taking off....

In a few short hours we will be taking off....

We are headed to sea with Mickey and Minnie...

See you next week!!!

Reflecting times....

I am a very busy mom, so I don't have much alone time (completely alone, with NOTHING to do)....but when I do, I often find myself reflecting on my life!

I have so much to be grateful for, and as we continue to go through this adoption process, I am reminded daily, how God has blessed our family.  I do not want to make this post too 'heavy'...I like to keep my blog 'light and sweet,' so I will try to make what I want to say fun...

While in the car, (and for most who know me, I spend a lot of time in the car with my kiddos) the song "Marry Me" by Train as been on the radio A LOT....

So, of course, I always think about Ryan....and wonder, how many people would truly want to marry their spouse again- knowing everything their life had instore for them????

Well, I would...Forever isn't long enough for me!!!

Ryan has encouraged me (probably without knowing) to be ME, to find who I really am....he inspires me everyday and I LOVE him more than words.  My drive to be the best in life (a great mom, a devoted wife, a true and honest daughter, sister, and friend) is because I crave his praise and love!!!  

So, while reflecting on how much our life has changed in the past years, I answered my question....

YES, I would marry Ryan ALL OVER AGAIN!!!

He makes my heart full...

Find your passion.....and MAKE a DIFFERENCE!!!

This morning I am overwhelmed with a feeling of gratitude....

I live an amazing life!

It is filled with the goods of LIFE...

It is filled with LOVE....

And,

It is filled with LAUGHTER...

Find YOUR passion and bring something special to others....

This person dreamed BIG and is making a BIG difference....

Just think of what you can do...

to make this WORLD a better place...

Broke a BOARD!!!!!!

Tae Kwon Do....

WOW!

Garyn loves it....

and,

He is really good too!

He is Focused....

and,

Respects the instruction...

But most of all,

He is learning the skills....

Tonight, with an audience, (his Mamaw and Papaw were there to witness...)

He broke his first board.

The Master picked Garyn to come to the front of the class and demonstrate how to break a board with his fist....

He was very serious, "Yes, Sir," followed his Master's instructions...

and sure enough,

He broke the board....

FIRST TRY!!!

He was so very proud of himself....

Yet,

 he made sure he didn't boast...

He also earn his blue tip tonight for his face block and punch...

This kid is moving on up....

I am one PROUD 'Amaye' (mom in Amharic)

Adoption News....

Yesterday, Ryan and I completed our second homestudy meeting.

These were individual interviews....

YAY!!!!!

Another step closer to meeting our baby!!!!!! 

Tough Cookie!

Why do these things always tend to happen when I am alone???

Last night, teeth were brushed, hands were washed, both had went potty, last step... was to put Gigi's jammies on...and it was BEDTIME!!

Well, how quickly our night changed....

Gigi and Garyn were teasing each other and running around...

Mommy, of course, said to STOP because someone was going to get hurt.

Garyn quickly looked at me and told me I never let them have fun....

Well, (not that I enjoy saying this...BUT) Mommy was RIGHT!!!!

Gigi was running and fell right smack on the antique ink jug in the hallway...

I was SO afraid to look!!!!!

I thought FOR SURE I would have a hand full of teeth, or a black eye and blood....

Well, blood there was...a lot of blood!

Thankfully, she only hit her chin and her teeth seem to be okay....

However, the chin would need attention...

So, I called my neighbors because I was by myself...

they ran over, helped with Gigi and Garyn...

Michelle drove me to the hospital with Gigi and Randy watched Garyn...

Gigi was such a tough cookie!!

They numbed her chin and glued it together!!!

Thank goodness for NO stitches!!!

Remembering the Warmth....

today it's freezing and snowing....

it's gloomy and sloppy...

it caused an adoption meeting to be cancelled....

so to help lift my spirits.....

I turn to warm memories...

Quotes of the day....

Quotes of the day...

Garyn: While looking at Gianna..."Gigi your eyes look beautiful right now." Followed by a hug...

(this was a melt my heart moment...)

Gianna: "Garyn, if you don't stop talking, I am not gonna be your friend any more."

