Christmas Detox

Wow. What a Christmas! The girls were happy with their new doll house and soccer goal, not to mention the miscellaneous dolls, movies, books, etc. The swing set is, unfortunately, still sitting in the yard, waiting for our friend to put it together.

I thought many times about him (not our friend...but our future son). I wondered where he was, if he WAS yet... I wondered what he was doing and what his Christmas was like. I prayed that he would have enough Christmases with us post-adoption that he wouldn't even think about the ones before (if they were bad).

We received the final (signed) formal application paperwork but have to wait to send the fee. We had hoped to send it earlier but the case didn't come through when we thought it would. Hopefully it will be before February, but...if it doesn't come then obviously God has a reason.

We are all tired from the holidays. Our mom's (Garry's and mine) left this morning. My dad left Saturday. The girls are just relaxing today.

The house improvements look awesome. The bookshelves are perfect. It was great to free up some storage room in the attic and in his room (we had books in boxes in his closet).

Oh and I sewed pillows...yep...non-domestic goddess I am. My mom taught me.

Oh and the new light fixtures change the look of the house completely.

Tired Saturdays

This should be the name of all Saturdays. "Tired Saturdays." It's amazing how busy two girls can be. Here are the basics
6:15 am:
Lily: Daddy get up! Daddy I'm hungry. Daddy can you get me a string-cheese.
Garry: Why can't Momma get it?
Lily: Because she's sleeping.

7:15 am:
Mia: Tookie!!
Me: Mia you've had 2 cookies (Nutri-grain bars). You can have an egg or you can have milk.
Mia: Cacker!

8:15 am
Lily: Mimi come play in my room.
Mia: Otay
Lily: Don't play with my stuff. ok?

9:15 am
Me: Mia Clare get down off the table.
Mia: Si down, Si down (jumping on the table)
Me: Mia I'm not kidding you are going to fall and hurt yourself
Mia: Weeeeeee (as she jumps into my arms from the table top)

10-12:30

Workout while Mia sleeps. Garry and Lily run errands with Garry's mom. Get a shower. They come back. Mia wakes up.

1:15
(after she's already eaten lunch)
Mia: Cheeze!
Me: you just ate Mia you don't need anything. Would you like some water?
(I make the cup and hand it to her, she takes a sip, looks at it, takes it to open fridge where Garry is standing and sticks it in, then points to the cheese drawer
Mia: Cheeze!
Garry: At least she didn't ask for a tookie.

2:15 (rest-time)
Lily: Mia!!! Don't take my spot! You have to get on your side of the couch.
Mia: Arghhhhhh!
Lily: Don't take my book! Momma she won't leave my stuff alone.
Me: You should share, Lily. Sharing is fun.
Lily: Sharing is not fun, Momma. I don't know where you got that.
Mia: Arghhhhhh!

3:15
(playing tea party in Lily's room)
Lily: Ok, now Mia you have this tea and this cupcake and I have mine.
No, Mia you can't eat my cupcake.
Mia: wgwgwuhghgrghrg
Lily: Well, that's not how it works. You have your cupcake and I have mine.
Mia: sdfsugbidugbggjoj
Lily: Well ok, I guess you can have a bite of mine.

4:15
Grocery store

5:15
Lily: Hey momma. Did you get me a gummy (piece of gum)
Me: I did but did you finish your dinner
(She runs over the table, shoves 4 grapes in her mouth at once and comes back)
Lily: yep

6:15
(Holding hands)
Lily: Ring around the roses, Pocket full of poses, ashes ashes we all fall down. Mia you're not supposed to fall until you say fall down.
Mia: down!
Lily: Momma she needs to stop falling down.
Me: Well Lily she's a baby, she doesn't quite get it. You have to teach her.
Lily: Well, I mean, I can't teach her, ...Patton can teach her.
Me: Well dogs don't usually teach people.
Lily: I lick like Patton.

7:15
Garry: Ok Lily get ready for bed.
Lily: NOOOOO
Garry: It's that time. Sorry. Turn the Grinch off.
Polly: Remember Lily Santa is watching you and you need to be a good girl.
Lily: Yeah, Santa is bringing me a swingset for Christmas.
Garry: Oh really?
Lily: yeah
Polly: Well maybe if you're a good girl, Santa will put it together for you.
Garry: Oh no, Santa will just be delivering it. Daddy will have to put it together...IF she gets one.
Lily: No, Daddy, Pop (my dad) will have to put it together.

8:45 bedtime...
No Joke

"I met your son today..."

So the decision to adopt was never really a decision. It was never a matter of "if" but rather a matter of "when". When just happens to be now.

So we found our handling agency (Tree of Life) and our home study agency (Bethany). We've filled out forms, signed and notarized documents, asked loads of questions, and now we're just waiting on the money to come through. We've been busy making improvements to the house...updating the kitchen, having bookshelves put in for storage (Amen to that), painted our contractor-beige walls, refinished the kitchen table...I could go on...but I won't because you don't care.

So we painted "his" room blue. I know, it's cliche', but we have two girls so the pink palette's a bit used up. We don't have anything set up yet. We have family coming in for Christmas so we figured better to do that after the holidays.

For Starters...

So, here we go. I'm not typically a "blogger". In fact, the term "blogger" scares me witless. It's like those female parties that women go to... Pampered Chef, Tupperware, and the weird one with all the silver jewelry, help me here. Oh, well no matter.

So blogging. Again, I say, I'm not usually a blogger.

However, as we approach the time and the decision to adopt a boy from Bulgaria, I feel a need to chronicle the experience. Why? Don't really know. Just feel it.

Perhaps it's the need to let others know what the process is like, perhaps it's the innate need to feel like when something does go wrong (which it will), I will need someone to tell. Or Something. I guess it's Orwellian to personify the Internet, but that's the world we live in. I like my ipod and my mac as much as the next person.

So here we go.

"There and back again"...