Busy

The theme of my life lately: BUSY!! The week before spring break I subbed in a kindergarten class everyday. I had a lot of fun and was reminded of how much I love teaching kindergarten! But by Friday I was not feeling so hot and the kids were dropping like flies. I ended up having the flu and bronchitis just in time for Spring Break. Yuck.

While I was busy being sick, my kids were busy playing their DS's.

By the end of Spring Break we ventured over to Branson with my whole family minus my sister Karen and her kids. We rented a really cool cabin and had fun. However, I was grumpy because I was still under the weather and probably just should have stayed home. Don't get me wrong we had fun and the kids had a blast at Silver Dollar City. We couldn't stay the whole time because we had company coming. We needed to head home to disinfect our germ infested house.

Our dear, dear friends Mitch and Taffy and their 4 kids and Greyhound, Hudson , came down from Denver. They are moving back here after being gone for 9 years. We met them at our old church, Liberty and had a lot of great times together. They came during their spring break to start looking at houses. We had so much fun hanging out, staying up late, and looking at gorgeous houses. They are seriously considering moving to Owasso. I can not wait until they get here!!!! I was worried about where to sleep everyone but we just stacked the kids in Madelyn's room and had 10 people plus 2 dogs sleeping in 3 bedrooms. Nobody seemed to mind and the girls were in hog heaven! They ended up staying 5 days and seriously I wouldn't have minded if they stayed 5 more days. They are so easy and fun to have around.

We have had some big news in our house: Madelyn lost her first 2 teeth at the same time. She was actually born with those first 2 bottom teeth. I was a little sentimental about seeing them go. Her new ones have already come up. When I was putting her to bed that night we had the following conversation:

(How cute is she??)

Madelyn: "Mom is the tooth fairy real?"

Me: "What do you think?"

Madelyn: "I don't know?? Are you the tooth fairy?"

Me: (Trying not to ruin it for her) " What do you think?"

Madelyn: (starting to tear up) " I don't want a tooth witch coming into my room."

Now she is sobbing and shaking.

Me: "Oh, honey I am YOUR tooth fairy. There is no such thing as witches, don't you worry. And whatever you do, don't tell your friends there is No tooth fairy."

Nathan went to the district piano competition and scored well enough to move onto the state competition in OKC in May. He wasn't to impressed with himself that he made it, in fact he didn't want to go until we bribed him with Maggie Moo's ice cream. I am not passed bribery!

We also enjoyed the Spring snow storm! The kids loved playing out in it. Madelyn has stocked our outside freezer with snow balls so she can pound her brother with them this summer.

So there you have it. Please pray for my sweet MIL, she fell off her bike on shattered her wrist. She is having surgery tom. morning. Thanks.

Oklahoma Adoption

Hey friends, I just have a second but I want all of you to do me a favor. Check out this new blog and help us out. Just click the linky over on the side of my blog about Oklahoma adoption. Thanks!! Love ya all!

Understanding

I don't understand. I am not meant to understand. But I wish I could. Things happen in our lives that just don't make sense or seem fair. My precious little sister and her family are hurting today. Most of you know their story. They have two sweet babies that passed away shortly after birth within the last two years. They were in the process of adopting baby Tess. The past few months they have prepared for her arrival and got to know the birth family. They brought Tess home from the hospital yesterday. The birthmom changed her mind last night. As an adoptive mom, and a mom who has experienced a failed adoption first hand, I can understand the heartache she is feeling today. It is such a surreal experience. Even though you don't birth the baby literally you birth the baby in your heart. Does that make sense? When I had to give back my first daughter my heart didn't know the difference. She was mine, I loved her. I had cared for her, fed her, changed her diapers. I had a room ready for her. My arms ached for a month afterward. I experienced a literal pain in my arms. This is the risk we take when we adopt. It is an awful risk, one that you just can't prepare for. I hate that my sister is now experiencing this kind of pain, especially after everything they have been through. I am praying that God will comfort them and that His name will be glorified through this. He has a wonderful plan for their family. He loves them and loves Tess and loves her birthmom. The Lord will be the one who sees them through this devastation. We, her friends and family, are called to be His hands and His feet right now. So if you think of them, pray. Maybe drop a line of encouragement on their blog. I want her to feel so loved right now during this time where they feel "forgotten."

I finally got to the place where I could accept what happened even though I didn't understand why. I felt called to pray for my baby and pray for her birthmom. Maybe she didn't have anyone else her life to lift her up. Maybe we planted seeds in her life. We will probably never know on this side of heaven. So for now I will just go on not understanding but trusting God.

3-03-03

Happy Birthday Madelyn!! My baby girl is 6 today! I can hardly believe it, time has flown by. Madelyn has the coolest birthdate, 3-3-03 and she was born at 3 am. Pretty cool, huh?

I remember the day she was born like it was yesterday. Andrea, Madelyn's birthmom, picked us about 2 weeks before she was born. We were thrilled that Nathan would have a sibling but boy this was fast. There was a bad ice/snow storm right after we were picked so there was little time to get ready. When we went for an ultrasound they told us we were having a boy. I got my boy stuff out and ready but just in case I picked up a girl outfit and blankie from gymboree.

After church on Sunday, March 2nd I was in total nesting mode. I cleaned, did laundry, etc.. We thought the baby wasn't coming for another 2 weeks so boy was I shocked when later that evening we got "THE CALL" We happened to be in Tulsa at a Bible Study. As we were leaving our cell phone rang and it was Andrea saying that she thought she was in labor and on her way to the hospital. We quickly took Nathan to my parents (with no supplies) and ran to the hospital. Once Jarrett checked on Andrea and we determined that this was the real deal he ran home to grab the camera and pack our bags. The hospital was great and gave us our own room. He got back around midnight.

We couldn't believe how fast Andrea was progressing. She went through labor with no drugs!! She was amazing. After a couple of pushes the baby was out and boy were we shocked when we didn't see any boy parts!! I started balling!!! I was so happy to have a little girl! What an answer to our prayers, a healthy baby girl.

Madelyn weighed 6 pounds 11 ounces and was 18 inches.

She had to go to the NICU for a couple of hours for her to be monitored because of some meconim. But by mid morning she was in our room and we were lovin all over her. She was a beautiful baby! She even had her first 2 bottom teeth.

Today those sweet baby teeth are wiggly and probably going to come out soon.

By Tuesday afternoon we were home with our precious baby girl. She had terrible colic, if that is what you call crying everyday, all day. It started at 2 weeks old and lasted until she was 1 1/2 years old. SERIOUSLY! I had to carry her in my baby bjorn all day for her to settle down. Everyone would try to comfort her but they couldn't. I was the only one she wanted. One day a lady came and prayed over and her and she stopped. She was happy! Total miracle.

She brings so much joy to our lives and life to our home. When she is gone our house is so quiet. Madelyn has such a sweet spirit and is always complimenting and encouraging people. She is an amazing sister to Nathan. She is a girly girl! But she can also keep up with the boys.

Happy Birthday Baby Cakes!