Archives for August 2012

August 21, 2012 By 8 Comments

Kelley Party of 6

Last week was a little crazy…our first week as a family of 6.

The airline lost my backpack I checked.  It arrived Monday evening.  Unfortunately the canister of formula I took with me busted in route back to me.

This led to dumping the contents of the backpack out in our front yard…hosing everything that was not clothing off, starting a huge load of nasty formula coated laundry and washing the backpack thoroughly because it’s my BIL Jons.  It was quite the mess…I don’t recommend it, but everything cleaned up nicely.

Reading books at bedtime has become a little different.  I don’t know if Amon really wants to hear the books, but his siblings love when he hangs with us.

This scene makes my heart pretty happy.  The wee Kelleys crafting & little wee Kelley just hanging out.

My dishwasher is filling up much faster now.  Way too many bottles and nipples and all those little bottle parts 🙂

I forgot I had a dentist appointment last week.  Yes, that’s right, I had to take all these little people with me.  Glad my dentist office likes my kids.

Be still my heart.  4 kids in a picture together now…yah!!!

Amon experienced his first of many trips to Joanns.

And Target.

And this is a little something we like to call “The Parrot.”

Life as a family of 6 is wild and busy and crazy fun.  Feeling really blessed.

Happy Tuesday!

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August 20, 2012 By 4 Comments

Back-To-School + Banner

Today is Harper’s first day of school.  I cannot believe I have a kindergartener.  She was so excited & honestly, I was too…but with some tears attached.  I’m a bit weepy today anyways…9 months since Mom died, school starting, a big doctor’s appointment for Amon and a few other big life kind of things going on.  Just one of those “heavy-on-the-heart” kind of days.  But I decided yesterday, that today I was going to be brave.  And Harper was just so excited, so I wanted to be excited right along with her.  It was full on game face in the classroom, but once I stepped out into the hallway I let myself have my cry 🙂

But it’s going to be a great year.  I just know it.  We love her teacher already and Harper is really beyond thrilled to finally start school.  And of course we took Ms. Bruno an apple on the first day.

Since the boys started school last week, Harper, Amon and I had 2 days last week when it was just us.  Harper always wants to do crafty things and with the boys away, I knew just what we would make.  With school finally starting, we decided to make a Back-To-School banner.

Super easy and super fun.

Here is what you will need:  Watercolor paper, watercolors, pencil, fine tip Sharpie or pen and scissors.

To start we brainstormed about things that remind of us school…pencils, crayons, backpacks, lunchboxes, rulers, markers, apples, books, letters, numbers, glue etc.  Then we set to work.

First, we drew our pictures in pencil and next we traced them with a fine tip Sharpie or pen…either works.

Then our favorite part, we painted each drawing with our watercolors.

Once they were dry, we cut the pictures out.

From here, I simply ran all of our drawings under my sewing machine to make the banner.

You could easily glue them to ribbon or use mini clothes pins & twine…there are lots of different ways to finish this project out.  Whatever you choose, it will be fantastic.

My personal favorite was Harper’s Mo. 2 pencil 🙂

And now we’re ready for school.  Can’t believe this day is here.  It’s a bit hard on this Momma’s heart, but it will be such a good, good year.  Happy Monday!

Filed Under: craft, family Tagged With: , , 4 Comments
August 17, 2012 By 27 Comments

Meet Amon

I debated about what video I wanted to post of Amon, but then I decided to show you a little piece of real life in the Kelley house 🙂  I wanted you guys to “meet” him because you have been so overwhelmingly amazing covering him and our family in prayer.  And you must ignore my baby talk…I despise hearing myself talk and then throw in baby talk & ughhhh!  I took several videos…over and over and over again.  With other wee Kelleys around it’s difficult to get the perfect video and as you will see, I was so focused on getting some good video of Amon, I completely missed what was happening right beside me.  What can I say…life is fun at the Kelley house.

Everyone, meet Amon…Amon, meet everyone!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11826397@N08/7793115872/

And I tried so hard to get the video centered…no luck.  Oh well.

Happy Friday!

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August 16, 2012 By 20 Comments

The Airport

How do you accurately describe or truly capture the moment when your family is finally united?  We started the process to Amon in August of 2010.  We made our way through paperwork and our homestudy and our dossier and were placed on the wait list in November 2010.  And there we stayed for the next almost 18 months before we saw his sweet face.  This process was crazy difficult.  The wait was long and life was happening all around us.  Life changed dramatically while in the wait with the passing of my Mom.  Life got hard…still is so very hard without her.  I knew our homecoming was going to be so emotional and wonderful and sad all wrapped into one…I knew I wanted someone at that airport specifically to document this moment…the moment when all 6 of us Kelleys were finally together.

I was elated when Cheyenne of Shots by Cheyenne said she would be there!!!  Cheyenne is this crazy talented lady who is beyond sweet as well.  Cheyenne and her partner Laci of Barefoot Photography captured this incredibly priceless moment beyond well…they conquered it…and fiercely.  And for that, I am forever grateful.  Thank you so much Cheyenne and Laci.  You are both completely stellar.  Show them some love as well.  Head over and “like” their pages.  You will truly not be disappointed.  They are so very good at what they do!

And that is exactly how you capture the moment when your family is finally united.

Happy Thursday!

