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Faith's JourneyA story of an adoption and of life. January 06 New Year- New BlogAfter some thought and prompting (thanks Julia) I have decided to continue this blog at a new blogger address. The format will be better for me there I think. You can post pictures right with your blog and post video more easily. Plus it is way easier for people to leave comments and start conversation. I think it will be more fun for all of us. Also I feel like we have just moved onto a new chapter as a family. Why not a new blog?? Of course this blog will be kept up for all time as it is a picture of a remarkable time in our family and our journey to bring home our Zoe. This blog is priceless to me because of the history it contains. The story of us. It's probably why it's been so hard to let it go. Cheesy, I know. I am emotionally attached to my blog. I am also afraid all of you won't come with me. I love all the people I have gotten to know through this journey. I hope you'll continue on with us. It wouldn't be the same without you. Anyway.... I am getting past my cheesiness. Moving forward in that big bloggy world out there!!! :0) Just click here to go to it. Make sure to save it to favorites. Same us, different address and a new journey. Love, Angel
PS See ya there! Will you leave me a comment to let me know you found it? January 04 I've been tagged!I don't know who to tag. Who's been tagged????? Ummmm.... How about you Stacy? Have you done this yet?
1. FIRST NAME? Angel
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No 3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Gosh. I don't remember. That's a nice switch. :0) 5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? leftover turkey breast
6. KIDS? Zoe 7 years old and Kaitlyn 3yrs old 7. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Ummm yep. I like me okay. 8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? My blog IS my journal
9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Ummmm noooooo. If you couldn't tell that was sarcastic. YES! I use a lot of sarcasm. 10. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes 11. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No freakin way. 12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Captain crunch- frankenberry 13. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No. That would take way too much effort. 14. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Tottally buff 15. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Dreyer's Ultimate Caramel Cup
16. SHOE SIZE? 6 1/2 or 7 17. RED OR PINK? BOTH! How do you choose??? 18. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? The fact that I still have 15 pounds from when I was prego. 19. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My grandparents that passed away
20. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Yes
21. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Jeans with my old Dr Martins from college 22. LAST THING YOU ATE? Chipotle burrito bowl- YUMMY!
23. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Blue's Clues with my kiddos 24. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? hot pink 25. FAVORITE SMELL? christmas time smells 26. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? my momma
27. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? I have no idea. I'm an old married lady.
28. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Yes
29. FAVORITE DRINK? Hot Tea 30. FAVORITE SPORT? Gymnastics- only to watch mind you. I can't even do a cartwheel.
31. EYE COLOR? Blue/ Green
32. HAT SIZE? I have no idea 33. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yes 34. FAVORITE FOOD? All Mexican food is from the Lord
35. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings of course 36. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED AT THE MOVIES? The Nativity
37. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Navy Blue University of Michigan Sweatshirt 38. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer. I hate being cold.
39. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs and lots of them
40. FAVORITE DESSERT? really gooey brownies. mmmmmm.... I need some 41. WHO IS LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? I don't know 42. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? No idea 43. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Grace In Thine Eyes 44. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? I don't have one 45. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? Oprah on DVR
46. FAVORITE SOUNDS? The sound of the ocean. The REAL ocean. It is hands down the best sound in the world. 47. ROLLING STONES OR THE BEATLES? Beatles I guess- I don't really know 48. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? I've been everywhere in Europe. I guess somewhere there. 49.WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? photography
50. WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Feb 1 1977 in Houston, TX 51. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Dominick's mommy of course What's on your frig?I have heard people say that what is on your frig is often very important to you. In my case that is very true. On my frig you could my find practically my whole philosophy on life. This morning my good friend asked me to e-mail her one of my frig sayings. So I am hearby starting a blog series called "What's on your frig?" I will be posting on my blog everything that is on my frig. It may take a few days but it's actually a good way to get "into my head"! :0) Not that you wanted to. It might be kind of scary in there.
