We went over to water our veges in my friend's garden this morning. I was hoeing away some of the weeds around the plants, when I hear Hannah screaming. I figured that perhaps she had been stung or bit by something. She was clear on the other side of the yard. So, I start running over there and realize she was soaking wet. From her hair all the way to her shoes. Apparently, she got too interested in the goldfish in my friends goldfish pond and fell in. All the way under. Thank God she got out or didn't bump her head. She HATES to get wet, other than in the bath or a pool. She won't play in the sprinkler, she won't play with water balloons, she does not like to get wet in her clothes. So, I had to listen to her scream and lament while I finished watering and hoeing, b/c I wasn't going to go home, change her and come back. Thankfully, I had a towel in the car, I could wrap her up in on the drive home.
Monday, July 28, 2008
I have been tagged by www.hyperactivelu.com
6 Random Things about me...
1. I can't stand to have pruny fingers from staying in water too long. When I take a bath, I get in, then dry my hands off and keep them out of the water. If I have so many dishes to wash that my fingers start to wrinkle up, I have to stop, give them time to recover their normal shape, and then wash the rest.
2. I can't stand a messy kitchen. I have to have clean counter space in order to cook.
3. I don't like to decorate and it doesn't even bother me at all when my house doesn't match - other than the fact that it probably bothers other people who come and visit. But hey, I guess I am doing a service in making them feel better about their house!
4. I love historical Christian fiction novels and when we get to the library weekly, I probably read 2-4 a week. I would rather read than watch tv and sometimes when Aaron is watching shows I don't like, we can still be together. Reading novels is like watching a movie in your head...I love it!
5. I have always wanted to live on a farm. I love the smell of the animals. (except the smell of chicken farms - a new smell that I have been exposed to since moving here. It ranks right up there with the smell of paper factorys - which I always thought smelled like creamed corn)
6. I also love to listen to Conservative Talk Radio. I love our current President!
Here are the rules.
Link to the person who tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
Write six random things about yourself.
Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.
Let your tagger know when your blog entry is up.
I will tag....
Ashley at www.griner6.blogspot.com
7. I can't think of anyone else to tag that actually knows me that has a blog.
8. I apparently need more blogging buddies.
6 Random Things about me...
1. I can't stand to have pruny fingers from staying in water too long. When I take a bath, I get in, then dry my hands off and keep them out of the water. If I have so many dishes to wash that my fingers start to wrinkle up, I have to stop, give them time to recover their normal shape, and then wash the rest.
2. I can't stand a messy kitchen. I have to have clean counter space in order to cook.
3. I don't like to decorate and it doesn't even bother me at all when my house doesn't match - other than the fact that it probably bothers other people who come and visit. But hey, I guess I am doing a service in making them feel better about their house!
4. I love historical Christian fiction novels and when we get to the library weekly, I probably read 2-4 a week. I would rather read than watch tv and sometimes when Aaron is watching shows I don't like, we can still be together. Reading novels is like watching a movie in your head...I love it!
5. I have always wanted to live on a farm. I love the smell of the animals. (except the smell of chicken farms - a new smell that I have been exposed to since moving here. It ranks right up there with the smell of paper factorys - which I always thought smelled like creamed corn)
6. I also love to listen to Conservative Talk Radio. I love our current President!
Here are the rules.
Link to the person who tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
Write six random things about yourself.
Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.
Let your tagger know when your blog entry is up.
I will tag....
Ashley at www.griner6.blogspot.com
7. I can't think of anyone else to tag that actually knows me that has a blog.
8. I apparently need more blogging buddies.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
VBS #5 and Old Friends
Girls went to their 5th VBS for the summer today. It was only a one day deal, but they had a lot of fun. Took a friend from church with them and talked me into letting her stay the night. In spite of it being WILD today, the house is actually looking better. Kittens are so much fun for little girls to play with.I spent this morning cleaning our dining room. It was so messy. In anticipation for this weekend, which I thought would be moving weekend, I have neglected cleaning and spent more time packing. But now that I know we have at least another week or two here, I couldn't stand the mess anymore. We can actually eat at the kitchen table again!
Since the girls had a friend over, I was also able to clean the bathroom and kitchen, and fold and put away 2 loads of laundry with minimal interruptions. Most of the time, the girls would have been helping more, but it was nice to do it alone and more thoroughly.
One of my best friends from SC has a grown daughter that moved an hour from us last year. She had called saying that they were coming this weekend and wanted to see us. They stopped by and followed us out to the new house and since we haven't closed, we couldn't go in, but they at least saw the land. They bought 70+ acres in SC and let us plant 500 Christmas trees on their land to grow and sell. Then a month later, we found out we were moving out of state. But that is another story. I told them next time the come to visit, we will drive to come meet them for supper or something. We were too good of friends to be so close when she visits her daughter without meeting up. I was so happy to see them, it brings back so many memories. Makes me miss having good friends so close. Moving to a new state is an adventure, but it has some drawbacks too. Like having to start all over getting to know people and find new friends.
The kittens like to sleep in the stroller. Yesterday, I found two of them curled up together. Hannah took one out and pushed the other. 
Friday, July 25, 2008
Encouraged
5 As you do not know the path of the wind,
or how the body is formed [a] in a mother's womb,
so you cannot understand the work of God,
the Maker of all things.
6 Sow your seed in the morning,
and at evening let not your hands be idle,
for you do not know which will succeed,
whether this or that,
or whether both will do equally well.
