Ann Park's birthday

I know that it has been over a month since I have posted anything.  Summer can do that to a girl.  But as I find myself on bed rest (more on that later) I seem to have some time on my hands.  And I am trying to catch up on things that I can do from my reclined position.  So I will play catch up.

Ann Park turned 7 on July 20 and she had a great birthday.  The last few years she has had pool parties and we were always worrying about rain.  So this year I told her that she needed to have an INDOOR party.  After convincing her that she really didn't want to have a roller skating party, she decided on a pottery painting party.  She invited only girls but a couple of brothers tagged along to keep Ward company.  We were also lucky enough that Kit and her girls stayed an extra day to come to the party.  Ann Park LOVED having them here to share her fun day!

the invitation (all chosen by Ann Park)

So happy to see daddy!!

Ann Park and a precious friend

Ward and Louise - happy cousins

precious Hope McCaffrey!!

having fun painting pottery

Louise and Cher Cher

Cake time!!

Batman Sam definitely had fun!!

The Fence

I read this tonight and needed it.  Thought that one of you who have stopped by might too . . .

(I promise for some real, Holt updates soon.  Life has my by the ears right now!)


The Fence

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily, gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said “you have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.” You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there. Make sure you control your temper the next time you are tempted to say something you will regret later.

- Author Unknown

Miss Noto

This is a video put together by our beloved kindergarten teacher, Miss Noto.  She has been in Aouth African since June and will be there through January (at least) on a mission trip, teaching 7th grade.  BUt as her blog shows, she is doing so much more than nust teaching these kids.  Her journey is truly amazing and it moves me every time I read it. 

I am in the process of collecting old clothes and shoes to send to her in South Africa.  I feel like it is the least that I can do.  I do not understand why we live in a world where so few of us (myself included) have so very much and so many have so very little.  I know that there is really nothing that I can do to change that or change the reality that is their lives, but if these clothes help a few children stay warm or not have to go barefoot, that is a very small step in the right direction.

One more week!

Ward has been at Camp Alpine (www.alpinecamp.com) since June 1.  It would be an understatement to say that I have been missing him.  Yes, the days have passed quickly because of our busy schedules around here, but the whole dynamic in the house is different without him.  Different isn't good or bad, it is just different.  Ann Park has really risen into her role as "the oldest" while he has been gone and it has been good to see her take the lead, where she usually looks to Ward for that.  She has been a great helper with Maggie too.

But I just want my Ward back.  I know that he is having such a great time at camp.  I imagine the friendships that he is forming and know that he is growing in ways that he would never do at home.  He has great role models all around him through his counselors and I know that he is taking it all in.  Plus, all the activities - way more fun than he will have back at home!!

All that being said, it is time for him to come home.  June 26th is the date and I am sure that I will be up at the crack of dawn to drive the 2 hours to Alpine's gates.  I just hope I don't embarrass him by the amount of hugs I give him!!!

Thoughts on Father's Day

I have been thinking a lot about Father's Day this week.  Sometimes it is because I am missing Ward so my thoughts turn to my family, and other times it is becuase of some little things (like a text or a comment) and I am amazed at the man I married.  I rarely gloat about him, but I am about to for a few short minutes so bear with me.

Ted is truly the best dad in my book.  I cannot even begin to list all the reasons why, but I will share a few that pop up in my mind.  He gets up EVERY SINGLE MORNING with the kids and lets me sleep in (sleeping in around here is defined until 6:45 or so on the weekdays and whenever I get up [usually 7:30 or 8:00] on the weekends).  This year, he was a soccer coach for not just Ward's U8 team, but also for Ann Park's U7 team.  That is 2 practices per week and at least 2 games - sometimes 6 games in a weekend for a tournament weekend.   He also takes the kids to do amazingly fun things - and he takes them ALL.  He routinely takes them hiking and biking all over Birmingham and beyond (like Horse Pens 40 which is about 45 minutes north of Birmingham).  He also has all those "special things" covered.  For instance, when dad and I were in Russia getting Maggie, he took the other kids to Chatanooga for the day and night.  They went to the TN Aquarium, they saw the Christmas lights at Rock City, they went to some cool iglloo-like place with ice slides, etc.  And best of all, they stayed in the Chatanooga Choo-Choo hotel where the room is in the shape of a train car and because it was around Christmas, the "elves" came and read the kids a bedtime story!  He did this all on his own without any prompty from me.  

Needless to say, I could go on and on about all he does as a dad for our kids.  Yes, he works hard and has to spend more time at work (and working at home) than I like.  And yes, he travels with his job (but not too much lately and for that I am truly grateful).  But what they will remember is all the memories he makes with them.  All the laughter.  All the fun.  All the love.  I am so blessed by this man on a daily basis.   He is one amazing dad.  And I love him with all that I am.

One Proud Mama

I am so proud of our little Ann Park!  Tonight was her first swim meet since last summer and she blew it out of the water - literally.  When I got the list this morning and saw that she was swimming in three out of four events, plus the relay, I knew that it was going to be a long night.  Last summer those long nights were accompanied by whining and wanting to go home, but not this time around.  Don't get me wrong -- it was still a long night (we got there at 4:00 and left at 8:15 for time reference), but it was full of fun for Ann Park.

