The last day of June....really?

This month literally FLEW by.  The anticipation of Haiti, the actual Haiti trip, then the re-capping of Haiti, took 3 weeks of it...well....just .... away.

Then this week, it was Kip's bday on the 29th, and knowing that Lacey had made her the cutest, funnest, video EVER, made me rock with anticipation for Friday.

Also, knowing I had planned for RUMBLE (Thunder basketball team's mascot, for those of you that aren't familiar with THE THUNDER) to come in for an hour and visit with our client's at Dale Rogers Training Center.... I was on a month long high.

Here is Kip's birthday video in case you haven't seen it.....

https://vimeo.com/44632771

And I had Ashley (one of her awesome teammates) record her reaction when she watched it, in Honduras.... and here it is...

https://vimeo.com/44943976

Good stuff, huh?

Our clients at DRTC range from wheelchairs to high functioning autism and everything in between.  RUMBLE was awesome.  Some people don't know how to act with people with disabilities.  And I have a hint for you.  You treat them just like you do everyone else.  With kindness and humor.  I LOVE the clients at DRTC and I'm pretty sure it goes both ways.  I had everyone pretty pumped for Rumble, so when he came dashing in, it was pandemonium, of the best kind.  Little did we know that Rumble was a FANTASTIC drummer, and he ran right up to the band, where the drummer stood up and handed him his sticks, and we were off.   Rumble totally tore it up!

Sorry it's so blurry, but I had clients walking all over me to watch and I couldn't hold my phone still to save my life.  But, the bison was spectacular on the drums!!

Then we let him run through the crowd, where they enthusiastically greeted him, or became so shy they couldn't get near him, and he made his way back to the photo op area we had set up.... and he put us on a show.

He would follow my lead, hamming it up with the clients that were brave, and being super sweet and extra awesome with the clients that were a little more shy.  

Did he win my ever loving, eternal support???  Oh yes, he did.  He was SPECTACULAR.

I'm not 100% sure, but I may have a new fake boyfriend.   I told him that one of the staff there was one of his biggest fans, and he totally dipped her and mugged all over her, then tried to drag her in the bathroom.  It was awesome.

And then on the way home, I got to talk to my beautiful birthday girl.  She is leaving for a 3, yes THREE, day bus trek to her next destination, in Panama, and will be finishing her 11th and final month there, with a de-brief in Costa Rica, then home on July 28.   Is it possible it has already almost been a year?

Lacey figured out the topic of her thesis for her masters and has been so inspired to get it done, and that makes me happy beyond measure.  

Hallie is growing about an inch a minute this summer, and I'm sad to say, has surpassed me in height, but I totally am in denial.  And her heart is still as big as her legs are long.  

We finished our foster paperwork, got my fingerprint results back, and turns out I'm not a criminal.  So I'm pretty sure we are 2 steps from being a foster family.  Happy rolls all over us.  

Time flies, good times, good memories, good things.  God is so good to our family, all the time.

Kip turns 24 in Honduras

Today is Kip's bday.  She is 24 years young.  I remember when I had her like it was yesterday.  She arrived right on her due date, just like a good little gal.   I told everyone I had made a noon hair appointment and I had to get the show on the road, and bless her heart, she arrived at 11:10, and if I had felt up to it, I sure could have made it.   She's always been very considerate of my time.  :)

After traveling to Haiti for 7 scrawny days, I have such high respect and admiration (even more than before) for my Kipster.  I have no idea how she has lived out of a backpack with 6 outfits for one year.  It baffles me.  I needed to change clothes 12 times a day in Haiti, and she has made it through 12+ countries in an OU tshirt.   (oh the stories that tshirt could tell)

Here are some of my most favorite pics from this past year, and a few travel shots of her past travels, of this lovely 24 year old that I am proud to call mine.  Happy birthday my love..... you are one of my most cherished possessions....(I know you didn't like me to tell that to your dates, but it's true).  Here's the deal about Kipster... she is so beautiful on the outside, and that doesn't even begin to TOUCH how beautiful she is on the inside.

I love me some Kipster Queen.  I cannot WAIT to say hello to her in one short month.  Next time she goes on an adventure, I'm in her suitcase.  End of story.