Phun with Photoshop Phriday

I'm a dweeb, and these are really simple effects, but I thought they looked cool. So there. ;)

[Click on a picture to enlarge]

Spring Has Sprung

Oh, how I love this time of year. The budding trees, the green grass, the chirping birds. The smell of clean air blowing in through open windows. The presence of the radiant *sun* that we've been missing for months. Ahh, glorious spring, you soothe my inner soul.

I definitely get "spring cleaning fever" this time of year. I want to organize, sort, clean and disinfect everything in the house. Looking into the closets and junk drawer(s) makes me drool. It's sick, I know.

Over the last week, I've been switching out the kids clothes from winter to summer. I emptied the drawers and closets of the clothes that don't fit my munchkins anymore, or are too warm for summer. I looked at each outfit, realizing that it might be the last time I dress one of my kids in it. And after the nostalgia wore off, I got down to business.

Since we moved into this house 13 months ago, the basement has been in a state of "being finished." Mark and his Dad have made a lot of progress, but there is still a lot to do to finish. When they started the project, they built some super-sturdy shelves in the store room. And then they packed a ton of stuff on the shelves and the floor of the store room so that they could work on finishing the rest of the basement (a rec room and an office). Now, being that I've got "the fever," I asked Mark to get down all of the kid clothes boxes so I could organize it all. It was a huge task for him to find all of the boxes (we're still currently missing one), and to haul them out, and I couldn't really help since I am not supposed to lift with my broken arm. He did it all himself, and I'm grateful.

After sorthing through everything, there were almost 10 boxes worth of hand-me-downs that I hadn't put away in the proper boxes yet, plus all of the winter clothes that needed to be packed away. And then I got the brilliant idea to relabel all of the boxes with neater labels. It was a very time-consuming task, indeed.

Now the kids' closets look neat and tidy. When all is said and done, we have [prepare yourself] fifty-nine paper boxes of kid clothes (girls up to size 6 and boys up to size 8). Before you start to wonder exactly how much Mark's salary is, realize that most of those are hand-me-downs (thanks to my sisters and Abby's birthfather's family). It's an awful lot of clothes, that's for sure. And the 59 boxes don't even include kids shoes... I guess I know what my next project is. Good thing I've still got "the fever!"

Abby My Angel

I promised long ago that I would write about Abby's entrance into our lives, but have yet to do it. Until today, that is. :)
__________________________________________
To tell Abby's story, we must start a couple of months prior.

In July of 2003, another baby (a baby boy) was born to a mother who had made a tentative adoption plan and made a connection with us as adoptive parents. In the final hour, the mother made the decision to parent the baby herself. As much as we had prepared ourselves emotionally for such a situation, Mark and I still had to grieve.

Over the next few weeks, we did some major spring cleaning both emotionally and physically. We spent a lot of time crying, we spent a lot of time avoiding, we spent a lot of time numb. And we spent a lot of time regaining hope, a lot of time starting fresh, and a lot of time coming to peace. We sorted through all of our belongings, using the nursery as a centralized area for extra furniture, boxes, etc. It became so full of all of the "stuff" in our lives, we could barely get the door open.

We took long walks, and talked for long hours. Through our talks, we decided that the time was right to move back to our hometown. Moving back was always in our plans, but the timing was just unclear. We had been away for 6 years, and missed our family so very much. Mark had built up his resume enough to get a job in a less technical city. It was time to come home.

We connected with a realtor in our city even before Mark started looking for jobs. The realtor came to our house to assess its value and to give us tips on how to get ready to sell. We ended the meeting feeling good about the prospect of selling, and looked forward to moving on to the next chapter of our lives.

Little did we know what would be written in that chapter. The very next day, just as Mark arrived home from work, the phone rang.

Me: "Hello?"
Agency Rep (AR): "Hi, Trista. Umm.... are you sitting down?"
Me, a bit learily: "Do I need to be...?"
AR: "We met with a potential birthmother today about a baby girl who was born yesterday. She decided to make an adoption plan, and chose you from the profiles she viewed."
Me: [stunned silence]
AR: "You are going to be parents! Congratulations!"
Me: "Oh my gosh! I can't believe it! This is unbelievable!" [and so on]
AR: "We need to go back to the hospital tonight and have the birthmother and her mother sign the legal guardianship transfer papers, because she is a minor. And it looks like you can take the baby home tomorrow."

The AR filled me in on some of the details... the birthparents were 16 and 15 years old, and were no longer dating but were friends. The birthmom (M.) had hidden her pregnancy from her family until 2 weeks before. M. wanted to parent. Her family couldn't see how that was possible, and her grandmother encouraged her to look into adoption. M. finally looked at profiles after her baby Anna was born (Anna is Abby's birthname). She chose us, but didn't want to meet us then. Our agency still had to contact Abby's birthfather regarding the adoption.

