Schelhaas Seven...

I love the ring of that. I will never get over it. At the moment, my life IS what I always hoped it would BE... and I'm reveling in that marvelous intersection. More like standing in the center of it and dancing like a maniac... I have never, ever been happier. Or more tired. Smile.

Brant is busy at First Data and being a daddy to his five kiddos... he is one popular man around here, let me tell you. He works overtime to invest in each and every child. Someday, he would like a date with his wife, and his wife would like a date with him. An anniversary is around the corner, so perhaps that dream will materialize... smile.

Booker is now 10 1/2, and we had his yearly 1/2 birthday party last week with a bunch of 10-year-olds -- they went to the pool, ate homemade pizza, artichokes, and garlic bread, played sprinkler football, late-night basketball, chowed on B&R birthday pies, hooted and hollered over a Wii tournament they devised, roasted s'mores over the grill at 11 PM, and slept out in a huge tent in the back yard with Mr Brant. It was a GREAT night. I would seriously do it again tomorrow -- how I love a full house of boys!!!! Booker is leaving for a week-long sports camp in the mountains this week after 4th grade wraps up, and he's doing a 3-day basketball camp at night right now, too -- phew!

Brooklyn doesn't strike a pose for all these pictures -- the images truly capture the joy in that girl's heart. She ADORES her new siblings, and is like a mother hen. Having a SISTER is her absolute favorite thing at the moment. That, and a really big family. She is wrapping up 1st grade and will perform in her school play on Wednesday. She rehearses so much that we ALL know her songs and lines! Smile. She had a ball last week at VBS with Booker, too.

Bella is shooting out new vocabulary words left and right, and the kindergarten teacher and ESL specialist who assessed her last week think she's ready for the classroom! Her mother will need to iron out the paperwork with the school district, as her Ethiopian birth certificate says she's much younger than she actually is... a common problem. So we hope it works out the way it's supposed to... God knows, and He can open the door if that's the best thing for her. All her blood work came back from Children's Hospital, and it was revealed that she had Hepatitis B at some point in her life... BUT, she is neither sick, nor contagious, and her liver has not been adversely affected. These are all monstrous gifts -- the doctors were thrilled to call us with the news as soon as the specialists determined their diagnosis. We are so grateful for this little girl -- she continues to allow us to love her and is incredibly affectionate with all of us. Her hair continues to challenge us, but we persevere! I think I have 8 products for it already!!!!

Brock is a lover of life, people, diapers (boo hoo) and TALKING. He gets an early start, jabbering his way down the stairs, and he literally doesn't stop commentating on EVERYTHING until his head hits the pillow. It's hilarious. He and Bode just took a bath together, and I haven't laughed that hard in a while. They are darling together.

Bode is sweet. Sweet, cuddly, giggly, and SMILEY, that boy is... and oh, how we love him. He is saying English words with great ease, and I suppose he'll be jabbering with Brock before we know it. His blood tests came back perfectly normal, and we are again deeply grateful for his health.

That's all for now... the Schelhaas Seven are TIRED and ready for bed!!!!