First of all, I must apologize for the lack of posts lately. Volleyball season is here and I'm just trying to keep up with the pace of everything. Volleyball season is always busy...however, now as a mom, I'm finding it much more complicated to fit everything into the day. Nonetheless, everything that needs to get done is getting done. However, blogging has definitely taken a backseat for now. I hope to resume more regular posts in the near future.
Last week was really crazy because I was running two practices a day, plus "team bonding" activities in the evening. Trey was able to be around for the team bonding events. He is really enjoying the Cougars and they also really love him! It should be a fun season as Trey is now truly becoming a "Cougar". :o) Trey and I ate lunch at the university cafeteria every evening last week and he LOVED IT! He loves pizza and he LOVES getting an ice cream cone at the end. If only the students loved the cafeteria as much as Trey does. :o)
Trey is really doing well lately. He is going with the flow on this crazy schedule and he is excited to begin kindergarten next week. We are also looking forward to getting him back into a regular routine. He will really thrive with formal schooling.
Trey is also becoming a real athlete lately. Some examples include:
* Playing volleyball (with a beach ball) in the gym. He can consistently keep the ball going back and forth over the net with a partner!
* He loves doing push-ups and showing off this skill to the Cougars!
* He can swim underwater without his swim vest now! He demonstrated that on Sunday when the three of us went to the pool in our neighborhood.
It has been a blast to see Trey growing and changing. In fact, he couldn't even throw a ball overhand when we met him. He has become much stronger and faster and definitely more athletic this summer.
Trey is also growing like a weed. He has grown more than an inch in the past 4 months and he has gone up 1 1/2 shoe sizes! YIKES! Trey's weight hasn't changed much. However, he is so active, I think he runs everything off.
Well, I better sign off and get back to work. I just want to give a glimpse of our past two weeks! God's Blessings to all of the families who are traveling and having their court dates this month!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Each Day is a Masterpiece
Ok...So I stole that title from a John Wooden quote. However, it really describes our life with Trey. Everyday, he surprises us with a new word or phrase or a new little piece of his personality shines through. Trey has been such a wonderful addition to our family. He fits right in and sometimes it doesn't seem as though he has only been with us for 4 months. In fact, he is turning into such an "American" already. It's unbelievable in how he has adapted to life here in the U.S. For example:
* This kid would not even take a bite of pizza four months ago. Now, he could eat it everyday! (Actually, he has the same love for ice cream!)
* Trey LOVES Spongebob Squarepants and he sings the theme song when it comes on. (Quite funny, I might add.)
* He is soooo funny! You would think that learning the language would be stressful and would keep his dialogue simple.... Not Trey! He is constantly cracking us up with his facial expressions, comments, and "tricks" that get us to laugh.
* Trey is constantly asking questions (i.e. "What's this?") He is truly a sponge and he remembers everything that we tell him. I can't even begin to estimate the number of English words that he uses.
* Trey has a sensitive side. He cries almost every time that he watches Brother Bear (the movie0. This is so endearing.....
* Trey had a great summer at pre-K. He learned so much, became very confident in his English, made lots of friends, and won over the hearts of his teachers. He probably gained the most through his school experiences and we are very grateful that Trey is able to attend such a great school.
Ok... I could go on and on...but it's just been so exciting to see him blossom and change. Sometimes, I honestly forget that Trey came from another country because he fits in so well and has done it so quickly.
Trey will start kindergarten right after Labor Day. I don't think he fully understands that he will be switching classrooms and teachers. Therefore, I hope that his transition goes smoothly. He had such a wonderful experience this summer. I hope that his education in a more "formal" setting goes just as well. (I'll keep you posted!)
I also want to say that we are so excited for our friends (Joel & Clarion...and David and Debbie). Each of these families just received court dates and will travel back to Vlad very soon. We are so happy for these families and wish them the best as they reunite with their little ones. We can't wait to read all about their journeys! God's Blessings to you all!
Also, we would like to ask that you keep Bernadette and Owen in your prayers as they wait for a court date. We met them at the Vlad Inn on our 2nd trip. We pray that they would be reunited with their 5 year old boy very soon as well.
Finally, I just want to say that Volleyball Season is almost here! The Cougars will move onto campus this weekend! Therefore, my life is going to be even nuttier very soon. However, I think that we are prepared and Trey is getting prepped as well. He loves volleyball and he has met the Cougars. He will be a wonderful fan on the sidelines this fall and we are looking forward to showing him more of what Mama does at her job. :o) Go Cougars!!
God's Blessings,
Shane, Kathy, and Trey
* This kid would not even take a bite of pizza four months ago. Now, he could eat it everyday! (Actually, he has the same love for ice cream!)
* Trey LOVES Spongebob Squarepants and he sings the theme song when it comes on. (Quite funny, I might add.)
* He is soooo funny! You would think that learning the language would be stressful and would keep his dialogue simple.... Not Trey! He is constantly cracking us up with his facial expressions, comments, and "tricks" that get us to laugh.
* Trey is constantly asking questions (i.e. "What's this?") He is truly a sponge and he remembers everything that we tell him. I can't even begin to estimate the number of English words that he uses.
* Trey has a sensitive side. He cries almost every time that he watches Brother Bear (the movie0. This is so endearing.....
* Trey had a great summer at pre-K. He learned so much, became very confident in his English, made lots of friends, and won over the hearts of his teachers. He probably gained the most through his school experiences and we are very grateful that Trey is able to attend such a great school.
Ok... I could go on and on...but it's just been so exciting to see him blossom and change. Sometimes, I honestly forget that Trey came from another country because he fits in so well and has done it so quickly.
