Start of School & Fall Sports

August 2011 started yet another school year for all 4 kids... Zachary now is a 7th grader and is playing football. Jared will start his last year of elementary school and is in the 5th grade. Olivia is a 3rd grader and Anna will be in kindergarten again.

Our excited 7th grader, who has to get up so early and go to school in the dark.

And our 3 elementary kids so excited for school.

With the start of school, also means the beginning of Middle School Football & weekend softball tournaments. Also, a new adventure for Jared- his first year of playing football with his dad coaching. And with all of this means- no weeknight or weekend free..busy, busy, busy!!

The 7/8 Falcons played 4/5 weekends in August/September and had 1 first place finish, 2 seconds and a 3rd.

And the MV Colts so far have a winning record and in 2nd place. Jared has done OK as a first year player and continues to improve and learn the game.

And a big shout out to our #85 for an amazing season in football!!! WOOT! WOOT! Zachary started on JV, in which the team went on to have an UNDEFEATED season!! Way to go COUGARS!! And also a couple of games into the Varsity Season got to dress out for 4 quarters and start for them. The team finished out the rest of the year with "W's" and they went on to the HCAC championship game against Hunter. Zachary started in that championship game on both Offense and Defense,  and we couldn't have been more proud of his performance. The Cougars WON that game and were HCAC champs!!! Already looking forward to next year... oh but wait, basketball has already started......

And last but not least, our little cheerleader... who fearlessly attends all the games rooting for her big sister and brothers. More to come on these photos....as mom & Anna had a photo session for "Mom & Me", so that she could have a picture collage like her siblings when they were a baby.

Summer 2011- 2 Words---Kangaroo Cups!!

The end of school in May marked the beginning of a very busy summer. Literally the day after school ended, Anna had her left hip (the China repaired hip) rebroke and aligned back. This did help the length differential some and time will only tell how much with her gait. She was in a wheelchair for 4 wks, then a walker for a couple of weeks. She quickly ditched the walker due to being self conscious about it. She has regained her strength back sooner after this surgery than last. Despite not being able to walk most of June, she was able to swim in her grandparents pool!!
Also, at the end of May, our local Kangaroo gas stations offered a cup for $6.99 for unlimited refills (cokes or icees) the WHOLE summer till September...Needless to say, we bought 5 and they have paid for themselves over and over. Some days due to Camp All Star, the kids would get 3 refills a day!! And all summer their motto has been, "don't leave home without it". We have literally mapped out Kangaroo stations on our way to softball tournaments and even out of state to see if we will be close to one. Looking forward to next year in hopes they do it again. And, we still have managed to keep up with all 5.

Playing the Home Health Nurse all summer has been a challenge, and have never been so excited for school to start back.
*Anna had her surgery on May 24th, and was non weight bearing/wheelchair for 4 weeks, then started Physical Therapy 2 times/week.
* Zachary slipped at the lake dock on Memorial Day and cut a chunk the size of a quarter out of his foot. I was having to clean/dress it 3 times a day because it couldn't take stitches due to too deep, and had to heal from inside to out. It took 7 weeks to fully heal and scab over.
*Olivia had to have her tonsils/adenoids removed in July.
Throw some camps, softball tourneys, and work-outs in there~BUSY, BUSY, BUSY. Ready for school 2011-2012.

Easter 2011

The Hunt at Mamaw & Papaw's with cousin Addyson....Makinley was taking a nap at the time. You can tell everyone was so excited...well, except for maybe Jared.

Checking out their color coded eggs. Lots of fun!!!

 

The girls handmade smocked dressed by Aunt Pam.

                                     Easter Sunday

Olivia's 8th & Anna's 6th Birthday

OK, so I am a couple of months behind....So here I am to catch up for at least 1 month.
Olivia's 8th birthday party theme was from one of her all time favorite movie and book~ The Wizard of OZ.

I made a Wizard of Oz cake...and to go along with it some Ruby Red Slipper cupcakes, munchkins, and "Somewhere over the Rainbow" punch.

                         New shades, purse and earrings...What a girl really wants!!

For the past year, or since Anna's last birthday, we have heard about her NEXT birthday. She honestly has talked about it all the time, all year around. We did a Tinkerbell theme and of course, she had a blast. However, I have very limited pictures, because my computer crashed and wiped out several months worth of photos, not to mention the past 2 years of my FLIP videos :(

The cake...3 layered fondant cake...first time I had ever made this type, and turned out pretty good, she loved it.

And she had been wanting a new purse... Thanks Missa Potta who loaded it up with lots of goodies! And she has become quite the note taker, or scribbler....or just writing whatever.

Cheesin for the camera. She was so excited!!

