I'm Super Excited To Post This!!

As I said a few weeks ago, we FINALLY moved out of the hotel, and back into our home, after a flood displaced us for a while.

It still wasn't quite finished when we moved back in, but we were so ready to get out of the hotel that we didn't even care.

I will admit though, we are going to miss taking over the hotel swimming pool with our friends, and the free breakfast (that I didn't have to cook).

Do you know what else I will miss most about having a house under renovation?

You have the excuse to go do lots of fun things that you wouldn't normally do, just because you have to get the kids out of the house.

Things like dinner shows.

And family fun centers where you can safely let your children lose for hours in a gated, and padded room.

We did at least try to work in some educational museum entertainment...

As well as a wildlife center; where the only thing The Boy Child wanted to do, was the puzzles in the visitor center.

Thankfully we are back home now, enjoying the summer...

And crashing other people's pools.

(Please note how many floaties The Girl Child found at our friend's house, and managed to put on all at once).

And speaking of swimming, can I please interject and mention how cute my children's new swim school is?

I mean for what they charge, it had better look that cute, but still, it's cute, right?

I thought so, hence all the pictures.

After several years of taking swimming lessons through the YMCA, and neither of my kids being able to do so much as doggie paddle two feet, it was time to get serious and blow their entire college fund on swimming lessons that we pray will prevent any future tragedies.

Thankfully so far, it seems to be working.

And, while I was sitting there, enjoying endless hours of swimming lessons, I discovered Snapchat.

You guys!!

I can't stop. Like... it might be my new thing. And the worst part? I am literally cracking myself up. Here is me, lying on my bedroom floor, whitening my teeth, and cracking myself up. The funniest part, is that I am laughing, as if it's actually funny (it's not that funny).

I might need some kind of help. But in the meantime... please tell me I'm not the only one that has this issue??

And P.S., back to swimming lessons, do you see that cute boy swimming across the pool? Be still my heart, because he just turned SIX!

His only request was that we take him to see "Captain Underpants," and buy him a few new toys to play with at the hotel. We obliged, and he was quite happy.

Speaking of The Boy Child, he is absolutely LOVING his equestrian therapy. I never knew much about horse therapy, but after trying every therapy under the sun without much recent success, it was time to find something new.

And can I say WOW? The combination of his brain reconnecting back to his body (with the movement of the horse, he has to stabilize himself and know where he is in space), the cause and effect knowledge that he needs to grasp ("if you say walk on, your horse will walk forward. If you babble, your horse will do nothing"), and the emotional connection he needs to form with his horse (is your horse telling you that he is getting agitated?), we have seem AMAZING strides in gaining back what he had lost.

And, while we were there, the director decided to get The Girl Child up on a horse as well, so now both kids ride, and it's been amazing. After three sessions on the horse, The Girl Child learned to ride a bike without training wheels. After five sessions, she hasn't used her wheelchair since. YEARS of physical therapy couldn't achieve that!!

I literally could not be more thrilled.

And now that we are talking about The Girl Child, I should probably let you know that The Boy Child wasn't the only kid in our family to have a birthday this month. Nope, The Girl Child turned nine!!

She wanted to spend the day at the American Girl Place, and since we probably don't have much time left before the doll and Barbie phase of her life comes to a close, The Guy and I were happy to oblige.

It was something that I have always dreamed of doing with her — but in my previous situation never could have — so we made sure to make it extra special. We took her for a fancy lunch...

And then made sure her that her doll got a little pampering too (aka: we got the filth scrubbed off of her at the doll salon).

I loved every second of it, and from her joyous proclamations of "this is the best day ever!!" I'm pretty sure that she did too.

We've been busy, right? Almost too busy, which is why today you can find my butt on the couch, and the kids playing games on the floor.

But even though we are home now, some things aren't quite the same. Remember Henry, The Girl Child's therapy hamster from the post "Give The World A Reason?"

We sadly lost him a few days ago. He hadn't been doing well, and after a nebulizer treatment and a trip to the vet, it was time to say our good-byes.

Holding him on my lap, I brushed tears away from The Girl Child's face as she told Henry that she loved him, thanked him for being the buddy she needed after her father left, and rubbed his head for the very last time. Several hours later, after if became clear that he was suffering greatly, and agreeing that neither The Guy nor I could partake in putting him down "ourselves," we snuck Henry off the the vet after the kids were asleep.

I don't care how tiny he was, he was with us for several years, and his presence in our house was big. Many tears have fallen in his absence, and we all miss him deeply.

Henry was the first change to our family after my ex left, but it's amazing to see how much has changed since then. For those of you who saw my Facebook post on Father's Day, you read:

"My children and I have all had the unfortunate experience of learning that some men can't hack fatherhood. Thankfully, that lesson was topped by the one we were taught when my husband came along. Babe, you weren't here when your children were born, but day in and day out, you continue to show up for everything that matters. There are no step parents in our house, only those who have stepped in to become dad. Happy FIRST Father's  Day!!! You'll never know how much you mean to us."

So as you can see, things around here — as always— have been fun, crazy, sometimes sad, delightful, and blessed. The house flooded and it's getting fixed. Birthday's came and children grew. We found some really fun ways to pass our time, and we said good-bye to our pet. My husband celebrated his FIRST Father's Day ever, and in a very special announcement, this special guy...

... is one month seizure free!!!!

We are so blessed. 

Thank you for being on this journey with us!