Because the House Just Isn't Crowded Enough

Why do you always find things when you aren't looking?

We seriously downsized from Texas to here. Fitting our belongings in this place was a challenge. It's a good thing I like jigsaw puzzles...because that's how I had to put it all together to get it all in.

So, we found this forgotten flea market in a dead part of town. It's actually a depressing area. There is a MASSIVE GMC plant that has closed and has grass all growing out of the parking lots....acres of them. Talk about a sign of the times. It makes your heart ache to see it.

So one of the closed down furniture stores close to the plant has become a flea market. Off the beaten path and has never been crowded when we have been there. Not even a little.

Back in a shadowy dark corner I stumble across a corner curio that matches the china cabinet we pulled out of Hubs great grandmother's house after his great uncle passed. And I've always wanted a corner curio...but have never been able to get past the prices they always have on them...new or antique.

Y'all....it was $100. I looked at it several times thinking I was reading it wrong. But, it really wasn't a color match..just an era/design match. And it was $100. Sure, I could pay cash for it...but was it a NEED. No. And I showed it to hubs and had this conversation with myself in front of him...and moved on. After all, WHERE in the world would I fit it in our current home? Nowhere.

And we kept browsing.

And I ran across a gossip table. For $35.

The movers busted up my bench but good. So now I have nowhere to sit down and take off the snow shoes on the tile in order to keep the carpets safe.

And that gossip table? It would fit right in next to that old radio we pulled out of hubs great grandmother's house. It was even a close color match. Hmmm..

So, I bought the gossip table and brought it home. And it fit right where I wanted it to fit. And now MM takes her shoes off there and throws them in the middle of the hallway instead of the middle of the dinning room....which is actually more dangerous in our setup.

What is it with that kid and throwing her shoes everywhere????

The next morning hubs wants to know if I want to go back and get the cabinet.

Really?

We could put the extra dining room chairs that are against the wall in the dining room out in the garage, shift a few things and it would fit.

True.

But no, it really wasn't a need and as much as I liked it, we are already so crowded.

So I say never mind.

After church he asks if I don't want to just go look at it. I didn't think it was the right color, but hey, it won't hurt to go look again...we have nothing else we are doing.

So we go.

And we use our cool new phones as flashlights to get a better look at it. And we notice that if we clean it up...it IS actually the same color as the china cabinet.

So of course we bought it.

Because I need more furniture like I need a hole in the head.

So, no, this isn't one of those ultra cool stories about the major find for $10 bucks at a yard sale. But man. I love this piece. And right now it is still in the garage waiting for another oil bath as it sucked up the first one.

And after I cleaned it....wow. I do have one spot to repair on the front, and a couple of spots to recolor on the gossip table...but otherwise I'm rather happy with my $150ish weekend finds.

But if I ever tell you about more furniture I buy while in this house. Please, someone call me in an intervention!

Busy, busy!

My next two months are a little...er...scheduled.

Which explains why its been a little silent over here in blog land.

I've managed to fall headlong right back into Girl Scouting....and will be taking over a Jr. Troop in the fall. Right now I'm learning the ropes of being one of many leaders in a troop of 34 girls.

34.

I came from a troop of 6-7. Slight learning curve.

MM had her first ever ever overnight. It was a Girl Scout museum one. Lots of fun. She has really blossomed all of a sudden and is LOVING scouts. I am enjoying watching from afar. I decided not to slide into the Daisy Leader opening as she is doing so well I'm afraid if I was right there with her she would just be hanging on my leg and not having this wonderful time. Hence, me taking a spot in the Jr. Troop (4th-5th graders). Kind of a long story...but essentially, they had the need, I had the experience and I was just sitting up there for two hours waiting on her since I didn't want to run up the miles or burn the gas to go back and forth. (Yes, I was enjoying myself in some reading time and stuff - it was nice while it lasted.)

So - its been lots of GS stuff. We are going camping this weekend (cabin)...which will be another brand new experience for MM. Well, not really, she's been camping but its always been in our tent, not as one of a group of girls. And she does still wake up crying 4-6 times a night so a Daisy leader will be getting less sleep than they are used to I think. And fortunately the leader of the whole troop is working with us on food - because that could have become a nightmare.

Anyways...so I'm running around scrounging in the camping gear and trying to pull it together. Also I am trying to make sleeping bag carriers for both girls....Songbird has been registered as an independent so she can come also. Hubs was supposed to be gone this weekend so this became something we had to do. She just thought she was done with GS! Hah!

