Kinga's Birthday and Gained a Son!

Today is Kinga's birthday! I called to wish her happy birthday and learned she had received the completed paperwork for adopting Kevin and is now officially his MOTHER!!!!!! :) I told her Karin orchestrated that to arrive on her birthday. Karin is glad Kevin has her for his mother! As we talked, I realized, she is no longer Kevin's step-mother! I have been calling Kinga my step daughter-in-law! So, I said, "I can no longer call you my step daughter-in-law; you are my daughter-in-law!!!!" She said she liked that! :)

Grandma Went Home

This morning, I drove Kevin to school. I love how his school organizes the drop off. The older kids man a station where you stop to let your child out. They open the door, greet the student and the adult in the car, send them on their way, and wave the car on. I had talked about leaving; he saw me packing my suitcase, but at the quick end at school, we did not say a proper goodbye. I called that afternoon after I was home, and Kinga was picking up Kevin from his after school program. When he realized I was not there, he cried. How sweet to be loved!

Monday

Today there was no school and Steve did not go to work -- in lieu of having New Year's Day off. While Mommy and Daddy slept in, Kevin and I took Pebbles and walked to Market Street where there is a store with a bakery and hot drinks.

Pebbles was such a good girl! We tied her to a post while we went inside to enjoy our breakfast.

I found a Learn to Juggle box in Kevin's closet! It was a set which belonged to his big brothers. So we pulled it out and tried the beginning exercises using scarves for learning to juggle. What we learned is that you have to be committed to wanting to learn to juggle!!! It is NOT simple.

This afternoon, Daddy, Kevin, and I played some board games. Then Kinga joined us to play Parcheesi. I had not played since I was a kid, but I think Steve and Kinga have made up new rules since then! LOL They beat Kevin and me handily with their mean tricks. ;-) Kevin has become a really good sport about playing games! He now sees the fun in just playing a game whether you win or lose.

Sunday

On our way to church, we stopped at Mommy's grave to remove the fall flowers and put a winter wreath on her grave. Kevin helped to adjust it to look perfect.


He realized he didn't have anything personal for her grave. He usually finds a rock or stick or feather or something to leave for Mommy. So we went searching in the woods. We found a pinecone and a pretty stone.

On the way to church, Kevin started crying saying he missed Mommy. He has never cried at the cemetery with me before, though he did when Daddy was there.
Since Mommy has died, Kevin always wants me to stay in his class during church time and he does not join in the activities until near the end, even though he knows most of the kids. Today, he joined in the class right away! And it was such a good lesson for him! The Bible story was about Jesus healing the official's son (John 4:43-54). The teacher talked about praying for sick people and asked each child for someone they would like to pray for. She told them that God doesn't always heal sick people. Sometimes He calls them home to heaven, and asked the children if they know of people who were sick and died. She had a chart which she asked Kevin to write on. One side for was sick people to pray for. The other side was to list those who have died.

This afternoon, the whole family went to see the movie "Hugo." Great show! Highly recommended! When we came out of the theater, a juggler was performing in the mall. We watched him for a long time as he was amazing!

We had dinner at California Pizza Kitchen. Kevin had fun with Mommy and Daddy!