Catching up

I have missed my little blog here in these past few weeks. Life with two little ones keeps me very busy, but I really love writing.  Even if no one is really reading, it is good for me to write about our life and to take notice of where we are.  Plus, one day I will be able to look back at all of these blog posts and remember it all.....like a digital scrapbook.

Anyway, our summer has gotten off to a busy but wonderful start.  Troy and I just got back from an amazing trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to celebrate our ten year wedding anniversary.....more on that to come soon.  For now, here is some catching up on what has been going on in our world.

Haircuts

I had been wanting to get Ashlyn's hair cut into a little bob for awhile now but it has always been a struggle to get her to hold still in a chair for very long.  A couple of weeks ago, we tried it and she did great.

Sitting patiently while her hair got pinned back

Looking down when the hair dresser told her to

The finished product!

Swimming Lessons

The first two weeks of June I had the girls signed up for swimming lessons.  Kyla had already done them before but this was Ashlyn's first time.  Kyla was so excited about them this year.  She now puts her face in the water with no problem and loves it all.  I wasn't sure what to expect from Ashlyn.  The class she is in is a very beginner class for 3 - 5 year olds in a kiddie pool.  I called ahead of time to let them know that she has Down Syndrome so I didn't have to worry about that when we got there.  They were very kind and had no problem with her being in the class.  However, it got off to a really rough start for Ashlyn.  The first day she was screaming when she had to leave me and cried through pretty much the whole class.  When it was over, I cried in the front seat of our car as we drove home.  When it comes to Ashlyn, there are many situations where I don't feel like I know what to do.  How much is she ready for?  How much should I push her?  How much does she understand?  I knew it wouldn't be the end of the world if she wasn't ready for swimming lessons this year, but I also felt that if she could just get a little more used to it, she would be okay.  And, that is what happened.  Each day she got more comfortable and there was a sweet teacher in her class who always watched out for her and was her helper.  Ashlyn never really did like to get very wet and didn't participate in everything but I was so proud of her for going everyday.

Ashlyn doing the pre-class warm ups with the other kids

Her favorite part was sitting on the side and kicking

Kyla at the big pool ready to jump in

Whole head wet and loving it

Sisters before leaving for another morning of swimming lessons

And sisters leaving after another morning of swimming lessons

Daddy is a woodworker

My husband never ceases to amaze me.  For awhile now we have known that we needed to get a new bed for Kyla as she has been about to completely grow out of her little toddler bed.  One day Troy asked me what I thought about him making a bed for Kyla.  He said that he found some stuff online that he thought he could do and that he would really love to do it for her.  I loved the idea.  And so away he went....spending many nights in the garage cutting, painting and assembling wood. 

After a lot of hard work, Kyla's new bed was ready and it is so beautiful.  She was so completely excited about it!

Kyla on her brand new bed, hand made by her daddy

With the maker of her bed

Ashlyn wanted to try out the bed too

I love this picture....after Kyla tried out her bed, Troy was talking with her and telling her that he made it for her because he loves her so much and she is so special.  And that he was praying for her while he made it.  Blessed daughter.

Father's Day

I think you are already getting the picture about what an amazing father Troy is to our girls.  All three of us girls are blessed by his love and leadership on a daily basis so we tried to make the day as special for him as we could. 

Daddy with his girls in their matching Cardinals hats....a special gift from Grandma Hochstetler

We are loving our summer.....I'll be back with more soon!

Signs of Summer

Even though the past couple of days have felt almost more like fall than the beginning of summer, we know the temps are about to rise and we felt them over Memorial Day.  We kicked off summer spending the day together as a family and lots of time outside......including some good old fashioned running through the sprinkler.  

 Ashlyn couldn't believe what she was seeing.....all the fun her sister was having

But wasn't quite so sure about that sprinkler getting her

And even big kids can still appreciate a good run through the sprinkler

Welcome, summer.....we are ready to soak you up.

Preschool Graduate

As I am raising our girls and as they are getting older, I understand more and more why my parents would stand in the driveway with tears in their eyes as I backed out in my car to drive back to college.  I get it now.  The love is so big it hurts.  Seeing the growth and change and all that comes along with it is so exciting in some ways, but so emotional in others.  That is why last week as I was getting Kyla ready for her last morning of preschool, I could feel the emotions coming.  A chapter was closing and things are going to change.  And I see the growth happening right before my eyes.......