I hung up the phone and filled Mark in on what he hadn't heard. We were both so leary of getting our hearts set on becoming parents that we downplayed it. We still felt raw from the adoption that didn't happen. Shortly after the call, Mark left for a scheduled meeting he had, and I was home alone.

I was on pins and needles. Who could I talk to about this? I needed to talk to someone, but I didn't want to call family until we knew it was going to happen for sure. As much as Mark and I were grieving, our whole family was grieving and I didn't want to bring them back up the rollercoaster with me this time. I called my friend Jennifer, trying not to sound like it was a done deal but getting hopeful. I called my friend Jenny, trying to sound equally non-challant but becoming even more excited.

I finally got off the phone and the AR called around 10:15. She had been trying to call for quite awhile and the phone was busy (oops). She informed me that M. and her mom had signed the paperwork granting us temporary custody, and that M. had checked herself out of the hospital. We could arrive at the hospital the next day at 10:30 to take Abby home. In twelve hours, we would see our daughter for the first time. I could barely process the news.

Just after I hung up, Mark's car pulled in. I shared all of the news with him, and we finally felt it was as "official" as it was going to get. We called our parents and siblings, waking some of them up. Everyone was shocked and excited and hopeful.

Mark cleaned out the nursery until 1:00 in the morning. It was good that he had something to do - we couldn't sleep anyway. I got out the little girl baby clothes and put them in the drawers, got the diapers ready, made sure the baby bag was packed and ready to go. In the morning, we arrived at the hospital right on time and were taken to a private room where the precious baby was brought in with her hospital bassinet.

She was the most beautiful baby I had seen, but she was so unfamiliar to me. I took her out of the bassinet and held all 7 pounds of her. She was so light, and so fragile. I studied her face, her hair, her beauty, her very long fingers. I finally handed her over to Mark. He awkwardly took this very small baby into his very long arms and stood in the middle of the hospital room, crying. I put my arms around them both and we shared our first family hug. Mark and I cried, and Abby just slept. I will never forget seeing Mark that way, so vulnerable and emotional. It makes me cry now remembering.

We spent the next three hours in the hospital room with Abby while we waited for her final test for jaundice so she could be released. We fed her, took off all of her clothes and examined every inch of her wrinkly little body, sang to her, rocked her, cooed at her. We bonded. And then we took her home. To be our precious daughter. For life.

What a difference a year makes!

Here are pictures of Abby in the same outfit in February 2005 and April 2006. The capri pants looked like regular pants last year. My, how our little girl has grown!

February 2005 (32 inches tall)

April 2006 (35 1/2 inches tall)

One of the ways Mark "Completes Me" (gag gag)

Mark is forever coming up with fun and spontaneous things to do with Abby and Ethan. And I am the one who comes up with a million reasons not to do them (they will want to do this EVERY day and it's just not possible, they don't know the difference between painting that old piece of furniture and painting my dining room table, they will miss their much-needed naps if we go there today, etc.) I can be a fuddy-duddy, I suppose. I am too darn practical.

Mark is the one who says, "let's have a picnic lunch on the deck on Good Friday even though the sky is full of clouds and we're almost certain to be rained out." [Well, he didn't actually say those words - it doesn't sound like a normal conversation, does it?] Anyway, when Mark makes such a statement, I see impending doom - kids disappointed because the rain ruined their lunch, a daughter spending the whole meal running away into the weeds behind our house, 2 kids who will never sit at the kitchen table again because the blanket outside is so much more fun. But Mark throws me one of his famous looks that says "lighten up, Lovest, it's just a picnic!" Who can argue with that? So we enjoyed lunch under the cloudy sky, in the fresh air, sitting on Mark's old college blanket and noticing the first signs of spring. And you know what? It didn't even rain. Abby stayed on the blanket and actually ate her lunch. And a few hours later, the kids ate dinner at the kitchen table without a complaint. I guess Mark was right... this time. ;)

Ethan is a Big Boy

Tonight, Ethan transitioned out of the crib and into the toddler bed. How can my little boy be old enough for that?? I suppose it's about time, since he is 22 months old and has been scaling the side of his crib for a few months now. I listen to other moms I know who have kids who would NEVER attempted the crib escape, and I wonder "how did I get so lucky?" Abby climbed out the moment she was tall enough, and lucky for us she was pretty petite and wasn't successful until about 20 months (although we're confident she started trying as soon as she could stand). Ethan is far less adventuresome, but still could not ignore the siren's song beckoning him to get out of bed and go downstairs to play. The past few weeks, he has really pressed his luck. No sooner would we lay him down then we would wait for the "THUNK" and the pitter-patter of clumsy little feet. He'd always look surprised when we were there to greet him at his doorway, ready to usher him back to his baby-cage. How did we know he was out of bed?

