This Sunday

Look how cute these two are!

Can you guess what they did at church?

 

I'll give you a hint.

It involved the family.

 

They were dedicated!

September 29th 2013...

 Only 5 days away from their 1 year home mark

 

 

We are so thankful and blessed to have them as part of our family.

Through the times when it's going good, or the times when its isn't,

we are so blessed to have these two little Gilbartes!

Playground Cuties

The weather is so beautiful these days.

For the past 2 days in a row, we've gone to playgrounds in the evenings

and then out to get a special treat before picking up David from gymnastics.

Brandon is playing football, so I've been enjoying photographing

Kaden and Bethany on the playset nearby.

 

 

Our week has been full of outdoor fun.

How has your week been?

Angel Spotting in the Bathtub

"Kaden, who's this?" I asked him one night when he was taking a bath.

I held up a toy he got from the first restaurant we went to (about a year ago).

 

"Ummm, a baby?" he answered.

"No, that's not a baby.  what do you think it is?"

"An angel!"

Yeah... it has wings kind of like angels do pictures, so I can understand the reasoning behind the "angle" answer.

and you know what?  I kind of like Kaden's "angel"

 Bethany must have too, but she didn't offer any words of wisdom.  She just sat there looking cute the entire time:)



Kaden

Recently I've realized something.

Kaden has grown up.

A LOT. 

He's no longer the tired, small, languid toddler who came home almost a year ago.

Now he's a smart, active, lively, very curious, energetic little boy. 

He is so smart, and so curious...

he asks "WHY" about everything. 

he asks why there are reflectors on the back of cars,

why David was a baby,

why does everyone have mailbox, and well, you get the picture.

And he's got a personality! 

He's silly...



Creative...

 

active!

Expressive...

 

Now he is so different from the "baby" he came home as:

 

Kaden is a handful,

and sometimes I get tired of his "whys",

but I'm very thankful to have him as my little brother!

Bethany's Birthday

I've missed a lot.

I was going through some pictures and wanted to post some from Bethany's 1st birthday is April.

 

Our little baby turned 1 on April 29th 2013.

I remember her referral day so well...

hearing about a newborn baby girl was more than I thought was possible.

But God knew how much I wanted baby,

and how much I had longed for a sister.

He put those two together and gave us Bethany!

In all the picture we got of Bethany she was either sleeping or half-asleep.

We thought she must be a very tired little girl,

but not anymore!

 

HOME!

 

 

 

Happy birthday not-so-much-a-baby-anymore-sister!



Enjoying Home and Away from Home

It is so nice to be home.

But I really haven't been home for  most of my time since being discharged from the hospital.

The day after I came home, we left and went to my grandparents house in VA.

There we celebrated my Dad and David's birthdays.

I was so glad to be there for that!

I have missed all my other family's birthdays (including mine!) since Kaden's birthday in March.

But now I can finally be with and enjoy my family for these special occasions.

 

 

 

 

After that we came home for a couple days and left again to go to the Great Wolf Lodge.

The water park was fun, but challenging. 

wearing bathing suits (even though I wear the pants + shirt kind) are still hard for me.

I have to learn how to not believe lies and focus on the truth about my body.

 

 

 

 

So that's what I've been up to.  What about you?