The Last Christmas

Dear Mia
Five Christmas seasons have passed since I started my journey to you. I thought this one would be easier knowing it was definitely the last without you. But it's not. It may be the hardest yet. Tonight it's Christmas Eve. Which means it's already Christmas morning in China. And all I can think about is the fact that you are here on this earth, somewhere in this world. You are real and you exist. I just don't know you yet.

I wonder who you are.... and where you are. Are you in the orphanage? Or someone's home? I pray that wherever you are ....someone there loves you. I pray there is someone there to hold you, rock you, comfort you. I pray that you are safe and warm and fed.
That's all I want for Christmas.

Next year everything will be different. For both of us. And even though it will be hard at first, I promise it'll be okay. Some day you'll love me as much as I already love you.
Merry Christmas Mia... I can't wait to meet you.
Love Mommy

Tate is Eight!

Today is Tatum's birthday. Since it falls so close to Christmas, I decided to celebrate with her last Friday. She'd informed me a few weeks ago that in honor of her birthday she wanted to spend the night at my house. That alone is a big deal since she lives with 4 other siblings. Just being away from them is a treat. LOL!

Tatum is our princess. She was the first girl after my sister had two boys. I'm close to all my nieces and nephews but there's just something extra special about the relationship between a niece and her aunt. Next year I won't just be the super-cool-most-awesome-fun-aunt-in-the-world. I'll also be somebody's mom. Which is gonna change the dynamics of our relationship some. So I wanted to make this birthday extra special because next year she'll no longer have my undivided attention.

We started our date off with dinner at Steak-n-Shake. In our matching monkey hats made by Tatum's grandma. Then we went to see Tangled in 3D. Which I must say was very cool.
Afterward it was getting late so we went home to quickly open her gifts. The doll from the movie seemed like a good choice. She also got a cute dress with matching boots. But for some reason I didn't get a photo of her wearing it.
She chose to sleep in my bed. Griffey gave me the cold shoulder and decided to snuggle with Tatum instead. Traitor that he is.....
I had a hair appointment early the next morning. We stopped at Starbucks to pick up a hot chocolate on the way. And a coffee for the grown up. The sweet little girl behind the register bought Tate's drink when she saw the birthday crown she was wearing. Which might have made me even happier than her. LOL!

Since Tatum let it slip that her dad trims her hair (oh the HORROR!), Jessica and I felt it was time she learned how to get her hair did like the big girls do. So while I was waiting for my color to process, she got her turn in the chair.
It looked much better after being evened up and some layers added. I just wonder if daddy will be able to continue to cut it now that she's had the whole wash, cut and style treatment. Before our next stop we fueled up on a slice at the mall food court. But why I scheduled a hair appt at the mall on the weekend before Christmas is beyond me. I'll never do that again.
And finally to wrap up our fun birthday celebration we relaxed with a pedicure. The birthday girl also got a mani so her pink sparkly toes would match her fingers. Can you say "spoiled much"?
The cake and singing and stuff had to wait until Monday. We slipped that in between making Christmas cookies, taking our annual Penguin PJ Pic and watching Polar Express. Who said having a birthday so close to Christmas means you get ripped off? Not this girl!

Happy 8th Birthday Tatum!

Cookie Mayhem 2010

Epic Failure

It's pretty ridiculous to think you can coordinate a photo involving 6 kids after 8pm at night. Especially after you've worn them out baking Christmas cookies all afternoon, then allowed them to ingest far too much sugar and run around the house like wild banshees. Oh and did I mention one of them is 2 yrs old? That alone usually spells disaster. But we decided to up the ante by skipping the nap that day.

Can you say "recipe for disaster"?

Somehow I managed to find matching pairs of penguin pj's all the way from toddler up to...well, let's just say grown up size. LOL! For those who have followed my blog over the years, ya know this is an annual tradition for me and my nieces and nephews. Our Penguin Pajama Pics! This year even Braeden joined us.

Things started out completely unorganized as you can see. I look at this photo and can imagine a little balloon over Braeden's head that reads "What the hell have I gotten myself into? These people are crazy!" Things started to unravel pretty much immediately after this.Almost got one. But the 2 yr old decided not to cooperate.We got a little closer with this one. But wait... that dang 2 yr old again.
Then we just gave up. Somehow the best pic we ended up with was when we completely lost control. They all turned on us and decided goofy faces were more fun. Oh well. There's always next year, I guess.By the way, credit for the title of this post goes to the teenager. I think he repeated this phrase about 157 times yesterday. It seemed fitting for this occasion.

