About Angelique

In the middle of a bunch of fun with cousins in AL, Lasa retreated and made this card for Angelique.  (If the precious first grade invented spelling doesn't turn you into a puddle, the heartbreaking message sure will.  "Sometimes I feel alone when you are not here.")

It really struck me ... the sincerity and confusing emotion an adoptee can feel.  I have read from adult adoptees about this very sentiment, so it did not surprise me.  I am so glad that even at this young age, Lasa is able to recognize it and communicate it ... a residing loneliness in the absence of her birth family.  A loneliness that lingers even when surrounded by her adoptive family, when having a wonderful time.  It is a fair and true emotion that deserves validation and respect and empathy!  Joy and sadness can and do coexist at the same time.

We have tried multiple times this year to get Angelique to respond to invites to visit again, but those have so far remained ignored.  She sort of picks and chooses what things she will acknowledge or respond to.  Ha!  BUT, we have been so glad to have re-established and maintained contact with her again this year , so we don't take even those snippets of text and voice messages for granted.  We went ahead and texted Angelique to ask for her address so we could send her this card from Lasa.  Angelique did not respond to that text but did text a voice message a couple days later with a greeting for the holidays, which was nice.  She sent another voice message on NYE, too, with similar greetings and said for us to call back.  So Josh and Lasa tried her first thing the next morning.  They were so thrilled when Angelique was available!  They talked for about 10-15 minutes and it was a sweet and warm chat.  We ended up sending her pics of the card (as she did not have/offer an address to share just now) and a copy of Lasa's cheer schedule in case she would like to come see her cheer one of these upcoming Saturdays.  She seemed to love the idea, so we will hold out hope for an in-person visit here in 2022.  Thankful for the kind texts and voice messages and occasional phone chats in the meantime.  It is good for Lasa's heart.  And even Angelique admitted to how this call put her mind and emotions and body at ease.  So glad! 

Pic of Lasa chatting with Angelique.  Great start going into a new year!

December Stuffs

December things included a much needed haircut for myself and for Anna.  Emily did both of these for us.  She showed me how to do Anna's myself for next time.  Eek!

 

Gingerbread house competition at church. 

Women's Christmas Event - another year, another Dirty Santa ornament exchange.   I emcee'd that part of the evening again, which was fun!

I adore this new bench I got myself for Christmas for the living room.

Josh returned to his Santa duties for the self-contained special education students in his district.  He came home so exhausted in the BEST way.  Happy grins all around!

Trekking around the property on the Kubota.  Taking in our first full December here.

December Bunco! I won the Most Losses category this month.  Ha!

Darling performance from Anna on Christmas Eve.

Valley.  Our precious loaf.

More hair endeavors.  Anna did Lasa's hair for the first time ever.  She did dutch braids and I am SO thrilled she can do it.  I simply cannot.  This opens up so many more options going forward! Hoping to learn this next year though.  Surely, I can train these fingers to do the job!

Working on deck deconstruction over the two week break.  Josh is itching to get this wood to use on the chicken coop.

This month, Josh got some bummer news about his blood sugar. So he has gone healthy eating cold turkey.  He is also tracking his levels several times a day for an upcoming followup appt.  In this pic, he was testing allllll our blood sugar.

Taking in some Christmas lights at Chad's Winter Wonderland and then dinner out at Bellacino's. Was such a sweet night.

I finished this crochet project - a poncho. I love it!  Haven't had the nerve to wear it out of the house yet though.  HA!

Game night! We enjoyed Ticket to Ride over the break, as well as Dominos, SkyJo, Skipbo, and KingDomino.

We have started a new thing ... night walks down our driveway.  Pretty full moon for one of those.

I wear blue light blocking glasses at night now in my never-ending quest to figure out how to get better sleep.

Lasa's cheer practices turned to actual games to cheer at and it's just the cutest thing ever!!

Anna art - she redid one of her older pieces from yearssssss ago.

This year's Community Group.  We love these people!

Noah did a little side gig paying job, keeping score for an in-line hockey tournament at the new rinks in our area.  Good experience for him!

 

Squeezed in pics of this cutie before the year wrapped up.  She really wanted one pic without teeth like her brother and sister do.

 

But I teased and the teeth were back out.  Adorable!

 

Christmas morning goodies.  First Christmas in this house.  Special.

 Anna's favorite gifts included an Apple Pencil, an iPad pillow and a squishy throw pillow for her bed.  Lasa's favorite gifts included that flying pixie pictured above, a squishy throw pillow for her bed, and a new Barbie.  Noah's favorite gifts included AirPods, new sunglasses, a Boba Fett Lego set, and an airsoft gun.

 

After our Christmas morning at home, we loaded up real quick and went to spend a couple days with my family in Huntsville.  It was a great little visit!

 

Josh tried his first ever whiskey.  It had a kick.  We laughed and laughed and laughed!

 

Me trying a few little things on Anna's hair one day when we were home alone and enjoying the quiet together. She did even cooler things with my hair with the help of some YouTube tutorials.

 

Funny gift I got for Christmas.

 

Lasa in her "fort" area on our property, trying out her new walkie talkies.

 

My favorite piece of holiday art that came home from school this month.

 

Noah has enjoyed trying out his new airsoft gun he got from my parents and the reloading target he got from us.

 

We are picking up a puzzle habit around here.  The standing puzzle tray the kids got for Christmas is perfect for keeping it out and about and contained and inviting.  We finished this one over the break and will mount it on the wall in the game room upstairs.  Next up, is a landscape and then a big donut one.

 

And with that, we have now completed a full year in this house ...  Wow!  Thankful. 

 

Looking forward to another year of growing together and growing on this property in 2022.