From Dating to Diapers: September 2009

Y'all, I want you to read the stories from my friends in Uganda so that you can be praying for what they're dealing with...too much for me to try to type here. You just need to read it for yourselves. All of these people are my dear friends and my heart is so full both joy and pain right now as I learn of what they're facing...

Suzanne's blog: http://joiningthejourney.blogspot.com

Renee's blog: http://reflectionsfromuganda.blogspot.com (Renee is my dear dear friend who just felt led to accompany the Mayernicks and the Kecks. She's journaling about the whole experience on her blog.)

Dana's blog: http://mightytosave-keckadoption.blogspot.com

Please go read their stories, pray for all of them, and leave them a word of encouragement in their "comments."

Thank you and bless you!
~Rhonda

It's official. I'm the world's lamest blogger. Despite all my ambitious intentions, "life" just seems to get in the way of "blogging about life!"

In the last couple of weeks, all the boys have settled into their school routines.

College is going really well for Tyler...He loves every one of his professors, and made a 100 on a History test and a 98 on a Spanish test last week! YES! It's a good thing, b/c we'd been hearing an awful lot about his intramural football team, the "Victorious Secrets" (what can I say?) and had been thinking that we're paying a crapload of moolah for that?!?!?! haha! Anyway, they've indeed been victorious thus far, and he's having a blast settling into the college-life and building new relationships there at Samford. Thank you, Jesus!

Nolan, a sophomore, has a pretty tough academic load this semester, but is pulling out some strong grades as well. Football keeps him pretty busy, and he somehow juggles the busiest social calendar I've ever seen. That kid is high on life and a joy!

Tater (Peyton, for anyone who doesn't know us) is so glad to be a middle-schooler (6th grade) this year. He's working hard on both school and football, too. He's started taking piano lessons, after our family has begged him for years to do so because of his natural knack for playing. Daily, he astonishes us with the songs he's teaching himself, with the help of Youtube. The kid is good, and so our family has re-named him "Pey-toven!"

The big news on Macy Li is that she..........drumroll please............started to school last week! Well, not exactly school. She's going to a p.r.e.c.i.o.u.s. little preschool 2 days a week for about 5 hours. And she loves it! On her first day, she was WAY excited about her backpack and lunchbox. Now, what's with that? Is it a girl-thing? Because none of my boys ever cared less. I mean, I think it's because it's sorta like an accessory, 'ya know? Well, she had it going on that first day. She wouldn't let me carry a thing. So, in she marched like a little bag-lady, lugging everything she owned. She could barely walk with all her stuff. But, cute she was, lemme tell you! Once in the room, she turned around and said, "Bye, Mommy!" and then ran off to play. I stood there in astonishment, thinking, "Thanks a lot, Miss Priss. I'm not gonna cry over you either!" So off I went, not knowing what in the world to do with myself. Aside from school, she's growing and learning sooo much! Her language/vocabulary is unbelievable. Truly, it's hard to believe her first language was "cut off" at 12.5 months of age, another one introduced, and here 13 months later, her mastery-level is that of a child way older than she is. Also, she's been enjoying the park, zoo, and pool during the great weather we've been having. She loves taking care of her baby dolls and is ALWAYS changing their clothes. She LOVES books, and even reads them to her babies. The other night, she recited "Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What do you hear?" to her little baby-doll, word for word, while all of us sat there, mouths agape, thinking, "She's a genius!" She now weighs in at a whopping 22 pounds and is advancing to size 24 month clothes. She eats only life-sustaining amounts of food. Her favorite food is salad, so we expect she'll stay where she is, on the 3rd percentile for weight. Hmmm, if we all could be like that. She's totally into being naked. She strips down every chance she gets (another reason for keeping her in dresses :) ) and I just hope she doesn't decide to do it at a Friday night football game. Speaking of football, that's what we do during this time of year, and so, most of the pictures we've taken lately are of exactly that...enjoy!