Five Fabulous Rowans: July 2009

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Lazy Summer Days

Doesn't he just have the best smile? He loves to smile for the camera, and will even get me to "take picture"! Love HIM!!!!!! It is amazing to me how many words he has picked up in just this short amount of time. He is using sentences and asking for things now. It is exciting times at the Rowan household. Oh and did I tell you that he absolutely loves to eat and play with balls! Basketballs are his favorite! And, he couldn't have joined a better basketball family HA! At the gym he makes the kids "sit down" and roll the ball back and forth! He is very verbal... have no fear!

M and Dad at the pool on her birthday!

J explaining to M why she "can't" see his phone... well text to be more specific!

I rounded everyone up last night to see the space shuttle and space station. Really it wasn't as visible as I would have liked, but we were able to see it move across the sky. It was really neat to watch. Don't remember seeing that before.

Still waiting to see the shuttle "fly" through the night sky attached to the Space Station. "To be late is to be late, to be on-time is to be late, to be early is to be on-time!"

Really - J is only about 6 1/2 feet in the air ... and in the dark!

Lonnie after his first day of the Freshman Experience!

Brandon - first day of Freshman Experience.

Can you see the difference? He went with the "low fade" even though he thought is was old school! LOL!

To say that we have had an incredible summer would be an understatement. We have just had a glorious time all around. Good friends, great family, and the addition of J have just made this a special time for us. Not to mention all the baskball that we have been going to lately! The U14's have a tournament this week here in J-ville so that is good for us!

Enjoy the pictures!

Sunday, July 26, 2009

M is Double Digits!

Happy Birthday M! 10 Years Old Today :-) !!!!!!!

Friday, July 24, 2009

Only Request.... Play Hard

Anybody remember days like this when you were young?

Who would have thought this day would have been so fun! Really, a little water, some sunshine, snacks on a tray (no plates or utensils) and a lot of imagination!

J loves the water! He can blow bubbles, stick his head under, and kick his feet!

And so it goes.... another great summer day playing with friends at home. It is so great to be a teacher and be able to share in summer time fun with the kids. J is doing great- he is adjusting and learning new things daily. M is on a reading marathon and waiting on me to refill her library bag! B is playing all the time (reading some) and creating math problems. Not sure if this is a result of being a teacher, and them playing teacher, but we have practiced some school stuff!

We will not know about J's brothers for at least another 60 days, and we are alright with that. At first, we were under the wrong impression that it would be sooner, but for whatever timing reasons we have been given, we are now at peace with this. If it is meant to happen, it will happen. We will walk on faith, and trust that things will work out as planned. In HIS timing and in His way!

Enjoy your summer!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Home for the summer .......

Sorry I have been away! We have hit the ground running, and I just have a few moments to update you on our great adventures!
Yummy! That was all we can say. J loves any kind of frozen drink... just like his momma! While the girls cooled off on a water ride, J cooled off with this extra large Cherry Icee. This was our last day in Dollywood, and J did not wear shoes once.... again just like his momma! These will be in my yard next year..... LOL..... I say that every year!

They just look so fun.... I guess I will need the bench too!

Every year we see these pots at Dollywood.... next year we are going to make some in the Spring!

Uncle Josh and J

Aunt Larren and Uncle Robert

Aunt Larren, Uncle Robert (my youngest brother), Uncle Josh, J, B, Aunt Misty (my younger {and only} sister), and M!

J has taken over his Dad's chair..... Like father like son.

B singing camp songs!

We made it home late Sunday night. We had a great time in Gatlinburg, and stopped in Asheville on the way home to visit with my sister and youngest brother and their respective halves! It was hard to leave, I could really live next to any of my siblings- they are all great.

We jumped into music camp at our church this week "Let's Rock!" and we have again had a great time. It is so good to see the kids singing the songs and praising God. They learned that this was actually a missions project for our church (sort of like an outreach) and they have had so much fun singing, acting, and getting ready for our big production Friday night.

J has been right beside me the entire week in his stroller. After about an hour I let him run around the gym while the kids are practicing on stage. He has been chasing balls all weekend from one end to the other, then lunch and a nap (he sleeps right in that stroller!) He is by all means a very happy go-lucky two year old!

I think we are home for awhile now, so we are getting into our routines and starting to think about the next school year (routines and all that!). We have decided that Derek will pretty much take J to school in the morning and then we will pick him up when we are finished with school in the afternoons! It is exciting to think about... no word on his brothers yet, although we go for the licensing next week. Health inspections and foster care workers. Should be lots of fun!

Last night I went to Summer Salads at another local church and every year they just have the best speakers. Last night the speaker spoke on fear, and she left us with 6 things that prove to us that God is always with us-

1. He Cares - he loves us beyond where we are today, he loved us before we were who we are today, and he loved us when he knit us perfectly in the womb

2. He Continues - to love us the same as yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He does not change, he does not hold grudges, he does not forget us even when we think he has

3. He Comes - he is there no matter what, he is always present, he is with us even when we think he is not

4. He Calls- He is calling your name, when you are fearful, anxious, happy, sad- he is always calling your name so that you know He is there

5. He Comforts - He will reveal who He is, we know that we have eternity and this life is just a fleeting moment

6. He Conquers - Greater is He who is in you- even if we feel we have lost, we have really won- our fears may have truths, but in Christ Alone we have a future and we have hope.

Each year these ladies salads always are relevant for me. It as if God put me there to hear and restore me. Getting J was a very fearful time for me. As much as I turned the process over to God, I still had fears. Would J be alright, would he accept us, would he fit into our family... those were all unfounded fears because all of God's children are perfect and wonderfully made- J is no different than any of our other children. He is a child of God and he is perfect!

Fears are lessened, needs are taken care of, and hearts are made whole when you stand close to God.

"He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one" Acts 10:42

Still loving summer!

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Gatlinburg - Day Five

J right before his nap.... when he told me "he didn't want to take a nap!"

B checking in on her space!

We are on vacation, so cake M will eat!

Same view from back of our top level... above is right before the rain, and below is right after the rain stopped! In the top you cannot see the mountains, but after the rain, the view is clear!