2012 in review

January -

We adjusted to life as a family of 7.

Welcome home!  12/30/11

We were blessed to have help from so many family and friends.
Erin had a flare up of a herniated disc and an epidural.
Erin spent overnight in the hospital with debilitating vertigo.
 Zoe and Etta took more medicine than they ever want to again.
Zoe had an MRI.  

Lots of laughs with Nonnie

February-

Etta and Zoe experience their first Iowa snow!
Zoe had her first playdate.

Anna and Zoe

Etta tried out school with Mrs. V.
Zoe gave Momma her best bday present and started to love Daddy.
Erin celebrated #38.

Daddy and Zoe

March -
We played outside a lot!  Etta learned to ride a bike well.
We visited Colorado for spring break and Etta and Zoe got to meet Aunt Ali, Parker, Jack, Uncle Dave and Aunt Jessica.
Mark and I sneak away for a couple of days to ski and celebrate Mark's birthday.

Aunt Ali, Etta and Zoe

April - 
Carson looses his first tooth FINALLY!!

Etta and Zoe dye eggs for the first time and get to meet more family at their first Easter (Aunt Lisa, Uncle Brad, Brooke, and Jake).

Zoe and Aunt Lisa

Easter

May -
We have the fun experience of watching our niece run and jump at the state track meet (and win a few times)!!
Drew takes his 5 year old trip to Disney with Nonnie and Papa and gets transformed into a pirate!

pirate Drew

We also get to meet (and reunite our girls) with a family from NW Iowa that adopted one of Etta and Zoe's friends from Ethiopia.
Callie has a beautiful dance recital.
Carson misses the last week of school because of a bad case of mono.
Drew graduates from preschool.

preschool buddies

June -
Carson and Drew play baseball.












The girls (and all of us) love spending time at the lake.













Drew gets his tonsils out.

all ready for surgery

Papa examines mono boy

July -
Ali and family, Nonnie and Papa and our family spend the fourth at the lake house.
Etta celebrates her first American birthday with fireworks #7.
We spend lots of time at the pool, and Etta and Drew are officially swimming and going off the diving board!

Ledges State Park

Etta is 7

August -
Cousin Elisa gets married in Northern California and we all make the trip to attend (and miss our flight....)
We have a little vacation afterward at the beach.  FUN!!

beautiful California

Zoe celebrates her first American bday #4 on the way home to Iowa.
Another trip to Colorado for Erin and the kids to celebrate the last week of summer (a really fun time at Camp of the Rockies in Estes Park).
First day of school - Callie 5th, Carson 2nd, Etta K, and Drew K.

Fun at Estes park

first day of school

September -
Callie, Etta, and Zoe start Ballet.
Carson and Drew start soccer.

soccer

October -
Callie starts and LOVES volleyball.
Fun trip to the pumpkin patch with the Rouws.
First Halloween for Etta and Zoe.

Halloween

Pumpkin patch with cousins

November -
Carson's birthday #8
Drew's birthday #6
First Thanksgiving at the Rouws (a great day).
A trip aboard the "Polar Express" in Boone.

Drew's #6 and his new DS

Carson's #8 at skyzone

Zoe loves Santa!

December -
A sick month for our family - the stomach flu sets in.  Carson is the sickest...  ends up spending 4 days in the hospital.
A shortened trip to Colorado but a very fun time skiing and staying at a beautiful house provided by Papa and Nonnie.

Grandpa Fish and Etta

First Family Day

Zoe all ready for her Christmas concert

Mom and Callie skiing in Colorado

10 months home and refinalized!

Time is flying by...  The end of October marked 10 months that the girls have been home with us.  They are doing so well.  They are amazing girls.  God has melded our family so perfectly and He deserves all the credit.  I have been approached by several people lately, saying, "I don't know how you do it."  To which I reply, "it's God!!"  Seriously, he provides grace when he calls you to something!  He is strong in our weakness. 

We just had conferences, and both girls are doing well.  Etta is still receiving tutoring, which is helping immensely.  Math is hard for her.  (Number recognition has been a struggle.)  But, she's starting to read, and her handwriting is AMAZING.  I'm so thankful she has several areas where she is really succeeding!  Zoe is in 3 year old preschool, and is doing great!  She can write her name and is learning letters.  The funniest story from conferences was when the teachers asked if we call her Tiny.  The girls have nicknamed her Tiny, and apparently she thinks her whole name is "Zoe Tiny."  :)  Callie, Carson and Drew also did well on their conferences, and all of them have such sweet teachers that love them.  Such a blessing for us as parents when our kids teachers love and pray for them!

We also refinalized the girls adoption in the state this month, and their new birth certificates are on the way.  We are getting so near to being done with the paperwork of their adoption. 

Family picture by our amazing friend

Zoe at preschool

Carson playing soccer

Daddy and Zoe

Halloween fun

pumpkin patch fun - Etta couldn't believe you were to play in the corn (strange to her, I'm sure!)

Pumpkin patch with the cousins!  Not sure why Caleb looks mad.  :)

Photo dump

First day of school

Love those curls

First horseback ride

Callie and Etta

Cousin love

Cutie pies

First time at the beach for Etta and Zoe

Trampoline love

Ledges State Park