Check this out!

Brian and I were out "browsing" tonight and found this fantastic caterpillar toy at Tuesday Morning's. It's a Mama's and Papa's toy! "Charlie" is eight kinds of fun! With eight colorful bean-filled legs, a squeaky head, crinkly antennae, and a flexible body, Charlie poses to fit any cuddle.

The best part of all - regularly priced from $21.99 - $24.99, he's marked down to $7.50!
Can you say .... BARGAIN? :D

Now we just need a baby to cuddle with "Charlie"!

Ok, so it's been a while. Just haven't felt like "Blogging".

Started reading Rick Warren's - The Purpose Driven Life. I'm only on Day 3 - but I love it! So glad I committed to it. I would recommend it to anyone.

Picked up my new vehicle on Saturday. It's a 2006 Plantinum Metallic Buick Rendezvous CXL - the thing is loaded. I am in love!!!!! Brian is really happy with his new car, too - 2006 Ford Fusion - it's VERY NICE. I've never known him to be this thrilled over a car!

No News on the adoption. As of yesterday - it was 12 weeks since we've heard a word out of them. Still hoping no news is good news? ! Some days I swear I am nesting. I've been getting things ready, one by one. Yesterday I put together a Fisher Price Travel Swing. Got a fantastic deal on it at the Fisher Price Toy Store. Here's a photo --->
Also purchased the Ocean Wonders Aquarium ---->

And...... the FlutterBye Seat (which we have at the day care and LOVE) ---->

A very nice friend of mine is a Toy Sculptor - she shared her employee discount and we went shopping when they were offering an additional savings. I got great deals. Even if I don't use them at my house - they are great for Gramma's house! Ya know?

So as we wait - ever so patiently - for the phone to ring, I am finally spending time getting things ready. I believe we're going to test out the carseat this weekend. Hmmm .. I should post a photo of that, too ... ;-) It is actually a travel system. I love it!
Sorry the photo is a tad blurry!

PaPaw

My brother called tonight looking for a photo of our grandpa, PaPaw. Apparently, he will be using it in his sermon for Sunday morning.

He's been gone since 1982. Although he played a very important part in our lives - and our salvation, so much time has passed that, I admit, somtimes I forget the ones who loved us and nurtured us. So, I started digging through old photos. I found a few - taken not too long before he passed. He was a great man - a Godly man who loved the Lord with all his heart and prayed diligently for his family every moment he could. My most vivid memories of PaPaw always include his warn out Bible. Thinking about him now, as an adult -- I am thankful to him for being the wonderful PaPaw he was.... and mostly for the prayers he sent up on behalf of his wonderful family - my grandmother, her 5 children, their spouses and 14 grandchildren. What memories we share in the foothills of Western Kentucky! God's Country, for sure.

Bad Headache Day!

Today was horrible! :( Now, I am the QUEEN of headaches - but the one I've been battling this week has been awful. I had no clue a headache could produce that amount of pain!!!
I didn't work - stayed home, in bed ALL DAY. Gosh, I hope it was a "freak" thing and never happens again. It was scary! It's much duller tonight - I dread going to bed, afraid it may be back in the morning.

The pool is open! Just need some sunshine to warm it up! I can't believe we opened it so late this year. I am so behind on everything - don't look at my landscaping. It's in desperate need of attention.

OK - so we decided to replace the patio in the back (the concrete is cracked and buckled) and replace that huge, old sliding glass door with french doors. I am hoping to get Stamped Concrete - if we can manage it. I hear it can get pricey.

Another very quiet week - no calls from the agency. I am praying - no news is good news!

PS .. HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TRACEY!
I meant to post on Tuesday - but I was just feeling to crummy.

Look What I Did ... All By Myself ;-)

Here's the shelf I put together tonight.
It will hang above the changing table (it's a great match) .... perfect for diapers and diapering supplies, ya know?

Just Haven't Felt Like Bloggin......

Looks like it's been a few days. Perhaps I failed to "Blog" since nothing is really going on.

Still no decision on a vehicle. I love a Black Rendezvous we found - fully loaded. Very nice. But, the dealership still is not willing to give me what I need for my trade.

The Honda Odyssey is nice - very nice. But, Honda is offering me $4,000 less on my trade than any other dealership. Just not gonna give my truck away!

Brian has a new car! He traded his 2004 Focus for a 2006 Fusion. It's really nice!!!! He's so happy with it. And, supposed to be great on gas.

10 weeks ago today I heard from the agency. Since then ... NOTHING. Not sure if this is a good sign - or a bad sign. Still have the intuition the phone is gonna ring in June. . . keep prayin' everyone.

We purchased a really cute shelf to hang above the changing table. I put it together tonight. I'll post a photo! We also have a matching book case. I guess I am putting the nursery together - but in really small steps.

