Long Time New Post!

WOW people...  it's been a full 2 months since my last post.  So sorry about that.  These boys have been keeping me busy that is for sure.  I haven't been on facebook much either.  but I finally have a few minutes hours to try to get you all up to date with what's been going on here.  Surprisingly it's not Friday night at 11pm but 945 on Monday will work.

So Nian had just finished his last day of Preschool before our last post.  We just sent in his paperwork for this new school year.  We are still undecided on Cheng going in Sept.  We're hoping we can start him in January.  We're still working on potty training so who knows we could get really lucky.

We were blessed with a benefit check for our new little bundle.  We decided to use it for some family fun and got season passes to Dutch Village.  For those of you not familiar with Holland, MI it's a big dutch town know for their tulips and the big Tulip festival. Let me say it was the best investment for the summer.  The boys have a TON of fun there.  And it was super cheap. For what it would cost to visit twice we got the passes.  My sister went with us one day with her grandsons, so I just added to her ticket and added 2 more kids to our passes. Now we can take friends!  It's been a ton of fun and well worth the money.  We will for sure get passes again next year.  Check it out HERE.

Shortly after coming home I got with my sister Vickie to set up dates for the Lake.  SO glad we did that, we have had a great time out there this summer.  The boys love it and it's good to get away for a while and spend time with all my sisters..  These boys are just growing so fast.  We could hardly get Nian in the water the first time we went out this summer.  And then this happened this past weekend.  What.........   My little boy is.. growing growing growing   Yeah I'm trying not to cry about it. 😢

An amazing thing happened tonight.  The boys encouraged one another. It was so awesome to see hear..  They were so nice to each other.  Cuz ya know they are always little angels. 😇  Nian was really praising Cheng for all the clear words he was saying.  It was pretty cool.  And boy has that boy been talking.  They both have been doing great with their words.  Nian is still in speech therapy and continues to meet each new goal.

Nian still talks about wanting to go back to China.  First he told us he wanted a little sister.  I said well we'll have to see maybe God wants us to bring home a little brother.  Nian said, No I'll him he's wrong it's a little sister we need to bring home.  Today he told him we needed to bring home a little brother After we bring home a little sister..  If I had my way we'd do both together, but China put the kibosh on that plan.  They will no longer allow 2 adoptions at once. Not sure we'll be able to make 2 more trips but we'll have to wait and see what path we are lead on..  We are very excited that our friends Kristen and James will be heading back with their son Will to bring home their own little brother.  SO EXCITING!!!   And long time friends Doreen, and Dave will be heading back soon with son Frank to bring home little brother Owen..   SUPER EXCITED for them.  Their boy needs to get home soon so he's so tiny....

4th of July was a fun time. We headed up to Papa and Mimi's house.  My nephew Michael brought a ton of fire works and the boys loved them.  The first really big boomer made them both take a step back, followed by an Ohhhhhh. 

A few weeks ago we finally went to the jeweler about fixing my engagement ring. If you remember I looked at my ring as we sat on the plane here in GR on our way to China and noticed the Emerald was missing.  We decided to redo the ring I had, and order a new stone.  I'm excited to see how it will turn out and pray that the new/redone ring will hold the stone better!!!!!  Just waiting for them to call us that it's ready.  Of course it took a few months to get back in there to get something ordered so we're in not real big rush.  lol.  That's what happens with 2 toddlers.

It's only right that I mention it's not all been lollipops and rainbow. Some weeks days are hard, I mean REALLY F**ing HARD!!!  There are times it's hard to be the adult and hard to act like the adult. There are days that I have to pray really hard for patience, and moments of asking forgiveness.  And there have been a few moments I'm ashamed of too. There are times I'm crying right along, and others where we all just need a comforting hug.  It's so easy to forget we haven't had the boys since birth, and that NO he doesn't know any better, and YES we have to teach him not to touch this or that for various reasons.  It's easy to forget that Cheng spent most of his life inside of 1 room....  ONE ROOM.....  and that everything, and every place is new and exciting and that there are boundaries that need to be taught.  It's easy to forget how excited they are to see you and have your full attention, when all you want to do is nothing... but I wouldn't change a minute of it for anything..... 

Nian is have some corrective surgery for his lip this fall. Nothing unexpected for us with his clefts.  He'll have another big one when he's about 8 or 9. 

I'll sign off now since it's after midnight. Here are some pics from the summer.  Thanks for stopping by and your continued support, love, and prayers.  We surely need them......

Blessing to you!

Does he take after me????

or Joe more??????

Took this same pic 2 years ago with another little boy! They love their big sister Isabel.

Blast from the past.  Found this oldie when I was helping Mom clean the spare room.

Love my baking boys!

Look at him go...... 

First time at the Movies.

Finally used my bamboo steamer. LOVE IT!!! 

Spinning at the new park we discovered.