My Babies are Back

The youngest one pictured is actually a friend's daughter,

but we were lucky enough to spend the day with her recently

School isn't offically over for two more days, but my kids have been home for 3 days straight. Tomorrow they will probably go for their one and only day of school to finish out the year. This is just so that they can grab their stuff from their desks, tell their teachers goodbye, and "clean house" so to speak. I LOVE having them home!

Summer is the best, isn't it? I don't think it matters if you homeschool or send your kids off to school, with the summer months comes a new excitement to get outside and do neat things with the kids. The winter months just about do me in, especially this past winter. RAIN, RAIN AND RAIN. We were stuck inside so much - we all got sick of each other. I was thankful for them being able to go to school back then, it took so much pressure off of me to entertain them or be fun. Yeah, sometimes I admit I get in lazy  moods... I don't feel like being 'fun' or creative every single day. Especially when the weather suggests we should be sleeping all day or shoving our faces with food during waking hours.

But then, something amazing happens. The sun shines! The days get longer, warmer, and BAM! Fun mom is back! I am very much a go-er during the summer. If it's a nice day, I want to go somewhere, do something.. anything! Thankfully my kids are the same way. Though we spend many days at home, summer usually consists of us going to the pool, hiking, or vacationing somewhere. This summer has me extra excited. With everyone being older and easier, I am really thrilled to go try some new things, see new sights, and actually enjoy the drives and eating out experiences. As much as I try not to waste the other 9 months out of the year, none of them can hold a candle to how much I love these 3 months.

My babies are home, there is fun to be had, and I am so thankful to get to be here for all of it! Though I know there will be days that I will get tired of any fighting that might  will occur, I am happy that I really enjoy my kids. I don't wear out from spending time with them, and I don't have a daily need to have long breaks from them. Sometimes I feel lonely in those feelings... like it's abnormal to WANT to be around your kids so much, but to me, that's why I had kids in the first place. To be their mom... and I am so priveledged to get to do just that.

Along with the thrill of having this time with my bio kids, I am THRILLED that "E" finally got the approval from her caseworker to be our official family friend! She gets to spend two entire weeks with us, probably beginning Monday. *~*~HAPPY DANCE*~*~* The kids are so excited.. they cannot wait to have her here and not have to take her back. The only negative thing to this - it will make taking her back that much harder.

So, here's to the beginning of summer! This summer will mark so many changes for our family, and I am simply holding onto God's promises for dear life during them. I know that he is going to provide amazing blessings with every amazing trial; I know that we will always look back on these months as the ones that shaped us the most.

So we're off to grab the sunscreen... we don't want to waste a single minute!