She qualified for the Senior County meet in all her strokes, which is a BIG DEAL - especially for a 6 year old.  Plus she beat her times from last summer in freestyle and butterfly and placed in every stroke.  (She would have beat her time in backstroke but she ran into the rope twice slowing her down.)  She came in first overall in butterfly and got to swim the butterfly in the relay.  I think that it is going to be "her stroke."  The best part of the whole night was the incredible smile on her face and hearing her excitement in her voice.  She loved every minute of it and that makes me the most proud of all! Guess that means that mama is going to a lot of swim meets this summer . . . it could be worse!!

First Weekend at the Lake

This weekend we went to the lake . . . Maggie's first trip.  If I was worried how she would react to the water or the change in scenery, I should not have been.  She LOVES the water and is a natural in it.  We decided to try a puddle jumper, even though she is technically too small for it.  It was the BEST DECISION we made.  She LOVED it, could swim by herself and even learned how to kick!  She can't move too fast but loved being where she could not touch and I loved seeing her so happy.I think that we will have many more fun weekends down there.

We also had some fun at the pool with Ted's underwater camera!  We can't get enough of it!  I love watching Ann Park and her strokes!  Her first swim meet is on Tuesday so she has been practicing!!

I really missed Ward this weekend (one week down, three to go!).  It just didn't seem the same without him.  It is interesting to see how the family dynamic changes without him here.  There were some great pictures of him on the Alpine website, though, so that made me happy.  I was hoping for a letter when we got back, but no such luck.  I actually think that it is a good sign that the letter writing has slowed down, though.  I think that it means that he is getting into the rhythms of camp and not missing home.

More beach photos

The end of our beach trip was wonderful as well.  We spent a lot of time at the splash pad and not as much time on the beach because the current was strong, waves too big and red flag was out.  I heard that a child drowned at Rosemary Beach while we were there.  Now I regret letting Ward get in the water with the red flag, but Ted was with him - of course I know better next time!

Here are some pictures from the rest of our trip.

Ward in the waves before they were too rough

Ann Park tried to fly a kite but the wind was so strong, it broke it!

Sam loved the pool - and the underwater camera!

at the pool

Daddy and Sam

Sam striking a pose . . . wonder where he gets that from?

two peas in a pod - Maggie copies everything Sam does!

loving the splash pad!

copying Sam (again!)

so sweet!!!

see what I mean about the waves??

Erin was the BEST helper EVER!!!

sweet kiddos

best family shot . . . Sam was not happy and Ward is striking a "cool" pose!

Six months Home

Six months home . . . that's a third of her life.  Hard to believe when I think about it that way.  I barely see the girl I see in the pictures from when we were with her at the orphanage and those first few weeks.  Her eyes have so much more life than they did in those days and that smile and laugh . . . they are heart-warming and infectious.

In the depths of my heart I know that God always intended her to be in our family.  She is rambunctious, stubborn, crazy, loving, sweet and tender all in one.  She loves to do everything that the other kids are doing and has begun copying their every move.  At the beach, she loved going to the splash pad with Sam and doing every single thing that he would do.  He has had the hardest time adjusting to life with her around (and can be too rough) but watching her imitate him is so dear and again, shows me how God placed her right where He knew she was always meant to be.  Sam is turning into a great big brother and I love watching their relationship grow each and every day.  Here they are at the splash pad one afternoon:

She still is struggling with talking, but seems to get new words every day.  I really don't think that she is too far behind her peers at this point, though.  I am sure that she is going to have a breakthrough soon and start really talking more.  She understands everything we say and even with words that she can't quite say yet, her eyes light up when we ask her to say them and she acts like she really wants to (like Cher Cher and Grandmom).  It is truly amazing to think that 6 months ago she had barely even heard a word of English (only from the 2 visits from me and Ted) and now she understands and is communicating.  God is truly so good!!

Here are the words that she uses on a daily basis - in no particular order.  I am sure that I have forgotten some, but you get the drift:

1.  Hiiiiiiiii! (which she screams to everyone from the stroller)
2.  Dada
3.  Mommy
4.  Papa
5.  Dog
6.  Thank you
7.  Up
8.  No
9. Ward (Wa)
10.  AP (for Ann Park)
11.  All done
12.  Eye
13.  Nose
14.  AHHHH (for mouth)
15.  Nana (for Banana)
16.  Ni - ni (for night night)
17.  Nack (for snack)
18.  Mao (for more)
19.  Bye-bye

These four kiddos have my heart . . . and I know that they will never let it go!!!

Oh Alpine, you are fun-filled summer days . . .

If you went to Alpine or DeSoto and read the heading, I know that you are singing along by now!

More beach pictures to come, but we dropped off Ward at Camp Alpine this morning.  He will be there for the entire month of June!!  We pick him up on June 26th.  He was so excited that he could hardly contain himself this morning and we left for Lookout Mountain before 7 AM.  Once we got there he was off and running and I know that he didn't even say goodbye.  Makes me happy to see him in a place where he feels so good.  Of course I am so gonna miss him (the house already seems quieter without him) but looking at these pictures and knowing all that he is doing up there makes it all okay.

If you want to write him while he is gone (or send pictures but NOT packages - not even singing cards), here is his address:

Ward Holt
Camp Alpine - Silver Cloud
P.O. Box 297
Mentone, AL 35984

I'll leave you with a few of the pictures we took while we were there . . .

Ward was so excited to see Sam Muthuri, our nanny's son, who is working there during first term.

Saying goodbye to Mommy and Ann Park!

Sam got into Ward's bandanas

TACKLE HUG!!!!!

saying goodbye to Daddy