Two years ago....Kyla's first day of preschool (3 years old)

Last week.....Kyla's last day of preschool (5 years old)

She looks so much more like a girl and less like a toddler.  She is acting older, reacting older, thinking older.  And so that morning as I dropped Kyla off at preschool one last time, the tears started to come.  Luckily, she didn't see me and I could make it to the car to get the rest of my tears out.

Kyla on her last day with her sweet teacher (and our friend), Mrs. Garcia

Not only was there a last day, but there was a preschool graduation.  Such a sweet and special ceremony, which included caps and gowns and each child walking down the aisle to the graduation song.

My sweet girl, taking her walk

Standing tall and proud

I am sure I will have this picture up one day at her high school graduation party

With our growing girl, all graduated from preschool

We have big changes coming.....kindergarten. I am so excited for her in so many ways, but scared in my own ways, too.  The other day I was talking to Kyla about how the Bible tells us that God has good and perfect plans for her life.  I need the reminder of that promise too.....God is in control of this precious life that He has entrusted to us.  The future is a good place, because that is where God is.  Which means, God is already waiting for her at kindergarten. 

Ten Years

Yesterday my husband and I celebrated ten years of marriage.  As I write this, I really have no way to explain the joy this brings me.  The joy of spending a decade being married to him.  The emotions that come when I think about all the ten years has held....the happiness, laughter, sorrow, prayers.....all that comes with life, but sharing it with the person you love more than any other.  It is so good.  We were giddy the whole day.  As soon as I woke up yesterday morning, I was thinking about what was going on ten years ago and getting ready to get married.  And I was thinking about it, I looked over to say good morning to my husband of ten years while hearing Ashlyn sing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" at the top of her lungs from her room.  Ten years.....it is so, so good.  I could go on and on about how in love I am with my husband, but I will spare you.  I will just leave it at....I am crazy about him. 

Ten years later, our family

Troy and I headed down to Indy for our anniversary dinner.  We ate at Meridian's, where we have celebrated an anniversary before.  It is so delicious and the restaurant is beautiful.  We were lucky enough that last night the weather was perfect (kind of like a day I remember 10 years ago).  So, we ate outside on their gorgeous patio.

At dinner last night we were talking about many of our memories from the last ten years.  It is so rich....all that God has brought into our life....the places, people, churches, houses, babies.  All of those things that mix together to make up ten years of life together.  My heart is full and so in love.  A new decade is here and we are so ready.

Therapy

A couple of days after we received Ashlyn's diagnosis of Down Syndrome, we found a social worker in our hospital room talking to us about things available to us.  I remember her giving us many different pamphlets and phone numbers.  I was in such a haze at that point, it was really hard to focus.  I do remember hearing the word "therapy."  She told us that Ashlyn would qualify for state funded therapy until she turned three and that the therapists would come to our house.  At the time that sounded horrible to me.  I did not want my child to need therapy.

When Ashlyn was just a couple of months old, the therapy process started.  They sent people to our home to evaluate her and then assigned us to therapists.  I remember the first times, I would watch their cars pull up to our house and I would fight back tears that all of this was happening.  Little did I know, that three years later they would be like family to us.  We were blessed with three fantastic therapists who have been in our home for a weekly basis for the past almost three years.  The bad feelings I had about the whole thing soon faded away as I saw how loving and caring they were to Ashlyn.  And I saw that they weren't just doing a job, they really wanted her to succeed.  I saw them rejoice, sometimes with their own tears, as they watched Ashlyn make gains. 

It got to the point where I didn't dread therapists coming, I looked forward to it.  And, Ashlyn did too!  She loves all of her therapists so much.  We could not have asked for three better people to help Ashlyn get off to such a great start.  And, thank goodness, we are going to continue to see each of our therapists privately or I would have been a mess saying goodbye to them when Ashlyn turned three. Please meet three people who are so special to us....

Ann - occupational therapy

Working on cutting

Ashlyn and Ann

Mandi - speech therapy

Ashlyn intently listening to Mandi.....she always loves speech time

And Mandi was so good with Kyla too, who was always with us for speech

Big love

Jim - physical therapy

Working on stepping over

Ashlyn and Jim

We really are going to miss having them in our home each week, but are just thankful they are still a part of "Team Ashlyn" as we call it.