I am also tagging JB's momma Julia at this blog...http://www.babyjb.blogspot.com/ Julia... will you tell us What's on YOUR frig? Make sure you tag someone else too.
So here is the one my friend asked for. More tommorrow. I know you are just RIDDLED with suspense.
DON'T FORGET!!!!!
People are more important
than anything that needs to be done today.
The way you act today WILL have
a negative or positive impact on
someone's life.
Take time to give someone a hug, write a note
or have a conversation.
TAKE THE TIME TO TRULY CARE
ABOUT SOMEONE TODAY!
I am only one but I am one.
I cannot do everything but I can do something.
What I can do and should do
By the grace of God
I WILL DO. January 01 Are you in a desert?No, I am not in a desert. Life has suddenly thrown me a cool ocean breeze. However, the memory is very fresh. I still have grit in my hair and a sunburn from my recent journey through my own spiritual and emotional wasteland. I know that many of you reading this are walking through the heat and wondering why. You are not forgotten in my heart. A friend of mine is struggling through a very painful time in her life. She shared this song. It meant so much to me that I wanted to share it with you. I hope she doesn't mind me borrowing it. :0)
Well, this song by Sarah Groves said it all. She based the song on Exodus 16:3 "And the people of Israel said to them, 'Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.'" They didn't want to go back, but they were scared to go forward.
Here's the song... Painting Pictures of Egypt I don't want to leave, I don't want to stay. It feels like pinching to me either way. The places I long for the most are the places where I've been. They are calling after me like a long lost friend. It's not about losing faith, it's not about trust, It's all about comfortable when you move so much. The place I was wasn't perfect but I had found a way to live. It wasn't milk or honey but then neither is this. I've been painting pictures of Egypt leaving out what it lacked. The future feels so hard and I want to go back. But the places that used to fit me cannot hold the things I've learned, and those roads were closed off to me while my back was turned. (Red Sea) The past is so tangible, I know it by heart, familiar things are never easy to discard. I was longing for some freedom, but now I hesitate to go, I am caught between the promise and the things I know. I've been painting pictures of Egypt leaving out what it lacked. The future feels so hard and I want to go back. But the places that used to fit me cannot hold the things I've learned, and those roads were closed off to me while my back was turned. If it comes too quick, I may not recognize it. Is that the reason behind all this time and sand? If it comes too quick, I may not appreciate it. Is that the reason behind all this time and sand? So...it's just like with those Israelites. They were pushed out into the desert for their own good. It was HARD, I know. But God was freeing them from slavery and bringing them to the promised land. There is always a desert to walk through before you get to the promised land. And we can't hurry it up. As you approach a new year of questions or answers my prayers are with you- all of you. There is a purpose and significant meaning in where you are walking. It may seem like sandy circles to you but eternally it means far more. Look at my last year and tell me that isn't true. Love, Angel
December 27 How was my Christmas?Kaitlyn was heard repeatedly yelling, "Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Ohhh that's pretty!"
Zoe spontaneously ran to Russ and I several different times to hug us and say, "I'm so happy."
We celebrated 3 different times on three different days. Each time Zoe hugged me and said, " Thank you for Christmas."
We sang at Christmas Eve service. We baked cookies for Santa and made magic reindeer food. We did advent and read "The Night Before Christmas." My brother and I wrapped last minute gifts while the fire was going. I sipped hot chocolate and ate too many cookies. Russ tried to steal extra candy from the girls stocking but they caught him in the act.
Is there anything better in life? It was magical.
I hope you had a magical Christmas. Angel
PS I am uploading pictures of Christmas. I will put captions under each one so you will know what is going on. :0) Concerned about Zoe learning English???Well don't you worry your little head! She is learning at a rapid fire pace. In fact, now we are getting more concerned about her forgetting Spanish. She called her foster mother on Christmas day. She kept accidently saying words in English. When her foster mother would ask what that was in Spanish she would pause confused. At one point Zoe asked ME how to say milk in Spanish. She couldn't remember!! OH NO. She also couldn't remember cow or tennis shoes in Spanish. She kept saying, "OH NOOOO! I can't remember." UGHHH.. I don't want her to lose her Spanish. We explained that it's important that she pratice Spanish as much as possible so she won't forget it. We are going to have to start making a lot more calls to her Spanish speaking buddies. Oh by the way... today I said something to her in Spanish and she said in English, "Momma, I understand English now. You can speak English." Made me laugh. Christmas KaitlynismsCute stuff you might hear in our house around Christmas time from the ever adorable 3 yr old.