We hyped up the big-boy bed so much it almost made Abby want to trade rooms. For the first night, the hype was successful because Ethan fell asleep without even trying to get out. An hour later, we're still trying to get his sister to stay in bed, but Ethan is zonked out. We have learned from our first parent-trainer that there is always calm before the storm... soon he will realize that the Big Boy Bed is an easier (and quieter) escape than the crib. He's a smart boy and we give him about 2-1/2 days. ;)

Nice form, huh?

Ethan helps Daddy convert the crib to a toddler bed.

Power tools and testosterone!

All Done!

Blissful slumber... so far!

Welcome to my Cast Party

The prognosis for my broken wrist: 4-1/2 weeks in a "short cast." The fracture is not displaced, so it should be an easy heal. Thank goodness! I can't pick anything up with my left arm (like kids, for instance) but I now have use of my thumb again, which has made a huge difference. Try putting socks and shoes on with one hand --- it poses quite the challenge.

My parents and Mark's parents have been incredibly helpful this past week. My mom spent three days helping me manage the kids, making dinner for us, and watching the kids with my dad while I went to get my cast on. Mark's parents spent all day yesterday helping me because Mark was out of town. I was able to nap for 5 hours! I didn't know I had it in me. I really appreciate all of their help. Of course, my biggest aide has been Mark who has taken over all the household duties without a complaint. He even washes my hair in the tub. What a guy. :)

The magical cast removal date is May 11th, which is easy to remember for me because it is my sister Becky and her husband Eric's 21st wedding anniversary. If you would like to virtually sign my cast, please leave a comment. You can bet the events from my "springtime from hell" will make it into my scrapbook, as will any comments you leave. A girls' gotta scrapbook, you know!! ;)

The 101st Thing About Me

In my previous posts about my"100 Things," I neglected to mention an interesting fact.

101. I have never broken a bone.

Apparently, this fact is no longer true. The Med Center called today to inform me that there was indeed a fracture that appeared on the x-ray, a break to my distal radius, near the wrist. It is a broken arm bone and not the tiny hand bone that the "good doctor" feared. I guess it takes three days to diagnose such a complicated fracture {insert oodles of sarcasm here}.

I have an appt with my doctor Friday afternoon. It may get moved up, I'm not sure yet. I sit in fear of weeks of limited mobility with my arm in a cast, while my two angels take over the house (bwahahahahaha). Help!

The bright side: I have learned something about myself this week. I can type darn fast with one hand.

Well That's Not Good!

(Posted by Trista's husband, in a lame attempt to help Trista out in any way possible)

So, the tiny rain cloud that has been hanging out over Trista's head the last couple of months continues to follow her. This time it decided to lob a little lightning bolt at her when she was leaving the Children's Museum. Who would have known that giving our daughter a piggy-back ride could be so dangerous? But it was over before it had really started. Trista tried to stand up too quickly, didn't have her balance, and stumbled backwards. Abby and Trista tumbled onto the sidewalk on their backs.

Yikes! (or "Ikes!" as Abby would say).

Abby was pretty shaken up about the experience and was crying. Trista was not crying, but she was the one who was really in pain. She came down on her left hand pretty hard, and moving it was not a good experience. Within the next couple of moments, she had to sit down a few times to keep from passing out, and she turned a few sad shades of greenish-white.

Abby and Ethan went home with my mom and dad while Trista and I went to the med center. It never really fills you with confidence when the doctor says something like, "This is where it really hurts, right? Well that's not good!"

After x-rays of her wrist, they are considering it a bad sprain for now... but they also noted that the place where she had pain is a very small bone, and a fracture might not really show up until the swelling goes down. If she's still in lots of pain at the end of the week, they'll just have to take another x-ray. (The "nice" doctor also noted that "Yeah, if that bone is broken it will not heal easily. I guess honesty is a good thing).

So, for a week, Trista has the challenge of trying to take care of two crazy toddlers by herself, with one hand tied behind her back... er... in front of her stomach... or something. You get the idea.

Feel free to send well-wishes and encouragement. I'm sure she can use it! She can read her blog posts and email, but might not do a whole lot of responding at this point. Also, if you know any way of driving away annoying little rain-clouds and bad luck, please share!

On the Road Again

We'd like to announce a new member of our family. We are the proud owners of a 2006 Gray Toyota Sienna minivan. After 3 hours at the Toyota Dealership where we purchased our other minivan (a mere 9 months ago), we ended up with the exact same van as before, down to the paint color. The good news is that after *much* negotiation, we spent $1500 less than nine months ago.

