Winding down Summer....

Had a fulfilling summer with the family...now we will wind down and change gears for school mode..The kids are excited to be getting back to see their friends & new teachers..not sure they care about the school work....I have been up to my ears in laundry and organizing.

Bumps in the Road: Surpassing Those Hurdles and Learning from Them

What did I learn this week? That life is a lesson and I will always be a student. Why am I saying this? Because, every day is different. Our routine or schedule may be the same but at anytime life can throw us a curve ball. Your train can be late, your car can break down, the school nurse calls to tell you that your child is sick, or maybe you learn life is not perfect.

Whatever the case, your day is never going to be the same and it’s learning to manage those curve balls that enables us to be strong, capable, and valuable individuals.

I am grateful today for my curve balls and learning about myself and family..not so fun while in the midst but later comes clear if all of life’s big problems include the words “indictment” or “inoperable.” Everything else is small stuff. Thank You Lord for the small stuff...

A quote I like:
A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner.

Our trip to Florida & Myrtle Beach...

The start of our trip...driving & picnicking at the Rest area...

Our villa at Wyndam Bonnet Creek Resort on Disney property..

Pool Time!

I have set up a separate blog from this trip..It was a big fun one..so I will be added many pics for all our kids & their friends who came with us to view all year long. We had a great time..A labor of Love...www.summervaca2011.blogspot.com

Adventure to the airport!

Marco got to spend a little time with his old pals from his orphanage in Bucha...Wish they could have had a day together but we were happy to see them even for an hour..Here are some pictures.
The airport and boys together took me back to Ukraine for awhile...The airport was full of people heading back home to Ukraine and Russia & Eastern Europe..Our adoptions from Russia & Ukraine is big chunck of our lives and family...Our 6 bio children have loved and blended into a pot of compassion and culture.. not always bliss, but what family is a steady flow of that? That could get boring right? The most important thing to me is family time, and we sure have had a good time this summer together..we will be winding down soon and getting ready for school mode..The change of season and activities will be welcome although I will miss the time we had together all summer. Structure is a good thing in a big family whether you can achieve that yourself as a Mom or have the help of school etc.. I need the help of others..I am a right brain thinker and am a social director at heart...I need a good stable in put for most of the year and in the summer I get to be creative & free with our schedule & time. Too much of that is not a good thing for me...LOL Now it's time to have a little more organization and left brain thinking . Thank God hubby is a left brain thinker or we'd be a train without a driver! I married a good one...Someone once gave me advice..Marry a man that will meet you half way or further..he sure does that. I am very blessed.

Great Day with good friends & our kids at Knoebels...

Great time with another adoptive family we met while in Ukraine in 2009..