Bits

If you've been around LifeTrain awhile, you're familiar with my "Bits" posts.  

The name comes from what I've commonly heard my sweet English grandma call meals that are a table spread of pick-what-you-like.  Usually a sampling of cold items, a buffet, that can survive not being eaten on time: salad, fruit cocktails, chilled smoked salmon open sandwiches etc.  She usually has Bits for us when we arrive off the airplane because we'll be hungry, but can't be guaranteed to arrive on time after a 12 hour journey.

For my blog, it usually means that I'll post a bit of this, and a bit of that.  And it also usually means that it has been waaaay too long since I've posted and there is a whole heap to catch everyone up on!  :-)

- I *just* bought fall/winter clothes for the kids.  School around here starts in mid-August, so all of the fall/winter clothes are out then for Back to School (everyone always wants new clothes for the first day of school!).  But, August is usually our hottest month and you really don't need to wear wool sweaters and mittens during August in Nashville.  September sometimes holds a few brisk days and October usually is a gamble.  But, if you can wait this long, so much has been marked down it's crazy!  This year, though, we haven't had a single "cold" day yet.  In fact, our neighborhood is the hub-bub of activity in the evening like it always is with kids playing in the cul-de-sac and adults visiting with each other... we have to remind ourselves that its mid-October (yesterday's high was in the 80s, I think).  So, we've really lucked out this year.  Anyway, since we're homeschooling right now Back to School clothing was a non-issue.  But I think we've done this the past two years, as well, and just bought a new outfit or two of the on-sale summer stuff for Grant to wear during the first week of school when it's hot then did fall/winter shopping later.  Now, like I said, this year has been warm, but there was a year when I waited a bit too long and we had a sudden cold snap and I had to wrap the kids in a blanket to stay warm on the way to the store to buy warmer clothes.  Oops!  The flip side is $2.97 shirts at GAP... can't beat that!

- My brother finally set a wedding date, so we know that we'll be going to Southern California in March.  When he first announced his engagement about a year ago, I thought we'd be bringing our daughter with us on this trip to introduce to all of our West Coast family.  As time went on, and he hadn't picked a date and we hadn't received a referral, I got nervous that he'd be married right as we might be traveling to Taiwan.  Thankfully, *that* won't be happening.  Sadly, *that* won't be happening. 

- I have not stopped putting Newman's Own Lime salad dressing on my salad since I bought the bottle about a week ago.  I had two neighbors over for dinner last Monday who enjoyed it with me, but other than that, the bottle is nearly gone and I've had salad nearly every day!  Sooo good!  On a side note, now that all of these articles are coming out to remember the life of Paul Newman, I can TOTALLY see why my mom adored him... he was really cute during her young years!  Besides that, he has an amazing body of work in film and I think Eric and I are going to watch a few of his better known movies when we have time and when Netflix sends them.

-Time.  Yes.  Eric has had hardly any time at home recently.  He has been working on the project of his career thus far- a huge, expensive, consuming project.  Not only that, another big project has come on it's heels.  He's tired.  I'm tired.  I am so proud of him though and so thankful that I have this amazing man.  You really can tell what a team we are used to being because I completely SUCK without him here.  The house is falling apart, my kids are behaving less sweetly, my mind is frazzled, and I just plain ol' MISS HIM.  November holds promise as a month when he'll finally see some relief.  Pray for him.

- We have about 30 kids on this tiny street of ours.  So, already, quite a blessing.  I just met some neighbors down the street who are a bit outside our normal play zone (so we hadn't met even though they've been in our subdivision a year) who have three domestically adopted kids.  Then, this past week, a new family moved in two houses down from us.  They have 4 kids, and the two youngest were adopted from China.  The girls are very close to Lael's age, and they hit it off immediately.  I love that our family is situated in a place where other races and adoption are commonplace!

- Dean is reading short vowel words!  I'm so proud of him.