The experience does beg a question. What's more annoying in this world than buying a car from a car dealership? The first dealership experience we ever had was awesome - we bought a Saturn. There was no dickering, per their policy. They were helpful, friendly, and even threw us a party when we took our car home. If the Saturn minivan got better reviews, we would be there in an instant. We were seriously spoiled by a "different kind of car company."

Every other dealership operates in approximately the same annoying way. The salesperson assigned to you gives the appearance of having absolutely no power. Every decision needs to be approved by their manager, in some secret little room far far away. Every time they leave to "run something by their manager" they are gone for 20 minutes. When you ask for a reduction in price, they come back with what you didn't ask for... an ambiguous monthly payment amount instead of the total price, or a list of prices for a different model that you aren't even interested in. Their "absolute bottom line" is never as far as they're willing to go --- they can always "do you a favor" and give up some commission (a bargaining ploy, I'm sure). The whole experience of the dealership is like sitting in the dentist chair for me.

Once you agree to buy, the finance person spends 30 minutes trying to sell you every kind of ridiculous insurance under the sun. Like life insurance, in case of Mark's death, so that I can keep his vehicle. But, if Mark is dead, I won't need his car. Wouldn't I just sell it?? At a dealership a few years ago, the finance guy was feeding us a line about how some stupid insurance would only cost 35 cents a day, and I piped up with, "and for the price of a cup of coffee, I could feed starving children in Africa." At least Mark laughed.

Despite the agony of the experience, we did make it through and should be back to two automobiles today. Which is good, because we are tired of getting kicked in the back by two active toddlers stuck in a sardine tin called a Saturn SL1.

Our Young Care for Their Own

Tonight, for the second night in a row, Ethan has been traumatized by a music video that plays right after our TIVOed version of The Wiggles. It is Dan Zanes, "Hello hello." It is by all accounts a seemingly harmless song about endless possibilities and being a welcoming spirit. It's warm and fuzzy.

Last night, all was fine for Ethan until a scene appeared showing three doors, each opening in turn to reveal a lion, a bird and an elephant (all waving kindly to one another, mind you). Ethan burst into tears and between sobs gasped, "raar" - "lion." Now, our home is no stranger to lions of all types, since Abby has an obsession with them. Ethan has never been afraid of any of the big cats before. To be honest, the lion in this video is actually rather cute and is even smiling. But something about it didn't sit right with Ethan.

Tonight, as soon as the video started, Ethan broke into sobs and started shaking. We stopped the video immediately, but Ethan needed cuddling and the reassurance of his big sister.

Abby plopped down next to him. "Don't worry, Ethan. It's OK." But Ethan was still upset. So Abby, in her infinite wisdom, disappeared into the toy room. She reappeared with her largest stuffed lion in tow. Holding him up to Ethan, she said, "Raaar!" And then she surprised us all. She made the lion kiss Ethan all over the face. "See, Ethan. Lion nice."

I'm in awe of Abby's deep love and concern for her brother. I can definitely learn a thing or two from my daughter.

Variety Show Pics

We had a blast at the Variety Show! We were a big hit (especially last night), and there was a lot of hooting and hollering for 8 sexy moms. Man, I felt like a woman! ;)

Here we are! I'm the 3rd from the left in the back row.

Again, I'm 3rd from the left.

For the end of our last performance, we added "Mom" tattoos and stripped our jackets off for the crowd. I think our husbands enjoyed it, at least! ;)
Notice how much makeup we have on for the "stage"... I think I was wearing more makeup last night than I have in total for the last 5 years!

Digging My Way Out

I am holding out hope that I am at the end of my seriously bad month. I am trying hard to improve my attitude and get back to "happy." I finally am starting to see the sun through the clouds (both figuratively and literally - our weather is getting "springy-er".)

Yesterday, I found out that our van is considered "totalled." Apparently, $15,000 in damage (yikes!) is too much to repair. We find out the van's exact value next week, and then we can close out the existing auto loan and start over. Back to the drawing board... I guess we'll start with Toyota and see what kind of deal they can give us (hmm. 2 vans in less than a year. cha-ching!) Our loaner car has to be returned today (it's only a benefit to us as long as our van is being worked on, and since the van is totalled, bye bye loaner). I guess we'll be living as a one-car household for awhile.

Last night was the dress rehearsal for the Variety Show. It was fun. The 8 of us moms are definitely the youngest people in the show. I think the average age must be around 65. There are some funny acts in the show, especially the last act of the night which I will not reveal for those who will be seeing it. I think we're one of the few "serious" acts, but we don't feel very serious at all! We've had a good time together. Oh, and we were the "lushes" of the dress rehearsal - we all drank beer (or in my case, a wine cooler) to get ready for the performance. We were definitely loosened up!

