A&D Ointment: a multipurpose product

I'm swearing off laundry because things like this happen when I'm in the laundry room...

MG: (loud screaming voice) Moooooommmmmmmmyyyyyy, I steeeky
Me: I'll be right there
MG: (loud screaming voice) Moooooommmmmmmmyyyyyy, HELP! I steeeky
Me: where are you (following the sound to our bathroom)
MG: I steeky (holding up hands pointing to head)
Me: GASP!!!!! STAND RIGHT THERE AND DO NOT MOVE


After dashing for the Nikon, I located the culprit...

the aftermath...

and a sad little girl who couldn't get the "steeeky off"

After a very stern discussion, a good scrub of the child AND the walls I find that she has found a great way to entertain herself while Mommy is cleaning up her mess...by making another one.

It took me eleven days to get the oil out of her hair. ELEVEN DAYS! I know people thought we hadn't bathed her in a month. It was nasty. Then, my ever so smart friend Rebekah remembered Neutrogena. It used to strip everything out of hair back in the 80's so why not AandD? For future reference you'll be glad to know it still works like it did back in the day. Wish I had thought of that ten days ago...

They're BAAAAACCCCKKKKKK!

Guess who's back for another year of mind games with Daddy? He was swarmed while working in the yard. He abandoned his wheelbarrow and headed for cover. What did I do? I ran for the camera.

The Perfectly Healthy Duo...

Our original vacation plan was to head to the beach after a few days at JimPa and NeNe's. Then I discovered our Pediatrician couldn't see J and MG for checkups until August. Normally that would have been fine but I needed them pronto for our homestudy. So, we canceled our beach adventure for checkups and shots. The kids were thrilled. Thanks anonymous Mommy for canceling said appointments ten minutes before I called. You saved my keester.

I try to take only one child at a time to Pediatrician appointments (if at all possible). Personally, I think it allows everyone to focus on one little person at a time.

The morning visit belongs to MG...
29 pounds 5 ounces (80%)
37 inches (^97%)

The afternoon visit goes to J...
45 1/2 pounds (55%)
47 inches (90%)

Both are now up-to-date on immunizations. MG had three sticks today. J received two. HE WAS NOT HAPPY AND LET EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE OFFICE KNOW ABOUT IT. My ears are still ringing. He now has his green form for Kindergarten!

Choooo Chooooo with Daddy...

This morning, we said our goodbyes to JimPa and NeNe and headed home. We had plans to spend the day in Cnooga riding the train (again--this time with Daddy) and playing at the Children's Museum.We made it to the train but skipped the museum when we learned Grammy had had emergency surgery over night--darn appendix! She was fine but I was anxious to get home and see for myself. Grammy, you are still in BIG trouble for not calling us until after the fact. It was quite an eventful ending to our mini-vacation.

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh my...

Off for a day at the zoo with JimPa and NeNe...
NeNe, MG and flamingo boy...
Daddy, that was a REAL zoo. Not to be confused with the pretend zoo we visited last summer on vacation. I hope zoo experience #2 made up for zoo experience #1. :-)

the BIG Three-Oh!

Remember when 30 meant...

...you were old?
...you were wise and had all the answers?
...you had found your place in the world?
...you were officially **gasp** a grown up?

It wasn't that long ago I bought into the description of turning the dreaded Three-Oh. Now that I'm here, the only part I can confirm is that I officially feel like a grown up. The rest is up for debate.

For some reason, being twentysomething feels different than being thirty. When I was twentysomething (ummm...like...yesterday), I felt a little too young to wear such adult shoes. I married my hubby while some of my friends were still trying to declare a college major. I graduated from college, accepted an internship in Pediatric Critical Care, cared for critically ill children (some not much younger than me), bought a house, birthed a bouncing baby boy and walked through some of the toughest days of my life, all before the age of 25. At times I felt like the odd man out so to speak...always the baby, the inexperienced one, the one trying to earn the approval of the others.

Today, life feels different. No longer am I a twentysomething living a grown up life. Today, I'm the real deal! I am a 30 year old woman happily married to the love of my life. I am the Mother of two precious gifts from God and another growing within my heart. My schedule is filled with obligations, most of which I enjoy. My floors are littered with goldfish, baby dolls and match box cars. My to-do-list is endless and my laundry room is always in use. Some days I feel like Bill Murray in the movie Groundhog Day. I'm not waking up every morning in Punxsutawney, PA but some mornings I feel like I have. My feet hit the floor carrying me through the same routine as they did the day before (and the day before and the day before that...). But you know what? This is the life I prayed for and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I have spent much of my 30 years being an "over analyzer". Some would call me a "worrier" but I don't think that is the right description. It is the "what if's", at times, that consume my thoughts. I wish I could say this was something I developed in the past few years but I can't. I was always the child worried about making friends, pleasing other people and distributing my time equally between stuffed animals as not to hurt the other toys feelings. I remember, as a small child, lying awake at night in silent fear that something would happen to the people I loved. With the exception of the stuffed animals, not much has changed 25 years later.

