Gold

We have gotten back into our routines and it seems like we are as busy as ever. I feel like some days when I look at the calendar the days and months just fly by. Trying to figure out when to squeeze visits in, playdates, fun activities. I really wish I had a pause or slow motion button. I do try to stop myself and take certain things in, to imprint the memories on my brain of the boys playing together or working together or chattering in the back seat of the car. I want to always remember their little voices and little faces along with the daily little stuff that is sometimes frustrating and exhausting. As the calendar pages just seem to keep turning I dont want to miss or forget.

This has all been on my mind so much more as we just completed Maks' 3rd and final post placement report. That's it, we are done. It seems like just yesterday we were walking into the baby home and reacting in surprise how solid and chubby this little man was and now here were are, done our final report.

It is so easy to get wrapped up in the daily grind and balancing act between work, school, sports and family activities. How can we do this and not take anything for granted?

As I was looking at pictures I took during a little Fall hike we did with the kids I was thinking of the Robert Frost poem:

Nature's first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf's a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf,

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day

Nothing gold can stay.

I always felt he was connecting the seasons to the cycle of life, childhood as amazing and precious as it is, quickly ends. It is a good reminder to me to stop and watch and not take any of it for granted. This is my kick in the butt now so to speak, stop and breathe, take it all in because life is just far to short.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Life

Where to begin..I know it has been awhile since last time I sat down to write.

Life happens.

Happiness: Alek is doing fabulous in kindergarten, he loves it. All reports are great, he loves homework. His favorite special is library day. We are already amazed at how much he has learned in a month. Alek wrapped up his soccer season, he loved it. He got a great medal from his coach and already misses his buddies on his team. Next up, learn to skate for hockey! That starts right before Halloween, should be interesting. He is very excited.

Maks struggled a bit with his transition to new class, and we had a couple weeks with scattered behavior reports and bathroom accidents, but he seems back on track and happier. He is a piece of work, he is so tough, but he just cracks you up! He knows how to push daddy's buttons big time. The looks and sideways glares he gives you are a trip. His speech is slowly improving, we still struggle with T's and F's, but he is definitely a lot easier to understand. Maks and I did a soccer class together, though because of life and weather we missed a handful. He liked it but wasn't really into following instructions especially when it was mommy having to coach. He will be better off in a situation where he has an actual coach. Checking out some opportunities for him now, leaning towards some more swim lessons, he loves that.

Sadness: PopPop H has been struggling with health issues for a bit now and got worse as summer ended. He battled very hard as he always did. We had a great Labor Day dinner at his house, celebrating T's bday. The next day he went into the hospital and by October to inpatient hospice. It was a long month, he fought hard, came back to us for a week and then passed away peacefully and gracefully with all of us around him on October 7th. He was laid to rest after a beautiful service on October 12th. He is deeply missed but we also know he is at peace and will always be watching over Granny and the rest of his family.

We know the kids struggled in their own way with PopPop's passing. Alek has asked me several times if he is with Corie and Kaiser in heaven and I tell him yes and he will say he is sad or get real quiet. We have a great book I have read to him that seemed to help. Maks doesn't really get it at all. He just always asks if he can go see him and the dogs, like we hop on an airplane and go for a visit.
I wanted to thank Mike and C for being there for last minute kiddo drop offs and for feeding, entertaining the boys and keeping them happy and safe while we were at the hospital or hospice. They love hanging with "their gaals" and big Mike too (I think we owe you a flashlight or two?). Thanks to Jeff and Amy for being very cool sitters during the viewing-the kids had a blast and still talk about Jeff's scooter course and their arts and crafts. Your help meant a lot to us--you guys are the best!!!!!!
Thanks to everyone who sent their support, thoughts and prayers. I know it meant a great deal to the family to know how much we were supported.

Thanks to K for sending this to me 2 weeks ago, it was beautiful and meant alot:
“Love is stronger than death, even though it cant stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries, it cannot separate people from love. It cannot take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death”.

Someone is Growing up: During all of this, our Maks-Joseph turned 4 on October 12th! We celebrated his "halloween" birthday party on Saturday Oct 10th. He woke up telling me "I growing up, I party today". That boy loves a good party! Sometimes too much as he spent part of it in time out. It was great having our family and close friends there to celebrate Maks, it was not the same without PopPop, but it was a great time for the kids. He loved his presents and being the center of attention.

On his birthday he woke up and we reminded him he turned 4! That day is extra special for us, because it is also metcha day. We met Maks on his 1st birthday! He has been home almost 3 years. We are getting ready for our final post placement report too! So hard to believe.
Maks to Alek: I getting bigger, I 4, I almost like you (as he holds up 4 fingers)! Alek to Maks: no way dude-you got one more finger to go! They crack me up!! I love it.

Inspirational: Lastly for October, was the Breast Cancer 3 Day on Oct 16-18th. As life would go, 2 Nor easters decided to make their way into our region. Our team, The Rack Pack had trained hard for almost a year and collectively raised over 25K!

We were ready to walk for our ladies both in honor and memory. We bought our rain gear and were ready to roll! Unfortunately mother nature had other ideas. The first two days of the walk were officially cancelled, but that didn't stop us. We stayed on course as much as we could. We checked into our hotel Friday by lunch. We walked on our own throughout Philly Friday and Saturday. We crisscrossed the city several times it seemed. We saw neighborhoods we normally wouldn't, we hit the historical sites we had not seen in a long time (we even made a pit stop at the Constitution Center to see the Princess Diana exhibit) , sometimes in rained, sometimes it was windy and sometimes it was cold. But it was wonderful! We had a great time as a team and it felt great to be out there walking. It may not have been as we planned, but really is life ever as you plan? So the 3 Day officially became a 1Day on Sunday. We joined 2600 others and braved the nasty morning conditions as we walked throughout the city. As I walked I thought of the brave women I was walking for (Kerry, Deb, Dale and Stacie), the beautiful warriors who fought this battle head on and won! Really, how much more inspiration does one need, what's a little cold and rain compared to cancer? Someone up there was looking down on all of us as the rain went away for the remainder of the walk. We ended our journey at the Navy Yard. In the end our team managed to walk close to 40 miles all outdoors as planned! Watching the survivors parade in proudly in their pink was amazing, I know there wasn't a dry eye on our team. These women are amazing, the feeling and energy there was unbelievable. It was truly an amazing experience and one we look forward to enjoying again next year, hopefully with a bigger team as well!!

So thats our story since September. Highs and lows, the rollercoaster of life.

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain."