Xandra Hearts Butterflies {Sunday Snapshot}

Milo consoling his big sister
-taken with my Nikon D90
100 mm,  f5.6,  ISO 400
processed with Florabella Clean B&W (Retouch)
& Blush (Luxe II)

I was briefly entertaining the idea of homeschooling my girl this summer. I haven't been thrilled with her Kindergarten class/teacher/structure this year. So I thought about dipping my toe into the homeschooling world with a light (very light) lesson plan. Unfortunately, she hates when Matt or I try to teach her things. Her weekly homework assignments through the school year have been absolute torture for everyone involved. I'm still not sure what I want to do with her, but I don't want her to sit around being lazy all summer, so we'll come up with something. 

Anyway, back a couple weeks when I was totally absorbed in my mission to homeschool, I bought the very-popular-butterfly kit. Xandra loved it. A lot.

Unfortunately, when it came time to let the butterflies go a few days ago....

Xandra took it a little hard.

She didn't want to see them fly off, never to return.
We had quite a few tears.
The last butterfly (we had 4 all together) hung around for a while, soaking up as much free food as he could.
But he eventually felt the call of the wind, and finally flew off.

Thank goodness for little brother's hugs to help his big sister dry up her tears & make her feel better.

I'm so happy she liked the butterflies so much. I think we'll get some more before the summer is over. And I'm still debating what to do about schooling for her. My biggest hope at this moment is to get her to read one (just one!) book all by herself. I desperately want to see her succeed in this.

So, any homeschooling mamas (or dads) out there who have any advice??? I'm all ears!!!

Good News!

We're still having trouble with sleeping over here. But that's not stopping Milo from wowing us with his tricks!! He's getting better & better at walking! He chased Xandra around for a while until he got frustrated that he couldn't catch her. In time though, he'll give her a run for her money!

Matt & I have floated the idea that it's quite possible Milo could already walk before we met him. It is a good possibility, I know. Especially given how quickly he seems to have almost mastered the skill. Things like stopping & starting on his own and turning around were things that took Xandra a bit of time  to figure out... while Milo got it right away. But as I told Matt, I don't care if this was just part of the regression he went through- I'm glad he allowed he us to celebrate this "new" skill with us!

My pictures aren't as clear as I'd like them, but it's not easy to get a moving target. :) This one just about brings tears to my eyes! I know Xandra's having some trouble adjusting to life with Milo. She's really experiencing some jealousy, and is acting out to get attention from Matt & I. But these in moments like these... I just melt! I wish I could make it easier for her... and I hate feeling like all I do is yell at her. We'll all find our new normal soon enough, I know.

Aside from all of Milo's big news, I got a unbelievable piece of mail yesterday!! I finally got a letter from school letting me know that I was accepted into the Medical Ultrasonography program!! I was so worried about it last semester, and then everything started coming together with Milo's adoption that I stopped focusing on it. I actually managed to not think about it the entire time we were in China (which is good for me- I tend to obsess about things like that!). So, now I've got 3 more years of schooling until I can have an actual, honest-to-God career!!