Not so Bad!

Well, we went to the picnic and it was great. I am not likely to remember most people's names...um...there were like, over a hundred people there, but it was great. It was so nice to hear other people's adoption stories, and just watch the multitude of kids playing. I think we will definitely try to catch up with this group again! Yeah for putting myself out there, and then having a good time!

Out of My Comfort Zone

Today we are going to our areas adoptive and foster families picnic. I'm not one who loves big crowds of people, familiar or not, so this is a huge step. I am looking forward to meeting families who look like ours, seeing Simeon make friends who share his life experience. I'm also hoping this will help me get my mind off of the wait. Everytime the phone rings I jump, and stare at the area code before answering. I am so antsy and wrestless, I'm hoping this will help...though I am nervous! Will they like me? Will I actually find people to talk to, or will they already all have their own group of friends...Stay tuned...I'll try to update about the whole experience when we get back!

My Little Helper

Simeon LOVES to help. Tonight, I decided to make some peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. He helped me make them. As I was spooning them onto the cookie sheet, I noticed him doing the dishes in the sink. He's been asking for some time, and I've been saying no, but I knew there were no knives tonight, just the baking utensils. Here are a few snappies!

She's having a giveaway!

One of the blogs I read periodically is having a "tea time" giveaway. I love this blog because of the simplicity of life her blog displays...I love the pictures, and just like reading about their family! Please check out Christina's blog at: http://hskubes.blogspot.com/2008/08/fall-back-into-homeschool-giveaway.html

Butterfly on Butterfly Bush

I was getting ready to do school with Simeon this morning when I saw this butterfly. I decided that I just NEEDED pictures of it on my butterfly bush. Such a pretty sight this morning!

Random Pictures

Homegrown Tomatoes and Freshly Baked French Bread

Cloth diapers: 30 Rita's Rump Pockets and 21 Newborn Prefolds

Better late than never.Simeon's Birthday Cake- Here's Larry as the Pirate who doesn't do Anything!

Too soon...

Why do kids grow up way too soon. A few days ago my neighbor asked if Simeon had any loose teeth. I was so glad to be able to say no. It just seems like such a big step when they lose their baby teeth. Well wouldn't you know, that the next day IT happened. Sim took a bite out of a granny smith apple and said, "Ouch!" He then proceeded to tell me that his teeth were loose. Sure enough, the two bottom middle teeth are loose.(Sorry for being so non technical Kel!)The right one is looser than his left one. He's been wiggling and playing with it ALOT...and I'm sure that it won't be long before its gone...Sigh...they grow up WAY too soon!

God appointed appointment...

Tonight, Rich and I brought Simeon to our church's movie slam. They had all kinds of activities planned for the kids, as well as some movies. The night was made complete with popcorn and snowcones...ick! Okay, so all that is all well and good, but what excited me was a meeting with one of Trisha's youth leaders. Jolene...she came to talk about T, but soon realized that we are the same couple/family, that some mutual friends of ours had mentionned. The appointment? Talking about adoption...it was so cool. I just keep seeing God using our journey of adoption, both international and domestic to encourage other couples. It looks like I have come across another kindred spirit in the world of adoption. It seems that God is surrounding me and I'm getting excited. Could there be an adoption ministry in my future? An orphan ministry? VERY LIKELY! Please join me in praying for God's will and His timing...ooo I could so run with this...but first things first...let's get baby Naomi home before I take on such an extensive project!

Waiting...

Okay, I'm coming clean, I am not good at waiting. I've been driving myself crazy waiting for N to go into labor, and her due date is not for another 2 weeks. The culmination of this craziness came when I awoke with a migraine like no other. It has been ages since a migraine this bad has hit...but I so recognized its symptoms. Not enough sleep, too much pent up stress, not enough release...

God is good though, my friend Katie showed up unexpectedly. Now we normally meet on Friday mornings, but I thought we had cancelled today's meetings. Despite my weakened condition, we spoke for about 10 minutes, but what's best is that she prayed with and for me! She hugged me, told me she loved me and was totally cool with me needing to go back to the darkened dungeon I call my bedroom!

