Where did Summer go?

In some ways, I find it difficult to believe that I haven't blogged since Charlotte's birthday.

Looking back, it's not that difficult to fathom at all. Adding a new person to the mix makes for one busy life!

Our view at the lake on most days

Kiddo has had a pretty great summer, I think. She had quite a few weeks at YMCA Day Camp getting dirty in between swimming lessons. We also took a week to drive to Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri for a family vacation with Roger's relatives. Despite getting on each other's last nerves before the 1000 mile trip to the lake was over, it was a fairly smooth ride. We were pretty well crammed into the VW Bug but we made do and everyone was still relatively comfortable. The return trek was much more tolerable. Maybe we were all more relaxed by then! Kiddo swam a ton, I read lots of books, and Roger caught about a dozen fish! Also, the Frozen soundtrack was played about fifty times. Give or take.

Another view of the lake

Roger won the Family Fishing Derby
Prize for most fish caught (12)

We also ate lunch under the St. Louis Arch!

We continue to develop our relationship with Kiddo. There have been rocky patches and some really great days. We have seen her grow immensely in the 5 months that she has been a part of our family. We also see her struggle with many things. None of it is completely unexpected given her history but it's still a challenge. Fortunately, we have a great team supporting us and working with us every step of the way. I'm so grateful for all the friends and family who have been able to meet her so far. She has really enjoyed getting to know everyone. The biggest comment we hear is, "Wow! She's not shy at all!" She is a pretty friendly little kid and we love to see her socialize with everyone.

September will be a big month. School starts again. By the end of the month, we will have another team discussion. We will FINALLY hit that 6 month mark which means discussion about adoption. Everyone on the team expects that we will continue to move forward at this point but it's hard to say how long the timeline will be for the entire process.

So there's you're big summer update! I promise more tales of adventure will be forthcoming. I just need to find the time between adventures to write it all down!

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