A Few Sprinkles Short of a Sundae

What I Learned at Disney

2012-01-30T08:47:00.016-05:00

We had a great time at Disney World, but then, who doesn't? Right? It was awesome and magical and all that stuff you think of. Blah, we've all heard it before.

But here are a few things I learned in Disney World that one might not expect.

Timeshares are truly awesome. Hotels are not. We are so lucky that we were incredibly stupid years ago and bought a time share. That meant that instead of a hotel room, we had a 1200 square foot condo to stay in. We had a full kitchen, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and 3 televisions. (At home, we only have one bathroom and one television - this was so cool!) We *heart* timeshares!
The lines at Disney aren't really as long as they say. At least in January... We had several lines that said 20 minutes, but we never waited that long - and that was a good thing. And that was more or less the longest wait time we had for anything that didn't have a fastpass.
Leggings are NOT ATTRACTIVE! Unless you're a size 2, don't wear them. And please, for the love of God, please don't bend over. Not only do I not want to see the out line of your panties, I also don't want to know the color and pattern on them. We can see right through those leggings!
Children are old as 10 can comfortably ride in a stroller and still fall asleep. Seriously. I was shocked, too.
Soft-sided coolers are the best invention ever. We took our lunch, snacks and drinks every day with us into the park because we're ~~cheap~~ ~~thrifty~~ on a budget. Sure we bought some ice creams, but otherwise, nada! It was a lifesaver (those lines were longer than the ride ones!).
You can eat like a horse and still lose weight! I think our entire group would agree. We ate - very well - between the packed lunches, snacks, ice cream and homemade meals every night complete with cookies. But with all the walking around, we managed to come out on top. My mother-in-law lost 2 pounds last week!
When your child is scared of characters with giant heads, be grateful they even get into the picture in the first place. SB is scared to death of characters with fake heads (as I've said before) and this was no exception. She was a little wary of all the characters. Mac - no fear. Ever!

Portable DVD players are the bomb. When you're in the car for 12 hours, you need entertainment. Our old DVD player broke a while back, but we were able to borrow a friend's and it was amazing. Wall-E, Shrek and Peanuts kept the kids entertained for HOURS!
My kids really are growing up. SB rode her first full-sized roller coasters this week. I can't believe it! Her words after her first one, "That was awesome. Let's do it again!"

There really is magic in Disney World. It was amazing watching my kids' faces light up like they did. It literally brought tears to my eyes seeing how things affected them. *sigh* It was grand!

I'll be the Judge of That

2012-01-25T08:39:00.000-05:00

In case you missed it before on my blog, I'm a Christian. (If you missed it - there you go)
And I hope I have adequately conveyed here that I am not a perfect person. I make mistakes - big and small.
So there you have it - imperfect Christian.
Something else I try not to do - judge people based on outward appearance, life choices or anything else. But I know I do, at times, judge people because we're all imperfect humans and that's what we do. Don't deny it, you know you do too.

But I also like to think that I don't base my reactions to people on any prejudice I have on my part. If you live with your non-married partner, if you've had an abortion, if you have any number of non-ear parts pierced, if you home school - I don't care. It will not affect how I feel about YOU as a person or if I choose to add you into my inner circle of friends. I will love you regardless. (and for the record, I don't necessarily find any of those things listed as "bad" in any way, they just aren't my choice, as getting tattoos or vaccinating children might not be yours)
That is how Jesus instructed us to live.

So when someone openly and blatantly judges others I have a hard time with that. And when someone makes those judgements public in front of my children, you better bet I will make my opinion of your actions known. Yes, that means I will judge the judger and I don't want to do that! And if you can't amend your way in front of me and my children, they we may have to excuse ourselves from your presence.

So please, especially if you claim to be a Christian, please do not openly judge people and air your opinions. Especially in front of me and my children. And especially if you know you're passing judgement on me.

It is only up to my God to judge me - don't we have enough issues already without judging one another?

Top 10: Things I'm Excited to Do in Disney World

2012-01-20T09:43:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it! It's almost Disney time! I am so psyched. More than the kids I think.

Here's my TOP 10 things I'm excited about doing.

Seeing my children's faces light up when they get there.
Meeting the Princesses (especially our friend Belle!).
Watching Mac when he sees Lightning McQueen.
Finding hidden Mickey's.
Getting a Christmas tree ornament.
Helping the kids pick out a souvenir.
Seeing Mickey & Minnie.
Going on a Disney date with my fab hubby.
Rides!
Getting home after a wonderful week of memory making!

It's almost Disney time! Yay!

The Power of Prayer

2012-01-18T08:48:00.000-05:00

I am a firm believer in prayer. I hope you are too.

I truly believe that if someone prays with an honest heart, God will answer their prayer. Now, I'll be honest here and mention that God's answer might just be "no." But the Bible says, "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7)

We spent many years asking God to allow us to be parents it took two years of prayer before we got SB and then 21 months of prayer before we could adopt Mac. There were times we thought we would be denied. And certainly God did not answer in OUR timing, but in HIS.

We have been praying for nearly 4 years for Marshall's business to take off in incredible ways...and we're still praying that. They're still afloat, but it would be so nice to know that we would be getting a regular paycheck. We continue to pray for that and I know that one day God will answer.

I had a dear friend go through a fight with cancer two years ago. It was scary but she had so many people praying for her. Today she's healthy and thriving. Sadly, I had another friend many years ago also fight cancer and she lost her battle. Were prayers unanswered? No. She received ultimate healing, which sadly took her from this life. But she is whole and healthy and that's what counts.

Prayer is so powerful. If you have a need this week, pray for it. Ask someone else to pray for you. I find that when we humble ourselves and ask for prayer God is more apt to listen. First because more people are praying for a situation and secondly because we were brave enough to share our needs.

God bless you this week and in the weeks to come!

Decapitated Characters

2012-01-17T08:26:00.000-05:00

My daughter has a fear of costumed people. Particularly if they have a costume head.

I think she's scared they will be decapitated. I don't know. She knows it's just a person in a costume, like Halloween. She knows they won't hurt her and Mommy/Daddy are right there. But still, since she was a baby, she had not liked characters with heads.
I can relate since I have a terrible fear of clowns.

It's a long-standing tradition for little Clemson fans to have their picture taken with the Clemson Tiger, and I was thrilled when we encountered him at a parade when SB and Mac were little. Sadly, SB was not thrilled. I don't know if you can see it, but the look on her face says, "Don't get any closer, dude."

Then one of her little friends had a birthday party at a local themed bouncy house place. And they had they monkey mascot dancing around. All the other kids danced around too. Except for Red, who went running, in tears, in the other direction.

So now that we're in the final stages of Disney prep, I keep reminding SB that many of the characters are costumed people - with heads.
I don't know what her reaction will be, and she has been assured many times over that she does not have to approach the headed characters if she does not want to. I think she will allow her picture to be taken if Daddy or I are with her, but I'm not sure.

I think she keep seeing those big floppy heads just popping right off the people. Who can blame her? They are kinda creepy.

The New Year's Letter

2012-01-15T08:44:00.000-05:00

Two days before Christmas I was washing the dishes and thinking about my loved ones. My family and friends, my husband and my children. I was thinking about Christmas and wondering how I could express my affection to them in a gift that wasn't a gift. Then, an idea came to me.

I would write them a letter. Yes it's cheesy (which I fully am) and sentimental (which I am very much not), but I thought that a personal letter to everyone who means a lot to me would be a great way to tell and show people just how much they mean to me.

I mean, it's one thing for your aunt or best friend or spouse to know what they mean to you. They all know you love them, right? But do they know why? Do they know just how much they mean to you? I think we all along to feel loved and appreciated, and from that this idea was born.

I want to challenge you all to write your own letters to those you love - friends, family, old roommates, professors, mentors - anyone who has made a lasting impact on you whom you have great affections for.

I'm posting this hopefully after everyone has gotten theirs from me. But this is the first portion of my letter, which was the same for all my recipients. Then they got a personalized second portion that delved deeper into each relationship. Don't copy mine word for word if you use this idea, but write your own and let everyone know how you feel now - don't wait. Everyone needs to know they're loved!

Happy New Year 2012!
You are receiving this letter because you are one of the several people I thought to write to so I could let them know just how much they mean to me. No worries, I’m not ill or dying, nor do I believe you are dying – I simply realized I wanted my loved ones to know just that…that they are loved.
This letter is for you and only you. And I hope that maybe this will inspire you to write your own letters to those who mean a great deal to you. But please remember that I wrote this with you in mind although you are welcome to share it if you feel the need.
First I need to tell you that I pray for you. Regularly. If you share a request, need, or bear your soul to me, I pray for you. If not, I pray for you still… for health, for success, for love, for anything that may come to me to pray about. Mostly I pray that you know the love of Jesus Christ as your Savior and that no matter what happens in your life, you can always count on Him.
I also want you to know that you can count on me. As someone who is special enough in my eyes to receive this letter, I want you to know that I also count you special enough to drop any number of things so I can be there for you however I can. Even if physical distance separates us, I am but an email, phone call, or Skype message away. You matter so much to me that I would do anything in my power to help you and I want you to know that.
We all go through struggles in life and you have helped me immensely through some of my own, whether you know it or not. And I can only hope that I have in some way provided the same service to you as well.
You are counted among my greatest treasures – my family and friends. You are part of what is right in this world even when we disagree or haven’t seen each other in what seems to be forever. You have been a blessing to me both in the past and in the present; and I graciously thank God for sending you into my life.
One of my biggest goals in life is to be a witness to the love that Christ has for all people. Not just Christians, not just those in the church, but all people; and I sincerely pray that you have at least seen glimmers of a Christ-like love in me. If I can help only one person in my lifetime head toward the salvation of God I consider my life well lived.
As someone who knows me, you know what a heart I have for children, adoption and orphans. And it has been with your encouragement that I have been able to pursue, voice, and act upon these passions. And I must extend heartfelt thanks for everything you have done for me and my family in terms of prayer, support and being a listening ear.
When I think of you, please know that a smile comes to my face and wonderful memories fill my head and you will always be a part of my family, regardless of where this crazy and chaotic life takes us.
Please know, through this all-too-brief letter, that you hold a special place in my heart and I love you dearly.

So this is my letter. Sent to a few select people who have meant the most to me over the years. Do your loved ones know how much you love them? What can you do in 2012 to show them just how much they mean to you?

Directing a Child

2012-01-13T08:23:00.000-05:00

A recently topic of discussion on a parenting board I'm a part of and in our home has been how to avoid following Christ becoming a mundane chore. How to keep from forcing faith onto our children.

Marshall and I went around and around on this earlier and finally concluded there was only one answer. Proverbs 22:6.

"Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it." (NLT)

I think this translation is best because it says "direct." Most other translations say "train." Not force, not drag, but direct or train.

If we can steer, guide, teach and direct our children in the ways of faith, I think they will get it and become Christ-followers (either never stray, or will come back to it like the prodigal).
If we can teach them the truth of the Bible, teach them to love Jesus and others, without forcing it or demanding it, I think parents will be successful in helping to win another soul for the Lord.

How? Well, that's the question there. Going to church is important, but not all of it. We need to live our daily life for Christ. Be as Christ-like as possible to our children and everyone we encounter. And TELL our children that is what we are doing. We need to tell them that we're being merciful like Jesus or encouraging, generous, loving like Jesus.
Our kids copy us, and when they can see Jesus reflected in us, they will in turn be a light to others as well.

There is no guarantee that our children will become Christians. I know that. But as long as we follow God's path and plant the seeds and nurture them, I think it will turn out okay.

Direct your child. Guide him, teach her. Don't force it. That's the big lesson for parents.

Cut Up Your Credit Cards

2012-01-11T09:56:00.000-05:00

A long, long time ago, I was a naive 19 year old college student who wanted to go on vacation but had no money for said vacation. So I got a credit card. It was free money, right? Pay over time, right?

That "free" vacation wound up costing me my dignity.

//getting onto soapbox

Because I had to pay it back - plus 18%. I don't remember how much that vacation was, but let's just say $500. I paid an additional $90 for that vacation over the course of a year. More if it took longer to pay off.
Over the years, my credit was increased. And I got an additional Department Store card for "emergencies." But then Department Store upgraded me (to commercial card) and I could then use the card at more locations than just Department Store.
Then we got married and had a baby. Baby things counted as emergencies, right? And the credit card was convenient.
Then the company my husband worked for went bottom up with 2 days notice. He started his own company. We used the credit cards to survive for a few months.

Over the past 12 years, I have gotten completely out of debt once six years ago - about $5,000.
Only to rack it back up again within two years' time.

We have not spent money on those cards in over THREE YEARS. But we are still paying. We have a very nice payment plan set up for the stupid 19 year old me card, that was a primary mode of survival 4 years ago when the company Marshall worked for failed. That is very manageable and everything is going to the principle. That company has worked very hard to work with us, and I am so grateful.

But our other card - the emergency one that then went commercial - did not work with us.

So, I will be completely honest, I stopped paying it. We had Mac's legal bills, household bills, and no money. And all the credit cards were maxed out. So I stopped paying when they wouldn't lower payments or accept a principle-only payment plan.
They got nasty, I got nasty.
Finally, they had a lawyer threaten me. They probably would have spent twice what I owed suing me. And didn't they realize I didn't have the money in the first place? If I didn't have it, I didn't have it.

But suddenly we came into an amount of money that would cover the bill.

I called the attorney in charge of my case, who had send the letter demanding the full payment. I cried - I mean cried - paying that debt.

I called Marshall when it was done and sobbed to him. He asked why I was crying and I said it was because I felt so stupid for falling into the credit card trap in the first place. I felt stupid for not paying anything on it (he reassured me we had nothing to pay and had tried to work something out with them).

And when I hung up the phone I literally went prostate and cried my eyes out. I cried from sadness over parting with the money that could have been used on more useful things for us. I cried from the exhaustion that dealing with a debt causes.
And I cried from relief that finally I could be done with this nasty blemish in my life.

Then, in the midst of my tears, I began praising God. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," I called out. God, through the hand of generosity, had lifted my burden. We still have a roof over our heads, we still have food to eat. We are still going to Disney (why did we not pay this off first? We should have. I admit that.). I walked around the house for 15 minutes with my hands in the air whispering "Thank you," to the Lord.
So grateful!

With credit cards, you pay so much more than the money you initially "borrow." So much more. We paid about 1.5 times that amount (so $500 becomes $750+), and some people wind up paying twice as much! You pay in your emotional well being. You pay in your relationship with your spouse and children. Having debt hang over you eats away at you.

People, cut up your credit cards and pay them off! We are now credit card debt free aside from one card we have an easy payment plan (all going toward the principle) for. I feel such a weight off my shoulders. I don't feel like I have to watch my back anymore.

Credit cards are evil. Pure and simple. And if you can't live off your own income - reduce what you are spending and get rid of the cards!

//off soapbox

For more info about going debt free, we recommend doing Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University Class. It is rough, but well worth it and we are on our way to financial peace and a better life for us and our kids. Our first steps were/are paying off the cards and eliminating excess spending like satellite/cable and the home phone.

New Blog: My Escape from Reality

2012-01-09T08:48:00.000-05:00

I think I've mentioned here before my desire to become a "real writer."

I've written two novels. I have a third almost finished and I'm character-boarding for a fourth. So exciting!

I've done two book reviews here, but I don't feel this is the place for book reviews, so I started a new blog solely for book reviews and maybe a little about my own writing, so head over there and check it out!

My Escape from Reality.

Also, while you're at it, don't forget to follow me on twitter (@SprinklesofAlli), Pinterest and my Facebook page!

Oh, Hostess, How you Taunt Me

2012-01-07T12:32:00.000-05:00

When I was a little girl, these were my all-time favorite thing:

But then about 20 years ago (OMG! 20 years?!??!?!?) we moved from Maryland to South Carolina where Hostess was nowhere to be found, only Little Debbie.

Now, many of their products are similar. But dear, sweet Debbie did not have Frosted Orange Flavored Cakes with Creamy Filling. None. Anywhere. I looked. A lot.

As a a child far from home with a wicked sweet tooth, this was a deathly blow.

