Wedding Pictures

Last weekend Mark, Hudson and I drove to Illnois for my niece, Meg's wedding. Hudson was one of four kids in the wedding and pulled it off wonderfully!!! He was absolutely adorable in his tux and didn't complain at all about all the primping he had to do. After the wedding was over and he had walked back down the aisle he told me "I not getting married mom"...with his hand up like..."don't worry"....oh, what a character. While we were waiting for the bride and groom to arrive at the reception Mark had taken him outside. They happened to be walking in right after the bride and groom so everyone was clapping and Hudson thought it was all for him...strutting in, once again with his hand held up in the air like a movie star taking applause....always making us laugh.

Hudson was thrilled to see my parents again and on the way home informed Mark and I we needed to go to Minnesota to their house...we so wish we lived closer!!!

Our little man!

Meg, Ty, Kennedi and Hudson

The beautiful bride, Meg.
Her brother Chris and cousin Abby.

Her sister's Jessi and Bryanna

This picture will stick with me FOREVER! Hudson was doing so well walking down the aisle and then when he saw me he stopped and gave me the sweetest wave. It was one of the moments when a mother's heart swells with pride and also flashes forward 20 plus years from now when he will be walking down the aisle with a woman who will take the place of me as the most important one in his life.....as she should!
Waving at Grandpa taking pictures.

I just loved his stance here...such a little man!

My parents were one of two couples left dancing in the "Married the Longest Dance" with 50plus years!
The youngest and oldest nieces, Emma & Cherish

My Family!

Hudson Turns Four

September 13, 2005 was the day given to us as Hudson's birthday. Whether this is the exact date we will never know but today we are so grateful and 17 months after becoming his parents are still humbled that we were chosen to be his mom and dad. We think of his biological parents almost every day when we laugh at something silly he says or does, watch him dance to Mama Mia and Jai Ho, are on the receiving ends of his many hugs, kisses and "I love yous" or watch him sleep. We wish so deeply that we could meet them one day and introduce Hudson to them and thank them for giving us the opportunity to love this boy!! BUT...we know that is probably not possible and pray for them, especially today that they would have some sense of peace knowing he is so very loved and so very happy. He finds delight in the simplist things and daily will yell "I am so happy" over something as simple as asking if he could have chocolate milk and hearing "yes". Hudson has the greatest personality, an incredible sense of humor, a vivid imagination, is so smart, patient, and a great source of entertainment for whoever is around. We know he has inherited all of these charecteristics from parents other than us and we wish we could share him with them.

We had a simple party due to rain again (it rained last year too) but Hudson was thrilled with the whole day. He woke up yesterday saying "Happy Birthday" to Mark and I. We explained to him that my birthday is next and coming up so he has asked me several times today what I want and he would get me presents. SO sweet!! He did
get BIG MACK...we wish Nanny, Papa, Mema and Grandpa could have been here but were so glad that Aunt Cole, Aunt Erica, Becca and Whitley were able to come.

We love you sweet Hudson and are so excited to see what your year four brings!!!
The small bounce house in the garage

Hudson, Madi, Calli, Ty and Landry

..ahh...the difference in boys and girls...

Big brother Jordan

Cousins and big sisters (Katie, Whitley, Kailee, Becca & Madalyn)

This morning with Mickey Mouse chocolate chip pancakes

What we have been doing lately....

I can't seem to keep up with blogging and I don't like it....We are in our third week of school and life is BUSY!!! My facebook status read this the other day...."Dentist appt for Hudson, then speech (a 45 min drive), then a tux fitting, a quick lunch, on to an audiologist appt., where we waited 1 1/2 hours for the dr. to say all was fine and left me NO time to do grocery shopping before I had to get back home and watch EIGHT vb games.....we finished up the night with a quick dinner at 8:30 and homework until bedtime. Most of you with school age kids can SO relate. I have good intentions to have a fridge and pantry stocked with healthy snacks and the crock pot going all day so dinner isn't bowls of cereal but I can't quite seem to get to the grocery store to make that happen. BUT..life is good and I can't complain. I am NOT forgetting my promise to myself to keep my life less complicated after my quiet winter/spring in MN and will probably cut Hudson's speech down to once a week. He talks non-stop and his therapist just told me he has way surpassed all the goals that were set for him and she needs to write all new ones...she is very proud of him. I have heard probably close to 100 times since Monday how he wants "Big Mack" from the disney store for his birthday which is in 11 days..he has been asking for the last 25 "is today my birthday?"...last year I asked those coming to his party to bring gifts for his orphanage. He had no idea what a birthday was and was thrilled with just balloons...well, he is probably officially "Americanized" as he knows HE will be getting gifts this year and is always giving us ideas as to what he needs and doesn't have....oh boy...

I have been taking pictures but am disappointed with the sport shots. I really need a bigger lens..(good b'day gift honey!) but at least our families can get the idea...and get a look at Jordan's SHORT hair...LOVE it!....

ANYWAY....In the midst of busyness I decided to paint cabinets so of course Hudson helped me. We removed some upper cabinets to open up our kitchen so I painted the bottom cabinets black. He did a great job and was so proud of himself. I still have pictures to post from our last summer fling but for now....

This first picture is of what Hudson does during soccer games....he has decided to take up long distance running and runs the track during the game. One night he ran FOUR laps which is a mile..he can run about half way around without stopping, then will usually stop for a few seconds and take off again...he is just about to go behind the players bench.(the blue speck to the right of the bench).I have instructed him NOT to stop and talk with the boys like he did the first night....don't want him to break the concentration. I probably should buy him a pair of running shoes. You would think he would drop after these runs but honestly the boy rarely slows down.

...and lots of soccer and vollyball...