Some Lulu highlights from our summer!

I am so very sorry it has been so long! Summer seemed to fly by. I blinked and it was school time again! Here are some highlights of Lulu from our summer. She continues to grow so much. Her heart is doing great! At her 6 month check up they continued to give us awesome reports! She goes back in January. Her oxygen level was actually at 100% on the first read. We are so grateful to God for such a great report and that her heart is doing so well. I know that there are many children that have just as complicated of conditions as her's and have undergone so much. We continue to pray for heart children. Later I will post a fundraiser I heard about specifically for orphans in China that need heart surgeries. If Lulu would not have gotten her first surgery in China she would not have survived. People realized her need and stepped up to provide the funds for her surgery and care until she was matched with us. I will be forever grateful to those people. They saved my little girl, my daughter that I could not imagine life without.

                                                      4th of July! It sure was a chilly night!

Farm park! This girl would play all day long on a playground if she could! Nothing stops her, she is a CLIMBER!

Another chilly summer day! It took her a VERY long time to finally feed an animal!

With Keri at my sister, Taylor's, wedding. Lulu was a flower girl.

Loving life after the wedding while pictures were taken. This girl was a TROOPER! She was on her feet all day long and kept a great attitude all day. She loved running around the fountains, I was sure she was going to get drenched!

I have to remember her at this age... I know she won't be this little for very long! And, if she happens to be my last little one I sure must treasure every single moment and event.

Mamma and monkey kitten. This is her new nickname because she constantly sings Monkeys jumping on the bed and acts like a kitty cat...all at the same time!

Some day it will be her wedding, dancing with Baba.

First time for Lulu tubing! SHE LOVED IT!!!!

When they aren't frustrating each other they are loving on each other. Kaden tried to manage her all. the. time, but she just won't have it. Truly two strong willed souls finding ways to come together to be great siblings. God knew what he was doing. Yes, he sure did.

What a great personality the Lord picked out to blend with our family. I'm so proud of how all of my children accept and love one another. This family has been sewn together from many different walks of life and backgrounds. Our household is messy. When I say this I mean we have our problems. I am so glad we can come together and love one another and have a good time too.

Our first annual lemonade stand to collect crafts and money for The Children's Hospital of Illinois! We raised $52.00 in 2 hours to buy crafts for the children as they stay in the hospital and collected a few supplies as well. I look forward to growing this event a little more each year! Our favorite moment was when 2 young guys drove over from the golf course across the street in their golf cart to buy some lemonade. It was so neat for my children to see that. They had to cross 4 lanes of busy traffic!

What can I say. Her first day of preschool! This girl LOVES to learn. She was a bit apprehensive to get on the bus the first day, but now she loves it all. I know she is going to be a life long learner! She is always wanting to learn something new around the house, especially the kitchen! I thank her early preschool teachers at Maria's Big House of Hope and her orphanage! They obviously fostered her desire to learn.  

Trying to stay occupied and cool at Cameron's first football game of the season. She gets hot rosy cheeks QUICKLY when she's outside. I do worry about her in the heat, unless she's swimming, but she's a trooper and she knows when she is too hot and needs to cool off.

Always exploring! She found a treasure in Grandma's purse during the game.