Reminiscing

Since it's our anniversary week, I thought I'd share a few snaps of us throughout the years...

Celebrating 11 years...Stone style

11 years ago Mr. Stone and I said "I do" in St. Thomas.  This morning while at work, I received an evite from Dustin.  It's the things like this that he does that remind me of how much I love him.  He cracks me up.  An evite...really?  Definitely something Dustin-esque!  Never a dull moment and a surprise a day.  And yes, I RSVP'd my 'yes'.

We celebrated with delicious steak, fresh asparagus, crab macaroni & cheese and a mouth-watering lobster bisque.

We'll continue the celebration next week during our cruise.  The Stone's will have their first "couples massage" - I know you're dying for that post!!

I love you, Dustin - thanks for always staying by my side.
Cort

We finally landed on American soil...one year ago today!!

                                                                    Ryland’s First Photo as an American Citizen

I remember this day so well.  Over the past year, we’ve had a lot of anniversaries…first day we met Ry, Court Date, Gotcha Day, etc.  But in my mind, this was the biggest date to me.  On this day 1 year ago, I finally felt relief.  I felt safe.  I felt secure.  I was so excited.  On July 21^st, 2010 we landed in America.  We brought Ryland home…finally.  No more doubt.  No more what ifs.  It was the first day of the rest of our lives.  As I think back and remember all the ups and downs of our journey, this was the greatest high for me.  As soon as the plane’s wheels hit the ground, I started to quietly cry.  Ry was sitting next to me, very excited and Dustin was a few rows in front of us.  I felt like 100 lbs of pressure, worry, doubt was finally lifted from me.  It was surreal.  We did it.  We really did it.  I was so proud of Dustin and I.  So proud of Ry and how well he was doing with everything.  SO EXCITED for our families to meet him.  Our years of dreaming, stressing, worrying, paperwork, and all the other things were over (well, for this chapter anyway) and it was time to just be a normal family…well as normal as The Stone’s can be…

The other side of this story is how many things Ryland has learned and embraced in just a year.  It amazes us and he is such an inspiration.  So, I’ll brag on him, for just a quick minute.  His English is amazing!  He is caught up at school and is so excited to go to first grade!  He is reading.  He can play by himself.  He can shower and get dressed (8 times out of 10 he even picks matching clothes and shoes that complete the look).  He can love unconditionally.  He’ll try any new food and is an excellent eater.  He has compeltely mastered all TVs, gaming consoles, cell phones, computers and iPads in the house.  He can be hilarious and it’s been amazing to see his true personality come out as he’s been able to communicate more and more.  He is open, loving, outgoing and talkative.  He’s inquizitive, smart and ridiculously cute.  He’s learned rules, boundaries and how to push them!

I’m a happy lady today (and a super proud Mama) as I sit here reminicing with a smile on my face.  What a great day!  So proud of you, Ryland!

Turned 6, but celebrated 2nd birthday?

Ryland got 2 cards in the mail today for his birthday.  (Sidebar, we’re part of a Kaz Kids Birthday Card Group and it is SUPER COOL for him to receive birthday cards from Kaz Cuties all over!)  He was very excited and super proud.  As he displayed his cards on the mantel, he told me that he was having so much fun turning 6 that he couldn’t wait until his 3^rd Birthday when he turns 7.  He’s mentioned this a couple times lately, but I’ve just ignored it.  I was now curious.  So I asked him about it.  He told me that this is his 2^nd Birthday and that last year when he turned 5 was his first birthday.  At first, I was thinking…”what a thoughtful little boy!  His birthdays just weren’t birthdays until he celebrated with us!”  I’ll admit, I was proud of him…proud of our family and friends for making his day so cool.  Then he kept explaining to me.  “I didn’t have birthdays when I was 4 or 3 or 2 or 1.  No one had party for me.  I don’t know why.  Will I have a party when I turn to 7?”  And I lost it.  I was home alone without Dustin to save me and I just lost it right in front of him.  Sobbing.  Mess.  I got it together briefly and told him that we’d always have a party for his birthday and he ran off to go play.  I sat there stunned…sad…and relieved all at the same time.  The things I’ve taken for granted my whole life…like having a birthday party…has made this child’s. 

 

I fall apart when I think of the birthdays that Ryland has had without us, but am SO grateful that he’ll never have to have another birthday just slide right by…ever again.

 

Cort

 

 

 

 

Cupcakes

Here are a couple pics of Ry and his friend Wes gobbling down some cupcakes at his birthday party!

Sea World

First of all...my little man is now 6.  Which he reminds us of hourly.  And questions us about hourly.  "I'm still 6 right?"  He didn't magically master the whole "6 year olds don't whine and they listen to their Mamas" yet, but I'm sure he will any day now! 

