Chapter Two Begins

I guess I am referring to this as "Chapter Two" as it seems like we (our family) has moved from one phase of our life to another.

The photo shown here is from this last weekend at The Wonder Place where Ira and I played with Grandma. Ira is at the "vet clinic" with his little stethascope doing a checkup on a cocker spaniel. Too cute!

Change - wow - and to think I used to fight it kicking and screaming...:) We are for sure going through changes. The biggest and most "felt" is Haley has moved to El Dorado and is going to school there. She is living this year with her father and his family and going to a Community College. Her plans right now are to transfer next year to a 4 year school in Magnolia and live on campus. She started classes yesterday and begins her FIRST job next week as a hostess at a local restaurant. I won't go into the details but this was not an easy transition for anyone but I know there will be a lesson in this for all of us.

Second - September 12th will be my last day at Room to Read. It is time to do something different starting with spending a lot of 1:1 time with Ira. I'm not sure what I will be doing a year from now - that used to would have been freaking me out; it's kinda fun now.

Third - I'm sporting a big, black boot on my left foot. Yes, the ever-so-graceful Angie did a fantastic turn of the ankle taking out the trash in the rain and spent the evening in the ER. Fun stuff - especially since we are leaving for Florida on September 1!! I'm still trying to figure out a way to parasail.....We are taking Grandma and Grandpa and staying a week in a beautiful condo (the same place we go every year) in Navarre (an island off of Pensacola). Larry is generously letting us use his suburban to go in so we'll all have room to stretch out and Ira will have a drop down screen to let him watch a little Barney when things start getting tense with him in the car seat. :)

We also have a new member of the family on his way. Jessica and JP's little baby boy is expected in October sometime. We are hosting a shower for Jessica on the 18th of September that should be fun. It's funny though - Jeremy has been saying for about 7 months or so we need to start planning on getting another little boy. Last night we watched this show called "Nanny 911" and after it was over, Jeremy took that back...he said "perhaps we have enough". I laughed so hard!!!

I think he will get to periodically have another little boy around some. Our neighbor's husband, a pilot in the Air Force, deployed yesterday for a YEAR!!! So, I imagine one of their little boys will be here from time to time.

I'm planning my trip to South Africa for the Heifer South Africa Annual General Meeting in November (the week and weekend before Thanksgiving). I can't wait to go back. I wish it was not such a long flight so Ira could go.

Ira is doing fantastic. He is 14.5 months old and full of it!!! If he had his way, he would have someone pulling him around the neighborhood in his wagon all day long....:) He is beginning to eat a little food with texture (not a lot, but a little). One day at a time.......

He is such a joy - and keeps us on our toes!!

Hopefully I will start writing again. I must keep up with all these milestones so when I get around to doing his baby book, I have something to go back to for dates! ha!!!

Love to all,

Angela

"Gotcha Day"

Today is our "Gotcha Day". In the adoption community, it is the day you received your baby or child. Lots of families celebrate it or acknowledge it; some do not. I don't think we really have an opinion on it other than knowing today, one year ago, we met our son. By this point, we were already in the car on our way........making bets on how much hair he would have, how long he would be, chubby or lean, etc. And, of course, the big question...........the middle name. It's funny how he was Ira Benjamin until a few days after he was born and we had to put it on paper and it turned into Ira Christopher (Jeremy's middle name). Glad we didn't go that far with monogramming. :)

So, Ira, Happy Gotcha Day! We sure are happy we did!!!

love,
Mommy and Daddy

Birthday - HUGE success

Yesterday was Ira's first birthday and it was a celebration from morning to bedtime. :)
He started his day off with a bottle and some scrambled eggs and fruit. He's doing pretty well with the scrambled eggs. He opened his presents from us (toys, 3 new pair of shoes and a pool). We tried to keep him "napped up" (is that a word?) so he would be feeling good for his party.

The party was at The Wonder Place in Little Rock. First of all, the cake made by Cakes by Sam was...........amazing. Awesome. Incredible. It looked just like the photo I gave them and it tasted wonderful too. Also, you know the old saying that you only count on about 33% of those you invite showing up...well, that was NOT the case. Only a few invited didn't attend. It was so heartwarming to see all our friends and family walking in with donations of canned food items to the Arkansas Rice Depot. Grandma and I had this silly idea we would just wheel the food out in the Radio Flyer Buggy they bought him....HA! It will take tubs and more tubs!! Which is wonderful for the Rice Depot and for the children in Central Arkansas!!! I can't wait for Ira and I to make the trip this week and deliver it all.

I got to meet new family members, see friends I hadn't seen in a while, family I wish I saw more and the best friends in the world. Lots of kids got to play without being trampled on by others because we had the whole place to ourselves. It was a blast!

I thank you, God, Jesus and Mary, for all the blessings you have given this family. We have what we need and a lot of what we want. We give YOU all the glory.

love,
Angela, Jeremy, Haley and Ira

Ira's Birthday Eve

Tomorrow is the little Prince's first birthday! Just 4 more hours and he will be one year old! I can't believe it. A year ago - our lives - what was going on - only to get that call on a Sunday morning while getting ready for church that changed our lives forever. Unforgettable.