But for 20 years my family has been kindly bestowing the orange fluffy goodness upon me for things like birthdays and other random times. And any time I ventured north I scoured stores for the elusive cakes, hoarding them when I found them and not letting anyone else have any. I still don't let the kids have them.

But slowly Hostess has been moving in a southern direction. I noticed Twinkies, then HoHos (who names a cake HoHo anyway?). I have been monitoring the small shelves for months now, waiting patiently.

Then it happened. Little orange packages of sunshine! They had arrived! Twenty years after I got here, my Hostess cupcakes did too! Yay!

All is right with the world again. But I'm still not sharing with the kids. They can find $1.29 and buy cupcakes for themselves.

Preparing for Disney

2012-01-05T09:05:00.005-05:00

We are getting ready for our first ever trip to Disney coming up in a few weeks. I am so very excited for this trip, more for seeing the excitement in my kids than my own personal fun.

But I am a big planner. When we went to Scotland 3 years ago I took a folder almost 2 inches thick with maps, directions, a detailed itinerary and more. But that was with my mom and aunt - one who is also a big planner and another who goes along quite well with our plans.
This time I'm going with my hubby (who is spur of the moment) and 2 preschoolers. Not to mention the in-laws, who also don't plan things until they're actually on their way.
So I'm trying to plan without planning. It's so hard!

But I have been scouring Undercover Tourist for all the inside info. I've also checked out All Ears and Mouse Savers, but I've found that Undercover Tourist is the best for me in terms of planning, finding menus, maps and more. They even have apps for iPhones, Androids and more.

Right now I have planned what park will be on what day, according to Undercover Tourist's Crowd Calendar.
I also copied their schedule of what rides and portions of each part to visit first. They have a sequence follower to go by and I simply copied that into a Word document to follow.
They also have a menu planner with the restaurants in each section of each park, the menu and the prices. I chose a few spots in each park that have snacks, milkshakes or even a meal we might want. We plan to take food in for lunch, but we all know there might be a need for a special snack or something.

So that's my planning right now. It's kind of loose, so I hope it will be easy to follow but also flexible enough for all the members of our party (5 adults, 2 kids).

We're getting ready! Do you have any last minute advise for us?

Zooey Deschanel Stars in...

2012-01-03T09:12:00.014-05:00

This week's MamaKat writing prompt was "Your life is being turned into a movie...who will play your cast of characters?"

I thought this was an excellent question, but I had to wonder why I wouldn't play myself. Then I remembered that I'm short and pudgy and probably not a great actress even though I pretend I am. And that I'm famous. And tall and thin.

But if someone out there wanted to make a movie of my life (anyone? I'd love to help write the screenplay!), these are the actors who would be in it.

Initially I wanted Julia Roberts circa 1995 to play me and Harrison Ford circa 1980 to play Marshall...
but I decided I better pick people in the current time era.

Starring as Allison: Zooey Deschanel

Why the fab Zooey? Because she's a little bit gorgeous and a lot quirky. Of course, she has dark hair and pale skin, so we're pretty much twins, right? Right? And man can she sing. Of course, the story of my life would be a musical!

My first thought for Marshall was the gorgeous TR Knight, but he's not tall enough. And the very yummy Taye Diggs is...well...black. So I kept ~~thinking~~ auditioning lead males.

As Marshall: Goran Visnjic (you know, the hot doc from ER)

I like Goran because not only is he a hunk, but he does both brooding and funny in his expressions. And my husband is both brooding and funny. And both are tall, tanned and have dark hair. And Goran can rock a 5 o'clock shadow as well as my man.

For Thing 1 & Thing 2 I had a harder time. I don't know of any kidlet actors out there, really, because Lindsay Lohan and Kiersten Dunst aren't kids any more...

For SB: Abigail Breslin

She's a good bit older than SB, but then again, what life-turned-movie isn't exaggerated a little, right? But she's young, very talented and hair the right hair.

(If her character grows up, I totally want Emma Stone to play her!)

And Mac? Well, we have all seen those grown up photos of the adorable Jonathan Lipnicki who now had rock hard abs...he's not a kid anymore either.

So I chose: Tate Berney

He played little Adam Chandler on my soap All My Children. A cute little boy with a killer smile like my little boy. I think it's a good fit.

And others in the cast:


Katherine Heigl as Michelle the BFF

Aarti Mann as the other BFF Sindu

Christine Baranski as my mom, Laura

I Learned a Lot Last Year

2012-01-01T09:00:00.000-05:00

I know the popular thing in a New Year is to post resolutions, but since last year I resolved to not make any more resolutions, I'm not doing that. But I did want to tell you what I'm proud of from my 2011.

It's okay to cry publicly.

Since the loss of our sweet baby in early April, I have had several people come to me telling me that my story has helped them through their own journey's with infertility and miscarriage. While I would never wish the loss of a child on anyone, I am so grateful that I can be a Christian sister to those enduring such a hardship. I have learned that through this small platform of the blogging world, I can be "Jesus with skin on" to someone who needs it desperately.

I can do anything I set my mind to doing.

This week I have come incredibly close to finishing my second novel. It's an amazing feeling. And there are so many times I have felt more than overwhelmed with my writing because I'm trying to write while the kids are at school, while they're watching TV or while I should be spending time with my spouse. It's so hard to balance it all. Of course, the book comes after the family, but I still have done my best by it and I am so thrilled to say that it's just about done! Two novels! If only I could get them published!

I attended a blogging conference.

Attending Bloggy Boot Camp in October was one of the biggest highlights of my year. Most of the local writer's conferences I want to attend are both expensive and inconvenient time-wise. But this blogging conference (and hopefully more to come) was such a blessing to me! I loved meeting the other women and connecting with people who have passions very much like mine!

I supported a friend in need.

I'd like to say I supported every friend I had have who had a need this year. But two in particular had some rough things happen this year and I am so happy to have been able to support them, encourage them and love on them through their hard times! I hope that I was able to be an effective witness for the love of Christ and that they know they can come to me any time!

I helped someone make a decision toward adoption.

You know this is a big one for me! I have a friend who has been talking about adopting for a while now, but one day I said to her, "What are you waiting for? Don't wait for 'the right time' to come along, because it never will. THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME!" And you know what? She seized the moment and spoke with her husband about adoption. They signed up to go to an informational meeting in January. Only God can move someone to adopt, but sometimes a person needs a little push to take that step and I cried happy tears when she said they were going to a meeting soon!

I taught my children the real meaning of Christmas.

My kids know what Christmas is all about. They know Santa is just a character and that Jesus is the star of the show. I am so proud of that! It excites me to no end that my children told everyone that Christmas is Jesus' Birthday. I can't wait for next year!

There are so many other things I'm proud of accomplishing this year, but these are the biggies. 2011 was certainly an interesting year for me, I can't wait to see what 2012 brings!
What are your biggest accomplishments of 2011?

Have a Christ-Centered Christmas!

2011-12-24T08:47:00.000-05:00

I wanted to wish each of you a Christ-Centered and Filled Christmas this week!

I hope you are surrounded by family and friends. I hope you are stuffed to the gills with delicious food and hearty laughter. I pray that the love of Christ permeates every inch of your holiday!

I will be taking a blogging break this week and will return to you in January! God bless you!

Luke 2 (New Living Translation)

The Birth of Jesus
¹ At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. ² (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. ⁴ And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. ⁵ He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant. ⁶ And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. ⁷ She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
The Shepherds and Angels
⁸ That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. ⁹ Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, ¹⁰ but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. ¹¹ The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! ¹² And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” ¹³ Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
¹⁴ “Glory to God in highest heaven,
      and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
¹⁵ When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
¹⁶ They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. ¹⁷ After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. ¹⁸ All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, ¹⁹ but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. ²⁰ The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.
Jesus Is Presented in the Temple
²¹ Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. ²² Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. ²³ The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.”^[a] ²⁴ So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”^[b]
The Prophecy of Simeon
²⁵ At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him ²⁶ and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, ²⁸ Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, ²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace,
      as you have promised.
³⁰ I have seen your salvation,
    ³¹ which you have prepared for all people.
³² He is a light to reveal God to the nations,
      and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
³³ Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. ³⁵ As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”
The Prophecy of Anna
³⁶ Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. ³⁷ Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four.^[c] She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. ³⁸ She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem. ³⁹ When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. ⁴⁰ There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.

I Remember the Day We Brought You Home...

2011-12-22T08:41:00.000-05:00

I can hardly believe it's been three years since we brought home an adorable, quiet little 10-month-old boy. Three years since we signed the pre-adoption agreement that I *still* carry around in my purse. Three years since the social workers told us to take home a complete stranger and turn him into our son.

I love these eyes...

I still remember every detail. We met a tiny slip of a girl at the DSS office and followed her to a tiny little trailer in a town I still can't identify.
There we met two very nice people who were caring for a tiny little boy. The trailer reeked of smoke and the wall-paper was peeling. Apparently smoking is okay for foster parents (and I don't begrudge them that), but this place smelled terrible. Marshall and I held our breath for the better part of the hour we were there.
Then we met Mac. It was December 22 and he was wearing a wife-beater tank top. He was in a walker and we later learned he probably spent hours a day in that walker because that was his mode of conveyance - how he moved around. He had a double ear infection and bronchitis. All his clothes were in a grimy gym bag, with the rest in a black trash bag.
After being there an hour (in which time I hardly touched Mac, because the social worker said not to "swoop in and take him") SB announced she was ready to go home. Thank goodness for articulate 2-year-olds.
We loaded his things up and headed back to the DSS office to sign some papers. Then they told us to take him home. They would come in a few days to check on us.

Mac and the World's Best social worker, Amanda

Everything he had reeked of smoke. Everything. Nobody had told me not to wash a child's things because they "smell like home." I washed and rewashed everything. And then threw all but a few things in the trash because of the smell. One little toy that I put in his crib (he did not have a lovey, so that wasn't an issue), and I kept the pants and shoes he came home in. I think that was it.
Mac got a bath about 10 minutes after coming home to wash the smoke smell off of him.

We had a very rough go of it at first. I was incredibly sick/anxious for weeks. Mac would not sleep without sleeping ON someone for weeks. It was a long, hard road for us.

But now - now three years later. I am amazed. This is my child. He may not be flesh of my flesh, but he IS the love of my heart. He's gone from a blank - I do mean blank - child to an energetic, expressionful, gorgeous child.

Happy Gotcha Day to my wonderful Mackie-Boy, Mac-Man, Mac Attack, Macaroni. My son.

A confident and loved little boy...

Hello? Are You Out there?

2011-12-19T09:08:00.002-05:00

I am stealing this idea from Melanie and I thought it was so brilliant I had to do it myself. But it's okay, because she totally said we could steal the idea! Thanks, Melanie!

For Christmas, I want one thing - to know who YOU are. You...the one at the computer/iPad/phone.

I want to know more about you, and I want you to feel completely comfortable to reply freely!

So if you have ever enjoyed reading my blog, I would LOVE for you to come out and tell me about you, since I talk about myself all the time. It's simple. Fill out the form and post it in the comments (and steal it for your own blog!)
…. something like this:

My name is ____________________ (you can use a nickname or just your first name if you would like)
I am _________________________ (student / wife / single mom / etc )
I love to ___________ and _______________.
I am happiest when I am ________________________.
If I could do anything in the world, I would _____________. (this is my favorite question!)

I’ll go first.

Hello lovelies!! My name is Allison. I am a wife, mother, blogger, aspiring novelist. I love to write and make people smile. I am happiest when I am relaxing with family. If I could do anything in the world, I would find a home for all the orphans in the world - and have my books published!

See? It’s easy!

Your turn! Please leave you comments below and say hello!

My Pinterest Makes

2011-12-17T09:46:00.001-05:00

Who doesn't love Pinterest? Right? It's the best site on the web these days, especially for a DIYer. Or an aspiring DIYer.

So I thought I would share my Pinterest makes with you!

Food-wise I've done a few things.

The Pinterest example

I made this sliced potato, but I did not take a picture of it. They were simple to make but did not turn out quite like I imagined. They were good, though - something of a potato chip and a baked potato love child.

This was called "Sunshine in a jar"

The Pinterest example

I made this for SB's birthday last week. It was super-easy - just color your cake batter, put into the jars and bake (put the jars in a baking dish with about 1/4" water). My 4oz jars baked about 35 minutes, then add icing and enjoy!

What I made

Also, for the icing, I used this method:

From Pinterest

I did three colors in the bag and got this result:

My cupcakes

You put each color icing in its own bag, then put all the bags into one bag with the coupler and tip. The colors swirl, but don't mix until coming out the tip!

For clothing, you will recall I made Disney and Christmas shirts using felt made appliques and tshirts. This was my inspiration:

And I made these:

This is next on my list:

I will post it when I get it done, hopefully soon. The magnetic chores are in the center with each child's name at an end...once a chore is completed, they can move that magnet to their end and earn the money designated. I'm hoping it will help the kids learn responsibility, hard work and the value of money.

Welcome!!! Have Some Ice Cream!!

2011-12-15T05:47:00.000-05:00

Oh, thank goodness you're here! I was having a hard time keeping the ice cream away from the kids! I saved it just for you.
In case you haven't heard, it's my SITS Feature Day!

It's like a birthday, only better because I get comments. But the double-fun is that my birthday (yep - the 3rd anniversary of my 29th birthday!) is on Christmas Day, so we can celebrate BOTH!
Two scoops for everyone!

If you're new to A Few Sprinkles Short of a Sundae or not, it doesn't matter, I have ICE CREAM! Just don't touch my sprinkles! I'm already short.

For those of you NOT used to my sarcasm and superfluous use of exclamation marks (!!!!), I'm Allison. I'm a Christian woman, wife and mother - both biological and adoptive. I'm an avid adoption blogger and I also strive to let other moms out there know that they are not alone in this vast world of motherhood and all the twists and turns our busy lives provide.

This is me, wild hair and all!!

And yes, that is a halo above my head! Actually, I took this pic of myself at Bloggy Boot Camp Atlanta and I had the hardest time trying to hide that darn halo. Just ask my Tribe Members - I bet they saw it!

This is my family:

We are made up of two crazy trombone players who met when we were 13 years old, started dating at 17, and got married at 22! We have a biological daughter, SB, and an adopted son, Mac. We also have two heaven-bound children whom I cannot wait to see one day seated at the feet of Jesus.

Now, to find out more about who *I* am, check my about me page, and please please check out My Testimony about trusting God! These both include abridged versions of our story regarding infertility, miscarriage, giving birth and fighting tooth and nail to adopt.
And if you just want to know what the best posts are, I have a tab for that, too. See The Posts You Don't Want to Miss!

Oh, you want to know why I'm A Few Sprinkles Short of a Sundae? Good question. You see, way back in 2006 I started a blog about my pregnancy. Then it evolved into talking about my baby and our quest to adopt through foster care. And then we went into the fight of our lives to keep our son both with us and safe, so that blog came down and this one - which is slightly more anonymous - came up. I called it "Mommy's Scoop." And from the scoop came being "A Few Sprinkles Short of a Sundae," to indicate that I don't have all the answers.

There is so much more that I want to say, but I'll stop here and let you explore! I hope you enjoy your stay and have another scoop of ice cream!

Follow @SprinklesofAlli

I'm on Facebook, too!

My Nativity Scene: Gaudy but Sweet

2011-12-13T08:45:00.005-05:00

I love Nativities. All sweet and lovely and the picture of the Christ-child when He was born. It's a nice visual for the kids, as well, to learn what it might have looked like in that time.

Except I'm sure that Mary did not look like a 30-year-old. She was probably 14 or 15. And probably not only was she pretty naive, but also scared to death. I mean, if someone had told you you were going to birth God's Only Begotten Son and don't screw Him up - wouldn't you be freaked out? I would be. I would have been scared to touch Him - I'll be honest. I'd be afraid of breaking God's Child, especially as a young teenager.

And nativity makers don't seem to have their facts straight. The Magi, or Wise Men, did not come to Jesus et al in the manger. When they went to Herod and told him of the Child, he ordered that all baby boys under the age of 2 be killed; hence why God told Joseph to take Mary and the baby to Egypt for a time. (As said in Matthew 2.) But anyway, the Magi did not go to the manger in Bethlehem. They went to where the star stopped, over the place where the Child was. So, no Wise Men (and no record of how many, just that there were three different gifts) at the manger. Some say the arrived at the Day of Epiphany, January 6th, 12 days after the birth. Others have no idea - sometime less than two years after he was born.