See? Told Ya So

My happy face is back on! There's a strong rumor over at RQ that the next cut off date will be May 29th and referrals will arrive next week. Things change fast in China adoption, ya know. Let's hope this rumor is true!

Cuz that would mean ....by all calculations... I should be NEXT NEXT. Not in this December batch. And not in the next batch. But in that 3rd batch. Which I predict could arrive late February. But more likely in early March because of Chinese New Year.

But my birthday is in February. And I can think of no better gift. Just saying. In case anyone from the CCAA might be listening.

54 Months Later...

And still no end in sight. Still no word from CCAA about referrals for December. Although there are now rumors circulating they're gonna skip this month. My hopes of a January referral are gone. Then with Chinese New Year the first week of February.... I'm starting to think it may be March before I hear something.

So today marks 54 months since China logged in my dossier. That's four and a half years people! January will actually be FIVE YEARS since I started this process. Five flippin' years of my life. Who could've ever imagined I'd still be stuck here. This is insane. Absolutely ridiculous. How can an international adoption program string people along for 5+ years? It's just not right to run a program that way.

Please don't tell me how China doesn't owe me a child, that there are no guarantees in IA, that there aren't enough paper ready babies, blah blah blah. I'm well aware of all that. Please don't tell me how worth it she'll be. I get that. Please don't tell me about God's plan. Cuz I don't wanna hear about it. Don't tell me everything happens for a reason. I don't care right now. And certainly don't tell me how long you waited...if it was less than 54 months...cuz I might just punch you in the face.

Sorry. But today I just need to be pissed off. Cuz I'm sick of this shit. So feel free to vent away with me. Tell me how much this sucks. I'm in total agreement. But don't try to paint rainbows and sunshine for me. I'll just bulldoze right on over them.

Today I'm ANGRY! Tomorrow I'll put my happy face back on.

The Rollercoaster Continues

Everyone always said The Wait is hardest at the end. I didn't completely understand that until now. I know I'm not NEXT. And I'm fairly confident I'm not even NEXT NEXT... yet this is getting harder already. I'd been doing pretty good lately with all things adoption. As far as my emotions go, I mean. Lord knows... I've struggled at times during the last four and a half years. But for the past several months I was feeling refreshed, excited. Dare I say ... happy even.

And 98% of the time I still am. That feels good.

But I'm also starting to feel moments of sadness, too. I know those moments will become stronger over the next couple months. Right now I'm still pushing it outta my head for the most part. Because it's easier to make myself numb and not face it. Not think about the fact that my daughter already exists in this world. That hurts. I can physically feel the ache in my heart in those moments when I let my guard down and those thoughts sneak in. I'm not ready to deal with that yet. But it's coming.

And stress. Did I think I'd felt adoption stress before now? You betcha. But now... oh boy. It takes on a whole new dimension. And guess what? I'm fully aware that it's only gonna get worse. The closer I get, the stress will increase. When I'm finally holding that picture .... it'll be magnified by a million. All my emotions will be. Happiness. Sadness. Excitement. Anticipation. Fear.

The not knowing is killing me right now. The CCAA hasn't sent a batch of referrals out since Nov 1st. And there are no rumors circulating either. Today is already Dec 10th in China. How can we not have heard something by now??? During this entire process...as long as referrals kept coming on a fairly regular basis I was able to hold it together. I was able to keep the faith. Keep hanging on.

But now that I'm so close to a referral ....the unknown has become excruciating. How far will they get next time? When will the batch come? What will the cut off date be? Will they do 2 batches in December? Will they squeak one in before Chinese New Year? Which one will I be in?

So close... and yet still so far.

And A Partridge In A Pear Tree

Tatum and Travis had their school Christmas concert this weekend. So now I shall subject you to photos of the event. First up... second graders. And just in case you can't tell where Tatum is...well, she's right in the middle under the big green arrow. LOL!

Cute, isn't she. And the fourth graders. Travis is on the top row right in the middle with the adorable grin.The video was taken by my brother-in-law who somehow managed to cut his son completely out of the frame. But I love it anyway just cuz the song is so fun. It's a crazy sound effect filled version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" that just cracked me up. Don't feel obligated to watch it unless you're actually related to me. But if you do...check out the little girl front row in the green dress. She's having a blast.

