Let The Crazy Begin!

This is the exact time in December when the craziness begins and doesn't stop until the first weekend in January. I know this is that same time for most people. We just have one other challenge that lends itself to the mix: The boys birthday!!!!!!!

Yesterday after we picked the kids up from school we headed to the mall to take the kids to see Santa. Bailey was impressed that Santa thanked him for the letter with the money! He knew it had to be the real Santa for sure then. After that we had dinner and more errands.

Today we will be leaving shortly to go have breakfast at the kids' school. The kids will get to buy their presents for all of us and also have another visit with Santa! When we get home we await two of their friends for some birthday party fun! We are taking 4 boys to Legoland Discovery Centre to celebrate their birthday. They are soooooooooo excited! I will post pictures later this weekend.

Tomorrow we meet up with my sister and niece to get Grandma's Christmas present. The boys having seen their cousin in a while so it should be a blast.

The next week is so jammed packed I can't even put my head around it. Stay tuned for more details of how this week unfolds.

Hope you enjoy the picture!

Dear Santa

Yesterday Bailey was home sick with a sore throat. We were sitting on the couch and he was telling me he really wants a Wii for Christmas. He tells me that is all he wants and that maybe a few things in his stocking. I tell him he will have to tell Santa about it but I think that is a great idea.

Later Matthew is skimming through the Target, Toys R Us and Walmart toy ads for the hundredth time. He is saying he wants this and that and so on. I told him that was a lot to be asking for. I told him that Santa had talked to me and said that things were going to be harder this Christmas. He just looked at me for a moment and went on to tell me all he wanted.

A while later Bailey comes upstairs takes a piece of paper and tells me he is writing a letter to Santa. When he produced it to me asking me how we can send it I almost started to cry. For those of you who can't read Bailey's chicken scratch it says:

"Dear Santa,

I want a Wii and a Wii controller. I know you are running low on money so here is a little money with this card.

From,

Bailey"

He attached $1.50 in a baggie. My little boy is so sweet and caring yet it breaks my heart that he has to be concerned with finances at almost 8.

My bff K says that Bailey has a great investment going on. If he gives Santa $1.50 and he gets a Wii he has made a huge profit. I got a great laugh out of that one and of course Bailey didn't get it (thank goodness). I have told Bailey that we have a few unused games that we will drop off at one of the toy drives to help Santa as well.

I am so blessed to have a boy like Bailey!

Halloween Activities, Visits With Old Friends & Whatever Else I Decide To Post About

Where do I begin? OK lets get Halloween out of the way. We had another great year of Halloween fun. Matthew is already talking about his costume for next year! We went trick-or-treating at the businesses in our town the weekend before Halloween. The kids had a blast and since the weather was fair I didn't complain. We were lucky that Grandma was able to come with us as well.

We were also lucky that Grandma took a half day on Halloween so she got to see the boys in their school parade and then got to go to their class parties. Grandma stayed behind to pass out candy while we went with the S family trick-or-treating. We also had our neighbors with us as well. As always the grown ups were worn out before the kiddos were. We then to keep up family tradition went trick-or-treating at Auntie Kathi's and Uncle Bob's house. We had a yummy dinner there as well.

I mentioned in an earlier post how much I loved Facebook. Today I met up with Natalie (who I met up with before) and another good friend of ours Caty. It was soooo much fun talking to both of them and reminiscing about the things we did. We spent about 3+ hours at the restaurant just gabbing away. I swore I was gonna open those year books because I didn't remember some of the people they were talking about it. We had decided that we will meet up again in December and hopefully we can keep this up.

We have done a lot of church activities as well lately. We had Oktober Fest at church two weeks ago. I have learned that Matthew is very protective of me. We were in the beer tent and the band was playing and some guy pulled me on the dance floor. We are dancing and the guy asks me if I think Dave will have a problem with us dancing. I tell him probably not. Next thing I know Matthew is giving this guy a dirty look and begins dancing between the two of us. He then pulls me away from the guy.

I told Dave about the question the guy asked and he says "Rather him dance than me." and then Matthew says "Mommy, you should have been dancing with Daddy." I told him Daddy didn't want to dance. He then says I should only dance with Daddy or Bailey or him. It was very sweet.

Last week the grandparents were invited to come to CCD with the students. The boys had fun showing Grandma what they are learning in class. They also preformed a song for the grandparents. After Mass we all had lunch at the church. Grandma was lucky enough to win a prize as well.

Oh yes my ladybug did a boo bag swap. I was lucky enough to get paired with my friend Karmen and boy did she spoil the boys and I. Diana even got a cow flashlight so she can find her way to Karmen in Wisconsin when she gets here. Thanks again Karmen! You really are a special friend!

Two Years & Waiting.....

The figurine we got to remind us of our baby girl

Two years have now gone by since we were given our Log In Date. Two years and I really have no idea how much more time we have to wait. I do know that Diana is out there and she is meant for our family. I know that no matter how much longer it takes we will wait. I know that without a doubt our family is not complete yet. We are missing a little girl who possibly isn't even born yet. We will wait no matter how long it takes.

A good friend of mine just sent me a LID gift and in her card told me I am that much closer to Diana. I know she is right. The mug she sent said "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams." Henry David Thoreau. I thought that was great encouragement. Also she send a book of quotes about hopes and dreams. I thought this was a good one too:"Don't be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so." Belva Davis. We dream about her all the time and she WILL be here and we will embrace her with all the love we have been saving for her.