I found these verses in Ecclesiastes 11 last night and felt they were appropriate. Being in limbo with things (adoption and buying the house) I feel like I should be able to control, but it is obvious I have no control of, at least I know that God knows what is going on and is orchestrating it. Rather than waste my time throwing pity parties I should be keeping busy with what God has given me. Just like these verses say... I do my part, and stay busy while waiting for God to bring the results.
I had my important phone call from the adoption agency that was due at 3pm. I kept telling the girls all day. DO NOT talk to me or come into the room during this phone call. Then right at 3, I happened to look at the phone I was carrying around and it said "line in use" We have 3 phones and I quickly found one other, but one was missing and apparently was off the hook. Since I have been on the verge of tears this week anyway, the missing one was about to send me over the edge. I finally found it in the couch and sure enough it was turned on. While I discovered that, the agency called me on my cell phone. I was able to call him back on the landline and we had a good talk. It is very sad to probably have to change countries again, and in no way do I blame the agency. I don't want our struggles to discourage anyone from adopting. As I told our agency worker, I know God called us to adopt, we thought our child as in Guatemala, but apparently we were wrong, so we thought she was in Vietnam, and we are probably going to be wrong again. But I know God has a plan, and He knows what "distractions" we needed to get us to the right country at the exact time when that child He picked our family for is timed to be matched with us. And I know that when that happens, and we bring her home, that we will be so thankful God led us down this sad, frustrating path. It is hard to keep the big picture in mind and not get angry. I will not give up! People may see our "bad luck" of paying money into not one, but two countries that happened to close right after we get on waiting lists, and say "why don't you give up?" "maybe it's not meant to be", or what I heard yesterday "at what point do you think God may be telling you no?"
Think of any Bible examples. Since when did God tell someone to do something and it all go so smoothly without any effort or perserverance of the person obeying?
By the way, we will pretty much be starting from scratch with the money thing when we change countries. It will not transfer. Also, he said that he will be travelling to a few countries next month in hopes that they can start adoption programs there. I asked if they would be ready by September, and he said hopefully they might be able to take applications by that point. I hope that they are countries that we qualify for and that will give us more options as to where to go next. They are still encouraging everyone to stay in the program until September 1 when the final decision will be made as to whether the program will close and as to whether they will be grandfathering everyone in.
or how the body is formed [a] in a mother's womb,
so you cannot understand the work of God,
the Maker of all things.
6 Sow your seed in the morning,
and at evening let not your hands be idle,
for you do not know which will succeed,
whether this or that,
or whether both will do equally well.
I found these verses in Ecclesiastes 11 last night and felt they were appropriate. Being in limbo with things (adoption and buying the house) I feel like I should be able to control, but it is obvious I have no control of, at least I know that God knows what is going on and is orchestrating it. Rather than waste my time throwing pity parties I should be keeping busy with what God has given me. Just like these verses say... I do my part, and stay busy while waiting for God to bring the results.
I had my important phone call from the adoption agency that was due at 3pm. I kept telling the girls all day. DO NOT talk to me or come into the room during this phone call. Then right at 3, I happened to look at the phone I was carrying around and it said "line in use" We have 3 phones and I quickly found one other, but one was missing and apparently was off the hook. Since I have been on the verge of tears this week anyway, the missing one was about to send me over the edge. I finally found it in the couch and sure enough it was turned on. While I discovered that, the agency called me on my cell phone. I was able to call him back on the landline and we had a good talk. It is very sad to probably have to change countries again, and in no way do I blame the agency. I don't want our struggles to discourage anyone from adopting. As I told our agency worker, I know God called us to adopt, we thought our child as in Guatemala, but apparently we were wrong, so we thought she was in Vietnam, and we are probably going to be wrong again. But I know God has a plan, and He knows what "distractions" we needed to get us to the right country at the exact time when that child He picked our family for is timed to be matched with us. And I know that when that happens, and we bring her home, that we will be so thankful God led us down this sad, frustrating path. It is hard to keep the big picture in mind and not get angry. I will not give up! People may see our "bad luck" of paying money into not one, but two countries that happened to close right after we get on waiting lists, and say "why don't you give up?" "maybe it's not meant to be", or what I heard yesterday "at what point do you think God may be telling you no?"
Think of any Bible examples. Since when did God tell someone to do something and it all go so smoothly without any effort or perserverance of the person obeying?
By the way, we will pretty much be starting from scratch with the money thing when we change countries. It will not transfer. Also, he said that he will be travelling to a few countries next month in hopes that they can start adoption programs there. I asked if they would be ready by September, and he said hopefully they might be able to take applications by that point. I hope that they are countries that we qualify for and that will give us more options as to where to go next. They are still encouraging everyone to stay in the program until September 1 when the final decision will be made as to whether the program will close and as to whether they will be grandfathering everyone in.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Closing Postponed
Well, I probably shouldn't be blogging right now. You know how if you don't have something good to say, then don't say it. I will try to be objective.
Our closing has been postponed. Until at least August 1st or August 4th. Apparently, the seller's mortgage company won't have things ready until then.
What does that mean for us?
*$600 more in rent since we won't be moving out before the first of next month. (yes, we probably will ask if we can pay by the week).
*Another week or two of living in a 3/4 packed house.
*Makes it more likely that Aaron will be gone on a fire when we close or move, since he has almost always gone on fires during August.
*I know I am being whiny, but it drags this process on another week or two or who knows.
*I have to try to plan a well drilling around an unknown date.
*There is more to be said, but there may be some blog readers that may know both me and the seller, and in this town, Aaron and I are the outsiders since we have lived here only a year, and yes, everyone in this town knows everyone else.
