Goodbye 2007..... bring on 2008! I hope everyone has a safe and happy new year!
Monday, December 31, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
Christmas Craziness
I must confess that I didn't even decorate this year. Not even a tree. Which is unheard of. I am normally the Queen of Christmas. But I finally had to accept the fact that I'm probably only halfway through my wait for Mia. And the realization that I was going to still be without her through another holiday season AFTER this one just ran me over like a bulldozer. I don't think I've ever experienced a depression as bad as this one was. But I'm feeling better. I'm working on digging myself out of it. And very much looking forward to starting fresh in the new year.
Since I was pretty down in the dumps this holiday season, Griffey and I decided to spend the night at my sister's house on Christmas Eve to try to take my mind off things. It helped. My niece and nephews always crack me up. They drive me a little crazy sometimes. But they always brighten my spirit. People fighting over who gets to sit next to me at dinner does wonders for my self esteem. LOL!
After a nice dinner, we put on our matching pj's. With penguins, of course. Here are some of the attempts at a picture with not only 4 squirmy kids but 2 dogs who insisted on getting in on the action.
After about a hundred takes, we ended up with a few that weren't so bad. Isn't it cute the way Travis slung his arm around my neck? He's my little boyfriend. It's good to know there's at least one man in the world who adores me. LOL!
We also tried some with only kids. I think this is the best of the bunch.
But this is my favorite. It depicts the T's in their truest form. Slightly off balance. I love that look on Tanner's face. Like he's so grossed out that his little sister has her arm around him and his little brothers are leaning on him. Ahhh..... sibling love.
After the jammie photo shoot, we settled in to watch our favorite Christmas movie, The Polar Express. I love that one. In true procrastinator fashion, none of the presents were wrapped. Wait now. MINE were.... but the T's parents had not even started. So Carla snuck upstairs to wrap while I kept the little ones busy with the movie. Then it was time for bed. We tried to be all festive and read a couple of holiday bedtime stories. I narrated Twas the Night Before Christmas. But I think it was pretty much lost on these guys who were totally wound up and not happy about going to bed. Finally, they were all tucked in and the wrapping was done. Then I set up Tatum's dollhouse. Here's the finished product.
On Christmas morning, the adults were all up before the kids. They're late sleepers. It runs in the family. Even Grandma made it over and sat down enjoying her coffee while we waited for some movement from upstairs. Tatum was the first one up and snuck downstairs. She made it around the corner before anyone even knew she was there. So I gathered her up on my lap and made her close her eyes so her parents could grab the camera and get the video recorder rolling.
The dollhouse was a huge hit. She loved it! Mommy and auntie even played with it for awhile later that morning. It's pretty sweet. Finally, all the boys got up and the mayhem began. So now I'll subject you to loads of present opening pics.
Tanner was psyched to finally get a Guitar*Hero video game of his own.
A little while later, my brother and his girlfriend showed up. Braeden opened his present. It was a kick ass Tonk*a front end loader.
But look what the boys chose to play with instead. Yep. They were both lovin' the dollhouse. Forget the Hot*Wheels cars, the Tonk*a trucks, and the Fisher*Price parking garage. They wanted to play with the dolls. It was hilarious! My brother and bro-in-law cringed a little over that. I don't think playing with dolls as a boy will affect their macho manly man- ness. 
After all the presents, we had a big country breakfast. It was delish and we were all stuffed. Travis & Kristy had to leave and go to her family's celebration. The rest of us just hung out. I didn't even get outta my jammies until mid-afternoon. The kids stayed in their's all day. They played with all their new toys. The adults played some, too. Grandma took a nap on the couch and all the T's giggled over how loud she snored. LOL! We made some more munchie food in the afternoon. My bro-in-law got the Bourne*Ultimatum DVD for Christmas. He was shocked to find out that I hadn't seen the first two movies yet. So we had a Bourne movie marathon.
Since I was pretty down in the dumps this holiday season, Griffey and I decided to spend the night at my sister's house on Christmas Eve to try to take my mind off things. It helped. My niece and nephews always crack me up. They drive me a little crazy sometimes. But they always brighten my spirit. People fighting over who gets to sit next to me at dinner does wonders for my self esteem. LOL!
After a nice dinner, we put on our matching pj's. With penguins, of course. Here are some of the attempts at a picture with not only 4 squirmy kids but 2 dogs who insisted on getting in on the action. After about a hundred takes, we ended up with a few that weren't so bad. Isn't it cute the way Travis slung his arm around my neck? He's my little boyfriend. It's good to know there's at least one man in the world who adores me. LOL!
