Mamamade Blinkie- please take!

I would love for all of my bloggy friends to spread the word about the Spring 2008 Mamamade Market I'm organizing.  If you'd be so kind as to post the Blinkie on your blog, I'd appreciate it.  Once this text is added to your sidebar, you should end up with a blog button like the one I have under my Etsy Mini on the left.

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All things Mamamade are going well.  We have all of the participants lined up, and they are AWESOME.  So much talent, and a lot of new faces.  Carrie, our wonder publicist (and owner of Los Pollitos Dicen), has lined up some great press exposure and we'll be taping for Talk of the Town this week.  Seriously.  I guess a taping is just a taping until it is aired, so I'll make sure everyone knows the date and we'll all cross our fingers that more important news doesn't get us cut.

I'm having banners printed this week, and Beth Howard (the amazing Emmy-winning Beth Howard) has done some great graphics work for us for postcards and flyers.  It's lovely.  The Mamamade blog has the latest- check it out.

And, yeah, somewhere in here I need to make some time to get my art together.  Eric asked me last night if I had anything to sell or if I was too consumed with organizing.  I've got stuff.  But, I would like to do a few more paintings that are in my head, and have more of treebranchONE and treebranchTWO printed up and framed for purchase.  Lots of ideas- lets see how many I can get to in the next three weeks.

14-17

A few days shy of our 11 month mark, we've been officially notified by our adoption agency that the estimated wait to referral has been adjusted from 12-14 months to 14-17 months.  We were added to the list on April 25, 2007 so this means that we might expect a referral by September if the wait is not re-adjusted again.  Adding on 6 months for court time might have us traveling to pick up our daughter in Spring 2009.

Being honest, I was saddened by this news.  I had an inkling that it would take longer, but having it officially declared by our agency made it real, and removed any possibility of getting to see a photo in April of our newest daughter.  Having it pushed back also makes it feel like a bit of a pipe dream.  "Yeah, riiiiight, we'll go to Taiwan someday....sure we will."

But, when I get over the emotional reaction, and look at the facts, my hope is restored.  The Lord is in control.  He wants this child to be in our family.  He wants what is best for us.  Knowing that, I am faced with only one decision- to trust God, or not to trust God.  Choosing to trust Him, I know that His timing will be perfect, our daughter will be just right for our family, and we will be just right for her.  The fastest road doesn't mean the best road.

So, I'm going to take a moment to look at the positives:

- We'll have more time to focus just on the three children that are at home.  Current blessings are to be celebrated even while we long for God's promises to be fulfilled.

- Spring 2009 will bring my 30th birthday, and what better present could I receive than a trip to Taiwan to gather up my child?!

- Lael will be even more ready to have a little sister.  She will be better prepared to share Mommy and Daddy, and will have been trained out of the tantrums and fits that she's been struggling with lately.

- Our finances will be even better ready to absorb the cost of the adoption than they currently are.

- My sister-in-law and brother-in-law should be living here with their family by then, so we will be able to share the joy with them, as well as know that our children will be cared for by some of their favorite people when Eric and I are gone to Taiwan for a week.

England- March 3 & 4

We were so blessed with the timing of this trip, so be able to celebrate my grandmother's birthday with her!  That day for lunch, we went to The Stoneleigh Inn and made certain to save the uneaten chips for the crows in my grandparent's garden.  This has been going on since I was a child.  My grandma feeds the wildlife in her back garden the most amazing leftovers.  I do not tell a lie when I say they've had salmon and prawns.  And now, a new generation of children looks forward to tossing out bits on the lawn and watching from the bay window in the the dining room as the critters enjoy their meal.

My aunt Carole was in town that day, so we made sure to snap a family shot before she left.  The children are in the stage where they think it is great fun to make faces to the camera, unfortunately.  So, we have far too many shots of silly poses, and sadly, not one that captures the group well.  I still think it will be framed, and we'll just have to laugh about it.

That night, we had the joy of our entire family meeting up for dinner at The Carvery.  They always have lovely vegetarian options, and ice cream with flake at the end of the meal.  For some reason, Lael has a recent obsession with visiting the restroom a zillion times while we're out, so I became very familiar with the Ladies- knowing which soap pumps were out, and which locks didn't work well on the stall doors.  I think I took her no less than 5 times!  Still, we were able to visit and had the pleasure of embarrassing my grandmother with a cake and "Happy Birthday to You".

The very next day, jetlag was taking less of a toll and we decided to hop in the car for a road trip.  Past visits have included these types of days where we just want to get out, see the sights, and it doesn't really matter where we go.  This time, Hastings was the destination of choice.  Famous for the Battle of Hastings. and not much else as far as we know.  It was about a 2 hour drive each way, and we saw the ocean.  We didn't really get out of the car, as we had dinner plans and were racing the clock.  But, it was a pretty drive and will always be burned in my memory as the trip that forced my back over the edge.  That night, at dinner, I knew it was terribly wrong.  Just the time sitting in the car (after having done that two days prior on the plane) and maybe (?) a quick lift of Lael were the culprits.  Otherwise, I haven't a clue.

