SOS for a Jungle Costume...

OK girls, I am in desperate need of a jungle animal costume. Think lion, cheetah, giraffe, zebra, monkey, etc. I deserve this weeks "bad Mom award" for not planning for the musical on Sunday night. I've only known about the need for this costume since before Christmas. If you can help a girl out with a size 4/5 or larger costume of a jungle theme PLEASE let me know ASAP. Otherwise, I guess I'll be whipping one up between now and then.

If you are Rebekah or Alicia reading this, DO NOT PANIC, my son WILL be in costume by Saturday morning dress rehearsal... I promise...

"There are lots and lots and lots of red bricks"...

-Another great quote from the little man...

Bricks! Bricks! Bricks! WE HAVE BRICKS! They started bricking on Wednesday and this pic was taken today. They should be complete by tomorrow, we think anyway. We also have dry wall up! Woohoooo! It is actually starting to feel like a real house now.

Just a swingin'...

What a beautiful weekend! J. loves playing outside and I think MG is going to be just like her brother. Daddy bought her a new swing and as you can see, she thinks it is awesome. She had a birds eye view of watching J. run around the yard and she couldn't have been happier. Every time he ran her way she would just cackle a big belly laugh. She loves him so much and I think the feeling is mutual.

We are officially RENTERS...

We closed on our house today (our current house that is). For the next three months we are no longer home owners. We'll just pay our rent and call our landlord when we need them. Feels strange but it feels good...ahhhhhh...a great place to be even if it only lasts for three months. No worries, I don't think we'll need any help finding a place for the extra pesos. I have a list a mile long of things we need in July...

American Idol...

Pardon the interruption. An email I received this morning sparked this post. Just a little food for thought today...

Did you see American Idol on Tuesday and Wednesday? We have been sucked into the Idol excitement since the first season and this one is no exception. On this weeks episode, they did something called Idol Gives Back. Many celebrities contributed this week by encouraging viewers to give back to those in need. They visited poverty stricken Africa and many places right here in America. Did you know there are hundreds of thousands of people living in unbelievable poverty right here in our own back yards. Think about that for a second...right here in the United States.

Rascal Flatts sang one of my all time favorite songs, "My Wish". It is a very special song to me as it has become a song that I sing to J. It is my song to him if you will. The chorus of this song says:

My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
and while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

In this very same episode of American Idol, they discussed the millions of children in the world who go to bed hungry every night. Many of them without parents. If you know me at all, you know that is something very close to my heart...innocent children without parents to love them. If I think about that statement too long it brings me to tears. I am not asking all of you to adopt them all into your homes (although I would applaud it). I'm only asking you to consider sponsoring a child in some way. If you have a place in your heart for these children and others like them, I have listed a few links below. Peruse their websites, read their stories and consider how fortunate we are to have the many many things we all take for granted. Even those of us who think we have nothing to spare have much more in comparison. In addition to Idol Gives back, there are a few organizations that are special to me...

Idol Gives Back
TN Baptist Children's Home
Shaohannah's Hope
Compassion International
Half the Sky


I know by making this statement I will sound like some sappy commercial but I am OK with that. It is something I believe with my whole heart.

YOU must be the change you wish to see in the world. -Ghandi

I want to be part of that change; for myself, for my children and for yours. Remember, some day they will take on the world without us. I hope and pray they will face it openly and with compassion for those who are not as fortunate.

Welcome Joshua Andrew...

Welcome to the world Joshua Andrew!!! Today we welcome to the family our first nephew and cousin #4 to J and MG. Statistically, he was 7 pounds 14 ounces and 20 inches long. He is the proud "owner" of three older sisters who think he is the best thing since sliced bread. He'll be coming home to ALOT of estrogen in one house (three sisters-one Mommy) but hopefully he'll learn how to keep them in check. I'm sure his Daddy can teach him a few pointers. No worries little man, you can take 'em, and if your having trouble, just call J.! Hopefully very soon you won't live five hours away and he can come help you out a little.

We love you baby Joshua and we can't wait to meet you!

MMIA...

MMIA= Mommy Missing In Action

I am off to scrapbook weekend for a few fun filled days of creativity. Good food, great friends and a scheduled pedicure I so desperately need. Nothing like a few days away with the girls...

Ten Months Old...

Yes, I said TEN! Here are a few things she has learned this month...

-Food is made for spitting
-Stairs are made for climbing (thankfully it's just one step)
-Music is made for dancing
-Furniture is made for biting (with her SIX sharp teeth)
-A Head is made for shaking ("NO" though sometimes it means "Shaking my head is fun" so it doesn't always mean "NO")
-Toilets are made for splashing :-(
-Hair is made for pulling
-A mouth is made for talking [LOUDLY] "DaDaDaDaDa"--everything, everyone, even Mommy :-(
-EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN is made for eating (even things that aren't technically edible)

and saving the best for last...