Speaking of hubs...another MRI has been scheduled. Thank you. I've have very negative views on how much of a success the back surgery was (they nicked the spinal sac and spent hours repairing it so they didnt fix both discs while they were in there...only the worst one. Do not get me started.) This is a relief to me because I either want someone to say he's just stuck with his problems or do another surgery. BEFORE getting out of the military since they are the ones that ruined his back to begin with.

Graduation in DC is in less than three weeks. Also that weekend we will be attending the wedding of hubs cousin. Of course I had the bright idea of making a quilt as a present. My FIRST large one. Yes. I have ripped it apart twice and re-pieced. Running short on time!!!
Finally in sandwich stage. This is just a blurry sneak peak. Wait until you see the clear version and the back too! I'm calling it Caribbean Honeymoon.

On top of those things I've attended a job fair and a volunteer fair, run the teen animal a million and one places, re-matted MM's folk paintings to match her new decor, etc.

Wow. It's like having a life.

The nine month mark after a move always seems to be the point where life settles down and I start doing more. It's a shame it takes me so long, but it does.

BUT, we are back to the church search again. As great as the last church was it had one very fatal flaw. The youth group was just too small. I knew it was going to happen. Songbird gave it a shot but it just was not right for her. Sigh. So we are back to a previous church giving it a more serious look over. Hoping this one is it!

Again.

And now I'm off to blogland to find some free instructions on sleeping bag carriers...I've only got a day to pull them off!!

God and Adoption

Yesterday, my friend Tonggumomma, wrote an outstanding post on God and adoption. I am adding her post here today for all my buds to read as it is exactly what I would say.

Like my friend, I have seen an explosion of posts on how God planned for our adoptive children to be our children. Like he decided in the womb to place them in our house and take them away from their birth parents.

Anyone else feel like puking? I do every time I see this type of sentiment.

When you are done reading, make sure you click over to her post (if you haven't already) and read all the comments. Really, really, really good stuff. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for about a 15 minute brain stretcher. You won't regret it.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

God and Adoption

These past two months some really cool bloggers have been exploring how they feel about the relationship between God and adoption. As a Christian and an adoptive parent, I read all of these posts with tremendous interest, both those written by Christians and by non-Christians. Several weeks ago I read yet another post on the topic, as well as the subsequent comments, and I began to type out a response. Only my response became so long, I decided perhaps I should instead go out on a limb and type it all out here.

Despite the controversy.

(And goodbye to half my readers. I love y'all.)

Now, I don't pretend to have all of the answers. And I am definitely more likely to seek out spiritual advice rather than to offer it. But I do have some thoughts about this. And I would love it if y'all would share YOUR thoughts on the topic. I want both Christians and non-Christians to feel comfortable sharing, however, so I ask you to keep humility and kindness in mind when composing your thoughts. I'll do my best to do the same.

Anyways, here is My Comment That Turned Into A Book...

Several years ago, my husband and I navigated the whole "why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?" question when my husband missed the destruction of the Twin Towers by a couple of hours (his meeting was scheduled for later that morning). We found the book The Problem of Pain by CS Lewis to be immensely helpful.

I am a Christian. I am also an adoptive parent.

I believe that I sound completely confusing when I talk about this because I believe that God is omniscient, meaning that He is all-knowing. In other words, I believe He knows what is going to happen even before it happens, even if it is not what He wants to happen. Suffering occurs in this world, but it was not part of God's original plan. The Book of Genesis clearly states this. God allows for suffering because, without free will, our choices to follow Him or not follow Him would mean very little. Because of this, I believe that yes, God worked to bring the Tongginator into our family... but... BUT... I believe that we were quite definitely His plan B for her life.

I believe that God's first choice is for all children to grow up within the loving arms of their biological families. When abandonment, relinquishment and/or forced removal occurs... well... I believe that SOMETHING from this world, not God, caused it to happen. As Carrie once stated, adoption is a redemptive response to a tragedy. It is an absolute TRAGEDY that a child cannot stay with his or her biological family, whether it be caused by the personal sin of the parents (engaging in sinful behavior such as abuse, for example), or the sins of another who held power over the parents (whether familial or societal or political), or because of the overall sin of living in a fallen world (where things such as poverty and illness and death exist) despite the parents being without fault within the situation.

To say that it was God's first choice for a child to experience adoption is the same - to me - as saying that it was God's first choice for someone to be murdered. That may not make sense to some of you, but it's how I feel. Whether I am right or wrong, I do not know. I've never claimed to be a Biblical scholar. But it IS how I feel.