- Ever since discovering the hair blog I wrote about, I've been making an extra effort on Lael's hair and am actually getting compliments.  If the compliments are within her earshot, she'll give you a pretty pose.  She is sooooo girly.  Lately, she's been walking around with a plastic/pretend make-up compact that came with some Princess dress-up set of hers.  Armed with an old make-up brush of mine, she goes around giving everyone painted faces.  At least 4 times a day, I stay still so that she can, very carefully, do my eyes, lips, and cheeks.  It's all pretend, so I'm fine.  Well, a few weeks ago, she was babysat while we went to Life Group.  One of the other kids (7 years old) at the babysitting house gave her a REAL makeover!  Oh My Goodness.  Aqua eyeshadow, bright blush, and pink lips.  Kind of scary, but Lael had such fun!  We do have talks, since I see her tendency to love clothes and make-up, about how she is ALWAYS beautiful and that it doesn't matter what make-up or dresses she has on.  In fact, I've told her, too much make-up is NOT pretty and you don't need that much.  So, as she's watching me in the morning pt a bit of make-up on, I often get lectured that "too much make-up is not good".  One time, when she thought I'd been at the mirror applying too much, she actually swiped the brush from my hand!  There are days I leave the house without anything on at all, so I know she was overreacting.  :-)

- I'm going to New York at the end of the month!  Oh My Goodness- SO EXCITED!  Three of my high school girlfriends and I are having a girl's weekend!  I've never done such a thing before and have declined their previous invites because I was pregnant, or nursing, or we had already spent too much on travel that year  for me to go on such a splurgy trip (the downside to having family every where!).  BUT, it all lined up this time and so Kim and I will be flying to meet Candie and Jen in NYC for 4 days.  We've bought New York Passes to enjoy some tourist-y stuff, and have reservations at two amazing restaurants, but does it really matter *what* you do when you're with good friends, in a cool city, without kids?!  I think not!

- I'm currently reading "Are Those Kids Yours?", which was recommended to me by my adoption agency.  So, far, though, I haven't hit any information I didn't obtain elsewhere.  I've done the With Eyes Wide Open online course (which I would love for all our friends and family to take- I think it is the easiest, most concise format for anyone), read "Toddler Adoption: the Weaver's Craft", and "the Broken Cord" (a story of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in adoption).  For the adoptive parents out there, what was your most insightful book/resource?

- I've been thinking about Christmas lately and the economy, and poverty.  I don't have the answers, but I have this desire to do more than clutter our house up with stuff we don't need- especially toys.  I feel conflicted most years about excess (and I don't think we do a TON), but this year especially.  I'd love to see the hearts of my kids so passionate about serving others that they volunteer to forgo gifts so they can give to others.  Is that a pipe dream?  Do we just say that is what we're doing and do it?  The Samaritan's Purse catalog came yesterday and further drove home the needs in the world.  We've done the Operation Christmas Child in years' past, but have never ordered from their catalog.  Have any of you done something "radical" in your family to celebrate Christmas?

- We're having our lawn (lack of lawn, *ahem*) aerated and seeded on Monday.  Hopefully this will end the weed/bare patch misery that we inherited when we bought this house.  I must be diligent to water every day until then so that the machine can pull good "plugs" for the lawn guys.  Then I must be diligent to water every day for 3 weeks to help the seeds germinate and the grass to root well.  So, dear God, I would love rain, for I am not so good at being diligent about watering and it will certainly impact our water bill this month.  Today is overcast- cross your fingers!

Just Good stuff

*I'm really interested in trying this:

Fizzy Fruit

Eric and I saw a snippet about it on that food program with Marc Summers (of Double Dare fame).  Ah... here it is: Unwrapped.

* I was thinking about how we'd like to visit a few more museums while we're in London now that the kids are a tad older.  Victoria and Albert.  National Gallery.  We are even talking about doing the day trip to Paris again (via Chunnel)  and maybe going to the Louvre.  Eric and I began to discuss the realistic expectations we should have for three youngish children (7,5, and 3) in such a setting.  From there, my mind wandered on how to give my children a passion for the arts beyond art and craft projects we do at home.  How can I transition that into an appreciation for the art of others?  Then I read this lovely post by an adoptive mom blogger that is in my Bloglines.  So, my brain started churning and I got on Dick Blick and Amazon looking for Art History introduction type publications for children.  Then, I unearthed

  these.  

They have them for a number of different artists and I think I want them ALL.  One at a time, my budget says, but wouldn't that be great?!  To have them all.

