It's a dog's world!

So just a quick post today. It is our 32 month LID-aversary today. Do the numbers really mean anything to me anymore...Nah! Just another month waited for the most momentous occasion in my life to happen.

On another note. My littlest niece Avery came over this morning for a little visit while her mom went to the dentist. She was extremely excited to play with our dog. She just couldn't get it out of her head though that Buster is not Ace's name. So while Ace was excited to play with a new pal...he was quite confused about who this new guy Buster was. Kids are really funny!!

Avery

Ace a.k.a Buster

Manta Rays, Pioneer Poo*p and FHE

So Yesterday was a very busy day for me. My sis Karen called and asked if I wanted to go with her and her 3 kids to the Living Aquarium for a few hours yesterday. I said sure and off we went. It was a pretty cool place for being kinda small. We saw poisonus frogs, jelly fish, star fish, coral...Nemo...(clown fish), a lobster, alligator, a Anaconda (snake), white tipped reef shark (very small) and Manta Rays. The hit was definitely the Manta Rays all the kids, even Avery wanted to touch them. Dylan had no fear and touched them easily. Haley really wanted to touch them but was really scared. I helped her and slowly but surely she was able to feel the smooth Ray a few times. After touching them, we all smelled fishy and yucky. By the time that was over Avery was done and wanted food and bed. We all stopped for some Chicky Nuggies and everyone was happy.


After picking Lyssie Lou up at school we came home and I began to make Shepherd's Pie. Well when Lyssie was young her Uncle Steve didn't like Shepherd's pie and he called it "Pioneer Poo*p". Guess who picked up on that so much so that we don't even call it Shepherd's Pie any more.


When dinner was over, we had Family Home Evening, FHE, or Family Homely as we call it. It was a good lesson and Lyssie Lou actually paid pretty close attention which is something to smile about when they are at these ages. We had a Family Homely game and all was well.

That's the story of yesterday!!!

Am I Mystified or Mortified?

I was told since the beginning of our paperchase to not put much stock into RQ, and to just know that our child was coming. Well, RQ recently posted the projections and other not fun stuff and I just don't know how to feel about all of this. Right now we have been waiting for Emma for 2 years and 7 months to be precise. Referrals now are at a 36 month wait. Things have slowed down in China adoption referrals and nobody really knows why. I don't think I complain very much, but I just can't wrap my head around the fact that people who were logged in earlier (say March of 2006) are getting their referrals now at 36 months and that my LID in August of 2006 would be 41 months later????

Okay check me if I'm wrong but 36 months referrals are happening now in 03/09. RQ predicts that if the CCAA does what it has been for the last 3 months (which is approximately 3 day batches per month); that I will receive my referral in 09/2013!! Which is by my math 41 more months. Am I insane??? That will increase my wait of 12-18 months (which was the estimate in the beginning) to 72 months....or in other words....6 YEARS!!

I honestly know that Emma is in China, or will be in 3 more years...but I can't help but feeling disappointed, feeling a little stupid, sad and perhaps a bit misguided. I shouldn't have put all my eggs (not literally...snort) in China's basket. I will be into my 40's before I should see Emma and while I know that lots of you are older and adopting, it just wasn't my plan. I guess I can always adjust to thinking about becoming a parent at an older age, I was just hoping that Scott and I could blend the family (Lyssa Lou and whomever came into our home) into one semi-close in ages family. I guess it just wasn't meant to be this way, and while I still hope that things will speed up, I'm just not so sure they will. If by some miracle the CCAA matches on average of 10 days per month I just might get my referral around July 2010. I guess I will hope and pray for that!

Life is bittersweet...what lessons do we learn from it?

As I feel like I am on the cusp of a new life with my husband and bringing our Emma home, I am anxious, happy, giddy, impatient and very excited. I know we will probably wait at least another year but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it is very satisfying to feel that.

What about the opposite side of this coin? My SIL lost her sweet boy in December and although outwardly she looks fine...I wonder how she is inside. She was an excellent example to us of strength and unwavering faith. I am now following a blog that has touched my heart deeply. It is Gracie's Blog she is a little baby that has HLHS (hypoplastic left heart syndrome). Her sweet and valiant mother and father said goodbye to her this morning and what a heart wrenching beautiful bittersweet thing it was. I hope you all take some time to look at this blog and see what one little girl did for so many people in just under one year.

People that overcome the odds (sometimes not by beating them, but by choosing how to live) are my greatest hero's.

Goodbye Gracie Gledhill

My life has been touched by yours.

A Treasured Example

First, I want to Thank all of you for the nice comments you had about my new hair. To answer a question...it is so easy to do! I am absolutely delighted that I can dry it, put some molding mud in and go. On another note the hubs loves it and that's whose opinion counts the most in my book.

Second, it's time again for another mom posts. For those of you who follow my blog you kind of know the history of these posts, so here it goes.

Before my beloved Mother passed away, she resided in a nursing care facility. It was an awesome place and she grew to love it and the people who worked there. I was visiting her one day on my lunch break. By this time she was no longer able to walk, sit very well or feed herself at all. I sat with her as she lay on a long chair that kind of lounged backward as she waited for her nurse to come feed her lunch. She was always the last to eat because she needed help and had to wait for the nurses to make sure everyone else had eaten. I guess I could have fed her, but at that moment the thought didn't come to my mind.

In the background on the radio, BYU (Brigham Young University) was broadcasting a devotional. Some hymns were being played. Then came the next song...it was the song "I stand all amazed." I watched as my 46 year old Mom mouthed every word to that song. Here she was, her precious physical body ravished by Multiple Sclerosis taking her life slowly away from her. She should have been furious with God, at the many things she had lost, at the pain and suffering she had experienced and was experiencing at that time. She was NOT angry,
she was NOT blaming God. She was praising Him, thanking Him, humbling herself before Him.

As she sat in that chair losing her life, she CONFIRMED to me her faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. She bore her testimony to me in a way that has left an indelible mark on my spirit. She is the best example in my life next to my Savior.

Following are the words to this song located in the LDS Hymnal...

I Stand All Amazed

by Charles H. Gabriel

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,

Confused at the grace that so fully He proffers me.

I tremble to know that for me He was crucified,

That for me, a sinner, He suffered, He bled and died.

Oh, it is wonderful that He should care for me enough to die for me!

Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

I marvel that He would descend from His throne divine,

To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine,

That He should extend His great love unto such as I,

Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify.

Oh, it is wonderful that He should care for me enough to die for me!

Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

I think of His hands pierced and bleeding to pay the debt!

Such mercy, such love, and devotion can I forget?

No, no, I will praise and adore at the mercy seat,

Until at the glorified throne I kneel at His feet.

Oh, it is wonderful that He should care for me enough to die for me!

Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

I love you so much Mom. Thank you for teaching me about the

most important things in life. I live my life so you would

be proud of me. I hope you are.

A new doo?

Okay, today was finally hair cut day (and my hair really needed this)! I saw something I liked in a magazine and decided to go for it. What did I have to be afraid of??? So I think I'm happy, but I'd love to hear what you think. Please lie to me if you hate it. (I know such a wimp)!

This and the next are just normal.

The next two are more mussed up

Lastly is a more restrained look

I know one thing is for sure, and that is that I need a suntan!

A new beginning

We recently were invited to a church program for the youth when they turn 12. Lyssa Lou will be turning 12 in the near future so we attended what is called "New Beginnings." This is where Lyssa is introduced to all the other girls in the ward from ages 12-18. She had a great time, and we all were stuffed afterwards from the gourmet eclairs! Yum, yum! Here is a pic.