All-in-all, things are looking up around these parts.

Lemons and Lemonade

When I was in the 5th grade, I had a starring role in our school's end-of-the-year play. The play was about Cabbage Patch Kids (this was the mid-eighties). And I played a villain, Lavender McDade. One of my solos went like this:

I'm Lavender, Lavender McDade.
Say welcome to the star of this evil escapade.
Everyone needs a lemon in their lemonade.
Well it's me, Lavender, Lavender McDade.

Sometimes, when you've had a really crappy month, like when your friends' baby passes away on the same day as your Grandma, and you crash up your brand new van, it's difficult to see the lemonade beyond the lemons. Like today, for instance.

Mark started a new job today. A few months ago, he realized that there were some personnel changes going on at work that would make his job much more difficult and stressful. For a variety of reasons, he started looking to see what jobs were available in our area, and he found the perfect job for him. Apparently, the company thought he was the perfect man for the job, because he is now starting this new job doing work that he loves. The pay is great, the benefits are great, the work is great, his co-workers seem great. There's just one problem. He has to actually go in to work.

Mark has been working from home for the past year. The four of us have LOVED it. It's given us a lot of flexibility with our schedules. We've eaten three meals together every day. Mark has been able to see the kids more often than ever before. And besides all of those great things, Mark has been even more productive than when he worked in an office. When it came to making the decision to take this new job, it was almost like "working from home" was on one side of the scale and "all the other great benefits of the new company" was on the other. It was a hard decision to make. In the end, "all the other great benefits of the new company" won out and the new job was accepted.

We have been mourning the loss of Mark/Daddy at home for three weeks now, counting down each day until the dreaded 22nd. And today was the day. We all got ready this morning, and instead of Daddy heading upstairs until later in the morning when he would come down for a snack, we said goodbye to Daddy until dinner time.

This new job is definitely "lemonade" for Mark. Overall, we believe he will be happy and will find the work challenging and rewarding. But all good things cannot be perfect, and we're sacrificing Mark working from home (our "lemon" in this story). I guess we're all going to need to get used to its bitter taste, and learn to appreciate it for the lemonade it produces. And I do love lemonade.

All Shook Up

Yes, I'm All Shook Up, and not in the fun, Elvis Presley-ish way, but the oh-my-gosh-what-just-happened way. Friday did not go according to plan... no sirree.

The morning was crazily hectic, with 4 of us getting ready for my Grandma's funeral and me getting ready for my scrapbooking trip (did I print off enough pictures?) Just before 10:00, we left for the church (actually, we left to stop at the store to get pantyhose and then to go to the church). We decided to take separate cars, so that I could leave for my weekend right from the funeral luncheon. I drove the van with the kids, and Mark drove the itty bitty Saturn.

We stopped at the store and Mark ran in for the pantyhose. When we left the store, Mark went out of the parking lot one way and I went out another. I pulled into the left-turn lane at a major intersection and started to look around for Mark's car to see where he was. I honestly don't know what I was thinking, but I started to turn left while checking out where Mark's car was and a car coming toward me hit the front of my van. I would guess the car was going about 45 mph.

I didn't see it coming except for the last second before impact, and my airbag went off so quickly. When the van stopped moving, I quickly turned it off and checked the kids (who were both crying). They were physically fine, but scared. I got out of the van and waved to Mark's car (still stuck at the light), which was such a relief to him. He didn't actually see the accident happen, but saw that it was our van, and just about had a heart attack until he knew we were OK.

There were two women and a baby in the other car, and the baby and one of the women seemed to be fine. The other went off in an ambulance, but it seemed like it was just for observation or as a precaution (the ambulance flashers weren't even on).

My sisters came and took the kids to the church for us while Mark and I waited for the police officers and the tow truck. The whole front end of the van was crunched up and radiator fluid was pouring out onto the street. I was in shock - It took me about 20 minutes to notice that the temperature was really cold, and that I wasn't wearing my glasses (they had flown off my face when the airbag went off, I guess). Finally, the tow truck came and hauled our 9-month-old van away (sigh). And the officer gave me a citation for failing to yield the right of way. We drove to the church and made it to the funeral with 5 minutes to spare. Once we arrived, everyone was so relieved that I was OK. Incidentally, the funeral was very beautiful and special.

Today, 3 days later, I have a very swollen and bruised knee that hit the dashboard in the impact. I have a scrape going from my shoulder to my chest from the seatbelt. My hip bones are sore from the strain of the lapbelt during the crash. My right ankle is very swollen and tender (I'm guessing I sprained it on the gas pedal?) My ribcage is sore, and it hurts to breath deeply or laugh. Overall, it feels like I did some very strenuous exercise yesterday and I'm feeling out of shape. Thank God for seatbelts and airbags! The kids are just fine, thankfully. I'm so glad that we're all OK.