(this was a laugh out loud moment...)

They say funny things, they say logical things, they say things I don't quite understand, and yes, sometimes they say 'not so' nice things....but no matter what they say....at the end of the day, I look back and think....

I am a LUCKY and BLESSED mom!

ET Cartoons!

Today I introduced a new cartoon to Gianna.  It is an Ethiopian cartoon in Amharic.  She understood no words, but LOVED it. 

I can not wait to see Garyn's reaction to the cartoon.

I must say, it is "catchy."  I hope by watching these...we ALL learn a few more Amharic words.

Take a look, maybe your kids will like them too...

1-18-11

Busy Busy day....

gigi school,

gym,

paperwork at doctor's finally completed,

(need this for adoption...)

home for lunch,

speech,

FINGERPRINTS!!!!! FINISHED!!!!!

(need these for adoption....)

tae kwon do,

play date with neighbors,

dinner,

open house at Garyn's school

Needless to say busy busy day....

Highlights of day....

*Receptionist at doctor's office spontaneously told me I was a great Mom.

*Garyn: "Mom, (heavy sigh) I don't feel like being respecting right now." (he didn't want to put his socks and shoes away properly after coming home from speech.)

*Gianna- fell asleep in my arms today around 5pm on the couch....these random snuggle times are what I live for...

*Garyn- really enjoyed his school tour tonight.  he especially liked the science and music rooms.  his favorite instrument was the gong...he was amazed by the sounds...

*Our paperwork is a lot...but we are working diligently through it...and can almost see the end of the tunnel....(hoping in a month, we will be finished with all paper work!)

I am so thankful for Ryan and all of his time and hard work he is putting into this....

He is so amazing....he balances work/life better than anyone else!!!!

**I love you, Ryan!**

my posts for a while....

okay....so my posts may be short and to the point over the next few weeks.  

reasons why???

we are in the heat of paper work, reading, educational hours....plus our everyday responsibilities....

it is leaving us very very little time to do much of anything else.....

so I am sorry, if I am brief over the next few weeks.....

it is for an AWESOME reason.....

YELLOW TIP

he was so proud.....

today, he was rested, focused and AWESOME at tae kwon do!!

he was the example student....

it earned him a yellow tip for strong punching, great focus!!!

brain focus, body focus, eye focus!

we are off to learn to count to ten in Koren.....

he REALLy wants a white belt with a yellow strip!!!!

YAY for Garyn!

Happy Birthday Dr. King

I have a dream today!   ...one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.  I have a dream today!  I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

{An excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech.}

on our way...

this morning we are on our way.....

to a homestudy meeting....

yes, one step closer to meeting our babe!!!!!

HERE WE GO....

I wish the Colts were heading into the 'burgh tomorrow,

but since they are not....

my cheers will be for the BLACK and GOLD!!!

I am a Colts fan now...but will always have a special spot for the "Stillers...."

LETS GO STEELERS....BEAT THOSE RAVENS!!!!

HERE WE GO BOYS.....

PITTSBURGH'S GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL....

All Wired Up....

I know he has a brain....he is too smart to say he doesn't....

now, we just have to make sure it's working right....

I love this little man...

He is one TOUGH "cookie."

PICTURES TELL IT LIKE IT IS....

CAPTURING THIS WEEK IN A PICTURE....

YEP, IT'S BEEN ONE OF THOSE WEEKS....

IS IT FRIDAY YET????

sleep deprived....

Really???Really???? I thought we were soooo past this stage!!!!!!!!

So, Garyn.....has slept soundly through the night since 8 weeks of life...NEVER have a problem with him sleeping....

Well, boy has that taken a change for the worse over the past few weeks!!!  He has been waking up through the night screaming my name....sometimes, he is crying and sometimes he just wants me to sleep with him!!!  

Trust me, I love cuddle time, but I also love my own bed, especially at 3AM.  Anyways, last night felt never ending...

Gianna is sick and has been up the past three nights. Two of those nights required coming downstairs, putting the TV on, getting a drink, etc.  Well, last night, she had NO fever, was not really coughing, so I put my foot down.....we are staying in our bedroom tonight. 