But anyway, I do like the nativity because it does help the children see that Christ is the real reason for Christmas. Not gifts, not trees, certainly not Santa.

Except, I don't like my nativity. Shhh, don't tell anyone. It was a gift from my in-laws and came from Sam's Club. The reason I don't like it has nothing to do with my in-laws, I promise. It's just so big. And kinda gaudy.
And very, very breakable. Just ask the kids, because minutes after my "Don't Break the Nativity or Baby Jesus Will Cry" speech, I went and broke the nativity. Not on purpose! Shame on you for thinking that. I foolishly hung a picture above the nativity and the picture dropped, breaking an ear off the donkey, the frankincense off a wise man and (HORRORS!) part of Mary's shawl. Don't cry Baby Jesus! I fixed it!

You mean you don't have Lightning McQueen lurking in the back of your nativity? Why on earth not?

I had to clear about 985 things off the credenza to make room for the nativity. And there's still tissues, coasters and apparently a birthday hat on it. And we all know a bouquet of fake poinsettias was the back drop for the nativity, right? (On a related note: SB was very upset that we did not have a an actual manger in which to set the Blessed Characters.)

So, that's my nativity. I don't love ours, but I do love nativities. Maybe someone will read this and get me a new one. Maybe smaller and not so breakable. Anyway...that's my nativity.

This post is written following MamaKat's writing prompt: Your Nativity Scene.

Why I'm Glad I Have a Girl

2011-12-12T08:09:00.000-05:00

I am so glad I have a daughter. From the time I was small, I knew my first child would be a girl. We are a family of girls. My grandmother had three girls, who in turn had 3 girls (and one randomly tossed in boy) and my girl cousins greatly outweigh my boy cousins. So I knew I would have a girl first.

So when I was pregnant, we did not find out our child's gender ahead of time. I knew we couldn't change it, so I figured why find out. But I was overjoyed when she was born and the doctor announced that she was a girl.

Now, the downside is that we are so very similar we butt heads a lot. I do mean a lot. And she's only five. But the upside of that is that she is just like me! I love it! She's independent and smart and quite the looker. Haha!

SB is amazing. I love her personality, even if it does clash with my own often. She's just so much fun.
And she's girly. I mean girly. If it's pink, sparkles, shines or has a kitty on it - she loves it. She loves to shop, and twirl, and draw.

Accessory Queen

I really look forward to having the relationship with her that I have with my mom. I love my mom. She's my best friend. I hope that one day when SB is grown I can be her best friend, too. Until then, though, I will be her mean and head-butting mother. And I'm down with that, yo.

I am so glad I have a daughter. It's part of what makes me feel complete. I think every woman should have a daughter (and a son, but we covered that before). God really blessed me with her!

I'm a Christmas Cheapie

2011-12-10T09:52:00.000-05:00

I am an avid Christmas shopper. I shop year-round and prefer being DONE by November 1st. That doesn't always happen, but sometimes it does. I am always on the lookout for amazing deals so I can be as CHEAP as possible.

And I do mean cheap. I pride myself on being as cheap as possible. I have friends and family who go all out for Christmas. My old boss spent $500 per child - and she had 4 children! $2000 on Christmas gifts? Was she crazy?

I guess because we also have birthdays close to Christmas, my kids already get plenty of gifts. And let's face it - even as lower middle class citizens, we are richer than something like 90% of the world already. So mix Birthday and Christmas and we have plenty!

We are also very cautious to keep gifts to a minimum. Christmas is not about gifts. It's about Jesus. We give gifts to show that we love someone, and we point out to the kids that someone gave them gifts because they are loved by that person. As I've said before, we only give our kids 3 gifts on Christmas.

Anyway, I digress. I am all about being cheap. I buy things second hand or on a super good sale. Earlier this year, someone gave me an unopened Barbie - her child was not interested in them. Viola! Gift! Someone else was selling a table-top air hockey game super cheap - gift! A stack of books from the consignment store? Gift!

In all I spent under $40 for each of my children for Christmas. I am so proud of myself. It is a personal goal to be as cheap as possible for Christmas - especially with us going to Disney in January!

Priva-what?

2011-12-09T08:02:00.001-05:00

All moms know what I'm talking about.

Privacy.

When you have small children, this word simply disappears from your vocabulary and your existence as a whole. Nothing is private anymore. Nothing.

Just tonight I had been playing with the kids when I excused myself to the loo (you know, the loo. Powder room? Potty? Toilet?). But my newly minted 5-year-old did not like the idea of my going alone. She grabbed my hand, "Mommy! Please! Don't leave!"

Um. I'm going going to the bathroom.

But she clung to my hand, kissing it and being very loving. Now, has she been 2 or maybe 3 I would have just left the door open. But we are working very hard these days on PRIVACY.

Potty time = alone time. Please, God, I need some alone time!

I'm trying to establish privacy for myself and also for the kids. Daddy has no problem with this because while I'm fending off an attack he can quickly use the bathroom, shower and get dressed. Alone. Sometimes I hate him. (In a loving way, of course.)

I'm trying to get the kids to close the door when they use the bathroom. This is especially important at Mimi's house where there are about 172 people walking through the house at any given moment and I don't want Granddaddy or Uncle Marcus or cousin Matthew's strange new friend walking by as they're having their constitutional.

Now that the kids are getting a little older, everyone can use the bathroom on their own and therefore nobody needs to accompany anyone else for this...job. Except that my children are so very close that they invite each other in to just chit-chat and shoot the breeze while sitting upon the throne.
I'm glad they're best of friends, but really. This has got to stop.

Do you have any advice for weaning the kids off of bathroom bonding?

(I had to add this because it was hilarious. This is how I envision my children right now. I hope they're not still doing then when Mac has a goatee...)

Santa Doesn't Come Here

2011-12-07T08:38:00.002-05:00

I am recycling a post I did last year about this topic. My view hasn't changed, so neither has my post!

Sorry, Virginia, there isn't a Santa Claus.

I think I'm going to upset someone with this post. Oh well...

Why is it that at Christmas it's okay for your child to sit on the lap of a costumed complete stranger - one whom you have no idea where he was or what he was doing just an hour before? At any other time you would be clutching your child to you, running away from the laps of strange men like people running from a shark at the beach. And why else is it okay for said strange man to break into your house in the middle of the night while you and your children are SLEEPING? At any other time this would be a panicky situation and the police would be called.

And I don't want to hear about the "spirit of Christmas" making it okay. No. It's not fun. Imagine yourself as a 4-year-old. Mommy & Daddy are paranoid about making sure you don't go near strangers then they plop you down into the lap of one. He might be a child molester. You just don't know. And then telling that child he's going to break into your house?

There's a reason why children cry and scream when they see Santa. He's scary!

We don't do Santa at our house...but this is not (the whole reason) why we don't do Santa.
Now, I do appreciate Saint Nicholas and all he stands for. Saint Nicholas - the precursor to Santa Claus - was a Greek man and a Christian man. Nicholas was known for anonymously giving to those who had nothing. One of the most famous legends about him is when he provided a dowry for three young girls so that they could marry. He put the coins into their drying stockings hung over their fire.
In his legend, his name became the Dutch Sinterklaas (Saint Klaas). This gave way to the American Santa Claus, which roughly translates to Saint Claus (Claus being a short form of Nicholas).

So Santa was born out of the spirit of giving, which I think is wonderful. But in today's America, Christmas and Santa have come to represent the GIMME, GIMME, GIMME attitude of the world. We tend to think of Santa as a free pass to ask for and get whatever we want (provided we've been "good," which none of us really are).

We only give our children 3 gifts at Christmas. When the Magi came to see Jesus, he got 3 gifts, so that is our basis for 3. But we also do this to emphasize GIVING rather than RECEIVING. Marshall and I have worked hard to explain to the kids that we give presents to those we love as a way of showing that love. We only receive gifts because others love us.

Now, of course, we want the main point of Christmas to be Christ's birth. Not Santa & gifts. We want our children to know that while you can't see Jesus, He is there. His birth is why we have Christmas, not because we want presents. While watching Glee this week, one character said that Christmas trees were the "basis for Christmas." Um... no. I already covered trees before, but really. The world doesn't want us to think about Christmas having anything to do with Christ. I don't want to add to that for my children, Santa is a distraction.

Before we had children, we had friends (a revelation there!). One set of friends had two little girls and they said they did not do Santa. I was so intrigued and we talked at length about it. Marshall and I talked about it. We agreed.

One of the biggest reasons Marshall and I are not doing Santa in our house is that it is blatantly lying to children. Sure, it's pretend and fun, but my kids know when they're playing cowboys they're not really cowboys. With Santa, people want children to think he's actually real. I have a problem with that, purposely lying to my children. I can't do it. And if we lie about Santa, what's to keep them from thinking we're lying about God?

My kids know who Santa is. They've heard of him, but they will tell you that he's just a man in a costume. It's just pretend. They call "Santa hats" "Christmas hats," and most of the time little Santa figurines are called "Christmas men." We tell them about Saint Nicholas and how he was such a wonderful person who loved Jesus and people want to keep his spirit alive by pretending there's a Santa Claus.

Most of my friends do Santa with their children. I have told Sarah Bradley & Mac that people like to pretend he's real and to go along with it. But if she ruins it for your child, I'm sorry. But I won't apologize for for following my heart.

Where has the time gone?

2011-12-04T07:30:00.014-05:00

I can't believe December 4th is upon us again. Six years ago, December 4th was just a random day 3 weeks before Christmas, but 5 years ago that all changed. My beautiful little girl made her entrance into the world.

I know I am an avid adoption blogger, but some people don't realize I actually birthed this one. Shocking I know! SB was born 5 years ago today after I carried her for an amazing 37 weeks. I'll echo my own mother's words when it comes to birthing only one child: I did it right the first time - no need to do it again!

Adorable 5 year old!

SB is an amazing little girl. She's so incredibly smart. I know all moms say that, but I mean it! Her teachers tell me all the time they wish they had 12 SB's in their class. She has perception other 5 year olds just don't possess. She can spell real words. She LOVES science and can speak articulately and with a very high level vocabulary.

If you know SB you know she's very much like me - well, she is my mini-me. Just with red hair. She's snarky and funny. She's also very sweet and compassionate. She thinks all the world is a stage and life is her oyster.
On the flip side of that is my very shy, reserved little girl who won't talk to or look at anyone who is not in her "inner circle." If you're in the inner circle, consider yourself lucky. Not even my father is in her inner circle.
She's also one of the most stubborn children I have ever met. She knows what she wants, when she wants it, how she wants it. In fact, when we went to do her birthday pictures last week she kept getting angry and shouting, "THIS WAS NOT MY PLAN!" Which went wonderfully with my shouting back, "This IS MY PLAN!" But she's a girl who knows what she wants, and as much as it bugs me, I'm so glad she's an independent thinker and do-er.

Someone doesn't want her picture taken

I am amazed each and every day at what this child accomplishes. I can't believe I had a hand in creating her. Yes, disciplining her is hard (we butt heads - a lot), but she is just such an astonishing person. I can't wait to see who she grows up to be!

Felt Tshirt Appliques: Mickey Mouse & Reindeer

2011-12-02T09:39:00.010-05:00

I'm pretty crafty by nature. I like to create things. So when I joined pinterest you know I was Ooh-ing and Aah-ing over all the DIY craft projects. It's like etsy without feeling like you have to buy something - you can just make it yourself.

So when I saw some adorable applique shirts I thought, "I can do that," and an idea was born. Off to Michael's Craft Store on Black Friday to get plain tshirts and a butt-load of felt. I'm assured by the good people of the internet that I could indeed do this with felt. Don't let me down, Almighty Internet.

I had two ideas in mind. Reindeer for Christmas and Mickey & Minnie for Disney World. I pulled up my Pinterest Pins and studied my ideas and set to work.

It was pretty simple, really, I just cut felt. I did 4 Mickeys - well, 2 Mickeys and 2 Minnies. I also felt ambitious and cut out names - SB, Mac, Mom & Dad. Then I couldn't believe I was making a shirt labeling myself as "Mom" and not "Allison."

Next I did my little reindeer - complete with pink heart bows for SB's reindeer. On a side note - do you now how hard it is to find matching/coordinating clothes for girl/boy sets? It's HARD. There's all kinds of things for girl/girl and even boy/boy, but girl/boy just doesn't happen (at least not for under $50). So I have to make it myself.

Then all that was left was to sew them to the shirts. I like leaving the edge exposed, the "unfinished" look is very in these days, so I'm told, and I like it, so there. That's what I did. A simple straight stitch finished the job and VIOLA!

Shirts for Christmas and Disney!

The Face of Adoption

2011-11-29T08:53:00.000-05:00

It's the end of National Adoption Month. I appreciate your readership. When I first started blogging about adoption many people told me I was depressing them with the facts I provided and I have changed to lighten things up more.
But the truth is that foster care, orphans and adoptions all start off as very sad events. I do think adoption is a miracle, but in order for an adoption to take place hearts must first be broken and that's never fun.

First/Birth/Bio parents and families either make the loving decision to place their child for adoption, breaking their hearts in the process. My good friend Ellie, who is a bio-mom, said, " I held her, alone, and as we watched ‘The Little Mermaid’ together, I imparted to her all the wisdom I had at that age. I held her for what I thought would be the last time. And then it was time to go. I stood up, walked across the room, and placed her in her mother’s arms. Somehow, I turned around and walked away. My mother, father, and brother held me up on the way back to my room..." Her heart broke. She had to heal and years later healing is still a part of the process.

Other times, children are left in orphanages where they receive less than adequate care and end up with attachment disorders, breaking their hearts and the hearts of the families who adopt them. My friend Terry told me last year, "Only 10% of the orphans in Russia get adopted. The rest live their lives in orphanages until age 16, when they are released. Most then turn to lives of crime, if they survive at all. It's hard knowing that my child suffered hardships most American adults have never even known, and all before she was even 2 years old. It has left its scars. Sometimes I wish she hadn't gone through that."

And others still, adopted through foster care, go through the experience of being taken from their first families. I can't imagine how my own son felt as a baby being taken from the only family he had even known, placed with a different family, then as soon as he had adjusted there being taken out again to come home with us. I can't imagine his heartache there, or that of the people in his first family who did love him. And we also had our hearts broken by not only our son's story but all the stories of those in foster care.

But through this brokenness comes joy. Through the heartache comes life. Family. Forged through paperwork, through tears, through plane trips and nervous hours. In our house we say, "Adoption means forever" and it does.

Not everyone is called to adopt, and that's fine. Support those are are. Encourage them. Take them meals, offer to fold their laundry and be their friend.
But if you are called to adopt and you're just waiting for "the right time" - THIS IS IT! This is the right time. There are 147 MILLION orphans in this world. There are over 105,000 children in the US waiting to be adopted. If each adult in my county and the county next to ours opened their homes to ONE orphan in the US - there would be no orphans left. Seriously. Two counties in South Carolina could eliminate the foster care orphan crisis in the United States. NOW IS THE TIME! Don't wait. Your child might be spending the holidays wondering where Mommy & Daddy are.

In our house, adoption month is every month. It's a part of our world every single day.

We are the face of adoption.

Blood is NOT Thicker than Water

2011-11-26T09:19:00.000-05:00

We all know the phrase "Blood is thicker than water." And we all know round about what it means. According to wikipedia,

"Blood is thicker than water" is a German proverb (originally: Blut ist dicker als Wasser.), which is also common in English speaking countries. It generally means that the bonds of family and common ancestry are stronger than those bonds between unrelated people (such as friendship).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/catmacbride/5425766021/ by CatMacBride

It means that your family trumps others, right?
But does blood have to define a family?

Are you married? You are not (or should not be) related to your spouse by blood. And that person is family. How about your in-laws?
Do you have a step-parent or step-child whom you love dearly? No blood ties there, either.

And, of course, the adoptive child.
Yes. I share blood with my daughter. But not with my son. Or my husband for that matter. I'm only blood related to 1/3 of the people I live with!