* Lael has been tired and sick and just practically lifeless for a few days in row.  The debut of

 Ni Hao, Kail-lan 

could not have come at a better time!  the TiVo now has 4 epidsodes and she has been alternating between her beloved Dora and Kai-lan, temporarily distracting her from the yuckiness.  :-(

Bits

-Eric and I went on a fairly spontaneous date Friday night.  Like, he called at lunch time and we scrambled to find a babysitter.  Our dear Amanda was busy, so we tried a few other avenues with no luck.  Just before we were about to give up, a mom I know from church offered up her 15 year old son and her 12 year old daughter in a two-for-one deal!  Very responsible homeschooled kids, and the son is certified by the Red Cross.  And the kids loved having a boy for a change.  it worked out well.  Amanda, you still have your job- we always prefer you- but it is soooo good to have another back up.  Importantly, Eric and I snuck out and did something "normal" and easy going.  Granted, it cost us a pretty penny to just for a quick dinner and a movie, but the ability to do that and to be with my favorite person on earth was SOOOO worth it.  We went to Wild Noodles (not recommended, so I won't link) and we saw Enchanted.  This movie had me smiling and laughing about 80% of the time.  So sweet and cute- a real feel good movie and it was just perfect for my mood.  Silly and funny and- I can't wait to watch it again on DVD.  Sometimes you just need a predictable, happy movie!

-The princess in the movie is a red head.  Eric has always had a bit of a crush on redheads as a "type".  Well, we got to talking, and I got to thinking- "hey, its just hair...maybe I'll get mine dyed".  For fun.  For change.  As long as we go into it thinking that I might have to have it re-dyed a month later back to brown, I'm okay with it.  I haven't made an appointment yet, but I've done a lot of clicking on pictures.  Update on that front to come after I talk to my hair stylist (we're playing phone tag).  Isn't this girl beautiful?

-The Mamas from Mamamade met up to discuss ways of improving turnout for the next event.  Everyone seems on the same page about how to continue growing/ improving the event and we're looking at a spring sale right before Mother's Day.  New location is needed, and that's my research project over the next month.  So, if anyone has a hip, reasonable space in the Middle Tennessee area to recommend- let me know!

- It's cold.  Our mugs are constantly in rotation.  I think up to at LEAST 3 cups of tea or coffee a day.  And, I 'm trying really hard to choose tea when I need a hot drink because I drink coffee with way too many extras, while I like my tea with only a splash of milk.

-Speaking of mugs, I had a lovely coffee morning with some neighbors here at my house Tuesday.  What a wonderful time of talking and nibbling we had!  I made citrus and white chocolate scones with some candied citrus peel rind I made the other day.  Yum!  I can see this will be a regular event, especially through winter when we aren't hanging outside gabbing.  We are so blessed to be in the neighborhood we are with such friendly people.

- My nephew Jack's painting is in the works.  It's all sketched on the watercolor paper, and I need to ink and paint now, which seems so much less complicated than choosing a subject, and drawing it to my liking.  I'll post when it is complete.

-Project Runway is in full swing again!

- My baby girl is THREE now!  The actual party is Friday, but there has been much celebrating already.  Daddy even took the day off work to take her shopping and eat out.  Lots of pink things entered our house after their outing!

-We visited Santa this week at the mall, and Grant was convinced by Mr. Claus' beard that he was the "real one".  I am doing my best to cherish each bit of wonder in his eyes, as I know this may be the last year he believes since he's seven and in the public school system.  Will he figure it out on his own, or will someone spill the beans?  When I was a kid, I just figured it out- I was six or seven.

- I made the advent calendar, with modifications.  Again, will post photos later.

- looks like this Bits post is going to need a Bits, Part II with photos.

- I still haven't picked out/ made/ thought much about Christmas cards and it is one of my favorite parts of Christmas preparation- reconnecting with far flung friends and relatives.  For the first time, last year, we printed out a Christmas letter.  Mostly, this was a way of explaining our adoption without having to write the details a zillion times.  But, I'm thinking maybe I'll do it again- I so enjoy reading the letters of others.  BUT, I really I really like traditional cards *and* I really like photos of the kids since they grow so fast.  It seems like the easy answer is to do all three, but I'm thinking that may be a bit expensive.  Maybe I should start with a list, and then decide.  Yep.  That's what I'll do.