We also tried some with only kids. I think this is the best of the bunch.But this is my favorite. It depicts the T's in their truest form. Slightly off balance. I love that look on Tanner's face. Like he's so grossed out that his little sister has her arm around him and his little brothers are leaning on him. Ahhh..... sibling love.
After the jammie photo shoot, we settled in to watch our favorite Christmas movie, The Polar Express. I love that one. In true procrastinator fashion, none of the presents were wrapped. Wait now. MINE were.... but the T's parents had not even started. So Carla snuck upstairs to wrap while I kept the little ones busy with the movie. Then it was time for bed. We tried to be all festive and read a couple of holiday bedtime stories. I narrated Twas the Night Before Christmas. But I think it was pretty much lost on these guys who were totally wound up and not happy about going to bed. Finally, they were all tucked in and the wrapping was done. Then I set up Tatum's dollhouse. Here's the finished product.
On Christmas morning, the adults were all up before the kids. They're late sleepers. It runs in the family. Even Grandma made it over and sat down enjoying her coffee while we waited for some movement from upstairs. Tatum was the first one up and snuck downstairs. She made it around the corner before anyone even knew she was there. So I gathered her up on my lap and made her close her eyes so her parents could grab the camera and get the video recorder rolling.
The dollhouse was a huge hit. She loved it! Mommy and auntie even played with it for awhile later that morning. It's pretty sweet. Finally, all the boys got up and the mayhem began. So now I'll subject you to loads of present opening pics.
Tanner was psyched to finally get a Guitar*Hero video game of his own.
A little while later, my brother and his girlfriend showed up. Braeden opened his present. It was a kick ass Tonk*a front end loader.But look what the boys chose to play with instead. Yep. They were both lovin' the dollhouse. Forget the Hot*Wheels cars, the Tonk*a trucks, and the Fisher*Price parking garage. They wanted to play with the dolls. It was hilarious! My brother and bro-in-law cringed a little over that. I don't think playing with dolls as a boy will affect their macho manly man- ness. 
After all the presents, we had a big country breakfast. It was delish and we were all stuffed. Travis & Kristy had to leave and go to her family's celebration. The rest of us just hung out. I didn't even get outta my jammies until mid-afternoon. The kids stayed in their's all day. They played with all their new toys. The adults played some, too. Grandma took a nap on the couch and all the T's giggled over how loud she snored. LOL! We made some more munchie food in the afternoon. My bro-in-law got the Bourne*Ultimatum DVD for Christmas. He was shocked to find out that I hadn't seen the first two movies yet. So we had a Bourne movie marathon. It really was a great day. No running around. No stress. Lots of lazy relaxing, lots of laughs, lots of good food, and hanging out with some of my most favorite people. It totally helped perk me up. I wish every weekend could be like that one.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Cookie Making
I survived Christmas. Thanks for the kind words in the midst of my struggle. I'll post about the day tomorrow. Today is a re-cap of Operation Christmas Cookie '07. This year cookie making had to be split into a two day project. We got a late start to the baking and Carla had to work that night. So the frosting and decorating part happened a couple days later. As always the kids had a blast. But I think more frosting went into their mouths than on the cookies.
(Oh, while I'm thinking of it. Click here to hop over to my sister's blog. She did a really sweet post for Tatum's birthday including lots of pics of her as a baby. Check it out if you're so inclined. It's worth seeing.)
Notice that Tanner has decided he's far too cool this year to be seen in the apron.
Everyone got to roll out their own dough and cut their own cookies.
Even the little guy. But notice the adult supervision hovering behind him. LOL!
This random shot was taken while the cookies were in the oven. It's to document one of the few times in history when all four T's were sitting together quietly. They made this decision on their own with no prompting from the adults. Notice there is no crying, no one in a head lock, no bloodshed. Of course, they were distracted by whatever was on TV. But normally even the TV is not enough to subdue the mayhem. Absolutely amazing. A rare moment in this household to say the least.
Day Two of O.C.C. '07 involved the final (and some say best) phase of the project....the decorating.
Although someone couldn't understand the concept of putting it on the cookie and not in your mouth.
This is the "Huh? What are you talking about?" look. Nice try. But we can see the rainbow of frosting colors on your cheeks.
