Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Action Packed few weeks!

Unfortunately, I haven't been near as good at taking pictures as I set out to be at the start of our summer in Gulf Shores! It's been a wonderful summer... The girls have adjusted better than I ever could have expected; KALEO has been incredible and the students seem to be growing by leaps and bounds! We've gotten settled into somewhat of a routine and schedule and we LOVE getting to live life on life with the students... I was telling some girls yesterday that Ellie is definitely going to go through withdrawals after we leave because she is getting so used to having so many people around her all the time and she just loves it!

I got to celebrate my 35th (yikes!) birthday here last Friday and it was a perfect day! Our staff girls surprised me first thing in the morning by taking me to breakfast...so fun! And then for lunch, Joel and I took the girls to Chick Fil A (Ellie's favorite place in Gulf Shores, by far!...she asks to go there everyday!) for lunch and to play... (note picture above!)Friday night my sweet hubby took me out for coffee, then to a restaurant that I have been wanting to go to for the last couple of years! Then it was out to walk on the pier and the beach. All of my favorite things. I felt spoiled beyond belief!
Alexa has become QUITE the BIG...okay...HUGE...eater! You wouldn't even believe it! This girl would eat 24/7 if you would let her. I don't think that she has a "full" sensor... And she is intense. If you don't give her the next bite fast enough, she gets very loud. She doesn't cry, she just VERY audibly reminds you that you need to be feeding her. :) She still doesn't have any teeth (though I think her bottom two are ALMOST through), but you wouldn't know it because she can eat ANYTHING. Steak, french fries, chicken, cheese...you name it, she can eat it. She definitely outeats her sister 2 to 1... maybe 3 to 1. :) I keep telling Ellie not to pick on Alexa because before long, Alexa is going to be bigger than her! No joke. :) I got her eating response all on video, but wouldn't you know that I can't get it to upload to this blog for some reason. Maybe I'll put it on facebook.

This is a picture of our sweet friend GENTRY! Gentry has come down to Gulf Shores to spend part of the summer with us to help out with the girls. She has named herself "Nanny Maureen"... why? I am not quite sure. Maybe it's from a movie? But whatever the case may be, she is doing an incredible job and the girls love her and it's really helped me out a ton. I feel like I've had the best of both worlds of getting to be with my girls, but also being pretty plugged into KALEO and getting to be with the students. Thanks Gench! We love having you here with us!!!

Ellie has become quite the big fan of the beach... morning, noon and night. We haven't really gotten to go very often, but when we do, you better believe that Ellie is going to get the most out of her time! Here we are on a group date with some of our students and staff... They had a sandcastle building contest with glow sticks after dark and Ellie got her name in lights! :)

The days are just flying by, but we are very thankful for the way that God has provided for us in every day and the way that we are getting to see firsthand His work in students lives. We are truly blessed...