Unplugged and back...

I took a few days off computer-land... Had a great Thanksgiving with my family. I hope all of my family and friends had a great Thanksgiving, too. ...and, now I'm back! :)

We had two turkey dinners Thursday, then went through the black-friday ads and to Meijer (to see if we could pick up a friday ad, but they wouldn't give us one). We went shopping at 1am... to Toys R Us.

YES, WE ARE THAT CRAZY.

Have you ever attempted black-friday? or Toys R Us on a black-friday? lol it was nuts... but we got what we wanted and it wasn't terrible. The line to check-out took us about 2 hours to get through, but Sis stood in line with our stuff while her friend and I continued to gather loot. :) We all got what we went there for, so that was a huge success.

There was one lady, however, who brought her infant child (yes, a baby) to the store in the middle of the night... and we all thought she was beyond nuts (and, yes, in a bad way). As we were walking out... and I was carrying (ssssh, don't tell Lil M) a toy kitchen set, that was about 4 feet tall (and i'm only 5 ft tall!! it was just really long, but lightweight)... i accidentally walked into said woman's "baby carriage", as she called it... i just barely bumped it and the woman went ballistic. OMG. That was bad.

(btw, the stroller was...you got it... on wheels...and i didn't touch the actual baby... but you would have thought i hit the baby the way she yelled at me and threatened me!)

Other than that... not too many crazies out.

We hit another local anchor store in the mall and were done with our shopping by 6:30am or so. And we did good. Really well, actually.

Anyway, did you know LEGOS are so expensive one must almost mortgage their house, give an arm or leg or first born child to buy them? Ok... i exaggerate... but some of those kits are like $100 or more!! We got them for $59 and $42 (sis and i both bought one for my nephew... again... SHHHH!!! LOL) .... i hope he likes them! sheeesh.

We did not, however, go to Walmart. There is a new one in town (just moved from an older building to a newer one) and you would think that place was selling crack it was so popular. The ENTIRE parking lot was full. That. That, is no exaggeration. Our friend went in to get the $3 pajamas... and walked right out. She said the line was so long that it was absolutely not worth it. So, we left. (which, btw, we knew was going to be the case... they were even giving people parking tickets for parking along the back because there were no spots. Good Grief!!)

I got lots of other cool things for Lil M... and I'm sure she will like them. :D

Let's see...what else. I got caught up on a couple of my shows.. Law & Order SVU and The Good Wife (new this season, and really, really good!!).

Sis and I had a couple of excellent talks this weekend about our formative years and memories (or lack thereof)... and Christianity. Not in that order. lol And had some good quality family time. I'm blessed, that's for sure... Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn't give a shout-out to her friend Brian for watching the kids for the night so we could go shopping. :) He's a good man. Lil M had an absolute blast playing with Chase and his kids. I think she wore them out!!! :)

Peace.

It Smells Delicious, Mommy

Happy Thanksgiving (eve)... I baked some more today, so I could use up the last of my pumpkin and so we would have some yummy treats for tomorrow. I got home a bit early and started the bread. Then I went to get Lil M. When we walked in the door, she said... "It smells Delicious, Mommy"!! :) That's my girl!! What a way to make a Mommy feel good, that's for sure!!

I ended up making 4 loaves of bread (one sweet and 3 not as sweet - but my favorite, so far), some muffins and two pies. The pies are a little overdone, I'm afraid. But, it was my first attempt in probably 8 years or more to make them from scratch (ok, except the crust). I wasn't convinced they were done, but apparently, they were! Oh well. Hopefully, they'll taste good anyway.

The muffins were a little bit of an experiment, too. I tried one and they were fine, but not quite as big or fluffy as I had hoped. C'est la vie. Such is life. lol.

Anyway, I am extremely thankful for my daughter and our life together. I am also thankful for my family and friends. May God bless you and keep you all your days.

Gobble, gobble... and Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

Peace.

Fell out

Well, Lil M seems to like her new bed OK. She, however, did fall out of it last night. So, I had to put up the extra rail I had (a temporary side-rail you can use on any size bed)... and that seemed to help. She, unfortunately, had two accidents, also. Oh well. We'll get there sooner or later.

I didn't get any more baking done today, but will probably tomorrow. I also didn't take Lil M to see that movie yet, but might also go tomorrow. We'll see. I really want to see it, but just didn't feel like going out.