What a great friend! Thanks Katie! You're the absolute best, and were the words and arms of Jesus to me today! Thank you!

Cloth Diapers

Melody asked me to write more about the cloth diapers I made. I don't know how much I can add, since I went to her blog to find the info...but alas...here is what I did.

I made 18 Rita's Rump pockets. I used fleece (alpine and blizzard fleece, when onsale at Joann's, as well as some remnants from some diapers I had sewn for a friend) for the outside, and flannel (good quality flannel found onsale at Joann's) for the inside. For the absorbant part of the pocket diaper, I used a mid quality facecloth, folded into thirds and a layer of flannel on top and a layer of fleece on the bottom. I did not use hook and loop fabric, nor snaps, my plan is to use good old diaper pins. The only problem with these, is that I misread, and did not cut them out with the seam allowance. I'm thinking they are smaller than they are supposed to be, but should work for a while.

I then made 21 flannel prefolds. Once again, the flannel I found on sale. These were easy to make, and I'm hoping that I will like these most. I don't have a cover for them. I'm thinking of using the shell of my pocket diapers for a cover. We'll see how that goes. I'm trying to save as much money as possible, as $$$ is tight.

If I have to redo diapers...ie if I really like the pockets, but they are too small, I'm thinking I would wash the fleece with a waterproofing agent before cutting and sewing, this would ensure that they really do keep baby dry.

We'll see how this all works out. Rich is a little leery of using cloth, but likes the thought of the savings. I'm debating whether I will buy the diaper sprayer for the toilet, or just go with diaper liners....I think what bothers Rich most about cloth is the poop, so liners appeal to him. If I could find them close by it wouldn't be so bad, but the shipping from the stores online has been atrocious, so we'll see!

Finally, I'd post pictures, but my camera died, and we've had no money to buy a new camera. When I finally have pictures of my stash, I'll post them.

Need Your Help!

So our estimated due date is about 2 weeks away. I'm starting to think of what I need to pack. Who am I kidding, the suitcase is open and being filled. I'll be gone 14 maybe more days.My question is...

What do I NEED to pack for a newborn?

Next question-What projects(cheap- as in no to little money involved) can I do to keep my hands and mind busy during the wait? I've crocheted 1 blanket, did a crochet border around another blanket, sewed 39 cloth diapers, made homemade faceclothes/wipes out of my remnant fabric, set up the crib, decluttered a bunch of areas in the home... Please help me find something to do to keep me busy!

Fast and Slow

I was talking to N yesterday, and she was saying how little time there is to her pregnancy. TRUE! She also mentionned how quickly time is passing. Hmmm....it doesn't feel that way to me. In some respects, time is flying by, and yet, at the other end of the spectrum, it feels as if Naomi's birth will never come. While we have a due date, N could very well go late. I'm just so ready to have this little miracle be here. So ready to see her. The unknowns are just so hard for me.

While I wait I've cleaned and decluttered my living room, bedroom, kitchen...I've cleaned the plethora of baby gear we've been given, set up the crib...ummm washed all the baby clothes. I've basically kept really busy. The problem, I'm quickly running out of projects! Ugh! Need to find stuff to do to quiet my mind...Now if only Rich would chop more wood, I could pile that to get both exercise and keep my mind busy.

Ressourceful!

I have two very different children. T, 15, is always asking for things. "Can I get myself some juice? Can I take a shower? Can I have a snack? What can I have for lunch?" Now it drives me CRAZY. At 15, I expect that she shouldn't have to ask and just use common sense. Well, Simeon is the total opposite. I walk into the living room, and he has a whole bag of celery, and he's munching away on it one rib at a time. He wants to do everything for himself, for the most part. Well, this morning, he asked for some yogourt, and I let him get it. When he realized that there was none, he decided he wanted some of my homemade bread. I came upstairs after hearing some crashing to find my cooling racks on the floor, and a big hunk of bread torn out of the middle of the loaf. I don't know which makes me crazier, but I love to see how different two kids raised in the same household can be! Personality has just as much to do with their view of things as environment!