#1
This one was right after we went to see the new movie "The Nativity." Zoe was in the other car with her cousin so she didn't have an opinion.
Kaitlyn- Mommy, what was your favorite part of the movie.
Mommy- Hmmmm... I liked seeing the story through Mary's eyes. You know the way she might have felt about things and what life was like for her. What was your favorite part KK?
Kaitlyn- My favorite was that BIG, SHINY ANGEL. Giggle giggle. He was REALLY FUNNY!!
#2
Christmas Eve. Kaitlyn is exhausted. We have been going, going and going. She has a slight melt down before bed. As I was tucking her in...
Mommy- Kaitlyn, is Santa Clause going to come see you tonight?
Kaitlyn- NO cause I been really mean tonight! :0(
Mommy- Oh. Are you upset cause' you think Santa is upset with you and won't come.
Kaitlyn- Uh huh
Mommy- Oh baby. We all make mistakes. If you change your heart I know that Santa will still come.
Kaitlyn- I changed my heart Mommy.
Mommy- Good. Goodnight Baby.
#3
After recieving a pair of white dress shoes on Christmas day from Mommy.
Kaitlyn- WOW! Thank you so much. This is what I wanted in the whole WORLD!
That girl! :0) Angel
December 25 MERRY CHRISTMAS!Just wanted to say it! I hope you are happy and healthy and soaking in the time with your family and friends. I know I am. What a special Christmas this is for us. I have much more to share but will save it for another day. Soak it in.... :0) Angel December 20 America's perception of beauty.Saw this on a friend's blog and HAD to share it. Definately worth seeing. Just click on the link...
:0) Angel Do the RED thing!!!Can a T-Shirt save the world? This one can.
Did you see the Oprah show about project RED?? It is amazing. I am really excited about this project and wanted to tell you about it. Bono from U2 has come up with what I consider a revolutionary idea. He has major retailers helping him create super products. When you buy these "red" products (which are not necesarily red in color) you are contributing toward helping the AIDS crisis in Africa. 50% of the net profit on each purchase goes toward medication to medicate and stop HIV in Africa. Not only does it go toward people who have HIV but it goes to mothers who are pregnant to PREVENT their babies from ever contracting HIV. Did you know that it only costs .40 cents a DAY to have someone on HIV medication??? With this medication people can live full and healthy lives. You can shop for things and save lives at the same time. If you are going to buy a cell phone why not consider the RED cell phone at Motorola?? If you need some jeans Gap has some RED jeans that would be super cute. How about a RED i-pod at Apple? C'mon you know you want one. I am excited to see a business model that can make a difference. Please pass the word. Check it out. So far the businesses who have gone "red" are Gap, Motorolla, Apple, Armani, Converse, and American Express. If we as consumers choose to buy RED products more and more businesses will sign up to sell them and it will make a HUGE difference. Ask people if they have red products. Consider products that are red. Remember .40 a DAY will save someone's life. See... maybe we CAN do something after all. Take a look then tell everyone about it. :0)
You can watch the show here http://www2.oprah.com/tows/slide/200610/20061013/slide_20061013_350_102.jhtml
Here is the website for product RED
Here is the RED blog
December 19 More picturesI just uploaded a new batch of pictures. You can see the girls playing basketball at their first games. There are some of us doing school time at home. Then of course there is Santa going through our neighborhood on the fire truck!! Also random fun. Enjoy. :0) Angel More HIV adoption infoAfter my blog entry on AHOPE (the orphanage for HIV positive children) I had quite a few responses asking for more info on HIV adoption. I don't know a whole lot. I know I mostly pawned you off on other bloggers!! :0) However it's been interesting to see this subject popping up more in my little blog world. I think it's great that it's becoming a topic of conversation. I thought you might be interested to hear about it. Here are some blog links where it has been a hot topic.