I specifically want to make some oatmeal chocolate chip (coconut?) cookies... that'd be a treat. :)

Peace.

Growing up

Lil M is 3 years, 2 months old... but she's been content to sleep in her crib up 'til now. A friend of mine gave me her son's toddler bed, and so I moved it into her room tonight. She's graduated to a big girl (little big girl!) bed!! :) Let's see how she does...

On the potty front, she's been doing better this week, again. Last week, however, was kind of a nightmare... she had several accidents all of the sudden (regressed, I guess). But, looks like we're mostly back on track. I'm betting the new bed will help, too. Let's see. :)

I still need to get a bed for the 2nd bedroom, but now I've got her in a toddler bed and the crib is still in her room, just in case I have a need for it.

I've been a baking machine these past couple of weeks. Pumpkin bread, banana bread, pumpkin-oatmeal breakfast bars (turned out like muffins, just in a different form)... it's been great. I've got enough fresh pumpkin left to make at least some more cookies, bread and pie for Thanksgiving. :) It was a big pumpkin! LOL. Well, and I had some butternut squash that I made into bread first, which turned out just as well, IMO.

This is still National Adoption Month... and tomorrow, I think I'm going to take Lil M to see The Blind Side, for National Adoption day!! I'm so excited about this movie. I hope you all will go see it too!

Peace.

Leaves, Leaves and more Leaves

Lil M helped me last night pick up leaves and put them into bags... we had a whole bunch!!! It was craziness! :) She was such a SUPER BIG helper! She would say things like:

Mommy, please help me.
Please hold the bag for me, Mommy.
Mommy, I hold the bag for you.
Mommy, get a new bag please... lol

(...and many others i can't remember right now. we ended up with 9 or so big bags filled with leaves!!)

She was quite the little director, I'd say. And along those lines... Ellen told me Sunday that Mia will likely be just like me... (in that similar vain)... hmmm methinks that may or may not be a good thing?!!! ;-)

Anyway, our Monday turned out great and it was great for me because she was the greatest little helper ever. Such the big girl! And, boy, did it tucker her out!! She went in, pottied, ate, and then crashed on her floor!! LOL

Please go check out other Perfect Mondays Moments here.

Peace.

New pics

I'm planning (hoping) to print that first one out to send with Christmas cards.

Mama Mia!

Had some pics of Lil M done today. They turned out really cute. :) We went to have her 3 year old pics done... and ended up having those, some fall pics and Christmas pics done.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming

So, Lil M is working on potty training... for her/us, this has been a long-term committed effort and not a "weekend" deal. In other words, I didn't take a 3-5 day concentrated time period and say that she WAS going to be potty trained then and only then. I decided to do this in stages.

First, we got rid of the diapers during the day. Kept them during naptime and bedtime. (right at age 2)

Then, got rid of them during naptime. (probably 2 and 2 months or so?)

Then moved to pull-ups for nighttime only. (maybe only a week or so of pull-ups during naptime, so also 2.2 yr old?)

Now, we're out of pull-ups for nighttime... (3yr and 2 mo) and attempting to stay dry both day and night!! :) So, we've been doing this for about 2 weeks now (almost). I ask her if she wants to wear a pull-up and she says no. So, I say... well, you know you need to not go pee in the bed or in your pants. Ok, she says.

The latest conversation last night...

Me - Do you need to wear a pull-up?
Mia - no
Mia - no Mia pee in the bed (don't you love it when 3 YO's talk about themselves in 3rd person?) lol
Me - you're right!! :)

So, SHE said it to me first. :) She's definitely getting it... understanding and accepting that's she's not going to have an accident in her bed. She has had two overnight accidents last week (from memory)... otherwise, we're doing pretty well, so far! At least she seems to be understanding the goal, though!

I will say that I am one of "those" Mommy's that limits what she drinks in the evening, after like 6pm. I have an easy-going child, so I can do that. Others can't. Since she's been dry for a few nights now, I eased up a snad last night, and let her have a little more to drink. :) Which I will continue to do, as she gets better and better. And don't get me wrong, this is just after 6pm, to encourage nighttime dryness.

So, there you have it.

Peace.

Steven Curtis Chapman

I love Steven Curtis Chapman. He and his wife, Marybeth, just seem amazing to me. They adopted from China three times. THREE. He has amazing music, always has, IMO. They also have a foundation to give grants for adoption.