Beginning today, on my 30th birthday, I am making an intentional effort to live the next 2/3 of my life enjoying the moments. I can't promise the "what-if's" will not creep into my thoughts. I am human, after all. What I am promising is that I am going to attempt to live each day without fear. I am going to attempt to appreciate the miracle of my "Groundhog Day" life. I am going to attempt to teach my children to wholeheartedly put their faith and trust in God from the beginning, not decades later. I am going to attempt to live each moment without fear of what may come tomorrow. I am going to attempt to "let go and let God" because I know He is bigger than any worry I carry silently within my heart.

Happy 30th Birthday Mommy M. Womble! From this day forward may you sing the words of this song and truly mean them...

Miracle of the Moment
by Steven Curtis Chapman
From the album This Moment

It’s time for letting go
All of our if only’s
‘Cause we don’t have a time machine
And even if we did
Would we really want to use it?
Would we really want to go change everything?
‘Cause we are who and where and what we are for now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about

Chorus:
So breathe it in and breathe it out
Listen to your heartbeat
There’s a wonder in the here and now
It’s right there in front of you
And I don’t want you to miss
The miracle of the moment

There’s only one who knows
What’s really out there waiting
In all the moments yet to be
And all we need to know
Is He’s out there waiting
To Him the future’s history
And He has given us a treasure called right now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about

And if it brings you tears
Then taste them as they fall
And let them soften your heart
And if it brings you laughter
Then throw your head back
And let it go, let it go
You gotta let it go
Listen to your heartbeat

{cake made by Daddy on 7-26-08}

a Birthday with the Brians...

We spent the evening of my birthday with our friends Andrea and Neil. They bought their first house a few months ago and we've been anxious to go down for a visit. As soon as I knew we were going to JimPa and NeNe's, I knew we HAD to take a detour to visit the Brians'. I'm so glad it worked out for today. I didn't mention my birthday, but after 14 years of friendship, I knew she wouldn't forget.

We took the grand tour of their cute little bungalow, grilled hamburgers, ate delicious chocolate brownies (made by Chef Neil) and enjoyed each others company until way past the kids bedtime. I'm pretty sure our children serve as good birth control for our pals...probably more for Meester Neil than Andree. Guys, I hope they didn't stress you out too much. :-)

We could have stayed much later but the kids were ready for bed and the Brians' had to work on Tuesday. So, we put on the little people PJ's, took a few photos to commemorate the evening (A&N-I promise I'll work the camera next time) and back on the road we went. It is always a bit sad when I hug Andrea goodbye these days. I never know how long it will be until I get to see her again.

Thank you both for a lovely birthday dinner (and the brownies). My gifts were perfect and you know they will be put to great use. We loved your new home and can't wait to see pictures on your new blog (hint hint). Much love to you both. PLEASE come home soon (and I don't mean just for a visit)!

Water Wonderland...

First things first, off to the "Atlantic Ocean" for a little wave pool action. J loved it! MG not so much. I spent most of my waterpark day on "Little Squirts Island" with the girl in the Cinderella lifejacket. Daddy spent most of his day waiting in line to ride the ONE water slide they had time to ride. We had a great time and will definitely go back when we visit JimPa and NeNe again. Maybe next time we'll have another "little squirt" joining us on the island?

P.S. Yes, I spent the morning of my 30th birthday in a bathing suit. There were ladies who thought they were supposed to wear (not much more than) their birthday suits on my special day. Thankfully, I was not one of them. I wish I was kidding. :-l

Hello again Emergency Room...

Today we had big plans to hang with the grandparents in a quaint little town nearby. JimPa and NeNe had it all planned out and we were along for the ride. Plans? HA! So, J wakes up at 8 AM, after he finally went to sleep at 3 AM, complaining that his finger hurts. Ugggghhhh! It's not just any swollen finger...it is HUGE and has nasty green and white pus pockets all over it (I know that is TMI). Anyway, it was disgusting and he was really complaining about it.