While Dave and I were out on our little anniversary weekend I found the cutest little figurine from the Charming Tails collection. We didn't buy it then but once we got home I got a great deal on it from eBay. It arrived today just a day after our LID. It is my little gift to myself to remind me that our dream is still alive and that we will hold tight until our little girl is placed in our arms. Ironically enough there is a ladybug on the front of it as well.



Diana~Mommy wishes she knew how much longer she had to wait to have you in her arms, but be assured that she will wait no matter how many tomorrows it takes for it to happen. Mommy and Daddy love you very much and can't wait for you to join our family. Your brothers already adore you and can't wait to play with you and protect you like only big brothers can. Hold tight my little one until Mommy and Daddy can come to you. We love you!

Fall Fun & 10 Years With My Best Friend

For those of you who know me you know the fall is my favorite time of the year. I love when it starts to get cool outside. I love the the colors of the leaves on the trees. Still after all these years I still love to crunch the dead leaves on the ground. I love the way it sounds and how it makes me feel. I love the fact that its Dave's favorite time of the year too. Since getting together I can't remember a year that we haven't gone apple picking. We used to take our nephews, now of course, we take the boys. The boys get just as excited about it as we do.

This fall was even more special since Dave and I celebrated our 10Th anniversary. I still can't believe that we've been married 10 years! I can give you every detail of the night he proposed and tell you most of the things we planned together for our wedding. I can tell you that looking into his eyes as we both cried happy tears as we repeated our vows is still one of the most special memories I have ever experienced. I remember dancing as husband and wife for the first time and I remember doing nothing but smiling all day long.

Ten years later he still makes me smile. He still is the first person I run to tell things too. He is my rock, and my anchor and beyond everything else he is my best friend. What is funny is even though he is no longer the same man I married 10years ago he is so much better than that man. I know he will change even more as time goes on and yet I know I will love him even more than I do now.

We celebrated our anniversary by spending an awesome weekend in Wisconsin at a fabulous B&B. The food and inn keepers were great! We went for a few drives to check out the colors, we went to a cave and we went to a play. Most importantly we reconnected. We laughed, we cried happy tears, we reminisced and fell deeper into love with each other.

After returning refreshed and relaxed we took the boys apple picking on Monday. We picked a peck of apples. The kids got to do the apple launcher, play in the play area and pet the animals. We snacked on apple cider slushies and of course apple cider doughnuts. We did half of the corn maze and have come to the conclusion that the boys aren't quite ready for them yet. Even they say it was their least favorite part of the day.

I love weekends like this. Enjoy the pictures. I will try to scan a picture soon of Dave and I from our wedding until then enjoy the pictures from the weekend.

If You've Ever Prayed...Please Do So Now!

Please Please Please pray for a very special family I know. I met Carole on my favorite adoption boards. She, at that point was adopting Julia from China. Since then she has been home from China and just recently home from Ethiopia after picking up her sons Paul and Samuel. You can read more about her journey to the boys here. I actually was lucky enough to meet Carole and her darling daughters this past spring along with another ladybug friend. If you feel you want to you can read about it here. We were suppose to meet up in a couple weeks again so that we could meet Paul and Samuel.

Carole's son Samuel (age 3 1/2) was in a horrible accident this past weekend. He is in the PICU at Children's Hospital Of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Their family needs all the prayers they can get. I am asking if you have ever prayed, ever been compelled to pray that you do so now. Here is a link for the website she has created to update everyone of his progress. If you are compelled to do so please leave a comment to let them know you are praying/thinking of/sending good thoughts to them. Carole is amazed by how many people are rallying with them for their little guy!

Old Friends & Technology

A few months ago some of my ladybug friends were going on and on about Facebook and were encouraging everyone else to join. I joined halfheartedly and thought nothing of it really. I have been amazed at how powerful it has really been for me since joining. I have caught up with some of my friends from high school by either just becoming their "friends" again or by sending messages. Others have fit back in my circle just like a pair of old jeans!

Cassandra and I have actually known each other since grammar school. I tease her that she followed me to my high school (it was NOT our feeder school) since she is a couple years younger than me. It was actually in high school that we became really close. She and her family moved away and like any kids we tried to keep in touch but then lost touch. About 6 weeks ago she found me on Facebook and we have reconnected like there has been no distance between us. I am hoping that eventually I will get to West Virginia to meet up with her in person again!

A couple weeks ago I became "friends" with Onaje who I went to school with. He and I got along really well in high school! Throughout the years he and one of my best friends Natalie dated off and on. The last time I had talked to Natalie her and Onaje were planning their wedding (as were Dave and I). Anyway I told Onaje to have Natalie email me.

Natalie joined Facebook and by the end of that first day we had made plans to meet up! Yesterday despite our kids we talked and talked for over six hours! We could have talked even longer but her daughter and my boys had had it! It was so much fun to not only catch up with her but to know that we were again right there in each other's lives. I know that we will continue to talk and get together and again she is in my circle! We decided next time it will be just her and I and then eventually we will meet up with the husbands.

I want to thank my ladybug friends for encouraging me to join Facebook. It amazes me how technology has been able to link me with some people who I thought I would never hear from again! Technology really is a good thing. Actually Natalie and I were just laughing about us taking our computer class freshman year and saying how we didn't believe back then that computers would be as important as they kept telling us they would be. Who knew???

Interviews

My friend Janet did this interview with her kids and I loved it. Here are Bailey and Matthews answers. BTW be sure to check out Janet's blog. She is super sweet and her posts crack me up almost always!

Bailey's Answers

1. What is something your mom always says to you?

I love you!