I am going to call someone for an estimate on replacing the HUGE slider in my living room with a pretty set of french doors. We also hope to replace the patio this summer.

Wednesday - we're opening the pool! It's about time!

I wish I had more news - nothing really - just waiting! :(

Some People Are Nerds! ;)

Augh - The HONDA dealership stinks! I fell in love with the Honda Odyssey! They have a "Sale" going on - offering $3,700 OFF the sticker price. OK, I can handle that. :D But - they gave us the run around about our trade (once upon a time, Brian was a car salesman ... so he knows his stuff. This they do not know). They are offering us $4,000 less on our trade than the other dealership!
Brian went over all the figures with the salesman twice - and they still do not make sense.

I suppose we could check with another dealership tomorrow. Or.. settle for the much better deal we can get through FORD.

Feeling like I just don't know what to do! Gosh, I love the Honda! But, not enough to give my truck away!

Auto Shopping!

So.... We've been vehicle shopping this weekend. WOW! There's a lot out there. So many things to think about ...Car, Truck, New, Used, Large, Medium, Small, Comfy, Cozy, High Miles, Low Miles, Leather, Fabric, DVD, No DVD, 4 passenger, 6 Passenger, 8 Passenger, Lease, Buy, etc., etc., etc, .....

How can we possibly make the "correct" decision? The best news is we have a good amount of equity in our current vehicle. Makes it much easier to get the nicer styles :D .

Presently we are considering the Buick Rendezvous, Ford Freestyle and Honda Odyssey. We test drove a Honda Odyssey - and were very impressed with the safey, as well as style! But - am I ready to drive a ......"min-van"? At least with my SUV's ...it was practical, yet sporty!

We're off to test drive a Freestyle ..... more later.

Up-Date: Ford Freestyle is a NO!!! Although they offered a great deal (DH used to work for the dealership), I was NOT impressed with the vehicle. I am really stuck on the Honda Odyssey. So comfy and lots more room than the other two.

It'll Be Worth It All

From a Friend ((hugs)).




I’LL BE WORTH IT ALL


Hi Mommy and Daddy,
Are you wondering where I am?
I’m dropping you this little note
To say, “I’ll be there as soon as I can”.

Please get me LOTS of diapers
And a nice warm place to sleep.
Lots of books to read to me,
And a soft blanket I can keep.

Fix up my room and fill my drawers
With tiny shirts and gowns.
Before you know it,
I’ll be there,
Throw out your worries and frowns.

Smile for me and be happy.
Be grateful for every new day.
It won’t be long until I’m born
And come to you to stay.

I bet you’re going to help me
Grow up to be healthy and strong.
I’m sure that you will teach me
The difference between right and wrong.

I know you’re going to love me.
You’ll make me feel safe and secure.
I am going to love you right back ..
Of this you can be sure!

So get some rest while you can
As you know we'll be up in the night.
And after you feed and burp me
I would like you to hold me real tight.

I can hardly wait to meet you both,
As you can see I am not very shy.
We’ll be so happy together
That all of us will cry.

Be patient while you wait for me,
I’ll be there when I should.
If I come before the time is right,
That would not be very good.

Please don’t get discouraged
When there are a few bumps or you hit a wall.
I promise I'm waiting for you
And I Will Be Worth It All!

Blonde

I had my hair "highlighted" today - can you say Blonde? It looks ok - but I believe she left it on too long. She was working on 3 of us at the same time. Augh!

I also designed new Summer Camp brochures .. and ran off 1,300 of them! I thought I did a pretty good job! We so need a boost in attendance this year.

Other than that - a pretty non-eventful day.

Sweet Dreams!

They that WAIT on the Lord will renew their strength! ~Isaiah 40:31

I ran across this verse of scripture today. Waiting for our placement has been so hard. . . but God has given us the gift of patience.... and the knowledge he has a plan for our family.

I look forward to the day I can look back and say "It was all definitely worth the wait".




Today was a slow day! I went to the dentist - NO CAVITIES! DH took me to dinner - just the two of us. We tried a new place (RED ROBIN). It was very, very good. We'll be going back there again sometime! :-)

A Very Fast Trip To Ohio

Althought the trip to OHIO was rather brief - we truly enjoyed our stay! Of course, being with J made it all so great! He's such a happy, fun child! Brian and I treated ourselves to a hotel room for the night. A friend recommended the place - and she was right - it was very nice.

We arrived just in time to check in the hotel, clean up and get to the church in time for my brother's Installation service. It was GORGEOUS - yet very emotional. I cried, of course. It's still hard to believe my little brother is now an official "Reverend"..and a good one, too! I am so proud of him. After the service we went back to their place and visited with friends. "J" was up way past his bedtime - hamming things up! He definitely knows how to put on a good show. Monday we met them for lunch at a fantastic diner. . followed by a little shopping before heading back to NY. We arrived home just in time for Brian to catch a wink or two and get to work.

