Co-Sleeping

Wills has such a sweet heart.  The throw up bug hit Owen yesterday, so I asked Wills to sleep in Kate's room so he wouldn't be kept awake by Owen hacking in the toilet (they share a room).

To say Kate was excited is an understatement!  She was over the moon happy!  She has this big room all to herself and gets a little scared at night.  She has also been hounding me to please let her new baby sister and her sleep in bunk beds!  Not sure that will work right away. 

So....Last night, while Owen dry heaved all night long, Kate slept happily and peacefully, protected by her older brother. 

Wills was not near as excited as Kate, but after much encouragement from his parents, he obliged.

We ARE the Circus!

One of the many great things about being part of the "Ebsco" corporation, is every year we get great circus tickets, along with the chance to attend a really fun pre-circus party benefiting Magic Moments.

Magic Moments is an organization that grants wishes (or magic moments) to sick and terminally ill children. 

Ebsco, Matt's company, does so much for our community, and this is one of the many organizations it supports.  Every year, Matt and I are much more excited to attend the pre-circus party  than to see the actual circus!  We had a ball and so did the kids.  We got to the party at 5:30 on the dot and helped open the doors.  The kids had a chance to get their faces painted, eat a ton of junk food (joy), meet some of the stars of the circus, and be a part of the dance party...hilarious!  From the party, we headed to the actual circus, which consisted of sticky fingers and faces and a tired Mommy with 2 little kids climbing all over her.  Matt was sandwiched in between the older boys, so he actually got to enjoy the show, while I was suffocated by a 2 and 4 year old. 

 I think the circus was good, the 2 or 3 times I looked up!

Face Painting

Not sure what Wills was going for....but I told the lady to make it kid friendly...ummmm????

And Gray is suppose to be a pirate, but he only wanted the patch over his mouth, not over his eye.

Kate and the Snow White cast from Samford

(oh....Gray is in there too)

This is cool...the RINGMASTER!!

We had to stop Owen from assaulting him....O was rubbing his hands all up and down the guys sequined pants!

This is the dance party!  Leave it to Owen to find someone to dance with.

The boys who got to see the show!

I looked up once and saw an elephant!

Ring Ring Ring

CIS Person:   United States Immigration Adoption Department
Me:  Hi, I am calling to check on my adoption form I-800A status
CIS:  Your receipt number
Me:  SIMxxxxxxxxxxx
CIS:  Let me check (long pause).  It has not been assigned an officer to review it yet.
Me:  (very solemn) Oh.....How long from when you received my document is the average wait time?
CIS:  Our website says 90 days
Me:  (again very sad, but really nice)  O.k.  Is there anything I can do to expedite this process? 
CIS:  No
Me:  Alright, thank you.  I will call again tomorrow!

REPEAT THIS EXACT CONVERSATION MONDAY - FRIDAY OF THIS WEEK AND LAST.
One thing I will tell you is that I am persistent and  I will call these people every day until that paper is in my hands.   I joked that pretty soon, they will answer the call I put through every day at 1:30, with "Hi, Mallory".
I know this is not the case, but I envision these "officers" sitting in their cubicles on facebook while I wait for a life changing form to be complete!  I know they are not really on facebook, but when you are anxiously awaiting a really important document, you start to imagine things like that!
I hold onto that fact that God is bigger than this.  God has continually had His hand on this whole process, and if we are waiting a little longer than I think we should be on a document, it is because God is up to bigger things!
BUT...just so you know Lord, I will be putting in my call once again on Monday!

Goals

So, I am starting to plan all the events and races I want to do this summer.  I need goals.  I am a goal person.  I need something for me, outside of being a mom, to work for.  I have always loved to exercise.  My goals have changed.  When I was younger I exercised   to be skinny.  Now I do it to be strong and compete.  I love that I am healthy and strong and I love to challenge myself physically.  I may not have the same body as I had before kids, but I have seen what my body can do (having kids) and I am thankful for that.  I love to be active and I want my kids to see that.  I am not saying it is easy to fit it in.  As moms, we all know how hard it is to accomplish our long to do list.  I am not going to beat myself up if I can't get a run in or get to the gym, but to be honest, I feel better if I do.  This winter has been hard because we have had a lot of sickness in our family, but once Spring comes, I am ready to get back in a routine.
So, for anyone who might be interested, this is my plan for the Summer.  Any of you out there who would like to do any of the following races with me, I would LOVE it.  I can get you a training schedule. 
Come on....it is fun!  I promise.  Anyone can do it---trust me!

