Happy Almost New Year!

Spent a wonderful Christmas Day with friends--I have never seen so much food and thoroughly enjoyed every morsel!

Our annual choir party brought more delicious food and plenty of great company!

Christmas was particularly exciting this year--five is the magic age when everything comes together and the 2 big kids really got into it! Natan is almost there, and Vinny is just happy watching everyone else get excited! I am proud to say, even in the midst of the excitement and craziness, our kids still understood the importance of giving versus receiving.

Jason has Natan and Vinny at Wal Mart and I am watching Mimi & George paint before a riveting game of UNO, and a visit from Sally.

Amost 2010, Year of the Tiger!

Natan's Fourth Birthday at OneTrueMedia.com

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Happy Birthday, Natan!

Natan is four today! I've been thinking a lot about his birth day...how we weren't present to meet him on his very first day, but how lucky we are to spend his birthdays with him now. I am thinking of his parents and the decision they had to make...are they thinking about him today? I imagine they are.
He had a very nice birthday lunch with Sally, Dudley & Dorothy, and of course, us! He was super excited about the train we bought him--it is LOUD and makes real smoke-not steam-that filled the house!!!! I love seeing him happy!!! Here he is with his new (loud) train:

Ode to Sally

My Friend Sally Hale...

No, make that my BFF Sally Hale.

She picked me up at 7:20 a.m. today and drove me in highly inclement weather to the hospital.

She sat with me in the day surgery waiting room for 2 hours.

She sat with me back in the surgery prep area.

She met me back afterwards.

She didn't make fun of the farting--and believe me, there is lots of that after!!!!!

She took me for Chick-fil-A for my first food in 36 hours.

Thank, Sally...I owe you!!!!

*****

I had a colonoscopy today.

Not so bad, after you spend the night cleansing your colon (aided by Mimi, who, every time I jumped up to run to the bathroom, announced, "Mama's pooping again!!!").

My doctor is the parent of a student I taught in third grade many moons ago...she is now an eleventh grader! It was nice seeing a familiar face, which is why I chose him.

During the procedure was probably the only time in five years I have had 30 minutes of uninterrupted, sound sleep!

Michael Jackson knew what he was talking about--it was the same medicine he used. Unfortunately, he used a wee bit too much!!!!!

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December is busting out all over!

10 days until Christmas?? We'll never make it! Every day: "Is he coming tonight?"

Our plan for Santa this year: cookies, soy milk (Mimi does not want him to get diarrhea from cow's milk), and of course, carrots for the reindeer.

Natan keeps asking for the Polar Express CD to be played...over and over and over and over...

George announced his favorite song is "Feliz Mommydots"...

Vinny is a little stinker who is climbing on everything and "gurning" as Mum said Auntie Marta from Scotland would call it! And if there are any ornaments left on the tree by the 25th, I'll be surprised!

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Mimi had another night terror last night. She has very few now, but it breaks our hearts when she does. This one lasted over ten minutes until she finally woke up.

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Have been to Target more in the past two weeks because Mum is here than I go all year!! I am kind of missing my Wal Mart, though!!!

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Waiting for the next step with our new adoption agency. Getting ready to prepare our dossier and send some paperwork to INS.

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To blog or not to blog...

Lots of stuff happens that I never write about.

The kids say things constantly that I can't write down fast enough, and at times, I feel that so much happens in any given day I don't even know where to begin...

Bad stuff happens sometimes, too. Sometimes I write about that, and sometimes I don't.

Sometimes I find out certain people read this blog, and I don't want to share my kids' stories or anything remotely poignant--I don't want them to be a part of that.

I could put a password on the blog, but that's not the point.

Sometimes I want to vent about things that happen, either involving the kids or Jason or me...I believe that venting is fine when it doesn't personally call someone out or purposely identify and offend someone. I don't use names in my vents--I only name the people I like!!

I like to blog. It is a good way to record things I would otherwise likely forget!

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Been missing the Ingrams a lot lately...I feel another road trip in the near future!!!!

Sweet secrets...

I consider myself fortunate to have kids who say "I love you, mama!" at random times during the day--for no reason. It's just something they feel and are comfortable saying.

Sometimes though, I am hit with the unexpected.

Last night, after reading some books at bedtime, Mimi started whispering "secrets." Things like, "I love you forever in the whole world" and "Even when I'm bigger I want to stay here." She does this a lot, and loves to make up things to say and the whispers get silly and turn into tickles!

This time, out of the blue, she whispered, "I'm glad you adopted me..."

Celebration Day!!!!!

Woo Hoo!!!!

Natan's adoption is final and he has a new State of GA adoption certificate! On this most rainy day, we headed to the court house and Judge Arch McGarity did the honors. It was all very nice.

The whole family was there, including Nana and Aunt Sally.