The one with aaalllll of August!

So it's been over a month since I've written anything--well that's not entirely true because I've started posts I can't seem to find the words to finish.  Maybe I've lost my knack for writing. Maybe.

I digress.

August 2014, what a month!  This month started with a (slightly) therapeutic shopping trip where I purchased our boys matching tees.  

#chinamama #waitingmama #boymomtimesthree

Then we celebrated Jayson's last week at Primrose with the annual summer musical. Our little guy looked so grown & so handsome!

Next came my birthday. My 31st to be exact.  And I felt the need for a new 'do so bangs it is.  And I'm still rockin' them!

I cannot believe I don't have a picture, but on my birthday, our UH-MAZING community group from church coordinated many of our local friends/family like friends for a birthday & dual graduation cookout for JP & me!  It was a complete surprise & neither of us knew they were doing it.  It was AWESOME!

Next, JP & I dropped our kiddo with Gamme & Papa for the week while we took off to California. We headed west to celebrate the wedding of one of his college buddies, & during the planning phase (over a year ago), we had NO idea we'd be in the midst of a dual international adoption.  So like all good parents do, we planned to drop the kiddo & take a few extra days to ourselves rompin' up the west coast.  And we did.

We started off in Long Beach where we stayed on the Queen Mary (a very old, Titanic-esc boat)

We busted out 5 miles together the morning after. So fun!

We rented a convertible (for $1/day thanks to my frugal husband) & cruised up to the wedding in Woodland Village, CA.

It was a beautiful celebration & we had a wonderful time!

After the wedding we hopped in the car & cruised up the Pacific Coast Highway--if you get the chance to do it, do!  It was beautiful!  We saw Malibu, quaint fishing villages, sunbathing elephant seals, & a beautiful sunset.

The hardest part of this leg was standing by the ocean knowing our boys are just on the other side.  So close, but so far away.

Then we set off to explore the San Francisco area for 2 days.  We saw the Redwood Forest, Coit Tower, Chinatown, the Golden Gate Bridge, & Fisherman's Wharf.  We rode trolleys!  We ate amazing food & hiked the hills of San Fran till our feet hurt!

Oh August, there's more.

2 weeks into the month boy my boys took off on their latest adventures: JP started his first job as an attending & Jayson started the 1st grade!

Because all things superhero helped our superhero not be afraid

gosh my men are handsome & ready to take on the world

Took the first day of 1st grade like a champ!

So we celebrated with an age-old Fritz Family tradition (w/a twist):
ice cream cone @McDonald's after the first day of school

And our little guy now loves reading because--according to Mrs. Beers--he "reads like a grown-up
[& we COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD]

Houie, however, has been slightly depressed & waits for them to come home everyday, poor baby

And you think that would be enough to keep us busy for a month, but there is more:

7 years old. By the end of the month, our J turned an amazing 7 years old & while birthdays are FABULOUSLY fun, they bring hard stuff too.  Like chats about his bio family, & the very natural questions he has about why he's not celebrating with them.  Tough stuff.  But that's a post for another day.

There is plenty of oh-so-amazingly fun stuff too: like his very first friend-oriented birthday party. In a pool, Complete with ice cream superhero cake, cupcakes, watermelon, cheese puffs, & a chaotic but wonderful shower of gifts!.  There were wannabe pancake-crepe things for breakfast--made better with Nutella--& mac & cheese from Bojangles for lunch & Cracker Barrel for dinner.  All his favorite things.

As for China: our paperwork was officially logged in to China's system on 7/30/14 which means we are now waiting for China to send us the all important LOA.  This will trigger the final paperwork chase prior to traveling.  Our hopes remain to travel between Thanksgiving & Christmas. We are also continuing to wait for the file of the 5 year old boy that started this whole thing to begin with :)  Rumor has it that we should be hearing something official soon, so we appreciate each & every one of your prayers!

And that is where we bring August 2014 to a close.  Life is great, we are wildly blessed, & my boys are off to amazing new adventures where they will grow, be challenged, & make a difference in their worlds.

And I am off to nest as we wait for our newest boys to arrive :-)