December 16 Home For ChristmasOne more little girl came home to a family for Christmas. Remember Esperanza???? Of course you do. If you don't then you can go here and look at April 6th to refresh your memory. Even if you remember you really should read the story again. It is a truly remarkable confirmation of God's perfect timing.
Esperanza's American name is Lauren and she is HOME HOME HOME!!!!! YAY!
We are so excited to see this little jewel come home to the family God chose for her long before she was knit in her birth mother's womb. This didn't catch God by surprise. He knew always what she would need.
So many of you prayed for her and were touched by her story. I just wanted to let you know that this Christmas she has a stocking with her name on it, she'll be asleep in her room, wake up way too early with her brothers and open presents from her mom and dad. Welcome home sweet girl.
I just loaded pictures of her in a new album. Enjoy. Kaitlyn's basketball tacticsThis morning both the girls had basketball games. Zoe has some major talent. I think with some training she could turn into a little super star! Not that she isn't a super star already. :0) She scored a goal today and just beamed.
Kaitlyn, well Kaitlyn is CUTE. She chattered all the way over to her game about how excited she was to play. Then she marched in and trudged up and down the court at a snail's pace. You would have thought she was only out there because we were threatening tickle torture. Her face was contorted into this little scowl. She would frequently just lay down in the middle of the court to take a much needed time out. When it was her "turn" to try to score a goal she just held the ball and stand there. As she waited to take her shot some of the little boys from the other team got closer trying to guard her. She gave them the nastiest little snarl and said, " Heyyyyyy... SCOOCH OVER!!! I AM TRYING TO SHOOT RIGHT NOW!! I suppose when a pretty little girl who looks really annoyed tells a little boy what to do he falls into line cause' those poor little guys scooched! Finally one of the coaches tired of waiting and lifted her up toward the goal. She dunked it proudly. It was freakin hilarious. :0) Russ said he had never tried that tactic. I reminded him that you don't get what you don't ask for. December 13 Please watch thisI really encourage you to watch this video. Just click on the link.
This is about children from an organization called AHOPE. It is an orphanage in Ethiopia that cares for HIV positive children. I learned about this orphanage from this very special lady. Her blog is http://transracial.adoptionblogs.com/
She has recently adopted Belane from this orphanage. She actually knows the children in the video. She speaks so highy of the children and workers at AHOPE.
I also followed a blog http://bringingdestahome.blogspot.com/ about another teenage girl named Desta who was adopted from this wonderful orphanage. Both of these girls are HIV positive. I have learned so much about these precious children and what is happening over there.
I fully intend to throw as much financial support as possible to this organization in the future. The majority of these children literally took care of their parents as they died of AIDS. These children's life expectancy before coming to AHOPE was very low. I think about 5-6 years. Now that they are medicated and taken care of they can live healthy lives. Did you KNOW that HIV is completely treatable now?? Did you know that they have medications that are so good that children with HIV on these medications can live very normal productive lives? The only precautions now are not sharing toothbrushes or razors and wearing gloves to clean up blood. While on the drugs even those things are low risk. Unfortunately, right now many of these children won't be adopted because people (including me- I know shame on me, but it's the truth) are still too scared to raise a child with HIV. If you feel led to care for orphans in need but are not in a place to adopt consider spporting these children. Here is the website http://www.ahopeforchildren.org/ You could not find children who need your help more.
