Happy- Happy Birthday Ga-Ga!!!
My amazing Mom is celebrating her birthday today!! She is amazing for many reasons. She always puts her families needs before her own, she always views the world, and life through a God filter, and while she struggles with a lifelong illness that causes chronic pain she won't allow herself to be defined by it.
Happy Birthday Ga-Ga!!! Madalynn & I hope you have an extra special day!!
Okay... I'm watching the Olympics (and by watching I mean it's on the background while I get other things done).
Anyway, they just showed a profile of Michael Phelps, and said that he's 6'5, and yet can't break 240 lbs. As if THAT's not enough his trainer (or his dr... I can't remember which see previous paragraph about watching), say he should be eating between 8500-10,000 calories per day!!!! I can't even imagine how you'd begin to eat that many calories in one day??
Just a couple other observations on the Olympics...
1) Can the beach volleyball athletes not afford an entire bathing suit?
2) Can someone design some 'fun' hair accessories for the gymnasts?? I mean I get that they have to have it out of their face, but there's no reason that can't be a little fashionable in the process.
Just my thoughts.
In my quest to organize & simplify I came across this fun blog....Org Junkie check it out for some great tips!!
I'm going to tackle this organizing one project at at time!!!
Today is our referalversary!!! It was one year ago today that I saw the face that would change my life forever.
I still remember waiting, waiting, and waiting for 'The Call'. 12 weeks & 5 days to be exact.
This was my post from 1 year ago in the morning BEFORE I got the call
Getting Closer
August 8, 2007
I'm really close to the top of the list with my agency, and am anxiously waiting for that phone call. I really think it could be any moment!!
I do okay at work because I'm so busy, but the evenings when I get home at night it is much harder. I think because I'm not that busy, and as the day draws to a close I realize the call is not coming today.
I am so anxious to see that face for the first time.
No matter what the story of my daughter's early life, and the circumstances that led her birthmother to place her for adoption, that will be HER story. Those details I will keep close to my heart, and share only with her when she is ready.
Hopefully my next post will be to introduce you to my baby girl.
Reading above cracks me up, b/c the nights at home no longer have an emptiness in them. They're now filled with noodles, sippy cups, food on the floor, getting wet at bathtime, hunting around the house to gather up all the bedtime pals, trying to get some housework done, and falling asleep to the hum of a monitor.... I wouldn't trade ANY of it!!!
This was my post announcing her arrival
A Visit from the stork!!!
August 9, 2007
She's here!!! She's here!!! She's here!!!!
I got the call yesterday afternoon at about 4:00pm while I was at work. Then I drove to my parents house so we could all see her for the first time together, and we all cried!!! Then we drove over to my sister-in-law's parents house where she & the kids were having dinner so we could suprise them with the news!!!
12 Weeks & 5 days of waiting & she is officially here.
Grandma, Grandpa & I booked our flights today for August 30th- September 4th for a visit trip.
There is still a long road ahead of us, but at least we all have a name & face to put with our prayers.
I remembered too after leaving Jill's parents house that night we saw a rainbow, and last night there was a rainbow at my house.
Pictures from today...
This was the hair I woke up to this morning... every morning I say 'What happened to your HAIR??
My sweet girl!!
Getting ready for her nap... feet propped up!!! She KILLS me!!! It's kind of hard to see but she's lying on her back with her feet propped up on the bumper toward the wall in back of the crib.
Steven Curtis Chapman tragically lost his youngest daughter in a car accident in May.
His family did an interview on Good Morning America, and this is the link.... grab a box of Kleenex...
They have done so much for adoption with a foundation to help people trying to adopt....Shaohannahs Hope with a special fund dedicated to their daughter Maria.
Many of his songs were also an inspiration to me while I was waiting for Madalynn.
They will also be on Larry King Live tonight.
In keeping with my 'borrowing' ideas from other blogs I read... I saw this at my friend Amy's blog awhile back, and am now going to give it a try... again b/c I don't know the 'official' rules of this I'm going to do my own b/c after all... it is my blog.
So this is my first 'WORKS FOR ME WEDNESDAY'... Since it's my first I'm going to do 2!!
The first one is the Pampered Chef pizza cutter on an episode of Jon & Kate Plus 8 they talked about all the e-mails they got about cutting pancakes for the kids with a pizza cutter. 
BRILLIANT!!! Since I'm always rushing to get meals ready after getting home from work I can attest that it works for grilled cheese & chicken too!!
Second, is 'Windows Live Writer'. I've only used it for a couple posts so far, but I love it. Editing & uploading pics is so much faster & easier!!
So... that's it that is my first WFMW!!!
I am on a quest to simplify my life. I've always been about the simple things. Small little things delight me. A firm belief that relationships are the most important thing, and our relationship with Christ comes before all else. I've strived to structure my life that way. I hope my family and friends know that they come above all else in this earthly realm.
With that said, I am attempting to live a simple life in a 21st century, fast-paced, demanding world. Living on the East Coast I think that is just compounded even more.
How do I raise my daughter to appreciate, and value simple things? How do I raise her to not always be chasing after the latest trend, only to quickly tire & bore of it so she looks for something else?
Anyway, on to my simplification. My main goal presently toward simplification is to get my house organized. The irony I'm finding in doing that is you have to run around to all these stores to buy more things to help organize the things you already have. Not helping with slowing down the pace, or the de-cluttering.
So, I'm making this my resolution ( I know it's not New Year, but I always get more reflective around my birthday than New Year... so this will be my Birthday resolution), I will get this house organized, and find ways to de-clutter.
A big thing I've been toying with for a long time is getting rid of cable (just having the $13 reception package). There is NOTHING on (I can get my 'Boys' both Pats & Prison on the local channels), the rest of the time when I go to watch something there is NOTHING!! I would miss 'Jon & Kate Plus 8' though, but I'm sure I can get it on DVD or online.
If I bite the bullet on that I'll let you know how it goes... I'll also let you know how the organization goes.
PS- Any organizational tips please post them!!
I found 99 ways to organize in the June 2008 of Real Simple magazine. I put 2 into practice today, and have several more circled for the future. The one I did today that I loved is to take a 'Vintage tray' to organize desk essentials. I had a tray I had decoupaged that I put next to my phone in the kitchen with the pen basket, pads, etc. I'll try to post a picture.
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