---------------------

[Mark and my mom insisted that I go on my scrapbooking weekend anyway, even though I felt like I should stay home. My parents lent Mark their van for the weekend (thank you so much!!) and I took the itty bitty Saturn to go and scrapbook. It was a nice weekend away, and I got 31 pages done (my record is 40 pages in a weekend, but 31 is not too shabby).]

One Week

Next Friday and Saturday nights I will be dancing in the Variety Show (and my dad is also performing, he is singing in the chorus). The details, if you are local and want to attend:

Friday, March 24: Show begins at 8:00 p.m. at [my church*] - show is FREE (donations appreciated). If you are interested there is a soup supper at 6:00 p.m. followed by the Stations of the Cross at 7:00 p.m., just preceding the Variety show at 8.

Saturday, March 25: This night is reserved for parishioners who are attending the Appreciation Dinner. The evening begins at 6:00 p.m.

The show lasts about 1 hour 15 minutes. Should be a fun evening!

*If you need directions to my church, please e-mail me.

_____________________________________________________________

Today is my Grandma's funeral. Immediately following the luncheon, I will be going out of town for a scrapbooking weekend. My kids are both sick (and Mark is totally exhausted). Wish him luck on his weekend without me!

100 Things About Me (Continued)

51. I come up with really good, probing and interesting questions when I'm in small groups.
52.When I dream about conflict, I am always the hero.
53. When Ethan was about 6 months old, he started having separation anxiety and was very upset if I left him. He was also a poor sleeper. So Mark became the only one of us to comfort him in the night because he would never let me leave the room and go back to sleep. Now, most of the time, I don't even wake up if he cries. It makes me feel a bit guilty.
54. I applied for Survivor: Africa. In one day, Mark created an awesome 3 minute video (very professional), I applied for a passport, I completed the lengthy application and I sent it all off to CBS. I never got a call.
55. I would have tried out for American Idol, but I was always too old. I'm under no impression that I would have come close to winning. It would have been for fun.
56. I sometimes fantasize about what my try-out song would have been.
57. I've been in love with three men. The first broke my heart. I broke the heart of the second. And I married the third.
58. I don't fold my underwear. It's wadded up in a drawer. I figure, "why bother?"
59. I do fold Mark's underwear. Boxers get really wrinkly if they're wadded up.
60. I have tried matchmaking only once in my life, with two good friends of ours. It failed miserably. I vowed never to do that again.
61. The best way to die would be in my sleep. And to be discovered by my husband, not my kids.
62. The worst way to die would be drowning.
63. When I was a kid, and other kids would dunk me in the pool, I would almost have panic attacks. It was the meanest thing anyone could do.
64. I am planning on planning my own funeral service.
65. Upon my death, I've always wanted to donate my body to a university for education. I even completed the research on how to do it so everyone who needed to know would be ready. Once I had kids, I realized that I wanted my body to be buried so my kids could have closure. I scrapped the idea of donation - at least until my kids are grown. I'm still not sure how I feel about being referred to as "the cadaver."
66. I try not to take myself too seriously. Sometimes I fail. But most of the time, I think I'm very funny. I crack myself up.
67. Even after 2-1/2 years, I love to pick out my kids' clothes in the morning. So far, even my strong-willed daughter doesn't have objection.
68. Most of my prayers are prayers of thanksgiving. They are very specific.
69. When I pray for help or guidance for myself, I try to be very general. ["God, please give me what I need." "Lord, help me to bow to Your will." "Jesus, I don't know how to get through this. Please help."]
70. When I pray for help or guidance for others, I usually imagine their faces in my mind and ask, "Please give them what they need."
71. I love to see the changing leaves in the autumn.
72. I don't like cola.
73. Last night, I told my scrapbooking group that my new phrase was going to be, "oh, pickles!"
74. I love my scrapbooking group. I look forward to it every week. I'm really glad it's held at my house.
75. I'm probably going to look like an idiot dancing for the variety show. I don't mind too much. I've had a lot of fun learning the routine and practicing with the 7 other moms.
76. I feel like an imbecile when people around me speak like a theology book. My brain often shuts down as a defense mechanism. I think faith should be simple enough for a child to understand, but rich enough for a fairly intelligent adult to explore and deepen.
77. My 3 big sisters all moved out of my childhood home in the same year. I missed them terribly. The house became very quiet. I was 10.
78. I don't want any of my kids to be separated from their siblings by 10 years. In my ideal world [haha], I would like our 3rd child to be born near Abby's 3rd birthday. Ethan will be 2-1/4 at the time.
79. People sometimes ask if having Abby and Ethan so close in age is like having twins. I wouldn't really know. I've never had twins.
80. I consider myself an adoption advocate of sorts. I am always trying to educate others about the process, about the use of non-offensive language, about the sadness and the joy. I am no expert on the subject, but the little bit I know I want to share.
81. I love to sleep.
82. Mark and I talk. A lot. Even after all these years, we still find new and interesting things to say to each other. I'm very proud of my behavior in my marriage.
83. I once had a college professor ask me out. He was 8 years old than I was. It made me feel weird. I definitely said no.
84. When Mark and I are in the process of making an important decision, we usually don't tell anyone else about it. When the decision has been made, we let everyone know the outcome. I guess we don't want to appear indecisive.
85. I really enjoy reading blogs and writing in this blog. It's fun.
86. I like to surround myself with people who have a good work ethic and a positive attitude.
87. I think sarcasm is funny.
88. I often ponder pointless things, like why is our pinky toenail so thick and short? What's it's purpose?
89. I often discuss these pointless things with Mark.
90. I am terrible at drawing.
91. My handwriting looks just like my sister Becky's. It didn't start that way - it just evolved. That is so weird. How does that happen? Note to self: this is something I need to discuss with Mark.
92. I like to say "note to self" in common conversation.
93. I sincerely mean it when I say, "I love you."
94. Despite all my complaining, Abby and Ethan mean the world to me. Just thinking about them can make me cry.
95. I cry a lot [in a good way]. I've inherited the "cry-gene" from my mom. My mother-in-law has it too. Just seeing either of them crying from across the room can make me cry.
96. I hate raw onions. My husband could eat a raw onion like an apple. But then he knows he won't get any kisses.
97. I'm a good photographer. I learned my techniques from my mom [thanks, mom!]
98. I put on my socks after I put on my pants.
99. I can't tell a joke to save my life. But my Dad is good for that, so I don't have to.
100. I trust Mark without reservation.