For instance, I went to look at refrigerators today and told the lady that I was just browsing for a house we were supposed to be buying. She asked whose, and since I couldn't think of a fake name (just kidding), I told her and of course, she knew her plus a few other things.
The problems with the house closing, added to the adoption problems, has me just about in tears.
Here is my earlier lament to Aaron "You know, I stay home and take care of the kids like God wants me to, and it seems like everything we do costs more money than most people because something always goes wrong. I feel like I am doing what God wants and giving up a lot of money, but then it seems like we just get tested with this over and over"
We lost over $5000 that was nonrefundable when Guatemala closed and we had to change to Vietnam. I took that in stride. Got over it, trusted, etc. If Guatemala hadn't closed, we would probably be about to bring home a baby right now. Now Vietnam is about to close and tomorrow, I have a phone appointment with someone from our agency to talk about options and money and how much we are going to lose..again if it closes and we drop out or switch countries.
Alright, enough of my pity party. I am going to count my blessings and perhaps get out of this bad mood, so the kids don't get the fallout of stuff that doesn't have anything to do with them.
Our closing has been postponed. Until at least August 1st or August 4th. Apparently, the seller's mortgage company won't have things ready until then.
What does that mean for us?
*$600 more in rent since we won't be moving out before the first of next month. (yes, we probably will ask if we can pay by the week).
*Another week or two of living in a 3/4 packed house.
*Makes it more likely that Aaron will be gone on a fire when we close or move, since he has almost always gone on fires during August.
*I know I am being whiny, but it drags this process on another week or two or who knows.
*I have to try to plan a well drilling around an unknown date.
*There is more to be said, but there may be some blog readers that may know both me and the seller, and in this town, Aaron and I are the outsiders since we have lived here only a year, and yes, everyone in this town knows everyone else.
For instance, I went to look at refrigerators today and told the lady that I was just browsing for a house we were supposed to be buying. She asked whose, and since I couldn't think of a fake name (just kidding), I told her and of course, she knew her plus a few other things.
The problems with the house closing, added to the adoption problems, has me just about in tears.
Here is my earlier lament to Aaron "You know, I stay home and take care of the kids like God wants me to, and it seems like everything we do costs more money than most people because something always goes wrong. I feel like I am doing what God wants and giving up a lot of money, but then it seems like we just get tested with this over and over"
We lost over $5000 that was nonrefundable when Guatemala closed and we had to change to Vietnam. I took that in stride. Got over it, trusted, etc. If Guatemala hadn't closed, we would probably be about to bring home a baby right now. Now Vietnam is about to close and tomorrow, I have a phone appointment with someone from our agency to talk about options and money and how much we are going to lose..again if it closes and we drop out or switch countries.
Alright, enough of my pity party. I am going to count my blessings and perhaps get out of this bad mood, so the kids don't get the fallout of stuff that doesn't have anything to do with them.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
To close or not to close...
It just wouldn't be us if everything went smoothly in any kind of endeavor we go on.
We are supposed to close at 10am on Friday morning. The seller of the other house brought up a problem she has with her own mortgage company on Monday or Tuesday. Our realtor called to tell us that it may be a problem, but then called later to say that the other realtor said it wouldn't be a problem.... But I learned today that apparently it is a problem that has to be fixed before closing.
Then the well water had to be tested, even though we were planning on digging our own well as soon as we move. So that was sent on Tuesday, and when I had called on Monday to ask the Health Dept. for our own well, how long testing took, she said 4-5 days. But perhaps, they will fax the results back, since they know we are waiting for it to close.
So the verdict right now is no verdict at all. I don't know what the mortgage company will do if the water comes back contaminated.
So, even though we are supposed to close in 36 hours, it still may not happen. Actually, it probably won't happen unless the well water comes back exceptionally fast and she fixes the problems she has with her mortgage company really fast, as in tomorrow.
Now I am still in the last days of packing delimma...
Do I have to have it in the next 2days-2weeks or should I stick it in the box. I don't know how many times the girls have asked for something and I say "it is packed already" and they say "which box?" and I say "we aren't unpacking anything until we move"
The youth group at church kept the K-6th grade from 11-4pm today. They ate lunch, watched movies, and walked to the elementary school to play kickball and water balloons. I had 5 hours to myself. AHHHHHH!!
I was able to get half the kitchen packed and clean off the counter completely. Also, the many phone calls back and forth with our realtor. I relaxed a little and had a good afternoon.
We are supposed to close at 10am on Friday morning. The seller of the other house brought up a problem she has with her own mortgage company on Monday or Tuesday. Our realtor called to tell us that it may be a problem, but then called later to say that the other realtor said it wouldn't be a problem.... But I learned today that apparently it is a problem that has to be fixed before closing.
Then the well water had to be tested, even though we were planning on digging our own well as soon as we move. So that was sent on Tuesday, and when I had called on Monday to ask the Health Dept. for our own well, how long testing took, she said 4-5 days. But perhaps, they will fax the results back, since they know we are waiting for it to close.
So the verdict right now is no verdict at all. I don't know what the mortgage company will do if the water comes back contaminated.
So, even though we are supposed to close in 36 hours, it still may not happen. Actually, it probably won't happen unless the well water comes back exceptionally fast and she fixes the problems she has with her mortgage company really fast, as in tomorrow.
Now I am still in the last days of packing delimma...
Do I have to have it in the next 2days-2weeks or should I stick it in the box. I don't know how many times the girls have asked for something and I say "it is packed already" and they say "which box?" and I say "we aren't unpacking anything until we move"
The youth group at church kept the K-6th grade from 11-4pm today. They ate lunch, watched movies, and walked to the elementary school to play kickball and water balloons. I had 5 hours to myself. AHHHHHH!!
