3.31.2008

You Know You Are A Large Family When.......



You Know You Are A Large Family When.......
by Rebecca Prewett

...people count the number of your children out loud when your in public.

...you count your children when you are in public.

...people ask, "Are they all yours?"

...you have at least 3 sets of bunk beds.

...almost everyone you know has less children than you.

...people say,"Wow! How do you manage?"

...people ask if you are Mormon or Catholic.

...you buy pots and pans at a restaurant supply store.

..."Family Size" portions seem awfully small.

...you complain,"Doesn't anyone make large tables anymore?"

...you outgrow your mini-van.

...people ask if you've ever accidentally left any of your children behind.

...when you set the dinner table, it looks like your having company.

...your tent is the largest on at the campground.

...you pack more for a short trip than most people pack when they move.

...your husband sighs happily,"I finally got my dream car!"- its a 15 passenger van.

...life is never boring.

...you think of your self as Rich in kids.

...it takes a wonderfully long time to kiss everyone "good night".

...your children never run out of playmates.

...you take up an entire pew at church.

...your gratitude at the abundance of God's blessing moves you to tears.

****And on a personal note- I have had people ask me if I "Own a Daycare?"

Big, Big Life!

Peace.

3.30.2008

Cambiata Choir Spring Concert


My big babies had a choir performance,today.


3 great instructors, a great program, and a great bunch of kids.
This has been a wonderful experience.


They are looking forward to next fall.

Peace.

Hip-Hop Mary!



This is the NEW outfit Mary has chosen as her favorite!
The shoes are 'Squeaky' shoes, the bloomers are from one of her
'12 months' outfits, and the baseball cap is mine.



Oh Well. At least she's wearing clothes.
Yesterday, the only thing she would wear
was the 'Squeaky' shoes.

Sassy Thing!

Peace.

The Guys Really Missed Us At The Rodeo!



Can't you tell?!

Caleb's horse had some foot problems, so we didn't
place. But he had a GREAT day with his dad.

Eden won her division for the 2nd week
in a row.

We are so proud of them ,both.

Peace.

Happy Birthday Aunt Susan!



We Love You!

Caleb, Hannah, Ben ,Rachel
& Mary Elizabeth

3.29.2008

Happy Birthday, Sarah!



Since I do not live close enough to bake you a cake,

This one will have to do!

Happy Birthday!

Hope it is a great one !

Peace.

3.28.2008

Man's Day Out



Stacy and Caleb are going to the rodeo
by themselves.

We have another one-next week- and
we decided that it would be too hard
on the little ones.

They are both trying to act disappointed
that we aren't ALL going, but I
think that they are a little excited.

Boots, Hats, unlimited RODEO hamburgers,hotdogs,
chili cheese fries, and no Mom to tell you to wipe
your mouth .

A Man's Day if there ever was one.

I really can't depend on them to take
Blog-friendly pictures, so I am sending
the camera with Sam.

I hope they have fun and make some
memories. Our little guy is growing up so fast.

Peace.

Been There, Done That, Got a.........


Anyone that has adopted a child from China knows
the Rumor Queen .

So I figured since there is the chance that she
will be my new BFF for the next,OH....say
2 or 3 years, I should go ahead and
"get the t-shirt."

Maybe one in every color.

What do you think?

Peace.

3.27.2008

IN THE WORDS OF THE GREAT 20th CENTURY PHILOSOPHER.....FORREST GUMP



Life is like a box of Chocolates....You never know what you are going to get.

After I spent the whole day angry and quite disillusioned
(see crying baby post),
My husband comes home from work.

We talked about what we should do.

Of course, I want to find another agency, identify a child, and
move on....
But I asked Stacy what his "Gut Feeling" was.

He said that his gut feeling was to leave things like they are.
Continue with this agency, continue with the unidentified
special needs request, basically see what God has in store for us.

Hmmmm......O.K. not the answer I was looking for, but
I have been at this long enough to know that my initial
reaction to ANYTHING is usually the wrong one.
(I come from a long line of fighting people, so you can imagine.)

I also know that Stacy's initial reaction, as bad as I hate to
admit it-publicly, is usually the right one.

