Boys

 

Grant showing off his silly putty necklace....

 

 

 

"Not me!"

was the answer I received when I asked Grant who played with silly putty in the car.

 

 

Silly Putty + carpet = FOREVER

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

Grant has been busy lately.

 

swinging

 

riding bikes

 

practicing baseball

 

coloring pictures of monster trucks

 

washing the cat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, washing the cat.

 

See?

 

 

He said yesterday he was going to go wash the cat.

I said "have fun" without really thinking about what he had actually said he was going to do.

Soon he was back to announce to David and me that the cat was clean.

 

 

 

 

 

Yes indeed.

The cat was clean.

I did not go check on the condition of the bathroom.

I left it to the guys to clean up the mess.

 

 

 

 

I am not sure who enjoyed this little trick more

Grant, the cat, or David

 

 

 

but

I might have to say David found more humor in it than either Grant or the cat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure the cat was not amused.

 

Baby G Update

Baby G is doing well.  He keeps me busy as witnessed by my lack of blogging.
His birth mother went to court today to terminate parental rights.
I cannot imagine the selflessness required to make that decision.


Baby G will meet his very excited adoptive parents on Wednesday if all go as planned.





The juxtaposition of today's events is painful.

While this day represents the realization of Baby G's parents' hopes and dreams,
for others this day will be remembered as a day of horrific loss.



Once again....


praying for one who so selflessly gave her child a new path in life.

praying for those in Oklahoma who have lost so much in such a short time.

praying for those who hold onto hope that their babies will be found alive.

praying for those whose losses go beyond mere possessions and homes.

praying for those who begin to rebuild with renewed hope for the future.


Lord, give them strength to face the task set before them.

Fingers Crossed!

 

Doesn't everyone make Derby horses

 

 

from swimming pool noodles?

Grant has been busy at school again making cool crafts.

 

 

The orchard after we finished mulching it this spring.

So far the crop looks pretty promising.

Fingers crossed.

 

Garden after we planted it.

With all of the rain we had since planting,

we might be replanting parts of it soon.

What is bad for the garden is good for the pond though.

It is finally filling up.  It is at the highest level I have seen it yet.

 

Again, fingers crossed!

 

Fingers uncrossed for this one, please!

Grace practicing her newest piano piece.

I obviously did not teach her to sit in a laundry basket while playing.

 

 

I do not know the logic behind this decision.

Maybe that is best.

Recross those fingers, please!

 

We are hoping to watch these three baby birds grow up this spring.

They are in an evergreen tree right off our deck.

The third one has hatched now and all are doing well so far.

Grant and Grace beg to look at them multiple time each day.

 

 

 

Fingers crossed for a court date for Baby G this week!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

 

Whether this Mother's Day

is your first or forty-first,

 

we wish you a Happy Mother's Day!!

 

 

This little guy made someone a mother this year.

In order to make the day extra special he decided to find his thumb.

 

In just the past two days he has discovered he has hands.

He just sometimes can't remember where they are!

 

We had a very nice day.

We enjoyed a great sermon at church

then after lunch took the kids shopping for summer clothes.

I was given some wonderful cards as well as carefully selected gifts including this fruit arrangement which Emily picked out.

 

 

Hope your day was special too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to Joselyn.

We are very proud of your accomplishments.

 

 

There really is "Something About Women"!

There is something special about you too.

 

Best wishes in all you do as you begin to write the next chapter of your story.

Big things are ahead.

 

 

 

 

 

Grant has big news too.

 

He lost tooth number four Friday.

Pictures to follow.

 

Don't figure he would be amused if I woke him up for a photo op at eleven at night!

 

 

 

 

Instead how about a look at the very neat pirate treasure chest his dad helped him build last weekend?

He was so proud of it that he took it to school.

He let the class use it to pick their treasure out of on Friday instead of using the plastic storage box they usually pick treasure from.

 

He is still working hard at baseball.  I think his team is 3-0 now.

No one can really be sure based on the crazy scoring at the games.

 

He is working to get another game ball for being the player of the game.

We'll see if he can do it.

 

 And before I go I thought I would share some pictures I sent to Baby G's new mom on her very first Mother's Day.

This is the practice shot I took.

I sent his parents a different shot of this, but will refrain from sharing here.

We ditched the blanket for the rest of the shots.

You get the idea.

 

Happy Mother's Day

 

from the Shupes

and Baby G

 

 



Guess Who?

 

Guess who is keeping us busy.

 

Guess who is already in a size 1 diaper at eleven days old.

 

Guess who thinks the party starts at eleven pm at night.

 

Guess who now has prospective adoptive parents waiting to take him home.

 

Guess who loves to be held.

 

Guess who has already attended five ballgames.

 

 

 

 

Yes, Baby G.

 

 

 

Guess who scored a run and got two hits tonight.

 

 

No, not Baby G.

 

 

Grant's team won his third game tonight.

He is doing pretty well for a rookie.

Well, if you don't count the balls that pass between his legs

and the base running at the wrong time.

 

 

After the last game, he was given the game ball for being the player of the game.

They give it to a different boy each time.

 

He was SO EXCITED and PROUD!

 

 

He slept with his baseball that night.

 

 

 

 

 

Guess who is tired and ready for bed.

 

 

Yeah, me.

 

 

Goodnight.

Let's Play A Game!

 

Do you remember this little tune from Sesame Street?

 

 

 

 

One of these things is not like the others,

One of these things just doesn't belong,

Can you tell which thing is not like the others

By the time I finish my song?

 

 

 

 

 

Did you guess which thing was not like the others?

Did you guess which thing just doesn't belong?

If you guessed this one is not like the others

Then you're absolutely...right!

When I saw the picture David had taken, I couldn't resist posting this.

 

This little guy, Baby G, is staying with us.

He arrived unexpectedly Wednesday evening.

 

 

So far he has been a very laid back guest.

We have not slowed down much since he arrived.

 

We were at a baseball game fifteen minutes after the social worker left that night.

We have played another baseball game since then

plus went to the drive-in movie night for Grace's school

plus went to SkyZone with the kids

plus planted garden at the farm all day yesterday.

 

 

He is going to be a well-rounded kid by the time he leaves the Shupe Zoo!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since Baby G got here, Grace has been giving her dolls some serious love and attention.

 

 

She has enjoyed loving on the real baby too.

He has not lacked for attention.

All of the kids like to hold him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday was Grant's first official baseball game.

 

He put on his uniform and said,

"Wow! I look like a real baseball player!"

 

He refused to wear the socks.

He only wore the long pants and cleats under protest.

 

He was not very happy to learn baseball players do NOT play ball in flip flops and shorts.

 

First time at bat!

After four pitches, they get the chance to hit it from a tee.



 

 

Standing on third base.

 

 

Scoring his first run.

 

I have NO IDEA if his team won or not.

I know they keep score, but it is such a crazy chaotic game that I have no idea what the final score was.

 

It doesn't matter.

 

He

 

Had

 

A

 

Blast!!