So then, according to this ancient proverb, I should be more willing to die for SB than for Marshall or Mac.

Well, that's just not true. Not at all. I would die for any of them and blood has nothing to do with it.
No blood there.

And one day Mac will realize that we do not share blood with him. He will realize he does share blood with three other children, two birth parents and a host of extended family. Will that mean more to him than us - the family that raised him and loved him his whole life?
I hope not.
I hope, though, that he does see that there is a bond between those who share blood. I may not have biological siblings, but I have two cousins whom I love as if they were sisters. They are my kids' aunts, their children my kids' cousins. We share blood and we are close.

But, since I am an only child, I've had to "adopt" siblings (not legally, just figuratively). My BFF and the NotMine's are my family. I consider NotMine1 & NotMine2 my nieces, the BFF and her hubby are like my siblings. I love them dearly, I would sacrifice a great deal for them.

I share blood with my cousins, but not with the BFF. But all are my family. Just like both SB and Mac are my children - who shares my blood makes no difference.

I want both my children (and any others we may have in the future) to know that it's not blood that makes a family. It's love. It's commitment. It's an on-going decision to make an effort for those we want to be in our family.

Like a marriage - it must be fought for, it must be treasured, if it is to be preserved.

Blood is not thicker than water in this house. Love is. Love is thicker that them both.

Thanksgiving Top 10

2011-11-23T14:54:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is the day we all have been waiting for - it's a month till Christmas!
No, I'm just kidding. I'm not ready for that yet. Tomorrow is the day we sit down with the families we have - be they the family we were born in to, adopted in to or those we chose for ourselves - and give thanks for all that we have.

It's been a rough few years for us. Everything with Mac's adoption, the expense involved, Marshall being in business for himself (which means not having a regular income). The kids are growing into the sassiest things alive. We had the miscarriage earlier this year. There are so many things we can look at and says, "Geez, it's been so hard (living a middle-class American life where we get to do things like eat every day and we have two cars and a mostly solid roof over our heads). You know, it's been hard."

But why is it so hard for us to realize just how blessed we are (you know, that we do get to eat not once a day, but any time we want! and that we have cars and electricity)? So I wanted to give you what I'm most thankful for this year.
Drumroll please...

The ability to stay home with my kids. Even though I would LOVE to have a career (not a job, a career), I realized this year just how blessed we are are I can stat home and raise the kids. Yes, my working would mean a lot of our financial peace, but it's not worth the cost of our children's formative years.
Smartphones. Yes, they're a hassle. They never work right. But through this awesome technology I can be in touch with anyone at the touch of a button. It's amazing to me that I can chat with my friends in Hong Kong and New Zealand any time I want. It's a blessing when prayers are needed.
My parents. They are awesome.
My in-laws. Also awesome.
New friends I have made this year. At the end of 2010 I felt very alone when the BFF & family moved to Mars (Okay, Texas. Might as well have been Mars). I'm so glad they're back and that I've also made some amazing other friends this year though my No Kids Allowed Mom's Club. Marshall and I have been hanging out with people over 4-foot-tall all year and it's been fantastic! I'm so thankful God brought me friends!
I'm thankful for my church. For the leadership we have, for the people who are passionate about spreading the word about Christ's unfailing love even when we fail.
My two BFFs. Michelle is an amazing person whom I love dearly. And Sindu has been my rock for the last 25 (gulp!) years and I love her so much. Without them I think this year would have sucked. A lot.
The three people I live with. Marshall, Thing 1 & Thing 2. They are the most amazing people I have ever met and I adore them all. God has blessed me more than I could ever know with them.
All the things I take for granted - food, hot (running!) water, sweet tea, scotch tape, television, insulation, ink pens, microwaves, cars, public schools, our teachers, freedom of speech and religion, toys, games, cameras, LIFE!
The ability to worship the Alpha and Omega, Adonai, El Roi, El Shaddai, Abba. Father. I am so, so blessed to live in a land where we can praise Him freely. I am so thankful to God for adopting me into His Forever Family. I am so unworthy, but He wanted me anyway. Praise Him!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours this Holy Day. May the Lord bless you and keep you.

I am a Hypocritical Christian

2011-11-21T08:53:00.001-05:00

Disclaimer: I am posting this particular post for a future date, as I don't want anyone to think I'm speaking about a situation with them in particular and I don't want anyone looking at the date this is published and think they have any idea what I'm talking about. Also, this is a general topic, but given the nature I wanted to make doubly sure nobody thought I was hypocritical to them.

I am a hypocritical Christian.

Technically, we all are. We're all sinners, preaching the "Do as I say, not as I do" theology. But we, as Christ-followers, should be doing our best to reflect the love of Jesus onto everyone we meet. And recently, I have completely failed at this.

I was, sometime in the past from when you read this, presented with an opportunity to do something that sounded like fun. Sounded like fun, but I knew it was wrong for me to do. But I thought about it anyway. I was completely giving in to the ideas of, "I deserve a little fun," and "Nobody has to know this one time." Listen, folks, I'm not talking hard drugs or anything, don't worry. Just something I knew I should not partake of, regardless of the "fun in the now" factor.

I thought about it. A lot. I asked a few trusted people about it. They all said to R-U-N in the other direction. But it was sooooo...tempting.

But the Bible says, "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure." (1 Cor. 10:13)

I knew, when faced with this situation, that God could bring me out of it. I knew it. I knew this verse. This is the verse that inspired the addage, "If God brings you to it, He'll bring you through it." And as cliche as that is, it's true. You can, hard as it may be, turn from any temptation and walk away. You can. I promise you, I know.

When faced with my temptation (stop trying to guess. I'm def not talking about food here.) - and I do mean faced - I stood my ground. THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. I even related that yes, I was sorely tempted. I thought partaking of said temptation would be fun, but I knew it was a bad idea. And I walked away.

Go me, right? I was pretty thrilled with my Christian self. Until I realized that I had totally played along until the last minute. I made myself and every other so-called Christian out there look like a complete hypocrite.
I could imagine those I walked away from saying, "You know, Allison said she's a Christian, but she was willing to give in until that last minute. I knew all Christians were hypocrites!"

GASP! I ruined Christianity for someone! NOOO! I want to go back and say, "Listen, I am not perfect. I am a Christ-follower but I am not perfect. Only Christ was perfect, I still sin away. I pray for forgiveness, I ask for salvation and to keep from doing a sin again! You can do that, too! You can turn away from whatever sin is in your life and make it right with God."

I did not say that. I missed a chance for a hypocritical Christian like me to witness to people who needed to hear it and maybe let them see that I am in no way perfect and Jesus loves me anyway and He loves them, too!

Someone who is aware of the situation said I may not have talked about the Love of Christ, but I showed it by standing my ground. The people, she explained to me, know I am a Christian and know that in the end, I chose God over the temptation.

I still feel hypocritical.

So if you're out there, person or people who might think all Christians are just zealous hypocrites, please know that we're all sinners - just like you. None perfect, not by a long shot. And we're tempted, just like you. And yes, sometimes we utterly fail and give in. (And God will forgive us over and over, thankfully.) And hopefully, most of the time, we can stand our ground and say, "My Jesus loves me more than that, and He loves you, too."

Romans 5:8-9 says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!"

Have you ever felt like a hypocritical Christian?
Or if you're not a Christian, do you think we're all hypocrites?

Adoption Bloggers Interview Project: Lori

2011-11-17T08:42:00.030-05:00

I am taking part in the Adoption Bloggers Interview Project and am so excited to bring you an interview with Lori Lavender Luz of Write Mind Open Heart. Lori was named one of Parenting Magazine's Top-10 Must Read Moms! What an honor! So needless to say I was a little nervous about sending this adoptive mom of two my interview questions.

But Lori was fabulous and she had a real heart for open adoption. That certainly intrigues me since we have a forced closed and yet also forced open adoption.

So without further ado, here is my interview with the fab Lori!

You wrote on your blog that you taught students that geography determines how they chose certain aspects of their life – sports teams, religion and politics. How did you come up with this wise analogy? Is there anything else that can be subbed in for those choices? Sexual orientation? Socio-economic status (city vs country, state to state, & globally)? Divorce rates?

After my husband and I got married, I marveled that my husband's "clan" in Boston loved the Patriots with the same fervor that my clan loved the Broncos. How could this be? I had grown up with the One True Team, hadn't I? Later on, my husband and I moved to Syria for two years and found that our new Muslim friends (who were overwhelmingly warm, kind, loving and compassionate, despite the way Muslims are often portrayed in western media) were as devoted to Allah and to honoring the five pillars of Islam as my clan was in living a Christ-like life and using the Ten Commandments as a guide. How could this be? Hadn't I grown up with the One True Religion?
Same with politics. We absorb what we're exposed to and it becomes our default setting, only we may not be aware that we HAVE a default setting in these areas. We might just think everyone else is wrong.
As for the other aspects you mention, I suppose it is possible in all areas to think that your way is the One True Way, but I don't really hear people arguing that it's better to be homosexual than hetero, better to be poor than not-poor, or that divorced families are better than intact families. Rather I hear people asking for acceptance of differences, not an insistence on a hierarchy.

What made you decide to go with domestic infant adoption versus international, foster or other kinds of adoption? Did you ever feel that adoption was a “second choice” for you and your husband? Did your feelings on that change after your first adoption?

Although we also went to information sessions for international and foster adoption programs, we were fairly clear from the start that domestic infant adoption would be the way for us. As for being second choice in building a family, it depends on what you mean by "second." Yes, we did try to become parents in the old-fashioned way first and through adoption second, so if you mean in chronological terms, the answer is yes. I wrote about this in a post, In adoption, last means best.

You have contact with your children’s birth parents, how would you handle things if that was not an option? Would you have sought any level of openness if you had adopted through foster care? Or helped your child find their roots if you had adopted internationally? Why/why not?

Well that would make me very sad to have no contact with the birth parents of either of my children. If we had gone with foster adoption or international adoption and if I knew then what I know now, I would pursue any openness we could get (assuming openness made sense; clearly, there are times when it wouldn't, such as if our family's safety were at stake). Writers who have influenced me on this topic are SocialWrkr24/7 and the book Bones that Float by Kari Grady Grossman, who tracked down her sons birth family in Cambodia and found so much more.
Openness is a good way to help an adopted child heal the split between his biology and his biography because it minimizes the space (physical and/or emotional) between his two sets of parents.

Why do you think envisioning disrupting your adoption helped you to realize that you actually did not want to do that and that you were indeed bonded to your child? Was that a risky move on the part of your counselor? (I ask because I also had to do the same thing when dealing with severe post-adoption anxiety.)

Because it put choice back into my equation. Having choice is key to someone who is stuck. I suppose it was risky, now that I think about it, but my therapist must have had both trust in me and the process, as well as experience with other stuck clients, in order to have had such certainty about the outcome.

If you encounter someone with PADS (or PPD) do you encourage them that some days just getting dressed is indeed a victory? (citing this post: http://drama2bmama.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-did-mom-do-this.html) How else can someone encourage a person going through post-child depression?

Yes. I would encourage the person to be gentle with herself. And to get help, in the form of counseling, and in being able to take a break once in awhile -- a trusted friend or neighbor or relative stepping in for just an hour at a time. Perhaps at the root of the depression is fear of not being up to the task, and that can often be eased by getting just one night of good sleep, by having some space in which to regain perspective, and by being gentle with oneself. This is so hard to do when you're running on fumes! Sometimes getting dressed is a huge victory, as is just managing to get a meal on the table, even if it's mac & cheese. As my yoga teachers say, "we count success in small measures."
How to encourage a person? That's a tough question and I'm not a therapist. But what helped me was family members letting me know they would be there when I got too close to Overwhelm. That friends sat with me while I cried, not trying to fix me but simply abiding with me. And that my husband picked up the slack when I was incapable. And that they all reflected back to me their faith that I would come out on the other side intact, even when I was certain there WAS no other side.

What does your family like to do together as a family unit? What do you do to further strengthen your familial bonds?

As I type we are on our way out to play family Nerf football in our front yard on this beautiful Fall day. We attend each others' choir concerts, basketball games and other activities -- often our extended family members are there, too. Once in awhile we go to a really cool bloggy event at the museum, theme park or movie theater. And we make a point to have dinner together almost every night, a steady point of connection in our lives.

I loved reading all of Lori's responses, and I hope you did, too! Since my adopted child is still young, I love talking to those who are further along in parenting and gleam their wisdom. Lori is full of adoption wisdom.

I am so glad you chose to visit us today for this interview and I hope you'll check out Lori's page.

No, You Cannot Sword Fight Girls

2011-11-14T08:51:00.005-05:00

My son has recently discovered sword fighting. He's three. I blame the blockbuster Puss in Boots for this new obsession.

http://puss-in-boots-trailer.blogspot.com/

Vampire Pez dispenser? It's a sword.
Ramone from Cars? It's a sword.
SB's pink belt? It's a whipping sword.

And Mac keeps trying to sword fight his sister. SB, while she loved Kitty SoftPaws, has no real desire to duel with swords. Mac does not seem to get this and it keeps getting him in trouble.

This was our conversation tonight (in the car, mind you!).

SB: Mom! Mac is using his noisy monster truck to sword fight me!
Me: Mac, please don't use your truck as a sword.
Mac: {Devilish laughter}
Me: Mac, listen, your sister does not want to sword fight. In fact, you should not sword fight any girl. Girls are to be treasured and cherished, not sword fought.
Mac: Okay...?
Me: If you want to sword fight, you can do it at school, only at play time. And you should approach your guy friend...
Mac: Dalton!
Me: Okay, Dalton. You should approach Dalton and say, "Yo, Dalton, it's playtime, wanna sword fight?" And if he does he'll says, "Yeah, Man, that sounds awesome. Let's go!" And then you can sword fight. But if Dalton doesn't want to sword fight he'll say, "You know, I'm having fun swinging right now. How 'bout I check it out later, yo?" And then you do not sword fight Dalton, you see if Coby or Eli want to sword fight. But under NO circumstances are you to ask Mattie, Helena, Megan or Emma if they want to sword fight. They are girls. They do not sword fight. You got me?
Mac: Yes. I understand. I'll say, "Dalton do you wanna sword fight?" And he will say, "Of course I do!"

(I love how I was using the cool slang and my son repeated that as "of course.")

But anyway...if my son asks you (if you're female) or your daughter to sword fight, please redirect him towards another member of the male race. And try to teach him some slang while you're at it.

All You Want to Know About Foster Care Paperwork

2011-11-11T12:43:00.002-05:00

I know it's not a catchy title today, but it's not really a catchy topic either. It's informative.

Many people look at celebrities or even people they kinda-sorta know who have adopted and think it's a magical process. Signup, wait, bring home baby, end of story. Not quite.

There's a lot of paperwork involved. A lot. When we signed up for our private adoption there were tons of forms to fill out. But the forms to adopt through foster care were probably double that. the Department of Social Services has to make doubly sure that these families are forever since the child has already gone through some form of injustice.

So I thought today I would share with you some of the paperwork involved with adopting via foster care. When we decided to keep our profile open "just in case," we had to re-submit many of our forms. I took pics of them back then with the thought of sharing them with you all.

Here is a list of the papers that need to be filled out. You can see the ones that we did not have to redo (checked) and the ones that needed updating. (you can click the pic to make it bigger)

So even though we didn't have to redo about half of the paperwork, there was still a lot to do... A lot.

Medical forms, background checks, lots of nitty-gritty things. But there are two Big Things in this pile.

First is the openness check list. You tell the good folks at DSS how willing you are to be open with your future child's biological family. You all know our story. We are in a court-ordered open adoption with some of Mac's extended biofamily. We were willing to be open to an extent, but through the court order I think it's more open than we would like (we being Marshall and I, for selfish reasons. We do think this is the best arrangement for Mac, even if it's not for us).

I'm purposely covering our answers in this portion and the next because, well, it's none of your business what we will or will not do or accept. Each family is different.