- Dickens of a Christmas is this weekend.

- my brother in law, Aaron, is flying out to go to the Chargers-Titans game with Eric this weekend and they've got good seats.  I know Eric's hoping the Chargers win, but the nice thing is that either team is a "favorite" of his and it should be fun to watch!  And we get to see Aaron- for, like, a day and a half.  :-)

Hopefully pictures tomorrow.

Tag, I'm It.

Jenny tagged me and since Eric is on the phone with a work call and its late and I figure I can post this in a somewhat quick manner (maybe before he gets off the phone, but if not, it is easily finished up later by retrieving from my drafts....)

The rules:
1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

The facts

1. When I am eating, I like for the last bite to be of my favorite thing. If it is an all-in-one type meal, like a burrito, I make sure that the last bite has more of my favorite ingredients. Like, if its a Seven Layer burrito from Taco Bell, then I want my last bite to have more guacamole in it.

2. I have a very unrealistic dream/ fantasy about being in a place where there are secret doors and nooks and passageways to explore, and no one else knows about it, and its mine. I think that all started when I read The Secret Garden as a child and some other book [I don't remember much about] where there was a clock in the wall. Because of this, I have an urge to jump the ropes when touring castles and access the "restricted" areas.

3. When I get hurt, I'm a bit of a baby and I get hurt often because I'm a klutz. Eric has the ability to tell if I'm whiny and overreacting or if I'm truly hurt. God only knows how I was able to have three babies naturally.

4. I hate going to bed without my husband, even if I'm dead tired.

5. The first time I remember going to church was in second grade after I asked my mom if she would take me. I wore a cotton dress with puff sleeves and a ribbon belt. I loved that dress and took my second grade picture in it, too.

6. My big toes are crooked.

7. I wrote my own wedding vows. (he wrote his own, too)

8. Up until this last cleaning at the dentist, I still had a tiny spot of orthodontic glue on one of my teeth near the gum line from braces in high school. I think this hygienist was the first to enjoy the challenge and understand my frustration.

Now, I tag: Amy, Mary, Colin, Erika, Amber, Shelley, Ann, Jess

Summery Bits

Warm air, loose schedules, and plenty of friends leave little room for anything but a "bits" post.

- We have discovered Man vs. Wild and are eating up all of the TiVoed episodes. Educating, amusing, breathtaking- I recommend it. For a person like me who dreams of seeing every inch of this amazing Earth (forget luxury cars and huge mansions- I'd travel the world!), it further puts me in awe of God's creation. So diverse, so beautiful. It makes me wonder, though, if I would be willing to do all that this man does to survive. Specifically, the eating and drinking of things that are less than wonderful. But, even the cliff jumping or rock climbing without ropes. Yikes. I'd better not get stranded somewhere. Especially somewhere where there are snakes, or bears, or saltwater crocs, or... let's be realistic, I kind of don't want to camp in a tent ever again. On the other hand, it inspires a person to see how far they could push themselves if they had to. Like when Eric and I watched EcoChallenge a few years ago- it made me want to run a marathon or do a crazy long hike to combat the cushy/ insulated life I lead. You know, the life I like... really, its quite an internal conflict. ;-)

- There's been swimming at the YMCA. Grant is swimming solo, kind of. He does the dog paddle, and isn't a strong swimmer, but he's able to go without flotation device without me worrying about him. I still wouldn't allow him out of my sight, but I'm in the water already due to Lael and Dean (I won't be the mom lounging on the side of the pool for quite some time!). The younger two wear their floaties and do very well in the shallow section. Neither have much fear and don't mind going under with their heads, so I expect them to do well with lessons when we begin. If I can get them swimming earlier than Grant has, it will give me a bit of freedom, and it would make them happier, too.

- School starts in 1 month. That went quickly. I'm now trying to do review with Grant everyday so that he is ready for 2nd grade in public school. This is a new phase for us. I got a bit anxious the other night thinking about handing my "baby" over every day. But, I've had a good prayer session about it, and the Lord has taken my fears and nervousness. I know this is the right thing for our son this year, and it is time to walk in peace and trust- even excitement over all the good that is to come!