Guess What?!

Good news, y'all!
You CAN try to win one of my mom's fabulous hats!!
So many folks are loving on these gorgeous handmade hats that she decided to offer 2 hats of the winner's choosing in
Stefanie's 30 Days of Giveaways.
She'll even custom make them in whatever color you want!

So get over there and
ENTER TO WIN!

Crafty Deliciousness

I'm pretty sure I get my crafty creative gene from my mother. She has a passion for knitting, crocheting and sewing. And she's pretty damn good at it. Just look at this GOR-GE-OUS blanket she made for Mia!!! The colors are perfect, of course. And it's so soft. I absolutely love it!
My sister and I had been on her for awhile to open a little shop on Etsy. She's retired now and we thought it would be a nice way to supplement her income. Plus... her talent is totally Made-Of-Awesome. Well, she finally did! And she has some super cute things in her store. She makes just about anything from baby shoes, scarves and sweaters to different kinds of photo props. But her big thing lately has been making hats. She loves her some hats.

You guys know Stefanie from Ni Hao Y'all? And you've probably seen her adorable children? Well, mom decided to participate in Stefanie's 30 Days of Giveaways project in order to generate some interest in her store. She offered up a whole box of funky hats. But Stef's kids fell in love with the hats instead. So outta the kindness of her heart.... my mom decided she wanted the kids to just keep 'em. In exchange for cute pics of the models, of course. Check them out here. Totally adorable, right? The kids and the hats! I love that sock monkey. I think that's my fave. Although the black and white with the hot pink flower is so my style, too. Oh geez...maybe I need one of each. LOL!

Sorry ...no chance of winning one but you can check out Mom's shop to place an order. I think she's now planning something else to send Stefanie for the giveaway. I'll let y'all know when I find out what it is and what day it's up.

Mom also sews like nobody's business. Her granddaughters have all been blessed with sweet little twirly skirts and dresses. I already have several requests in for Mia when we figure out her size. ;) Mom made curtains for several rooms in my house. Growing up we had handmade Halloween costumes that were the envy of all the other trick-or-treaters. She even made the bridesmaid dresses for my BFF's wedding many years ago. So I'm really hoping she opens up her Etsy shop to some sewing projects as well at some point.

I already have a pair of crocheted little Ugg type boots on reserve. Oh and a pair of crocheted Mary Janes. Gawd are they cute! Wait til ya see.....

So go check out my mom's Etsy shop called

"Not Your Average Grandma"

and tell her you're a friend of mine if you place an order.

Updates

After listening to everyone's advice and weighing all the options, I chose the Nikon D3100. I liked that Nikon was reported to be more user friendly than Canon. I absolutely need user friendly. I also didn't want to spend too little or too much. Something middle of the road was my thinking. This one fit the bill. And I found a pre-Black Friday sale with a magnificent price so I jumped on it. Amaz0n will be shipping it soon. Then I'll just have to figure out how to use it. My brother has promised some lessons.

Laurie asked in the comment section about what luggage I ended up buying. A lot of folks both here and on Rumor Queen were singing the praises of rolling duffels. So that's what I got. The link to my LL Bean large duffel is here. Of course, I chose the pink print fabric. ;) I used it for my Florida vacation and I really liked it. You can fit a ton of stuff inside and it's still pretty lightweight. My only complaint is that it doesn't stand up on it's own. Which is annoying. But not that big of a deal. Especially since it'll be my check in bag. So it's not like I'll be lugging it all over the airport.

Carol - if you're still out there... I might take you up on your offer to borrow yours though. My sister will need something to pack her clothes in. But I still have plenty of time to figure it out. :)

For those of you praying for Christian, the 16 yr old son of a fellow officer who was struck by a car, he's hanging in there. He's had some surgery to start repairing the broken parts of his body. The day after his accident, we heard he had a "severe brain injury" which was very concerning and didn't sound optimistic. But a couple days later it was reported that his neurosurgeon was "impressed" with his progress. We're still not really sure what that means. But just the fact that he's fighting is good news at this point. So thank you for the prayers. They're being heard.

Which Camera?

I mentioned in an earlier post that I really need a better camera. My sucky point and shoot can barely catch a good shot of a stationary object...let alone a hyperspeed baby. So it's time I upgrade to a DSLR camera.