As her shirt says, " My birthday ROCKS"... Her birthday was fabulous, and she's already been talking about next years :) Thanks to our family & friends for making it so special!

March Madness & More

Yes, we had more than our fair share of bracketology and March Madness in our household, and so glad it's come and gone. (although sad to see the Lady Vols go down the way they did, and we just won't talk about the Men)
We did enjoy a fabulous Spring Break in Gatlinburg at the Westgate Resorts. We celebrated with my parents in going to the Dixie Stampede, Zip-lining, MagiQuest, Go-Karts, and more.....It was a fun-filled week with lots of things to do...Oh, including the water park onsite.

Part of our room at the Westgate Resorts- it was so high up and overlooked downtown Gatlinburg, so pretty at night. We played lots of games of Hearts and other card games at that table.

The girls with one of the Southern Belles of the Dixie Stampede. It was a little windy...

Mamaw and kiddos at the Dixie.

Papaw and Liv edging out Jared in go-karts.

Ready to go to the Zip Lines. The kids did great and Anna was the only one that had to tandem. I was so proud of them and it will be a repeat activity next time.

Sweet Sisters!!!

We had a night full of laughs at Dick's Last Resort...they try to make it kid friendly.

Zachary was also playing JV baseball at his middle school. (Although he didn't get to play many games because of rain, rain, & more rain) Maybe next year it will be drier :) He played outfield & got a hit his first at bat. I was just glad he swung and that the first game jitters didn't overcome him.

Fun Filled February

For the past 2 months, we have had jam packed Saturdays of basketball. We have the routine down by now. Olivia's game(s), Zacharys game, RAFAELS for pizza, and then Jared's game(s). For eight weeks I have been doing this with the help of my parents and friends while Mickey is running the elementary basketball league at church. I know, I signed up for it~ call me crazy! But I want the kids to stay active and involved. Anna is along for the ride cheering, playing her DSi, or dancing..whatever she prefers. We have had 2 Saturdays with 5 games. Exhausting!

Jared with the ball

Olivia playing some "D"fense! She rocked it against the big girl.

Anna rocking it out to some Miley Cyrus.

And then Valentines. Anna had a great time filling out her Valentines for her class at school and at church. She did very good for the first time, we were proud. When the kids got home from school on Valentines day, I had made some heart shaped pizzas, cherry almond mousse cups for dessert and some red party punch. The table was decorated in red and pink, and they were really excited.

Coming to America Parties

January 18th marked our "Gotcha Day" in China. However, we actually celebrated the day we were "home" in a couple of "Coming to America" parties.

We celebrated the first one in Anna's Kindergarten classroom. We brought our scrapbook album loaded with lots of China pictures and also some souvenirs to show her classmates. We had an interesting Q&A time as well, as you can imagine with 5/6 year olds :) We topped it off with mini cupcakes that I made in the shape/colors of the American flag, cookies and juice. We enjoyed getting to share with the kids where Anna is from and a little bit about her birth country.

And then on January 30th, the official "WE'RE HOME~in AMERICA" day, we celebrated after church with friends and family at the Chef Lin Chinese Buffet. They have the widest selection of Chinese food around here, and some American food as well to satisfy the finicky eaters. Our friends and family have been so supportive of us throughout this whole experience, and have made our lives alot easier over the past year through many different circumstances. We thank them for their love, friendship, and support!

1 year ANNAversary for "Gotcha Day"

From a tiny seed God planted in our hearts over 18 years ago.....Cultivated with mounds of paperwork, hours of prayer, interviews, travels for fingerprints, anxiety beyond belief, researching medical issues, fear of the unknown and 3 years of waiting...FINALLY, we would get to meet and see our daughter. On this day, 1 year ago today- January 18,2010....we held AnnaMei Grace Rector for the first time in Shanghai, China. I cannot express the emotions we were feeling and the emotions in that room. She came to us, we sat down and colored, and the rest is history.


A year of medical issues with dr's visits, surgeries, and procedures would not slow this little girl down. Starting preschool and later kindergarten in the past year. She has bonded amazingly with our family and has a perfect place in it. Thank you Lord for allowing us to be a part of her life!

Merry Christmas

How exciting it is to see someone experience Christmas for the first time, and at 5 years old. From putting up Christmas decorations, having a Gingerbread party,  buying a tree, decorating a tree, wrapping presents, going to see Santa, Christmas program at church on stage, Rock City Enchanted lights,  and learning the story of the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. WOW-it's been amazing. And then on Christmas morning, waking up to see her excitement along with the other kids- priceless. Anna enjoyed all the festivities surrounding Christmas. And to top it off, God sent a blanket of snow on Christmas morning. It just doesn't get much better than that.

From our family to yours, wishing you and yours a blessed 2011!