Wow! Hard to believe that we've been home that long. Things are going amazingly well. God just continues to bless us and amaze us. He is awesome! The main thing I have learned through this adoption, is to give it all to Him! God has helped us through so many things that could have been obstacles, but weren't!
Chazz is doing well. He really seems to love being here and he loves us. He says "I love you," gives the sign for it too, says school, baseball, and most importantly "go pee!" We are having so much fun getting to know each other and helping him learn about his new world. He loves the peddle cars in the drive and filling a wheelbarrow with dirt. He has settled in well with our routine. We've been to our pediatrician, a plastic surgeon (will go back in 6months), an audiologist (might have normal hearing in one ear), and had 7 vials of blood work! We've been busy.
Then today, he started school! I was scheduled to go back for the last 2 weeks, so we decided to give it a try. He is in the same building as Reese, Hanna, Papaw, and me. He did awesome. No tears from him -a few from me, but who's counting! He was excited to take his backpack and to put things inside his desk. I'm so impressed with his teacher and she was still smiling at the end of the day! At bedtime tonight, he said sleep then school! I think he liked being like his brothers and sister. He is such a sweet boy! If you haven't gotten to meet him, I can't wait until you can. He has a huge smile and giggles a lot. I don't think he has a place on his body where he isn't ticklish!
Today was Reese's promotion from sixth grade! We had such a nice program and I only she'd a couple of tears. It has been a joy to teach him again this year. I've always been close to this class, especially from getting to teach them in first and now. Most of the boys at least are like sons. And if I do say so myself, Reese looked very handsome!
Brooks runs this week in sectionals. He is hopeful that his 4x8 relay team will make it to regionals and that he will for his 3200. Prayers on Thursday! He has had an amazing season. He has really enjoyed being with this group of kids.
Sweet Hanna is also doing well. She likes to help Chazz (when he'll listen) and has been great help for me. She's looking forward to school getting out and cheering again this fall.
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| Chazz and Mamaw Albaugh |
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| Reese and his teacher (mom) ready for his 6th grade promotion |
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| Laying out in the sun after a cold swim |
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| Celebrating after squirting baba (aka Dad) |
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| Reese and Chazz at school on field day - it was hot! |
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Chazz laughing at baba who can't lift the wheelbarrow!
He loves to fill it extra full so Jerry has a hard time lifting it! |
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He learned to ride a bike very quickly! He giggled like crazy
when he realized Jerry wasn't holding on anymore. |
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| Cheesy! |
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| Chazz and Great Grandma Beeson |
- We've actually been home even longer now - just over a month. We are doing well. We've visited 3 different doctors at Riley Hospital and hopefully will get hearing aids soon. He is learning English and surprises us almost each day with a new word. Last night at a baseball game, he pulled out is first tooth. Surprising - he used hand motions to tell me about the tooth fairy! He was so excited this morning to find his tooth gone and $2 in its place!
We had an amazing vacation in sunny Florida for Christmas. The weather was perfect - in the 80's nearly every day. Chazz loved the beach. I think he would have stayed there everyday, all day. He was always the last kid to leave to get cleaned up for dinner. We played at the park and played on the beach - and had ice cream nearly every day! Can't beat that. It was so nice just being together as a family and spending time together. We visited with Greg and his boys. That was fun. The boys are the same age as Chazz and Hanna. They had a blast - and played so well together - even with the big boys. It is wonderful that they don't see each other very often, but are great together none the less. We even got to go to our favorite restaurant together - Sweet Tomatoes!