And it occurred to me that now is the time to do it. Like right NOW. Black-Friday is just next week. Then there's Cyber-Monday and a gazillion other h0liday sales. If I'm gonna find a good price...it's now.
But I have no idea what I need. I haven't done ANY research. I have no idea what kind to buy. Then I thought... why research? I have a blog! That's what this thing is for, right? I'll just ask the blogosphere. LOL! So here's where I need all the mamarazzi out there to guide me. And you guys, too. I'm open to suggestions from anyone. :)

I want something pretty easy to operate. I don't need a lot of bells and whistles that I don't understand. Remember, I'm a beginner. But it also has to be something that'll grow with me as I learn to use it properly.

I'd love to take beautiful photos a la Lisa or the uber talented Kitchu .....but I'm not that optimistic. I'm very technologically challenged. No, I mean VERY. Gadgets are just not my thing. However I do consider myself pretty artistic. So I'm hoping with some practice I'll get the hang of it and capture some really great moments with my little girl.

I just wish I'd started the practice sooner. But I still have 2-3 months before referral (or more. Who am I kidding ....we ARE talking China adoption, right?) and then those 6-8 weeks before travel. I'm hoping I can maybe take a photography class or something during that time.

So help me out all you experienced-with-the-camera-people. What do you suggest?

Miserable Day

It's been raining all afternoon. Dark and gray and gloomy. With just enough chill in the air to make you wanna curl up in your pajamas. It seems fitting for my heavy heart. Our police department has been hit pretty hard over the last few days and the mood at work is somber, to say the least.

Last night I went to a viewing for a young man named Eric who was killed in a motorcycle accident on Friday. His father and uncle are fellow detectives. Both veterans of our department. Eric grew up as a member of our police family. He was only 24.

I stood in line for nearly 2 hours to pay my respects. It was comforting to see so much support for the family. But it was heart breaking to see a mother and father grieving the loss of their oldest child. Absolutely heart breaking.

Then this morning when I got to work I learned another officer's 16 yr old son was struck by a car last night as he walked along the highway. He was air lifted from the scene and is now in ICU in critical condition. His injuries are massive. By this afternoon the news was not good. But we're praying.

If you're so inclined, maybe you could say a few as well. His name is Christian.

Two of my friends. One learning to live without his son. One facing a very long road of recovery for his son....or worse. Two tragic events within a matter of days of each other. Doesn't even seem real.

Hugs your kids a little tighter tonight. And be grateful that you can.

53 down

Thanks for all the advice about how to handle the sleeping thing. It's a lot to think about. Hearing your stories helped immensely. The biggest take away is to let my daughter guide me. I'll do whatever works best for her. Because no matter what... we both need good sleep. Stay tuned. I'm sure they'll be another over analyzing freak out coming soon. :)

Co-sleeping... yes or no?

Alright y'all. Here's the deal. I know you're out there cuz I can see ya on my sitemeter ....but very few are speaking up. I'm not a comment whore. Normally I could give a shit less. But like I said..... I'm only 21 days of LID's away from a referral. That could translate to me becoming a mom in just a few short months!!! Albeit a long distance mom at first... but still a mom. And I'm freakin' the bleep out!!!!

Seriously though. I need help. I need advice, opinions. I need the wisdom of all the been there done that moms out there. So I'm asking you to weigh in. Please. My brain is about to explode from all this over analyzing.

Today's topic... co-sleeping.

I've been thinking a lot about this lately. A LOT. There's a thread on RQ that started my mind a'spinning. Now I know this is one of those issues that people have strong opinions about. Some agree that it's a great idea... and some don't. So please no flaming. Everyone's decision is right if it works for your family. And I need to hear all perspectives so I can make an informed decision about how I'm going to do this sleeping thing.

Way way way back in early 2006, when I first started this adoption, I definitely planned to put Mia in a crib in her own room. That's what you do with babies, right? Plus I'm a selfish sleeper. I want my space in bed. I wanna be comfortable. And I made that beautiful room for her, ya know. So naturally I would prefer her in it.

But.... now I'm not so sure. I'm leaning the other way.

Everything I'm reading right now seems to be promoting the benefits of co-sleeping for attachment, especially in children who started out in orphanage care. And I wanna do what's best for my daughter. At all costs. I've already let go of all the selfish notions I've carried around all these years of being a single, carefree woman. My daughter comes first. I come second.

