Are We Naive?

You asked it.

I will tell you.

Sure, we are naive.

I was nervous about this word for quite sometime.  It gave me the whole body shakes (like when you hear something that makes you uneasy).

I knew people thought it.  Those two are so naive.  They are sweet, but so naive.

I wanted to shout!  "We are NOT naive!"

"I taught in a rough classroom, thank you very much.  It was not a walk in the park.  I dealt with racism, children who had seen too much, some scary parents, and stories that would shock you to the core.  We are NOT naive!"

But then I had a visit with my best friends from college.  They are beyond intelligent, and about the most fun you can imagine.  Nicole, one of best girlfriends, helped me when I was worried about Cecilia.  She told me to let her be.  Let her be shy.  Let her only talk around her family.  Every child is different and Ceal is the quiet, cautious one in the back of the class.  I completely changed my thinking.

Then I told all my girlfriends about our adopting two precious babies.  They all asked tons of questions, and then somehow we got onto the topic of me being angry about people thinking my husband and I are naive.  I had a speech about all the reasons we were not in fact naive, when one of my best girlfriends, Rachel, spoke up.

"Sure you are naive.  We all are.  Everyone is naive about something, and if we knew everything we would not try new things.  It is good you are naive, Amanda, because you will learn what you need when they get here. Being naive is a good thing."

And that was that.  I realized being Naive was a blessing.  She changed my thinking completely.

I realized if I wasn't naive, I may never have taught on the south side of Chicago.  If I wasn't naive, I would not have made relationships that forever changed me, from that school.  If I wasn't naive I would not be who I am today, because I would given up the lessons life and God wanted to teach me.

Thank you Rachel, for allowing me to embrace the word, naive.

Spaghetti Night.

Camping-Bean Blossom

Your mom does NOT love to camp. But I do anyway, because your dad loves it.  (Applause anyone?)  There are some Fantastic Women out there that love to camp, and I commend you.  I will camp.  I am just saying if you asked what I absolutely love to do, it wouldn't be on my list.  I typed out rules for out camping expedition this year:

1. You have exactly 5 seconds to enter and exit the tent before you must zip it back up. I do a practice drill with your dad to make sure he is on board with this rule. No critters are allowed in our tent.
2. The feather bed packs up nice and small, so there is always room to bring it. No need for backaches.
3. No remote areas where people who forget to take their meds may be camping as well.
4. Smores after every meal.  After all if we are camping, let's try to make this fun.
5. Wine.
6. Someone must come along who is willing to play cards.  Danny usually makes up excuses in order not to play with me so I need someone who wants to play games. 

Grand-Pam and Ceal.

No one helped or loved on my kids at all, can you tell?

Aunt Bianca and Jordan.  They were riding on the back of the golf cart while we took trips around the campground.

We had a total blast.  There were lots of people this year.  We go to the Blues Festival, so it is usually packed.  I thought we would not get showers, but then I had to remember most of the population does not wake up before the sun.  Cealy and Sebastian did awesome!  They slept and loved every minute.  Ceal fell to the floor crying when Danny had to pack up the tent.  We had to put her in the van and listen to her cry the whole way home.  We listened to the music, danced, ate a lot, played games, went on adventures, took long walks, laughed, and talked by the fire.  The group of people we go with is so totally fun, I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't know them.  They are that much fun.

Tubes.

Sebastian got tubes this morning.  He was not happy when the nurse brought him back.  I wrestled for months about getting him tubes until the doctor sure did say, "Well you know this many rounds of antibiotics can lead to other things..."  I don't have to be told that twice.  I already freak out about everything and am a webmd.com member for life, so I made an appointment with the good ENT.

Well, he was not in a good place for a good amount of time while home, which put me in a bad place too, because I felt horrible.  Cealy decided to make this a day where she spent LOTS of time in time-out so not.such.a.fun.day.

The doctor said to look out for fluid coming out of the ears so I was on it all day. Until...Dinner came and I almost hit the floor because I saw what I thought was guts coming out of Sebastian's ear.  I screamed for Danny and then grabbed Sebastian out of the high chair.  Put him on the floor and preceded to get out the tomato that he put inside his ear...

Not guts, just guts of a tomato.  He would.

So I am going to bed wondering when I will become the mother that I see often who is laid back...

Why can't I be laid back???

Sebastian is One!

 Happy Birthday to the happiest baby on the block!

 Everyone got cupcakes!  We went to get donuts after Sebastian's doctor's appointment this morning.  He had to be tested for TB for the adoption.  He is all clear.  However, our poor man has to get tubes Monday morning.  Breaks my heart, but it will be best for him I hope.

 From the moment I met you, Sebastian, you captured my heart.  Love my precious boy more than I can describe.

I bet this picture makes you want to grab a snack and eat away....No?  Oh, I have a lot more vivid pics where this comes from.

Sebastian is not walking.  Crawling everywhere, but no need to walk when his mother carries him wherever he needs to go.

He loves his sissy.  Whenever Ceal gets up in the morning, he smiles big and crawls right over to her.  Ceal gets him when he wakes from his naps, sings to him, and teaches him everything.

When I came home from getting my hair done for exactly one hour that he was awake he cried like he was tortured the whole time...if I could hold him every milisecond, he would love it.

He gives the best hugs.

He loves his bottles and passy.

Sebastian bites and pinches.  Suggestions? 

Thank you God for sharing your sweet son, Sebastian, with Danny and I.  We will be forever blessed.

Fair Fun!

 Can you tell Ceal is a little upset about leaving the fair?  Sebastian could care less with food in hand..

Sebastian's first hair cut!  He was such a gentleman.  Poor guy is going through a lot of ear issues and he was not in a good place, per the passy in his mouth.  We have an appointment with an ENT tomorrow to see if he needs tubes.

Geist Christian.

We are now members of Geist Christian Church.  We attended a class awhile back, and wanted to make sure we could call this church home.  It was a great morning, and I am so happy we did it.  Kristin and Matt came with their little girl, Aubrey.  They are such amazing friends to us.  My Marm, Feve, Pop, and Nana came too of course.

Our sign says, "Waiting for You," as we always want our children in Africa to know we are waiting on them, and thinking of them in everything we do.  Always.

Dual Birthday Party!

We had Ceal's 3rd Birthday and Sebastian's 1st Birthday party last Saturday!  We have the most amazing family and friends.  I didn't even feel stressed.  My dad and mom came early and helped set up.  My cousin, Jess had to work and came by early to take care of the kids and put up decorations ( I LOVE HER) When I walked in from outside, Steve would be cleaning everything up or taking care of Sebastian.  Really?  We are so blessed with family! My sister, her husband Kyle, and his family built her four story dollhouse for a week!  I want to live in it!  Everyone came and brought way too many presents.  Cealy could not stop smiling the whole day.  As soon as someone would show her one amazing present, another one would show up.  Cake, candy, friends, and family... I am so grateful.  Thank you God for such an amazing day.