100 Things About Me

I've seen this on other blogs, and found it interesting to read. So here are the first 50 of "100 Things About Me."

1. I love cheese. I could eat it for every meal. My cholesterol is borderline, and I'm pretty certain cheese is the culprit.
2. I've only moved 5 times in my life, and all of them in the last 10 years.
3. My current buzz-words are "sweet" and "awesome." I can't believe I have gone back to 1987.
4. I have a birthmark on my butt. It's a raspberry mark, but it's faded to a light brown now (I think).
5. I love to sing. Loudly. If I want to make myself happy, I play Martina McBride's "So Magical" very very very loudly in the car or at home and sing my lungs out.
6. I hate exercise for the sake of exercise.
7. I have never really been on a diet. I did make lifestyle changes once that resulted in 15 pounds shed.
8. I need to make lifestyle changes now.
9. I have pretty high self esteem. I don't lack confidence most of the time.
10. I won't poop in public bathrooms, unless it's a real emergency.
11. I didn't have very close relationships with my grandparents before they passed away.
12. I want to create a different reality for my kids and their grandparents.
13. I had a boss once that said, "thank you for asking" when I would ask about his family. I loved the politeness of that, and I try to do the same.
14. I love to keep in touch with friends and family.
15. I'm terrible about keeping in touch with friends and family.
16. My favorite book of all time is "Of Mice and Men."
17. My hair and nails grow very quickly.
18. I am ashamed that I have so much frustration about Abby's behavior. She and I are like oil and water sometimes. It's hard for me to be the bigger person.
19. I think I have significant hearing loss in my right ear as a result of several ear infections I have had in the last 2 years. I am afraid to have it tested in case it's true.
20. I consider myself the luckiest wife alive to be married to Mark. He is an incredibly giving and supportive husband, and a very involved dad.
21. I become surly with Mark when we have too much time together. I need space.
22. I take a bath almost every night. I take a shower about every other day, as the kids' schedule allows.
23. I don't wear makeup. I haven't worn makeup day-to-day since college. I don't miss it.
24. When I was about 10, I had a short haircut. An older man mistook me for a boy when my dad was filling up the car at a gas station.
25. I love that Ethan prefers me to everyone else. It makes me feel good.
26. I am in the midst of a mini-depression. I haven't been very happy lately, and I can't figure out why.
27. The terrible two's suck.
28. The terrific two's are amazing.
29. I am high strung. Right now, I am clenching my jaw because I can hear one of the dogs walking across [scratching] the hardwood floor downstairs and it's driving me crazy.
30. I once started listening to a classic rock radio station to impress a guy. It didn't work. And I hate classic rock.
31. I once started listening to alternative music to impress a guy. We got married. And I like alternative music.
32. Often, I sleep in the clothes I wore that day. I don't want to get another outfit dirty.
33. The things that drive me crazy about my mom are often the things that drive me crazy about me.
34. I love to eat breakfast foods, any time of the day.
35. I will eat cereal for dessert sometimes.
36. I have ordered oatmeal at restaurants. It makes Mark shake his head - he always tells me I could have had that at home for a fraction of the cost.
37. Sometimes I can't stop myself from laughing during a solemn part of Mass.
38. I want to take my kids camping, but I don't remember how to do anything camping-related.
39. I am an OK cook. I am an OK cleaner. I am not a very domestic wife and mother.
40. My kids have never eaten any homemade cookies baked by me.
41. I love Twizzlers strawberry licorice. I can eat a whole bag of it at the theater before the movie even starts.
42. I like fun and funky socks.
43. When I was in elementary school, I could read at a higher level than any other kid in my grade.
44. When I was in 7th grade, and trying to be different while everyone else was trying to blend in, several different girls (at least 3) threatened to beat me up or actually pushed me at school.
45. I survived it, and didn't become a shrinking violet because of it.
46. I think the kids of people my age are usually over-extended with activity. I think dinner together as a family should be a priority.
47. I make a point not to judge the parenting decisions of other moms.
48. I think moms should support each other. I know I need support.
49. I love warm weather, but not too hot. I have a 5 degree window of comfort (about 69 to 74 degrees is great).
50. My favorite type of pie is pumpkin.