But as usual I'm overthinking it all. I'm trying to imagine how it would work. Like the true logistics of it and how I would practice it in my own life. So tell me peeps... how does this work for you? Do you co-sleep? Or not?

With co-sleeping....do you put her in bed with you? Or on a mattress in your room? Or just pull the crib up to the side of your bed?

Do you go to sleep when she does? But babies go to sleep REALLY early, right? So do you wait for her to fall asleep and then get up to do chores, have some "alone" time, watch TV, etc? Or do you just go to bed at like 8 o'clock at night?

How does your morning routine work? Does she wake up when your alarm goes off if she's in bed with you? Or can you get up and get ready for work while she stays asleep awhile longer?

Am I sentencing myself to a lifetime of having her in bed with me if I start this? How do you ever get them into their own bed? In their own room? Uhmmm.... intimacy? I know I'm single but a girl still has needs. Does co-sleeping mean I'll never get laid again? Ever? LOL! Yeah yeah, I know. Single mom = probably not much anyway.

I know my situation is unique and not like yours. I know you can't give me an instruction manual. But I'd like to hear how you do the co-sleeping thing, how it works for you. Or if you don't do it and how that works for you. If you're not comfortable sharing in the comments section, feel free to e-mail me. My link is on the sidebar.

Thanks so much, guys. I'm looking forward to hearing your perspectives as I work through these things and make decisions about how to best raise my daughter. Sigh... my daughter. I like the sound of that. :)

Let's Catch Up Bullet Style

• As has become a tradition, I went trick-or-treating with the T's. Braeden joined us again this year. The two oldest T's aren't too big to go begging for candy but are apparently way too cool to do it with their parents and younger siblings. So they're not pictured since I didn't see Travis at all that night and only saw Tanner for about 5 minutes. Teagan was supposed to be a race car driver but at the last minute abandoned his costume in favor of the one he wore last year. Tatum is some sort of medieval queen. At least that's our best guess. She picked it out. The other two need no explanation. It was a fun night made even better by the beautiful weather. And it's so very exciting to know that next year Mia will finally be here to join us!

• I finally got my furnace fixed. In true procrastinator form I didn't take care of it over the summer. Even though I knew during those last couple of cold spring days that the pilot light wouldn't stay lit. Nope. I waited until it started getting chilly again. So that was a huge pain in the ass. But after some trial and error the problem was diagnosed and corrected. Now I breathe a huge sigh of relief every time I hear that old monster start rumbling and then feel the glorious heat. Thank goodness that's done.

• I also just bought a new washer/dryer. The old dryer finally kicked the bucket. But I got my money's worth out of it. I bought that set from an ex-boyfriend in 1996. So it was already "used" at that point and lasted 14 more years. But O>M>G am I loving doing laundry now! Seriously. My clothes are cleaner than ever before. And in way less time. Who knew laundry could be so exciting? Dear gawd... I need to get out more. LOL!

• Random thought... is it really almost Thanksgiving? How is that even possible?

• At work the other day a female suspect in one of my cases was upset and complaining that the arresting officer had violated her "prostitutional rights". And no she's not a hooker. Just stupid, apparently.

• Anybody watching Dancing with the Stars? I can't believe Jennifer-Grey is 50 yrs old. She looks damn good. Did you see how far she extended her leg last night? Wow. Truth be told.. I have a major crush on Maks. That's my excuse for watching.

• I'm currently reading this book. So far I'm really liking it. I think it'll be one that I come back to from time to time for advice. I read "Attaching in Adoption" by Deborah Gray which is one of the often recommended books in IA. I didn't dig it. I didn't feel any more educated after reading it than I already was just through other blogs and RQ all these years. Plus it seemed geared more towards older child adoption and foster child adoption. Any favorite adoption/attachment/parenting books y'all want to recommend? I'm power studying in these last few months before referral.

• Speaking of referrals, CCAA has matched through May 23rd. Which means I'm only 21 log in dates away. 21! That's not a lot. The next batch will be telling. How far they get and when the batch comes will help me narrow my prediction window better. I'm still thinking January is possible. Probable even. But it could push into February. Hopefully not March... but again it could definitely happen. Who ever knows with China? But one thing is for sure... I'm getting very close.

Next Halloween....

