"Waiting For You"...Mumford and Sons.

Warning: Bragging Moment.

Cealy had a friend over and I decided to take them to the flower nursery across the street.  Cealy's friend ran over and grabbed two dandelions.  She shouted let's make wishes!  Her wish, "I wish for a flying dog to come and take me where ever I want to go!"  We all laughed.  This girl can crack me up.
Cealy's turn was next.  Cealy says, "I wish for God to help all the people in {insert her brothers' country} and bring them food." 

I just stopped what I was doing and looked over at her.  One of my proudest moments being her mother.  Never to early to put the fight into our children.  The fight to serve and protect others.

Cealy's friend says, "Huh?"  I laugh, because not too many five-year-olds know countries by name so I can understand.  The girls walk away and I hear Cealy whisper, "You know dogs can't fly."

We might need a little work with imagination in this house...

The Truth about Me.

How do you respond when someone compliments you?  I absolutely hate it.  Yes, I am awful with compliments.  "You have a lovely home."  I respond with, "Naaaa not really, it's okay I guess."  Geeeesh. 

"These boys are just so lucky to have you."  or  "You are the best mother."  or "I feel so proud to know you."-That one might be the worst.

Yikes!  I feel so unworthy of those comments so I feel there needs to be some clarity.  If you have thought about adoption and then compare yourself to the families who adopted, you would want to know the real them, right?

Here it goes:

1. I am the world's most pathetic driver.  Please ask my cousin who cannot ride in the car with me.  My 3 year old daughter gives me advice.  I will wait at a stop sign for an oncoming car that is thousands of feet away just because I don't think I can beat it.  I drive around roundabouts because I can't figure out which way to go.  True story.  If I have been to your house once, you will have to give me directions again and again, because I remember nothing.
2. I am a helicopter parent and wish I was laid back and 'cool' like some other moms.  I wish I didn't feel like Sebastian was going to fall or choke every second.  I read the stories and then I mark the food off for good.  Hotdogs did not enter this home until Cealy was 3 years old and even now I cut it up like cat food.
3. I am sarcastic.  Some people cannot catch on and end up thinking I am Coo Coo Cachoo. 
4. Sebastian is almost always in a diaper...and that is it.  I can't get the strength to clothe him.  I run around outside with him and people give me the stink eye, because it might not be 70 degrees but I want to invite them in to help me.
5. Sometimes I try all I can do to just fit in. So when Cealy is having a precious mother's day program and no other mom brought their barking 20-month old I do all I can to keep him quiet.  "Honey, he is wiping his Cheetos fingers all over your dress."  Yes, yes I know, but it is keeping him quiet for this 2 minute window.  And do you know how much stain stick it took to get off all the Cheetos mess on my dress?!?  I walked out of the room and one person after another was talking about my blue dress with newly orange stripes.  
6. I am terrible at changing diapers.  Yes, at 4 years in and two kids, you'd think I was a pro but I take 10 minutes to change a dirty and approx 35 wipes.  I always wonder how parents fold the wipe and delicately wrap the diaper up, when I am doused in poop every time.  
7. I scout out bullies at the park.  I know, I know!  You what?  Yes, if someone is picking on another child, God forbid mine, I lose everything adult about me. 
8. I am the chick playing with the kids at parties.  I play hide and go seek and people wonder why I can't conversate with the adults, but sometimes the kids are more fun.
9. I go from one thing to another really quick.  I planted one flower bed and then never planted again.  My flowers are still in their individual compartments, because I can't keep on task.
10.  I put everything in God's hands one minute and then run around like a crazy person the next second, saying, "My boys are never going to get here."
11. My shoes are usually worn by eighty year olds in the nursing home, but I like the way they look and rock it.
12. I compare myself to others constantly.  I look at another parent and think, "Holy potatoes, she does a lot of art projects with her kids"  The next day I am buying art supplies in hopes that my kids will be well adjusted.
13. My dresser doesn't have dresser pulls on it.  I shimmy the drawers out when I need something.  When I moved here two years ago, I told myself I would get some...
14. My clothes would scare any normal person daily.  My sister often says, "Quick, close your eyes, and tell me how many colors you are wearing."
15. I often offset my clothes by wearing too much make-up.  No, I don't grocery it up without make-up.  I am that girl.  Sometimes when I go to reapply, my bestie says, "You cannot get anymore on."  Thank you Whitney.
16. I think I want 8 kids.  And often times I cry with two.
17. I loved the baby bouncer so much I kept it in our bathroom wayyy past the time of Sebastian needing it.  I would trip over it.  Danny would run into it at 6am and the music would blare.  But I wanted to pretend I still had a baby in the house.   Does that scare you?
18. The truth is I am a ball of crazy.  Some of it is good and other parts I am working on. 

Dear Sebastian,

All the screens are punched out of our windows at home.  We want to thank you for feeling the need to push screen out while the windows were open and your mother was assuming you were calmly looking out the window.