I think that the church often conveniently picks and chooses how to interpret God's Word about adoption. Moses' adoption? Occurred because of the sin of one group of people who were oppressing another group of people. And to whom did Moses return? His biological family. Esther? It was a kinship adoption after both of her parents died. Jesus? Remained with His mother and, in effect, an earthly step-father raised Him.

God's call is very specific to care for widows and orphans. TOGETHER. It says WIDOWS and orphans. And it says TO CARE FOR, not necessarily to adopt. Which, to me, reinforces the idea that family preservation is God's top priority and that adoption is His second choice for a child. I often think of many within the church - those who are pushing an adoption agenda with a zeal that makes me feel uncomfortable, especially when they are closing their eyes to corruption and coercion and the like - I think of them when I read the Scripture of 1 Kings 3:16-28. In that Scripture, two women both gave birth within a few days of one another while living in the same house. One baby died and the other lived. Both women claimed the living child and a judge had to rule as to which mother belonged to the baby. The judge wisely ruled that they should cut the child in half so that the two women could share the baby, knowing that the actual mother would rather her child be in the arms of the other woman than suffer that fate. One woman tearfully offered to hand over the baby, while the woman who lied said, "Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!"

And the true mother was revealed through the actions of both women.

A real mother knows that adoption is a redemptive response to a tragedy, but that it does NOT erase the tragedy. When someone longing for a child... or simply longing to adopt... places blinders on during the adoption process, or ignores the tragedy, he or she is, in effect, stating - as did the woman in the Scripture listed above - "Neither you nor I should have him. Cut him in two!" In other words, "if I can't have him, then no one should" or "I deserve this child more than you." They are allowing their own selfish desires and/or spiritual pride to blind them and guide them.

Looking back, I wonder where my heart was during our wait to adopt the Tongginator.

Therefore, I believe that the church's number one priority should be assisting families in remaining together rather than pushing other families to "save a child" through adoption. End world hunger and many adoptions will no longer occur. Stop stigmatizing single mothers, passing judgment on them, and many adoptions will no longer occur. Help find the cure for AIDS and many adoptions will no longer occur.

Adoption is often a band-aid placed over a gaping wound.

Children growing up in abject poverty do not necessarily need adoptive families... they need food and clothes. Children born to a single mother do not necessarily need adoptive families... they need their fathers to face up to the responsibility of raising them. Children born with special needs do not necessarily need adoptive families... they need access to adequate medical care and a community that embraces, rather than stigmatizes, them.

Adoption is often a band-aid placed over a gaping wound.

That does not mean that I think adoptions should end. Because the tragedies will still occur. My daughter was abandoned when she was a newborn. She lived in care for almost a year. At the time of adoption, returning to her biological family was not an option... it was either to grow up in care or to grow up with an adoptive family. She is a wonderful little girl... one who deserves a family, just as ALL children deserve families. Since her biological family was no longer an option, for whatever reason, I am glad that God chose us as His plan B to be her adoptive family.

But her adoption? Was a band-aid placed over a gaping wound in rural China.

We continue to need the redemptive response of adoption... we live in a fallen world, y'all, a place where children continue to need a second chance at a family. But that does not mean we should wash our hands of and ignore the tragedies that cause that need in the first place. What are y'all doing to help end adoption? Don't say nothing... because I know that's not true. How many of y'all donated money to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti? It may have been small or large... regardless of the size, it was something. And that money went to care for people suffering multiple tragic losses, losses so huge, families might have been torn apart without practical help from others.

I believe adoption is necessary, but when we focus solely on adoption, I think we look at only a small part of God's plan. We need to dream BIG. With God, ALL things are possible. We need to not only care for the orphans, but also the widows and the sick and the impoverished as well. We need to work to end the need for adoption while at the same time opening our homes to the children who need families the most.

So *deep breath* how do y'all feel about what I've shared? I can take it. Really.


*********************

Brilliant no?

Yes, adoption is necessary in our world. It has a place. For orphans. And there are more true orphans out there than we could really wrap our minds around. Children in an orphanages. Children living in cardboard boxes or in the city dump. And I will always believe a family is a better place for children than an orphanage, or a cardboard box or a city dump (unless the child is damaged(inability to attach) to the point where they cannot function in a family.....this is not as rare as some might think....and they do much better in a group situation).

Thanks TM for a great post.

I could not have said it better myself.

Families....

You know, I don't normally read these types of books. I'm really big on following your gut and instincts and actually think most books of this kind are...well....junk. How could one book help more than a handful of people? We are all so different.