The second part is The List.
The List is a daunting checklist of what you are willing to accept in a child. Things range from bedwetting to AIDS, from asthma to spina bifida, from sexually abused to starting fires. It's a scary list, I won't lie. The List could make many people turn in panic.
My advice with The List is to prayerfully consider each item. Read it once, have your spouse read it once, then read it together, THEN check things off.
And, be willing to "consider" many things that might scare you off. Remember, an adopted child should be no different than a biological child. Your bio child might have a cleft palate or spina bifida. You would deal with it then, right? Also be aware that many of these things, like spina bifida, asthma, and many other things that might scare you off may be very minor. Be willing to consider them! Crossing them off might mean crossing off the child God has intended for you.
Here is The List for South Carolina...

There's also a last page with incest and product of rape on it. Yeah - scary stuff! But don't let it daunt you. You can choose what you can and cannot handle. We made decisions for or against some things because it's best for our family, or for the safety of our kids or even our pets.

So, there you have it - some of the paperwork involved with foster care adoptions. Please note that these papers are for South Carolina only, your state may vary greatly!

Why I'm Glad I Have a Boy

2011-11-09T08:37:00.000-05:00

If you know me, you know I'm girly. I like pink and sparkles and used to draw tiny hearts around boys names. (Okay, so I did that yesterday with my hubby's name. Give me a break!)

And I will tell anyone willing to listen that I have no idea what I'm doing with a little boy. We don't have little boys in my family. We marry boys, not raise them. I had never even changed a boy diaper before we brought Mac home.

I had never played cars or guns or rough housed. I had tea parties. I played Barbies. Boys were a completely different breed of person to me.

So when we brought Mac home I felt like I was looking at an alien. It was a learning process (and still is!). Thankfully for me, he has a big sister and I could still dress him up in tutus (he wanted them! I promise!). I had to resist the urge to paint his nails and get his ears pierced, though. Daddy would not like that.

But I am so glad I have a little boy.
For one, it balances me out. Tea parties are fun, but only for so long. Then the giant scary dinosaur comes and smashes things to bits, leaving little red-haired girls crying in their wake and me laughing at the fun of it all (until Red notices and I have to scold the boy). Mac has introduced me to a whole new side of fun I didn't know existed.
A son does not have the mood swings a daughter has. Yes, he gets angry and upset, but he doesn't brood. He doesn't stew over an injustice the way girls do. Offer the kid a sucker or toy and all is forgiven and he's happy as a clam again. Mac really is the happiest child I know. He has a smile for everybody and is such a joy!
He is also my lovey-dovey child. SB is very sweet, but she's not a cuddler. Mac is. In the rare moments he is quiet and still he cuddles. And Oh, how he cuddles. It's amazing. He curls up tiny as can be and puts his head on your chest and makes you want to melt.
He gives "best" hugs. Ask him when you see him for a Best Hug and then brace yourself. He will jump at you and squeeze you with all his might. And it's the most wonderful feeling in the world.
There is no fear in my son. Unless you're talking about bugs - he freaks out over bugs - but otherwise, no fear. I would be scared to death to have someone toss me 12 feet high in a swimming pool and let me crash down - not Mac. At three years old, he loves it. Rock climbing? Going under water? Meeting people? No fear at all. It's just not in him (unless you're an ant. then stay away).
Mac keeps me on my toes. He thinks of things girls just don't think of. Who needs to color on a piece of paper when you have an entire wall as a canvas? And didn't I know that my phone could do that? And who would have ever thought that a stick could be a balance beam, a weapon, a walking stick AND a dog leash - all at the same time.

Before Mac came home, I could not have ever imagined my life with a boy. It was so foreign to me. It's not an adoption thing, it's just a girl/boy thing. But now - now I have the most precious son. I am so thankful to God for granting me such a wonderful gift. I only hope I can do right by him!

(Don't worry, the "Why I'm Glad I have a Daughter" post will be coming soon!)

My Favorite Adoption-Friendly Kid's Shows

2011-11-07T08:22:00.000-05:00

I love turning on adoption friendly shows for my kids to watch. They can be few and far between, but they are out there!

Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends - Miss Spider and her hubby Holley (who names a man-spider Holley?) have 5 little spiderlings of their own, but through other circumstances they become parents to a bedbug, a dragonfly and a jewel beetle. Miss Spider was adopted by Betty Beetle as a young spider herself. My favorite epi of this show is where Shimmer, the jewel beetle, wants to find her hatching place and she and Miss Spider go searching for it. But she and the other adopted bugs realize that it doesn't matter where you came from, as long as you know where you are now and that you're loved.

Dinosaur Train - The story of the Pteranodon Family circles around their three pteranodon (pronounced terr-an-a-don) children and the "one more egg" that wound up being Buddy the T-Rex who was immediately told he was a part of the family regardless of looks. Buddy wants to learn all about the different dinos since he knows he's adopted and even meets other T-Rexes but knows that Mr & Mrs Pteranodon are his parents.

Anne of Green Gables - This is a great show for your slightly older child (also a terrific book! Make your children read!). Anne comes from an orphanage and is adopted by an elderly brother/sister duo who wanted a boy to do farm work. Of course, Anne is charming and charismatic and they fall in love with her anyway. It's not always bright and sunny, but it offers a great perspective for an adopted child between the ages of 6 - 12. I can't wait to intro it to my children.

Meet the Robinsons - If your son isn't too into Anne, why not give this movie a try? The main character, Lewis, lives in an orphanage and seems to scare off potential parents. After a series of chaotic events, Lewis is adopted by a family who loves him for who he is.

There are many more, but these are a good starting point for your young adoptee and the family that loves them!

The Time I Dyed the Shower Purple

2011-11-04T07:12:00.000-04:00

So, remember when my BFF and I decided to put purple streaks in our hair this past August? No? Let me remind you:

The purple didn't last too long in my hair, but you know where it did last?

My shower walls. Yeah. They started off very purple. Very. Purple. I promised Marshall that one day I would clean those walls and restore them to their previously pristine "old lace" status.

Except I didn't. Whoops. I meant to. Really I did. I had hoped that over time the color would simply go away. Between two kids bathing and two adults showering I figured it would disappear down the drain.

The color did, however, fade. Purple turned to pink. But it was still, well, pink. And very apparent on my shower walls.

Eventually I got the motivation I needed to remedy the situation. My in-laws were coming up for a visit. And while the kids thought the pink shower was pretty awesome, I highly doubted my mother-in-law would feel the same way.

It took a lot of elbow grease and more bleach that I would care to admit, but finally my walls did come clean. The purple was no more.

Maybe next time I'll dye my hair blue...

Disclaimer: I am writing this post to take part in SITS Girls' giveaway. My shower walls were very purple/pink and I really did need to clean them. Which, eventually, I did.
I received information about Clorox’s Bleach It Away campaign and am sharing my messy moment for the chance to win prizes from The SITS Girls. To learn more about the messy moment program, check out www.BleachItAway.com. Sharing your story on the Clorox fan page gets you entered for the chance to win $25,000 and daily prizes, and you can grab a coupon for Clorox® Regular Bleach.

Why I Wanted to Adopt

2011-11-03T07:53:00.000-04:00

This is something I get asked a lot. Why I wanted to adopt.

It's both a simple and a complicated answer.

The simple answer is - I always have.
The complex answer is - I always have.

I can recall being a little girl and asking my mother why people kept having babies when there were so many children in the world who needed a home. Why didn't they just adopt those children instead of bringing more into the world. My mom didn't have an answer for that. Who expects their eight-year-old to ask those questions?
Of course, from age five, one of my best friends (still is!) had been a girl who was adopted from India. So I've always been very aware of adoption and felt a calling to it from a young age.

When Marshall and I were dating I knew he was the one for me, but told him point blank that not adopting would be a deal breaker for me. He had to agree to adopt regardless of biological children. He agreed. I don't think he thought a lot about it at that point, but he agreed.
Fast forward to when we were ready for a family. When trying the old fashioned way didn't work and my OBGYN wanted a battery of infertility tests, we began to research adoption agencies. We selected one and went through all the paperwork involved. We waited.

Of course, if you read my story or my testimony, you know I did get pregnant.
But when SB was only a few months old, I knew I wanted to get back into adoption. I saw the signs for Foster Care Adoptions. After wrestling with God over that one for a while, I mentioned it to Marshall and he agreed to go to an informational meeting. We were set - we would adopt through Foster Care.

We only waited two months from approval before we got the call about Mac. We brought him home 2 weeks later (his 3rd Gotcha Day is quickly approaching!). It took 21 months to finalize his adoption. It was the most gut-wrenching experience of my life. It was worse than infertility because I already had the child in my home, worried he would be taken from me.

But he was worth it. When Mac came home it felt right. He was our family.

And now we're waiting to see if God will bless us again with another child. I don't think we feel that our family is complete and we would like to add more children to our family. Of course, our first thought (or at least mine) is always adoption. We were blessed with our short pregnancy earlier this year, and another one would be nice if it happened but we know our chances are slim. Adoption is where I feel called and I think Marshall does too.

So why did we want to adopt? Because we felt called by God to add to our family in that way. Because it was a part of my life from a very young age. Because we have love and room in our hearts to share with children who need a home. Selfishly because I want my arms full. Selflessly because I can't stand the thought of these children going out into the world without a family to come home to or to call when they need it.

If you are an adoptive parent, or are thinking about it, feel free to share your story with us!

Top 10 Reasons...

2011-11-01T08:13:00.000-04:00

I'm recycling a post from last year to introduce November, which is National Adoption Month! Enjoy my Top 10 Reasons to Adopt:

1. There are 147 million orphans across the world.
2. Because you really do have room for one more in your house, arms & heart.
3. You really can afford it - regular DSS adoptions are virtually free. You can also apply for grants.
4. Because every child deserves to have a place to call home and a family to call their own.
5. Because your other children really want a baby sister (or brother).
6. Someone you know has been wonderfully blessed by adoption.
7. It's much less painful than birthing a child in terms of physical duress.
8. There's a type of adoption to fit what you are looking for (domestic, international, foster care, waiting child, etc).
9. Kids grow up and need moms & dads to come home to during the holidays and other life events.
10. God calls us all to adopt and even Christ himself was adopted by his earthly father. And God has adopted us all into his family.

I'll add a bonus reason today:

11. Because if I hadn't adopted, I would not have been blessed with my son, without whom I can not imagine life. He has blessed me so much more than I have blessed him.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T07:49:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to say Happy Halloween to all you gorgeous Ghouls and Ghosts out there, from my Family to yours!

The Three Lovely Butterflies and the Football Player

My Amazing Little Boy

My Gorgeous Little Girl

Boo!

Teens Drivers Should Be Monitored

2011-10-29T08:50:00.004-04:00

I know I will make some teenage drivers angry. This would have made me quite mad when I was a teenager.

But while driving this week - with all FOUR children in my car - I was nearly T-Boned on the driver's side by a teen driver. He was probably texting, I don't know, but he was NOT looking at where he was going. He ran a stop sign and nearly into me (with a giant curb and flower garden on the other side of me - he would have hit that had I not been there).

http://www.driverseddirect.com/content_lg.aspx?tid=710

As soon as I saw him I swerved and turned my car about 90 degrees - he still came within about 12 inches of me. And I leaned into my horn - a lot. I am not afraid of my horn. I hit it a few extra times, too, since with 4 kids in the car I could not scream the obscenities that were going through my head at that moment.

I won't lie to you. It scared me. NotMine2 - who is only 14 months old - sits behind me. SB behind her. (Mac & NotMine1 are on the passenger side.) I could only think if he hits us, me or my children will get hurt. You do not want to experience that momma bear!

Listen, I know some teenagers are responsible drivers. I was one myself. I never caused an accident until I was 21 (and even then, I still argue that it was not my fault). I was very vigilant about seat-belts and avoiding distraction.
But not everyone is responsible - teen or adult.

I posed this issue on facebook and got these responses:
"I still can't believe they let me get my day license when I was 15. Lol. I think 18 is a good idea. But lack of experience will always be a problem, no matter what the age."
"I agree...teens today don't understand the importance of paying attention when they are driving a car. I think we should up the driving age to 18. or if a teen is driving a car, a camera has to be installed where the parents (who probably don't care anyway) can monitor their habits. If they are driving a car without a working camera when they get in an accident, or if they are at fault b/c of not paying attention, they get a huge fine."

So here is my idea...teens up to age 21 and elderly over age 65 should be subjected to random and secretive driving tests - like the camera suggested above. If they were tweeting/applying lipstick/turned around/asleep instead of paying attention - license lost or huge fine.

http://www.orangecountyinjuryattorneyblog.com/2011/06/in-a-world-with-teen-drivers.html

Responsible teen drivers shouldn't have a problem with this - those are the kids who deserve to drive. But the kids who go through three cars in the first 18 months of their driving life...well, listen. Personally, I value my life and the life of my children over your stupid self. I don't care if that is unChristianly of me - if you don't value your life that's your own problem. I value those who are riding with me.

I wonder if I can contact my congressmen/local politicians and ask for something like this?

All About Alli

2011-10-27T18:53:00.002-04:00

One of the big things I got out of Bloggy Boot Camp was how important the "All About Me" page is.

I had no idea I was so important to my blog. I think that sounds kind of silly to say, but it's true. The blog is about the blog - not about me, so who cares? But apparently everybody cares because everybody who reads blogs wants to connect with the writer.

FYI. This is your writer:

Wild, crazy hair. Bright colors. Laughs and talks loud. And yes, that is a halo over my head, I just cropped it out so as not to make you all jealous.

So take a minute, if you will, and look at my about page (tabbed up top there, or linked right.........here) and let me know if that tells my story, if it draws you in, because I want you to get to know me.

If there's something you want to know, ask in the comments section and I will do my best to answer it!

Tide Giveaway WINNER

2011-10-26T14:19:00.000-04:00

Congrats to Christina who won our Tide Pens! With 4 kids, she needs them!

The Top Reasons I'm a Bad Mom

2011-10-26T08:03:00.001-04:00

I'm such a terrible mom. Let me tell you why.

I make my children clean up their messes. They don't want me cleaning up because it involves a trash bag.
I allow them to eat Mac & Cheese three days in a row, but it has to be accompanies with something gross like broccoli, carrots or apple sauce.
I don't let them play barefoot in the street during hurricane-like storms.
I'm a bad mom because I won't buy them a 23rd baby doll or Lightning McQueen something.
Tea & soda are only allowed occasionally and even then it must be between the hours of 11am and 1pm. Otherwise it's milk, water or juice.
I make my kids stick to a bedtime routine and don't let them stay up all night long.
I'm a bad mom because we meet friends at places like Chick-Fil-A so they can play after lunch.
I discipline my children so that they will grow up to be independent functioning citizens of society
I consider cuddling on the couch to watch a movie fun.
I drag my children to church where they learn about Jesus and play.

And the #1 reason I'm a bad mom...

I'm a terrible mother because I stay home with my children instead of working, putting my children ahead of getting ahead.

All About Bloggy Boot Camp

2011-10-24T16:24:00.000-04:00

I spent a lot of time looking up info about blog conferences and Bloggy Boot Camp in particular, so I thought I would share my experience with you.

I drove to Atlanta Friday. I made plans to stay with a friend and have dinner. Then BBC announced a Friday night pre-conference social. So I missed that completely. Love my friends, but wish I could have done both.

I did sign up for the breakfast the morning of, though, and that was nice. I was a little nervous coming in, but I took a deep breath, sat down and did what I do best - I started talking.

After breakfast, we all went down to the ballroom floor for the conference. We had a packed schedule including eight sessions. For each of the morning sessions we changed tables where we quickly threw business cards at each other then tried to figure out who each other were. It was a great way to meet people and I was happy to sit with some of my bloggy friends!

One of my favorite topics was Avoiding Bloggy Burnout from Stacey Nerdin who compared blogging to the Twilight series. Which I have never read or seen. But I still thought it was hilarious and informative. I have found my tribe (we are not vampires) and I'm making tough choices (I just wrote an entire post and decided I didn't like it - deleted! Stacey compared it to choosing Team Jacob or Team Sparkly Boy (who's name I can't recall)).

We had a TON of conference sponsors and many of them spoke to the group. Invisalign & Mirassou Winery were two. Loved the wine. Nobody in my world at the moment needs Invisalign, but maybe one day!

Lunch was appropriately at lunch time. It was typical. Moving on.

