One Year Anniversary

This year has been amazing- emotionally draining and emotionally rewarding, physically demanding and covered in kisses and hugs, growth spurts, tantrums, giggle, tears, swimming, reading, doctors appointments, riding bikes, coloring, story telling, and lots of love!  The two children we met a year ago have changed so much that it is simply breath-taking!  We continue to be stretched as a family and parents- but God is good all the time.  He continues to give us grace and strength and almost daily reminders that this is HIS plan and HIS Grace is sufficient.  

Here are some facts about the kiddos now:

Annalise:

Favorite Color: Orange and purple and pink

Favorite Thing: HELLO KITTY (to be said in a high-pitched squeal)

Loves: All things Hello Kitty; her teacher, Mrs. Garcia; going to school; getting to be on the YMCA Swim Team; running errands with Mommy; being a big helper; singing the entire Frozen soundtrack

Hates: Sitting still; stinky smells

Asher:

Favorite Color: Blue or green

Favorite Things: Scoops (or any construction vehicle), Firetrucks, Police Cars

Loves: All things that move; Mommy; going to school- Miss Monica and now Mrs. Craig; swimming and anything to do with water; drinking- drinks all.day.long; that he can keep his diaper dry during naps

Hates: no foods- eats like a champ; having to take naps- but he's a bear without them; being told no

What a change a year can make!

Timeline of our girl

Timeline of our boy

Our two over their first year home

All 4 of my loves this years

Moments of Annalise over her first year

Moments with Asher over his first year

 Our family now- we are so blessed!

God has big plans for you two!!

Fall Memories

Asher and Annalise have grown and changed so much- the change is simply dramatic!

Annalise has lost her 2 bottom teeth!

Diva!

Asher LOVES to put out the cones before the school bus comes!

Asher has started pretend play!

Johnny Appleseed- apple picking! 

Annalise LOVED picking, and eating, apples from a trees!

These 4 make my heart happy!

Asher is a taco-eating machine!

Bubble-baths are super fun!

Asher loves his tools- and is constantly "fixing" things 

My 4 favorite pumpkins! 

Enjoying her first hay ride

Picking out his first pumpkin 

Hello Kitty tights and a German shirt!

Neighborhood heart throb...

Some milestones:
Annalise- knows her ABCs, can hold a pencil and write, is being successful in kindergarten, can ride a bike, sings some praise and worship songs, is excelling in math, loves to read and be read to, always needs 5 kisses before bed

Asher- can hold a crayon/pencil and color, can run and jump, has lots of friends in school, loves to be read to, is obsessed with trucks, can climb basic ladders unassisted, rides a bike, kicks a ball, wrinkles nose when he smiles

We are so blessed- a LOT has happened in 9 months- kinda like a pregnancy!

Summer Memories

We have been busy enjoying the slower pace of life and embracing all that an American Summer can offer!  Both Asher and Annalise have LOVED it all!  They have even passed for our biological children!

Ice cream with friends!

Annalise is OBSESSED with Hello Kitty.  Totally obsessed.  She found these cute, flannel pjs at Goodwill- and became so obsessed with them, that we had to take them away!  If she sees Hello Kitty on anything- and I mean anything- she squeals with delight and runs to it and loudly declares "Dis Hello Kitty is jus SO boo-tiful! I WUV di Hello Kitty!"

We continue to take Asher to various specialists.  He has been fitted for Sure Steps for his pronated ankles.  They are made by the same company that works with Wynter the dolphin!

Asher is simply hilarious.  He loves to be silly and he keeps us laughing!

These 2 are truly sisters- they love each other, then they dislike each other, they adore each other, and then they despise each other....

Pirate Asher- time for some eye-patch experience in an attempt to help his poor left-eye.  We have discovered, thanks to a great ophthalmologist, that due to his brain damage, he has no depth perception.  Hopefully working with a patch and a vision therapist, we can help him achieve the best vision possible.

Annalise has made great friends- and for the first time, she had a friend move away.  We will all miss our friends the W's.

We love how we are all becoming a family- how Asher and Annalise are adjusting to a family- we continue to be thankful that they are a part of our family.  It isn't always easy, but we are thankful for it!

Kindergarten- Summer School Style

Annalise has started a Kindergarten Readiness Program our county offers.  It is 4 weeks long, 4 days a week.  We hope that this boost will help her not only be successful in kindergarten, but will be the beginning of a successful academic career!  She LOVES her orange backpack, she LOVES that Jack, our neighbor, is in her class, and she LOVES that she gets to ride a school bus!!  Already she has learned so much- we are proud of her!!

Chlorine in Their Blood

Update:  Asher and Annalise continue to love the pool!  Annalise continues to improve her time at the swim meets and she is working hard to be able to swim backstroke!  Asher loves attending swim practice and has become the unofficial mascot for the team!  He stands on the sidelines at the meets, and offers to jump in and swim if there is ever an empty lane!  He HAS gone off the diving board and slide- and loves it!  They continue to grow and thrive- we are SO proud of them!

My Little Fish

It turns out that Asher and Annalise are part fish- they LOVE the water!  This just shows how they were always meant to be a part of our family as we spend LOTS of time at pools!  They also get so super TAN!  Their hair is already much lighter- and we have only 1 week of summer vacation under our belts!!

Annalise has been purely amazing- she has been determined to swim BY HER SELF- and she HAS!  Asher is hot on her heals and can now swim 10ft by himself complete with taking a breath!  We just need to build up his muscles and he will be swimming away!

Words cannot express how proud I am of all that they have learned and accomplished!  Annalise has totally impressed her swim coaches by rocking her first swim meet and giving 110% and completing her first 25 meter freestyle!!  It is humbling how she has been able to channel her tenacity into something positive- she needed it to survive her first 4 years of life, and now she's putting it to positive use and rocking the pool!!

Keep working hard, Annalise- God has BIG things planned for you!!

Asher- he is also been totally amazing!  His physical and occupational therapists continue to be blown away at his weekly progress!  He continues to shock me with his desire to swim by himself- he so desperately wants to go off the diving board and I bet he will in the not so distant future!  He doesn't let his poor muscle tone stop him- he keeps working hard!  To say he is IN LOVE with the pool is an understatement.  He cries- as in heartbreaking sobs- every.single.time we leave the pool.  He loves swimming, he loves splashing around he pool, he loves cheering for his siblings as they swim in meets (and he is ready to jump in so we have to watch him super close)....

Way to go, Asher!  God has a special plan for you- and we are humbled and excited to see what it is!  

Cheesy time with Mom! 

Showing her swimming muscles before swim team

Free Slushy time at the pool!

What siblings do during morning swim team- splash!!

LOVING the water!