But I really love to read...and I really wanted to find a book club. Being new to this area, I was clueless. So, I thought I'd try an online book club. After all, one of the blogs I read was doing this so it was easy. And this was the book they picked.

You know that online book club ideal only lasted about as long as it took me to get the book. LOL! Yep. That's about how long I stick to things generally. But I did give it a shot. And I got hooked on the book rather quick.

Now, this book isn't for everyone. As a matter of fact I'd say its not for most people - to be quite honest. The commitment it takes to use the principles is just not the norm in our society. Most men are not going to dedicate themselves to their families in this way. (Shame on me for saying that out loud. But its true.) I can say I know a few families that would take this and be brilliant success stories....and I'm mailing it to one of them and asking her to pass it on to one of the others. Plus I actually have one single friend that could adapt this to her little family and it would just fit with them......as they are already on track with part of it anyways. (Check it out of the library if you get a chance T.)

And as much as I would love this to be my family.....it will never happen. But boy did I learn some really important stuff. I therefore consider it as time well spent and a valuable book to anyone that will take the time to go through it.

I'm going to leave you with my favorite paragraph of the book - which is not some big concept or step in the book.....just a concept that I live by and makes my life so much easier and my enjoyment of people so much deeper:

"Sometimes living with differences and appreciating other people's uniqueness is hard. We tend to want to mold people in our own image. When we get our security from our opinions, to hear a different opinion- particularly from someone as close as our spouse or children-threatens that security. We want them to agree with us, to think the way we think, to go along with our ideas. But as someone once said, "When everybody thinks alike, nobody thinks very much." Another said, "When two agree, one is unnecessary." Without difference, there's no basis for synergy, no option to create new solutions and opportunities."

Friends, if you do nothing else in life, learn to love and honor differences. This one thing will expand your horizons and open you up for a hundred fold more friendships and relationships. And letting go of having to surround yourself with people that think like you is very freeing. You should give it a try.

There's An Ap For That

So now that we have established my love for my new phone, let's talk about the things on it that make it so lovable.

After stumbling into the kitchen and turning on the electric kettle, I fall into my desk chair at command central and do the check. Computer still online? Need to check this first as our phone is a Magic Jack. If it's goofed up I do the reboot and make sure the phone is up and running.

From there it is time to check the iPhone. First order of business is the weather. This ap comes installed. For the first time in my adult life I actually know the weather each morning. I can actually tell if my kids are dressed appropriately.

Step two is to check my calendar. I think this was already on there also. I live by a calendar - but it's always been on the side of my refrigerator. This means some appointments never made it on there as they were made away from home. Now I use both but trust this one more.

Step three is to check my to do list. I have a free ap called Easy Task. It is pretty much just a to- do list. I like that I can set due dates and categories. And most important is the completed button for when you do it. It just gives you the satisfaction of completing something. I'm one of those that will add something I did to a list just to be able to scratch it off even if I hadn't written it down before. Am I the only nerd that does that?

And now I can start my day with half a clue.

Some of my other useful aps would be:

Maps - which came installed and is just that. I have actually used it when I didn't have the gps in the car. It eats up batteries pretty fast but it gets you where you want to go.

For paid aps - something I rarely do:

My Library - a book catalog. I have a huge list of wants and even more reads and owns. This helps me to avoid duplicating. Also, if someone mentions a book I'd be interested in I add it to the want list and can add notes as to who suggested or whatever. Also catalog CDs and DVDs. You can enter everything manually or scan the barcodes. Sweet.

DC Way - an ap all about DC. It even gets you to the subways and tells you where free and paid attractions ate. It's a guidebook on my phone for our trip in May.

Cool free aps:

I have an icon that takes me straight to my blog. No real reason except I was learning how to do this with any web page and that's the one I learned with.

Along those same lines there is Blogpress Lite so I can make blog posts right from my phone like I'm doing right now while I am waiting for my daughter to finish her Girl Scout meeting.

GReaderApp - Google reader for the phone so you can read your favorite blogs when stuck waiting on kids with no concept of time.

For more Internet madness there is the facebook app. Now you can post status updates while stuck in traffic. Someone please shoot me if I ever do this.

For those that like their Pandora radio on the computer.....they have it for your phone also. Pandora allows you to pick all the types of music you like and then you give each song a thumbs up or thumbs down to help it pick more songs you will like. It will not play a thumbs down again.

