New Career/New Home/Charlee Sue Smith

Since I'm waaayyy behind on blog posts I've decided to lump all of our recent updates together into one post.  Things around the Bird house have been quite hectic and busy lately and there is much to tell!


First things first, I have a new job!!  For the past three months I have been doing an online training course to get my license to become a Kindermusik teacher.  And I am proud to say that I have passed the course and I begin teaching my first class next week!  I'm super excited about this new venture bringing music and movement into children's lives.  What is Kindermusik you ask?  Kindermusik is about kids, parents, and teachers—coming together and having a great time! It’s about helping parents grow closer to their child. Enriching their environment and their development. Giving them a lifelong love of music and a foundation for learning. 


I first became interested in Kindermusik when I started taking Millie to classes when she was about five months old.  I was amazed with the things she picked up in class and I could see how her brain was working and developing.  Plus it has given her a great foundation and love of music.  Anytime she hears music she automatically has a huge smile and starts dancing.  This makes me overjoyed to see her love of music because I also have a deep passion for it.  I have always loved to sing since I was a child.  I've been in countless choirs and musicals my whole life and competed and won awards for my voice (which I will say right now is nowhere near where it was ten years ago).  So when the opportunity came along to teach Kindermusik I leapt at the opportunity.  Where else can I work one day a week teaching music to precious children where I have the opportunity to help enrich their brains and their social skills all while doing what I love to do...sing?  I feel very blessed and gracious to be able to do what I love to do while still keeping my "stay-at-home-mom" role as well.  If you or anyone you know has children between the ages of birth-18 months who live in the New Braunfels area, please sign up for my class!  You can go to the Kindermusik website and click on "find a class" and enter your zip code and it should bring you to the "Kindermusik with Rishanne" page.  You can sign up there.  As I get more established I will begin teaching different classes that range in age groups all the way to seven years old.   

Millie at Kindermusik when she was 7 months

In other news, we sold our house.  It's a little bittersweet because we are sad to leave this place where we started our family but we are excited for the next chapter.  We knew we were ready for a bigger home to fill with more babies and with the way interest rates are right now, we knew it was now or never.  We are lucky enough that the buyers of our house have rented it back to us for six months so we are still here and dont' have to rush.  We have decided to build another house in another neighborhood here in New Braunfels, Texas.  We are sad to leave Gruene but are confident this new place is perfect for us.  Kiddos running around everywhere, big trees shadowing the streets (reminds me of my neighborhood growing up), and friendly people everywhere.  We are hoping to break ground in November and move in by April.  So far, things are moving along swiftly.  We customized an amazing floor plan that we are super thrilled about and we have our lot selected.  Yay!

Only five more months in this home.  This is where Trevor proposed, where we brough Millie home from the hospital, where she took her first steps, where we have made all our memories.  When God closes a door he opens a window.  I know where we go next will be the next chapter in the Bird family.  And that makes me happy.

Lastly, I must give an update on my niece, Charlee Sue.  She is eight weeks old now and just got her wire NAM device inserted.  This is what it looks like:

Isn't she beautiful?  This little angel has already endured so much in her short life and she is incredibly strong.  Not to mention her mother is probably the strongest and bravest mother of all time.  I went with my sister to Charlee's appointment at Dell Children's Hospital where she goes once a week to get her devices tightened.  I've never seen my sister so strong when it comes to that baby.  She knows Charlee is going to cry and hurt but she holds it together for her so well.  Of course I was losing it watching my niece go through all of this but my sister is one amazing woman.  Adriane, I am so proud of you for the mother you have become.  Charlee is so blessed to have someone so strong and loving as you!  For all of you who would like to keep up with my niece's story and progress, my sister has started a beautiful blog to document Charlee's ride through the first year of her life with surgeries and changes.  Click here to go to Charlee's blog.



Sweet Charlee with her tape.  Happy as can be!

 

Charlee and Millie posing during their play date.

Well, I realize this post is never-ending so I will leave you with this precious face...

With her grandparents at the Gristmill after church.