Week 2

We had a great second week here in Kennewick.  We are enjoying our family time and some decent weather.  I think we may have hit a park every single day.  Once with a long-time friend I haven't seen in a couple of years.  After about 10 years up in Alaska, she and her family recently moved back to Kennewick. It has been great to spend time with her and her 3-year old daughter!

I've learned a couple of things about being at the park. 1. It's hard to catch up with a friend while simultaneously watching two toddlers.  2. Parks are not exactly relaxing, especially when there are other kids around. Ronan tends to be one of the younger and smaller kids around and I want to let him independently explore but not get plowed over.  3. Ronan loves to run. He also loves to ignore me. This relates to point #2 about parks not being relaxing. Fun, yes, but it's usually nap time for both of us when we get home. :)

Patrick got off early a couple of afternoons so the 3 of us were able to have some fun together. I love when that happens!!!  We hit up the park at the Kennewick library. The library itself is beautiful, there is a good set of toys and the park itself is amazingly huge. Plus they have a variety of mini-gardens that are going to be really beautiful when everything starts blooming (I like to think of it as a mini-Manito Park).

Such a little man. I just love this new view of my back seat. :)

Exploring and bringing us "treasures"

Definitely not agreeing to this piggy back ride

He loves to watch the big boys on their Razors

Yes, it really is fun to follow the yellow brick road ;)

I know I will love looking back on this blog for all of it's random photos and snap shots into our daily life.  I always think I will be able to remember the details of Ronan growing up or why a particular day was so great. But I don't. I'm glad I realize that I can't possibly remember everything and that I have so many photos to jog my memory. Like how much Ronan loves playing with his cars and trucks. I'm sure he will be in this phase for awhile, but right now it is pretty new (and pretty cute!).  He also can't help but snuggle a soft blanket. :)

He quickly caved in to the snuggly goodness of this blanket :)

EXCITED!

You know that super excited- anxious - I drank too much coffee - ate too much sugar - can't sleep - can't think about anything else - feeling you get before a big event? Like when you were a kid on Christmas Eve. Or like the day before your wedding or a loved one's wedding. Or when a dear friend or sister is about to have a baby. They are laboring in the hospital and you know within a matter of hours their entire life will be changed. And you just can't wait for that moment.

You kind of feel like this:

Image via

I feel that way today. I can hardly stand it.  Our dear friends are about to meet their babies! They are not pregnant and they are not in a hospital. Right now they are in Africa, in their beds trying to get to sleep one last time before they get to meet their children. After 2 1/2 years of prayers, waiting, tears, hope and faith, TODAY (our time, tomorrow for them) they will get to hold and love on their son and daughter for the very first time!!! I'm so excited for them know that this moment is just hours away. I can't even imagine how they feel right now. I'm guessing they won't be getting a lot of sleep! I'm not sure if I'll be able to sleep!

I wish I could be a fly on the wall in that orphanage. I can't wait to meet with Rachelle again and hear all about the experience.  And I can't wait to feel this way again, hopefully very soon (with Ethiopian laws, Rachelle and Josiah will have to go back in about 6 weeks to finalize the adoptions and bring home their babies), when I am anxiously awaiting their plane to touch down in Spokane - with their children on it too! I may or may not get to be there to witness the epic moment, but there will be another day, very soon, that I will get to meet these precious children. Children so loved and prayed for. I CAN'T WAIT!

I had to share this with you because it has been such a journey of faith.  For all of us that love Rachelle and Josiah.  We have prayed and ached and begged God with them. Trusted Him and praised Him with them. Laughed and cried with them. I am thankful for their openness in this journey. God has used it to touch many lives. He is so GOOD and so FAITHFUL even when we don't understand what is going on.  But now we get to CELEBRATE with them!!!


image via Pinterest



Our first week in Kennewick has already come and gone. We've settled in and are enjoying our time so far. While it is difficult to temporarily live anywhere other than our own home, there are some seriously great benefits.

1. Time with Nana and Papa. We are all lucky to have this time with them, but Ronan is absolutely thrilled to see them each day. He adores them, and frankly I think he gets bored with me. And to be honest, with Patrick being so busy and me feeling so pregnant (ie.tired), I am grateful for the extra hands of help and for the love and attention they pour on him. I am making a public promise to myself to get more photos of Ronan and his grandparents...these moments are priceless.

2.  Sunshine. Spring has sprung and most days have been lovely. We have spent a lot of hours outside. Ronan loves exploring the backyard.  You would think all of the running around and fresh air would wear this kid down, but he seems to be solar-powered. He's not getting his normal amount of sleep!

a favorite new past time: walking along the bricks

trying to entice the dog to play

Can you not just hear the awesome sound effects of the last two photos? He's all boy. I love it. And what on earth is he thinking in this picture below?!? Looks like trouble



kohly, kohly, kohly. he tears up his bed when he's upset with us. the best remedy seems to be a daily walk


3. Time. Even though the days go just as quickly as they do at home, they seem to have more time within them. Ok, I know that doesn't make sense. I think that because I have a limited amount of projects to work on - instead of the neverending list at home - I am finding it easier to relax and play.  Like I mentioned above, this involves a lot of playing outside, long walks (Kohly is grateful!) and trips to the park just down the block. Ronan has mastered the kiddie slides - he loves sliding!

4. I could name more, but it's time for this mama to get to bed. Cheers!

Easter

The days leading up to Easter were quite hectic with trying to prepare our family to move to Kennewick for a month. One month...six months...one year...it seemed like it would take the same amount of planning and packing.  Probably not, but it felt that way. :)  My brain was not functioning at full capacity. Not just because of Baby Girl/pregnancy brain but probably just from feeling overloaded.  I felt it was unfortunate to be so crazy and distracted leading up to Easter because I really want to give this holiday the reverence and attention it deserves. But actually, I'm thankful because amidst the packing and list-making the Holy Spirit was there, reminding me of Christ's life, his death and sacrifice for me. Just little snippets of thought here and there, but I'm thankful for the reminder and perspective. 

With all those thoughts in mind, I was all for making a late night drive to Kennewick Saturday just so that we could get there, get semi-settled and have a relaxing and celebratory Easter Sunday with Patrick's parents. It was the right choice. :)  Being at church, singing, celebrating, feasting with family, watching Ronan hunt for Easter eggs.  Being planted in one place, taking a deep breath and thanking the Lord for sending His Son to die for my sins, rejoicing that He was raised from the dead so that I might have a relationship with Him. Sunday was a great day.

I loved watching Ronan hunt for eggs. After we put the first one in his basket, he totally understood what it was all about and was off on a mission. It was fun to see it "click" in his mind.  And if I think that's great, I cannot wait for the joy of watching him understand what Easter is really all about. I pray that day will come early in his life and that most of his days will be spent bringing glory to God. That will be awesome!

pure joy

kohly got in on the action

checking out his loot

running with papa

our best attempt at a family photo. someone wanted to keep running with papa

30 weeks and counting!

oh and I made that super cute onesie-vest combo from a tutorial found here. It was a fast job and if I had had time, I would have fixed a couple of things. Oh well!