Your mother's personal favorite was holding your father's feet while his 6'5 frame climbed out the upstairs window.  We were just trying to get all the toys back that your threw out.  All behind your mother's back.  Books, some little people, a pair of your sissy's undies, and a shoe.  Absolutely unnecessary to be throw on the roof, but what's my idea of fun anyway?

You were such a peach at Mamaw's new home.  You threw yourself on the floor, ran away from me at all costs, and then preceded to say, "Night Night," because you were sleeping there. 

You have the most adorable face on the planet.  So when you hit me or smack me I wonder how someone so cute can be so naughty.  Time out at Target for hitting mommy was a good time.  And because you are ginormous, people think you are much older which gets your mother the 'look.' 

I wouldn't change you for the world.  You are a test for this Mama.  We will see my grade when you are old enough to read this letter.

Love, Mom

Mamaw's new home. 

Just a peaceful walk on a sunny spring day when...

BAM.  Sebastian derails and runs for the street.

Sebastian insists on stealing his sissy's princess helmet for her bike.  Mowing the lawn can be a serious job.

Off to a Great Spring.

Just mowing away with Daddy.  I am convinced this is Danny's way of cooling off from every second with his overwhelming family :)  I caught him remowing the same area for example.  Mowing the yard is a walk in the park compared to running after Sebastian.

My sister Aisha had her birthday last week.  We had a little pizza party in her honor.  Faithe, our mutual girlfriend, has quads who Sebastian and Cealy absolutely love!  Mason always makes me feel like a million bucks and wants me to hold him the whole time.

Wednesday was a beautiful day for walking and walking we did.  We live a couple miles away from a delicious coffee and bagel shop.  A girlfriend in my neighborhood walks with me and listens to me talk the whole way...

Cealy is doing her chores here taking the wash out of the dryer.  I had to take a picture from far away, she was in a mood.  Sebastian is helping.  He also put his shoes in the dryer and shrunk them to bits.  Little peach.

We put together Dominic and Malachi's room!  It just makes me happy to go in there.  Cealy's favorite place on the planet is the top bunk.  Anytime I need to find her she yells she is in "Keke's room," because she insists Keke (my sister who is married and lives in Switzerland) is going to be heartbroken when her room is gone.  I explained that Keke is having a baby and has a family of her own, but Cealy tells me that Keke is going to be so angry and where is her baby going to sleep?

Bleach Anyone?

I may or may not have adoption brain.

I sure did wash the fruit this morning with bleach...not the veggie wash I intended to.

Maybe I should keep the veggie wash away from the bleach bottle?  Makes enough sense.

STUCK.

I got an email this morning about our case...movement I guess.

After crying the ugly cry on the phone with some people in DC, I thought I hit rock bottom.  Then I got an email with vague information but communication none the less.  I am not pretending to think their job is easy, so I continue to pray for everyone working on our case.

Adoption gets really hard in the end, especially with this amazing, thought provoking new documentary called, STUCK.

All the real stories about so many children waiting for families that never come.  Or families that so badly want their children but all the red tape holding them back.  Hurts my heart.  Watch this film and tell me you are not moved to write your senator. 

It really got me thinking.  The lawyer in this film said something that I have been trying to say for years, but I was not articulate enough.  What is your definition for an orphan?  Not the legal one, but the one you think applies to children who need forever homes.  Hers is "any un-parented child."  Thank you.  Seriously, I have been so angry with the way people throw around who is a legal orphan and who is not.  If a child is not parented and is growing up in an orphanage, they have the right to a family.

Believe me, there are some strong opinions about this.  I do not agree that children are better off in orphanages as long as their parents visit once a month.  Not okay.  Children need families, guidance, love, someone to empower them and lead them.  And don't go attacking me, Miss you know who you are, because I do believe we should help families feed and educate their children.  I do this now, and I thank you for advocating such.  On the contrary, I believe we need to make it easier to adopt children who need families, whether or not they meet the legal definition.

I watched a student suffer while his mother came in and out of his life for the year I had him.  His foster mother so badly wanted to adopt him.  After all he came to her with fists a blazing and found love and acceptance.  But his mother was alive and she just needed one more chance.  She wanted to change, but couldn't.  And you know I never judged her a day in my life, because I understand addiction.  It is the saddest and toughest thing to watch someone go through.  But this little boy needed stability.  He needed a mother who was going to fight for him everyday not when she was sober.  So I stand by my definition.

Ft. Myers Continued and Don't Forget...

*I got some awesome pictures of our friends holding some hilarious and cute signs-see post below.  Please send some more, we have room!  Don't forget.  Almost finished with the video!

Just eating on the porch in Ft. Myers...if they only realized their scenery!

One of my favorite pictures!

If I could only hold her like this forever.  I love this chick.

Every night the girls got some balloon animal or rainbow from a fancy woman in sequin. Sebastian had to sit it out after biting Ceal's and popping it.  Cealy noted that the woman was always wearing the same outfit...I of course didn't notice.

After a yummy breakfast on the pier we walked to get suckers...my two gems.

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