AroundMe is an app that tells you what's around you. I know, profound. It uses your current location and has tabs like gas, coffee shop, hospital, food, etc. Very handy.

LocalBooks - like above but all book stores.

OneTap Movies gives you all the theaters in your area (uses you location by gps) and what is playing. Love it and I don't hardly go to the movies. They show the dollar places also.

PhoneFlicks is the Netflix app. Add movies to your cue from anywhere. I've done this while watching previews somewhere.

Did you know they have a Spark People ap also? So if you use their food and exercise diary you can do it from the phone...which is great when you are eating out.

Of course there is Kindle for the iPhone also. I don't use it much, but occasionally I forget my book so now I still have something to read while stuck in a waiting room or waiting in the car or whatever. Handy.

For shopping there is the Amazon.com ap if you are someone that uses them alot. There is also this really cool ap called ShopSavy where you scan the barcode of what you are wanting to buy and it tells you how much and where you can buy it from on line and in your area. We saved by doing this a few times. Way cool. Why spend $100 in this store when a block over its only $60. Super sweet.

YPmobile is a phonebook...yellow pages. I like this ap over the other big one because it has a list of events going on in your area and I can pull it up at any time I am bored and see what's going on in town. Love it.

If you travel alot there is an Expedia ap where you can keep up with your flights or someone else who is flying to see you. When mom came I knew exactly when all her flights took off and landed and if there were any delays or changes. It was awesome! And you don't have to book through Expedia to use it...you can enter whatever flights you want.

So there you have my regulars. I have a few others but they are more centered around my hobbies and wouldn't be much interest to my buds.

As you can see, I pretty much use the thing daily.

Who would have thought?

And if any of you friends know some other great aps...make sure to share!





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhoneth

Joining my friend Tricia with Snapshot Saturday. Click through and join her in sharing your photo!


Today was WAGGS (World Association of Girl Guides - the pre-Girl Scout group) day for our Girl Scout Service Unit. There was a big to-do at a local park with lots of fun times and activities. Here would be Mighty Mouse sitting on the shoulder of the troop Leader. She manages to get little special privileges like this where ever she goes. It pays to be cute!

Notice the Ladybug apron? Apparently aprons are not just for the kitchen anymore. I have to fight her to keep her from wearing it to school!!!

Do You Know Your Gift?

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. I Corinthians 12:7-11



The one thing in my spiritual walk that has given me the MOST angst is the concept of spiritual gifts.

See - I can hear some of you groaning. Some of you know EXACTLY what I mean.

And churches are pretty quick to try and help you determine what those gifts are before your public profession has even died away. And have you seen all the checklists and "tests" to help you along the way?

It can be relentless.

For some people, the gift is so easy. There is your friend that is a leader of children and KNOWS they belong in a Sunday School class teaching the next generation.

Of others it is an amazing voice to share with the congregation (or other musical talent). They bring joy to our ears and help us focus on God above. (Adrielle!!! I miss you!!)

Some have the gift of giving financially and helping behind the scenes with scholarships and just wherever the need is.

Some have the gift of service -- they work in the church library or the office. Maybe they clean the church -- someone does, you know.

At our last church we were so lucky to have a man that had the gift of cooking. Yes. Cooking. And he put on a church meal for all the workers (and their kids) for AWANA's and youth on Wednesdays. Seems like a small thing yet it was HUGE to our family. We would meet daddy at church (he came straight from work) and have dinner, drop the kids at AWANA and MOTION and then we would meet the others from our small group for a study. Without that meal we could not have pulled off our Wednesdays. Almost a year later I still think of Shen with a grateful heart.

I knew others that were fantastic artists and painted church murals in the kids wings....or did the art for the Vacation Bible school back-drops. (I actually helped build Rome in 2 days! LOL! But I was a grunt...not an artist.)

Some people have a gift of prayer. Their prayers leave you inspired and with your mouth hanging open at the beauty of the words and sincerity of heart. And then there are the ones that open their mouths to pray for you...and God comes out. Spooky and amazing all at the same time. I am slightly jealous of those with this gift as I stumble, stutter and go blank.

I could go on and on - but you get the point. You have friends (and maybe you yourself) that it is so obvious just what that spiritual gift is.

And then there are people like me.

Gift?

What gift?

And you wrack your brains trying to figure out what that gift is.

Maybe its centered around a hobby?

I've been an unofficial photographer and even a scrapbooker for a few churches. But that wasn't really a gift. It was just an interest. I'm not even very good at either...I was just enthusiastic. And I have no doubt that I blessed someone with those things....but in the end...I knew it wasn't my "gift".