A lovey is made for loving!

See how much she has learned this month. I think we've got our work cut out for us. She's learning so many new things I can't keep up. Some of them are not the greatest things to learn at this point but we'll take the good AND the not so good.

*****************

For those of you who remember the "Lost Lovey Crisis" experienced with big brother, not to worry. I found an identical lovey replacement for MG on Ebay and it is on the way as we speak. You would think I would have learned my "Lovey Lesson" the first time. This time, we're not going to learn the hard way.

"Step-a-cock-a-nus"...

Stef-no-coke-a-lus...
Step-low-cock-a-list...
Step-toe-cough-a-lus...
Stef-a-cock-us...
AKA: Streptococcus.

This morning, we made what we thought was a quick trip to see Dr. Anna and ended up with an absence from school and a prescription for Amoxicillin. Mr. J. has strep. Ms. Courtney, who happens to be our personal microbiologist, taught him that big word and he hasn't forgotten it. He has asked me at least 15 times if the "step-lo-cock-a-list" is gone now. He was sooooo sad that he had to miss school yesterday but he's definitely looking forward to Thursday. Why? Because he knows that on Thursday his bubble gum medicine has finally made his "step-toe-cough-a-lus" go away!

The googley eyed fish...

MG new favorite toy is what I have lovingly named "the googley eyed fish". She crawls, sits, creeps and plays with this fish in her mouth. Below she is playing peekaboo with brother while holding said fish by her teeth and laughing hysterically. It is her current favorite game with her current favorite toy.

Moving right along...

The brick is here! The brick is here! The brick is here! I am so ready to see this brick on OUR house. I am now well versed on Boral Brick's Old Overton brick with Georgia Red Mortar. I can pick it out driving down the street. I can even tell you what color mortar is on the house with Old Overton brick. Now, that's pretty pathetic. Come on Mr. Brick Man and crew, GET. IT. ON. THE. HOUSE. PLEEEEASE!!!!!!

Here's one of the inside. It was taken standing in the keeping room, looking through the breakfast room in front of the door with the kitchen to the left on this side of the arches. Beyond the arches is the family room, stairs and the master bedroom. Yes, I know, it's hard to envision but it will make sense as soon as we get drywall.

Thank you Easter Bunny...

MG received her very own Baby Einstein from the Easter Bunny this morning. We had a ton of them from big brother so why buy more? I mean, come on, how many Baby Einsteins does one family need? This one is My First Signs. Most of you know that sign language came in handy at our house a while ago and we're hoping she'll pick it up too. J. tries to teach her "more", "all done" and his favorite one, "STOP"! He always uses that one right in her face when she is crying. It's pretty funny to watch. He says it sternly but with gentleness, STOP MG! Anyway, I digress, so Easter afternoon after nap they were watching the DVD together and the "kiss" sign came on. J. made the sign and then leaned over and gave her a kiss. Ahhhh, could there be anything better than that? Once again, I don't think so.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter friends! J. came running to our room this morning shouting, "Mommy, Daddy, get up, come here, you GOTTA SEE THIS!!!!!!!!!!" He was sooooo excited that the bunny had left him a few surpises. I didn't get a picture of it, but later in the day we found him hiding in our room with the chocolate bunny box, well, the empty box. He had about 1/4 left when we found him which he immediately stuffed into his mouth. Daddy quickly left the room because he was laughing so hard. This was one of those times that no matter how hard you try to keep the "Mommy face" on, you lose it to the laughter. We just had to let this one go and chalk it up to Easter excitement.

Here are a few of my family! I am, of course, behind the camera.

My wonderful husband looking even more handsome in his suit. Can you believe he still has his tie on? I managed to keep him in it long enough to get home. What is it about ties and men? I love this photo of J. He is growing up so fast that's for sure! MG, isn't she beautiful? I was up until midnight smocking her Easter dress. I thought her first Easter deserved a beautiful dress for a beautiful baby!

Look Mommy, there's a black top...

We have a roof and windows now. Brick is soon to come!

What is FAMILY...

***We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming for an introspective post by Mommy. You may just want to view the photos and move on. If you proceed, you can't say I didn't warn you!***

Today after nap time, J. wanted to draw. I pulled out the construction paper and crayons and he was off to create a masterpiece. He sat at the table quietly while I fed MG a bottle in the living room. A few minutes later he came running in to show me what he had done. He had created his first self portrait. This was the first time he had actually drawn something that looked (well kind of looked) like a real person. He was so proud of himself and so was I. Note that he doesn't have a body...only a head with legs...but it is still a self portrait and certainly the most prized drawing we have ever received! :-) After showing us what he had done, he ran off to draw another one. A few minutes later he came running back again showing me what he had done. I have to tell you I was quite teary when I saw his definition of our family. It was absolutely perfect. Here was the conversation...