2. What makes mom happy?

when she tickles me

3. What makes mom sad?

When she has to spank me and Matthew(they don't get spanked too often no need to contact family services...LOL)

4. How does your mom make you laugh?

when she tickles me

5. What was your mom like as a child?

I don't know!

6. How old is your mom?

Its 35, 36 or 37

7. How tall is your mom?

I think she's 5'5" (he's givin another inche yea!)

8. What is her favorite thing to do?

give us hugs and kisses

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?

go to work and shopping

10. What is your mom really good at?

going on the computer

11. What is your mom not very good at?

running (how true)

12. What does your mom do for her job?

A person at the doctors office that gets the files and checks people in. (I am a receptionist at a pediatricians office.)

13. What is your mom's favorite food?

sweet potatoes (not really)

14. What makes you proud of your mom?

her job

15. What do you and your mom do together?

see movies

17. How are you and your mom different?

I wear glasses she doesn't.

18. How do you know your mom loves you?

When see hugs and kisses me I know... and when she makes my bad dreams go away cuz sometimes I have bad bad dreams.

Matthew's answers

1. What is something your mom always says to you?M

Chuchi Bobaluci (this is one of my many nicknames for him.)

2. What makes mom happy?

Me!

3. What makes mom sad?

If me and bailey got lost. (Sad would be an understatement!)

4. How does your mom make you laugh?

by saying funny things

5. What was your mom like as a child?

a good person

6. How old is your mom?

36

7. How tall is your mom?

5 feet (I can't stand to lose any height kiddo!)

8. What is her favorite thing to do?

spend time with us (Couldn't have thought of a better answer myself!)

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?

go to work

10. What is your mom really good at?

playing on the computer

11. What is your mom not very good at?

Singing, wait no, uhhh hmmmm playing the guitar (Honestly I'm not good at either!)

12. What does your mom do for her job?

work at a doctors office

13. What is your mom's favorite food?

her own cooking (NOT!)

14. What makes you proud of your mom?

by loving us (that makes me proud of him!)

15. What do you and your mom do together?

do fun stuff

17. How are you and your mom different?

becasue I'm a boy and my mom's a girl

18. How do you know your mom loves you?

because every night she gives us hugs and kisses

This was a lot of fun! Thanks boys! Mommy loves all your answers!

Second Graders!

Bailey with his three teachers. The one in the middle is the sub.
Matthew with his new teacher.

Bailey outside our front door before school this morning.

Matthew outside our front door before school this morning.

My second graders!

Today was the first day of second grade! How does this keep happening every August? Its amazes me that my little boys are growing up so fast. Monday we dropped off their supplies and got to meet their teachers.

Bailey has two teachers this year. Some of the teachers at our school job share. Bailey will have one teacher on Mondays and Tuesdays and every other Wednesday. He will have the other teacher on Thursdays, Fridays and the other Wednesdays. His one teacher, although we met her on Monday will be on maternity leave until January. He will have another teacher who will be the sub. We met her as well. They all seemed really sweet.

Matthew's actual teacher is on maternity leave as well. I'm really not sure when she will be returning. We got to meet his sub and she is really nice. Matthew actually remembered her from her being a sub for his teacher last year. (Oh yeah and Matthew also lost another tooth on Monday night!!)

Yesterday we went and had a little fun with the kids from the S family (see post below). I took the kids to a place that had bumper boats and also mini-golf. Poor Matthew got stuck on the bumper boat and couldn't steer it back to the dock. He was hysterical but we all tried to keep him calm until the guy was able to help him back. We then went to safer grounds and played glow in the dark mini golf. The kids had a blast. A last day of summer vacation wouldn't be complete without a trip to the ice cream shop.

Today both boys woke up excited without me even having to wake them up! They ate their breakfast and got ready without any problems. They appeased me by taking their year pictures in front of the house. I then proceeded to forget my camera on the dryer instead of taking it to school for more pictures. I am sure secretly the boys are relieved I didn't have it with me. We got them in their lines and then they were off.

Upon picking them up I learned that Matthew cried because he got scared of a wasp outside. In his words he had a "kinda a good day...kinda a bad day". Bailey had a great day and neither can wait to go back again tomorrow.

Here's to another great school year boys! Mommy knows you will do awesome!!

Very Special Friends of Ours

I want to take an opportunity to tell you about another special family we know. We met the S family when the boys were in kindergarten. Matthew and their youngest J were in class together. We then found out they only live about 2 blocks away in our subdivision. Since then the boys have played a lot together. I sometimes joke that J is my third son. The scary thing is he looks more like Bailey than Matthew does.

We have also gotten to know the whole family even more and have actually been attending the same church as them. Through this we have gotten even closer. My friend D called me to see if I could keep an eye on J and their daughter K for a day. It was so fun having a girl in the house. K will be in 7Th grade next week. She is a delightful young lady and we had a good time scrap booking together while the boys played.

While they were over I was showing K Diana's wish scrapbook. She was so interested in us adopting a baby and also was going on to say how special the book was and how Diana will treasure it. My heart was overcome with so much emotion from this young lady. I have learned that that wasn't the half of it.

After K got home she created me the most beautiful note cards. They are have dragons, lanterns, pagodas, a fan and of course a ladybug! The pictures of these note cards will not do them justice. I am thinking of using them in one of Diana's scrapbooks rather than writing on them and sending them out. They are incredible and it made me feel so good that she thought so much about our journey in creating them. Thank you again K. You are a very special girl!

Her mother D surprised me as well. She gave me a Miraculous Medal. She explained to me that while trying to get pregnant with J she found out about these medals and contacted a church (not sure this is the right one) and they sent her the medal. She says she got pregnant a month later and continued to wear it her whole pregnancy. After J was born she passed it on to him.