Long story, short....I went back and forth from Garyn's room and Gianna's room ALL night long!!!!!

Are my kids preparing me for a new baby??? I don't know, but I do know, I LOVE my sleep, I NEED my sleep.....

And today, I will spend ALL day trying NOT to be grouchy.....wish me luck!

A BooBoo for Baby....

I have mentioned this before, but my kids are very excited to be on our Ethiopian journey.

They both talk a lot about our baby... and with every conversation, my heart tingles with excitement!  I can not wait for the day we ALL are together as a family!

Today they were super strong....they each had to get a "boo boo" for the baby.  The both received TB shots and had to have a small physical for paperwork....

Gigi went first....she sat tall, picked which arm she wanted her shot in, and sat perfectly still....NEVER EVER moved, NEVER even flinched....I was so very surprised, and proud of her.... AND, it what is most impressive, GiGi was that strong while being sick!!!!  After her shot, she was told she needed to be on the nebulizer 4x a day for the next week or two....UGH!!!!!!!  I just hope she sleeps better tonight!!!! She deserves it....she is amazing.....she is my comedian....i just LOVE her to pieces....

Garyn watched Gigi in awe....and he quickly jumped on the table when she was finished.  He was slightly more hesitant for what was about to happen....but he stuck his arm out and took the shot like a champ (only a few tears quietly fell)  But, let me tell you....he was PROUD of himself!!!!!!

After the appointment, he called GaGa and told her he "got a booboo for the baby."  It was the sweetest thing....  Then he told PapPap..... Then while watching TV, (he didn't know I was watching him) he kissed his arm and said "it's okay little guy, it was for you."  REALLY.....He absolutely amazes me every day!!!!!

Anyways....I am a proud Momma, yet again....My babes were super strong today...but more importantly, they are understanding (through experience) that a little suffering is worth it, especially if it brings us closer to our little person....

They are my world....I love you guys!!!

So proud....

Last night Ryan and I went to the Colt's game....unfortunately they lost...it was a great season considering all of the hurdles they had to jump (constant injuries, etc.)

So yes, we were disappointed coming home...

BUT, our kiddos turned that around for us very quickly....

We had a new babysitter from Seeking Sitters (which is an AWESOME babysitting agency, www. seekingsitters.com.)  Abbey was fantastic, we could tell right away that the kids were going to enjoy having her around....Anyways, point of story.....

When we got home, she told us that the kids were EXCELLENT.  She said they honestly were the best kids she had ever babysat!!!!

YAY!!! for GARYN and GIANNA!!!!!!!

Momma and Daddy are so proud of you!!!  Thank you for making a disappointing evening, a proud evening!!!

Great way to start the weekend...

Great way to start any weekend is with a call from your adoption specialist...

Our specialist called yesterday, we scheduled our first interview together.  This will be one of three...we will have one together as a couple, Ryan and I will have individual interviews, and then we will have a home visit for Cindy to meet our kiddos and to evaluate our home....We hope we can accomplish all of these interviews before we leave for vacation at the end of the month....

AND....our timeline for everything has been made a little shorter.....so you ask....."what does that mean?"  That means, (if all goes as planned, which we know there will be a few hiccups) our babe will be here sooner than we were told......

SOOOOOO EXCITED!

Adoption Update...

Good Morning.....

Just thought I would dial in and report an Adoption Update....

On Wednesday, Ryan and I had a hour long call with our agency, explaining what we will need to do next and talking us thoroughly through the timeline.

We received the name of our adoption specialist and learn of all the people who will be walking our journey with us....

We also received more paper work (medical, financial, references, etc.) Most importantly,we learned of the documents needed for our Dossier.

Our goal is that our Dossier will be in Ethiopia 5 months from today.... We will be depending on a lot of people to make this happen....

This time next year....we are praying we have a baby in our arms....

**Please continue to pray for patience for us while we continue to work on ALL of our paperwork....**

Green Tip...

Tonight I am a proud Momma.....

Garyn earned a Green tip on his belt tonight for displaying strong, direct kicks.