Well, I LOVE kids. But I don't really like being in a babysitting or a teaching position. I just don't.

And let me tell you....if you are female and have kids but don't know your gift.....you will end up in the nursery or kids wing at some point. That is always such a huge need. So much so that you can easily get pushed into that slot in an attempt to convince you that you belong there. And when you say you really don't like it.....well then a quick counsel on how you should change your way of thinking and God will bless you with liking it. Don't get me started down that road. When you don't want to go to church because you know you are going to get stuck in the nursery.....rest assured that isn't your gift....no matter how much you "change your attitude". No matter how large the need. (That does not mean you should not help out - it just means its not your gift and shouldn't let yourself be led down that road.)

I don't like leading. And this can be confusing sometimes because I love to work...and work HARD. I like to do a GOOD job. I like to please. I like to do it better or as good as the best. But I don't like to lead. I don't want to be the boss or the manager or a leader of any sort. Can't stand being the front man. Don't want to be in charge.

So for close to 10 years in many different churches, I have really struggled with finding my gift. I've prayed. Over and over. I've begged. I've questioned. I've tried many many things hoping this one was it.

And struck out time after time.

(And let me just say once again...just because something is NOT your gift does not mean you can't help out in that area. If the church needs cleaning because the regular broke a bone...clean the church. If nursery is short and they are going to start turning kids away...help in nursery. If your Sunday School teacher is going to be out of town....volunteer to start class and put that video on.)

Luckily, about a year ago a very wise and important to me lady showed me my gift.

You see, I'd helped her out in VBS the year before...just being her right hand man and doing whatever she needed done right now -- putting out fires. And the next year I came in to help build the new VBS sets.

And she looked at me one of those days and said: "You know, I never understood the gift of "helps" until I met you. Now I understand."

And the light bulb went off.

That is truly what I love to do.

I don't want to be the director of VBS. I want to be her assistant that runs around calling parents of the sick kids and staying with them until mom shows. I want to go behind the kids and clean up all the water in the bathroom so nobody falls and busts their head. I want to help turn in the headcounts for snack and the office books. I want to make that run to Hobby Lobby because the crafts are running low on something.

I want to send in meals when I can for those that are sick or have a new baby.

I want to design a new master list or whatever for the teacher to use when the current one isn't working.

I want to do the newsletter for the leader.

I want to help. I'm a "tell me where you want me" kind of girl.

And that one conversation has helped me to focus on that. To recognize it for what it is.....the gift God has given me. One I never would have figured out on my own. Because like my friend...I didn't really understand what a "helps" gift was.

And I can't even begin to tell you the relief it finally is to know this and embrace it. It has brought peace and growth.

So, thank you Joy, for the gift you gave me that day.

God is good.

Ladybug Madness

So Mighty Mouse's Bday has come and gone.

And I think I'm seeing ladybugs in my sleep even. Not in a good way either.
The requested ladybug cake. Didn't feel like making up the third color so you can't even see her eyelashes and she's missing her cheeks. Hah. Never, ever claimed to be a cake decorator. See Aunt Sara...she needs a Sarandipity cake...not a mommy disaster! LOL!

MM thinks that part of your birthday is making your own birthday cake. Not having someone else do it - she needs to do it. And the funny thing is she doesn't really eat the cake (outside of licking beaters)...she just wants to bake a cake. Talk about an easy Bday activity!
The most kissable lips in town.

The insane loot....
Ladybug glass. No worries T - she immediately took it to her new desk and used it as a pencil holder. Saves my making a call!
Nano's ladybug apron. Thanks Tricia for the fabric....and thanks internet for free sewing tutorials. This is an awesome pattern with a velcro closure she can do herself.
Ladybug petshop thingy. Her only toy.

My children are underprivileged. Toys are not a staple around here.
An ultracool ladybug quilt from Nano.

Aunt Stayce always comes through with the best gifts. A ladybug umbrella and purse. She's stylin' now. My dear sister has no idea how deadly umbrella's are in the hands of this child. Thanks. I think. LOL! Oh - and this got the loudest squeal by far.
The ladybug lunchbox. Huge hit. She actually WANTS to go to school Monday just to use it -- and its Spring Break!

And just to point out what a stellar mom I am.....that stringy hair would be because she washed it herself after I did and didn't get the soap out. And I left it that way.

And Easter pictures?

Nope.

Didn't take any.

But I am enjoying a visit with mom and the nice weather has FINALLY arrived!!!