Work was wild today - you would of thought I was coming back after more than a day off! We also had staff training tonight - from 6 - 8 PM. It was a review of MAT (Medication Administration Training). . a nice refresher course.

Jill - My rib is ALL better! I saw the doctor as soon as it happened, so that helped shorten the recovery time. It was a little scary, though. And Yes! Payton is one of the names we like for a girl! "Payton Jayne", do you like it? I also like this spelling ---> Paiton. We have been tossing around several names. We better decide soon if my dear friend, Tracey, has her wish - our baby will be born on her birthday in 2 weeks. There's a little story to go along with that. Her first son was born 2 weeks early - on MY Birthday! And, when # 2 came along - his birthday was just 1 day after Brian's. Soooooo, we are hoping to pay back the honor! :-)

PS .... Here's a photo of Tracey, and her most adorable family!

Love ya Tracey! Praying hard for that June baby! ;-)

Time for bed, folks! Goodnight - I am off to Dream Sweet - Dreaming of babies ;-) !

Graduation Night

Graduation was phenominal! The kids did a great job! My wonderful staff put so much effort into making it so special. I guess it really hit me today - I have been in business for 20 years!! God has been so good. The slide show was sweet. There were alot of tears during "God Bless America". We played it while showing a variety of photos of the children with the American flag! Very patriotic, of course.

I had a restless night sleeping - I had the worst pain in my back, I could barely move - It felt like I punctured a lung. Went to the doctor - he worked on it for 30 minutes. I had a rib pop out of place! I feel better - but sore and tired.

Tomorrow I plan to get my house back in shape. It's been so neglected. Then, we're off to Ohio to spend a few days with my little man! I look forward to seeing my brother get "installed" into his new church. I know it breaks Mom's heart that she is not able to travel - but she's really isn't up to the trip. I am sure it would be too much on her. I just don't understand why her recovery has been sooo slow. It's been over 5 months now.

Another week with no phone calls from the Adoption agency. Still wondering - Is No News Good News? Gosh, I hope so. Waiting sucks!!!!!!!

Oh, I had this really cool dream. It was very short - like less than a minute - but so vivid. I dreamt of a scrapbook. The pages were turning, every page was PINK! It belonged to a baby with dark hair! That was it - that short and sweet. Could it signify anything? ;-) I can only wait and see.

And ... "G's" surgery went well! He's doing good and will be able to come back home after the weekend. His Mom said they were able to remove several inches of the tumors. Bless his heart.

Carmel - Hello! Thanks for the post. Hope you're doing well & Connor is feeling better soon! I need to see some new photos, soon!

My Kidlets!

Photos of my day care and lovely kidlets!

These are only a sampling!

I'll post some new ones after Graduation! :-)

Been kinda emotional about my job lately!
I am sure it's a combination of this milestone (20th Anniversary) and Graduation time! Here's a few photos taken at my day care.
Click on them to view larger.

The Mighty Oak

This is perhaps once of my most favorite quotes:

“ The mighty oak was once a little nut that stood its ground. ”

It makes me think - We can all have, do and become all we dream of ..... with a little faith and determination.




Jill & Renee - Thanks for taking them time to read my blog - and all the support and encouragement. You're both so great! Jill - I am also looking forward to posting photos of our little one - and keeping the faith it won't be too much longer! Renee - Same goes for you - I hope your wait isn't too long. I'll be your #1 Fan and supporter, I promise!

I saw the gastroenterologist today. He's sending me for further blood tests. Depending on the results, there are a few options. He could feel the tenderness and says there is DEFINITELY something going on. He's going to start with a scope - but there's also the possiblity he may want to do another test - which is "risky" so I'd have to stay in the hospital for a few days. Augh!!! He said my symptoms are not "classic" of gallbladder disease, but he needs to be sure. He is also recommending I see another specialist... he thinks there a good possibility I may have endometriosis. Another Augh!! So ... prayers are in order!

Work was hectic - but fun! The Preschool Certificates are printed, signed and ready to go!
The programs are "almost" done! The slide show is "almost" done! Rehearsal was great. We have a comical group of graduates this year. . very up-beat class. I laughed out loud when I saw them on stage. Just imagine 20 4-year 0lds lined up on stage wearing white caps and gowns, brightly colored Hawaiian Leis around their necks and star shaped neon sunglasses -singing the song "Ain't It Great to be Crazy?"! I LOVE MY JOB!

Dinner was at CRACKER BARREL tonight - just DH and I! We bought a new CD (Amy Grant - Hymns for the Journey). It's great for anyone, like myself, who was brought up with traditional hymn singing.