I was talking to my friend Wendi last night about this issue. I guess what has really upset me is that I didn't even KNOW this. Whn HIV was considered a death sentence it was ALL OVER THE NEWS. It was the top headline weekly it seemed like. Now that it is NOT a death sentence I never hear a thing about it. Am I the only one who feels like the news is just one bad story after another??? I feel like it's just a bunch of scary stories rather than a way to become informed about the world. Madonna decides to adopt and we have to hear every little freakin detail about it. Ya KNOW WHAT??? I DON'T CARE if it was faster or slower or whatever. A child got a home. He was dying.Now he's okay. He was alone now he's not. They have to do 5 stories a day on Madonna but I haven't heard a thing about the fact that HIV positive orphans can be saved if we send them certain medications. I didn't know till six months ago that they were now considered completely adoptable. What is wrong with our media? Sorry to go on a tirade. I know we do have people who report on things that matter. It just hurts me to know that instead of doing something important we just have a bunch of journalists running around seeing who can come up with the grossest and scariest story to report at five.
Back to my original thoughts... I hope that in the future there will be more education about HIV and the epidemic in Africa. I am so grateful for these women who have helped me learn far more than any news station I have ever watched. They are courageous souls. People like these make an impact on the world that they can't fathom.
Again the link to AHOPE http://www.ahopeforchildren.org/
Not a very Christmasy joy to the world blog post I guess. It kind of is though. These children are why Jesus came.
James 1:27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
December 08 A special Christmas video for youI will not leave you orphans, I am coming to you. John 14:18
This year I have become a new person. My heart was broken and restored by this process called adoption.
Along the way I have been honored to meet so many amazing families who are opening up their hearts and homes to the children God has brought them. I want to dedicate this video especially to you.
I know there are many of you who will see this who still wait for your miracle to happen.
Don't lose heart. God does have a plan for you just as He has a plan for these precious children.
Open your hands and your hearts to Him.
Last Christmas my Zoe was a dream and a picture. This year she will be in front of our tree. Adoption is the scariest and most wonderful decision I have ever made. Zoe is etched deeper into our lives and heart every day. She is wonderful beyond what we could have imagined for our family. I shudder when I think what I might have missed if I had let fear rule my heart rather than God's still small voice.
Whatever God has put in your heart...DO IT. It's going to be scary and hard and the best thing that could ever happen to you. Trust me. I know this for a fact. So do all the other moms and dad's in this video...
Merry Christmas
Just click on the link below.
If you want a full screen view there is a button on the bottom right of the picture screen.:0)
PS I did not put all of my adoption buddies in this video. I wanted to be respectful of people's privacy and use pictures only of those who had already had publicly available photos of their children or have given me permission previously to use photos. I know that people have different feelings about photos on the internet. December 06 WHAT did you say?????I found this clip on an old friend's blog. IT IS SOOOOOOO FUNNY. Oh my goodness. Seriously, watch it. HEE HEE!
Just click on the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBstB1AvEZo&eurl= Poor guy. December 05 New Pics for DecemberI just got more photos loaded on the blog. They are us with Santa, KK's basketball practice, Christmas pics of the girls and their cousin Lauren, basketball and wrestling with daddy and other random fun. ENJOY! :0) Breakfast with Santa and Zoe's 1st Church ServiceSaturday our church had a "Breakfast With Santa" event. It was so great. That Santa Clause was very realistic. He looked like he was straight off of the set of Miracle on 34th Street. We took the girls. Zoe was OOBER excited to meet Santa. When he asked what she wanted for Christmas she just shrugged and said, "Presents." Too cute. It seems she has that part down at least. :0)
Later we went to our church's first Saturday evening service. It's supposed to be a temporary additional service for the holiday season because we get a lot more visitors. Last year was sometimes standing room only. I love the Saturday thing and secretely hope it sticks.
In December our church does this series called Christmas Spectacular and it really is spectacular. Our Church is not what you would call "traditional". The music is modern and you can wear jeans and a tee shirt and fit right in. Saturday the drum core came and did a rocked out version of "The Drummer Boy" with our lead singer. They do that number every year because everyone loves it so much. It literally brought tears to my eyes. Very cool.