I was able to get half the kitchen packed and clean off the counter completely. Also, the many phone calls back and forth with our realtor. I relaxed a little and had a good afternoon.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Case worker email
Last night I emailed our case worker to see if she knew what number we were in the 1700+. She emailed me back and said there was no way of knowing, and although she was encouraged, there is someone from the agency going to call is this week to talk about our options. So, now I am discouraged again. Perhaps they are calling everyone. I didn't think they would talk to us about our options (unless we initiated it) until Sept. 1. But now I wonder if they think we don't have a chance.
If we do have to change countries - please pray that God steers us in the direction that He wants us to go.
If we do have to change countries - please pray that God steers us in the direction that He wants us to go.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Adoption news - Praying for a number less than 780
The following I got from a link to, I think it was the joint counsil, from our adoption agency today. I have no idea where we are in the 1,728 dossiers filed in Vietnam, but our dossier was finally translated and registered in Vietnam back around the first part of March. That means we have been registered almost 5 months! Although our agency stopped taking dossiers for Vietnam back in April, apparently other agencies were actually allowed to file up until July 1st. Oh how I hope we will be in the top 780. And if we do get a referral in the next few months it will be about 6-12 months sooner than predicted. I am ready mentally, although financially, well, I will have to depend on God to take care of the worry about that as it comes. I spared you the whole article, which reads "blah blah blah blah" but later on in the article, it did state that they're trying to process in 2 months, what usually is processed over a years' time, will probably cause some snags and backloggs, which probably means that travel time may be farther off than it normally is. Who knows, when they told us travel time from referral to going to pick up the baby, it was 1-7 months, depending on the orphanage.
"It is also our understanding that as of July 1, 2008, approximately 1,728 dossiers were filed by American prospective adoptive parents with the DIA. The DIA estimates that approximately 780 of the 1,728 dossiers will receive formal referrals by September 1, 2008. The approximately 950 dossiers that are not processed and matched by September 1, 2008, will be returned to the appropriate adoption service provider.
The 780 prospective adoptive parents who may receive a referral prior to September 1, 2008, represent virtually the same number of referrals issued and processed in Vietnam across all of calendar year 2007. Joint Council extends it appreciation to the Vietnamese DIA for its commitment to finding families for the orphans of Vietnam and its intention to issue close to 800 referrals in a 2-month period. This effort on the part of the DIA will certainly benefit these children who are in need of permanent, safe and loving families."
"It is also our understanding that as of July 1, 2008, approximately 1,728 dossiers were filed by American prospective adoptive parents with the DIA. The DIA estimates that approximately 780 of the 1,728 dossiers will receive formal referrals by September 1, 2008. The approximately 950 dossiers that are not processed and matched by September 1, 2008, will be returned to the appropriate adoption service provider.
The 780 prospective adoptive parents who may receive a referral prior to September 1, 2008, represent virtually the same number of referrals issued and processed in Vietnam across all of calendar year 2007. Joint Council extends it appreciation to the Vietnamese DIA for its commitment to finding families for the orphans of Vietnam and its intention to issue close to 800 referrals in a 2-month period. This effort on the part of the DIA will certainly benefit these children who are in need of permanent, safe and loving families."
So much laundry...so little desire to deal with it
I think the girls and I have folded and put away at least 6 baskets of laundry in the last 12 hours...and there is more in the washer and dryer. That doesn't count the 2-3 baskets of clothes in my bedroom that I need to sort through before the move. I hate sorting! Today, my goal is to get everything in my bedroom that is not in a dressor or hung up in the closet sorted and packed.
Oh, an update to the last post - there has been no more vomiting! Yippee!
Yesterday was a nice day. Although I was pretty tired the whole day. I had attempted to sleep on Madelyn's mattress on the floor of the living room Saturday night. In case she got sick again, I wanted to be close to her. But she was breathing so loud and making so much noise (which has always been a problem for her), that finally after falling asleep at 2am then waking at 3:30, I went to my bed and asked Aaron if he would sleep out there with her, since he sleeps sounder than me. Also, I reasoned in my very tired state, that since he has been unable to hear well lately, esp in his right ear, he could just sleep on his left side and it would be like wearing earplugs.
We went to Church services in the morning and then over to some friends' house for lunch with their family. I took the girls' swimsuits, so after lunch they all got to swim, while we sat on the porch and watched. These friends live on a huge farm, and all you see from the back of their porch is a lot of acres with some cows and the distant hills far off. Very pretty and peacefull. We got home about 3:30, and I finally laid down around 4:30 for about 45 min before evening services. Hannah didn't take a nap, and therefore fell asleep before the first song was over, but not after having a typical Hannah arguement with me.
Hannah hasn't done this in a while, but she brought it back last night in a moment of no-nap sleepiness. She had wanted gum, so I gave her a 1/2 piece. She was upset that she only got a 1/2 piece. We are whispering this whole time, since services have started. She asks why she got a small piece. I tell her to hush. She asks why again. I tell her to quit talking, that is all she is getting. I look ahead, letting her know the conversation is over. She taps me on the shoulder, not letting it drop.
I look at her and say "be quiet"
She taps me on the shoulder and says" I have to tell you something"
I warn her "it better not have anything to do with the gum"
So what does she have to say "why didn't you give me a bigger piece of gum?"
So after a swat, she crawled in my lap and went to sleep(after I made her spit out her gum). She just can't let things go.