We did our breakout session, where I attending the writing track. I really enjoyed it and doing the exercises. Writing is my passion. The other track in Atlanta was business, which I have no head for and that's fine by me.

After the sessions we headed back up to the 25th floor for the cocktail party. I loved the cocktail party. It was fun to talk to the women and make rounds to those I had not met yet. Of course, I also spent a lot of time with my little group where I timidly asked if they would be my tribe (no vampires necessary). It was a time to let a little loose and take those all important celebrity pictures in front of the Bloggy Boot Camp backdrop!

After the party, several of us went for dinner at the hotel restaurant. Special to Atlanta: there was also a costume party where I pleaded with someone dressed as Cruella DeVille to pose for pics with us. I told her we would make her famous!

This is such a short version of what happened, but you probably don't want every single detail anyway, do you?

Tide To-Go Mini Pen GIVEAWAY!

2011-10-24T09:28:00.000-04:00

I am doing a Giveaway! Yay!

At Bloggy Boot Camp this weekend we received a wonderful box of 30 Tide-To-Go Mini pens! Then, on my way out, I found another little box looking very lonely, so I took it home, too!

So over the next few weeks I will be going some give-aways of a pack of 5 Tide-To-Go pens!

Want to win a few? Of course you do (unless you were at BBC, then you have a box already)! So just leave a little comment love and someone will win! Free! From me and Tide! Yay!

The SITS Girls are REAL!

2011-10-23T15:32:00.017-04:00

No, really. They are totally real! They were like a giant, awesome rock band and I was a part of it! I went to the wonderful, fabulous Bloggy Boot Camp this past weekend with the SITS Girls. It's a wonderful, supportive group of bloggers who LOVE to talk, wear cute shoes and hand out business cards. And the wine was a nice touch.

But these are people I knew just through the blogging world. They didn't have real names, they had blog names. The whole day was like this:

"Who are you?"
"I'm Allison."
(person reads nametag) "OH! You're A Few Sprinkles Short! I know you!"

All day. Seriously.

But these are real women. It's easy to pretend they're just a website, but A New Kind of Normal is really Jamee, and The Mama Pirate is really Sarah, and Domestic Anarchy is Maddie. The Third Boob is actually two people - Chach & Nellie. I had no idea there were TWO Third Boobs! Haha! (Sorry to those I didn't mention here, I still LOVE YOU entirely!)

I met over 100 women this weekend and made many instant friends. I took 15 pages of notes that I will never be able to read again and I need all that info. I have 38 business cards from these ladies that I can find. I'm sure there are several more hiding in my bra and my computer bag.

And I learned 10,000,000,000,000 things that I need to do. I had no idea Pinterest could create blog traffic. And I had never even heard of an SEO before. I have lots to do!
One thing I did do was start My Tribe! Starting this week, they will be linked on my sidebar or as a separate tab as My Tribe (I will get that up ASAP, girls). They are my bloggy BFFs if you will. Like, well, Jamee, Sarah, Maddie, Jan, and more.

I will also be making some very cool changes over the next few weeks. Hopefully slowly so I will 1. get it right and 2. you'll still know where you are when you land here.

Be looking for more Bloggy Boot Camp posts coming up - most importantly - the PICTURES!

(Also, a special thanks to the BBC Sponsors: Mirassou Winery, Best Buy, Tide, Sony, Goody Hair Products, Invisalign, & Laughing at Wall Street. You made the event rock even more!)

Day 23 of Post-it Note Praise

2011-10-23T09:23:00.002-04:00

Day 22 of Post-it Note Praise

2011-10-22T11:11:00.000-04:00

As I sit at Bloggy Boot Camp, I realize we all have different gifts. Some have the gift of Math, others problem solving, other talking or writing. Some have the gift of joy, some of discernment and others of honesty.
God designed each of us to have special gifts so we could compliment others. What are my gifts? Talking, writing, listening. What isn't one of my gifts? Patience. Not at all. :)
Enjoy today's Praise while I soak in the gifts of my blogging buddies!

BLOGGY BOOT CAMP!!!

2011-10-22T07:34:00.000-04:00

As you read this... (I assume you read this the second it publishes, right???) Ahem. As you read this, I am making my way toward my very first blogging conference cleverly named Bloggy Boot Camp. It's hosted by the SITS Girls (SITS = Secret's In The Sauce, however you are most likely to see "The Secret to Success is Support," but that doesn't fit the anagram).

I am so excited. I hope they like my outfit. I hope they don't notice that I didn't have time this week to recolor my hair. I hope they like ME! And I hope I learn. A lot.

I honestly have no idea what to expect from today's events. I have no idea what the "writing track" entails. I have no idea if my picky self will like what they serve for lunch.

I can tell you what I do expect - I expect everyone else to have a netbook or an ipad, and I don't have those. I'm going old school and carrying around a pad of paper and a pen. I expect to see lots of cute shoes because that's what I hear a lot about. And I expect to meet lots of people. Lots of people.

So Happy Bloggy Boot Camp Day, Atlanta! See you in a few!

Day 21 of Post-it Praise

2011-10-21T11:01:00.000-04:00

I am an avid reader. And an avid Bible-study doer. I am so thankful for the women (and men) God has given the gift of Biblical interpretation to, because without them, I so would not "get" a lot of what the Bible says!

Post-it Priase, Day 20

2011-10-20T10:52:00.000-04:00

If you know me, you know I'm a name nerd. I love names. I love the meaning and significance behind names.
So it should come as no surprise to you that the Names of God fascinate me. I love them. From Jehovah-Jireh (the Lord Who Provides) to Abba (Daddy). El Roi (the God who Sees) to Baal-Perazim (the Lord who Bursts Through), each name is special, intimate, knowing. Each one allows you to speak to the Lord in new ways.
So enjoy this little compilation of the names of the Lord...

How Do I Do That?

2011-10-20T07:53:00.000-04:00

I am blown away with each blog post of a 21 year old girl who has given her entire life away. Twenty-One years old and she's not in college, going to the movies, making out with frat boys or planning a wedding. She's not worried about her career or having the hottest trends. She's living in a Third World country, feeding people. Praying with people. She's taken in 14 girls who now call her Mommy. And she's only twenty-one years old.

I've blogged about Katie Davis before. Her amazing testimony. Her utter truth and her want for a better faith. Her desire to show the face of Jesus to people who have never seen it before.

She's recently come out with a book, Kisses from Katie, telling about how Christ is working in the people of Uganda. Just watching the video trailer had me in tears. Watch for yourself:

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How can I be more like her? A girl, 10 years younger than me, who admittedly doesn't have it all together yet seems to know right where the Lord wants her.

How do I do that? How do I follow God's leading? It sounds like a simple enough answer, but it's not.

I'm too comfortable in my earthly environment. I like watching tv shows from Netflix. I like having any food I could possibly ever want right in front of me within a moment's notice. I like the creature comforts of heating and air conditioning and choosing which shoes to wear or buying new ones if I want to.

I want to be uncomfortable and live out my faith so that others would have to see God at work in my life. How do I do that?

Post-it Praise Day 19

2011-10-19T10:31:00.001-04:00

If we only look, we will find Him. How hard it is to look sometimes! We get so caught up in self that we forget to look for the Lord. We get so wrapped up in our problems and our sins that we forget the Lord will set us free!
I am so thankful to the One who will always be there when I look for Him, the one who will restore my fortune, if only I ask.

Come out! Where ever you are!

2011-10-19T08:40:00.000-04:00

I don't know why my children think I can find every single thing in the house. I tell them repeatedly - "Mom, yes. Maid, no." It is not my job to find each and every item that's not just laying in front of them.

For instance. My daughter is newly all about Barbie. (yes, Barbie. All you anti-Barbie moms can just quit, I'm telling a story) So she comes into my room at 7:00am and says, "Hey mom? Hey mom? You know that Barbie with the pink sparkly dress? I can't find the left silver shoe that goes with that Barbie, mom. Do you know where it is?"

Um. No. Last I checked, Barbie was YOURS, not MINE. Keep tabs on your own things. And yes, I do tell her that. Usually preceded with, "Did you look for it?" Of course, she claims to have scoured the entire earth in search of the elusive silver Barbie shoe.

Or, my charming son, who in the frenzy of getting ready for school will exclaim, "Momma! I can't find my socks!"

"I just put those socks on your feet two minutes ago. Why aren't they there any more?"

"I took them off and losted them."

Wha--? Seriously? In two minutes you shed your socks and threw them through a worm hole to another dimension? Great. Now we need more socks. (And for the record, someone always throws those socks back - usually in the bathroom or under the dining room table.)

I don't know why my children think I know where each one of their belongings is. I don't. Did my mom ever feel like this? I bet she did. Sorry, Mom.

Day 18 of Post-it Note Praise

2011-10-18T11:20:00.000-04:00

Praise is so important in the life of a Christ-follower. Many people are quick to ask for things - We need this or want that. I bet if we spent half our prayer life praising Him, we would be doubly blessed in our lives!

Day 17 of Post-it Note Praise

2011-10-17T08:14:00.000-04:00

We all sin. Every one of us. Yet through Christ we can all be made clean again. It's an amazing gift so many people are unwilling to accept. I don't understand why! It's won't cost you your life - Jesus already paid that price. I still sin, even as a Christ-follower. But I know my God is always waiting with a fluffy white towel to wipe me clean again and hold me close. Thank you, Lord, for that!

When I Grow Up

2011-10-17T07:25:00.000-04:00

At school this week my kids were talking about what they want to be when they grow up. I thought it was worth a share.

Mac, naturally, wants to be a race car driver. He's never seen Nascar, only the movie Cars. But he has a need - a need for speed. When asked why he wants to be a racecar driver he said, "I love to race car drive. I love going fast. But I can't drive yet."

SB said she wants to be a ballet teacher. I could totally see her as a dance instructor. She loves to dance and loves to teach and she adores children younger than her. So I think this would be a good match.

I also asked NotMine1 and she said, "I want to be a dancer like my mother." Except her mother is a nurse. But at least she has a beautiful vision of her! LOL
I would have asked NotMine2, but seeing as she can't talk, I thought we could just try something out. Apparently goat herding is NOT in her future.

Post-it Praise Day 16

2011-10-16T11:10:00.000-04:00

I don't know all of God's plans. Nor do I need to...

Post-It Praise: Day 15

2011-10-15T09:18:00.000-04:00

Some days I don't understand why God does things. I am so grateful for the two children I hold in my arms, who call me Momma. The two who smother me with kisses and give me their used tissues.

But then I wonder why two other children were pulled from my body before they had time to grow. If children are a heritage and a reward from God - was I being punished? I will never know this side of heaven, but I trust that God knew what he was doing and I know - without a doubt - that my children are better off at the foot of Christ than here.

Remembering Today

2011-10-15T07:52:00.000-04:00

Today is Infant and Pregnancy Loss Remembrance Day. Around the world, women and couples are lighting candles to remember the children they lost too soon.

This day is especially hard for me this year, as if my pregnancy had progressed, I would be preparing to give birth in one or two weeks. Instead, our little one was carried Home where he will never know the joys or pains of this world.

I have two heaven-bound children that I know of. Maggie Joy would be over 5 now if she were with us, and Tobin would be preparing to make his entrance.

Chances are, if you have not dealt with miscarriage yourself, you know someone who has. According to http://blightedovum.kokopuff.net/facts.html, anywhere from 25-50% of pregnancies end in miscarriage - many occurring before the mother even knew she was pregnant. 20% of women who have one miscarriage will endure a second one. Chromosomal abnormalities are the most common reason for miscarriage - this is what happened with Tobin.

If you have lost a child, my heart goes out to you. We will never understand why God called them home so soon, but one day we will embrace them fully as they escort us to meet our Heavenly Father and they will say, "Look, Mommy, Jesus and I have been waiting for you! Welcome home!"

Facts about Pregnancy and Infant Loss

2011-10-14T08:30:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day, and I wanted share a few Myths about this taboo form of loss... You can read it all at I Am The Face.

One out of every four women will experience the loss of a baby at some point in their lives. That’s right–25%! Pregnancy/infant loss is an issue that while very common, is rarely talked about. Because it’s become such a “hush-hush” and taboo topic, those who experience it are often left to grieve in silence, alone.
It’s time for things to change.
It’s time to open up the conversation, to get the dialogue started. It’s time for survivors (yes, we are all survivors!) to come together, raise our voices, and reach out to the others who are out there, thinking they are alone.
The first step in breaking the silence is often shattering stereotypes. Below are some myths and facts about pregnancy/infant loss:

Myth: Losing a baby is very uncommon; it won’t happen to me or someone I know.
Truth:

25-50% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage (pregnancy.org).
Stillbirths (the death of a baby after 20 weeks gestation) occur in one in every 160 pregnancies–about 60 stillborn babies every single day (March of Dimes).
Each year, in the US alone, about 20,000 babies die in their first month of life, many after being born prematurely (March of Dimes).
SIDS is the leading cause of death among infants ages 1 month to 1 year.

Myth: Pregnancy/infant loss is something that happens to older moms, overweight moms, or moms with health issues.
Truth: “Baby loss” does not discriminate. Often, it’s young, perfectly healthy women who experience the loss of a baby. Click here to read real-life stories of loss, and you’ll see the faces of ALL kinds of women–young, old, black, white, thin, obese–pregnancy/infant loss can strike anyone.

Myth: Miscarriages and Stillbirths are usually caused by a lack of prenatal care or something else the mother did during her pregnancy.
Truth:

Almost 100% of miscarriages could not have been prevented, with the majority being caused by chromosomal abnormalities.
25% of Stillbirths are caused by placental problems; 15% are caused by an infection; 2-4% are caused by umbilical cord problems, and 50% have no known cause of death whatsoever. While there are risk factors to be aware of (smoking, for instance), the overwhelming majority of stillbirths are completely out of the mother’s control.

Myth: A woman who has just lost a baby wants to forget it ever happened and move on with her life.
Truth: While this may be true for some, many are dying to talk about the child they lost, especially if it was a late-term pregnancy loss or infant loss. The chance to talk freely about their baby(ies), without feeling like they are making everyone uncomfortable, is something many, many women who have lost a baby wish for.

I tried to hard to cover my first loss. And with the second, I've been so much more open and it is healing.
I am the face of pregnancy loss...

Day 14 of Post-it Note Praise

2011-10-14T08:16:00.000-04:00

Day 13 of Post-it Note Praise

2011-10-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

Post It Note Praise, Day 12

2011-10-12T09:38:00.001-04:00

I am so thankful for those the Lord has put in my path. Friends can be so hard to come by, and I'm very blessed to have great ones!

Day 11 of Post-it Note Praise

2011-10-11T09:28:00.000-04:00

He was NOT Remy from Ratatouille

2011-10-10T10:05:00.000-04:00

Last night as I was getting myself some ice cream, I heard a crunching coming from the laundry room. We keep the cat foot out there and often find one of our cats closed up munching away, but this was NOT one of our cats.

Oh, it had a long tail. And it was furry. And I swear it was bigger than my dogs. It was a RAT. A gross, huge, gray rat.
He was no Remy, that's for sure. Or even his not-picky brother Emile.

NOT the furry creature eating my cat's food.

No, this was a RAT. Eating my cat food.

If you know me, you know I'm a mouse aficionado. I love mice. I raised mice in college. (And fed them to my snake, but that's an entirely other blog post. A few I kept as pets.) Had this been a mouse, I would have just jarred the door and had him scurry on his merry way and laughed about it.

Seriously. It was as big as Oscar (my 6 pound chihuahua).

So I EEKed. Marshall came running. He asked what he could trap it in.

"I know! The dog crate!"
"The dog crate is next to the rat, Allison," he said. Well, he asked. That was my idea.

He went outside through another door and got a shovel. He opened the laundry room door - the Rat did not move. He whacked that thing with gusto. I EEKed again and hid my face, but I peeked through and saw that gross huge tail curl up. A direct hit!

Marshall grabbed the bag of cat food and threw it outside. I, smartly, handed him a small sledgehammer. I did not ask what he did with it. I do not want to know. All I know is that the rat is dead. I hope his little family gets the message and if not, some poison will be headed their way very soon.

Until then, we will NOT be watching Ratatouille anytime in the near future. Ugh!