I am wearing this as I carry Diana in my heart and will continue to pray for a speed up. Also as D has requested I will give it to Diana once she gets here. I will tell her how her mommy wore it while she waited and about the special woman who got it for her. D-thank you so much for the special gift and of course the gift of your friendship! Both gifts are very special to me.

I Just Want To Be A Mommy & Other Random Thoughts

A picture of the four of us at the aquarium

The boys having a hands free good time on a roller coaster.

The boys with Sponge Bob and Patrick

Matthew as Obi Wan Konobi at the Star Wars exhibit on vacation.

Bailey as a Storm Trooper at the Star Wars exhibit.

So I've been hearing and reading so much lately on adoption being a way to "save children". This could be read into on soooo many levels that I'm not going to go there. I am NOT adopting to save a child from the horrors of life in an orphanage I am NOT adopting to give a child a better life. I AM adopting because I want to be a mommy. Some of you may say "Well Lisa, you already are a mommy." This is true but I want to be a mommy to another child as well.

I love my boys to death and can not for one second picture what my like would be like without them in it. When I told Dave that I wanted another child he wasn't so keen on the idea. I let it sink in for a while. He still didn't go for it. We fought. Boy did we fight! Eventually he mellowed and agreed that having another child would be good for us.

As many of you know adoption was not our first thought. We tried to have another baby the "old fashioned way". It didn't happen and thus here we are.....waiting for Diana in China so we can be her mommy, daddy and big brothers.

Will she be better off in my family? Will she do so much better here than had I NOT adopted her from an orphanage in China? I am sure she will but again everyone is better off in a loved filled environment where they are getting enough attention and nourishment both physically and emotionally.

My bigger question is will we be better off having her in our lives? I do believe that we will be. To have another child look up at me with their sweet eyes calling me "Mommy" will fulfill me in a way nothing else can. To hold the hand of a little one as I guide them and protect them is really all I have ever dreamed of. To love three children instead of two just makes my heart even more full no matter how she came into my life.

OK now onto other topics...

As we live out the last week of summer we are preparing for second grade to start. Did I say that???? Are the boys really going into second grade? I'm afraid its true. We got the letters from their teachers this weekend and we have frantically called classmates seeing who is in who's classes. Its actually kinda fun! We will meet their teachers and drop off supplies on Monday. Stay tuned for pics of that.

We went to the aquarium two weeks ago as a fun family thing to do before everyone gets into the hustle and bustle of school. We had a great time as always! We went to a minor league baseball game last week. We ate well and had lots of fun!

This past weekend my dad, his wife and my sister came in for the weekend. Saturday we got together with our whole family less one cousin and his family (we missed you guys) for dinner. It was great to reconnect with the family and just have a good time. Sunday it was just us with Dad, Melissa and Katie. We had good conversations and so much fun watching Katie play. Bailey was sooooooo good with her. He was extremely protective of her. It made me smile knowing what an awesome big brother he is going to be.

I have tons of Matthew stories bit will just share a few. When we were at the ball park he asked for peanuts and I reminded him that we had some at home so we had them for snack the next day(they were in the shells). He was sooooo cute he comes up to me and says "Mommy the peanuts taste great. There is nothing wrong with them but I think I want a different snack......they are FRUSTRATING me!" I was on the floor laughing and gave him his new request of yogurt.

Also he found his Spider man costume that he wore when he was 3 and has been traipsing around the house in it for weeks! It fits him in the body but it looks like he is wearing Capri's in the legs!! He is happy though so all is good.

Enjoy some pics from our vacation that I never posted and also one of us at the aquarium!

Almost Threw In The Towel

Its been a rough two months in our household in the burbs. We have had a lot of drama and my heart has been racing most of the time. The economy, like most others, is kicking our butts. Dave has never made more money than he is right now and unfortunately we are not seeing it because he is putting so much more right back into his gas tank. See he drives his own car (SUV) to go to all of his stores. He gets paid for his mileage but trust me its no where near enough to make up for what he is putting into it. I on the other hand have lost hours at work and may stand to lose some more this fall. This is not FUN for any of us.

We are thinking of trading in my van and getting Dave a more fuel efficient vehicle and I would take over his SUV since I don't drive nearly as much as he does. The jury is still out on this one though. The kicker is he needs a vehicle that gets decent mileage but he really can't drive a sedan because of his knees. Its hard to find crossover vehicles with decent gas mileage that we can afford.

I've also been doing a lot of thinking about the whole adoption thing. When Dave and I started this process 2 1/2 years ago I never imagined in a million years that we would still be waiting for Diana with no sign of an end in sight. I have been wondering and worrying if we should even continue with the process. I worry about the age difference between the boys and Diana. I worry how I'm going to entertain two 8 year olds and a 1 year old at the same time. I worry that the boys are going to resent Diana when we can't do everything they want because she's too little. I worry about traveling with a little one again.

Am I willing to trade in my freedom? Right now the boys are pretty self sufficient. They play on their own. They feed themselves. They can get their own snacks. Sometimes they even make their own breakfasts and lunches. They don't rely on me for EVERYTHING anymore. Rarely do they wake up in the middle of the night. They are even now beginning to sleep in (even past 8am).

Can I even begin to imagine changing diapers again? Waking up in the middle of the night? Having to feed a one year old again? Planning my days around naps and bedtimes again? Am I ready to quit my job (how few hours it may be) to be home with a child who's not ready for daycare? Am I ready for car seats, cribs, and high chairs again? Am I ready to completely change our family dynamics?