March 2--SEASIDE half marathon
March-May--Triathlon training
May 15--Aflac Women's Tri (GA)
June 5th--  Acworth GA Tri
June 11---  Bham Buster Britton
June TBA---AL Sports Festval Tri
July ---BEACH  (break)
July  24 ---Lake Blue Ridge Tri
August 13th--- Guntersville, AL Tri
August 28th--- Hunstville Tri

100 years old

Tomorrow is the 100th day of school!  I remember as a teacher, that this was always a fun way to do some hands on math with the kids.  Wills and Owen both are bringing 100 pokemon cards to school. 

They also both need to bring 100 items to put into a 100 day snack mix.  Wills wanted to bring 100 pretzels and Owen is bringing 100 gummy bears to share with the class.

The Kindergartners are also allowed to dress up like they are 100 years old.

I went to The Dollar Tree and found a pair of glasses and a hat. 

Owen also recently got a walking stick from his Nana, so we are using that as a cane. 

Here are a few pictures of 2 very funny 100 year old men!

 This is Owen's get up...he looks like Charlie Chaplin on a hike!

I want my $10

We are staying busy and surviving these cold days.  The boys are having a blast with basketball (and so am I)!  I have loved coaching them.  I am not convinced it is their sport, but I have seen improvement, so I am happy about that.  My goal is to have every child on my team score, and so far, we have 4 that have not yet scored (half of those 4 are mine).  I told MY boys (not the whole team) that when they score their first basket I will give them $10.  I know this sounds like a lot, but trust me, if it happens, I will happily fork it over.  I just really want my own kids to score.
Wills is willing to work at it.  He is determined to do it, and I pray he does.  Owen.....not so much.  It is not that he doesn't WANT the reward, he just doesn't want to work at it.  In fact, my little negotiator told Wills to come ask me if he would get $20 if he scored 2 goals.  Of course, I said "no" and later I heard Wills report to Owen that "Mommy said No".  I guess Owen thought he could just make Wills do all the work and still get something. 
I am convinced Owen will one day be the greatest salesperson ever and Wills will play it safe and be an accountant. 
On another note, my kids were able to be models today!  ha!  A friend of mine needed some kids for her Spring/Summer catalog and asked if mine would be up for it.  Of course, I said "Yes".  Wills, Owen and Kate all got to go out on the farm and get their picture taken in a cute new shirt.  Gray didn't make it.  He was a little under the weather. 
I don't have the pictures yet, but check out her website.  She has some really cute things.  She actually did our Christmas card for us and I loved it.
www.shophollydays.com
Check her out.  She is so talented and also a very sweet person. 
I am excited to start a full week of school and hopefully I will have some exciting adoption news on the horizon!

Wonderfully Different

Have I ever told you how wonderfully "different" little girls are than little boys?

I love my boys.  I love their energy.  I love their wild ways!  But with my boys, when they have friends over, it is like a pack of wild monkeys running through my house destroying everything in their path.

I LOVE when Kate has her friends over.  They escape up to her room and play dolls, barbies, dress up, polly pockets, and "Mommy".  The only sounds I hear are laughter and the occasional tattling when Gray is stirring things up.  I know I will be emotionally exhausted when Kate is a teenager, but for now,

little girls sure all sugar and spice and everything nice!

 Nothing like a tea party for lunch!  We even got out my real China. 

I am glad I have been able to use it at least once...even if it is for a little girl's tea party.

What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas

I just had to say that because Matt and I just returned from a Las Vegas trip.  If you are wondering, and you don't know me very well....I can tell you what happened in Vegas.  Lots of rest, relaxation, eating, people watching, and shopping.  We did get a little crazy and gambled away and whole $8!  We lost it in a matter of minutes.  To be honest, we don't have a lot of money to throw around these days, so we just enjoyed watching others do it, and felt a bit of sadness for them.  One lady that was playing penny slots, screamed in excitement and I said, "Oh Matt, look she won".  Matt turned to see and poor thing had won $1.30!
The only reason I was able to go on this trip was because Matt had business there.  We used frequent flier miles for my ticket and 2 days of the hotel was free (reward points).  I guess that is one perk of a husband who travels a lot.
I spent all day Thursday on my own, walking the strip and people watching.  It was fun to be in a new city and to explore at my own pace.  I saw lots of interesting things.  Some I can't post on my blog!  I did some sightseeing and really enjoyed the time away!
Here are a few pictures from our trip.  It was a nice change of scenery and I am so grateful for my mom, who was so wonderful to come watch my kids for me.  Thank you, Mom for being one of the few who read my blog and one of the few that would offer to keep my kids for more than 1 day!