- My garden ended up being rather pitiful. But, the lemon balm is going crazy and we have enough for, probably, 30 gallons of yummy iced tea or mojitos. Well, 30 gallons of mojitos aren't good for anyone. :-) And, my bell peppers are trying to grow, but Lael keeps "harvesting" the tiny peppers before they can mature. (that's a penny for scale- now you see my problem)

- A tiny project turned into a bigger project this past week. I was going to paint the back door. the paint was actually peeling, rather than just being faded, so I started to scrape off the crumbly bits, intending to sand the rest a bit to rough it up, and then paint a new coat over the whole thing. Scraping revealed a bit of wood rot, which led to ripping off the molding and re-framing the door, which led to discovering a smidge more wood rot on the transition piece, which led to a whole new transition plate. I felt bad for Eric because he got involved in a project that I wanted to do entirely by myself while he relaxed. He ended up sawing metal, nailing, and overseeing the whole thing in 90+ heat and humidity. We worked as a nice team, though, and I'm proud of us for tackling it together rather quickly. Now the only thing left is the actual painting, which I can do! I've picked a deep charcoal gray that should look sharp against the black and white striped awning and the light gray siding.

- The flooring project is nearing some resolve. I'm still awaiting one sample. This is going to be a LOT of work but will transform the entire space. I think we're excited and nervous all at once.

- I've embraced another homemaking task. Its a bit crazy, but I'm enjoying it for now- I'm hanging clothes on a line. Like, drying them OUTSIDE. Motivated by saving energy, keeping the hot dryer from running during the summer, and unnecessarily burdening the environment- we thought that the "old school" method for drying clothes was worth a go. We purchased an umbrella style line on Amazon and it is fully removable (you just have a tiny hole in the ground when its not up). It takes a bit of extra time to hang the clothes (15 min.), but I like it so far. In fact, it allows me some time to get caught up in a bit of reflection and prayer while doing a chore. It is gentler on garments and encourages me to fold the items as they come off the line, rather than dumping them in a heap and folding the overwhelming "mountain" all at once (like we do as load after load comes out of the dryer). Of course, maybe its just the novelty that I'm enjoying right now, but time will tell if it becomes a warm weather routine.

- Fourth of July was simple and nice. I didn't take many photos, and we didn't see a fireworks show. But, good friends, loads of kids (only two families and we have that many children?!), great food, a crazy convoluted game of Scrabble (it seems ridiculous that we played that way now....), and chatting with neighbors in the warm summer night made me a thankful woman. Oh, and thank you Amy for introducing us to grilled corn- we've already used that technique again this week! Yum.

Bits

- More floor samples in the Vintage Couture line came. Very good quality product. It is without-a-doubt noticeable which woods have a higher Janka rating. I'm thinking that with 3 (going on 4) children, the harder the wood the better, as the dents and scratches don't go as deep. Sadly, that rules out certain woods that may be our prime stain/ grain choices. Brazilian Cherry and Brazilian Walnut are two of the hardest woods alive but I feel like the cherry is "too red" and the walnut has very "charged" graining (did I make that term up? I'm implying that it has lots of contrast). The brown tones in the Brazilian Walnut are good, though. Nice browns. Hmmm. We'll figure it out.

- Adoption related: We've now been waiting for a referral for 2 months. I hope the rest of the wait seems as painless; it has gone quickly. Our anniversary also marked 1 year since officially deciding to adopt, and it is possible that our 10 year anniversary will be celebrated with a trip to Taiwan! During the wait, we still need to get our fingerprints done, and go through our online education (With Eyes Wide Open).

- Both boys had a sleep-over last night at a friend's house. They are still gone, and it is nearly 2:00pm. They stayed up late, woke up late, and are still having fun according to the mom. Maybe I should retrieve them. The house is so quiet, though. Maybe I'll wait just a tad longer. ;-)

-Eric, Grant and I went rock climbing last night at the Y. Wow. I'm sore. That will certainly have to be part of my workout regimen- it hit all the places I don't seem to get to with free weights. Like, my forearms. Ouch. Lots of fun though! (Colin, aren't you proud?!)

