Adopted

Steve Jobs was a wonder. He was adopted!

Double Match

THE call came on Rod's birthday. We were matched with twins! They are 20 months, boy and girl and live in our county. We went to our disclosure meeting and finally got to meet them yesterday. We have felt God's hand in every step, especially during our visit yesterday. We plan to see them almost every day this week and will have a transition date probably by next week. We are truly thankful and look forward to the busy adventure we have ahead.

On My Mind

• Haiti - the devastation...can we actually imagine living through such conditions? One particular prayer is for the orphans who are currently in the adoption process that they be reunited quickly with their families here. Pray that Amos gets home soon. {the Ivey family blog}
• Sick Again - Kaye and Jae now have the virus Cee breezed through last week. Except for them it involves asthma and an extended duration.
• Walk for Life - Many hurdles for us this year but the final straw is that the girls are sick. I guess it's the virtual walk this year. Will you join us?
• Adoption Blogs - I want to share some inspiring adoption stories. Sidebar links will change soon.
• Grey Skies - We need the rain...it has been a constant grey outside and I'm enjoying it much more this year than in the past {call it Winter appreciation} The bird in the picture is often on his morning perch when I look outside my kitchen window. He is the neighborhood boss. I call him Patrick. {with that and attending my first knitting group last night, my middle age status is official}

We have Fall Color....{Adoption}

Updated to add: the Weimer's blog (3x3 video) is: http://blessingsfromethiopia.blogspot.com/

We finally have a tree with some FALL COLOR. Between the palms and the evergreens in the back we always admired the trees in our area that were brilliant reds and oranges. You may remember this post about removing our large queen palm from the front. This is our first season enjoying our change.

This is my view at night when I take the dogs out to the backyard. It almost GLOWS in the light coming from our garage. It may be a sign of growing older when you really stop to admire and appreciate a tree .

In other news we have begun our ADOPTION JOURNEY reviewing profiles and were excited about the possibility of one potential match appearing very hopeful. In the end there were complications and God in His wisdom weaved it together perfectly for this child and family. We know when God reveals His plan to us, it will be a Divine match perfectly woven from the beginning of time. That thought gives me hope and patience.

Watch this video....you will be INSPIRED!

Promo for "3 by 3 by 3" Documentary from David Watson on Vimeo.

Have a great Monday!

Waiting Family

Since July we have been busy preparing, gathering, and documenting for a very significant purpose. Since our miscarriage we both (and our whole family) shared a strong desire to have another child. We believe God has led us to adoption. Specifically adoption through the foster/adopt program at a local adoption agency. Once we began discerning and specifically looking into fost/adopt, doors opened. Since approval finalization last week, we are officially a waiting family.

Typically adopting available children in the foster care system is faster than other avenues of adoption but since we have requested a very young child, we may have to wait longer. After the child is placed in our home, six months or more will pass before we can finalize the adoption. So I will be able to write during this time but will not be able to show full pictures until the adoption is finalized. Please say a prayer for us that God's will be done. We are excited to see how God's plan unfolds.

WILDlife...

Living in a developed neighborhood for almost 10 years, it amazes me that we still see so much wildlife. I don't remember seeing this much growing up but our city is closer to the foothills. I've had a little fascination with hawks ever since we lived 3 hours away and traveled on a boring freeway in the middle of nowhere. I'd see hawks sitting on fenceposts along the road and they looked huge. We always see them circling above with a couple of angry crows at their heels...talons. We've had a couple of attacks on pigeons and doves and even remember seeing one on our grass eating it's kill. Even experienced a "swoop down" to take a look at our chihuahua puppy.

This one was seen on top of my neighbor's roof. Our schoolroom window faces this roof so imagine my delight to see this bird of prey so close. In this picture he spotted me taking a picture and immediately carried off his kill (poor pigeon or dove r.i.p.)
Last Saturday our neighbors directly behind us were having a good, loud time in their backyard at 2:00 in the morning. (I must say the first time they were out this late) It woke us up and when they started yelling "opossum" {why does it start with an 'o' when nobody pronounces it that way?}. Then came the LOUD whack from the shovel and the cracking sound from our fence. It was a bit shocking and I cringed from the force. Both Rod and I looked at each other with open mouths, decided not to say anything and finally fell asleep when they called it a night 45 mins later.