We are still waiting to hear back about the appraisal of the house we are buying. Hope it appraises at what she is asking for it, or the deal is off. I hate waiting until the last minute for things. I don't want to set up home insurance, etc. to start on Friday, if there is going to be a snag in the process. Only 3 more whole days until closing. Aaron and I were trying to think of what to do with the girls and there is good news for this Saturday. I called a church that they attended VBS at last year to see if they were having one this year, and she said it was going to be Saturday from 8:30- 1. Hopefully Aaron and I can get a lot done that morning without 3 kids underfoot.
Yesterday afternoon, the supervisor at work called to see if I could come in and finish someone's shift for them. The message went something like "Karen, wanted to see if you could finish ________'s 3-11 shift for her... she's got the diarrhea" After hearing it, Aaron said "If you ever have to call in sick, don't tell them what's wrong with you or they'll tell everyone they call to replace you" I didn't think anything about it until he pointed it out. I guess as nurses, we are so used to talking matter of fact about some thing, it just comes out, no need to sugar coat it.
Oh, an update to the last post - there has been no more vomiting! Yippee!
Yesterday was a nice day. Although I was pretty tired the whole day. I had attempted to sleep on Madelyn's mattress on the floor of the living room Saturday night. In case she got sick again, I wanted to be close to her. But she was breathing so loud and making so much noise (which has always been a problem for her), that finally after falling asleep at 2am then waking at 3:30, I went to my bed and asked Aaron if he would sleep out there with her, since he sleeps sounder than me. Also, I reasoned in my very tired state, that since he has been unable to hear well lately, esp in his right ear, he could just sleep on his left side and it would be like wearing earplugs.
We went to Church services in the morning and then over to some friends' house for lunch with their family. I took the girls' swimsuits, so after lunch they all got to swim, while we sat on the porch and watched. These friends live on a huge farm, and all you see from the back of their porch is a lot of acres with some cows and the distant hills far off. Very pretty and peacefull. We got home about 3:30, and I finally laid down around 4:30 for about 45 min before evening services. Hannah didn't take a nap, and therefore fell asleep before the first song was over, but not after having a typical Hannah arguement with me.
Hannah hasn't done this in a while, but she brought it back last night in a moment of no-nap sleepiness. She had wanted gum, so I gave her a 1/2 piece. She was upset that she only got a 1/2 piece. We are whispering this whole time, since services have started. She asks why she got a small piece. I tell her to hush. She asks why again. I tell her to quit talking, that is all she is getting. I look ahead, letting her know the conversation is over. She taps me on the shoulder, not letting it drop.
I look at her and say "be quiet"
She taps me on the shoulder and says" I have to tell you something"
I warn her "it better not have anything to do with the gum"
So what does she have to say "why didn't you give me a bigger piece of gum?"
So after a swat, she crawled in my lap and went to sleep(after I made her spit out her gum). She just can't let things go.
We are still waiting to hear back about the appraisal of the house we are buying. Hope it appraises at what she is asking for it, or the deal is off. I hate waiting until the last minute for things. I don't want to set up home insurance, etc. to start on Friday, if there is going to be a snag in the process. Only 3 more whole days until closing. Aaron and I were trying to think of what to do with the girls and there is good news for this Saturday. I called a church that they attended VBS at last year to see if they were having one this year, and she said it was going to be Saturday from 8:30- 1. Hopefully Aaron and I can get a lot done that morning without 3 kids underfoot.
Yesterday afternoon, the supervisor at work called to see if I could come in and finish someone's shift for them. The message went something like "Karen, wanted to see if you could finish ________'s 3-11 shift for her... she's got the diarrhea" After hearing it, Aaron said "If you ever have to call in sick, don't tell them what's wrong with you or they'll tell everyone they call to replace you" I didn't think anything about it until he pointed it out. I guess as nurses, we are so used to talking matter of fact about some thing, it just comes out, no need to sugar coat it.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
A picture says it all
I came home from work tonight at 11:30pm. Aaron was still awake, which is not totally unusual for a weekend. But the above is what I saw when walking into the living room.
I looked at Aaron with a "say it isn't so" look, and he just sighed and said "I know."
"When did it start?" I wanted to know.
"About 10:30, I was fixing to go to bed, when I heard her moaning, then she went to the bathroom and I heard her. It was bad."
I know it is too soon to diagnose as the stomach virus, but it wouldn't suprise me a bit. That is Madelyn on the couch, by the way. I have been fighting this nagging fear since we sold our last house that I would get the stomach virus every time we close when selling or buying a house.
Let me go back to Feb. 2003. We bought our first house in SC, and the day we were closing, I was soooo sick at the lawyer's office. I kept thinking to myself that perhaps it was just nerves. I didn't feel nervous, but maybe subconciously, I did. That was Friday morning. I spent all the rest of that day very dizzy, trying to watch Madelyn age 2 and Natalie 10 months while trying not to move off the bed. Aaron was trying to take care of our moving. Poor guy had to do it all alone. Our first night in the house was a Saturday, Aaron had to leave Sunday for a week of training and what I had on Friday was a precursor to a bad case of stomach virus a few days later while home alone for a week with the kids.
Go forward to Feb 2007. The day we closed selling that house was the same day that we drove 6 hours to our new home. I felt bad that morning, waiting for the movers to finally finish packing everything in the semi. I drove the car with the the girls in it b/c it had the air conditioning, while Aaron drove the unairconditioned jeep. Do I drive the hot car without constant talking, or do I drive the car with cold air and constant talking. By the time we were halfway to our new home, I was siiiickkk with a bad headache, hoping that I wouldn't be sick in the car. I came very close to begging Aaron to just let me get a hotel. What an awful day. And for the next two days I was extremely nauseated. Aaron ended up getting that one also.