J: Here is Daddy...he's blue...and he has a round head.
J: Here is you (Mommy)....you're red...and you have a square head. (Thanks J, I won't take it personally)
J: Here is ME (J.)...I'm green
J: Here is MG...she is purple
J: Here is Hershey...she is PURPLE TOO!!!!!!!! (insert laughter here)

Then I asked...

Mommy: Jonathan who is this? (pointing to the last blob on the paper)
J: That is Molly...I don't know what she looks like...so she's ORANGE!!!!!!!
I absolutely could not speak at that moment as I took in what he had just said. Now many of you know the significance of "Molly" and some of you do not. I have not mentioned it on this blog but it is certainly no secret. Next January, after we recuperate from the holidays, we will begin the process of adopting a baby girl from China. Her name will be Molly Hope. Not because Daddy and I thought Molly was the most perfect name for our daughter, but because J. did!!! Last fall, he picked up the name Molly from a conversation we were having and it has stuck. To J., Molly is his sister who is waiting for us in China.

A few weeks before he declared the name Molly, I bought a few children's books about adoption. We thought we should slowly begin talking about the adoption so that someday J. would understand. Well, it only took about a week of "Shaoey and Dot" and "a Mother for Choco" for our then 3 year old to understand. Very simply, he understands that there are little boys and girls in the world who don't have Mommies and Daddies or brothers or sisters. He understands that babies don't have to be "born at a hospital like MG" to be in our family. He understands that he can be a BIG BROTHER to anyone who needs a big brother. It doesn't matter if they are "born at a hospital like MG". To me, one of the greatest lessons we can teach our children is this very simple thing. Family is about love...nothing more...nothing less.

To me, family is not about genetics or biology. It is not about being physically born from a woman who shares with me the same resembling DNA. My mother is not my mother because we share similar chromosomes. She is my mother because I love her and she loves me. I share no genetic link with the love of my life and yet I love him more than I could possibly express in this post. I have been blessed with a handfull of women in my life that I consider my "sisters". They are my sisters because they have filled a place in my heart as no one ever has. We share nothing genetically and yet I feel as if I have known them my entire life. And last but not least, my children are MY children, not because I carried them, but because they are a gift from God. I do not believe he entrusted them to me simply because I could bring them into the world. He knew them before they were born, he knew THEY were the children he would give to us and Molly Hope is no exception.

I have been asked 100 times why we would want to adopt internationally. Very simply, it's because it is something I have been called to do. I am sure many of you have made life decisions based upon something you felt was your "calling". I have always felt my "calling" was caring for other people. After having a child that caring transformed into something much bigger, being a Mother. Not only to the children I carried but to any child who needs one. I have known adoption was in my heart for years, long before our first child was ever a reality. I am just thankful I have been blessed with a husband who shares this same tender heart for the millions of orphans of the world. (I warned you this was introspective...) There was a time during the past four years when I didn't think I would have more than one child. All I can say is God gets His way no matter how many road blocks you THINK you have put up. I am so glad He knew better than we did.

I say all of this to get to this point. We have been blessed with a four year old who believes that Molly is part of our family. She isn't here yet. She doesn't even exist at this point and yet he loves her. He loves someone he doesn't know. He loves her because in his eyes and in his heart she is his sister. He understands that she won't look exactly like us. He knows that she won't come from Mommy's tummy like MG. He understands that we will have to travel a long way and be gone for a long time to bring her home. He cares enough that it makes him sad that others might not have Mommies and Daddies and he is happy to share his with someone who needs one. Though he doesn't understand the complicated reasons for China's abandoned daughters, he understands this... there are little people just like him in the world who need BIG BROTHERS, BIG SISTERS and FAMILIES! He's happy to step in and fill that empty spot. Oh, how you can not imagine how much JOY this brings to my heart.

If only a four year old's child-like faith could convince the world of the broader definition of family. I hope and pray that he will always have a heart full of love for each and every person...not just those linked to him by genetics. Will he always feel this way? I don't know. What I do know is I will spend every day of the rest of my life praying he does...that THEY do. A loving heart like his will be as much a gift to the world as he is to us...each and every one of us...even those who aren't even here yet.

You turn your back for ONE minute and this is what happens...

Who: MG and J
What: up to no good
When: 8:00 AM
Where: Womble house (while Mommy was getting dressed)
How: Beats me...

Oh well, no one got hurt or they didn't hurt each other. I guess that makes it OK. I mean, come on, who hasn't ever eaten cookies for breakfast? Now, I know four year olds don't eat cookies for breakfast but occassionally grown ups do...right? Here's the best part...

Mommy: JTW! WHY are you eating cookies for breakfast? You know that is not a choice.
J: Because they are SOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOD Mommy, MMM MMM MMM, they are SOOOOOOOO good!

And then of course there's MG and her new obsession with the Pampers wipes box...

Well, all I could do was grab the camera (as usual) for a quick one and then take the cookie and the wipes away. All you can do is laugh, ya know?