A beautiful view from the top of a wonderful restaurant we ate the first night...Mix

 I had peppered bison and it was the best thing I have ever tasted.

 Here is a replica of the Statue of Liberty complete with a roller coaster in the background

 Blue man group.  We didn't see the show, but we saw Jersey Boys (which I kept calling Jersey Shore).  It was really good.

 4 of the 8 dollars I lost on slots.

 The coolest thing about the trip was that they had quite an exhibit, in all the high end hotels, to honor the Chinese New Year.  You would not believe how beautiful the Chinese decor was.  It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen.  It was so special to me perosnally because this is the year we will bring our little girl home.  I was able to spend time in prayer for our little girl as I walked among the hotel.

It was neat to see the Chinese culture so alive here.

Look at this statue and the gold coins.

I did throw a coin and lift up a prayer to God. 

 Here is yet another amazing rabbit statue.  They were everywhere, surrounded by beautiful flowers and oranges.

 Although I do not believe in the Chinese Zodiac, as I know God holds us in His hands, It interesting to see that in their culture, the year of the Rabbit is traditionally associated with home and family.

We cannot wait to bring her home and into our family.

A Day Off

You know us, woke up to an icy wonderland, and we were out on our sleds by 9:00!

Our snow gear is pretty terrible, but we made due with what we had.

We might not have the right snow gear, but we have 2 awesome sleds that I bought at a garage sale for 50 cents each last year. 

I must admit sledding on ice is so fun!

Ended up crashing into some trees..... 

 When we weren't sledding, we were watching some video clips on our i-pad.

A Christmas present from Meme and Pop to our family!  We love it!

 Then some dancing leading up to the big game!

And finally ended the day with our family all watching our Auburn Tigers win the National Championship!

Wow!  What a day!

War Eagle!



Embracing What I Don't Have

I have got to share something I found this weekend that I am so excited about!  I love to work out and even when I am not working out, I am probably dressed like I am.   I do clean up (a little) on Sundays and for date nights, but otherwise I am in yoga pants and a t-shirt. 
Ok, so here it goes..when I wear a sports bra, without padding, I look well...like a 10 year old girl (or a boy).
The Lord withheld a few things when he made me, and I will let you take a wild guess at what 2 of them are.
I confess, I have thought many times about plastic surgery.  In fact, this summer I even made an appointment at a nearby plastic surgeons office to discuss the possibility of implants.  I would love to be able to just get a "lift", but unfortunately you need something to lift.   After much time, prayer and mind wrestling, I have come to peace that I need to accept what the Lord has given me....or in my case, has not given me! 
Just so you know, I do not care what anyone else does!  It really is none of my business (nor anyone else's) what someone else does or has done, this is simply just me personally!  So, now that I know I will more than likely be nonexistent in the chest department for long term, I need  help from a few good bras (which are easy to find) and sports bras (more difficult to find).
I have finally found a sports bra that is not only comfortable, but can do what surgery would do, without the surgery.  I know its fake, so do my friends, and now so do YOU,  but I feel good in it.  I found this line at Academy.  It is by Marika magic and it is called the Magical Uplifting Sports Bra.  It was only 19.99!
So, any of my blogger friends who need some help in that department, look for it.  It's got to be good if I would commit a whole post to it!

Where We Are

This past week, with our family back in a routine, I was able to get a few things done with the adoption.
Matt and I both received our appointments to get our biometric fingerprints done downtown.  This is the second, and final round of prints we need to do, and these results should be ready a lot quicker.
The results are sent to Immigration and we wait for our approval.  I am praying that this part of the process moves quickly for us, because the sooner we are approved, the sooner we get matched with our little girl.
The kids are still super excited about a new little sister!  Wills' teacher told me that on the first day of school, back from Christmas break, during their morning meeting, all the kids shared what they got for Christmas and Wills shared about his new baby sister.  Kate has also been pretty vocal about telling everyone she sees and she is very quick to say that we are adopting her from China.  It has really given our family an opportunity to share with others how we know God has brought us on this journey--a testimony of sorts.
Matt has been amazing through the whole process.  It is difficult to be paying so much money at a time, but he has stayed so positive and strong when we write those checks.... while I am the one holding my breath! 
I love how God has taken the man of my dreams and given him such a huge heart for his family and for the orphan.  I think it is important to add that when we got married, Matt envisioned that he would have 2 kids....Isn't it awesome that God knows what we need and blesses us beyond our own expectations.
So, we are in the continuous cycle of waiting....but we are on our way!  On our way to getting  a picture of our sweet daughter.  We pray daily that God protects her and gives her caretakers the ability to love her and meet her needs....until we can hold her in our arms.

