Swimming, Dogs and China...

Okay...it has been "a while" since the last post. Everyone has been left "hanging"...all 2 people that read my blog! Just kidding! Wesley's cast is now OFF after 3 weeks and he is wearing a brace for 3 more weeks...however,the biggest question has been answered for him-HE CAN STILL SWIM! That was really all he was worried about I do believe!
And, the dog, God love the dog...she is doing "okay". It has been harder than I thought to keep her "still". She has gone up the stairs several times...shhhhh, don't tell her vet/surgeon! And, she has run twice...once again, keep that on the "down low". But, I have to say emphatically that IT WAS NOT OUR FAULT. All of these instances happened without us knowing...or watching her close enough...WHATEVER! She goes back on Friday to be checked...we will see if any damage was done. I pray not, this surgery was such a HUGE deal and the recovery is such a HUGE deal, that I hope everything goes smoothly...I will keep everyone posted!
Finally, adoption news...well, there really isn't any news...as usual! I have to say that the events happening in China are simply gut wrenching! It is hard to even wrap your mind around the devastation going on there...I KNOW this will slow our adoption even more...now, I feel like it will be next year...maybe even late next year, before we get our daughter. I can't think about that though. I just keep praying that things can be made whole in this country again. When I catch myself thinking selfishly about our FOREVER AND A DAY wait for Taryn...I have to remember who is in control, and how ALL things come together for good. I have to remember this as fact, and then pray for those suffering in China right now...setting aside my wants. I would much rather keep waiting if I thought more children would be aided by doing so, then to go now...HONESTLY! It will come...it will come...she will come.

Drama!!!!

We have had "drama" at our house lately...not that drama isn't a regular visitor here, because "she" is...but, we have had her visit in the form of injuries. Yes, Wesley has had his first trampoline accident (not at our house says the pediatric nurse mom!). He was, and I quote, "trying to reach the tallest branch on the tree..." when he fell the wrong way and broke his left ankle! We were in the ER until 2am and the the "casting" took two or three hours the next day. So now he is sporting a UK blue cast, a "fancy" boot, and crutches. He is like a rock star in the second grade! The other kids have loved signing his cast and helping him do whatever it is they do in the second grade. Then, to top off the medical fun in our home...our dog Sallie had her ACL repaired today! So, she is now confined to her kennel for 6 weeks and we are looking at 6-8 months recovery time. We have taken a lot of lip about getting our dog's knee fixed...but, she is a member of our family and honestly an AWESOME dog...so, come on people, let us just do what needs to be done with her and move on already!
On a different note, I have to give props to my sister Melissa Corder Forester for helping me re-design my blog! She is a very talented graphic artist and is teaching me new techniques (which really aren't "new", but I am not as swift on the computer!) as well as designing my header! The black and white pic is me as a little girl and the other pic is of our boys...I will have to ask her where the picture of my hubby is as a little boy...hmmmm.
Remember to keep praying for China right now...I am sure everyone is following the news, it is just breaking my heart to see the devastation! I have a friend over there right now picking up her daughter (EmmaLi Rebecca) and they were forced to evacuate their hotel in Beijing due to the effects of the earthquake! It was felt that far away from the site! They are okay however, and will be heading home soon!
Everyone stay safe...and keep your kiddo's off the trampoline! Peace out...

"Faith is believing in the unseen, as though it is seen..."

Okay, so the good news is that referrals came in for those people that had LID's (log in dates) of 1/12/2008 (YEAH!)...The bad news is that China seems to be processing by 3 day increments. What the bloody heck? Why? If this keeps up we will not go to China until NEXT JULY! Yes, I said, NEXT JULY!!! I don't know what to think! The funny thing is I have really "stepped up" the praying on getting our referral soon...and all of a sudden the process slows down even more! I have to remember...Faith, Faith, Faith...my "mantra" at this point! I can only believe that there is a reason for all of this. I swear, if we had known it would take a bazillion years to adopt from China, we would have waited to tell people about it! I know I am not the only adoptive mom in waiting out there that is very tired of hearing "so, where are you at with your adoption..." or "have you heard anything..." or, my personal favorite, "How much money have you given so far, can you get any of it back..." Anyway, looking on the positive side, we are 3 days closer to bringing our daughter home. And, we will continue praying for her regardless of the circumstances. We should name her Taryn Faith, instead of Taryn Joy...except "Faith" doesn't sound all that great with "Feck"! Okay, enough! Peace out...