Now this cookie is very special. Tatum is very creative. And so is her imagination. I was being silly and commenting on how abstract her design was. I asked her what the blue represented. And that's when the following story unfolded. Pay attention now. This is a true story as told by TatumMonday, December 24, 2007
Merry Christmas
This is the second holiday season spent without my daughter. But more depressing is there will most likely be yet another after this one. It's difficult for others to understand how it's possible to miss a child so much... who only exists in your heart. The holidays are rough for those of us still waiting. Especially those whose homes are quiet on Christmas morning. To distract myself a little, I'll be spending the night at my sister's house. It'll be nice to wake up with the kids and watch them open their presents.
But I'll still think about my Mia. As I do every day. And I'll dream about the Christmas morning when my house won't be quiet anymore.
This song was written by a member of the band Third Day while he was waiting to bring his own daughter home from China. This video of his family and their trip to China is shown at concerts during the song. I'm borrowing it as my message to my daughter.
I can't wait until the day that I can finally hold you in my arms. Until then... I'll keep carrying you in my heart. I love you, Mia. Merry Christmas from Mommy.
And Merry Christmas to all of you out there.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Secret Pal Revealed
It's been a long 18 months for our June Bugs DTC Group. For those not in the adoption world, I'll quickly explain what that group is. It's an internet message board made up of people from all over the world who've all sent their Dossiers To China in June 2006. While we're waiting for our referrals we chat on this message board, share stories, support each other, have gift exchanges and other stuff. It's a fun way to pass the time. And it's a great way to get to know other people who I might ultimately end up meeting in China since some will get referrals around the same time.
I signed up to be part of the Secret Pal exchange. Basically that means I have two Secret Pals. One who sends me a gift once a month and one who I send a gift to. We've decided to end the exchange because, quite frankly, 18 months is a long time. I think a lot of us have lost our steam. In the beginning, we were all so excited about our adoptions. But the wait has become difficult. None of us expected it to take this long. The exchange was becoming more of a chore trying to come up with new gift ideas every month. And for me, the last few months have been bittersweet. I really looked forward to the gift but it was also another monthly reminder of just how far off we still are from our babies. So this month we revealed our identities. (I'll reveal the SP I send to once I know she's gotten her last gift from me.)
I never knew for sure who my pal was all this time. At one point, I thought I knew who it was but then decided I was probably wrong. But I was right! My Secret Pal is Drea from Canada! She also has a blog named And Mia Makes 3! Not only are we both adopting from China at around the same time but she's also chosen to name her daughter Mia. I think that's cool.
Drea, I've truly enjoyed your thoughtfulness. My favorite gifts from you were the personalized ones. I love seeing my daughter's name on things. That was always so much fun. You really took the time to get to know me (through reading my blog) which helped you come up with ideas suited for me. You even included Griffey several times. I cherish all of the things you sent. I can't wait to explain to Mia when she gets older how much fun this was. I appreciate the time you took to make each month special during this crazy wait. Maybe someday we'll actually meet.
Here's my last Secret Pal gift. I love the little Asian family dolls. They're adorable. The hat and mittens will come in handy in these cold Ohio winters. Of course, the pen is perfect. You can never go wrong with a penguin. But I was stumped on the two spotted things. I've never seen anything like it. I saw the name on the side of the tag and had to go to the website to figure it out. For anyone else who can't figure it out either, they're fleece baby legwarmers. They snap on over their pants to cover that gap at the ankle you get when you carry them. What a cool idea. Those will get some use during our winters, too.
Thanks again Drea for everything you've done to make this wait a little more bearable! You're the best.
I signed up to be part of the Secret Pal exchange. Basically that means I have two Secret Pals. One who sends me a gift once a month and one who I send a gift to. We've decided to end the exchange because, quite frankly, 18 months is a long time. I think a lot of us have lost our steam. In the beginning, we were all so excited about our adoptions. But the wait has become difficult. None of us expected it to take this long. The exchange was becoming more of a chore trying to come up with new gift ideas every month. And for me, the last few months have been bittersweet. I really looked forward to the gift but it was also another monthly reminder of just how far off we still are from our babies. So this month we revealed our identities. (I'll reveal the SP I send to once I know she's gotten her last gift from me.)
I never knew for sure who my pal was all this time. At one point, I thought I knew who it was but then decided I was probably wrong. But I was right! My Secret Pal is Drea from Canada! She also has a blog named And Mia Makes 3! Not only are we both adopting from China at around the same time but she's also chosen to name her daughter Mia. I think that's cool.