And now, we are scheduled to close this Friday, and someone has started throwing up. Maybe, just maybe, it is a coincedence. I can only hope what she has isn't contagious.
We did have a good morning. The girls have been wanting to go to "Daddy's work" and hike. So we went and walked around and had a little picnic. It was nice to get into the woods, it has been a while since the girls and I have gotten to go.
I will end with a picture of Duchess, our mother cat who is so scrawny, I took her to the vet last week. She is still nursing the 3 kittens some, but they are eating food too. They are old enough to wean if we could separate them from her. I hope she weans them soon. Although the sweetest cat we have had, she was not the prettiest in the first place. Now that she is skin and bones, well, it doesn't help her appearance. She has very strange color patterns, and her hair is different lengths in different places. Probably hard to see in the picture, but she is a short haired cat except she has approx 1 1/2 inch long hair that hangs down on both side of her spine like a horse's mane. And her tail looks like a squirrel. Anyway, the vet thought that a combination of the heat causing her to not eat as much, nursing the kittens, and probable worms, has contributed to her skinniness. She got a worm shot, and he sent me home with some vitamin paste to give her ever day and some liquid wormer for the kittens.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Still Packing
Aaron was off today, so I planned to go to work 7-3 today. Unfortunately, after getting up at 5:30 and calling into work after showering, they didn't need me. That was around 6:15. No sense in going back to sleep, so when Madelyn woke up around 6:30, I told her to get her shoes on, we were running errands. Madelyn is always up for anything that gets her out of the house, especially if she can go with me alone.
I try to let Aaron sleep in when he can, so I wrote him a note telling him where we went and that I had Madelyn with me. I knew he would freak out if he woke up and I was gone (which he was expecting, since I thought I was going to work) and if he couldn't find Madelyn. We got home and Aaron was still asleep, Natalie and Hannah were up watching cartoons. They ran to me, going on and on about how they couldn't find me, etc. I said "did you wake Daddy up?" They said "no" I guess they weren't too upset. Aaron blissfully slept through it all. He did wake up about 8:30, running out to the living room to get the girls dressed real quick to go to VBS. But he saw me in the kitchen, the kids were already ready, so he could relax.
There is a widow at church who offered to let us plant some stuff in her garden. We planted about 5 tomato plants, 3 pepper plants, 3 watermelon plants, and some okra. No veges yet, but I try to go every other day to water since it is not raining here. Madelyn and I watered the plants, then we went to Walmart, which is really empty around 7:15 in the morning - nice.
Aaron and I drove the kids to VBS, came home and I fell asleep on the couch while he cleaned under the other couch. I was so tired from getting up early. We went back to get the girls, dropped off one of their friends from VBS that was on our way home and came home to laze around the house. I cleaned almost all of the fridge, and it looks so nice. I am trying to get as much stuff cleaned, so that when we do move out, we don't spend a whole other day having to clean this one.
Now Aaron and I are stressing a little on our schedule for the next few weeks. On Thursday afternoon, the "well driller' followed me out to the property to look around. He is so laid back, I am a little worried. He seems to think he will be able to do it the last week of this month, but still didn't give me a definate date. He did ask if that was what we were waiting for to move in. I said "other than closing next week, YES!" Maybe he got the hint. We close next Friday, but we won't drill a well before we close, so we don't want to move in without the well. I am sure it will fall together as we get closer.
I am scheduled to work 3-11 tomorrow. Maybe I can find a babysitter some next week so I can work. Life is fixing to get more hectic over the next two weeks.
I try to let Aaron sleep in when he can, so I wrote him a note telling him where we went and that I had Madelyn with me. I knew he would freak out if he woke up and I was gone (which he was expecting, since I thought I was going to work) and if he couldn't find Madelyn. We got home and Aaron was still asleep, Natalie and Hannah were up watching cartoons. They ran to me, going on and on about how they couldn't find me, etc. I said "did you wake Daddy up?" They said "no" I guess they weren't too upset. Aaron blissfully slept through it all. He did wake up about 8:30, running out to the living room to get the girls dressed real quick to go to VBS. But he saw me in the kitchen, the kids were already ready, so he could relax.
There is a widow at church who offered to let us plant some stuff in her garden. We planted about 5 tomato plants, 3 pepper plants, 3 watermelon plants, and some okra. No veges yet, but I try to go every other day to water since it is not raining here. Madelyn and I watered the plants, then we went to Walmart, which is really empty around 7:15 in the morning - nice.
Aaron and I drove the kids to VBS, came home and I fell asleep on the couch while he cleaned under the other couch. I was so tired from getting up early. We went back to get the girls, dropped off one of their friends from VBS that was on our way home and came home to laze around the house. I cleaned almost all of the fridge, and it looks so nice. I am trying to get as much stuff cleaned, so that when we do move out, we don't spend a whole other day having to clean this one.
Now Aaron and I are stressing a little on our schedule for the next few weeks. On Thursday afternoon, the "well driller' followed me out to the property to look around. He is so laid back, I am a little worried. He seems to think he will be able to do it the last week of this month, but still didn't give me a definate date. He did ask if that was what we were waiting for to move in. I said "other than closing next week, YES!" Maybe he got the hint. We close next Friday, but we won't drill a well before we close, so we don't want to move in without the well. I am sure it will fall together as we get closer.