So anyway... It was Zoe's first time to a church service. We asked her if she wanted to go with us or the kids. She said the kids of course. I figured she would be okay because she is such a social butterfly. However, this is not a cute little Sunday School room. We have a BIG kids "tent" with a stage and games everywhere and music and wild fun. I was hoping she wouldn't be intimidated by it. SHE LOVED IT. Russ took her there while I dropped Kaitlyn off at her class. He said she marched right in like she owned the joint and told him he didn't need to hang around. Awesome. That girl is something else.
Okay. Enough gushing about my church. I can't help it! I've never LOVED going to church so much in my life!
Hugs,
:0) Angel Kailtyn CutenessMe- Kaitlyn, do you want a grilled cheese sandwich?
Kaitlyn- Yes. I'm a girl so I need one of those.
Me- Huh? What do you mean?
Kaitlyn- Cause I'm a GIRL mommy!!! It's a girl cheese sandwich!
December 03 What Russ Does At Work...Many of you have asked what EXACTLY Russ' job is. I mean we all know he is mister nose to the grind stone supposedly. Hard working.. responsible.. but what does he DO? He's kind of like Chandler Bing on "Friends." Nobody REALLY knows what he does. However I think the following video clip will give you GREAT insight into his occupation. Just click on the link and make sure you enlarge the picture before you push play. Trust me when I say that especially if you know Russ this is worth watching. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jA4GM-8EoI&eurl= December 01 Our Christmas TraditionsLast year my friend Erin posted this information about Advent on her blog. I was so grateful that she did. I had heard of it but really didn't know much about it. We started participating in Advent last year and so many of you wrote to me saying that you were glad I posted the info. So I'll post it again this year. I need an easy place to find it all anyway. I am also adding our personal list of Christmas traditions to the bottom. I know. I'm a goober. I write down my traditions so I won't forget to make them traditions!!! :0)
Celebrate Advent! by Letitia Suk Three weeks and two days before Christmas and the heated discussion among my four children is not about which video games they want for Christmas but who's turn it is to light the candle at family Advent. It's the first week of Advent season, the observance of the four weeks preceding Christmas, a tradition started in the Middle Ages. My kids want to make sure they each have a part in the celebration. Advent Readings The length of the Advent season depends on which day of the week Christmas falls on. This schedule includes all possible 28 days of Advent. For shorter seasons adjust this schedule by doubling up on some readings or eliminating the final two readings, which record events after Christ's birth. First Week Second Week Third Week Fourth Week More than any other activity, Advent can restore Jesus to the center of the Christmas celebration, because on each Advent day the birth of Jesus is read, sung and talked about. The whole family can participate and find the observance meaningful. The props are simple and inexpensive. The memories and training will last a lifetime. Although the common tenets of observing Advent are shared by many churches, each family can add its own flavor. Following is a basic primer on how to start celebrating Advent this year. When: Prepare your family: What you need: Optional items:
Beginning the celebration: Light the same candle each day of the first week. Follow with the reading, Christmas carols or other meaningful activities. On the second Sunday light two purple candles, both of which are relit each night. The second candle is known as the Bethlehem candle. The third week light the two purple candles and then a rose candle, or shepherd candle. Rose is a sign of joy and hope that He is coming. Light the last candle, known as the angel candle, on the fourth Sunday. All four candles are lit each night that week to symbolize the growing brightness of Jesus' coming. Advent activities for Christmas Eve: Long after the new toys are banished to the back of the closet and the decorations stored away for another year, the memories of the four weeks of Advent will remain. Don't be surprised if it turns out to be your favorite tradition!
Hope you love this idea as much as I do. I have drawn up a list of my holiday traditions for us to go through as a family. Several people have requested a copy. I'm more than happy to share. So please steal a few then share some with me!
Christmas Traditions
The Weekend After Thanksgiving
The Month Of December
The Week before Christmas
The Night Before Christmas
Christmas Day
New Year’s Eve
HUGS TO YOU!! Angel Doctors, Blood and BasketballHey People!!! Wow. Things have been wild. It's so strange. It seems like ever since I got home from Guatemala things are just CRAZY! I mean like 10 times busier than normal. Not crazy BAD just crazy BUSY and kinda WEIRD.