Trey will start kindergarten right after Labor Day. I don't think he fully understands that he will be switching classrooms and teachers. Therefore, I hope that his transition goes smoothly. He had such a wonderful experience this summer. I hope that his education in a more "formal" setting goes just as well. (I'll keep you posted!)
I also want to say that we are so excited for our friends (Joel & Clarion...and David and Debbie). Each of these families just received court dates and will travel back to Vlad very soon. We are so happy for these families and wish them the best as they reunite with their little ones. We can't wait to read all about their journeys! God's Blessings to you all!
Also, we would like to ask that you keep Bernadette and Owen in your prayers as they wait for a court date. We met them at the Vlad Inn on our 2nd trip. We pray that they would be reunited with their 5 year old boy very soon as well.
Finally, I just want to say that Volleyball Season is almost here! The Cougars will move onto campus this weekend! Therefore, my life is going to be even nuttier very soon. However, I think that we are prepared and Trey is getting prepped as well. He loves volleyball and he has met the Cougars. He will be a wonderful fan on the sidelines this fall and we are looking forward to showing him more of what Mama does at her job. :o) Go Cougars!!
God's Blessings,
Shane, Kathy, and Trey
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Just a Quick Post....
Just a quick post to say that we closed on our old house on Thursday! Yeah! I'll just say that it wasn't a pretty closing and things did not turn out as we hoped...but in the long run, we can say that we're ecstatic that our house sold and we won't be faced with 2 mortgages! Yahoo!
Ok...I'll write more later! Have a GREAT Day!
Ok...I'll write more later! Have a GREAT Day!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Weekend Fun
Lately, Trey has been doing really well. He still mentions Angelica often. However, he seems to be ok with everything. We actually emailed the orphanage over a week ago in the hopes that we would get a response and, possibly a photo of Angelica and the other kids. Unfortunately, we haven't heard back from them.... We may still consider talking to a man from Vlad that Melissa and Carey both recommended. (Thanks Ladies!) Apparently, he can translate documents and deliver items (for a small fee). We might go with this option if Trey continues to have these "homesick" feelings. At this point, we are unsure on what we'll do...but to date, he is doing pretty well.
We actually had a very fun weekend. We had no plans and really didn't do anything too exciting. However, we swam in our pool and enjoyed some great family time, which was awesome! Today, we also got the last of our things out of our old house. (We are set to close on Thursday!!) So, there was a little work involved today...but it was really fun too. Trey is always such a good helper. He chipped right in as well. He also is a GREAT helper when we get groceries. He always helps me carry everything in and usually helps with putting it away. What a sweet boy!
Anyway, as I was saying Trey is doing really well. He is very outgoing and enjoys talking to EVERYONE! At the pool, Trey is constantly talking to different people and saying, "Hey! Watch this!" He still swims with his life-vest, but he has no fear. He will jump in and completely go under water. His latest feat is swimming with his head under water. (This is the same boy who just entered a pool for the first time on Memorial Day Weekend! He actually thought it was a big bathtub and asked if he should take his shorts off!! Yikes!) Anyway, he is doing great in the pool and improving everyday. (I think that we will have formal swim lessons next summer!)
Trey also has some new phrases, which just crack us up. To be honest, his English is amazing and he sounds nothing like the little boy who first stepped onto U.S. soil in April. His newest phrases are:
* Let me show you something.
* It's not too bad.
* I LOVE (fill in the blank)! He currently loves everything!!
I also feel like a human dictionary lately. This kid asks, "What's this?" constantly. And...he remembers what I tell him. He is really taking it all in. He learned colors last week. Now, we are starting to work on shapes. Trey already knows the entire alphabet and can count to 15. He also knows the days of the week and we are continuing to work on the months of the year. We are really trying to speed up the academic stuff lately because kindergarten will be here soon and we want him to be prepared. Nonetheless, his teacher already knows his situation and I'm sure that he'll get along fine.
I'll leave you with a few photos from our recent family photo session.
Take Care and God Bless,
Shane, Kathy, and Trey
We actually had a very fun weekend. We had no plans and really didn't do anything too exciting. However, we swam in our pool and enjoyed some great family time, which was awesome! Today, we also got the last of our things out of our old house. (We are set to close on Thursday!!) So, there was a little work involved today...but it was really fun too. Trey is always such a good helper. He chipped right in as well. He also is a GREAT helper when we get groceries. He always helps me carry everything in and usually helps with putting it away. What a sweet boy!
Anyway, as I was saying Trey is doing really well. He is very outgoing and enjoys talking to EVERYONE! At the pool, Trey is constantly talking to different people and saying, "Hey! Watch this!" He still swims with his life-vest, but he has no fear. He will jump in and completely go under water. His latest feat is swimming with his head under water. (This is the same boy who just entered a pool for the first time on Memorial Day Weekend! He actually thought it was a big bathtub and asked if he should take his shorts off!! Yikes!) Anyway, he is doing great in the pool and improving everyday. (I think that we will have formal swim lessons next summer!)
Trey also has some new phrases, which just crack us up. To be honest, his English is amazing and he sounds nothing like the little boy who first stepped onto U.S. soil in April. His newest phrases are:
* Let me show you something.
* It's not too bad.
* I LOVE (fill in the blank)! He currently loves everything!!
I also feel like a human dictionary lately. This kid asks, "What's this?" constantly. And...he remembers what I tell him. He is really taking it all in. He learned colors last week. Now, we are starting to work on shapes. Trey already knows the entire alphabet and can count to 15. He also knows the days of the week and we are continuing to work on the months of the year. We are really trying to speed up the academic stuff lately because kindergarten will be here soon and we want him to be prepared. Nonetheless, his teacher already knows his situation and I'm sure that he'll get along fine.
I'll leave you with a few photos from our recent family photo session.
Take Care and God Bless,
Shane, Kathy, and Trey
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