These are the horrible thoughts I have been having for over six weeks now. What is so scary is they were beginning to consume my insides. I was there for Dave and the boys and we really did have fun on vacation but these thoughts have been gnawing on me every time there is a quiet moment.

I haven't been on my favorite adoption board lately because I just couldn't even pretend to be positive. I also didn't want to admit defeat because truthfully I wanted to wallow in my own little pity party that NO ONE not even Dave knew I was having.

I stopped participating in monthly swaps for two reasons. The obvious reason is financial but the other was because I was wondering what would I do with all the stuff I have accumulated in the last 2 1/2 years. I really did wonder what Dave was going to say about all the "wasted" money of all the things I have bought for the arrival of Diana and then for all the swaps if I said I wanted to end the quest.

I have quietly racked my brain for weeks about what to tell Dave. I wondered what the boys would think about not getting a sister after all. I dreaded telling all our family and friends. I think what bothered me the most is that so many of them don't understand this process and so they would just think we had been taken for a ride all along anyway. Of course those of you who are waiting with us know the truth.

Sunday Dave and I were driving to church and again the thoughts were racing. I had actually thought of telling him about my feelings after church. We were in church and as always after communion I begin to pray. I always thank God for Dave, the boys my friends and family. I ask him to continue to guide me and help point me in the right direction. As always I prayed for Diana. I asked God to watch over her no matter if she was born yet or not. As I prayed those words my heart was overcome with such peace. I felt as if God was reassuring me that this is what we are suppose to be doing.

At breakfast (the boys had spent the night at a neighbors so weren't with us). I finally told Dave all that I was thinking and feeling. I told him that I had planned on telling him I was ready to give up. I told him that I couldn't though. I was reminded again at church just how real Diana is to me. She is as real to me as the boys were the second I found out I was pregnant. I AM pregnant! I AM expecting a baby! I realize that this pregnancy is probably the longest gestation known in any animal kingdom but it is one I am willing to endure.

For those of you who know us, or know other people who are enduring this horrible wait. Accept that we are indeed pregnant just like people who are physically expecting a child. Just because you can't see our bellies bulge from growing a baby (Mine is bulging from over eating thank you very much!) doesn't mean we don't feel the same about our child. Ask us about the wait and actually listen to what we have to say. I don't expect you to totally get the process because I don't and I'm going through it...but do realize that China is not out for our money and now they are going to stiff us. China will not really see much of our money until we actually get our referral(and that's not a whole lot of money then either if you think about it all).

I am back to myself and willing to fight the fight with the rest of my waiting friends. I am ready to encourage my friends again and cheer them on as they get their referrals and bring home their babies. I am ready to give my family 100% again and to savor them like they deserve. I am ready to live my life as is until its time to turn my life upside down. The rewards I am sure will surpass any feelings of "losing out" when I am chasing a little girl who relies on me....even if she does wake me up before 7am.

Vacation 2008

Soooooo with the economy being what it is we will not being going back to Disney World as we thought we would be this fall. We decided to go simple this year and drove to Minnesota to the Mall of America. Why do you ask would a woman take her husband and two boys to the mall???

• It was cheaper than Disney World.



• We could drive there in less than a day.



• They boasted tons of family activities.



• I could shop while they played (wishful thinking on that part).



• We got a heck of a great package!

We left on a Tuesday morning and got there by lunchtime. The boys were great in the car. I was beyond impressed! We got there by lunchtime, ate lunch and checked into our hotel. The boys were impressed by the pool and Dave and I were impressed with the room. After settling in we swam in the pool and then headed over to the mall. We walked around a little and then someone gave us some tickets for the rides. The boys and I rode a roller coaster and the boys were ready for more. We reminded them that we would be spending a day there so not to worry. We had dinner, shopped some more and then went and crashed.

So my package included:

• Our hotel stay.



• All day passes for one day at the amusement park in the mall.



• Admission to the aquarium in the mall.



• Admission and parking to the Minnesota Zoo.



• Tickets to the IMax theatre.



• Admission to the Science Museum.



• Coupons to various restaurants.

There was a catch though. You had to use this all in 3 days. This wasn't a problem at all. We did the aquarium the same day we did the amusement park. It was our "break" from the rides. The theatre was located at the zoo so we did both of those together. The cool thing was that everything but the zoo was indoors so we really only needed one good weather day.

We really had a great time and would consider doing the whole thing again another time. I did not do any real mall damage since Big Brother (ie Dave) was watching everything I picked up. Driving home we did get caught in every storm there was...but we made it safe and sound. The boys are still talking about it so that says a lot. Now to figure out an inexpensive way to spend a few days away from home (and the boys) for our 10Th anniversary!

If Your Life Was A Movie

OK so its been WAAAAAY too long since I've posted anything on here. I was checking in on my blogging buddies when I saw that Jessica had recently tagged me. This one looks good so here goes nothing.

IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?Here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool...
7. Include commentary

Opening Credits: What About Now by Daughtry. I love Chris Daughtry and this song. I guess it would be somewhat appropriate to be the opening credits.

Waking Up: Rocking Roll Dreams Come True by Meatloaf. This is quite funny because as much as I love Meatloaf I don't think this is one of my favorites nor would I want to wake up to it.

First Day At School: Centerfold by J. Geils Band. Ok so this was a big hit in the 80's and I downloaded Dave's Totally 80's cd when I got my iPod. I can not in the least bit think this is even remotely appropriate for any part of my life....but is is suppose to be funny right????

Falling In Love: Keep The Faith by Bon Jovi. Nope not exactly a song I would put together with falling in love. Again I love Bon Jovi but not really this song!

