Sunday, March 28, 2010

Family Advocate



While we were in North Carolina we were able to meet up one night for dinner with Katrina who was our family advocate when we first started the process of adopting Rebecca. She's no longer with the agency we used but we have kept in contact since she left. I can't help but smile when I think of Katrina, she gave Emma her very first sucker the day that Emma & I went to Lexington to turn in our paperwork. The friendship just built from there and she's also the same sweetie who sent Emma all the lovely "Fancy Nancy" duds that have gotten much use with our little girls. So thankful for such sweet friendships!

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Understanding The Question

For the most part, our living room is off limits to the short people in the house. Therefore it's the only room in the house that stays organized, picked up, clean .... all those things I desire for the whole house. With all that said, I realized today that when Rebecca asked me something that I didn't quite understand that I probably should not have answered with a "yes" because this is what I found. The little dumpling cracks me up!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Heart Of The Matter



Little Miss Rebecca had her yearly heart check up today. She was all excited, tickled to see the doctor, giggled while they attached the electrodes for her EKG ... and flashing her beautiful smile for everyone. Just quite the little trooper. All was well until they hooked up a heart monitor and told her she could not mess with it and had to wear it for an entire day. She went from smiling to somber in about 2.3 seconds.

As soon as the nurse walked out of the room I looked at my sweet little Bex and big ol' crocodile tears welled in her precious little eyes and my heart broke right there on the spot. My girls are just not criers. Whining maybe. Fussy maybe. Only at times though, but not criers. I sat her on my lap and just held her and assured her it would be okay. By this time the welled up tears were coming out along with sobs. Bless her itty bitty bones. She loves her 'choco-lee' as she calls it so we drove to the closest place I could find and bought my baby girl some 'choco-lee'. And in hallmark Rebecca style she didn't just want some for herself, she picked out some for her teacher and for her friends at school - she was loading up. That's my baby. Just like her mama, chocolate fixes everything!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Quote Of The Day

"People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and
will lose both.”

Benjamin Franklin

How appropriate for these times.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

For Today



Outside my window: It's dark and rainy, very nice weekend until late today. Hear that my family & friends in Oklahoma have had a weird spring snow - hopefully it's not headed out this way.

I Am Thinking: Vacation. Planning a vacation. I used to love planning our vacations, but last year ended up putting it off and then completely winging it. We had such a good time that I'm thinking maybe that's the new way of doing it instead of all this pre-planning stuff! We've decided on North Carolina this summer, somewhere in the Outer Banks and then maybe a few days in Virginia. We should be able to mark off two more state Capitols for the goose.

I Am Thankful For: For the Easter season and all that it represents for us. A God who loves us so much that he would send his one and only Son to die for each and everyone of us. I think I've shared this before, but even though I was a born again believer, had been baptized, regularly attended church ... it wasn't until Ryan was born that I even had a clue as to how much He loves us. Sitting in the hospital the day after he was born and holding him up tight, I was overtaken with emotion of how much I loved the little guy. It hit me, that the love I felt for him was just a smidgen of how God loved us and I was just completely overwhelmed. I had just never gotten it before that. The funny part of that though is that the nurse came in to see me crying and came back later to talk about postpartum depression ... now that's funny. I was overjoyed/overwhelmed with love - not depressed!

From The Kitchen: The kitchen? Where's that? Haha. That reminds me of a funny thing our pastor in Texas said one time. He said he & his wife were discussing dinner and she said "take me somewhere I've never been before". He said that he took her to their kitchen. LOL. Last week I did make some homemade salsa and guacamole for my coworkers and also made a yummy breakfast casserole. Craving something lemon-y though in a major kind of way.

I Am Wearing: blue shorts, gray t-shirt. So glad that shorts weather is almost upon us!

On the 'Go Organize' Front: Still discouraged on our lack of getting anything done on the rooms upstairs. My sweet hubby assures me it'll get done when the weather warms up. I did get all the carpet & carpet tacks pulled up from the stairs this weekend. My fingers are sore! Loved the 'bare' look and even googled images of painted stairs and was all for that, until the 529,342nd time I heard the clomping of short people and decided maybe that's not such a good idea.

I Am Going: Back to work in less that 12 hours. Why is it weekends pass by so quickly?

I Am Reading: Just finished "The Politician". Really not sure why I read it since we lean way right politically but I couldn't hardly put it down. Goodness, what a story. Getting ready to start and Lisa See book, "Peony in Love".

I Am Hoping: The rooms get finished, soon.

I Am Praying For: Our church. We had a prayer walk in our little community a few weeks ago and then handed out "Find it Here" packets to the same homes we had prayed for. Praying that lives can be touched in our little community.

I Am Hearing: Home Improvement on the tv ... Brian loves that show and I think it's pretty funny too.

Around The House: At attempt at cleaning this weekend, but still have some more laundry to put away and some more cleaning to be done. It really seems to be futile at times. Three you know whats are so much harder to clean up after than one you know what. Not that I don't treasure the little mess makers.

One Of My Favorite Things: Hearing my sweet husband laugh. He's so quiet and pretty reserved but he has the funniest sense of humor and has such a gift of making little things fun/funny. He cracks me up.