Filed Under: adoption, family Tagged With: , , , , 20 Comments
August 15, 2012 By 2 Comments

School & Groceries

Yesterday the boys started mother’s day out.  Huddy went last year, but this is Sol’s first year.  They were so crazy cute getting ready.

We did all our school shopping before I left to go get Amon just in case everyone started before I got back.  The boys LOVE their backpacks and picked out their own lunch boxes, thermos’ and folders.  Back-to-school shopping, although a little stressful at times, is one of my favorite shopping trips.  It’s just fun!

Harper still has not started school.  Our county is still working out school budgets, so none of our county’s schools have started yet.  Yesterday it was just Harper, Amon and me!  Harper was super stoked to have Amon all to herself.  We celebrated such a rare day with doughnut holes.

After doughnuts we took Amon on his first grocery shopping trip.  Turns out life doesn’t slow down one bit with your 4th kiddo 🙂  Harper was excited to pick out all our cereal on her own.  We eat a lot of cereal.

Harper is completely smitten with Amon.  She absolutely adores him and wants to do everything for him.  I have yet to pick out his clothes…Harper picks out all his outfits and PJs.  She gives him his bottles and gets out diapers and wipes for me.  She just loves him…like really, really, loves him.

My kids are totally normal kids in most areas.  They fight, pitch fits sometimes, talk sassy, don’t always share, won’t eat all their veggies, but some how, some way, they did not receive one jealous bone in their little bodies.  The boys adore Amon just as much as Harper.  They all love to give him his bottle, but Sol has a complete big, teary meltdown if he doesn’t get to give him his bottle first.  We have been really blessed with wee Kelleys who adapt well to new siblings.

So yesterday was a good day.  The boys LOVED school, Amon was a piece of cake at the grocery store and Harper relished in her time home alone.  It was definitely a Sonic happy hour kind of day.

Happy Wednesday!

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August 14, 2012 By 15 Comments

Everydayness

One of the things I was looking forward to about having Amon home was the everydayness to him being here…the regular everyday events that happen.  I take lots of pictures of just regular old life because just regular old life is something to remember and to celebrate.  So I could not wait for the pictures of Amon that would come along with him finally being home…life happening with him right in the mix of it.

Like sibling love.

And bottle feedings.

And napping.

And dressing up.

And tummy time.

And napping.

And just hanging out.

And finding out he’s a Usain Bolt fan.  Who knew?

And napping.

And car rides.

And doctors visits.

And napping.

Needless to say, we are sooooo enjoying life with Amon in the mix.  Welcome to everyday life littlest wee Kelley…we’re so glad you’re along for the ride.

Happy Tuesday!

Filed Under: Uncategorized 15 Comments
August 13, 2012 By 17 Comments

To Ethiopia & Back

Last Friday morning we received embassy clearance for Amon’s case so we immediately started booking flights.  Turns out Ashley and I hit the airways Tuesday, landed in Ethiopia late Wednesday night, had our embassy appointment Thursday, flew out of Ethiopia Friday and landed in Nashville, Tn on Saturday evening.  How’s that for the fastest trip to Ethiopia ever.

Here is our last family “waiting for you” picture on Tuesday before I headed off to the airport.

The US Embassy was so accommodating considering Amon’s health and got us in and out in no time at all.  God was truly working and moving all around us.  Our time in Ethiopia was very short, but so very rich.  I was so glad Ashley was there to experience it all with me.

And being with Amon again was like gold.  Pure, expensive, exquisite gold.  He has this place in my heart that is just so huge.  And he is brave and strong and beautiful.  This kid owns me.

He did great on the flight home…had a few little tense moments, but Ashley and I handled them just fine.  We were definitely a bit stressed, but we made it 🙂

Officially in the US.

And our homecoming, well our homecoming was grand.  Once our plane landed it was if this burden had been lifted.  We still have quite the road to travel, but getting him home was half the battle.  I cannot wait to share our airport pictures.  They are truly incredible.

So we have been soaking sweet Amon in.  Breathing his scent in deep.  Rubbing his head often.  Kissing his cheeks always.  Cuddling him extra close and just relishing in the fact that God planned our family a long, long time ago.  I just could never accurately describe how thankful I am for my beautifully, knit together family.  And I am still in awe, that Amon is sitting right here with me as I type.  God is just too too crazy good and deserves all the praise.

Happy Monday!

 

Filed Under: adoption, faith, family Tagged With: , , , , 17 Comments
August 12, 2012 By 22 Comments

He’s Home!!!

{shots by cheyenne}

As Amon and I landed in Nashville last night, the plane slowly rolled to its gate and I cried the big ugly cry…alone…just me, Amon, God and the rest of the passengers.  The culmination of a 2 year process…this was it.  This was the moment we had been praying for…that so many of you and others had been praying for…that Mom had prayed millions of prayers over…for 2 years now.  I was completely overwhelmed with God’s goodness and faithfulness and love and mercy and grace.  He had paid attention to ever last big and little detail.  He had written our story…Amon’s story…long before time.  He truly cares and loves us like no one else.  I sat there and just stared at Amon sleeping in the empty seat next to me.  This was it.  This was the end…yet, really the beginning.  This big beautiful, amazingly awesome, crazy wonderful beginning.  And for all that, I just wanted God to know how thankful my heart was…how truly, truly blessed and thankful I AM to be Amon’s Mom…that God would allow us to be apart of his story.  My heart is so so crazy full…it just may explode.

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