He is also so much more capable of taking a blind leap of
faith than I will ever be. A character flaw, I know, but
there it is.

I'm sure that is why God paired us up.
I needed someone to follow.
He is always my "get out of jail free" card.

So that's it.

We will continue, full speed ahead, into the unknown, and see what
God sends our way(possibly in 24-36 months).... Crazy as that may seem.

All I have to say is..... My "Box of Chocolates" better be GODIVA
or Stacy's in HUGE trouble.

Peace.

BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE SADDLE!


Here's Ellie Mae....er...Hannah! Cutie pie!

Thursday we have officially dubbed,"Riding Day".

You can tell by the rosey cheeks and sun-kissed noses
that Spring has arrived in Mississippi!


Sam (Eden's Mom) and S.P.


Alexa & Swang. Look at that blue sky!


Carie lovin' on the horses. She is a little cowgirl.


Caleb and Uncle Rick


T, Captain Danger and their new baby-
Sophie The Wonder Dog!


Sneaky Uncle Ricky letting Caleb DRIVE!


BUSTED! He actually did pretty well...The golf cart was
a wise investment.


Captain Danger is a picture- taker,too.

We have so much fun together, we never call it work.

We will stop the official lessons in 3 weeks, so we are all
spending as much time together as we can.

It was a good day.

Peace.

WHAT !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!



I just received an e-mail from our agency.

It seems that there is a slight chance that we may have
a 24-30 month wait for a referral.

We are requesting a un-identfied SN child.
We were told, today, that our request MAY
not be expedited and that our wait may be as
long as a NSN referral.

UHHHH, WHAT?

Two weeks ago you said that it would be expedited.

So now what?

Here we are...Authentications coming in left and right,
INS Clearance, Home-Study being revamped...
And not a swinging thing to do with it.

Just sitting on it.

I really want to cry. I don't cry much so this is unusual for me.

This is when people know that I am about to throw
my hands up in the air.

I have no idea what to do.

Find another agency. Wait it out-SOME MORE. Get on a list of
about 100 people vying for the same child. WHAT????

I'm so not happy , right now.

NOT a Happy Hippy.

Peace.

3.26.2008

What I Am Reading...



Before we adopted Mary Elizabeth, I read everything
I could get my hands on about adoption.

I thought I had pretty much read them all.

I was wrong.

This book has accounts and case studies from families
who have adopted internationally.

It also has chapters on preparing yourself physically and
psychologically for your baby's homecoming and parenting
methods that promote attachment.

A whole section on so-called "Common Parenting Wisdom" de-bunked i.e.

*let your child sleep alone
*let your child cry
*closely monitor milestones

The author states that these are not rules for a child trying to attach.

I am in love with this book.

Thank you, Lark Eshleman.

Check it out.

Peace.

NEW PURSES!



Rachel Kate wanted me to take a picture and "Blog
her new purse".

I have no idea where these girls get the "purse love".

I don't carry a purse.

The only thing they have ever seen me carry is a
diaper bag!

Still, they love them.

They ran around the house snatching things and
cramming them into the purses.

The other kids know the drill. They will start hiding
their things.

If anything comes up missing, the first thing we do
is look in Rachel's purse, then we check Mary's.

That's why we have SMALL purses.

Rachel has managed to stuff a baby doll into
one of those little things.

Still haven't figured that one out.

We only had one really cute purse to play with,
and they had to take turns.

Now they have their own.

They were very excited!

It's fun to watch those little faces light up.

Cute.

Peace.

I THINK THIS IS HYSTERICAL! Had to Share...



HOW TO BE A SOUTHERN BELLE
by Amanda Galiano



All Southern women strive to be Belles.

Difficulty: Hard

Time Required: It's a full time job.

Here's How:

1. Offer Mint Julep or Iced Tea to everyone who visits

your home.

2. Eat grits everyday for breakfast.

3. Refer to your house as "The Plantation" no matter how

small your house may be.

4. Refer to all men as"gentleman caller" or "beaux".

5. Never let a man know that you are interested, because there

are too many men that want you to expend the extra effort.

6. Whenever you are asked to do any work, fan yourself and

claim to have the "vapors".