A Few Plans For The Rest of The Week: A busy week ahead. Of course, like this week would be any different than our other weeks. Baseball practice starts this week, church for Brian & Ryan on Wednesday. Heart doctor appointment for Bex on Thursday. Ryan gets to be a page for our state representative this week. Gymnastics for the girls on Thursday.

Have a great week everyone!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Happy Referral Day for Miss Emma

Goodness, I can't believe this slipped my mind! Was about to head off to bed for some reading when I checked my email and had a note from a friend reminding our group that today is the anniversary of our referrals.

This marks the 5th year since we received the call about little Miss Emma!

To read the details of that day, click here:

http://hunterhappenings.blogspot.com/2007/03/happy-2-year-anniverary-of-referral-day.html


Who would have ever thought that little chunky monkey would have these dimples and sparkly eyes? Her paperwork was right on the mark though as far as her personality. It said something along the lines of "she shows strong preference" .... mmmhmmm, that's a very nice way of putting it!

The Lord certainly poured out a whole heap of blessings when he had His hand on matching her paperwork with ours. Amazing, she is simply amazing. She's so full of fun and life and absolutely never meets a stranger. We joke that she knows more people's names in our community than we do. Nothing like having a little goodwill ambassador in your family! Brian was telling me that even our pastor mentioned the other day that we should have Emma out as one of the greeters. She just loves people ... and everyone she meets just loves her too!

Thanks Heather for the reminder!!!

Monday, March 15, 2010

For Today



Outside my window: It's dark, but most certainly warmer than it has been lately. Spring has just got to be here soon.

I Am Thinking: About my family in Oklahoma and wishing there was some way I could get back to visit. But, with my new job I will not be able to take any time off until I've been there six months. As much as we love Kentucky, it's really tough sometimes being so far away from family. Back when I was searching for a job I tried to find something in the Norman or OKC area as well as a few things in the Ft Worth area. But, I guess it just wasn't meant to be.

I Am Thankful For: My husband and my kiddos. And my mama. I sure miss her.

From The Kitchen: I made homemade salsa & guacamole last night and took to my coworkers today. They sure are a good group to work with. Tonight I made a breakfast casserole for a luncheon we're having at work tomorrow.

I Am Wearing: black sweats, gray t-shirt. Uber boring, that's me.

On the 'Go Organize' Front: I'm a little discouraged on our lack of getting anything done on the rooms. Hopefully though we can get some things accomplished when it warms up.

I Am Going: To bed soon, I'm tired!

I Am Reading: Just finished a book "If You Lived Here". Great book! Not sure what to start next, I have a huge stack of books to read on my bedside table.

I Am Hoping: The rooms get finished, soon.

I Am Praying For: Little Rebecca, she's such a sweet little soul. For a variety of reasons we are considering holding her back a year. One minute I think it's best since she has a late birthday, it would give her more time to mature, give her extra time to catch up with her peers, etc. But on the other hand, she SO wants to ride the bus to school with Emma and she loves all her little friends. Doing what you think is right is not always easy.

I Am Hearing: The dishwasher. It's impossible for me to cook, even something as easy as a casserole, and not dirty up a bazillion dishes.

Around The House: Taxes done. Ryan has braces now. A freshly vacummed den floor, I won't even go into the details of the MESS the girls made while I was cooking tonight. You would think I would check in on them when they are playing so well together.

One Of My Favorite Things: Hearing the girls playing and chatting with each other, even if they do make a mess when they play together!

A Few Plans For The Rest of The Week: A busy week ahead. A seminar on learning tomorrow night. Church for Brian & Ryan on Wednesday. Gymnastics for the girls on Thursday. Dinner at a fundraise for youth camp on Friday night. "Find it here" packet deliveries on Saturday.

Oh, and on a Praise the Lord note! Ryan's x-rays showed that his spine is fine! Gotta love those answered prayers!!!

Have a great week everyone!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

My Sweet, Sweet Mother-in-Law


Well, if anyone is still checking in you may be wondering where in the world I've been. On February 23rd my dear sweet Mother-In-Law went to her heavenly home and so we were in North Carolina for the rest of that week. For some reason I just haven't been able to blog since then. She was a lovely lady, full of love and laughter and loved, absolutely LOVED praising her Father. In the 18 years I knew her, I can't think of a single time she ever said anything other than sweet and positive things. Every note she sent me was signed with a verse, every conversation had some mention of His name. She just had a wonderful and kind spirit about her and was one of those people that made you feel like you had known her forever. What a wonderful role-model to have.

She found out a year or so after Brian's dad passed away that she had alzheimer's and she fought the good fight with it. But it had gotten the best of her these past few years and she had been unable to speak and really didn't remember names but I know that in her heart she did know her friends and family. It was so comforting to us as we were leaving the retirement home the day before her funeral to have the nurses and staff stop us and tell us what a wonderful lady she was and how even in her decline she kept a smile on her face and was so sweet to everyone.

Rest in peace Mary Anne, I loved you dearly. I can just imagine you singing with the angels in heaven.

Not only was she a prayer warrior, she also served our country in the Marines.