Fight Song: Because Of You by Rebe McEntire and Kelly Clarkson. Not exactly a fighting kind of song but one of my favorite songs for sure.

Breaking Up: Living On A Prayer by Bon Jovi. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this song. I think the lyrics of this song have more of a statement of staying together but that's what makes this thing so funny.

Prom: Stronger Woman by Jewel. This is one of my newer favorite songs! I think its probably good for me with reference to the prom because had I been a stronger woman then I would have waited to be asked to the prom instead of asking the guy I went with. I am certain I would have had a better time but oh well.

Life's Ok: In And Out Of Love by Bon Jovi. Can my library please find something other than Bon Jovi??? This is not one of my favorite songs but it is what it is.

Mental Breakdown: Tough Little Boys by Gary Allen. This cracks me up because one of my greatest mental breakdowns was when the boys started kindergarten. One of the lines in the song says "Your first day of school, I cried like a fool, and I followed your school bus to town." I was hysterical as I watched my little boys walk into the school for the first time on their own. So in that regard it is extremely appropriate.

Driving: Breakdown by Daughtry. I can listen to Daughtry any time of the day and its definitely good driving music. This song should have been in the last category but the last song was good too.

Flashback: Always by Bon Jovi (of course). This actually is a good on for this category considering the lyrics.

Getting Back Together: Tainted Love by Soft Cell. Another classic 80's song. I think this should have been the break up song and the break up song should have been this one but I'm playing by the rules.

Wedding: Standing Out In A Crowd by Trisha Yearwood. Yep I guess Dave and I were standing out in a crowd on our wedding day. I love Trisha and also this song.

Birth Of Child: Friends In Low Places by Garth Brooks. Not exactly the song I think of when I think of the day Bailey and Matthew were born. It is a fun song though! Gotta love Garth!!

Final Battle: Heads Carolina, Tails California by Jo Dee Messina. Actually I think of the boys deciding who gets to do what they want when any coin is flipped. This is so a battle is avoided though. I love Jo Dee though and this song actually reminds me of the three months I stayed with my dad and step-mom in Vegas for three months when I was trying to escape the reality of a broken heart.

Death Scene: Sweet Love by Trisha Yearwood. Not exactly the song that I think of when I think of dying but a good song none the less.

Funeral Song: You Give Love A Bad Name by Bon Jovi. OK I can't believe even in my wildest dreams this would be played at my funeral. I love the song but not for my funeral!!!

End Credits: Baby Don't You Let Go by Trisha Yearwood. This is actually a fun song so I think its a good one for the end of my movie.

So now I have to tag someone. Actually I will leave it up to you. If you feel the urge to do this fun assignment leave me a comment.

Good-bye Papa

Wednesday morning I received the call I knew was coming. My grandfather had died. It was so sad to hear my mom tell me those words. It was sad knowing my only living grandparent was no longer here. It was sad to know that my mom had lost her dad. It was sad to know that Diana would never meet her great grandfather. I cried off and on as I drove to be with my mom and sister.

All day Wednesday and Thursday we prepared. We made memorial arrangements. We looked through pictures. We shopped for things and ran errands. It was the first time in many years I actually spent the night at my mom's house. I needed to be there for her.

Friday we had the memorial. It was short and simple. A few memories shared, pictures looked at, hugs to all of us. My grandfather will be long remembered and loved. He was a special man and a very special part of my life.

I am grateful we knew he was dying. I am grateful I got to see him two more times before he left us. I got to tell him I loved him a few more times and heard him tell me that he loved me. I got to tell him Bailey has two girlfriends and in typical Papa fashion he thought that Bailey was a "stud". It will be a memory I will not soon forget. He also yelled at me one more time but again it just proves he was still "with it" until the end. I got to rub his arms for him and also his legs. He broke my heart one more time but I understand that he didn't mean to. He was a special man and one I will never forget.

When we were looking through pictures it was amazing how active he was in our lives. He was at both mine and my sister's graduations for both grammar school and also high school. He got to see all three of his great grandchildren soon after they were born. You can see the love he had for them in all of these pictures. My mom stated to the minister that he was a stern father to her. I did see that as her daughter but I also saw that all bets were off with his grandchildren and his great grandchildren. He loved us with wild abandon. We loved him back.

Papa-I will never forget you and will never stop loving you! Goodbye sweet man.

Ladybug Fun And Other Surprises!

Karmen, Lisa & Carole (in the back) Mary & Julia
Ladybug Friends!
From Jennifer
Sweet bows from Pam

I ABSOLUTELY love my ladybug group! The woman of that group are phenomenal! I hope that one day I will be able to meet each and every one of them! This weekend I was lucky enough to meet up with Karmen again and to finally meet another ladybug Carole! I met Karmen in the fall when her and her husband Greg sang at a neighboring church. They are extremely sweet people. When we met then we talked about going baby shopping in the future. Carole was picking up her sweet daughter Julia when I met Karmen.

We finally made plans to meet and what a great day it was. I have been so stressed lately and this was exactly what I needed. Karmen and Carole along with Carole's sweet daughters Mary and Julia met me at the mall for some shopping. We had such a great time actually talking face to face rather than over a computer. I don't think there was one quiet moment the whole day. After shopping we went to lunch and I was impressed by how good Carole's girls were. We talked forever and the girls just colored and kept themselves busy. Very impressive!

We have vowed to get together again soon and spend more time together! I knew before how special these woman are but now I am just blown away by them. Carole is proof that there will be a happy ending and Karmen who has endured so much these past few years is just an inspiration to me! I don't think she realizes how special I think she is.

