Game night, Sweetheart Dance and Fashion Show!

This week has been absolutely exhausting, but in all the ways it should be. It was a week where we focused on creating amazing memories and surrounding ourselves with people we love.

Monday Maddy had the day off school, but I still needed to work. It was so fun to watch Alex spend time playing with her a game he used to love. When I got pregnant with Maddy I wasn't sure what the relationship would be between siblings almost 10 years apart. But they are as close as any siblings. She adores him and he loves her more than anything else in this world. To see him play with her, with patience and love and to hear the laughter is everything I could hope for.

Skylanders is such a fun family game!

Wednesday was a first at Cook Children's...The Extra Life Family Game Night. Extra Life is Alex's favorite fundraiser and the one so many of you generously donate to each year. Some of the people who fundraise along side us for the hospital have set up a monthly game night for patients. We knew we had to be there and it was worth every minute!

I scored!

Maddy and Karol

Erin, Svaya, Alex and David

Alex and J.R.

Alex splits his time on game day between these two guy's events!

Always Best Buddies!

I spent a large chunk of the week up at Maddy's school with an incredible group of Mom's creating decorations and getting the gym set up for her Sweetheart Dance. It was worth every minute as the night was a huge success and Maddy had an incredible time at her first school dance!

Yesterday we headed an hour and a half away to Tarleton State University for a Fashion Show benefiting Cook Children's Hospital. It was a really long day as we had to leave the house by 9:30 in the morning to pick up/try on clothes and attend a rehearsal before the event from 5:30-9:30 last night! Maddy was really excited, but Alex not as much. This is probably the first event he has ever told his girls at the Foundation that he wasn't going to do...BUT he gave in...or as he would say, they guilt tripped him into it! In the end, we all had fun and he did a great job. I was REALLY proud of my little princess who tends to have trouble in front of people, but did an amazing job walking the runway by herself. 

A girl needs to travel in style

My Handsome Boy!

Love these two!

My beautiful Angel

Maddy and Karol had so much fun!

We spent last night in Stephenville and headed home this morning to try and regroup before a crazy week again! We are so grateful for all of the love we are surrounded by and the incredible events we get to attend. 

Ali

PS- We are so excited that Zoey is on track and we will be heading to see her and bring her home (after 4 days of training) in 19 days! We cannot wait for everyone to see our journey bringing her home in a few weeks! Zoey's Training Fundraiser

Exciting News and Lots of Pictures

This has been a fun week for the kids highlighted by some really exciting news. Unfortunately, I have been sick and felt awful most of the week. I finally got some antibiotics on Friday and am on the mend from a nasty sinus infection.

Monday I had Maddy's parent teacher conference at school and received an amazing report. Maddy is doing amazingly well academically and socially. She is friends with all of her classmates and is a good listener for her teachers. We continue to watch Maddy grow in so many ways and Building Blocks has been the perfect environment for her to gain confidence and skills. She is surrounded by love and kindness from all of the teachers and  students. I am excited that we have decided to let Maddy continue one more year in Building Blocks Private Kindergarten. They have an incredible teacher who challenges these students while fostering a love of learning.

Tuesday was a quiet day, but Mad made it back to ballet after missing a few weeks. She loves ballet and was happy to be back.

Ballerina's even play games in their tutu!

Thursday we had a jammed pack day. We started the morning at the hospital to sign consents and do some testing for Alex to start a medication that is not commercially available. It is a medication that the FDA is allowing some physicians to use with a handful of patients who have no other treatment options. The hope is that it will give Alex some GI function in hopes of getting more feeds going and lowering his need for IV nutrition/fluids which he is currently on 24 hours a day. It was a long morning with a lot of information. We should get the medication sometime this week to start. Then I rushed to Mad's school to volunteer during her Valentine's Day party. After school we went out for ice cream with one of Alex's best friends.

Maddy and her bff, Brooke!

Maddy and Mrs. Zorich being photobombed by Mrs. Donaldson!

Maddy and Mrs. Mitchell

Maddy and Ellie

Alex, Maddy and Ellie

Today our family fun day was to SeaLife Aquarium thanks to HopeKids. The kids had a fun time!

OKAY....Are you ready for the BIG NEWS??????

ZOEY IS COMING HOME! The plan is for Alex and I to travel to the trainer from March 15-18th to work with her and then bring Zoey home. We are so excited to get our sweet girl here and have her start working for Alex in the way she was meant to. We will continue to leave our fundraiser open until we pick Zoey up. If you feel called please, pray and share our link as we try to reach our goal over this last month. Zoey's Fundraiser

Thank you for continuing to walk this crazy journey with us!
Ali