Thought for the day...

A little of Christmas in pictures

Silas LOVED his Deigo 4 wheeler... if only he knew how to drive!


They only thing Baylor asked for... a "Bug Maker"



Callan got a bucket full of dress up costumes from Santa... this was outfit change 1 of about 10!!



The boys at my Muber and Pa's house

No news... so I will post pics

Eliza had her surprise visit on the 13th and I got it on the 23rd. I was happy to get it. She is looking sweet as ever!

WHEW!!!!

Christmas is so much fun... but it can wear a girl out. Here is is nearly 10PM and I am still on that too much fun headache high...the boys LOVED all their gifts, and spending lots of time with family ( we still have more tomorrow). I am sad to see my brother and his wife leave because I do not know when I will see them again. They live in Florida and he is a youth minister. So, they do not get away much, and we do not get to Florida often enough. We go in the summer... but that is about as much as I can do with 3 little ones in the car too. The also have a child who is 6 months old now. And this was only the 3rd time I had seen him. I hate that I do not get to see them more often. Hey Bubba... if you ever read this... there are churches here... MOVE HOME!!! I will try to post more pictures later... this one is of my family here today. (Me, hubby and kiddos are still in our PJ's and looking a little like bed heads)

On a side note... you know that Batman thing Santa worked so hard on... so hard that he had to get if off E-bay beacuse no where else had it in or could ship it in time. The E-bay seller said "new in the box" Well guess what... NOT! One of the support rods for the tent part was broken and when we got up this morning, the bed inflatable part was FLAT. I patched 2 holes that I found, but it still will not hold air. Luckily it does not bother a 3 year old THAT much. I have an e-mail into the seller, hopefully they will do something about it. If not... I guess I can call the 1-800 number for some replacement parts. UGH!!!

ANYWAY... I hope your Christmas was MERRY!!!! Ours was!

A Nannie's Wisdom

So we spent the day visiting family in a town about an hour away. When Eliza came up (because she was on the refrigerator and I said "look at that cute baby"), my aunt began talking asking if it were hard and how much longer. When I said "I just do not know how long it will be" my Nannie said "Well, not as long as it has already been." It made me smile.

I HAVE NEVER...

Seen anything like it in my life...

Thank you SBP... this was a hoot to get in the mailbox... and you know the boys LOVED IT!!!!

YEA!!!! Eliza visits the Dr.

We got an update this morning!!! I was thrilled! Here is what the Dr. had to say...

Hello!

Today I had the opportunity to review little Eliza (they call her by her birth name) , she is now aged 3 months and has been, the caregiver tells me, doing OK in the time since she was seen for her last visit in my office, she is alert and active, will focus on things that re nearby, mainly bright coloured things, and will
follow them for a short while, is now able to lift her face from the bed
when lying on her stomach and shows active voluntary movements of arms and
legs, alternates opening and shutting her hands as well as kicks and pushes
with her feet. She enjoys very much being talked to and makes cooing noises
both in response and also to call attention to herself, she now smiles
socially. I am told that she takes well her formula. Upon examination
today I found her in good health she appears happy, her physical exam does
not denote any major abnormality and her neurological assessment appears
normal for her age, her weight is 10 lbs 6 oz, length of 54.6 cms and head
circumference of 37.2 cms. She received today her following dose of polio
vaccine. Please find some pictures attached.

A little confusion

So... last night as I was leaving to go sing in the our church's Christmas Musical I got an e-mail from our agency director. It said that our corrected docs could not be picked up at the Civil Registry until after the 19th. Well... I thought it was the 19th... so I read January 19th ( it was plain as day to me on the page). I got all down, upset and quite frankly mad ( but through God's peace...I feel I was really able to put it aside for our worship experience last night). I really do not know any fine details and if it can really happen by tomorrow but I am informed that MY lawyer is going in person to DEMAND it this week. I hope that means we will get PA this week, but like everything else... you just do not know. Not to mention that things shut down on the 22nd... perhaps that will enable it to push through quickly... but then again... WHO KNOWS!!! Prayers for things to happen THIS WEEK!!!