Us ladybugs had a fun Spring Bling Swap. We were to get hair bows or caps. Pam had me (again ;-)). She got Diana the sweetest bow with her name on it plus two smaller bows. I can't wait to see Diana wearing her "bling". Thank you again Pam for your generosity and your friendship!

I was in another swap from another group and Jennifer got Diana two cute rompers and a beautiful jewelry box! She composed a poem that brought happy tears to my eyes. I have been so lucky to have been a part of some great activities as we continue to wait for our daughter.

Enjoy the pictures!

18 Months Down....Who Knows How Many More...

I had originally started this post on our 18 month LIDaversary and couldn't muster up enough enthusiasm to actually write anything good or bad. 18 months of not knowing is tough. Its even tougher knowing I have no idea how many months I have left to wait. For whatever reason I believe that 2009 is our year. I won't begin to guess as to when but something tells me it will happen in 2009.



I want to believe that things will change after the Olympics. I want to believe that there will be a speed up. I want to believe that after the spotlight is off China they will start to refer these children at a quicker pace. I am not living in a fantasy world that it will speed up and we will have Diana before the end of the year. I just hope it will become a little more predictable. There are 281 LIDs between the last LID referred and our LID. I just want to have SOME idea as to how much longer we will wait.

When we took the boys to Disney in 2006 we thought it would be the last "big" vacation before we got Diana and had to start making little trips again. We then went to San Antonio last year. Again hoping it would be the "last trip" as a family of 4. We are now planning a mini getaway for Dave and I this summer and then our "last trip" to Disney (shhh don't tell the boys yet) this fall to celebrate our 1oth wedding anniversary. I hope and pray the only real trip we will be making in 2009 will be to China go get Diana.

We will wait no matter how long it takes but there are days I wonder if it really will happen. I am an optimistic person by nature but how long can a person stay positive without any positive feedback? I just continue to hope and pray for my little girl who I already love so much. I think that's why this is so hard. We already love her and just want her home.....

Girls Club!

I belong to a very special club that started in full force last winter. Its called Girls Club (original I know). It started after my great friend K had surgery last February. What started as two friends just hanging out one keeping the other company while she recuperated has become one of my favorite clubs. You see, K and I always find a way to incorporate good food in our hang out sessions. We laugh because while our husbands are at work making money we are out eating and sometimes even known to shop as well (hee hee). When P would go to work he wouldn't ask K if I was coming over he would ask where we were eating...LOL. Dave has joined us once or twice since he works closer to us. Occasionally we let him in but then its no longer Girls Club for the time he's around.

Anyway K & P got her referral a while ago and we were beyond thrilled for them. No one deserved to be parents more than K and P in my opinion! We celebrated on and on until they left for China. I was honored to be the chauffeur on the ride back from the airport. Seeing H for the first time with K & P brought happy tears to my face. K was finally a mommy! K & P muddled through their first week home and I see more and more ease in my friend's attitude as she gets the hang of this parenting thing.

Yesterday was a very special moment in Girls Club history. We inducted a new member into our little group. Our twosome has turned to a threesome! H has joined the ranks! K was so sweet when we were out to lunch yesterday. She told H she was now an official member of a very special club. It took all I had to fight back the tears as she told this to H. She then put me almost over the edge when she told H that there would be four of us once Diana joins us. I then told H she will have to teach Diana all about the fun times that are had in Girls Club.

K-I know you don't do mushy well but you really proved to me (yet again) how wonderful of a friend you are yesterday. Thank you for being one of my closest friends and being co-founder of our very special club!

Belated Post On Swaps

I have participated in three swaps this year with my WWF 2006 group.

The first one was a PJ swap and I got the sweetest handmade Pjs from Gayla in Texas. Her mother made them for us!

The second swap was a Year of the Rat swap. We were to give gifts either Chinese New Year related or rat/mouse related. Anik from Canada got Diana a very cute mouse outfit, a mouse sippy cup and a Chinese New Year story book. She got me beautiful Chinese New Year Stamps from Canada that I plan on having framed. She got the boys light up Mickey Mouse lollipops!

The third swap was a Spring Fever swap. Di and David from California got Diana a cute book and a ladybug toy. Di made the cutest little bunny shirt and skirt for Diana. I can't wait to see her in it!

Thank you to all the wonderful people who got Diana such cute things. These swaps make the wait so much more bearable!

I've Been Tagged

Its been a long time since I've been tagged and my friend Jess has tagged me. Here are the rules:


1. Pick the nearest book that has 123 pages.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next 3 sentences.
5. Tag 5 people.

The book I choose was:Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. One of my favorite books!

The 5Th sentence on page 123:"She searched the county, traveling far outside her usual matchmaking territory until she heard about you from the diviner."

The next 3 sentences: "Once she met you, she decided to hitch my fate to yours." "I don't understand" Snow Flower smiled ruefully.

I now have to tag five people: Ruth, Laura, Karmen, Kym and Michelle one of my newer readers. Have fun everyone.

Leave me a comment once you've completed your assignment =)

Is This Country Girl A Closet Rocker???

For those of you who know me well you know I LOVE my country music. I love the stories that are told in country songs. I like the sincerity you hear in their voices. So what is a country girl doing at a Daughtry/Bon Jovi concert you ask?

Well if you REALLY know me you will know I have not always been a country girl. You also know I grew up in the 80s. You also KNOW how much I LOVE American Idol! You also know that I was and still am a huge Chris Daughtry fan! Oh yeah and you would know that I LOVE Bon Jovi. BTW Bon Jovi released a song You Can't Go Home with country artist Jennifer Nettles about a year ago. It was a big hit on the country charts as well as the rock charts.