Of course Zoe did come home during our Disney World trip and right before Thanksgiving. Sooooo that COULD have something to do with it. I also had two doctors appointments scheduled after Disney for Kaitlyn that are very hard to get. They are follow up visits for a surgery she had when she was nine months old. She had Metopic Craniosynostosis when she was born. That means the front of her skull didn't have a soft spot. It sealed very early. So they had to correct it. It was a no fun surgery but she did great. We call it "Extreme Makeover-Baby Edition."
We are supposed to have regular follow up visits to make sure she is growing correctly and everything. We have been waiting months for her to get in for the appointments. They were in the medical center at Texas Children's Hospital. It's a WONDERFUL hospital about an hour from us. Then when Zoe came home I made an appointment with the International Adoption Specialist. You guessed it.... in the same hospital. So I've spent a lot of time there and on the road. I'm so blessed that my mom was able to come help me during some of the wildness to help.
Last week I had the pleasure of convincing Kaitlyn- my little 3 yr old scaredy cat - to willingly lay down on catscan machine while they strapped her down and moved her into a small hole. Uhhhh huuuhhhh. Yeah. That was interesting. First of all it was at the butt crack of dawn. She couldn't eat before it so it was very early. Out of sympathy I wouldn't eat in front of her. Hungry and early is not a great combo for me. If you know me you know that much is true. Now granted, they do a great job at Texas Children's. They have stickers of princesses and cool cars on the catscan macine. They have pretty fish "swimming" on the ceiling. They even have a bubble machine that turns colors, a magic wand to hold, and a sweet little lady who shows you pictures of the machine and tells you all about the fun picture it will take of your head. She tells you how you won't even feel it and they just put a little seatbelt on your head to help it be still. All that and they couldn't break my three year old. I tried telling her that this was just like a ride at Disney World but she wasn't buying. Part of the problem was I didn't know she would be awake. The last time we had to do this she was a baby and they just gave her a little medicine and she went to sleep. Well I guess she's too old now and they have to an IV if she won't lay still. If I had known I would have prepared her better for what was coming. She needs a lot of lead time. After a full hour of trying I had to explain to her that it was so important that we get this "picture" of her head that the doctor would have to give her a shot to make her go to sleep if she wouldn't lay down. I said, "Sweety, you have to make a choice. You can choose to lay down here and get a picture of your head or you can choose not to lay down and get a shot so we can take the picture while you sleep. This is not because I am mad at you but because I love you and we MUST get a picture of your head." Well it worked! Much to my astonishment she laid down and was still for it. Now her eyes looked like they were about to POP out of her little head but she was still. Poor sweet pumpkin! She did it though. I was so proud of her. We went home and both slept for three hours while my mom hung with Zoe. Then we went to the store to get a special treat for Kaitlyn's bravery at the doctor.
The next day we had to see a cranio facial surgeon who looked at the results of the catscan and examined her head. I told her all about it and that he would just touch her head. The doctor was very nice. He tried to be so sweet and just briefly felt her head. All that and she said, "I don't LIKE him!" Ughhhh! Poor guy. He met her on the WRONG day. He smiled and said, "Hey, I didn't do anything." He seemed to take the rejection well. The great news is that Kaitlyn is healing wonderfully. She is, as you all know, gorgeous. Biased but true! You can see that her eyes appear a bit more furrowed when she frowns. It makes her look more serious when she wrinkles her forehead and gives her an awesome pout. This is a result of her previous condition. If this increases as she gets older there is a minor procedure to correct it. We will probably see in the next year whether it gets really pronounced or not.