Here is their site : ShowHope.org

He is also participating in Orphan Sunday tomorrow at 4pm CST, and I already posted that link, but here it is again, just in case. :)

Interestingly, I accepted prayed the sinner's prayer when I was 15, but I really became a believer when I was 21 at a(n) SCC concert. Actually, it was during his opening act, but they are no longer together. I did, however, think SCC was wonderful back then, too. Anyway, they hadn't adopted yet, and I had no idea that they would walk down a similar path as I have with adoption. (I would go back to China in a heartbeat if they'd allow singles again!!)

Anyway, I really do find them quite amazing and beautiful spirited people. And amazing advocates for Adoption. I do not find it coincidental at all that his new song was available this month. :) (It is about one of their daughters, whom they lost to a tragic accident in 2008... which happened, strangely, on my birthday)

Peace.

Adoption Month and Weekend update

Tomorrow is what some are calling Orphan Sunday... Here is a link to a webcase tomorrow at 4pm central. I will continue to try to post a few things here and there for National Adoption Month.

Cry of the Orphan

Lil M and I went to see my friend Misty last night and got to go to a VIP event at a Hallmark store... it was cool. I couldn't sleep last night, though, and that sucked. Today, I took a nap to make up for it. lol.

Lil M wanted to get in her baby swing tonight, and so I let her (since she, amazingly, still fits!!) ;-)

Peace.

National Adoption Month

November is National Adoption Month. I am sure the intent was to honor adoption, adoptees, and all members of the triad. But here's the thing. There is no glamor in adoption. Adoption is a necessity because people are well... human. We make decisions every day that affect the children born in this world. For better or worse.

Adoption is a blessing for many and heartbreak for so many others. It is a choice and it isn't. Some families do not "choose" to give up their children willingly. There is corruption in adoption. This makes me angry and sad and disgusted all at the same time.

When you adopt you hope and pray that everything is above board and perfect. You want to believe that you are creating your own family out of love. And, I do, personally, believe that is how most of us go into adoption. I want a family. I either can't or choose not to have a biological child, therefore, I will adopt. The problem is not having the dream. It is ignoring the reality of our children. They didn't "choose" to be here, in this place with us. We chose them, selfishly or ideologically or both. It doesn't matter the source after you adopt.

We MUST respect their feelings and concerns and their reality. We must respect our children.

I believe that I am truly blessed to have Lil M as my daughter. One day, though, she might not feel the same way... or she might want to know more about her birth situation. That is HER story and I will respect what she does or doesn't want to do with it. I also feel a responsibility to our world's children who are orphans or in the foster/adoptive system. I think we need to encourage our Legislators to work for more Therapeutic care for these families, where they can, and work harder towards reunification.

I can't fix the world. And other countries have their own issues and needs. I do believe, though, that if we can find reputable agencies to work with who sponsor children, work towards their growth, possibly family reunification... definitely a change in attitudes toward children put in this type of position... stop making them "invisible"... change attitudes that they have against single women or widowed parents... Help the children stay with their families if at all possible...

Not that I don't THANK GOD every single day for the opportunity I have to raise my daughter. I do. And I believe when Scripture tells us to take care of the Orphans and Widows...

But wouldn't it be a great world if there was no *need* to even have orphans or widows?

World peace. That's what I want. :)

Peace.

The Hermit

I found the online FB tarot program today... and this is what it said for me for "yesterday" specifically:

The Hermit
Time for convalescence. Need to be alone with one's own thoughts. Need to cultivate oneself before interacting with others. Focus on inner wisdom. Loneliness. Emotional separation from others or oneself. Time to draw one's world in and simply exist for a while. Separation from partner for one's own mental health. Quiet is needed. Wisdom of older male coming into focus. Seek counsel of wise ones around you. Seeker of truth. Caution. Detachment. Prudence.

I'd say that was pretty darn accurate. I only did this for fun, btw, I don't put too much stock into tarot cards... but the ones for today were dead-on right.

Today's talks about volunteering... which is good because this is National Adoption Month, and I have been trying to encourage others to look at adoption and foster care and sponsoring children in need.

Six of Cups
Focus on kindness to others. Time to volunteer in your community or give your attention to a project that needs your unique talents. Someone close to you needs your help and assistance. Harmony. Stability. Time to appreciate what you bring to other's lives. Enjoying the simple pleasures in life. Possible philanthropy. Surround yourself with beauty. Contentment. Engaging in play with others.

Peace.