Sadly, the next morning there was a dead opossum near the fence in our yard. I got the girls upstairs to prepare for Mass while Rod took care of man duties before the girls or dogs got wind of the "sitch." Unfortunately the "playing opossum" thing is true and it was maimed but not dead. Ugh, Rod nor especially I, did not want to hit that poor thing over the head. So what should we humanely do? - suffocate it with a black plastic bag and put it in the garbage.

If you were thinking bad idea, you'd be right. After returning from Mass the man of the house took a peak in the garbage to find a hissing opossum who had chewed through the bag. Tough opossum, I feel bad not honoring his will to live but it would not be long for him. He had to spend 3 more days in that garbage with the lid securely held down. I think he may have died. So who was more humane?... the brave, forceful, partying neighbors or the two chickens who opted for suffocation, imprisonment and starvation?

Sorry, such a lovely return post. I'm hoping, right along with you, that they get better. I'm back to all the vicious wildlife around here. They better hope they're never at our mercy because it may be a slow, grueling death because we choose to be humane to animals. {oh the irony}

When Time is On Your Side

I caught each of the girls, without their knowing, doing a SummerTIME activity on their own.  When the days are REALLY hot, swimming is usually reserved for after dinner or occasionally in the morning.  During the long afternoons they first looked to me to be their camp director filling them in on the available activities.  Then I wrote a list of about 15 things on the whiteboard they could choose to do on their own.  So far no one has chosen to write a letter {grin}...but I have been happy to see them filling their time in a productive way.

Kaye gravitates toward reading, organizing, accomplishing something, Cee is always choosing something creative (she's creating her own dollhouse with magazine clippings and scrapbook paper in that picture), and Jae usually plays with her dolls and figures but often I catch her picking up a book or paper and pencil.  

I absolutely love to be home, always have.  So I savor having the girls here without a full calendar.  Continue to enjoy my beginning effort at knitting, started my batch of lupini beans, and check my tomatoes to see if they have grown.  Happy to report we have a small little batch of ripe Sweet 100's daily.  A more realistic view might have our computers in the mix of both photo sets, but we are making an effort to scale down on that activity.

Hope you're catching some free time this Summer to enjoy the things you love.

New Perspective

Little baby steps toward healthier living.  Having good choices in stock and the abundance of Summer produce around definitely makes us think more about what we are eating.  Attempting to cut the excess in your life, makes you realize just how much waste you haven't even noticed.  Some of it shows, some of it hidden.  Unprocessed food really does taste better - not a new discovery for most.  

On our trip this weekend we stopped on the way up and back to buy cherries from roadside stands.  Something we have never done.  Steps in the right direction included eating apples on the beach, homemade muffins for a snack at the Aquarium, and making sure we drank lots of water.  

Boy, do we have a LONG ROAD ahead but the beginning rewards are enough to keep us moving along happily.  

About to...

...burst open and create a sea of day lillies in our courtyard.

...sting me.  (lady, move back, or else)

...become our first homegrown tomatoes on our table.  This is the first year I planted any vegetables.  It's very satisfying to see it work.  Maybe next year our garden will grow.  Though I can't count my chickens before they hatch.

...become the best of friends.  These two have enjoyed each other since day one.  Esmi ("Esmerelda Coconut") is game for all of Oliver's antics.  Sometimes it looks like he might choke her but the lightest of squeals and Oliver will ease up.  Oliver is relieved Esmi is not like "Miss Bossy."  

...surpass Nutmeg in height and strength.  ...but never in attitude.  Esmi watches and copies many things Nutmeg does.  Generally she follows the rules of Miss Bossy so they have become close as well.

...march in a Festa.  Which one is a little apprenhensive?  more to come...

Dusting Off

I thought it was time to dust off this blog of mine.  I enjoy adding pieces of our life onto it, so it's worth a little effort to get it moving again.  I'm a little tired of catching up on everything - sometimes I think "catching up" could be my life story's subheader.  I don't like it that way.