So picture it...It is Sunday morning. We are hours away from home and can't find any type of urgent care in the phone book that will see children. NeNe is an RN at the local hospital so where did we end up...the Emergency Room. The MD knew immediately what it was when she saw it...a FIRE ANT BITE! What? He played in the yard briefly after we arrived last night but he never complained about being bitten. You would think he would have known he had been bitten by several fire ants but apparently not. She was certain by the looks of the bite and the fact that they are common in their area so we went with it. J was back in business after a couple hours and a prescription for 7 days of Amoxil. The best part? Small town ER's have their perks...in and out the back door without a copay to show for it. If you have to visit the ER, free is always the way to go. :-)

And for your viewing pleasure, I found a photo online of cellulitis from a fire ant bite. J had four of these on the inside of his middle finger. Just add a little green to the middle and you'll get the visual...

Are we there yet?

After J's last game of the season, we packed up the grocery getter and headed to visit JimPa and NeNe. Traveling usually brings out the best in my children so we were prepared: toys, books, movies, snacks, etc. The week prior we discussed the do's and don'ts of travel: what not to do, say or ask on the way to and fro (for the sake of parental sanity). What we did not cover is an acceptable playlist. Could someone please explain to me when, where and how my five year old became such a wise guy?

"Are we there yet? Are we there yet? My excitement's getting stronger. Are we there yet? Are we there yet? I REALLY CAN'T WAIT MUCH LONGER!!!!!"

For the record, he didn't break any rules. He "was JUST singing, Mommy". Uggghhhhh.

Four hours later we finally made it to JimPa and Nene's. A little down time and then our Saturday night sleeping nightmare began. Between the crickets, the AC unit and two children who decided sleep was overrated, we had one of THOSE nights. We had big plans for Sunday. What is it they say about the best laid plans?

The last inning...

T-ball season came to an end this morning. Everyone say it with me...Awwwwwww...

J=bummed
the rest of us= :-) So long HOT Saturday mornings.

Over the past six weeks, apparently our little man has become a batting expert. He must of been looking for a little t-ball variety on the last game so he decided to try out the other side of the plate. We tried to tell him he was on the wrong side but he pretended not to hear us. Can you say selective hearing? Afterward he said, "I just wanted to try it the other way". He was proud to tell us in so many words that batting with his left hand had no effect on his performance. Even on the wrong side, he still "knocked it WAAAAAYYYYY out there".

J will move up to coach pitch baseball next year. In the meantime, Mommy will be keeping her eye out for one of those snazzy matching chair and sunbrella sets. The first game I thought those people were crazy lugging all that stuff to the ball field. Who sits under an umbrella when it isn't raining? By the last game I realized they weren't so crazy after all. They were just smart parents who obviously knew something I didn't know...like how to stay cool at the ball field in July. Well, NOW I know.

Little man is already talking about his "new sport" for the fall... BASKETBALL! Mommy is soooo much more excited about a basketball season. Why?

1) I actually know a little bit about basketball.
2) He's quite a bit taller than all the other kids his age so that has to be an advantage, right?
3) Basketball is an INDOOR sport! No more Saturday mornings spent outside in the sweltering sun chasing a two year old...at least until next summer.

___________________________________________

J,

We are so proud of your hard work this season. You have spent the past two months learning to work together with your friends as a team. We think that is such an important life skill to learn. Whatever sport you want to play, even if you don't want to play one at all, we'll always be there to cheer you on.

Love,
Mommy

Things that make you go hmmmmm...

What did the OAMC Mommy FINALLY find at GFS before her cooking day? You know, the Mommy who has serious issues with raw meat on her hands. Good-bye expensive zip-loc bags. Hello cafeteria lady food service gloves.To those of you who understand the significance of this photo...go ahead...laugh...I'm OK with it. The next time you have to dig raw meat from your fingernails you will wish you had yourself a box of these snazzy things. I don't know why I haven't found these things sooner...

International Adoption 101: Why China?

Very simply, because that is where our daughter is. I wish I had a logical explanation for how we came to that conclusion but I don't. Adoption has been in our plan since before we married but the specifics were open for debate until about four years ago. Once I finished the book entitled The Lost Daughters of China by Karin Evans, I was immediately drawn to the situation. All I can tell you is we both knew China was right for us. For some strange reason, both of us felt a connection to a culture we knew very little about. You can call it whatever you want to call it but we choose to call it God. We believe it was Him placing a call on our hearts to adopt specifically from China.

The following is an excerpt from the website of America World Adoption Association. It briefly explains the complex situation in China...