Leaving for England- March 1 & 2

The trip over was so exciting for the kids (until the day wore on, of course) because we hadn't been on an airplane in a year and a half!  We dropped the car off with a parking garage that offered limo service to the airport- that was thrilling for the little ones, too!  The hardest part was being in tiny cramped seats- US Airways seems to have the least room of any airline we've travelled on, but the tickets were also the right price, so what can you do?  It is always the hardest traveling there, rather than returning, because after 20 hours of being awake you are sky rocketed into the start of England's next-day morning where you have two choices: cave to the tiredness and take a nap, or push on through and do your best to remain awake so you can get on British time.  Eric took a mini nap after getting to my grandma's while I pushed on through and I think we both did really well.  I was especially proud of Eric for how well (and speedily) he adjusted to driving on the "wrong side" again in our Ford Mondeo.

A catch-up of all the latest is due.  I want to share sweet photos of our trip, and tell you all that's been happening with us.

The first thing to get out of the way, just so we can focus on the happy is to say that !wow! has it been a rough month for the health of our family.  Cold turned into cold turned turned into ailment after ailment.  We're a pretty healthy family.  Mostly, we get common colds.  I don't know as Lael has ever been on antibiotic, and I don't have a family doctor because, well, I just haven't needed one.  The few times I've been too sick to let it run it's course without intervention, I was pregnant and had my OB take care of me, or I went directly to a specialist (like the otolaryngologist that I sought out when my eardrum ruptured).  

But, as any bigger family might attest, when one person gets it, you'll be hard pressed to keep the others from suffering.  With five people, we did our fair share of exchanging illness.  One weekend prior to leaving for England, I was bedridden with a doozy of a cold that left me weak and without appetite.  I can't remember a time where I was left so wimpy and unable to cope.  Eric was a true champ and took care of everything without complain (well, maybe once he said, "please get better"- but that was it).

So, I think all of that single parenting for three days pushed him over the edge and by Tuesday, he had so severely thrown out his back that he could not feel one of his legs!  The days before leaving on our trip had us at doctor's offices, imaging centers, and chiropractors.  He underwent an MRI to find that he has a herniated disc, and received an epidural of some sort of steroid/ cortisone combination that was supposed to speed healing.  I think the chiropractic manipulation helped the most to get him walking and we felt thankful beyond words that he was able to travel (there were two days that we actually had to discuss the option of me flying to England with only the kids!).  We had so many lovely people praying and I know that God heard our urging.

Unbelievably, while we were in England (only 2 days into our trip, I think), my back went out.  Not just a little uncomfortable pinch, but the type of scenario that had me completely immobile!  Seriously!  The pain had me blacking out a bit, feeling nauseous, and left me with ringing in my ears each time I stood.  I had to support my weight or I could not be upright at all.  Thankfully, my uncle took me on car ride to my grandmother's osteopath for an adjustment and I was able to walk.  Everything still hurt and I took pain medicine the entire course of our stay (did you know you can buy Tylenol with codeine over the counter there?!  yikes!).  But, I could walk!  I don't think I've ever been so thankful to simply be able to stand and put one foot in front of the other.

So, our trip was less lively than past ones.  I was humbled to have everyone take care of me, while being unable to do my fair share to help out.  Our crew of five took over my aunt and uncle's house and I felt so guilty that they were doing all the cleaning up, dishes, and even some of our laundry!  We didn't do as many touristy things as planned, but- thankfully- got out a bit so that the kids will have the memory of parts of England.  Most importantly, regardless of "fun" activities, we saw my family and spent good quality time with everyone I'd hoped to see while we were there: My grandma and grandad, my aunts and uncle, and my sweet young cousin.  The type of situation we were faced with certainly helped us to focus on the whole reason we flew across "the pond"- to spend time with my family!  And, in that regard, it was a fabulous trip!

Now home, Eric and I are still nursing our backs and taking it as easy as possible.  Pictures with the next post, maybe?

Official Mamamade Flyer

Spring 2008 Mamamade Market is in only SIX WEEKS!  Here is the amazing poster that Beth Howard created for us!

Yes, I've been quiet. :-)

 We got back late on the 12th from England, after having left on the 1st.  Plenty to update on, but I'm still catching my breath from the journey and re-establishing order in the house.

Red

A few months back, I talked about doing something fun with my hair.  Going red, maybe?  Well, in December, I went to my hairdresser and she told me a number of reasons why she wouldn't recommend going as light as some of the pictures I'd brought.  My hair is dark, and there is only so much "lifting" of color off my strands that she can do without bleach products.  Bleach products are bad and will make my hair crumble.  So, we did my hair and I walked away with a subtle-esque red hue.  It was nice, but in certain light it didn't look much different.  She did say, that with each appointment, the non-harsh color lifting we were doing might lbuild upon iteself  enough to get more dramatic results.  So, this time may not be as dramatic, but next time, it would take more red.

Fast forward to this week.  I went again, and TA-DA it *is* more red.  I like it.  I think it probably is more upkeep than I'm willing to worry about, though.  It means that I can't just say I'm "too busy" to get to the salon.  When those roots start showing too much, I have to *make* time.  It all depends on how much Eric loves it and if I can start talking in an Irish accent (boy he'd love that!).  ;-)

You just want a picture, don't you?  Here is a poor quality Photo Booth shot without having styled my hair.  You get the idea.  Right?