I LOVE SURPRISES!!!!

And... I got one today... THANK YOU SBP... I think you went way over the $10 mark.
Look at all this loot!

We have a little John Legend Holiday (whom I enjoy but never splurge on myself to buy CD's)and some stationary and address book for me!


Then some onsies and some receiving blankets! I NEEDED PINK ONES... with my house full of blue!

And finally... 2 cute little outfits. A sleeper with a bunny bib and a little stripe onesie... with the cutest little girly sleeves!

THANKS SO MUCH! I hope your SBP is as good to you. Happy Holidays!

Gingerbread Houses

I also had a nice distraction today going to Bay's school to make gingerbread houses. His teacher really has it together. She is so fun and loving. WE LOVE HER!
Here is his proud creation. I stayed there the rest of the day ( because I could until 2) and had fun hanging out, eating lunch and doing another craft with the kiddos. It does make me miss teaching.

Fa la la la la...la la la la

This weekend is our church choir musical. This is the first time I have auctually been in one. I was in the choir years ago before kids and just now joined back up. I has been quite a blessing to me, and I hope all who come enjoy the music and the worship. That is what I have been up to. We had practice last night and tonight and again Saturday night.

In the adoption world... NOTHING. I was *told* I would hear something by Tues or Wed... still nothing. Still learning patience... still not liking it very much. Wondering when this lesson will end?

Christmas Wish

Dear Santa,

As you are flying around the world here coming up soon... could you do me a favor? Could you swing down to Guatemala, grab Eliza and bring her home for me? I am really missing her. That is really all I want this year!

Thanks so much!

Ashley

Taking for granted

When we sent our first pre-referral ziplocs down to Guatemala, I took for granted that everyone knew how to use a basic point and click camera. I left several for our Foster Family to use while Eliza was with them. While down on our visit, our FM proudly handed me back one of our cameras. I carted it safely back home to find some cute pictures. The only problem... not one of them was centered! I do not know if they do not know how to use them, or if they are copying the "head" foster mom that comes to all the drop off and pick ups. She brings her digital and just holds it up and clicks. I do not know if they were thinking these camera's did the same thing and just held them up not taking the time to look through the view finder, but not one of our prized pictures came out centered. In fact in most of them her head is cut off. Oh well... at least I have pictures to show her of her time in Guatemala.

Of course he's on vacation...

I was on the forum for our agency and found out that Dr. M ( the Dr. that sees all our agencies babies) has been on vacation since the end of Nov. and he will not be back in until Dec. 15th. So I guess we will not be getting a medical update on Eliza tomorrow. And if he has been out a while, I do not know when she will get in to see him. There are no appointments, the Foster Mom's just have to show up on the day of the babies original appointment ( Mine was the 11th... but has somehow moved to the 12th). So maybe next week.

All that aside... we are blessed to have a Dr. like Dr. M. He really takes pride in his job and being a part of all these adoptions. He auctually went to Baylor University, speaks English ( I have talked to him on the phone), and reports all his findings in English.

The picture is one of his office

Finally... AN UPDATE!

I love Sunday in the adoption world. That is when updates, referrals and information seem to go out... we got that beloved information today.

We exited Family Court on December 6th (Eliza's 3 month Birthday)and our paralegal from our agency office is going to the city's Civil Registry office tomorrow to pick up my ammended paperwork for the PA. I asked T. about timeframe and she said depending on how far they were into my PA case it could be a few days for PA or it could be a few weeks. I am so excited!!! We are so close to getting into PGN I can almost smell it!

Busy... Busy

I guess let the season begin. The part where I really do not come up for air until December 28th. Last night started with the SS Christmas Party at my house. We had fun playing Dirty Santa with stuff you were trying to unload from home. It was hilarious. We hit the jackpot with getting a really nice TEACHER necklace with apples and bells all over it and Brent racked up with a nice gold framed picture of the Lord's Supper. ( disclaimer: not to disrespect The Lord's Supper... just not our typical decor) We were all laughing until our belly and faces hurt. We also played the Newlywed game... TOO FUNNY... you learn a lot about people that way.