China is a country whose culture dates back to the earliest records known to man. At first glance, some of China's beliefs may seem quite different than those we hold in the western world. One example of this is the cultural preference for a male child. There are several reasons why Chinese families might prefer a boy over a girl. In rural provinces, a family's livelihood depends directly on the output of its family members. Because of this, a family with sons would be at a considerable advantage than one with daughters. Historically, it is also the son's honored responsibility to take care of his parents in their old age. A daughter, however, would be expected to care for her husband's parents rather than her own. In this regard, the Chinese believe that having a son is crucial to their livelihood, as well as a form of social security for the parents when they grow older. Although in recent years, China has done much to change these belief systems, many families, especially in rural areas, still strongly favor the birth of a male child. This situation is further complicated by China's One-Child Policy, which prohibits families from having more than one child. As a result of this policy, there are thousands of abandoned children throughout China, with the vast majority of them being healthy girls.

Basically, if you are a girl in rural China you do not carry the same value as a boy. With only one child allowed, Chinese families view boys as their US version of social security. If you have a girl and anonymously abandon her then you can try again for a boy. There is much more to this situation but with that information alone, do you understand "Why China"?

International Adoption 101: Why NOT America?

The second most frequently asked question concerning our adoption is "Why China?". While there are many who genuinely want to know why we have chosen China, I think there is another question behind those words that some are afraid to ask. Why NOT America? I will address the unstated question first and "Why China" in the next post...

First of all, we believe that every child deserves a family regardless of their birth country. A child born in the United States is not superior to a child born in Kazakhstan, Zambia, Guatemala, China, Russia or any other country. It is our opinion that American children do not deserve a family more than any other child on the planet. Period.

Second, it is estimated that for every infant placed for domestic adoption in United States, there are 5 families waiting to adopt that one child. Knowing that statistic and knowing that there are children growing up unwanted in orphanages around the world, domestic didn't feel right for us. Yes, there is a foster care system in America with children of all ages available for foster care. If you do your research you will see there are so many unknowns there. At this time in our life, we are not comfortable with those unknowns. I know my limits enough to know if I loved a child and then had to give them back to a less than ideal family situation I would be heartbroken. The bottom line: we do not feel that is the road we are being led.

And finally, the reality is even if you were born into poverty in America, you were still born in the land of opportunity. You have the freedom to educate yourself, speak freely, request and (most of the time) receive help from the government, protest openly in disagreement and worship God publicly without fear. Not all countries in the world experience that kind of freedom. If you are an American woman, simply being born in the United States makes you one of the wealthiest and most privileged women in the world.

In a nutshell, those are our reasons for "Why NOT America". I know there are some who take issue with our reasons but please remember they are OUR reasons. Domestic adoption is not where we feel God is leading us. That's the bottom line. All we ask is for you to support us and not discourage us. For those of you who feel strongly about adopting within America, I would be glad to provide you with more information about domestic adoption. Just because domestic is not the right decision for us doesn't mean it isn't an option for you. Hopefully your concern is genuinely for American children without families and not an opposition to cultural diversity within a family. Only you can determine where your hesitation lies.

Feliz Cumpleanos MG!

Tonight, we celebrated MG's 2nd birthday with a Dora Fiesta. Our little girl loves her pals Doe-da, Boofs, Back-Tack, Ee-ko and Sye-per. Let me tell you, she can spot them anywhere...Target, Publix, Sams Club, the playground. She can spot them on anything...paper plates, toys, blankets, yogurt cups, towels, fruit snacks, other children's clothing, books, etc. She would eat, sleep and breathe the girl if we would let her. With that said, as much as I wanted her to have a Cinderella party, I knew Dora was the obvious choice. So, Dora it is...

We all enjoyed a festive (and theme appropriate) dinner of tacos with chips and salsa. Well, I guess I should say the adults enjoyed their dinner. The little ones were too excited to eat. They just drank their weight in fruit punch and waited for their next sugar rush.
Remember friends, it's a party. Somewhere in the Mommy handbook it says it's OK to feed your kids junk for the sake of a party, right? Why eat tacos when you can drink sugary Hawaiian punch and hold out for these...Aren't they cute? My cake lady (and very good friend) Rebekah decided to have a baby and bail on her cake baking duties with both of my children this year. After our ghetto cake fiasco, I learned a good lesson. Order EXACTLY what you want from Publix IN ADVANCE, order what you want without a kit and jazz them up when you get home. Isn't that frosting perfect? Mmmmm...I'm going to learn to do this one day...