A couple of weeks ago, we visited Mission San Juan Bautista with Cee's 4th grade.  I love it there.  The simpleness, hard work and faith exudes from it's walls.  The gardens remind me of my Dad's - fruit, roses, structure and a statue.  After our trip we were invited to Monterey with some friends.  Then back on Mother's Day to head up to the Sierra's to celebrate with Rod's Mom and enjoy their beautiful scenery and back home.  It was a busy, nice weekend.  

Here's one of my Mother's Day gifts.  A backyard fire pit to enjoy on cooler Summer nights after a swim.  

No s'mores this time but plenty of Pirate Booty, drinks and animals to make it fun.  Along the way the girls picked up a terrible virus (not Swine Flu).  Generally it was mostly cough which affected Kaye and Jae's asthma.  We had a tough go of it for a couple of weeks but now everyone seems to be back on track.  

Yesterday on Memorial Day we went to the cemetery.  Going to the cemetery in our larger family has never been something we dreaded.  We gather flowers, visit each tombstone, sometimes let the kids drive to the next one, say a prayer at each, and remember our loved ones who we pray are happy in Heaven praying for us.  It's funny but I think the kids will have good memories of this.  

We traveled to a special cemetery honoring all those who have served our Country in our area.  All the flags were very impressive.  Each flag is the one given at the funeral to the family of these men and women.  The family donates the flag to the cemetery who displays them every Memorial and Veteran's Day.  It was a moving sight to see all those who sacrificed for our freedom.  
This is my Uncle's flag who served in the U.S. Army.  He was everyone's favorite uncle who will never be forgotten.  It was a little hard finding his flag but I think we got a little help from above when I randomly stubbled upon it.  

This is a nice picture of my Dad next to his big brother's flag.  Since my Uncle never married, my Dad was presented his flag at the funeral.  It will always be displayed in his honor - that's a nice thought.

Well more to come in the following days.  Summer is fast approaching.  I've been enjoying knitting and want to share a couple craft links I've found.  Also, trying to get all those clearing out projects done before the girls are home.  Like I said, catching up as usual.

Cee is for Creative

We had a busy run of events last week.  A couple of the bigger things were the school carnival and Cee's mission project.  Of course Cee was in Heaven getting the green light to enter the cake decorating contest and building her Mission.  I knew when she was two and needed to touch every item down the store aisles that she was a hands-on kind of girl.  Give her a little inspiration (i.e. Tracy Porter and Mission pictures) and she's off to gather supplies.

This was a fun, easy cake with a lot of punch.  Caroline won!!!  She won the "Most Creative" cake at the carnival.  ...and there were some pretty cool cakes there.  Guess who bought her cake?  (yes we did bid) The Principal!  What can make a win sweeter?

Rod and I now understand why parents complain about missions.  It is a long process.  Cee said it best when at the end she sighed, "this is a bit overwhelming."  Cee assigned Dad to help with structure and Mom to help with decorating.  

You can see their prototype in cardboard in the back.  

Somehow in the middle we didn't get any pictures.  You know the time when you start doubting it will all come together.  

Here it is:  Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa

Cee loves it when all her hard work comes together.  Rod said this morning that one boy made his mission out of toilet paper.  I hate to think what he used for his prototype material.  Hmmm, I wonder if the teacher is going to think our family is a little psycho.  Anyway, Jae is looking forward to the day that mission returns home so she get her hands on it.  Polly Pocket needs a parish.  

We have the Mission field trip on Friday.  Throughout the project the girls discussed what other 4th graders in different states work on.  They thought Hawaii would be volcanos, Virginia the colonies, maybe Florida had the gator project (that sounds like a dangerous field trip).  After this I think the next few weeks of school will fly by.  Summer is around the corner.

It's Hip to be Square

Oh, I can relate to this video in MANY ways!  If I had to pick a couple...but I don't think I'm AS mean as Debra :) but Raymond is pretty close to Rod.