Drea, I've truly enjoyed your thoughtfulness. My favorite gifts from you were the personalized ones. I love seeing my daughter's name on things. That was always so much fun. You really took the time to get to know me (through reading my blog) which helped you come up with ideas suited for me. You even included Griffey several times. I cherish all of the things you sent. I can't wait to explain to Mia when she gets older how much fun this was. I appreciate the time you took to make each month special during this crazy wait. Maybe someday we'll actually meet.
Here's my last Secret Pal gift. I love the little Asian family dolls. They're adorable. The hat and mittens will come in handy in these cold Ohio winters. Of course, the pen is perfect. You can never go wrong with a penguin. But I was stumped on the two spotted things. I've never seen anything like it. I saw the name on the side of the tag and had to go to the website to figure it out. For anyone else who can't figure it out either, they're fleece baby legwarmers. They snap on over their pants to cover that gap at the ankle you get when you carry them. What a cool idea. Those will get some use during our winters, too.
Thanks again Drea for everything you've done to make this wait a little more bearable! You're the best.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Diva For A Day
Whoever named this salon package doesn't know Tatum. Cuz she's a diva every day. But yesterday she was the ultimate supreme diva, I guess. Her 5th birthday is tomorrow. So to celebrate, she was promised a Girl's Day Out in which to get pampered and be the center of attention. For once, she didn't have to share the spotlight with her 3 brothers. Tatum's mom, her grandma and her most favorite aunt in the whole world (that's me) took her to this place. (I could just scream for not thinking of this multi-million dollar franchise opportunity myself. I mean the idea is so obvious to anyone who's ever had or been a little girl.)
She got the royal treatment. They propped her up on pillows, wrapped her in a luxurious robe to keep her warm and let her tootsies soak. She told me the machine "was shaking her feet" which loosely translates to mean "vibrating". The big girls had made a coffee run for themselves. Since 5 yr olds generate enough energy to not need caffeine, she got to enjoy a hot cocoa.
Ahhh... doesn't that pic just scream relaxation?
Then she got her toes filed, buffed and polished. They even lotioned and massaged her calves just like a big girl pedicure. Next was her manicure. Notice the tiara? She finally decided against the ear piercing after being warned it'd hurt a little. Maybe in a few more years she'll change her mind. But we're in no rush to see her grow up.
She'll kill me for this pic someday but we were about to pee our pants over this look. She was so warm and relaxed with all the pampering that when the girl started messing with her hair it was all she could do not to fall asleep. That's her arm just hanging limp off the side of the chair. She was in a Hannah*Montana induced coma, mouth gaping open, eyes glazed over, staring at the TV.
I love this pic. It's the moment that she finally got spun around in the chair to check out the finished product. She was lovin' herself. But seriously... is she not just absolutely stinkin' adorable?
Drag queens everywhere are gonna be so jealous of this purple, sparkly, glittered, feather tiara ensemble. Check out the eyeshadow.
Just as we were ready to leave, she decided she had to walk the runway a few times. Rupaul would've been so proud if he-she could've been there to see it. Work it, girl! All the pampering and glitter just proved the theory that all little girls (even tomboys who live with 3 brothers) deep down just want to be a supermodel diva. If only for a day.
It really was a lot of fun. The whole day was a good one. After the big makeover, we went out to lunch. Just us girls. That was nice. Then later that evening we all met back at my sister's house for pizza, cake and ice cream. Uncle Travis and Braeden even joined us. Unfortunately, Kristy was working and couldn't be there.
Here's the birthday girl about to blow out the candles on her cake. I wonder what she's wishing for.
Notice the stuffed penguin and shark laying on the table in the above pic? They belong to Travis, who insisted I snap a pic of him, too. Tanner is the only one I didn't get a pic of. He's coming into this obnoxious "I'm almost 11. I'm a tween now. And I'm way too cool for all that." phase. It's becoming rather annoying. Can't wait for the actual teen years if the tweens are this much fun.
This is the bracelet I had made for Tatum's birthday present. It has a ladybug charm hanging off the bottom. Another great E*Bay find.
The only non-family member in attendance at the birthday party was my friend's daughter, Mia. I decided to give her momma a break so she could do some cleaning, packing and other last minute stuff before the long drive home today to visit her family at Christmas. (Hey..us single mom's gotta take care of each other. LOL!)
