Ok… Catch up

My oh my… my poor neglected blog… Oh how I’ve missed you.

I’ll try to hit the big points since my little seed turned 5 (how did THAT happen?)

Not only did my baby girl have a milestone b-day but so did her Mama (into a new decade, but since I’m a lady I won’t share which one).  To celebrate we took a trip to Disney world… just the 2 of us!  It was a wonderful trip, and the best part was just being together… just her & I.  I kept our schedule pretty light, and didn’t stress about getting everything done.  Her favorite part was the pool.  We met all her favorite characters, and dined on my birthday in Cinderella’s castle (a lifelong dream for Mommy).

 

 

Madalynn’s favorite ride was the carousel… one morning she got to ride it with one of the evil stepsisters, who then walked her over to the castle for a photo shoot…

Then we went over to the Aladdin’s magic carpet ride, and as we were waiting for it to start we heard a voice behind us say ‘Mind if we join you?”, and Aladdin & Jasmine climbed in the carpet with us, and rode the whole ride with us… I had to explain to Madalynn what a special treat that was, and that doesn’t just happen all the time at Disney…

A Dream Come True

It’s been a looong time…. I really want to get back to this, as it’s the best way to record M’s growing up. 

Rather than try to record everything that’s happened in the last year, I just wanted to get M’s b-day party from yesterday recorded. 

She’s been really into horses, ponies, and all things equine in the last few months, so we had a cowgirl/pony theme for her party. 

I surprised her with 2 ponies showing up… she was beside herself.  She actually ASKED me to take her picture while riding, and she NEVER wants her picture taken.  This was when they opened the back of the trailer, and the kids saw what was inside.

She just said to me this morning… “Mommy, I can’t believe I got to ride on a pony!  It was like a dream come true!”

She had great fun opening her gifts… this is waiting for her big gift from Mommy… a new crafting table…

Then time for cake…

I can’t believe she’s almost 5 years old… how can that be?  Isn’t she supposed to stay little forever?  I do adore this age… standing between toddlerhood, and becoming a kid… still has the joy &  exuberance of a little one while gaining the logic, and ability to do more things of an older kid.  I adore her!

Christmas is Here!

Busy getting ready for Christmas over here… I love this time of year (I know who doesn’t)… but watching it through the eyes, and wonder of a four year old is so much fun!  This year she remembered things from last year, and would get all excited when we’d take them out of the box.  Little things too that you wouldn’t think a 4 year old would care about got her all excited.  So much fun!

Friday we went to get our Christmas tree, and for some reason (perhaps b/c it’s been so warm here this year), I wanted to go cut it down like when I was little.  So Grandpa, the trooper that he is, went with us Friday to trudge through the field, and cut it down for us! 

On our way to get it… Listening to Christmas music!

She has her “Jesus Loves Me” bunny & lip gloss!

I’m in a picture!  Amazing!  I should hire my Dad as an assistant he did a good job!  This was the best smile I could get out of Madalynn even with the bribe of “SMARTIES”.

Notice the “Jesus Loves Me” bunny getting a ride in the tree!

 

We hope the joys of the season are beginning to pop up in your world too! 

I’m doing a 25 day challenge over on my photo biz blog… go there each day until Christmas to see the pics….

Starr Lit Photography Blog

Buckle Up!

It’s catch up time!!  Oy boy… I just checked my blog & my last entry related to Madalynn & our little life together was in May!  EEKKK!  I find I don’t post here much anymore b/c I usually post on Facebook, and have been busy with my photography (more on that later!)… but if you can’t wait here’s a link to that blog…

Starr Lit Photography

Lots going on since then… this will be a quick catch up bulleted entry… soooo buckle UP!  One month at a time!

JUNE-

• We spent our time going to the lake, riding bikes, and playing outside.  We celebrated my nephew’s 10th b-day party… I LOVE that little guy!  My niece graduated from kindergarten, and had her sweet dance recital.
• Some of my facebook updates in June…
• Life;

My brother Rob... a lifelong Bruins fan... got the best b-day present he could have wanted... a Stanley Cup! Last time they won I wasn't even born!

Mom of the year award coming my way... cereal for dinner while watching a "Winnie- the Pooh" CHRISTMAS movie... at least Madalynn picked the whole grain cereal.

• Regarding our move to Kentucky

Madalynn writing a letter, and reciting it "Dear Ga-Ga & Grandpa, we have to go away to Kentucky... I'll miss you soooo much Ga-Ga Granpa, but we'll come back, and return"

• TORNADOES in MASS

The weather man was just saying if you see severe weather don't mess around, and 'take cover'... Madalynn heard 'take cover', and dove under a table!

After a night of some of the weirdest weather I've ever seen in New England... today is one of the MOST glorious mornings... blue skies, cool breeze, and bright sunshine... definitely a top 5 weather day for sure!! Enjoy friends ♥♥

• Madalynnisms

Madalynn just said to me "Mommy... I love being with you"... I said "Oh...honey... I love being with you" to which she replied "... even if you didn't get me a puppy."

Madalynn from the playroom "Mommy... you've GOT to come see this!... it's a mess... you're not going to be angry... you'll be... umm...umm... come see!!"... Oh boy... I'm scared to go look.