Now, do not ask me what it is about sunglasses but she loves them. Can you see how she's holding back her "blow" until the end of the song? Practice makes perfect?The cupcake lovers...Sweet AC's first Womble birthday party...
MG LOVES her new bay-bay crib. She hasn't stopped playing with it since we took it out of the box.
Hmmmm...wonder where she learned this from? Like Mother, Like Daughter...
This the famous "I'm not getting my way right now" face...Trying hard not to smile for Mommy (who was working so hard for ONE MEASLY CAMERA GRIN from her 2nd birthday party) Ughh!FINALLY, a smile (even if it's upside down while playing peekaboo through Mommy's legs)
Happy Birthday Baby Girl. We love you all the way to the moon and back again!

In-de-pen-ants Day...

or attempt #2 was my fave: In-ter-dee-pan-dants Day? Why is it, as parents, we don't have the heart to correct mispronunciation? We will correct it if it's an ordinary word. But if it makes us smile (or chuckle), we just go with it. So stinkin' cute...In-ter-dee-pan-dants Day...hahaha...

Basically, we did nothing today but enjoy some family time, take naps and then off to dinner at 5 Guys. That may have been the biggest HAMBURGER I have ever eaten and IT WAS HEAVENLY (and I do mean HEAVENLY because only God himself could have created burgers like that). Oh, and that heavenly burger is probably reason #2 that I have obtained a bit of cholesterol problem (more on that later).

Unlike our friends, the Morgans, we do not join the yearly firework frenzy. Sorry to disappoint you Bobonja. Personally, I would rather someone else blow a bagillion dollars on explosives while I enjoy them from afar (without risk of hearing impairment or loss of limb).

This year we can thank my alma mater for the fireworks extravaganza. We parked across from the university, popped the hatch, pulled out the chairs, put down the seats in the "grocery getter" and waited for the festivities. At exactly 9 PM the fireworks began with many "ooooo"'s, "ahhhhhh"'s and even a few "WOW"'s from the little Wombles. They were out past their bedtime, hangin' in the back of the van with Mom and Dad, eating junk food and takin' in the show. Why wouldn't they be excited about this...

I could not include this holiday in our scrapbook without remembering the reason we celebrate Independence Day. To those who have served our country so that we can enjoy the freedom of being an American...THANK YOU! We know that freedom isn't really free and we appreciate the sacrifices you have made for all of us!
Let's hope next year we'll have another reason to celebrate the privilege of being an American. Oh, how I can only hope...

P.S. If anyone knows how to convince our neighborhood residents that it is not OK to shoot fireworks after 10 PM for the next month just for kicks, please let me know.

It's a great day to go swimming...

One of J's favorite lines right now is "It's a great day to go __________, isn't it?" Usually the blank is filled with places like the beach, Cha---nooga, Discovery Center, Mrs. Rachel's, Mrs. Courtney's, etc. Usually the answer is no for whatever reason. With that said, I wish you could have seen the look on his face when I told him to get his swimming trunks on. He screamed "IS IT A GREAT DAY TO GO SWIMMING AT THE YMCA?" He's never gotten dressed that fast in his life.

Our holiday weekend began with a pic-a-nic and swimming at the Y. Both little people sported their red, white and blue for the occasion (a day early but who cares) and had a blast. Aren't they cute freezing their little beejeebeez off at the pool?
Afterwards, Daddy took us all to MaggieMoos for an ice cream fix. I'm pretty sure this is the night my cholesterol became a problem. While devouring a cup of Better Batter Cake Carnival ice cream, I could feel my numbers go up with every bite...vanilla ice cream with tiny little Twix candy bars, cookie dough and fudge topping. Mmmmmmm. Ice cream that good should not contain calories, fat or cholesterol. A great start to a great family weekend...

Happy Birthday Nanny!

We hope your day was filled with at least a few of the things you love: sleeping late, drinking hot tea and curling up with a good book. See you Saturday.

Love,
the Womble 4

Did we pass?

For those of you wondering if we passed visit #1 of our homestudy, I think that is a yes. It lasted about an hour and was perfectly painless. I have heard social worker horror stories and I just knew that would happen to us. I was sooo wrong. She is the nicest woman and you can tell she genuinely enjoys bringing families together.

J was quick to tell her all of the technology he is deprived from on a daily basis. :0) He listed off every electronic device in our home when she asked him what he likes to do. I finally had to say WHAT ELSE do you like to do besides play the Wii and Leapster? He wasn't shy AT ALL with her. He answered all of her questions...including the one about would you like to have a baby sister?

"Oh, yes, I would like to have another baby sister. Her name is M and she lives all the way in China."

Good answer JTW. Good answer! One visit down. Three to go.

(and for all of you weirdos out there trying to blow up this photo and figure out who Mommy is and where we live...I blurred it all...no such luck)

a tough day...