Yesterday was Zoe's appointment. She DOES NOT like doctors. Poor baby. She was not impressed about going at all. She pouted but obeyed slowly the whole way there. The one thing I had going for me was that last night was her first basketball practice. I kept telling her that we would just get this done and then go to basketball. I told her they would probably need to give her a shot. I asked her if she knew why. She said you have to get vaccines to come to the United States. Nice... Yep, we like to poke kids for fun here kid. Poor thing. That's probably what they told her cause that's probably what they think since vaccines aren't a regular occurance there. I explained that there are children all over the world who don't get to go to doctor and get vaccines. I explained that the vaccines help the children not to get very, VERY sick. I told her that in many countries children get very sick because they don't have vaccines. I made a valiant effort to convince her that doctors are our friends and they do these things because they want to help us. She seemed mildly convinced. The appointment went well. There was a doctor and a medical student. They were both very good with Zoe. She said her tonsels are a little enlarged which can be okay. We just need to watch them if she is sick to make sure they don't swell too much. Then she said that they needed to take a ton of blood for tests. They are going to test her for everything under the sun and see what she is immune to and what she needs vaccinations for. She also wanted to go ahead and give her a flu shot, a pnumonia (spelling?) shot and a vaccine. I said, " Ummmm NO THANK YOU." I told her she could do the blood tests today and I would think about the rest later. To her credit she was incredibly respectful of this and agreed. I explained to Zoe that we would go to a different place and they would need to take some blood to make sure she is healthy. She said, "No way." or something similar in Spanish and clutched her arm. She did hug the doctor and the medical student. I am starting to feel panicked because I realize things are dragging out as they always do at the doctors. We still have to take blood, run through the rain in the cold to the parking garage and drive through rush hour traffic (now that we are running late) to get to basketball practice. YIKES! Zoe was now moving at a drunk snail's pace because she knows where we are headed. I tell her we need to go very fast to get to basketball cause we don't have much time. We finally got down there and Zoe actually seemed to be trying hard to be very brave. She did great till it was time to sit in that chair to give blood. Then I had to sit her in my lap and hold her tight while another nurse held her arm and another nurse took the blood. She screamed bloody murder the entire time- which was a looong time since they took about 8 vials of blood. Good thing she has good veins or we would have had issues. Finally it was over. She settled down enough for me to convince her to run to the car with me. By the time we got to the car she was her giggly self telling me that it wasn't that bad. Uh huh. It was pretty bad for me!
As I pull onto the highway I hear my phone start to ring. It's Russ' ring tone and I know he's calling because he needs to know where to meet us for the practice. Ony one problem. My phone is in my stroller in the trunk of my car. It rings again. Zoe comments that Daddy is calling. Yep. He is. It rings again. I can't very well pull over in the middle of rush hour traffic and we are VERY late. It rings again.... and again... GROAN. I turned up the Christmas music and tried very hard to feel jolly. So then we were fighting traffic. We had one hour left. Ordinarily I would have given up the practice for the night. However, Zoe has been talking about this practice for 2 weeks- counting the days. Especially after the day she had I couldn't stand for her to miss it. If things went well I knew we could just make it on time. Things did NOT go well. Our average speed was 20 miles per hour. A car accident happened in front of our exit. I accidently got into the U turn around lane when I meant to get into the turn lane so I had to go all the way back around. I was fussing at the cars in front of me in English and Spanish as the mood struck. NO cussing just a little crankiness.... I know! Great example right? When we got there she had 15 minutes left. She had a great time. Her coaches seem nice and ready to work with her. It doesn't hurt that she is the tallest girl on the team!! She is in the 95% on the growth chart. Wow.
Finally we met Russ at Chik-Fil-A for dinner. After hearing about my day Russ handed me the car keys and told me to head home and rest. He took the girls to look at Christmas lights and put them to bed. MY HERO!
At the end of the day I am blessed. I have doctors and healthy children. I have a car and can afford basketball and Chik-Fil-A. I have two beautiful healthy girls and a husband who loves us. At the end of the day I am thankful no matter what kind of day it was.
More later.... OH SO MUCH MORE!
Hugs! Angel November 28 Are you due for a cup of coffee?Just thought this was a good illustration. My friend Wendi sent it to me months ago.
The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee
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