Anyway... off to a Christmas Lunch.

BTW... the picture is off of E-bay. Where I discoverd 3 people bidding on the same exact picture we have and the bids were up to $26.

Creative Christmas

After looking and looking, and discussing this Batman thing with my middle child, I have discovered that he conjured it up. He decided it was something he would like to play with. He did not see it anywhere, has not played with one. He made it up. So, I put the call in to Santa that this might work. He loves tents, it can hold bad guys and it is not a plastic toy that will fall apart the day after Christmas. Plus it can be folded up and put in the closet!

( Plus the little boy in the picture kind of looks like him!!!)

Light at the end of the tunnel

Well... kind of. A friend that I have met though my agency and had lunch with found out today that she is OUT of PGN!!! YIPEEE! She was one of the few to fly through PGN without a dreaded Previo and I could not be happier for her. She deserves it. It shows that there is promise... it may take a while, but Eliza will be home.

6 more days until I know she goes to the doctor... which means new pictures are soon to follow, and maybe word that the rash is gone.

Ho Ho Ho

Our Santa Picture... I thought Silas would be screaming ( and warned them before partaking) BUT NO... he liked "Ho-Ho"... and stole a reindeer hat.

Happy 3 months Eliza!

Today is Eliza's 3 month birthday. At each month birthday with my boys I would get out the video camera and tape my babies for as long as they would let me. Talking that mommy talk and cooing away. It is hard that I cannot do that today. I do not know how she is growing, how much she is cooing, if she is gaining weight... any of that. Hopefully I will get a Dr. report sometime next week, but until then I just wonder.

BUT I also rejoice!! You know, this process is harder than I ever thought it would be. The lack of control, the emotional roller coaster, the waiting and WAITING. But I choose to REJOICE!! Why? Because I have to. Because I have a daughter, because I have been blessed yet again, and because the Lord has given so much to me. So, I praise Him, praise Him for my family, praise Him for my daughter, and praise Him for carrying me through this process. Without Him I would be a puddle on the floor.

"In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Spending Time... Spending Money

Tuesdays and Thursdays are MY days... my boys are all in school ( Kindergarten and Mom's Day Out). I get to have a day to myself if I choose... or I spend the entire day CHRISTMAS SHOPPING! Which is what I did today. I went from store to store and tried my best to finish my list... I am close, but not quite. I also spent the day searching... you see last night my 3 year old threw a new one on me while visiting Santa at the mall. He told Santa that he wanted a "Batman Tower that holds the bad guys"... my mission to find the Batman Tower... FAILED!!!!

I did however have lunchat Pancho's (Mexican)with some girlfriends. I quietly practiced my spanish on the waiter and when he took off talking, I just smiled. I have a LOT to learn and it is HARD!!!!

P.S. SBP...I tried to turn off my anon comment block... TRIED...I do not know if it worked.

BAH Humbug

Typically I am a festive person... but the fact that someone I need to help me get my baby girl out of the waiting game we are in has been on his holiday vacation... FOR 3 weeks... and all of this week. I am happy that he gets some time off, but the fact that he has been out has set my adoption back a whole month!!!! Why is it that the system does not allow for that... why can no one else take care of his job. WHY WHY WHY!
I was told today that he will be back in next week and hopefully my issue will be resolved soon after... but no promises on how long. It could be he just needs to fix it quick or it could be he is so behind that it takes weeks... please God, not weeks!

TICK TOCK TICK TOCK

I finally heard from my agency director last night. She told me she was a little concerned that I might be getting obsessed. I assured her that I was okay... just needing to hear some news on my baby girl. She told me she was checking in on it and hopefully I will hear something soon on Family Court, my I-72 and her rash. Until then... a little lesson on patience and control...

Locked Blog

Wouldn't you know it... as soon as I get up and running. Blogger thinks my blog is SPAM. They are supposed to be checking it out and I can save posts as drafts but cannot publish them. Maybe I will get to post them someday.