I'm Back! And this time, I am staying around!

Well everyone, it's been quite some time. I decided to take the summer off from blogging because I had a lot going on and to be quite honest, was in a funk and didn't want to blog. But two weeks ago I was sitting out front watching Alec and Kris toss around the football when I noticed that the tree down the road, which is the same size as ours, was perfectly shaped. I looked at our tree, we planted it the summer that we moved in here at Alec's first birthday, and I noticed how mis-shaped it is. We never trimmed it properly and let it just "grow" in it's own way. At that moment I started thinking about my life...how it has turned out. How my life resembles the tree in MY front yard, and not my neighbors. Why? Well because I didn't do things according to plan. I didn't finish college right out of high school like 90% of my graduating class. Instead, I dropped out to marry a man I had only known for a few months before getting engaged. I then didn't wait to have kids until I had established my career...we had Alec early, and young. I was only 22 when he was born and Kris and I had only been married 1.5 years. I went back to college after having Alec and then, we added to our family in a totally different way, through adoption. As my twenties are quickly coming to an end, I found myself looking back, thinking about all that I had accomplished over the past ten years. And instead of being in a funk over not being able to find a teaching job, I found myself feeling blessed...and happy.

So back to that tree. The tree down the road is a lot of people. The people who took the conventional path in life and did things in the "expected" order and in the "expected" way. Perfectly rounded and the true picture of a tree. I, however, am the tree in my own front yard, that has scattered branches here and there, signifying the fact that my courses in life were not the same as most others I know. But the thing about those trees...they are exactly the same height, still beautiful in their own way...they just got there in different ways. But in the end...they got there...grew, became strong, and took root.

So like I said, my twenties are almost over and I can say as I enter my thirties in just a few short months that I came full circle like I had hoped to in my twenties. Why? Because I did get a teaching position. And not just any position, but with the school district that I wanted to be working for the most. I had no connections, no real "in." But I did have one thing....God. He knew and has always known what my plan in life would be. And while I have questioned it along the way, I trusted Him. And He has always come through. It's just been in His timing and His way...not mine.

So here I am...back to blogging...because, well, I miss all of you! So...here's to blogging again, starting a new phase of my life, and to being that mis-shapen tree!

All of these pictures were taken over the summer! This is the best I can do to "catch up."

Alec, Mikayla and I at the Richland Carrousel Park
Picking berries at the Blueberry Patch

Mikayla riding the Carrousel..she LOVED it!

Ready for her first ballet class!

She was so, SO excited. She loves ballet!

Can you tell???

Cheering for Alec at his football game

This was at his first game and he is doing AWESOME at football!

I scanned his football picture...it turned out so cute:-)

Running back to the bench after half time.

She loves watching the games

Alec and daddy

The cake I made for Alec's 7th birthday...he turned 7 August 30th

Mmmmmmmm......

Me and my kiddo's

Alec and I after he got off the bus on his first day of school

Kris and Alec on the First Day

Alec and Kayla on his birthday...my pictures got mixed up but I am not reloading them all.

Alec with his first day of school chocolate chip cookies. We got him balloons too:-) It's a first day of school tradition around here!

Waiting for the bus to come

I can't get over how BIG he looks here!

Alec posing at the family picnic we went to in July

He loves playing by this bridge at the park in Lexington

Mikayla loved playing at the park where the family picnic was too!

Hanging out..I used to play on this very same thing when I was her age! Literally...same park...same play thing. Crazy!

Kayla and I on the 4th of July

Great Lakes Science Center

We went there in late June I believe...the kids LOVED it. Very cool place.

Kayla on the 4th of July at Joe and Gina's house

Hanging out in Christian's play house

Daddy and Alec on the 4th

Mikayla's 3rd birthday party...eating her birthday cupcake

Birthday Girl! This was two weeks after her surgery and she was still not fully recovered.

Pin the Jewel on the Tiara:-)

Me and some of my Guat-Mom friends...all their kiddo's were at Mikayla's party. It was so much fun!

Her birthday cake was so cute...It had a purse on it and the purse was cake. It was YUMMY too. But I had a hard time cutting it since it was so cute!

Family picture

Aunt Gina and Mikayla:-)

The proud parents with the birthday girl

Her professional birthday picture I had done. She is finally NOT scared to have her pictures taken. I was one happy mommy!

At the Massillon Car Cruise-In waiting for fireworks

Mikayla a few days after her surgery. She was really feeling bad here but wanted to have her picture taken. Poor thing. Lovey and Baby Jaguar didn't leave her side for weeks after the surgery. (And yes, I know that isn't a Jaguar but you tell Mikayla that!)

All dressed up on her birthday!

Blowing out her candles!

She was really trying hard to feel better here but was just not...that surgery was ROUGH!

Kris and Alec at the Massillon Cruse-In. I love this picture of them!