Smiles

I might be feeling like a crazy lady lately, but hey...my kids are happy!

Check out these grins!

 Check out the hair bow....she put it in "all by myself"

It's Time to....

Put on my big girl underwear and move on!

I hope I didn't put any of you in a state of depression with my previous post.  It is my hope that we can all agree that nobody is perfect.  Nobody's life is perfect.  We all have struggles.  We all need God!
Today I had my first taste of silence in a long time.  All the kids were gone and I sat down to finally breathe in and out.  I opened up my devotion book and this is the verse God had for me today.

I know what it is to be in need
and I know what it is to have plenty.
I have learned the secret of being content
in any and every situation,
whether well fed or hungry,
whether living in plenty or in want.
I can do everything through him
who gives me strength.
Philippians 4: 12-13

The Lord has yet to speak to me in a burning bush or a cloud, but He does get my attention, and I believe, speaks to me through His word.  I  am so thankful that the bible is alive and applicable to my life still today.  I am so grateful that the Lord has shown me His grace day in and day out.  I am so relieved that I do not have to be perfect.  I am so humbled to be called a daughter of Christ.
Through struggles, trials, hard days, etc...I know one thing....that I am being refined and shaped into what God has called me to be.  I am glad he is patient with me.

Happy New Year from Debbie Downer!

So far my 2011 has, to put it lightly, been pretty crappy!  Aren't you glad you are reading this? :)
I am in a bit of a funk right now and am hopeful that I will persevere and survive.  I guess I don't really have a choice, although today I thought about walking out of my house and  just driving until I ran out of gas....which would have been 5 miles or so because it was time to refuel!
Here are some things I am dealing with that I am sure will either make you feel better about YOUR life or feel like you are in good company.  I hope it is the former.
1.  A extremely strong willed 2 year old. 
I thought Owen was my strong willed child.  No, I am the lucky mother of  2 SWB (strong willed boys)!  But Owen doesn't hold a candle to this little guy!  Potty training is going good.  I think the issue is this new responsibility that he doesn't want to have.  He is also very clingy right now, so he is constantly under my feet.  I DO love him like crazy, but the constant whining, crying, time-outs, screaming, pottying, and hitting is taking a toll on me!
Today he threw his gum wrapper on the floor and I said, "Gray, you need to pick that up and put it in the trash".  Do you know it took 45 minutes, 10 time outs and lots of drama before he FINALLY picked that trash up off the floor.  It wasn't about the trash, it was about obeying and Lord knows that child needs some training.
2.  A husband that works too hard.
Poor Matt!  I feel sorry for him, I really do.  He carries the weight of providing for our family on his shoulders.  We are so thankful that he recently got a promotion, but with that, has come lots and lots of work.  Usually after Christmas, he is able to take off a week to be with the family.  This was the plan again this year, but it just didn't happen.  He had to travel a good bit and when he was home, that "crack"berry was in constant use and it was things he really needed to do.  I get that!  I hate it for him!  I hate it for me!
3.  Sickness
What would Christmas break be without getting sick?
I hate it when my kids get sick.  I admit my feelings are mostly selfish.  It really puts a halt to my OWN plans.  We were lucky enough to get strep, as well as a really gross sounding hacking cough that makes people we don't know at Publix slather on the hand sanitizer when they hear it.
4.  I HATE cold weather.
I thought about doing some sun therapy.  Do people still have tanning beds in their homes.  I honestly think my body needs more vitamin D than the average person.  I long for the days when I can throw on shorts, a tank top and some flip flops and walk to my car sweating.  I love it!  I don't want Spring.  I want Summer!
5.  Adoption
I am getting some papers together that I will be sending to China and because of the above list of downers, I find myself questioning my ability to be a good parent.  I am aware that this is Satan attacking me, because I know this is what God has called us to do, but......
Can I do it?  Can I make it? 
Unless God tells us otherwise, we are adopting!  I guess when you have days, weeks, etc.. that are difficult, it makes you second guess your ability to do ANYTHING!

So...now is the time where I am suppose to say,  "There is nowhere else I would rather be" right?

Nope! 

 Right now, today, I am really wishing I was in Costa Rica, sitting on a beach.