Since we were in the area...we went to Sea World on his birthday and the kid LOVED it.  Really had a blast.  And to be honest, we all had a blast!  I get sick of Six Flags after about an hour, but even I could do Sea World again...

Here are some snaps of our day.

Kerrville, Texas

We went out of town this weekend to Kerrville to visit some friends and celebrate Ry's Birthday.  We rented a house with some friends of ours from Dallas and had a great time.

The house was on a big piece of property and right behind the house was a stocked pond.

Back of the house

Mama & Ryland

Ry Guy's first fish!  He was so excited!

Wes was so proud of his fish!

Boys being boys

The fam... and no, I'm not a giant...I was on a hill!

Reelin' in a big one!

"Papa, I will break the worm this time."

Another!!

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Spoiled?

I had a terrible thought this morning.  Is my child spoiled?  Really spoiled?  If so…it’s my fault, I get that…and I hate myself for letting it happen.

 

This morning while Ryland was getting dressed I asked him to put his black shoes on that I thought would look better with what he was wearing.  He said he didn’t want to, he wanted to wear the white ones.  I pushed…obviously…it’s important to me that my kid looks nice.  He then tells me that he didn’t want to wear the black shoes because they didn’t fit.  The shoes don’t fit???  What???  They fit 3 days ago…did he have a freakish foot growth spurt?  When I dug deeper and kept pushing the issue, he let me know that the shoes fit, but he didn’t want to wear them because they were “old”.  He wanted to wear his new white ones.  Period.

 

I was angry.  Furious.  At him for being spoiled.  At me and Dustin for allowing this to happen.  Are you serious?  When I first met Ryland he didn’t even have a pair of shoes that belonged to him.  Every day when we went to visit he always had a different pair on.  Mostly too big, some too small, some girls, some sandals when it was cold, all the shoes there did have one thing in common though…they were old.   How can we have let this happened in a year?  It’s been SO HARD not to spoil him, so hard…because of what he had.  He had no toys…so giving him 2 toys is spoiling him…  We don’t want to raise a spoiled kid, it’s very important to us.  But, it’s a battle we fight daily.

 

I can’t be mad at Ry.  It’s not his fault.  He is accustomed to his new environment.  The one where I buy him new shoes all the time. 

 

Or maybe I’m blowing this whole thing out of proportion…maybe the kid just likes his shoes to look a certain way…I do…

 

Cortney

 

 

 

 

Happy 4th of July!!!

OK, so I have to tell you a funny story about what happened tonight!!  We went to watch fireworks and parked on hill, with no one around us...for a minute.  Of course, this obnoxious family has to pull up right next to us and blast country music (and I don't mean any country music...I mean OVER THE TOP country music).  This man over there was out of control.  He had this ginormous American flag and waved it from side-to-side for the whole fireworks show.  In the middle of the fireworks, this dude walks over to the middle of the field (with his flag...obviously) and starts screaming the pledge of allegiance.  Really.  Not quite sure what to do, I get on my feet, put my hand over my heart and join in with the crowd.  Once the pledge is finished, he adds a "If you don't like America...get the BLANK out!"  As he's walking back to his truck, Ryland tells him that he is a "Silly Mister" and that...wait for it..."You need to check yourself!"  I busted up laughing and am still laughing about it now.  Hilarious.  I love how Ry can already pick the weirdos out.  Lovely.  Only in Texas!!!  In the words of my ridiculously cute son..."AWKWARD"!

\

Ryland trying out a slip-n-slide for the first time @ Uncle Tyler's & Auntie Leah's!  Didn't take long to figure it out...

The Stone's (Texas Style) 

We went to a "Welcome to Texas" Party!  So glad that Larry & Debbie have moved here from Colorado!!!

Ryland & Abby - waiting for fireworks!!

Happy Birthday America!!!  This is one kid who is PROUD to be American!!!

Dust & Cort - waiting for the fireworks

Killing time before the big show!

Paige, Abby & Ryland -- too cute!!

Ry's Birthday Party

We had Ryland's 6th Birthday Party on Saturday.  He had a joint party with 2 of his friends.  We had a great time, a huge turn-out and everything went off without a hitch!  As I'm sure most of you can imagine...I spent all my time at the party socializing instead of snapping pics...so, standby...I'll have to beg my friends for some pictures!  In the meantime, here are a few snaps of him opening up his presents at home.  HOLY COW...the kid is spoiled...or loved???  Not quite sure!!!

A remote control speed boat?  Are you serious???

Thanks Grandma & Grandpa!!

Texas Rangers Fan!!

It's ALWAYS hockey time at the Stone House!

Ryland and his loot...HOLY COW!