Growing Up So Fast - AKA First Day of School

So yesterday was Hannah's first day of high school and Governor's School! Sounds like she had a blast, but I am still a bit freaking out. What am I doing with an all-grown-up high-schooler? Am I really that old? Ah well, I guess so...

Lilly started kindergarten yesterday, too. That was a bit hard for me as well. She is so ready and so excited, but I have not had time to mentally prepare myself this summer. She is going to a private school because she misses the county cut off by 5 weeks and I guess I haven't wrapped my mind around the fact that she is at school all day, everyday. Fortunately, she loved it and could not stop talking about it all last night! That makes it a bit easier to take.

And Emmett began preschool this morning. He was so excited about going to "Emmett's school" and using his back pack. He even insisted I pack his lunch when I packed Lilly's last night (he will still eat it at home, but he just had to take it with him!).

The only sad part was when he actually went in the room and I could tell he was a bit unsure of what was going on. He went and sat down like he was asked, but he was sucking his thumb and pulling his ear. I almost took him home right then because he looked so confused! Maybe it was bringing back some memories of institutions in China...I don't know. I called Eric to ask his advice and we agreed it will be good for Emmett to have me drop him off, and then come back to get him. I think after 1 or 2 times, he will understand that I always come back for him! Then I am sure he will be his normal lively self! I guess we will see...

China Reunion

We had a great time getting together with 4 of the families we traveled to China with. It was so fun to see all of the kids four months after coming home! They all have adjusted so well and have picked up the language like linguistic pros!


We spent the weekend visiting an Amish farm where we saw all kinds of animals and had fun feeding them, eating at an Amish restaurant, swimming at the pool, enjoying (or in some of our cases, enduring) a catered Chinese dinner, and just hanging out together. It was so wonderful to share memories and swap stories. And our friends the Heckys have just announced they are adopting their third child - a boy just a week younger than Emmett! How exciting - but not too surprising because they thought Emmett was so much fun in China that they kept kidding around that they needed to get a boy, too. Looks like they weren't bluffing! Congrats Hecky family!!!

But the best part of the trip was that all the kids had friends to play with. Two of the families had teenagers - the Kruits and the Hecky's. So, Hannah had a great time hanging out with Melia, Brienna, and Ryan. They have all become texting and Facebook buddies.

Lilly and Mariah (formerly known as Jon Jon) had a blast playing together. They played house and school, but Lilly's favorite activity was swimming in the pool for 5 hours straight! We seriously had to force her out of the pool to eat lunch and dinner.

And Emmett had Mia and Mikenna to play with. But, in true Emmett fashion, he was more interested in running around playing with as many things as he could in the least amount of time! He is such a busy little mess maker. If we leave him alone for five minutes he will have the whole play room in shambles!