ve already been on one and are leaving Thursday for our second, and then one again over the 4th. Dylan is adjusting to his new summer schedule and so far so good.