7. Always refer to humidity as "sticky".

8. Refer to every party, even if it is a kegger, as a cotillion

All other parties are Yankee garbage.

9. Try to use words like darlin', suga' , sweety, or hun in every sentence.

10. Belong to the country club. If you don't, refer to any club you

belong to as the "Country Club"- no one will know the difference.

11. Sit under a magnolia tree with a parasol, fanning yourself.

Passer-bys will notice your Belle-ness.

12. Never marry a Yankee , unless you have no problem being

a Yankee by association.

13. Never be seen without your make-up or girdle.

AND REMEMBER:

1. A parasol and an umbrella are not the same thing.

You will never be a Belle if you do not know the difference.

2. Being a Belle is a lifetime of work. Practice everyday.

Funny Stuff!

Peace.

3.25.2008

PAPER WORK UPDATE!



Today, Everything was notarized.

It is only the first of like a BAZILLION steps
before our dossier is complete, but for some reason
I feel relieved.

Like a huge albatross has been lifted.

I don't have the stress of waiting for the INS clearance,
so that's cool.

I wish I had a Fast-Forward Button.

I'd push it for Sarah & Kevin, first....and then I would
push it for me. :)

I'm excited.

We started talking about adopting from China , a second time, sitting at the
breakfast buffet of the White Swan.

I guess today just made it feel real.

Real love building up for a face I've never seen. Missing someone I've never held.

Happy and Sad.

Mostly Happy!

Peace.

3.24.2008

FINALLY!



OK, So I'm NOT "gun loving", but I will shoot a snake if I have to .
I am excited about this book.

Saw it on THE BROWN BULL blog(see Groovy Doovy Blogs).

I ordered it today and it can not get here fast enough!

I think my sister-in-law ordered it, too -
so I'm sure it will lead to many hours of coffee drinking and conversations
about God, Parenthood, and fighting the Good Fight.

I would have been a good Hippy in the 60's.

My Aunt Ronda was a hippy. Use to iron her hair. Older pictures
showed her ALWAYS holding up the "PEACE" sign. My mom has some great
stories about her"craziness". My mom would just shake her head-
But somehow I always got it.
We use to go to her house and I would listen to her talk, and I was
convinced that I was really supposed to be her daughter.
That someone had made a HUGE mistake and gave me to
the wrong sister.

She was my mom's younger sister. She died a few months ago
from heart failure. I miss her.

I hate that she will not be around to see and appreciate all of
these grass-roots movements; the return of the large family, home-births,
people demanding mercury-free vaccines, pesticide & NGE free foods,
Christians taking control of their children's education,
Simple Living as a choice, "Green" Villages being built using solar
power in the homes, Eco-tourism, and Environmental Safety.

These are things she and her generation knew to be
important.

"Those Darned Hippies!"

People are getting smarter. We are paying attention.
We are demanding a say. We are demanding better for our families.
We are no longer taking someones word for it.

We are a "diverse tribe of countercultural conservatives".
And for that, I will not apologize.

My Aunt Ronda would be pleased.

Peace.

3.23.2008

A Hunting We Will Go!



Hannah showing off her Easter mermaids.


People in the South LOVE a party!

Our families celebrate A LOT of holidays.
We have lots of kids, so there are tons of birthday
parties each year, and each family takes a turn hosting
a major holiday.

Easter is at David and Heather's house.


Everyone looks forward to it and
it is ALWAYS so much fun.



Ben and Colton hanging out.



Daddy & Mary



Mary Elizabeth & Rachel



Caleb helps Mary hunt eggs.



Rachel is REALLY good at this.



Showing Mary her loot!



Miss Heather showing some of the children the
winners of the Egg Decorating contest.



It has been a good day.

Peace.

3.22.2008

HAPPY EASTER!




PEACE.

Home Visit Is Over!