Big day tomorrow. Ira will eat scrambled eggs so I think that will be his birthday breakfast. We bought him a little pool with a shade over it so I think an early dip for the first time in his pool after his morning nap will be in order. We did get him a few presents to open so we will find time during the day to see what he does with wrapping paper...and of course, it is RED! :)

His Barney Singing and Light Up Doll has not even shipped yet :(. That will be a surprise for next week, I guess. His cake was delivered today (Dr. Seuss - made by Cakes by Sam) is AMAZING....they took the photo I sent them and did it.....they actually did it and it is so cool. I can't wait for everyone to see it. I know Ira won't eat the cake; he may not even play with it, but that's fine. As long as he gets to play around and we can work the party around his nap, it will be a success!

I'm honoring his birthmother tonight as a year ago she was in labor. A young girl, in a foreign country, giving birth while knowing her plan. I'm honoring her in my heart and mind today so tomorrow will just be about Ira. I hope she gets the letters and the photos. I hope her heart knows he is doing wonderfully and her decision was the right one. I pray she is achieving her dreams.

As Grandma says, God gives us the desires of our heart. I believe that and it makes me feel better for her.

love,
Angela

Graduation Party!

Well, the celebrating of Haley's graduation has come to a close. Her party with her closest loved ones was last night at Grandma's house. Her colors for the party were pink and black to match the cake she picked out (made by Cakes by Sam). Food was divine (thank you, Grandma Betty, Georgetown Cupcakes and Community Bakery). Beside our gift to Europe, I mad a movie for her that went from the beginning of her life, showing highlights through the way to her senior photos and receiving her diploma. I got 3 (three!) private hugs and thank-you's from her so I think she was really appreciative of the work by Grandma and me, for Sara helping in cleaning up and for ALL the friends and family that came and joined her in this celebration. I know she will never, ever forget this night. Thank you for being a part of it. We both love you!

A Year of Reflection

Today is our wedding anniversary - 9 years! Great accomplishment. We have done a lot in 9 years, made many new friends, lost loved ones, gained new family members and continued to be a strong family unit. This year has been a rollercoaster - well, that's an understatement. Almost a year ago, Ira was born. I was blessed with being able to spend 3 months at home with him (above photo - which I love!) and bond in such a wonderful way. I think back to the first two weeks we had him when we were in Texas. We couldn't wait to get home - bring our baby home - but now when we talk about it we realize what a blessing it was to have those two weeks. We got to know each other in a very intimate way without a lot of distractions.

We came home to a beautifully cleaned home (thanks to Phyllis, Grandma and Jessica), balloons, flowers and a flow of home cooked food for several days. More importantly, Ira entered Arkansas to an outpouring of love for him. He was embraced from the first moment. I want him to forever know that his FOREVER FAMILY loved him from first sight. If he had come out of my womb, instead of my heart, he couldn't have been loved any more. And it is still the same way today.

Our same loved ones hosted a beautiful Sip-n-See with over 100 guests to meet Ira and bring him gifts. It was the most amazing day~I know I had a glazed over look on my face the entire time, but the beauty of reflection is that you can take the time to really think about how special that time was.

Haley soon started her senior year......with a bang! (or a fall!) One broken leg and months of a boot with physical therapy, she was able to hobble to the Homecoming Dance. :) The only bright side of that was she was at home a lot those first few weeks after her accident and we got to spend some much needed time together. I'll never forget that.

Haley's 18th birthday party at KanPai, Thanksgiving, Christmas (I think we did 4 that year) and then we rolled into the new year. I was able to finally, after many years, get my "Purple Rain" birthday cake courtesy of Cakes by Sam. It rocked! Several holidays later, including Easter, Cinco de Mayo at my house, and my first Mother's Day with Ira led into Haley's high school graduation. All wonderful days celebrated with my loved ones - as someone just said "the people that matters most". :)

So, this weekend is Haley's graduation party. I hope she likes the decoration and also the surprise for her from me (homemade). Then, next Saturday is Ira's first birthday at The Wonder Place. Dr. Seuss themed cake should be outstanding!! I know he won't understand it all now, but I've learned from Haley that kids are very interested later in life about their "firsts".....

So, as Jeremy and I celebrate our 9th year together as Mr. & Mrs. Jeremy C. Lasiter (or Major Lasiter and his wife...or Haley's parents....or Ira's mom...etc. - I seem to have many identities), I celebrate ALL of this year. The bad, good and ugly. Because through it all, I have been taught. I have learned things about myself, my children, my husband, my family and life. And I think we should never, ever stop learning.

Thank you to my family - and you know who you are - DNA doesn't make you family - love and support makes you family and I have the best.

Angela

My beautiful daughter, the graduate.

"Isn't she lovely, isn't she beautiful" - I have those lyrics going through my head as I look at these photos from Haley's graduation this past Monday.

Words just cannot express how thrilled I am that Haley has graduated from high school and is getting ready for college. She was the epitome of a young woman in the arena getting her diploma. And she is SO glad to have those 13 years behind her........:) I don't think she will be the kid who keeps going back to the high school building and trying to hang out with the teachers. LOL

After getting her driver's license Mother's Day weekend, she pulled out a little while ago in my black Camry that she will be driving to take it to Splash Car Wash and detailed. It is hilarious that "cleanliness" in an automobile was never an issue until it became the car she was going to drive! :)

Graduation party is in a week to allow time for her boyfriend to return home from Army duty. That will officially be the "end" of high school - wow.

I'm so proud of her. I know my mother is equally as proud as she watches over us all from above.

We are so blessed.