Thank goodness for forty degrees

Today, I was so grateful to God for the semi-warm weather. Abby and Ethan have been going insane with too much indoor time. Their little toddler bodies need to RUN, and our house is just not equipped. They are forced to get out their energy in other ways, like mess-making...



We do have this jumping platform --->
(it's made out of diaper boxes) - but there have been so many days of frigid weather that it has been worn thin by all of the activity. I have been *this* close to calling up Gymboree Play and Music and signing up for a session of ridiculously over-priced toddler-mommy exercise. But today, the weather was so mild, that right after naps we got OUT. Walked down 4 houses to our local playground. Rode the swings, poked at the wet sand in the sandbox with sticks, tromped through the last of the snowdrifts, breathed in the fresh air. It's amazing how a little thing like that can improve your mood. And how fresh air can renew the spirit.

Growing Pains

My kids are very different from each other. It's funny how every parent notices how different their kids are (even if they come from the same gene pool). Of course, like all siblings, Abby and Ethan do have many similarities. But sometimes the differences are rather pronounced, like in their growing patterns.

Ethan is a steady grower, in all ways. He grows in weight and height at a regular rate. He learns new things at a steady pace, multi-tasking between different types of skills and knowledges. Intellectually, he builds upon his knowledge every day. His routines are pretty much the same, day to day.

Abby, on the other hand, defines "growth spurt." She will suddenly shoot up an inch (or a pound), and the pants that were just worn yesterday are now "floods." She will appear to be "stuck" at a stage of development, and then will suddenly demonstrate 10 new skills at once. There are always cues that a new spurt is about to happen. If it is physical, she will suddenly become ravenous for a couple days, followed by a couple days of extra sleep. If it is intellectual, it affects her sleep patterns. For about a year and a half now, Abby has been going through periods where she will wake in the night. And when I say "wake," I mean that she is wide awake, ready to play. In the darkness of her room, she chatters incessantly to her stuffed animals, "reads" books to herself, and ocassionally calls out to her brother, all the while Mark and I are glancing bleary-eyed at the alarm clocks next to our bed. Is it really only 2 a.m.? For the last 2 or 3 weeks, we have had many a night like this. We knew what question to ask: what amazing new things will Abby start doing?

Abby's verbal skills have taken off this last week. Her pronunciation is not the best (she is only 2-1/2 now), but she is stringing together so many thoughts that it makes our heads spin. She can carry on a full conversation with 2 and 3 word sentences, which she was nowhere near doing just 2 months ago. Today, on the way home from church, Abby made up her first story for us, complete with crisis, climax and denouement. *Smile* I'm so proud. If anyone knows a good publisher, let me know. ;)

"The Puppy and the Snake" by Abigail

As told by Abby: "Story, puppy and snake. 'Ikes! puppy! Oh no! Snake scary*! Don' worry, puppy. Snake home. Good story**."

Translation: "This is a story about a puppy and a snake. Yikes, puppy! Oh no! That snake is scary! But don't worry, puppy. The snake goes home. This was a good story."

*"Scary" is always pronounced "scaaaaary" with doom in her voice - absolutely hilarious.
**We always mention "good story" at the end of a book. Our little mimic strikes again!