When I asked him tonight what his favorite part of Tae Kwon Do was...he said " I love ALL of it."

I am confident he picked the PERFECT "activity."

** He will need to earn 3 additional tips to earn a yellow striped belt.

Ballerina Girl....

Today, my pretty pink princess had her first dance class.

She woke up so excited...she gave me NO grief on getting dress this morning.

She looked precious in her pink leotard and pink tights.

As the kids were eating breakfast, Garyn said he really wanted to watch Gigi be a ballerina. It was so sweet....I told him we would tape it while he was at school and he was satisfied. Right before he got out of the car for school, he kissed her and told her to have fun....

(some days Garyn makes me feel like I am doing a really good job as a Mom)

On the way we go to the dance studio......

I honestly think Gigi asked me about 15 or more times " Momma, are we there yet? Momma, does it take a long time like GaGa's?

When we pulled in the parking lot she squealed so loud....

Her excitement was quickly quieted by the large dance studio, the unfamiliar faces...

After she noticed little princess' like her, she began to feel more comfortable and followed the 'leader' right into her dance room.

It was so fun to watch....these little pink feet slide and hop across the floor....at times, they all looked like ducklings following their Momma around the dance floor.

She experienced 30 mins of ballet and 15 mins of tap.....

She loved it......YAY for Gigi!!!!

signed up...

Really....it's kinda crazy....

We started thinking about the next school year basically as soon as this year began....

Ryan and I began our school discussion...this is important because unbelievably, Garyn is going to Kindergarten in the fall.

So we researched many schools, both private and public. We are blessed to have many options....with that said...Ryan and I decided the best option for Garyn (and Gianna) would be Catholic school, more specifically, Our Lady of Grace.

So....today was registration day.....for both Garyn and Gianna. Gianna will be attending the preschool at Our Lady, while Garyn will be down the hall in Kindergarten.

To make sure each of them had the BEST chance to "get in," I had to be there this morning at 6 am. Meanwhile, registration didn't begin until 7:30am.

(I got there at 6:02 and was 19th in line......)

Well, it's completed.....I hope that each receive their spot at Our Lady of Grace....now we just wait....

Everyone was Kung Fu Fighting....

The New Year brings new fun activities.....

While on winter break, we let Garyn and Gianna watch The Karate Kid (the new version) and they both LOVED the movie. (Gianna swears that The Karate Kid is a girl because of his braided hair)

And ever since...Garyn and Gianna have taken turns practicing their karate moves...

So.....Ryan and I want to get them involved in an activity for winter....but we couldn't decide what we should introduce to them....well, thank you Karate Kid...you just helped Ryan and I with Garyn's winter activity (Gigi is still too little, bummer....)

Today, we signed Garyn up to begin Tae Kwon Do...He received his uniform and had his first private lesson.

He amazed me....

It was so much fun to watch him have fun, to learn "moves" like kicks and punches, and to listen to him follow instructions....

It quickly reminded me how big my little man really is....

He had a blast and is now signed up for the following year...

So Gigi is too little to be a 'real' karate kid, so...

Gigi will begin ballet on Wednesday morning....she is so so very excited. She has been dancing all around the house letting us know she is ready for her "dance party."

I can't wait to see her in her leotard and tights....

I am absolutely in LOVE with this time of my life....

My children are making my "job" so very special and I honestly can not thank them enough....

Mommy loves you guys sooooo much!!!!

Final Christmas Celebration...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year....

We celebrated the New Year with more Christmas...

On New Year's Day we had family Christmas with Ryan's family. The kids were spoiled again with so many fun presents...

their Aunts and Uncles picked the most thought gifts for them.

Mamaw and Papaw's gift were never ending...

It was a great time....

The kids loved their gifts, but I honestly have to say, they loved being with each other more...

As they continue to grow, they are learning to pretend play together, explore together, and really enjoy each other....the once love/hate relationship Gigi and Ashlyn had is definitely more love, and Garyn loves watching Carter play around....(he is going to be such an awesome BIG brother...he already is....but he is going to love having a baby around...)

They love being together...and it's so fun to watch them together.

We are truly blessed with such wonderful families....