Last October I saw this costume in a catalog. I knew it HAD to be The One for Mia's first trick-or-treat. But I hesitated in buying it. First, because I wasn't really sure when she'd be home or how old she'd be when her first Halloween rolled around. Second, because everywhere I looked it was priced between $40-$60. That's a lot of money. Especially when taking a risk that I'd choose the wrong size and she'd not be able to wear it.But after Halloween I saw it on sale! For only $17.99 with free shipping. I did some calculations and took a guess that the 12-18 mth size would probably fit. For less than $20 I was willing to take the chance. And with the most likely scenario now being that I'll get a referral just after the first of the year and travel to bring her home in the spring, I'm confident I guessed right.

So next year.... Mia will be an adorable little top hat wearing penguin as she finally gets to go trick-or-treating with her cousins for the very first time. Which will be a dream a long time coming. And I'm so looking forward to it.

New Curtains

For anyone who pays attention to my decorating projects, you may have noticed a couple posts ago that I had different curtains in the living room. While I did like the original project, I had grown tired of them. So I asked my mom to make another set. That way I can switch them out from time to time.
This is the original set. I was really a little sad that I wasn't in love with them anymore since I hand beaded that valance...which was a nightmare. Oh well. You live and learn.
Here are the new ones. I luv luv luv them! Two totally different looks to suit my different moods. Thanks again for your sewing skills, mom.

The Ugly Side of a Country I Have Come To Love

A woman was taken from her home by government officials. Her crime? According to the officials, she had violated the one child policy imposed by her government. She already had a 9 year old daughter. But this woman was from the countryside, where families are allowed to have a second child if the firstborn is a daughter. However, her husband is from the city where the policy is enforced. So there was some confusion about which part of the policy should apply to their situation. Instead of being offered an alternate solution, such as paying a fine, she received a much harsher punishment. A forced abortion. She was 8 months pregnant.

This cruel and inhumane practice still takes place in modern day China. In fact, this family's ordeal just happened about a week ago. This is one of the many reasons I chose to adopt a baby girl from this country. So that I can raise her as a strong, empowered, valued woman who has the freedom to make her own choices.

Watch the video below of the father being interviewed by a journalist about the incident. There is no freedom of speech in his country. Speaking out could come at great consequence to him. But I applaud his bravery. So I chose to allow his voice to be heard here in my little space of the cyberworld. I pray this violent practice of dragging women from their homes and forcing them into abortions or sterilization stops. There has to be a better solution.

Read a news article about this family here.

Learn more about China's One Child Policy here.


And always remember to be grateful for your freedom.

The Dining Room

In preparation for Mia's arrival and the lack of time, energy and money that will surely follow, I've been trying to get as many little projects done around the house as I possibly can. I'm pleased to report that I'm finally officially finished with the dining room. From floor to ceiling. Complete.
Although I currently don't actually "dine" in there much. Generally only when I have company. I'm a single girl on the go. My meals at home are almost always eaten in front of the TV. That practice will have to stop when I go from being just me to a family of two.
I recently added this bookcase. It and the baskets were white but I wasn't satisfied with that so they became black. The baskets are gonna be an attempt to keep Mia's toys under control. I have a small house so a lot of her toys will end up downstairs.
Above I added a stemware rack. Toys and cocktails. A solution for both Mia and mommy. LOL!
Some pretty little decor items. The "G" is for our last name. I really like the shape of the 3 tiered serving tower. I'm not sure if I should leave it be or put something on it for decoration. Any ideas? Thoughts?
My old computer armoire was evicted from what used to be my office as that room transitions back into a spare bedroom. The armoire ended up here. I like the mix of black and pine furniture together in the room.
I adore my china cabinet. It's gargantuan. But somehow it still works, I think. I love all the pretty dishes it displays.
So remember the small house issue? This is the only place in the entire house that I could fit a play kitchen. It works here because I'll be able to sit in the living room and do my own thing but still supervise and be close to her.
Plus..I mean LOOK at it. How could I not get this fabulous PINK retro kitchen for my baby girl?! Her chair will move into the living room when she comes home. But for now remains shoved in the corner to keep me from tripping over it.
So there ya have it. More projects to follow. The clock is ticking and momma has more work to do. Oh and one other thing I've discovered. I need a better camera. My little point and shoot sucks. Wonder if I have enough time to learn how to operate one of those fancy DSLR cameras?