Our home visit is over!
Eleanor was very nice. She has 3 adopted children
of her own, so that was cool!
My youngest 2 kept their clothes own. That was good.
Rachel did not ask any embarrassing questions. Always good.
Ben was her favorite. He captivated her with his SpongeBob
Squarepants stories- complete with voices. He is a charmer.
I didn't have to say a whole bunch. She took an immediate
liking to Stacy..So, he did most of the talking. The chick has good taste!
She asked Caleb if he was ready for another sister, and he corrected
her and said,"Brother".
When she left, Hannah said,"That's it?!"
I guess it didn't last long enough for her. :)
PHEEEWWWWWW!
I am glad that's over.
AND... After reading our other homestudies, she thinks she can just update.
Which means we won't have to do this again!
OH! And she homeschooled one of her children for a while. So she
knows all about it! How cool was that?!
So...All in all, it was a good day.
Thanks for checking.
Peace.

3.21.2008

Home Visit Tomorrow!



We have our first home visit with our
new social worker-tomorrow!

I hope she "gets" us.

Pray for me!

Peace.

3.20.2008

An Answer to an "Egg" Question left by a Guest...

Yes -I have done this. This is a picture of some the kids and I did.

If you look closely, the one Hannah put her name on almost looks camo.

The longer you leave them in the dye, the darker they are.
***One important hint: You have to use vinegar instead of water.
I like apple cider vinegar, but I am sure any will do.

I would suggest boiling & dying a few and see if you like the colors.
If not ,you can make egg salad. :)

Your kids are going to LOVE the reds! Have Fun!

Let me know how they turn out!

Happy Easter.


Peace

3.17.2008

The "Paper Chase" Incentive!



Our social worker is coming for a home visit ,Saturday.
So I have to REALLY clean my house.

I don't know why I feel like I have to. I have 5 kids.
She HAS to know that my house is only REALLY clean during the holidays,
and that's only because my mother-in-law is coming over and I don't
want her to think her son married a slob.

We have to totally re-do ALL of our paperwork(Our first dossier was for Taiwan).

New police clearances,medicals,financial reports, etc.

Everything has to be Reviewed, Notarized, Apostilled, Authenticated,
and Fed-Ex'd.

I had honestly forgotten HOW MUCH paperwork there was with Mary
Elizabeth's adoption.

And then there is the wait.

Granted, ours will not be as long as a NSN referral(and for that I am thankful),
but we were already on the waiting list for a Taiwan referral
for a year-before switching countries ,so.... Not Happy

I have resigned myself to the fact that I may as well take
the monogramming off of the nursery wall.

We had a name picked out for our son, but we may identify/be referred a girl.
I don't think she will be happy with people calling her ADAM.

I feel like I have lost a year.

I feel like I have lost my Taiwanese son.

There is nothing I can do about it, and I have to move on.

So I'm feeling sorry for myself and I find this picture.

Is it a boy or is it a girl?

I don't know.

Just a cute little baby- looking at me , wondering what all the fuss is about.
Probably thinking -" Stop whining, Do the paperwork, Get on the plane,
and Come get me!"

So now I'm better.

Reality Check.

Guess that was all I really needed.

But....I'm still not happy about cleaning my house!

Peace.

3.16.2008

NEW HEBRON RODEO


We spent Saturday in New Hebron, MS.
Caleb's 2nd Rodeo.



It was a beautiful day.



Stacy stayed home with the little ones and I got to spend
the entire day with my oldest child.
We have not done that in a while!



My Aunt Renee (a.k.a Bullet) and her family came to watch.
My home town is only about 3o miles from New Hebron.

I was so happy to see her.
She is about as cool as they come.



Bonnie & Clyde

One of the great things about these two-
the are just SO happy to be there.


Just livin'the dream.

It's fun to watch.


My sweet boy.



"Cowboy Cool" Rick-
Couldn't you just eat him up?!

We do love Uncle Rick!


Cutting


He had a pretty good ride.
Scored a 63.


Not as good as last week.
He was a little disappointed.
There were a lot of family and friends there.
He wanted to win.


It was a good life lesson,though.
Sometimes you REALLY,REALLY,REALLY want to win.


You don't win,
and that's O.K.

I asked him if he still loved it enough to keep
going, even though he wasn't winning.

He said,"Yes".

Exactly what I wanted to hear.


It's a whole lot of work for 2 minutes of riding.

But he loves it.

We want them all to have something that they LOVE.

I think he has found his"something".


Eden did win! Jr. High Girls Division.

Her score - 72!

She rides a sweet little mare named "Netta".

We are proud of both of them.

Peace.