Happy Forever Family Day 2012!

Where does the time go?

Its almost surreal to sit here and reflect quietly (the kids are sleeping!) on the past 365 days.  On some levels, it seems as though Elliott has been with us forever, and yet the memories of our first day together are still etched so freshly in my mind that it could have been just last week.  We have come to know each other so well now.  We have fun together.  We love each other and we are truely bonded together as a family, all the way around.  He adores his sisters but isn't afraid to irritate them when I am not looking: a sure sign that he feels pretty secure here.  He is silly, and likes to make funny faces.  He knows his ABC's better than most of the kids in his preschool class, and has such energy that at times he's hard to keep up with.  He can ride his tricycle almost as fast as his sisters ride their 2-wheel bikes, and although he talks a big game in regards to 'going fast' he will break down in tears if the go-kart goes over 10 MPH.  We love the sweet little Beresford boy he has evolved into.  Day by day we are bulding a stronger relationship with him, like building a brick wall that will stand up to the toughest challenges.  And its hard to believe we are on day # 365!

Its the absolute truth when I state that he is not the same boy we met a year ago.  Not only has he grown physically, but he has matured mentally and emotionally as well.  He has finally moved from his toddler bed in the corner of our bedroom to his own 'big boy' bed in his own bedroom, and has now successfully stayed the entire length of the church service in his Sunday school room AND four weeks now at preschool.  His trust that we will return to get him, and that we will not place him in danger was a bit harder to earn than it was for the girls, but he finally had an 'aha' moment this summer.  To watch him evolve from an orphan into a son, a brother, a grandson, and a beloved friend and family member to many has been so sweet.  From his first timid days with us...

... to being just as looney as the rest of us....

.....it has been a journey of a thousand steps.

Its true that we missed a lot of "firsts".  First steps, first word, first smile, and all of those wonderful milestones that happened in his first two and a half years.  BUT he has had so many 'firsts' already this year. 

First boat ride

First cooking lesson with Mom

First trip to Meijer Gardens (a Beresford favorite!)

First 'big' birthday celebration (with cake!)

First Christmas

First ride on a BIG machine

First dance

First sledding hill

First date (whoops!  Not yet, but soon, I'm sure.....)

First Easter

First time fishing with Daddy

First tricycle ride





This list could go on forever.  This has been an incredible year for discovery.  For Elliott and for me.  I have learned that Elliott....

....needs a little encouragement to get down the slide without fear.....

..... but isn't afraid of heights!

Elliott loves ice cream just as much as I do!

And for a kid who was so afraid of animals when he first arrived that I had to keep the dogs out of his sight (and didn't open the north-facing windows for the first week so that he wouldn't actually see that we live on a farm with LOTS of them!) he has sure turned into an animal lover!

He lives life to the fullest every single day, and he never misses an opportunity to have fun.  Even having lived in a less-than-ideal living situation for the first two and a half years of his life, he is able to let all of that go and enjoy the moment.  I think that is SO precious, and I honestly wish I had more of 'that' in me, too.

Although he adores both of his sisters, its Charlotte who has become the most affectionate toward him, which is rather poetic because she was the hardest to convince a year ago that she wanted a little brother.  Now, she can't remember life without him and is his closest companion.

So on this day, we celebrate our family of five, now complete!

The Cherry Hut

If you are ever in northern Michigan and looking for something quintessentially Michigan, I would highly recommend the Cherry Hut in the city of Beulah.

Opened in 1922, it is only open from May to October (what the locals call "fudgie season" with fudgie being the local slang for a tourist or seasonal resident) and always serves up a great cherry-ade.  It's like lemonade, but with tart cherry juice.  Always fresh.  Always unbelievably delicious.

Charlotte has been waiting all summer to wear her cherry outfit to the Cherry Hut.

I will admit that the meals are nothing to get excited about.  But if you finish your veggie sandwhich, PB&J or grilled cheese, I will buy you a cherry sundae or a slice of homemade cherry pie a la mode!

See you again in 2013!

The drive home was uneventful.  I drove, the kids slept, and Matt worked on work for his college courses.  The farm fared well in our absence with big thanks to our friends who all pitched in to handle farm chores in our absence.  In their usual way, the dogs ran around willy-nilly for about an hour and then collapsed on their puppy pillows in the house and slept for the next 13 hours, relieved and happy that we were home again safely.  The kids ran straight for the bunnies and spent about an hour filling up their little love tanks with sweet little snuggles.

I am about to fall into bed now, thrilled that this is just the start to my vacation.   I have over a week left of days to sleep in, catch up, and spend with my family.  Ah, how I love summer!



Charlevoix & Boyne City

After that long trip to and through the U.P. and back, we were ready for a quieter day sticking closer to 'home'.  We started our day with a visit down to the beach to fish, then packed up and went to Charlevoix for the day.

We started with a swim at the public beach near the channel and the lighthouse.

And what kid would miss this opportunity?

Looking for petosky stones - we found a few!

Lifeguard on duty in training

Elliott still prefers to play on the beach while the girls swim for hours.  He is getting more comfortable being around water, but has not yet developed a love for it.

Watching boats of all shapes and sizes pass through the channel from Lake Michigan to Lake Charlevoix.

Drawbridge going up, looking east.

Dear Santa, I have been a VERY good girl this year..... 

Silly!

After a picnic lunch, we went to the splash pad right by the boat docks.

Charlevoix is a beautiful place.

I could definitely live here. 

Some of these yachts are pretty large.  This one pulled in while we were enjoying the spash pad.  Complete with his & hers matching scooters and a dingy boat worth $10K and three floors of living space.

Those are up on the second level - does anyone know how those come down?

After we dried off again, we took a walk through the downtown area in search of..... you guessed it! 

ICE CREAM!

Charlotte found a botique called "The French Bulldog" that was filled with gifts and decorations and clothing from Paris.  More frilly pink dresses and shoes than you can count.  She was in her element!

We then walked back to the channel and sat near the drawbridge, which raises/lowers every half hour.

Hooray!  Coast Guard!

We love Charlevoix!

After that trip, we headed over to Boyne City, which is on the far end of Lake Charlevoix, away from Lake Michigan.  It is a beautiful little coastal town, too.  Just smaller. 

Lake Charlevoix is HUGE!  It takes approximately half an hour just to drive down one side of the lake, from Charlevoix to Boyne City.

We spent the evening playing at the playground near the beach downtown, and doing some window shopping and looking around.  We ate at Red Mesa Grill and had some wonderful fresh TexMex cuisine with locally produced ingredients (including fresh homemade nacho chips!).  So yummy! 

The kids are just about worn out: we're having so much fun!  One more day to go.  Tomorrow we head home, but per their request we are taking the kids to Beulah (another coastal town just south of here) to eat at the Cherry Hut.  Aside from Red Robin, where we go to celebrate Beresford birthdays, this place is the bee's knees.  It's legendary at our household and we can't have a trip this far north and skip a trip to the Cherry Hut!

Goodnight!