I am scheduled to work 3-11 tomorrow. Maybe I can find a babysitter some next week so I can work. Life is fixing to get more hectic over the next two weeks.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Waiting
I am starting to get baby fever, but I know that we are on God's timing now. Even with getting pregnant, it is God's timing, but when getting pregnant, at least you feel like you are in charge to an extent. This adoption is depressing to wait for, but I keep reminding myself that Abraham and Sarah had to wait about 10 years for their promised child.
I still don't regret not having any more biological even though sometimes I think "did we do the right thing? we could have 2 more kids by now" but then God reminds me that it wasn't his plan and to just wait. I know if I had 2 more biological, then we probably wouldn't adopt. I just hate waiting and keep thinking that if they close Vietnam, where do we go next. Am I up for another dossier? Do I have a choice? What about all the money we spent so far, did we start this process earlier than God wanted us to and now He is throwing up roadblocks so we will match up with perfect timing to the child He wants in our family?
Or were we correct in starting last March and the "distraction" of Guatemala closing, then changing to Vietnam, then it possibly closing, was that all of God's plan in His timing?
I told myself before we started all this that if we have setbacks, etc. that I would not get upset, I would realize that a setback such as paperwork getting lost, etc. was God's way of getting us on the waiting list at just the right number. While doing the Guatemalan dossier, there were a few little setbacks, and I didn't get upset at all. But when promising myself not to get upset, I didn't realize that it would include 1 country closing, doing a whole new dossier, the another country threatening to close and the thought of figuring out which country to go to next if we have to.
Then to start a whole new dossier. Our agency now has 3 countries that we qualify for that we could choose from if Vietnam closes - Ethiopia, Bulgaria, and India. I know that it will all be worth it. When I think that Hannah will be 4 in Sept. Hannah will probably be at least 5 before we bring another child home. That is such a large age difference. I know it may not seem like much, but in my plan, our kids would have been closer in age. But it isn't my plan that matters.
I start thinking crazy stuff like
-I bet my extended relatives that I told last summer that we were adopting probably think I was making the whole thing up.
-People at church and work are probably wondering "where is this child she was so excited about last year?"
And why do I care? I don't know, I suppose I shouldn't. I guess I could drag our dossier to church or up north and show everyone "see, I really did do all this paperwork. Here is a letter from our agency verifying that we really are on a waiting list. Guatemala really did close, and yes we are just that "unlucky" that we got on the waiting list for one country, it closed, we did paperwork for another country, and now it is probably closing too"
Before you become a parent, you have an idea of how much you will love your child, but until you have a child, you really don't understand how wonderful it is. So, I have the perspective that I know it will be worth it, I know when we get that child (I refuse to give up!) I will be so thankful for all the closings and delays. So very thankful that God was in control instead of me, and that is what gets me through the waiting. I can remember being pregnant with Madelyn. Finding out was so exciting, then the excitement at 4 weeks pregnant turned into misery at 6 weeks pregnant when for 6 weeks, I felt like vomiting all day every day. I can remember thinking "I can't believe I wanted this" I feel a little guilty for that now, but she was so worth it. Because now I have perspective. I know what the outcome of bringing a child home is. And it is worth the wait, or the nausea!
I still don't regret not having any more biological even though sometimes I think "did we do the right thing? we could have 2 more kids by now" but then God reminds me that it wasn't his plan and to just wait. I know if I had 2 more biological, then we probably wouldn't adopt. I just hate waiting and keep thinking that if they close Vietnam, where do we go next. Am I up for another dossier? Do I have a choice? What about all the money we spent so far, did we start this process earlier than God wanted us to and now He is throwing up roadblocks so we will match up with perfect timing to the child He wants in our family?
Or were we correct in starting last March and the "distraction" of Guatemala closing, then changing to Vietnam, then it possibly closing, was that all of God's plan in His timing?
I told myself before we started all this that if we have setbacks, etc. that I would not get upset, I would realize that a setback such as paperwork getting lost, etc. was God's way of getting us on the waiting list at just the right number. While doing the Guatemalan dossier, there were a few little setbacks, and I didn't get upset at all. But when promising myself not to get upset, I didn't realize that it would include 1 country closing, doing a whole new dossier, the another country threatening to close and the thought of figuring out which country to go to next if we have to.
Then to start a whole new dossier. Our agency now has 3 countries that we qualify for that we could choose from if Vietnam closes - Ethiopia, Bulgaria, and India. I know that it will all be worth it. When I think that Hannah will be 4 in Sept. Hannah will probably be at least 5 before we bring another child home. That is such a large age difference. I know it may not seem like much, but in my plan, our kids would have been closer in age. But it isn't my plan that matters.
I start thinking crazy stuff like
-I bet my extended relatives that I told last summer that we were adopting probably think I was making the whole thing up.
-People at church and work are probably wondering "where is this child she was so excited about last year?"
And why do I care? I don't know, I suppose I shouldn't. I guess I could drag our dossier to church or up north and show everyone "see, I really did do all this paperwork. Here is a letter from our agency verifying that we really are on a waiting list. Guatemala really did close, and yes we are just that "unlucky" that we got on the waiting list for one country, it closed, we did paperwork for another country, and now it is probably closing too"
Before you become a parent, you have an idea of how much you will love your child, but until you have a child, you really don't understand how wonderful it is. So, I have the perspective that I know it will be worth it, I know when we get that child (I refuse to give up!) I will be so thankful for all the closings and delays. So very thankful that God was in control instead of me, and that is what gets me through the waiting. I can remember being pregnant with Madelyn. Finding out was so exciting, then the excitement at 4 weeks pregnant turned into misery at 6 weeks pregnant when for 6 weeks, I felt like vomiting all day every day. I can remember thinking "I can't believe I wanted this" I feel a little guilty for that now, but she was so worth it. Because now I have perspective. I know what the outcome of bringing a child home is. And it is worth the wait, or the nausea!
