Weekend Catch up - (Days 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)

So, even though I haven't been posting every day (which was the thing I was afraid would happen along the way in this 365 photo challenge), I have made it a point to take at least ONE picture a day.  So, here we go.  Let me wrap up the weekend with the days in question...

Day 13 (Wednesday)... So, I took my camera with me when I took the kids to church on Wednesday night for their choir rehearsals (of course Layden's was cancelled, but he came along anyway). 
I walked into the church and thought how beautiful the stained glass is in our sanctuary, so I took a picture of that.

For Day 14 (Thursday), I decided just to take more pictures of the kitty cat in our house... Spencer...

 

 

Day 15 (Friday)... It was finally time during the week where I could put everyone to bed, and prop my feet up and relax...

So, Day 16 (Saturday) was Layden's 6th birthday!!!  He is such a big boy!!!   And so we went to celebrate with friends at Rainforest Cafe.  Layden always loves to go eat there, as do the rest of us.  He always loves to look at the fish in the aquariums when you come in...

Of course, there are other fun things to do at the mall where Rainforest Cafe is... He got to ride the little train that runs around in the mall...

And after we had a great lunch, we went to the Disney Store, where he got to pick out some toys that he wanted... The price?  Carrying them around the mall...  He insisted he wanted to carry them, so he did...

There's my big 6 year old boy!!!

And what birthday would be complete without cake?  It's Cowboys country here, so it was pretty easy to find a cake fitting a 6 year old boy...  We had cake at home.

So, now Day 17 was today (Sunday) and the day started with a lot of fog... One of the websites I frequent has "assignments" for daily photos.  One of the suggestions during the last week was perspective.  Well, I couldn't get a perspective on the way to church, but thought I might get some interesting photos of the fog while driving (okay, I was riding, Bob was driving!)...

 
And the big bonus at church was that the altar flowers today were in celebration of Layden's birthday so I had to take a photo of him with the flowers...

And with that, I think I'm caught up on my daily photos being posted... 

Days 8 and 9

So, yesterday afternoon, I got home from work and totally hit a "brick wall". So, since I wasn't really feeling functional, I didn't get my picture for yesterday taken.

Today, I made up the difference. I took a few pictures of two completely unrelated things to make up for not having taken a picture yesterday.

So, the psuedo Day 8 picture is this:

Layden loves his monster trucks.  He was playing with them and when I pulled out the camera and laid on the floor to take the picture, he kept moving them around and asking me to take pictures of them.  It was kind of funny, I thought. 

And Day 9 for the picture today, I took pictures at the Rubber Stamp Convention that a friend of mine and I wandered around today.

I am looking forward to attempting to make one of these. They are called Concertina books.  It's double sided.  So, there are images on the other side as well.  Just really cool to look at.  I bought a kit that makes two. Now if I can just get some time to do it.

No post yesterday...

Here I thought I was doing pretty well with the daily photo challenge and posting my pics. And yet, with Layden being sick last night, I didn't get things posted. My poor little guy. He threw up all night last night. Reports for today are that he's doing okay... drinking gatorade and taking it easy with Daddy. Let's hope that trend continues. Poor little thing. Thank goodness Daddy has a cast iron stomach!

I did take a picture or two yesterday, but hadn't planned on them being the photos of the day for Day 5. Guess they will be. And here's hoping that today, I'll get the chance at taking a photo somewhere, somehow. I'll muddle through and manage something I'm sure. Should be able to post later tonight while trying to keep warm once the Arctic Airmass settles on us tonight. ;)

Until then, don't lose heart...

So, now it's been a year! (or more)

Yep, it's been over a year since Layden came to live with us. He's grown a bunch and he's getting the hang of being a good boy. We have our moments where we look at each other and wonder if this was such a good idea, but then he settles down and tells us "I lud you Daddy" and "I lud you Mommy". How can you question that?

So much has happened in the last 6 months, but it's all water under the bridge as far as life in general, so I'll just let it lie...

We're doing well, and working hard. That is what's important.

Well, I'm off to watch the NASCAR Race at Darlington!

Later

Six Months ago...

Six months ago today, our lives changed dramatically when Layden moved in to our home. I can hardly believe that it's been 6 months. I still remember the day that we got the call that we were chosen to take placement of Layden. It was one of the happiest days of my life so far... Up there with the day we got married and the day our daughter, Audra, was born.
And on the evening of April 2, 2007, Layden was delivered!!!
No, he wasn't swaddled and put in a nursery, or under warmer, he was grabbed up, hugged and given a room of his own with a CARS theme!
No, he wasn't waking up every 2 hours at night crying because he wanted to eat, but he was waking up in the morning saying "I Eat!".
No, he wasn't a tiny baby, but his little fingers and toes still take my breath away.
No, I didn't get to see his first step, or his first haircut or hear his first word, but I got to see his first smile for me and I got to hear him call me mommy for the first time.
No, he wasn't just learning to roll over or to crawl, but he was running to chase the cat and dog for the first time.
No, my whole family wasn't in a waiting room waiting anxiously, but my family all got pictures via email as soon as I could get them uploaded.
All in all, as I look back at Layden's first 6 months, I can see so many changes in him.
I can see his twinkling eyes and his sneaky little smirk of a smile while he decides what to get into next.
I can hear his sweet little "l luf u mommy" and I can hear his cars being run over the carpet, the tile, the bed, the table, the cat, the dog, and my leg.
I can see his eyes over the back of the rocker, where I used to only be able to see the top of his head.
And I can hear the sound of laughter when he and Sissy are hiding under his bed.
No, I didn't give birth to this adorable, rambunctious, defiant little boy, but I'm his mommy none-the-less.
And in just a month and a half from now, I get to hear a Judge say that too!
Do I regret our decision to take this little boy? NO! With all the frustrations and defiance of the past 6 months, I don't regret our decision at all. Yes, there are days when it wears me out, and days when I struggle, but what parent doesn't have those days. There's so much potential in this little dynamo and I know he's destined for great things. God had provided us with this adorable little boy to be the little brother of a great big sister, to be the son of a gentle father and to be the sweetheart of a proud mother. What more could we ask for here on earth?