30 Things that make me happy!

I was challenged by Faith, http://wingerteam.blogspot.com/, to write 30 things that make me happy. Here they are in no particular order:

1.Snuggling with Rich
2.Simeon waking me up with, " Good morning my precious!"
3.Seeing my flower gardens bloom.
4.Harvesting my home grown vegetables
5.The sound my jam makes as its sealing...such a distinctive POP!
6.Looking at my jars of freshly made jam.
7.Walking on the beach at low tide.
8.Blaring a great worship song in the car and having the entire family singing to it.
9.The smell of homemade bread baking.
10.The taste of homemade bread with homemade jam.
11.Hearing people rave about my baked goods.
12.Quiet time reading my Bible in the morning.
13.Crocheting a baby blanket for myself, a friend or family.
14.Watching the first two Anne of Green Gable movies.
15.Watching Fiddler on the Roof.
16.Getting a new book to read.
17.Snuggling on the couch and reading a book with no distractions.
18.Watching Simeon play in the pool.
19.Laughing with Trisha about "boys".
20.Spending time with friends.
21.Seeing Simeon understand a concept in homeschool.
22.Decluttering my home.
23.A freshly cleaned house.
24.Empty laundry baskets.(If only it would last longer)
25.Holding hands with Rich.
26.Snuggling up on the couch with Rich and Simeon.
27."Racing" with Simeon on the beach.
28.Taking a nap.
29.Laughing over the trivial moments in life with friends.
30.Hearing and seeing what God is doing in my life and the life of my family and friends!

So, what makes you happy? If you post your list, please leave a comment so I can go and check it out!

Overwhelmed

The past two weeks have been crazy, exciting, scary, and extremely hopeful and joyful. On July 17th, we got the call saying that we are matched with a young woman who is due to give birth to a baby girl on Sept. 4th. If all goes according to plan ( and we all know that plans can change) We will be the proud adoptive parents of Naomi Abigail Lyric sometime in the first half of September. We couldn't be more excited, and have had a great time getting to know that young woman, N, who is wanting to place her baby with us.

I was telling a friend the other day, there are times, when I feel like I pray, and its as if there is a wall to heaven. I know God hears me, but I don't seem to receive any of his answers. Whether the answer be yes, no or wait, I don't seem to have any sense that He is at work. ( I know that I can't base my knowledge of God on feelings, I'm just stating how it sometimes feels). Lately though, it seems as if God hears my prayers and at times answers before I even formulate a prayer.

Here are some examples.

Rich and I had virtually nothing for the baby except a crib. We were blessed in the past week with 2 infant car seats, a bouncy seat, a baby swing, a baby bath, a gift certificate which will cover the crib mattress and crib sheets we need.

Rich and I were thinking that we would not be able to both fly to Little Rock to get the baby. I prayed about a way for it to happen...wouldn't you know, I have a friend who has a free return flight from Southwest that can be transferred to whoever she pleases. Neither her nor her husband will be able to use it before it expires...Guess who was offered the tickets.

I've been wanting some pattern blocks as well as some unifix cubes for home school with Simeon, as well as a primary scale. My friend Jenn, who is a teacher had us over on Friday night. She asked if I could use any stuff for homeschool...Guess what was in her pile of giveaways...everything I mentionned + some books, one being Animal Animal by Eric Carle, a book I've been wanting to buy for over a year.

I'm telling you, I'm overwhelmed at God's grace and goodness. Sometimes it feels like I'm going to wake up and realize that this was all some twisted bad dream, and that my reality is not what I think it is. Why is it so hard to accept God's many blessings at times?

Anyway, I'm enjoying this while it lasts! God is good, whether He blesses me as He has been or not...I'm just so thankful that He is in my life!