This week

This week has sucked.  It has sucked really, really bad.  I spent a lot of time this week asking myself why.  Searching, pleading for some profound answer.   I wanted to come to some understanding as to why.  I find myself back in very farmiliar territorry.  I cannot tell you how many hours I have been spent with this question the past 3 plus years.

Everything happens for a reason is something that I have spent most of my life believing.   3 1/2 years ago that went out the window.  There is no reason for some things that happen in our lives and in the peoples lives we love.  There is no reason.  What comes from an event is not the reason for the event in the first place.  What comes from an event is what a person or people choose to do with the circumstances that they have been given.  When I hear someone say everything happens for a reason or that only makes you stronger, I want to punch them.  After I get over the act of violence I realize that this person is lucky that they think that.  It is easier to think that.  I have felt at peace for the past 6 months or so about my realization that there is no why and there is no sense to be made and here I am returning to this place of question.  There is no why, there is no reason, sometimes there is just heartache and pain.  With tears, so many tears.

I am glad that this week is over.  Not that it changes anything that has happened or makes anything better but it means we are on to next week and next week the girls and I are coming home for a short visit.  I wish that Tom could be coming with us but he will be in the sunshine with friends playing golf, poker, and although he would never admit, having a much needed break from me :).   There are no pics from this week.  Nothing with our mood that was worth sharing.  But with our upcoming trip to Seattle, we will have lots of pics to share.  I can't wait to see our parents, all of our siblings, and give big hugs to my niece and nephews.

March Madness Baby!!!

Don't get excited - it is not Tom posting this......  It is just me, sitting on the couch, trying to keep busy while Tom flips between what seems like 6 games next to me!  My secret is, I really like this time of year as well!

My heart melts!!! Kiara feeding Ava for the first time.  AND it went great!

This was taken today right before I called Tom to tell me to put Ava's patch on.... It is very hard to patch this little girl when everyone is having such a fun day.  The patch went on and not to worry, we continued to have a fun day (in a different way :)).

Happy St. Patrick's day from Tom!! HAHAHAHA

Sporties for Shorties

Mckenna is in a weekly class at the rec center called.......

How awesome is this name? HAHAHAHA

Every week the kids play a new sport and Mckenna loves going to this class!!  This week was hockey. 



Before the class I tried to explain what hockey was and it did not go very well :)!! After class, Mckenna asked if we could get some hockey "stuff" so we could play at home.  Don't tell her, but I will not be purchasing hockey equiptment anytime soon!

Next week is t-ball! To be continued.........

The Kearney Visit

Having Ryan, Sarah, Morgan, and Aidan here in Ohio with us for the weekend was so wonderful.  We let the kids share their highlights and pick their favorite pictures, now it is our turn!! 

Aidan loved Ava, I mean LOVED her! 

He is so sweet!!!

I am reposting this picture because I wanted to explain why this was Mckenna's favorite pic.  Morgan arrived in Ohio with pig tails in her hair.  Mckenna thought this was the coolest thing and everyday she insisted that her hair was in pig tails as well.  Here is the picture of the "twins" and as you can see on Mckennas face - a very happy 4 year old!

Kiara and Morgan had so much fun together!  They spent most of the time on scooters and rollerblades, racing through the kitchen - normal right?

Art was another fun thing for these two.  Actually all 4 of the big kids enjoyed painting! We have a lot of beautiful artwork taped around our house to show for it :)!

SNOW!!! It wasn't supposed to snow but it did!  As you can tell by Ryan's pink hat that the Kearneys were not expecting snow either!  Ryan and Sarah took the kiddos out in the snow and they had so much fun! Both girls told us that this was one of their favorite things.

Tom took us all on a tour of the facility.  This picture took a while to get because one by one as the kids climbed onto the bench they all sat right in the middle.  We had to explain (4 times) to move over so we could see the Browns sign.  Totally worth it :)!

I love this picture because it puts the size of the field in perspective.  The kids must have thought this field was gigantic!!

Only adult picture I have of the weekend. 

These three girls are ready for some football!!

One of the security guys that Tom knows was there on Sunday and opened up the press room for us to see.  How awesome is that!!  Kiara didn't say much into the mic.....

But Mckenna had a lot to say!  (Morgan did as well - those two are quite the comedians)!

Here is the crew!  This picture is blurry but I know Sarah has a good one that I will have to get from her!

The girls interviewing each other with Mckenna and Aidan as the audience!

Check out this locker!

Ryan, Sarah, Morgan, and Aidan - Your time in Cleveland with us was the BEST!  Our house has not been the same since you left and I am not sure it will be for quite some time.  Thank you for coming all this way to see us and for being such an amazing family and so much fun to be with!  We love you, Tom, Deborah, Kiara, Mckenna, and Ava 

Friends in town

"Our house is so quiet." This is what Kiara said tonight after Sarah, Ryan, Morgan, and Aidan left for the airport.  We had SO MUCH FUN!!!

Kiara:

I likt tat tay or the sam age as us. My fafrit parts wer the crnvol  and  win we went  swiming.

Playing in the basmint with Morgan and Aidan.

We had fun playing in the snow!

go browns

mckenna:

I like swimming!  I liked playing around the house, and doing superhero with Aidan.

Thats me and Morgan.

That's all of us.

Monday

Monday morning Mckenna, Ava, and I were having the best time so I took a couple of videos.  Tom and I couldn't decide which one to share so we are sharing both :)! 

Sorry about my scream....

In this video I continue to ask Ava to say mama.  This is not because she says it but because I really want her to say it.  It is official, all three children have said Dada first!  Ava says Dada all the time.  She sees Tom and says Dada, the phone rings and she says Dada, she says Dada all the time.  The truth is, I LOVE IT :)!!

Here is a photo of Mama time.  We were dancing and I loved that she was cuddling with me, then I realized she had fallen asleep.  My heart melted and we danced to one more song before I put her down for a nap.  (Kiara took this photo)

Red Robin Baby!!

We ended our fantastic time with Gram at Red Robin.  The best part of the lunch was we all said what our favorite time of the week was.  Everytime someone said what their favorite was, the rest of us all said "Oh yeah, I loved that too!!"  That pretty much sums up the time with Gram, so much fun and full of A LOT of great memories.

We love Red Robin and Ava loves her sisters :)!

Had to include this photo because this is Ava's first bottle out of our house. 

Other firsts:

1) Ava is drinking all formula! (this is one happy momma!)

2) Ava is making lots of fun sounds and copying what we are doing.  Her favorite (and ours) shaking her head no no no......

3) Kiara is really reading. And gaining some confindence as well!

So glad that Gram got to be here to see some of these firsts too!  Thanks Gram for a great time - we love you!!