So anyway Dave and I got the tickets before Christmas and have been waiting for this day ever since. Let me tell you we were NOT disappointed! The concert was incredible! Daughtry performed for 45 minutes and will be headlining his own concerts before you know it (in my opinion). I was disappointed though because someone told me that Daughtry sings a Bon Jovi song and he comes out and sings it with him. That did not happen.

Bon Jovi gets on stage and let me tell you...the man still has it!!! He is a born entertainer if I have ever seen one! He sang non-stop for 2.5 hours. It was awesome!!! As we were walking to the parking lot I heard a woman talking to her daughter describing him as a little boy who got his wish granted to be a rock star. He was so much fun to watch and you could see he really was enjoying what he was doing. I will say it was the BEST concert I have ever been to.

Oh yeah let me tell you my favorite moment of the entire show. The band starts the music for Blaze Of Glory and out walks Chris Daughtry. They sang the song together and I am telling you they NEED to record that song together! It was out of this world! I have included the YouTube video I found from the concert. The beginning of the video is the end of Bed Of Roses but then the song starts.

Maybe this country girl has many other music interests after all....

Bailey Gets An Award

At the boys' school they practice Character Counts. Each month a grade presents a new pillar and the children are encouraged to practice/live out that pillar. The following month the teachers present awards to the children who display that trait. The pillar for February was trustworthiness.

We got a note from Bailey's teacher telling us that she had chosen him to receive the award from their class. One other classmate received it as well. We were invited to attend the assembly so we could see our little boy be presented his award.

Unfortunately the 1st grade teachers were at a meeting so they had subs passing them out. Fortunately the PE teacher was Bailey's sub. My family adores Mrs. G! When she called Bailey's name his whole body lit up. I think he floated to the front of the gym. The principal said Bailey should have gotten the award for the most excited 1st grader to receive the award. It was really cute.

Bailey~congrats on getting such an important award. We love knowing that your teachers know they can trust you. We love you so much Beetle!

PS Will post pictures tomorrow. I thought I had them downloaded already!

Matthew Has Entered A New Club

The day we first noticed his loose tooth

Look at that toothless grin!

At long last Matthew has entered the club that he has longed to be in for well over a year. He has finally lost his first tooth! He noticed his tooth was loose a few weeks ago but it was just barely loose. Yesterday I was able to pull it a little bit until he felt the blood. It was just dangling tonight so one quick pull and it was out. He excitedly looked in the mirror and then proudly put his tooth in its pouch and will anxiously await the visit of the Tooth Fairy. His brother has already told him how special it is when you lose your first tooth and the Tooth Fairy will pay you $5.00 for your first tooth.

He can't wait to get to school tomorrow to show his toothless grin to his teacher and friends. Way to go Matthew!

Have To Share

First I'm sure you're probably thinking two posts in one week??? Has Lisa finally decided to come back to bloggyville and post more often? Don't give me too much credit just yet. Lets see if I can just become more consistant again....

Anyway on to the purpose of this post:

I didn't go to work today because Matthew was sick. He was soooo disappointed because today was the 100th day of school and they got to share a special snack that everyone contributed 100 pieces of something to. He was WAY too sick to go though. He has a very nasty gastro bug. I haven't seen my baby this sick since he ended up getting his apendix out when he was 3!

Finally this afternoon/evening he is starting to feel a little better. He hasn't vomited since 2 o'clock this afternoon. I have finally gave in and he has had a few ounces of gaterade. He still can't have the oranges he is begging for. I also got him to eat a few graham crackers.

• He is asleep on the couch and sits straight up and I thought he whimpered that he had to vomit again. So I ask him what he said. He says "Tomato soup, tomatoes and apples." and lays back down and falls back to sleep. I was hysterical. My poor baby must be dreaming of food. Hoping he feels better tomorrow....

Reflections....

Note: I started writing this on Jan 2nd....well better late than never. I will try to be a better blogger again!

Now that 2007 is over and 2008 has begun I thought I would reflect back on the year that just passed.....It amazes me how quickly time flies by.



The beginning of the year brought new hope and hope that we would see our little girl's face for the first time. As you all know this did not happen but we hold on and still embrace that hope. We believe that we will see Diana's face someday and we just have to be patient in waiting. We are willing to wait no matter how long it takes.



I have watched my boys grow from little kindergartners to big 1st graders. They never cease to amaze me. Matthew is such a great reader, has the most creative imagination and can draw like you wouldn't believe. He has matured so much this past year and I am so honored that I am his mommy. He is a sensitive boy who hates to see his family hurt or sad.



Bailey is a little boy who surprises me with his love of numbers. He definately did not get that from me. He loves to build with his legos and also to play with his friends. He prefers to play with others than by himself. He is always up for a good board game.....and of course he is my little cuddler.....If given the choice he will cuddle next to me any time....I know this will change in a blink of an eye but for now I am loving it. He has grown so much more confident this past school year and I can't wait to see him blossom even more.


So many memories have been made in 2007 and already a few in 2008.

• Looks like this will be the year that Matthew loses his first tooth. Its been wiggling for two weeks now.
• The boys had their first true sleepover just last week.
• We celebrated Dave's 40th birthday with gusto. Dinner with our closest friends and then dinner out with the boys on Daddy's "real" birhtday.
• We will welcome Baby H into our lives in just a few weeks when she comes home from China.

I know 2008 is not our year to bring Diana home but everyday we are a day closer. Although I can't wait for the "wait" to be a distant memory I need to cherish every day I have to make memories with my family.