Madalynn; "Mommy... did you just sniff?"
Me; "No Madalynn"
Madalynn; "Then who did?"
Me; "I don't know... I didn't hear it"
Madalynn "Me either."

• Trips to our favorite lake











• We also had Madalynn’s last day of pre-school… 1st & last day below.
• Father’s Day was all about celebrating a Bruins win for our hockey loving family!

• Let’s not forget rides on the green tractor…

• I was so excited to get Madalynn in swim lessons for a couple weeks… I felt like a total MOM!  She did great in her “Mini-Minnows” class… didn’t like to get any part of her head wet but did awesome with everything else!  Then she was the bomb in my brother’s pool!

Stay tuned for July!

The Waiting Room…

When my brother graduated from college I gave him a copy of Dr. Seuss “Oh The Places You’ll Go”… classic for a graduate I thought… This quote rings so true for me right now…

I'm sorry to say so
but, sadly, it's true
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.
You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You'll be left in a Lurch.
You'll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you'll be in a Slump.
And when you're in a Slump,
you're not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.
You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted.  But mostly they're darked.
A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out?  Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?
And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...
or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.
You can get so confused
that you'll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place...

Dr Geisel had something here… that children’s rhyme EXACTLY describes the last month in my life… came down with an unpleasant BUMP.  My plans to go to Kentucky seem to be on hold for right now, and I’m feeling a bit of aimlessness… not really sure what to do.  I’m still job hunting in my lifetime career, but I think those jobs have disappeared.  So… I’m praying… seeking, and trying to figure out the next step.

I can say that I’m LOVING being home with my daughter.

I read this great blog post today that spoke to me so much… I’m not even sure how I found the blog.  It was a wonderful adoption story (which I ALWAYS love), but the post had some universal truths for those who’ve been holding on for something that God is withholding.  I’ve always felt that way where marriage is concerned for me.  I know God CAN provide a husband… I know marriage is a good thing ordained, and designed by God…  Genesis 2:18 says

^“ The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Yet… here I set 20 years of prayer later still single… still in the waiting room.  This blog while speaking to those waiting to become parents speaks to those of us waiting to be married as well… my favorite line that expresses the truth in this kind of waiting

for something good…

something you know is of God…

a desire, dream of your heart that was placed there by God himself

“Pesky years of waiting eat the rope of patience, determination to believe, trust and yes, hope. A frayed end is clinched between blistered raw fingers, about to lose hold. “

I’ve never heard or read anything that describes it any better… I’ve described it in the past as a roller coaster… some days I’m okay with my single status, and then there are other days when I’m in a free-fall of hurt, disappointment, and doubt… and I’ve had the days when I could lose hold of the rope… so I cling to these promises from God’s word…

I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten.
~ Joel 2:25

Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;
today I declare that I will restore to you double.
~Zechariah 9:12

So… if you think of it… say a prayer for those of us in the waiting room… singles waiting for spouses… Moms & Dads struggling with years of infertility, or years of waiting on an adoption.

Randomness…

My poor neglected blog… I’ve missed the entire month of May with you… sorry friend.  In some ways it’s because there isn’t much to post, in other ways it’s because we have some big changes coming, and I’m just not sure I’m ready to put them ‘out’ there just yet…

So, in no particular order (although probably chronological as I do have to have some sort of order to stream my thoughts together)…

I could definitely get used to this life of a stay-at- home Mom… the freedom, flexibility, and time spent with Madalynn I am loving!!  But, since the bills need to be paid… I have been accepted at a school in Kentucky to earn my master’s in social work.  My goal is to work in the adoption/orphan care field… it has become my life’s passion.  Soooo… I’m getting ready to put the house on the market, and hopefully move there this fall.  I know the housing market is a mess right now, but I just keep saying “God is bigger than the housing market”.

I’m realizing that the definition of spring now has a new meaning here in New England… spring is now a long, nasty winter that holds on until the end of May with rain, dreary, and temps in the 40’s (sometimes we’re lucky enough to break 50), and then BOOM one day the hazy, humid, hot days of summer are here.  That’s what happened this past week… we had a horrible spring after a tough winter, and then all of a sudden we’re hitting 90.

Although I’ve lived in this town for 4 1/2 years, and prior to that lived in the neighboring town for 4+ years I just this month discovered a great little park around the corner from our house… complete with a duck pond, and playground!  How I have missed this little jewel all these years I’ll never know… Madalynn is in heaven when we go (and asks daily if we can)… she gets to feed the ducks AND swing!!  She loves to run up the geese, and ROAR….

In bigger news… my brother graduated from Boston College with his  MBA… we’re all so proud of him, as he got this degree while working full-time (sometimes with a few part time jobs thrown in),  and raising three kids (including coaching their athletic teams, and volunteering for the PTO at their school).

Yesterday was Memorial Day, and we did our family tradition of going back to our hometown to watch the parade, then a cookout at my parents house, and then a dip in the pool at my brother’s house.  I really want Madalynn to grow up understanding this day as a balance of solemnity (is that a word), that we pause to remember those who’ve given their lives for our freedoms, while at the same time celebrating those freedoms.  I think the parade, memorial service at the cemetery, followed by time with family achieves that nice balance.

She was a bit frightened of the musket shots so she held tight to Grandpa.

 

We hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day too… bring on SUMMER!!!!