Post-It Praise Day 10

2011-10-10T07:49:00.000-04:00

I am a worrier by nature. If someone is 5 minutes late, I fear the worst. I'm not a pessimist, just a worrier. When I discovered this verse of scripture, it became my Life Verse. It holds me up when things get tough, when I worry too much and even with things are going great. It's a wonderful reminder for me that God is in control and I would to best to just hand it over to Him! And I praise the Father who is so concerned for me - ME! Sometimes it's hard to believe, but I am so glad He cares!

Day NINE of Post-It Praise

2011-10-09T09:08:00.000-04:00

We all endure hard times for a variety of reasons. But I am so comforted to know that my weeping will only last a short time and that in the morning I will rejoice! I rejoice in Him daily and I am so thankful He will favor me for a lifetime!

Day 8 of Post-it Praise

2011-10-08T08:31:00.000-04:00

I love Psalm 150. It's the very last Psalm and I love how the book is wrapped up with nothing but PRAISE for the Lord! I love that. Many Psalms are marked, under lined, starred and highlighted in my Bible, and this is one of my favorites! Around here we praise Him with all kinds of music and with our hands. We praise God for giving and taking away, for we know He knows far better than we do!

Post-It Praise Day Seven

2011-10-07T09:14:00.001-04:00

I thought today we would fill a Post-It with synonyms of praise! I loved some of the words I found!

To Do or Not To Do?

2011-10-07T08:38:00.000-04:00

Christmas is a year-round thought for me. I start the count-down in January. Seriously. On Dec 26 I announce that there are 364 days left until Christmas (365 this coming 12/26, since 2012 is a leap year).

So I start shopping early. I like to spread out the cost. And I like to order my cards very early and I usually send them out the week after Thanksgiving.

But this year...see...this year I'm not sure I'm going to do cards.

I know! I know! I need to! I should! I finally have a gorgeous picture I want to use!

But it's the price. $25 for cards. Then another $20+ for postage? Eek. We're approaching $50 for CARDS. Cards that people will throw away (I can only hope they will save our picture, that's why I send cards, after all, to share our pictures).

So I am thinking of not doing Christmas cards - at least not getting the fancy printed one. Maybe just a generic card with a 4x6 print in it. And maybe not mailing cards this year. E-cards for those far away and hand out cards to those we see. So maybe $15 for picture printing? I think we have generic cards somewhere (or the Dollar Store has boxes).

I'd much rather do that and save my $35 for Disney World (and yes, that is more important this year than you getting a card). Will you still love me even if I don't send you a Christmas card this year? I hope so.

Day SIX of Post-It Praise

2011-10-06T09:32:00.000-04:00

There was a time I doubted I would ever become a mother. When you pray month after month for both lines to turn blue and they don't you begin to doubt EVERYTHING about life.
But one day the test was different. We had SB.
And then 2 years later the phone call - we had Mac.
Of course, our two losses are still with me. I miss the children who wait for me in heaven. But I know they are safe without me.
And I know that God has blessed me with the two children I can hold in my arms. And I praise Him for that!

Day Five of Post-it Praise

2011-10-05T09:09:00.000-04:00

And what is her name?

2011-10-05T07:27:00.003-04:00

This weekend we went to a fall festival and ran into some very good, old friends of ours. It was so good to see these people! They were Marshall's and my mentors before we were married and while we were newlyweds. I babysat their children, they were front and center when I was baptized.

So we ran into them and their three gorgeous (and growing!) girls. They also had about 53 extra children with them. Okay, I think it was 4, but it sure seemed like 53. They were children from the local "children's home," which is PC code for "orphanage."

One was a sweet little sandy-blonde girl with big eyes. She took my breath away. I looked at my friend and asked, "And what is her name?" She told me and I then asked, "And how old is she?" She is three. She has a five year old brother (who was the same size as she was).

Then my friend said, "I know what you're thinking. We wanted them, too, but they're going to live with an aunt this coming week."

Oh. I'm glad they have biological family who wants them and will love them. But it sure pulled at my heart-strings. Now that I keep NotMine1 & NotMine2 part time, I feel a little more adept at caring for 4 children. And I'm ready for more.

So when I saw this little girl all I wanted to know was her name - it's a simple but loaded question when talking about children who need a forever family. I'm happy her name was chosen. I wonder if God has any more names chosen for us...

Post-it Praise, Day Quatro

2011-10-04T08:20:00.001-04:00

Post-It Note Praise, Day three

2011-10-03T09:35:00.000-04:00

I am so thankful my foot will not slip. Oh, I may stumble, but He will not let me fall!

What do I wear?

2011-10-03T08:33:00.001-04:00

So, as I've said before, I'm super stoked about going to Atlanta in a few weeks for Bloggy Boot Camp with the SITS girls!

This will be my first blogging conference and I'm sure I'll make a total fool of myself by tripping up stairs or something, but still, I am excited and I can't wait to hear what everyone had to say, plus there's a cocktail party. For adults only. I think I'm more excited about the adults only part than the conference part.

So, the biggest issue when it comes to meeting 125 other women in a small space is what to wear. And, if you don't know, I'm plus sized, so that makes it double hard because I have to try to look half my size.

Which means the outfit will be the biggest challenge. Sure, I can talk to, laugh with and network with them till I'm blue in the face (and probably will!), but it's what I look like that they will remember. I've been told that having super-cute shoes is the key because someone may not remember you face, but they will remember your shoes (which sounds kind of superficial if you ask me, but whatever. For this event I just want to be popular!).

So here's the current outfit selection. Please tell me honestly if you think it's a winner or a loser!


Aqua top with tulle ruffle

Adorable capri length black leggins

Aubergine cardigan for the chilly conference rooms

Day TWO of Post-it Praise

2011-10-02T08:32:00.000-04:00

We love to dance in our house. LOVE IT. We dance around the house at random, SB takes a dance class, Mac just loves to boogie down.
Dancing is a way of praising our Lord and I can't wait until I'm there before Him dancing away! As Mercy Me sang,
"Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine."

2011-10-01T11:05:00.004-04:00

I am trying sooo hard not to become addicted to Pinterest!

But it's so cool. It's like facebook and twitter for pictures. You get bulletin boards, and you can "pin" any picture you want up there. Crafts, food, Christmas ideas, wish lists, Disney, clothes, quotes and more!

I currently have 14 boards: "Things I think are cool," "Words," "Recipes and Foodstuffs," "Christmas," "Reading and Writing," "Adoption," "BOOK New Day Dawns," "BOOK Belle of the Night," "Craft Time," "Parenting," "All things Southern," "Photography," "Disney," & "Birthday parties."

Some of my favorite pins:

Cupcake in a jar! from http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2011/04/08/rainbow-cake-in-a-jar/

Awesome tattoo from http://bintheknow.wordpress.com/

Melted Crayon from http://megduerksen.typepad.com/whatever/2011/08/you-knew-i-was-going-to-make-one.html

So if you need some other form of internet to be addicted to, and you've not yet discovered Pinterest, check it out, I love it.

Day ONE of 31 Days of Praise

2011-10-01T08:29:00.002-04:00

Today we begin the 31 days of October challenge, and I've decided to do 31 days of Post-it Praise. So check back every day for little Post-it notes of praise to the Father. Yes, I could have done something longer, but hey - I have a life and I want to write some regular posts as well this month.

So enjoy today's praise!

What's Under There?

2011-09-29T08:29:00.000-04:00

Recently in one of the circles I travel we were discussing where things wind up - particularly things that wind up under the bed. I thought I would share the contents of our under-beds with you.

Now, under SB's twin bed is a toddler bed. It's what Mac uses when we have guests staying with us. But shoved around the edges of that are a variety of toys (mainly the small and toss-able kind). And shoes. And baby doll clothes, bottles, etc.

Mac, lucky kid, sleeps in a queen sized bed. When he graduated from the crib, the queen was already in there for guests, so he just slept there. There is a lot of stuff under his large bed. My doll collection being one thing. And luggage. And toys, stray socks and who knows what else!

Now, under our bed is some soft luggage, my Bachelor's degree (wonderful place to keep it, there), a world of missing left socks, bedroom slippers, a heating blanket and an entire population of dust bunnies.

I would take a picture to show you, but my household is asleep and I can't go around with the camera flash going off all over the place.

So what's under YOUR bed? Do you keep it clean? Cluttered?

Why?

2011-09-27T09:20:00.000-04:00

Today's post will be depressing. Just to prepare you.

I want to ask God why? WHY? I know we all have things we want to ask God why about when we get to heaven. I wonder if we will remember those things when the rejoicing is done and we finally have a quiet moment with our Lord to have a chat. I'm sure we'll all sit down with Him and have a little chat, don't you think? I hope so. There's so much I want to know. And I know that when we get to heaven, it won't matter anymore, but I still want some answers.

And today's questions are biggies.

Long story short, over the weekend Marshall and his father pulled a drowning teen from the ocean. She lived in the hospital for 3 days and passed away yesterday. Her name is Savannah and she passed away at 18 years old. Even though we never met this girl, even though we never met her parents, this girl has affected our family possibly forever. When I heard she had passed I cried and I wasn't even on the beach to see what was going on. But I found her facebook page and saw a picture of her, and she was gorgeous.
WHY, Lord, did you take her so young? Had she finished her work here already? What about her parents? What about her little siblings? What about her friends? Why is ripping this young life from them the right thing? Why are her father and best friend living with the nightmare of knowing they had to save themselves or risk going under with her? Why are Marshall and his father living with knowing all they risked only for her to die?
My family members agreed - at least Savannah's family had 3 extra days with her to say goodbye, to prepare themselves, to start grieving. If nobody had done anything she would have been swept out into the ocean, gone forever. At least they have a chance for closure. But it's hard to see the blessing in that when a vibrant light is snuffed out.

And secondly, I am mourning myself this week. I should be about a month away from giving birth to my sweet baby. Wondering last minute if it's a boy or a girl. Thinking if we chose the right names, praying for a little life about to enter the world. And instead I sit here with an empty womb and a hole in my heart. I know only God can fill that space and ease the ache in my arms. But I miss my baby. October will be a bad month for me, I will tell you know. I should be having a Halloween baby, making the kids upset from not getting to go out or something. But they will never know the heartache Halloween will give me from now on.
WHY, Lord, was Tobin (and Maggie Joy before him) not given a chance here on earth? Why won't I hold him in my arms? Why were we given hope only to have it taken away? So we would lean on you more? Surely there was another way? I guess this was the most effective way, but it stings.
It stings that I see pregnancy announcements all over the internet, and that these women are complaining about their sickness and swollenness when I would give my left arm for the privilege if it meant having my children back with me.

Today I ask a lot of WHYs. Today I am mourning for the family who loved and cherished their daughter for 18 preciously short years to have her gone in an instant. And I mourn for the children I long to hold in heaven.

I don't understand, Lord! Will you please explain it to me when I get there?

Happy Birthday To You

2011-09-25T08:35:00.000-04:00

Today is the Hubby's birthday! He is now officially in his 30s (he's 31). I am still trying to figure out when we left the 20s behind...

Anyway, my husband, Marshall, is an amazing man. He's a godly Christian who still admits his faults, he's a great father who knows he doesn't always get it right and he's an awesome husband who knows I will still occasionally give him "the look." (No, not that look. The other one.)

I am so blessed to have him in my life. I love that he still looks at me the way he did 13 years ago. I love that he can cook (much better than me!). I love that he's not afraid to try new things. I love that he gets super-excited when the kids show him a new trick. I love that he's fiercely devoted and protective of those he loves.

Happy Birthday, sweetie. You are my forever!

One Month Away!

2011-09-22T07:11:00.003-04:00

I am so excited! Bloggy Boot Camp Atlanta is only one month away!

I have so much to do - make sure I have business cards, find a suitable wardrobe, get some notebooks to write notes down, charge up the laptop, find a suitable wardrobe, figure out who I *have* to meet, and - of course - find a suitable wardrobe. LOL. More on the wardrobe later!

Bloggy Boot Camp is a conference for women who blog where we can learn about growing our readership, looking more into the direction our blogs are going, and more.

Honestly I'm not sure exactly what to expect from it aside from two blissful nights away from anyone I know (I love my family, but who doesn't want an escape?) and a chance to network with some awesome women who's blogs I admire!

One Month! Woohoo!

Happy Adoption Day!

2011-09-21T07:54:00.002-04:00

One year ago today, we went before the judge and finally - FINALLY - adopted Mac.

It took forever. It seemed like forever. Twenty-One months of praying and waiting. Twenty-one months of thinking that my son might be taken from me and returned to the family he was taken from in the first place.

I am forever grateful to those who supported us in this journey...
Our parents especially who cried with us, held us and helped us financially.
Mac's amazing awesome social worker, Miss Amanda, who always looked out for his best interest and came to every boring doctors appointment and had real concern for Mac, not just because he was her charge.
Real friends who never stopped praying, never quit loving and always had our back.
My amazing best friend, Michelle, who stood by me and cried with me the first time I had to hand my baby to the social worker for Mac's first bio-relative visit. And all the subsequent visits where we wandered the mall waiting for him to come back to us.
The guardian ad-litem who also looked out for Mac's best interest above any other agenda.
Yes, even the attorneys who charged us an arm and a leg but got the paperwork done and won the case.
The wonderful prayer warriors at PAI from near and far who were available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

And I can't leave God out of the equation. The hardest prayer I ever prayed was for God to put Mac where he belonged, even if that was not with us. I am so thankful for the almost 3 years I have been blessed to call Mac my son. I will never forget God placed both our children with us for a reason. He is so good!

Happy Adoption Day, Mackie Boy!

The Way You Do The Things You Do

2011-09-19T07:35:00.001-04:00

My husband does not do things the way I do them. Please note: What he does is not wrong. Just different. Verrrrrrry different.

Take our morning for example. Once in a blue moon I ask him to get up with the kids in the morning. It's rare because - as previously stated - he's not a morning person.

When I get up I immediately let the dogs out, then prepare breakfast. I get the kids settled with their food and let the dogs in and feed them. While they eat I rush to the bathroom to wash and brush. Then I get Mac dressed, then I get SB dressed and ask her to brush her hair. They brush teeth. I make sure everything is in their backpacks for school. Then I go on a quest to 147 lost shoes because none match. Ever. Then someone needs a hairbow or socks or something else. Then shoes go on. Backpacks go on. (This is where Marshall wakes up...) Kisses and hugs. Everyone out the door.

When Marshall gets up, he wanders around the kitchen and finds something to feed the kids. Then he collapses back in bed or lays on the couch for a few minutes. The kids eat, play, and general merriment ensues. Then about fifteen minutes before they need to leave, he gets back up, tells the kids to get dressed. SB can usually dress herself, but he helps Mac who usually comes out looking like a mismatched lumberjack ("But both shirt and shorts have green in them..."). He tells them to get shoes on, and when they can't find them he does not know their usual hiding places, so then it's pandemonium to find shoes. (This is where I usually get up and let the dogs out because they've been scratching at their crate for 45 minutes.) Now they have about 2 minutes before they need to leave, still need shoes, backpacks, teeth brushed and whatnot else. Then they're out the door with me feeling more exhausted from how close to late they are than if I had gotten up in the first place.

Now - did he do anything wrong? No. Not at all. They still got their things, ate breakfast and made it to school. Just not how I would have done it. At all. But the kids love it when Daddy gets up with them in the morning. And he probably thinks I enjoy "sleeping in." But unless I'm truly exhausted, I am wide awake the whole time, laying in bed, listening to the chaos coming from outside my door.

To my wonderful hubby... it may not be how I do things, but it's the way you do the things you do...

Go - go - get 'em - get 'em

2011-09-17T11:03:00.000-04:00

I have nothing exciting to share today. Well, I have plenty of well thought out blog posts in my head, but no time to type them out right now, so here's a video of the Clemson Tiger Band Drumline with the Tiger Band Kids Club yesterday. Enjoy!

The Nuisance of Modern Convenience

2011-09-15T08:33:00.000-04:00

I love my cell phone. And my laptop. And facebook, and blogs and pinterest. I love my apps.

I love all those little things that make my life easier. But easier is so much harder for those things that I can't press a button to have done (yet).