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Packing
This past week has seemed so busy to me. I worked 3 nights 7-11, with one of those nights not getting off until 1am. I was so sleepy this week. I will probably do it again next week, at least that much if not more hopefully. I am trying to get in as much work as possible before we move. I am a terrible sorter and packer. Give me books, tapes, etc. then I can pack it up easy, but give me a room full of misc. items, and I am terrible at it. Aaron told me today "channel your inner skinny man" At first I thought he was making a jab at my weight, but he was quick to explain that he was talking about the man who moved us here. Wow, was he amazing. He was a small, skinny man - not one you would think would work for a moving company, but boy could he pack. The company told us that someone would be at our house on a Monday to move. One man showed up. But he packed our entire house in less than 8 hours. Our entire house and only left the wrapping of the furniture until day 2. On day 2 he did bring a helper to help lift. 
I proudly told Aaron before I left for camp that he could throw out and sort anything in the house while I was gone. He was very excited about that prospect. I did give him a list of 5-6 things I wanted to keep, but everything else is fair game. He said he took 3 loads to the dump in the jeep, and guess what?! I don't even know what he took, but the closets looked a lot better and if I don't ask him what he threw out, then I will never know what I am "missing" I started packing up the classroom last week and as you can see from the pictures, it is so nice and clean and only boxes. Aaron spent all morning cleaning out the girls room. He went ahead and took apart their beds, and now they are sleeping just on mattresses. Which is a lot of fun for them. I felt bad for Aaron doing all of the girls' room alone, even though I did go and clean the kitchen while he worked and made breakfast. So, I went out this afternoon and got half the garage clean. What a nasty mess that was with 1 cat who likes to kill birds and 3 kittens. I swept up a ton of bird feathers. 
We are hoping to close in July instead of August. The well driller is supposed to meet me next week at the house. I felt a little worried when he told me yesterday that if he didn't call me by Tuesday or Wednesday next week, to give him a call. He says it will be 2-3 weeks before he can come out to drill, but if we can get it done in July and have drinkable water, then we could move in before August and avoid paying a month's rent for a few more days in this house. 
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Finally a House !!
I am going to post some pictures of the house we are, Lord willing, closing on, on August 15. We have come full circle in a year. Kind of like when you try on wedding dresses, and you try on 25, but always come back to the first one. Well, we actually made an offer on this house last summer and couldn't come to an agreement on the price. We decided we would look elsewhere, but haven't come up with anything we have liked as much over the last year. We both regretted not buying it last year, so here we go again. Our house inspection was today and Aaron and I went out to meet the man towards the end of the inspection. Pretty much the only things wrong are a few wires that need to be fixed. This is a scary thought, now looking back, on the front porch and on the porch off the kitchen, there are wires sticking our of the wall I didn't notice. The girls and I were all on those porches a few weeks ago. Well, the guy tested them today, and they were live wires, just sticking out. So, that will have to be fixed before the girls go back. I couldn't believe it, the lady who lives there has 2 small children. 
We are excited and I am trying to work as much as possible to have as much money as possible to pay for the well we will have to put in. We are also hoping that Aaron gets to go out West at least once this summer, if not twice. I worked 7-11 Sunday night and tonight, and tomorrow night. I will probably work Thur. Frid, and Sat, if I can and Aaron doesn't have to work OT> 
The pictures are of the 3 porches on the house, one across the front, one off the kitchen, and one out of the master bedroom. There are also pictures of the land from the house and as I 
drove out of the driveway. There are 14+ acres. 
drove out of the driveway. There are 14+ acres. 
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Camp, Kittens, and 13,000 chickens
I will start with Camp. The girls and I spent last Sunday through Friday at Camp and we had a great time. I like being a counselor more than being the nurse. I was real proud of the girls and they had a great time. Hannah kept up with the big kids. I had taken the wagon thinking I would have to pull her around everywhere, but thankfully, she wanted to walk with everyone else. The camp is on an old golf course, so it is very hilly. Madelyn is already making plans for next year.
Here are some new pictures of our kittens who are between 4-5 weeks old. They are so cute and really grew up a lot in the week we were gone. The went from practically dragging around their back halves, to hopping and walking on all fours. When the girls go into the garage, they come out of their hiding place to play. They spend a lot of time chewing on each other's tails. It is real cute. The girls named them right after they were born and I think they did a great job. The one with black fur and an orange nose is Chocolate Chip. I think the coolest looking one is StormCloud with the white face, grey fur and black ears, tail and back legs. Then there is Cotton(there are 2 pictures of her) the fluffball who is all white except for the faint hint of orange strips on her ears and tail.
Now for the Chickens. There is a couple at church who raise chickens and have two chicken houses. She told me that she would call and have us over the next time they got a load of baby ones. So, she invited us over this afternoon. The chickens were a few months old and out of the fluffy yellow stage, but they were still not full grown. Wow, were there a lot of chickens in that house. approx. 13000 to be exact. We were able to catch some and all the girls held them. Unfotunately I didn't take the camera, but we are going to go back again in a few months when they get the new ones. I learned a ton about chickens that I didn't know during the 20 min. we spent in the chicken house. You can learn so much from people just asking about things that are every day to them.
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