This was just too cute. Teagan and Mia both have a mutual adoration of Dora. Here they are intently working on some Dora dominoes that Tatum got as a b-day present. Don't they make a good couple? And yes that equals 3 two year olds in one room at the same time. In addition to the 3 older ones, it was a bit chaotic. But a fun time nonetheless.
This afternoon, I'm going back over to the T's house for our annual xmas cookie making extravaganza. I might have to bring some tequila with me. Kidding, people! I'm sure it'll be fun. Even without the tequila.
PS. The ladies I mentioned in this post are both doing better. Lori is home and recovering. Turns out she didn't have an aneurysm (which is an artery bursting) but instead had a vessel burst which caused the brain bleed. Apparently, not nearly as bad. So her prognosis is very good. Shana has made improvements also. She's breathing 60% on her own so they are expecting to take her off the ventilator soon. We're hoping that this is a good sign that she's moving in the right direction. Thanks for the prayers.
She got the royal treatment. They propped her up on pillows, wrapped her in a luxurious robe to keep her warm and let her tootsies soak. She told me the machine "was shaking her feet" which loosely translates to mean "vibrating". The big girls had made a coffee run for themselves. Since 5 yr olds generate enough energy to not need caffeine, she got to enjoy a hot cocoa.Ahhh... doesn't that pic just scream relaxation?
Then she got her toes filed, buffed and polished. They even lotioned and massaged her calves just like a big girl pedicure. Next was her manicure. Notice the tiara? She finally decided against the ear piercing after being warned it'd hurt a little. Maybe in a few more years she'll change her mind. But we're in no rush to see her grow up.
She'll kill me for this pic someday but we were about to pee our pants over this look. She was so warm and relaxed with all the pampering that when the girl started messing with her hair it was all she could do not to fall asleep. That's her arm just hanging limp off the side of the chair. She was in a Hannah*Montana induced coma, mouth gaping open, eyes glazed over, staring at the TV.
I love this pic. It's the moment that she finally got spun around in the chair to check out the finished product. She was lovin' herself. But seriously... is she not just absolutely stinkin' adorable?
Drag queens everywhere are gonna be so jealous of this purple, sparkly, glittered, feather tiara ensemble. Check out the eyeshadow.
Just as we were ready to leave, she decided she had to walk the runway a few times. Rupaul would've been so proud if he-she could've been there to see it. Work it, girl! All the pampering and glitter just proved the theory that all little girls (even tomboys who live with 3 brothers) deep down just want to be a supermodel diva. If only for a day.
It really was a lot of fun. The whole day was a good one. After the big makeover, we went out to lunch. Just us girls. That was nice. Then later that evening we all met back at my sister's house for pizza, cake and ice cream. Uncle Travis and Braeden even joined us. Unfortunately, Kristy was working and couldn't be there.Here's the birthday girl about to blow out the candles on her cake. I wonder what she's wishing for.
Notice the stuffed penguin and shark laying on the table in the above pic? They belong to Travis, who insisted I snap a pic of him, too. Tanner is the only one I didn't get a pic of. He's coming into this obnoxious "I'm almost 11. I'm a tween now. And I'm way too cool for all that." phase. It's becoming rather annoying. Can't wait for the actual teen years if the tweens are this much fun.
This is the bracelet I had made for Tatum's birthday present. It has a ladybug charm hanging off the bottom. Another great E*Bay find.The only non-family member in attendance at the birthday party was my friend's daughter, Mia. I decided to give her momma a break so she could do some cleaning, packing and other last minute stuff before the long drive home today to visit her family at Christmas. (Hey..us single mom's gotta take care of each other. LOL!)This was just too cute. Teagan and Mia both have a mutual adoration of Dora. Here they are intently working on some Dora dominoes that Tatum got as a b-day present. Don't they make a good couple? And yes that equals 3 two year olds in one room at the same time. In addition to the 3 older ones, it was a bit chaotic. But a fun time nonetheless.
This afternoon, I'm going back over to the T's house for our annual xmas cookie making extravaganza. I might have to bring some tequila with me. Kidding, people! I'm sure it'll be fun. Even without the tequila.PS. The ladies I mentioned in this post are both doing better. Lori is home and recovering. Turns out she didn't have an aneurysm (which is an artery bursting) but instead had a vessel burst which caused the brain bleed. Apparently, not nearly as bad. So her prognosis is very good. Shana has made improvements also. She's breathing 60% on her own so they are expecting to take her off the ventilator soon. We're hoping that this is a good sign that she's moving in the right direction. Thanks for the prayers.
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