Just "checkin in"!

Hey! This is the "fabulous" Eva...my niece from Guatamala! She just came home this past January...isn't she ADORABLE! "Eva the Diva", that is what I call her! She is darlin'!!!
One of my Internet friends is getting ready to go pick up her daughter in China in a few days. It has made me REALLY want to go! It is getting ridiculous how long this wait has been! Most days I am really positive about it...like "there is a reason for everything..." but, on those days that I am not so "glass half full" it is definitely harder. Today has been one of those days! I know I will outlast, outwit, and outplay (borrowing from Jeff Probst!) this absurd wait...it is just SO DARN HARD! I mean, seriously, what is the BIG DEAL over there? Really? Does it really have to take 3-4 years to adopt a baby from an orphanage into a good home? This is one area where "money" does not talk!!! If it did...we would have her by now!
Anyway, just expressing the thoughts in my head on this "wait" issue. I KNOW I am not alone! There are plenty of other parents just as frustrated and just as anxious! It is a shame that there are so many good and willing families waiting to help these girls and we are all at the mercy of a country and it's government! So, today I go to sleep again. Praying that our Taryn is safe and healthy. Praying that the doors to China will open quickly...miraculously. Praying that we will be able to stand the wait with patience and grace. And, always, thanking God for what we DO have...a WONDERFUL marriage, two WONDERFUL boys, and of course our AWESOME friends! Peace out!

Blogging and You Tube "junkie"

I am turning into a You Tube "junkie". I found that if you type in "Gotcha videos" or "adoption videos" there are like 16 bazillion of them to watch...most from China. So I am living my "dream" through everyone else's videos right now! It is little stuff like this that helps with the wait. I don't buy Taryn anything...like clothes and toys, because I don't know what size she will be and I am forcing myself to wait to do these things. But, watching other people receive their daughters and prepare for there daughters (on blogs!) gives me a glimpse into what is in store for us! So, I have officially become a "lurker" according to the cyberworld. I don't know if that is good or bad, sounds kind of like "stalking"...but anyhoo! Have a great day!

"I'M HUNGRY!"

Okay, I am being "tortured" emotionally right now by my 8 year old! We started, as a family, to eat healthier a few months back...However, Wesley (my 8 year old) is the picky eater of the family...so I have been "working around him" (a.k.a. still giving him "crappy" processed food) just to keep the peace. Well, Steve and I had decided that after his crap food was gone we were going to provide healthy alternatives (ex: low sugar fruit loops instead of the regular; whole grain waffles instead of frozen pancakes; fruit instead of fruit snacks; etc...). It is not like we are asking him to eat spinach and brussel sprouts...but, I am just trying to buy less junk food and he was the last man standing when it came to still eating this stuff! I also want to throw a disclaimer out there that we are not against the "crap" food...we just all need to lose some weight and that was part of the problem! This just helps put "limits" on what we choose at our house...Anyway, so today I wake up to my 8 year old laying on the kitchen floor crying...sobbing really..."I'm hungry Mommy... I'm Hungry..." over and over and over again. It doesn't matter that we have a kitchen filled with $150 dollars worth of groceries...we don't have his "old staples". Once again, let me remind you that we DO have the alternatives mentioned above, so it is not like we are starving anyone...and when you see his picture, you will see that my kids are NOT STARVING! So, I feel horrible because I want so badly to "give in" but on the flip side it seems silly to not even try the alternatives he is being offered! AGHHHHH! I feel like a "wicked Mommy"...holler at me if you have been here! Parenting is HARD! So, for now I am leaving him crying his "I'm hungry" mantra to go get ready for church...God forgive me for "starving" my kid!

note: As I was getting up to go get ready he says in a small voice..."Mommy, can you make me some life cereal with milk...?" SCORE one for the team!

I'm back...well, maybe!

I am tired of reading these great adoption blogs and feeling totally incompetent on how to even begin to make mine look like that! It has been a year since I even opened my blog...and, now for some reason...jealousy of other blogs has prompted me to re-open mine. I have to say that I HAVE NO CLUE as to how to even get mine as "cute" and read worthy as the other blogs I have been "lurking" on...but, I will worry about that tomorrow! Right now, I just wanted to even see if I could post anything on my old blog! And, I will try my darnedest (this word was corrected by spell check...I didn't realize it was even a word! Hmmmm, ya think I am gonna need help?) to figure out what to do from here! Still waiting for our Taryn by the way!!!!