My Nieces & Nephews are Awesome!

Here they are! These kids are awesome!

"V" is the oldest. He's 17 - Junior in high school. He's a great kid. Someday I'll have to post a photo of him and his car. He's in alot of sports, mostly football and wrestling. Right now his main interest is his first love, "J".

"Sweet Pea" is next, she's 15, Freshman in high school and in Track! She's our doll baby - so, so sweet.

"Button Nose" is next in line, she's 10 and in the 4th grade. She is a black belt in Tae Kwom Do. She recently started piano lesson! I am so proud of her. She excells in math and is a great student.

"Little Bit" is next in line, she's 8 and in the 2nd grade. She is a fun kid to be around, always up to make someone laugh. She's a great student, too ...and loves to be around people!

And, last but never least, "Apple Jax" is our little sweetie pie. He's 13 months old. This baby has such personality - so well rounded and good natured.

I love them all - so much! Sometimes I forgot they aren't mine!! ;-)

I Love You! :-)

Have I told you lately that I love you? This photo was taken of my DH on his birthday last week. Happy Belated Birthday, I love you soooo much. Gosh, I can't imagine life without you!

Long day today ...

It was cool & rainy. So nice to see everything so, so green. I love this time of year - everything is so pretty, so fresh, so new.

Worked today.

Today was "G's" last day at day care. He's feeling sad he's going to miss Graduation. But, when he came to say "good-bye" he was pretty excited about going to a BIG SCHOOL in a few months. Wednesday they leave for PA. The surgeons are going in to try and clean out some of the tumors. His Mom is a wreck. The surgery is VERY HIGH RISK. She's so afraid he may lose his leg. He's such a frail, sweet boy - full of love and sunshine. Got to wonder why these things happen to good people.

It was 7 weeks ago today the agency called us with some "questions" regarding our preferences. She mentioned having a birthmom who is part hispanic. I believe she said the baby would be 1/8 0r 1/4 hispanic ( I was too nervous to recall). She wondered if we were open to this! You all know - of course we are! I haven't heard from her since. Got to wonder, is NO NEWS, GOOD NEWS? Or, is our profile back on the shelf waiting again? I hope not, the wait is sooo, soooo hard. We have so much to do to get ready - I need motivation!

Didn't need to make dinner tonight - we had plenty of leftovers! :-)

My brother called, he's so excited we're driving out to see them this weekend. He is being Installed in his new (and first ever) church. We want to be there for the ceremony. And, of course, I am eager to see my little "J" ... Gosh, I love that child. Come to think of it, I love them all - all 5 of them. If I figure this thing out, I'll post a photo.

Better get some much needed rest. Tomorrow is a new (and another long) day. Besides working, I have my first appointment with the gastroenterologist. Tomorrow evening - our first Graduation rehearsal at the High School. Gosh, those kids are so cute - they are sooo proud to be graduating.

Nite!

PS .. Did I mention I am a BIG FAN of Pooh?

Never in my wildest imagination did I think I would keep a blog! However, I have decided to attempt it...so here I go.

Today was Mother's Day! I thought it would be tough. . another Mother's Day without a little one to call me "Mom". But, I didn't think about it too much. My sister "C" and I made dinner for the family. My other sister, "D" didn't come. Dinner was great! Fried chicken, potato salad, macaroni salad, tossed salad, six cup salad, cole slaw, banana pudding and fresh brewed tea. Everything was homemade..so very yummy! I was a little disappointed in the banana pudding. Great recipe, but the bananas just weren't ripe enough... :( After dinner, "C" and I sat and played with the sizzix machine.. I got a few new templates. Oh, I got Mom Chonda's newest DVD "A Piece of my Mind" and a gift card for Fashion Bug.

Friday evening DH and I took MIL to dinner at Pixlies (the food was great) as he had to work tonight. We got her a DVD and Fashion Bug Gift Card. We got home late, so it was late to bed. At 3 AM the phone rang. DH had to go to work. His buddies wife was in labor and they called to say COME QUICK. She was 1 month early, but delivered a healthy baby girl (5 lbs, 13 oz.).
DH thought it was bad timing (since he'll need to cover for his buddy) but I didn't think so 'cuz hopefully it won't be too much longer before we get our call and need him to cover for us! Ya know? :D

It's going to be a WILD AND CRAZY week. The preschool children graduate on Friday. DH is putting together a slideshow (actually powerpoint) set to music. Since we're celebrating our 20th anniversary this will be a special graduation. Could someone please tell me how I could have possibly been in business 20 years? It doesn't seem possible. God has been so good and blessed us so much. We have a great program, along wonderful staff and parents. I realize, without them, I would not be where I am today! I realize, too .. the center is HIS... for without Him all of this would not be possible! OK, enough for one night!