Seems like a life time ago...

The kids had another great fun filled weekend.

Here Cullen is trying to keep up with his sled...

He caught it, but barely...

Adisa broken wrist and all joined in the fun.

Here Geremu is catching a ride down with Adisa...

No one likes the outdoors as much as Nasuuna, this girl could play all day long outside.

When the kids got back from the hill today Uncle Corky was at the house. As usual, Nasuuna made herself at home on his lap.

It seems like a life time ago that Nasuuna lived here...

Nasuuna has been in the US 2 1/2 months.

As Nasuuna is learning more English she is talking a lot more about Uganda. The things that remind her of Uganda and her past are so unexpected. I never see it coming, and the way her little mind processes things is almost unbelievable. It breaks my heart to watch her work through all of this... She is a strong, strong girl. She understands so much of her past but is just figuring out the words to talk about it. I wish I could "fix" everything and make it all better for her. But some things just aren't fixable.

We'll just keep listening, hugging and loving her...

Because right now I'm not sure what else to do.

As luck would have it...

I'm having a heck of a time these days loading pictures onto my blog for some reason. I've already tried several times tonight and it keeps giving me an error message. So I'm going to keep pics off until my frustration level drops.

This past weekend we headed to La Crosse with the kids, Adisa and Kevin (both high school kids that are part of the same program). We decided to have a fun weekend of snow sports, sledding, snow shoeing and skiing. Adisa has limited snow experience, this is his first winter of snow.

The weekend was FUN. Nasuuna, Geremu and Cullen LOVE snow as did the older boys! Everyone enjoyed themselves including Adisa who ended up in the ER Saturday night after a little downhill skiing incident resulting in a broken arm. It was his first time skiing and he's not afraid to try it again... Once his arm heals.

I also got to spend time with some of my favorite people. Cousin Callan and Kennedy spent the weekend with us. Hope to get pictures up soon!

Meeting My Girl

I've been going through my Uganda pictures because I'm going to put together a video for Nasuuna. Since I'm going through the pictures I've decided to share some of my favorites from our time in Uganda. The following five pictures are from our first few days together...

Life Update

I know some of you check in regularly so I just wanted to post a quick update. All is well, we are happy, oh so very happy. Everyday I wake up and am reminded just how lucky I am to have the privilege to raise 3 amazing kids.

A week from now when I'm at my wits end remind me just how much I liked my kids last week, just kidding, sort of:)

I'm amazed at how quickly Nasuuna is learning English she continues to be the happiest 4 year old I have EVER met. Geremu and Nasuuna's relationship started out a bit bumpy (mostly sibling jealousy) and it has just grown leaps and bounds in the past few weeks. With Cullen and Nasuuna it was love at first sight, for both of them, they bonded pretty darn quickly. They continue to get along well.

I'll leave you with a video of Geremu. Just because when this kid dances, it's a sight to see...

School Days...

Nasuuna started school, below is a picture of her first day. We decided to ease her into this while Nick was on leave to make the transition as easy as possible.

It's not full time school (just a few hours in the morning) and she is in the same grade (4K) as Geremu. They are not in the same classroom but they still have each other. On her first day she was as confident walking into the school as she was the day she met us...

Honestly I have NEVER seen her as happy as she has been since starting school. She LOVES it! As soon as I walk in the door after school, she leads me by the hand to everything she brought home from school. From pictures she colored to "sticker Geremu" (a sticker her brother gave her at school). She refers to her teacher Mrs. Paul as Mr. Paul... We've got a ways to go yet. But most importantly she is HAPPY, oh so HAPPY!

Since she has arrived home she has watched her brothers leave for school and she sat by the window and would say, "Geremuie School" & "Cullenie School"? Now as of today, she is sitting by the window...

And I am left wondering...

How did she grow up so fast?

It's probably a good thing I didn't quit my job to be a stay at home mom:)

Lots to Celebrate

Since my last post things have gotten easier. Turns out I really like my job. I think I was trying to convincing myself that I should be a stay-at-home-mom. Although I do feel guilty for working at times, I love what I do and it's good to be back. Now that I'm back and slowly falling into a groove I'm happy and Nasuuna is too. When I get home from work my shadow attaches right back onto me while I get on with my afternoon/nightly family business...

This weekend we had a lot to celebrate. My kids love a good celebration...

It all started Friday with Nick's Birthday! We prepared and decorated the kitchen on Thursday night while Nick was away so we would be ready to party when the time came.

Nasuuna had a little practice celebrating a birthday before Christmas when our friend Sophia turned 4, so we just assumed she understood the holiday. After we all sang happy birthday (the only words of the song she knows are "happy birthday") she was so excited she screamed, "Merry Christmas." We giggled and she smiled.

Since it was also the 12th day of Christmas Cullen pulled out his "kings crown" and we let the kids blow out a candle too.

We celebrated the 12 days of Christmas this year and ended with Melkam Genna (Ethiopian Christmas). Some of our family came to celebrate. Corky tried to "replay" the camel incident from Uganda. Somehow I didn't get a picture of it... The reenactment took place with the camel whose head is poking out from behind my back area...

The birthday banner was flipped to the side that reads, "Oh Happy Day" and we ate like we might never eat again...

My sister Megan's family came for the day...

Uncle Corky and Janet made the trip. Nasuuna is always happy to see Uncle Corky. I think she had her mouth wide open the entire time he was here...

Trying to steal kisses...

Geremu was pooped out after Saturdays events and spent some time Sunday working on his activity book given to him by Pop.

My Mom and Dad came as well as our good friends Melody and Maddy. Our family is a host family for an ABC student. Adisa (pronounced like Addis-a) is an area high school student. This has been such a good opportunity for our family. If your city/school system takes part in the ABC program I would highly recommend looking into hosting a student= FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! Tonight before putting the kids to bed we play a few games. Geremu is hard to see because Cullen's facial expression is so distracting, he is hiding behind Cullen in this picture.

Adisa is a wrestler and soccer player. Tonight he practiced a few of his moves on the kids. At one point I heard Geremu taunting him with, "My Grandma has better moves then you..."

Melkam Genna Friends!

Back to Life,,,

Today I headed back to work since leaving for Uganda. I was really dreading it... Not because I don't like my job, I just had so much fun spending time with the kids. The boys had school so they were all good. Nasuuna knew something was up when she woke up and I was all ready dressed and not in running pants. She followed me around the house wanting to be held when I was able to and staying within 3 feet to keep a close eye on me when I wasn't holding her. She knew something was up, just not sure what was up. It was hard to leave the house, I did it when Nick was walking Cullen to the bus stop with Nasuuna- to make it easier.

I should have prepped her more for today. Nick is staying home with her now so I figured it would be a flawless adjustment. Not as flawless as I had hoped. I haven't left her since she was delivered to me on a boda-boda. But today I left her... When I called home at 9:30am to see how she was doing Nick let me know that she had already said, "Mom?" 75-100 times. I may have smiled a little:) When I walked in the house after school, once she spotted me, she never left my side... The entire night. Listening to the boys read- she was there. While making dinner- she was there. Giving the boys showers- she was there. Cleaning up- she was there. I tried to get her to play with the boys tonight- she stayed right next to me. I talked on the phone- she sat on my lap- and fell asleep.

I've never had an adjustment like this myself back into school. Cullen was born in the spring and when I went back to school it was the beginning of the school year. With Geremu I took an intermittent leave so I eased back into work. One day a week, then two days a week, three days a week, etc. With both the boys, the adjustment felt more natural. This feels so... Sudden. For both of us.

There was no easing into this. It's like I cut off my shadow and we are both a little lost without one another. Tell me it will get better...