Here's Cee the Science Olympian on the morning of her competition.  (I think the hot water and hot dryer helped a bit, she'll be able to wear this shirt in her college dorm room - it's gathered in the back).  The competition was very well organized and well-represented from many private, Gate and technical focused schools and even a large school from the Bay Area.  There was a gap in how Cee's team prepared and then competed.  Meaning they practiced their pasta bridge w/ unlimited pasta and when they got there they saw they were only given 8 pieces of varied sized spaghetti.  Ooops - it was fun and they used their minds to figure it out.  Next year we'll have our game on :)

Jae has been obsessed with wearing the most realistic cast she can come up with.  This is an ace bandage with paper wrap so she can have everyone sign it.  Cee received these crutches from Papa one year as a birthday present.  That's all she wanted.  What's with my kids and orthopedic medical apparatus?  

Okay, don't laugh.  These are one of those knitting disasters...you know when someone is excited about knitting and they make you wear funky creations in ugly patterns.  Okay, so I've learned that variagated yarn has it's place in the sock world only.  These were suppossed to be hip fingerless mittens in Kaye's favorite colors.  She just laughs when she puts them on. Trying to tell her it's "hip to be square."  She's not falling for it yet.  

It has been a good, get-back-on-track week.  Very hot most of the week - 98!  We had a power outage, tried not to turn on ac (failed once when we walked upstairs at bedtime and thermostat read 90).  It's a bit rough when it comes on that strong.  We're used to heat but we need to step into it one toe at a time.  I planted some tomatoes at 8:30 in the direct sun and sweat up a storm.  The girls of course swam for the first time.  Monday the pool water was still a bit cold so they only lasted minutes in the big pool and then jumped into the spa.  Apparently the younger the more tolerant of cold temps - although it doesn't look like it from Jae's picture above.

Life with a puppy has been going pretty well.  It has it's moments like when Kaye realized this morning that her backpack and organizer were all wet - yuck.  Esmi is very good but I have to stay on task with her.  Yesterday we had 3 appts, so we suffered the consequences.  Nutmeg is adjusting well.  She loves to play with Esmi but she's not the same snuggly self with me - I think she's a little mad at me.  I may need to pull out the hot dogs to win back her love :)

We're turning into a farm around here - which is just fine by me.  We have been visited all week by two ducks "Fred and Debbie."  They have been flying into our pool every morning and afternoon.  ...and you guessed it, I've been feeding them.  It's hard to resist when they walk up to our window and look me in the eye.  The obvious danger is Oliver.  He has been so fascinated he has been good so far - watching from a safe distance.  I'm sure he is only planning his strategy for these birds that are bigger than the dogs.  I have a picture I'll post but it's on Kaye's camera.

Cee has her Science Olympiad tomorrow.  Her partner has been out of the country this week. Cee has a true interest in Science, especially hands-on experiments.  Say a little prayer for her tomorrow.  She'll be the one in her Adult Large orange tee shirt.  (t shirt sizes got a little mixed up)  I'm washing in hot water now.  

Have a great weekend!

Spring Break

I am a Snapdragon What Flower Are You?

Found this fun little quiz at the Fruitful Harvest.  Thanks Georgiann.  I laughed when I got the snapdragon, that is definitely one part of my personality.  I'd have loved to get the rose but that's only about 10% of me.  We've been having a nice Spring Break.  Started the week with one Cousin, who is delightful and fun and then scored big with two Cousins on Wednesday.  We have been going to the movies, playing games, Sonic and Pizza Parlour, bowling and playing with a puppy.  It might also be known as the "food tour."  ...but it can't last long, our waistlines and wallets can't handle it.  
The puppy in the post below is little Esmi, our newest four legged family member.  We decided not to breed Nutmeg as originally planned.  When Cee did her training at the SPCA we heard and saw for ourselves the overload of chihuahua mix puppies and adult dogs waiting to be adopted.  The girls of course were disappointed because we had planned to keep a puppy.  So we decided to let them pick out a puppy already needing a home.  
As usual, once I get an idea in my head it's full speed ahead.  Rod on the other hand is on the other extreme - He weighs ALL his options and gets about three different detailed analysis going before he decides.  Good yes, but hard on the patience.  He trusted my instinct on this one since I'm the one home most of the time.  She has been a good puppy so far catching on fast to going potty outside when I take her and coming in the doggy door.  The hard part is teaching her to go out on her own.
Well, I think we're going to finish up the Spring Break.  The warm sunshine feels so good!