- Lael is on her second day in panties without accident! Woooo Hoooo! Our tradition with each one of the kids has been to visit Chuck E. Cheeses when they are fully "trained". I'm guessing we'll be there sometime in the next week. She seems to have become a pro all of a sudden and I'm not reminding her much and we even go out of the house in panties now.

- I had the 115 year old map of Surrey framed at Hobby Lobby yesterday and I'm loving the idea of finding more old maps and framing them like this. Beautiful.

-Tuesday, I went to the Visual Arts gathering for church. It was my first time, and I was so completely impressed. Mostly, it was a get-together to discuss and not a workshop or event of any kind. But gallery-type exhibits are planned, as are outreach activities (like instructional classes), and work days (like those for painting sets for plays or Vacation Bible School). Because I was new, we went around the room and introduced ourselves and the talents that we exercising. I don't know as any two people did the same thing! Stained glass, collage, sculpture, pencil, photography, oil, pastels... I can tell it will be really inspiring to see so many different mediums. I just need to focus on being wise with my time so that I can make/do/create more. God has given the gift of creativity to so many and it can be a gorgeous form of worship, bringing Him amazing glory. Isn't that exciting?!

Bits

- Grant's last week at the academy is this week. I am relieved and saddened all at once. He has had a great two years there under the care of our church's home school partnership. On the other hand, I have found it increasingly difficult to carry out my duties as wife/ homemeaker/ mother/ teacher and not drop the ball somewhere. The public schools here are some of the best in the state, and I know that this is the right path for Grant, for at least this year. I will try not to get emotional about change.

- It is easy for me to get emotional about change. I am "pregnant", after all. Although, elephants have faster babies! Our wait is now officially expected to be about 12-14 months until referral of an infant girl (and then another 2-6 months before travel).

- We are having Eric's sister, her husband, and their two kids to visit in the coming week. I'm really looking forward to seeing them. The kids play so well, and we miss them. To make the time especially restful and vacation-like, we've rented a cabin in Gatlinburg for three nights. It should be tons of fun- I really can't wait. I'm also excited to show them the new house and get Angie's fabulous opinion on decorating (she's a *natural*, and would be great in a designing/ decorating career). When we visited them in Dallas at Christmas, we had the contract on the house and hadn't yet moved. They heard tons about it, but now we're here!

-I'm starting to believe the whole "girls marry their fathers" saying. Eric has become a Chelsea supporter and is actually going to watch the US airing of the recent Chelsea-Manchester game tonight with a friend. Don't anyone spoil the score for him. Needless to say, my dad is proud of Eric's recent enthusiasm for Blue.

-We signed back up with the YMCA. The whole reason we quit in December was to save the $100 a month to help with adoption costs. But, Eric's company has a contract with them now, giving us a bit of a discount, and no sign-on fees, and- lets not forget- the adoption will take us a good deal longer than we had first anticipated, so there is plenty of time to save a bit more. We've got three Ys on our new side of town, and I am thrilled that one of them has a racquetball court. Eric and I played on Saturday and had so much fun . I really enjoy exercising, and thought I could do the treadmill thing here at home. But, unless there is childcare, I find myself being interrupted and my workout is cut to 15 minutes or it doesn't happen (It. Doesn't. Happen.). One of our new local YMCAs has a rock climbing gym. It makes me think of my brother. :-) And, in a few weeks when Grant turns seven, he can take a mini-class on how to do the auto belay and then he can climb too. Won't that be fun?!

- My garden is sad. All of the new seeds I planted have been stolen by birds. Next growing season, I'll make a cage or netting to protect everything. I think the first set of seeds made it past the crucial period because I was covering with a tarp half the day to shield the seedlings from the frost. Still growing from the first sowing are: carrots, one spinach plant, and the nasturtium flowers (which have yet to flower). I bought a few other packs of seeds that I may still be able to try this year (as they mature quickly): corn, cucumber, and green onion. We'll see. I'm amazed at how fast the spring season went and how it is now summer and the window of planting opportunity has all but closed. If we had to live off our land, we'd starve.