There is no app for washing dishes. So I check twitter instead.
I can't sit back and fold laundry, but I can sit back and read blogs all day.
Writing my book is not as easy as posting a status update.
My kids are hungry, but instead of cooking, I'm on foodnetwork.com looking up recipes to foods they won't eat.

My wonderful, lovely modern conveniences are creating a huge nuisance for the rest of my life! For instance, right now I could be washing dishes, folding laundry or playing with the 10,000 children in my house. Instead I'm blogging. Because I love you best, apparently.

And don't get me started on my phone. We cancelled the home phone a few months ago and just use cell phones. Except my old phone only accepted every other call. And it would go silent - completely silent to where it needed to be rebooted to make sound - at least once a day. It was a crappy phone and only a few months old. Thankfully my hubby got me a new phone this week! Yay!

But it's not just a phone. It had an 8 megapixel camera! Seriously? In a phone? So it's a camera phone. And it has apps. Coloring apps, facebook, twitter, apps to track what I eat, what I spend, even apps to track my monthly cycle. Seriously. It's all convenience which means that as I stuff my face I can track how many calories I am consuming, get depressed, and eat some more.

If I spent one hour less on the computer each day, I could get so much more done. However, blogging is something I'm trying to do to build a following so that when I am one day a published author, you all will go out and purchase 10,000 copies of my book so it will be a best seller.

Okay. I feel better now, I just walked away, swept the floor, and came back.

The Publisher

2011-09-13T08:28:00.000-04:00

So, it seems I completely forgot to blog about this, but I was offered a publishing contract a few weeks ago.

I was so excited to actually find a publisher who was willing to look at manuscripts I didn't do a whole lot of research on them.
They are legit, but not incredibly big and there are several factors that, along with prayer, make me think this was not the best move for me. But it had got me working harder to write, researching more in the way of publishers, agents and publicists and everything else.

I am excited about writing. I have always wanted to be a novelist, for as long as I can remember. I wrote my first full-length "story" when I was twelve years old. It was almost 100 hand-written pages and I was so proud of it.

I feel like this is part of God's calling in my life. It's something I have always wanted to do, something that I feel like I need to do.

In my research I found a publisher I really want to work with. They're not taking submissions until January, which gives me time to finish some writing, getting some things planned out and pray like heck that they'll like me.

I have one novel completed and two almost done. If my posting becomes a little more scarce, that might be why! :)

Morning People vs Not Morning People

2011-09-12T07:11:00.006-04:00

I can guarantee that when this is posted, my husband and my daughter will still be asleep.
And that Mac and I are wide awake.

You see, Marshall and SB are not morning people. Not. At. All.
But Mac and I...well, we are.

I was raised to be a morning person. When I was in high school, I would get to school AN HOUR EARLY. Just because. I know - it was crazy. Now I like to sleep in, but when I'm up, I'm up and moving.

Mac is the same. That child does not need sleep at all. He can have no nap, go to bed at 10pm, wake at 6am and he's good to go. I don't get it. And he's wide awake, peppy and ready to run.

When we get up, we're up. The day has begun let's hop to it.

On the flip side...

Marshall's favorite past time is sleeping. Forget games, sports, anything else. Sleep. It was his major in college (just kidding. kind of.). The man can sleep for 12 hours straight. Wake up, lay on the couch and sleep some more. It's amazing.

SB has apparently inherited part of this gene. She loves to sleep. If she had it her way, she would take a 2 hour nap each afternoon, and still sleep 10-12 hours at night. As it is, I try not to allow her to sleep during the day (because otherwise she'll be up too late), and she's in bed at 8, awake at 7 or 7:30.

When they both wake up they're sluggish. They're tired. They're grumpy.

This makes for an interesting combination at our house. The Sleepers and the Nonsleepers.

What are you? How does that work in your family dynamic?

Remembering

2011-09-11T08:36:00.000-04:00

Ten years ago today I was a carefree college student, on my way to class, when the news broke. Life changed, didn't it?

So much has happened for this country and for me in 10 years. I'm sure it's drastically different for you, too.

God bless you this Remembrance Day.

Delicious Life Giveaway

2011-09-10T15:58:00.000-04:00

Kellie at My Delicious Life is doing a giveaway, and since she used to teach my child, I thought I would give her a boost!

She needs a name for her Etsy shop... so help her come up with a name, and you can win some hairbows!

Top Ten: Reasons I Love September

2011-09-10T08:49:00.003-04:00

I love this time of year... Here's why.

1. I don't have to shave my legs if I'm wearing pants!
2. I can wear Orange all day, every day, and nobody comments on it (go Tigers!).
3. Say it with me: 5 days of school a week!
4. The leaves start to turn and the mountains turn golden.

http://www.discoverkeowee.com/other_lake_keowee.html

5. Did I mention the not having to shave thing yet?
6. It's not 10-bajallion degrees outside.
7. The kids get excited seeing Halloween decorations (and I like buying candy early).
8. It's only 3 months till SB's Bday/Christmas/my bday.
9. It's Marshall's birth month.
10. This September is one year from when we finalized Mac's adoption!

Why do you love September?

When's Open Mic Night?

2011-09-08T08:58:00.000-04:00

I fancy myself something of a comedienne. Everybody tells me I'm funny, therefore I must be. Right?

Just the other day I was chatting with someone I haven't seen in some months at church (we have a church of 2,000, so not seeing someone for months is very possible!). She commented that I had lost weight - which I have not.
So I said, "Well, if you say I have, then sure! I'll take it!" I didn't think this was particularly funny or brilliant, but this woman did.
She said that I needed to do stand-up comedy.
And since I would love to do stand-up, but there's not much opportunity in our small rural area, I replied, "I would love to! When is Wal-Mart's open mic night?"

She so did not get it. She gave me the deer in headlights look...head cocked to one side, eyes bright. "Huh?"

So I guess I'm not as funny as I might think I am - or as funny as this woman thought either.

But hey - if Wal-Mart ever does an open mic night, I'm totally there. You'll come laugh at my bad jokes, right?

The Fruit of the Spirit

2011-09-07T08:19:00.002-04:00

Can you recite the Fruits of the Spirit without cheating? It was a long time before I could, but I can now thanks to an incredibly annoying song I have made my children learn.

The Fruits of the Spirit are Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control.

We are having a lot of troubles with kindness and peace in our house. And all the other ones, too. I thought that teaching them the Fruits of the Spirit might be a good way to instill some good values into the children.

It's kind of working...Just today, Mac said, "Momma, SB's not following the Fruits of the Spirit." Yeah, now it's an accusation! Great!

The kids now have a chart - when they display one of the Fruits, they get the corresponding fruit colored in. When each Fruit is covered, they get a prize.
Almost two weeks in and SB has 4 Fruits and Mac has 2.
I'm trying to show them examples, I'm pointing out when they are displaying a Fruit of the Spirit, I'm telling them when other people display them...but it's just not hitting home - especially when they're hitting each other and NOT showing Love, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, or Self-Control. One smack and they lose SIX of them.

I don't know what I'm doing wrong here... Any advise?
Have you taught your children the Fruits of the Spirit? How did you do it?

Jazzercise

2011-09-05T08:20:00.000-04:00

I admit it. I've been going to Jazzercise.

At first I was incredibly embarrassed about it, but then I thought it was a great way to make fun of myself so why not put it out there for the world to see?

So The BFF and I (with the fams) went to Clemson's Welcome Back Students festival. Not sure why. We're not students anymore and we're not "back." We've been here. Anyway, we went. And every business under the sun was passing out fliers and coupons. We love coupons.
So the next day, BFF calls and says, "Hey, let's do the free Jazzercise class."
Me: "Um, no thanks. I don't really like beating myself up on purpose."
BFF: "Come on, come with me. It will be FUN."
Me: "There's no way in H-E-double L it will be fun. I'll probably puke."
She relented. I went to Jazzercise.

Now, if you were around in the 80s you probably have the same picture of Jazzercise as I do:

and also:

I was beginning to think I needed to hit up Goodwill to find the brightest leotard and stirrup pants I could possibly find and maybe some headbands and legwarmers to boot.

Instead I went 90s style and wore black leggins and a black tank top. BFF attempted to channel the 80s and wore orange (but in this town, Orange is next to Godliness).

Then I found out that Jazzercise is no longer like how I pictured and is now faced by the lovely Cheryl Burke of Dancing with the Stars...

Not sure she actually does the moves, but she endorses them. It's also backed by these gorgeous women, who's names I do not know, but I wish my back and stomach resembled these somewhat...

Though I have to tell you - this is 100% photoshopped...

So we go. And we sweat. And the instructor - who is probably my mom's age - has no trouble with her moves.
She's jumping and kicking.
BFF and I are huffing and puffing.
Instructor lays down on the floor and can bring herself up to sitting without using her arms. It's called a SIT-UP.
I've fallen and I can't get up.

The instructor also said we have SEVEN layers of muscle in our stomach.
I retorted to the BFF that I had TEN layers of fat fighting and winning that battle.
BFF told me to quit making her laugh and follow directions.
Spoil sport. I gotta laugh at something, right?

But I didn't puke. And I felt pretty good after. And for the super-low "student" discount price, I signed up (hey - I'm a student of life, right?).

I've been going a whole week now. I kinda like it. And listen, if my plus-sized booty can get out there and do it, so can you. I can't say it's the most fun I've had. Not by a long shot. It's hard work and if you know me, I prefer to read and write than bounce around with a bunch of other women - most of whom are OLDER and THINNER than I am. Way to make me feel good.

I got some new kicks, which are pretty awesome (I'm told we can still say "kicks," dig it.). And I'm totally channeling my 80s vibe:

My instructor LOVED them. She was probably my age in the 80s.

I don't know what will happen with Jazzercise. Yes, I'm plus sized and could stand to lose some weight. But that's not why I'm going. I want more energy. I want to feel better about myself inside and out and I know that exercising is a good way to do that. If I happen to lose 20 or 60 pounds, that's great, but if not... I'm just in it for the laughs.

Happiness Is...

2011-09-03T08:48:00.004-04:00

Happiness is... celebrating YEARS of First Friday Parades:

2001 (my senior year of college)

2004

2008


2009

2009

2010

2011

Caption Contest Winners!

2011-09-02T07:44:00.000-04:00

Yay! Our caption contest has come to a close! Thanks to everyone who took time to post a caption for this photo:

We got some great captions, including:

"Let me look into my crystal ball, I see...I see...I see ME...and I look great!"
"Ok...here comes a sucker texting away on their phone...definitely gonna get a good scare out of them when I move..."
"Honestly darling, how am I expected to wear this on my finger, it's better as a pendant."

And so many more!

But Marshall and I deliberated and came up with our top three.

In 3rd place, is, "They did a great job cleaning my duck pin bowling ball, I can see myself in it!" from Karen! Karen will get $5 off a Love Letters order (visit my Etsy page)

In 2nd place, receiving Half Off a Love Letters order is El Roberto with, "PC...nah, MAC....Nah, Ipad...Nah...., no need for technology...I HAVE A FREAKING MAGIC 8 BALL!!"

And our grand prize winner, who will receive an 11x14 Love Letters "HOPE" print (ready to frame!) is April with:
"Silly magical wish ball... I said I wanted a little more junk in the trunk, not more junk and a little trunk."

I gotta tell you, Marshall and I debated for a few minutes on our favorites until he eventually said, "It's your blog, you choose." So I did. But we did agree on which ones were quite funny!

Thanks to all who entered!

Weaning of a different kind

2011-09-01T07:31:00.000-04:00

I was a very strict weaner when my kids were small.

SB's last bottle was on the day of her first birthday and then they were gone. We spent all of her 11th month transitioning from formula to whole milk so that on her first birthday she was formula and bottle free.

With Mac it was a little different. Since he came to us at 10 months old and had never had a solid food before, we delayed. He was 15 months old when we got him off the bottle and formula. But again, I was strict about it.

But then the allergies started. With Mac being allergic to dairy and soy, factored in with his inability to gain weight, he was put onto a high calorie milk substitute called Peptamen Junior.

Basically this junk smelled like vanilla & cotton candy flavored spoiled milk. It took months to get used to the smell, but Mac loved it. We began calling it Mac-Milk. His favorite thing in the world is Mac-Milk.

But now he's outgrown his allergies. He can have all the wonders of true dairy now. It's time for the Mac-Milk to go bye-bye.
But he loves it.
But it's time for it to go.
But it makes him happy.
But it stinks.

So over the last month or so we've been making the transition. Just like with formula, it's 3/4 Mac-Milk, 1/4 milk. Then half and half. Now we're at about 1/3 Mac-Milk and 2/3 regular milk.

This week there were 6 cans left in a box and I decided we were not opening another box (let me tell you - we have...at least 6 BOXES of this stuff left - 24 cans to a box). Now, since I took this picture, we have used up one can and have opened another. So less than 5 cans left.

This has been the Mac-Milk shelf on our fridge for 2 years. It holds 8 cans which used to be about 2.5-3 days of Mac-Milk.

I'm so happy to be weaning him off of this stuff. But it's also a little sad. He's growing up. And while I'm so thrilled the allergy is gone, it means so is my baby.

So we had a little talk yesterday about the Mac-Milk. I showed him what was in the fridge and told him when those were gone there was no more Mac-Milk. He's a big boy now and doesn't need it. He seemed a little sad at no more, but I think he got it. And he's very excited about REAL Chocolate Milk.

And I'm also excited to get my fridge space back.

The Panic

2011-08-29T08:36:00.003-04:00

There are less than four months until Christmas, but that's not what is panicking me. You see, this last year I turned 30 which was no big deal. I took it in stride without much thought. But it seems that the fact that Christmas happens to also be my birthday, I realize that turning 31 is looming in my future.

So what? Yes, I turned 30 with some grace and dignity, but the idea of being 31. Thirty-one. Three...One... I'll be IN MY THIRTIES.

See, now I can just pretend that 30 is just an extention of my 20s. Like how a new day starts with 12 and not 1. You have to go all the way around the clock to make it to 1...in my world, 30 is a new hour, but not quite fully into the day.

I know, that makes no sense (I'm typing this at night while my mind is reeling). It's because I'm feeling a little punchy about this "in my thirties" thing. I'm still young! I'm still hip! But I'm also halfway to needing a replacement hip!! Lord, help me! I'm not ready to "age."

In pondering all this I was reminded that there was a sort of mecca for being in my 30s. It was a TV show called Thirtysomething. I queued it up on NetFlix (love NetFlix! See? I'm with it!) and watched Episode 1.

Oh, the hair! Oh, the pleated pants!

Okay, I remember this show being on TV when I was a kid. But...yeah...it came out when I was 6. SIX! That aside, I completely related with the wife n the show who is suffering from severe PPD and had a hubby who was very...um...handsy. It was like watching my life from 2007-2009 in one hour. I couldn't believe I related to a show that was initially aimed at My MOM! Feeling old again.

I'm not sure what the point is here aside from I'm realizing I'm not 20 anymore. Its a little depressing. But hey...I'm in my thirties...I'm allowed a glass of real wine to go with my whine, right? Right.

The First Day of School

2011-08-26T08:57:00.000-04:00

First off - My sweet little red-headed newborn starts Kindergarten next year. I am baffled. I can't believe this is her 3rd and final year of Preschool!

But the kids started school yesterday. Mac in 3K and SB in 4K. I started them both in the 2-year-old class. It's been amazing watching their progress over the past few years.

SB is so terribly bright. She's very smart, she loves to learn and "loves homework."
Mac has come so far. He's so inquisitive and sops up new stuff like a sponge!

All parents think their children are prodigies. I am no exception. They both have their strengths, but I know both have their weaknesses as well. I think Mac will be an expert at problem solving. He's very hands-on and will learn best that way. Where I think SB is a thinker - she loves to write and work numbers. Both of them love patterns and rhythms.

I'm so thankful for their Preschool. It's a wonderful Christian environment and I wish we had the funds to send them to the private Christian K-12 next year, but I don't foresee that happening (esp. with Mac being just a year behind - so double the price in two years).

So here's a picture - and bonus of the last two years...

2011-2012 school year

2010-2011 school year

2009-2010 school year... my how she's grown!

Where have my babies gone?