-I've designed a handbag pattern and I am now using the prototype. I really like it, although the future versions will have longer handles (just a smidge). Have a look-see.

Bits

-Tuesday, we met with our social worker again for our home study. We brought the kids along and they did surprisingly well for being in a tiny office for 45 minutes (I brought fruit snacks, and my laptop with a Peter Pan DVD). And, Eric and I agree that the questions were fairly painless since many related to issues that were in our autobiography prompt. Thank goodness for no surprise toughies. Whew. Having someone evaluate your marriage, and parenting ability based on a few forms and 3 short interviews is nerve-wracking. When I was explaining to Grant the reason we were going to an appointment, I said that Miss Julie (our s.w.) needed to make sure we were good parents because they want the children who need homes to only go to good Mommies and Daddies. He looked confused and said, "But you ARE good Mommies and Daddies!"

-The "garden" is still a plot of dirt. Maybe today we'll plant seeds. I need to buy some more vermiculite to toss in each seed hole (apparently, it makes them thrive and allows for a bit more error in planting depth since vermiculite holds water well and is easy for a sprout to emerge through).

- Dean turned 4. Did I say that already? Anyway, he had his birthday party here this weekend at the house and he looks so much bigger already. Now my kids are all even numbers (2, 4, 6)- at least until June.

-I finally cracked open a box of fabric that I agreed to turn into handbags for a soon-to-open boutique. Originally, the job seemed exciting and a good source of some income for the adoption fund. But, with the move, I got to the point where I dreaded the task (we've just had so little "free" time that I've wanted to hoard each extra, non-home improvement/ unpacking hour...). Then, when the box of colors and textures and trims and beads was open- I got excited again and cut out the pieces for bag #1. The store owner wants about 20 bags to open the shop with, so I've got to get cracking (I think it opens sometime in late summer!)

- LaDonna came over last week. In addition to having an enjoyable visit, she walked around my garden with me and introduced me to all the great trees/ shrubs we've inherited with the purchase of this home. The previous-previous owner picked some good plant life that had been a bit neglected by the owner we bought the home from. We've got a Bradford Pear tree, a Redbud tree, some unknown treee that has blooms that look like tiny rose-colored carnations, two Dogwood trees, a Lilac bush and a few other unknowns. Having bought the house in winter when everything was dead, this is a great treat. I love that almost everything flowers! Spring is going to be something to look forward to each year, I can tell. Not only did LaDonna help in identifying what we have, she talked me through the pruning of some branches and how to tell when something needs to be cut back. We walked around and snapped off the really dry dead branches that didn't even need shears- so addictive!

-I picked up our police reports- no criminal record!

- Lael is doing pretty well with this potty training thing. She loves the praise, and wants to continually "try". Which means that half her day is spent with her bottoms off! She also has a habit of attempting (or being successful at) escape to the outdoors to play with her brothers. Those two things combined made for one very embarrassed Mommy yesterday. There was my little girl, wearing only her shirt in the cul-de-sac with one slightly concerned neighbor wondering where the parent of the naked 2 year old was! Gah! So embarrassed! We're new to the block and that is not the kind of reputation I want to build.

- Can you believe that Easter is less than two weeks away?! Any good projects or recipes I should try out this year?

I tried, I can't stay away!

Its been almost a year since I've used Blogger. As much as I love my MacBook and the iWeb program, Blogger just has a better set-up for blogging. Easier. And now, its improved. So, here I am.

Hopefully, when we have the time to work out iWeb, I will make my blog page current with Blogger, and change the Shop, Adoption page, and anything else using iWeb- which is certainly "prettier".

A lot has been going on. We are moving. And, um, we are moving. (When you are moving, is there anything that is on your mind more?) It has been all consuming around here. From dealing with contracts, and trying to keep the house in "showing" condition, to packing, and dealing with contracts AGAIN. We think it is all going to happen next week. Thank God. I'll send and e-mail out to everyone with the new address once we are finally in the new house.

In amongst all the moving, we made our way to Texas for Christmas and New Years. I'll have to gather some pictures and post them. Hmmm...maybe I'll try one now:

Yay! It worked.

But, really, there is too much to sum up, I'll have to just pick up and move forward. I like having my blog voice back- the absence was no fun.