Well I'm going to attempt this blog thing again.  This is my new start in being bold about my faith, family, and personal achievements and struggles.  It's been 3 years since I last posted.  WOW!!!!  I have a lot to do to get started on updating this blog but I thought it was better to continue instead of creating new. 

To start off with, October 7th marked 5 years since we met AB.  She has progressed so much and has blossomed into this gorgeous flower full of love, sweetness, generosity, sauciness, and sunshine!!!  I was thinking back last week on how our guide said that we were spoiling her and that we needed to let her walk and not carry her so much when we were in China and how I just never wanted to let her go.  Adoption is an amazing gift from God in which we can get a small glimpse of how much he loves us.  Galatians 3:26 says "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus".

Happenings

Ok - so it's been nearly a month since my last post. I know, I know! First, I have to give a shout out to the Colts today - GO COLTS!!!!!

Now that I have that off - we'll start with J. He had a heartbreaker of a basketball game last nite. The game went to 2 OTs. During the last 2 seconds of the 2nd OT, down by 2pts - a player on J's team was fouled and got the chance to throw 2 free throws. Unfortunately, his missed the first shot which forced him to intentionally miss the 2nd shot to try for the rebound. J got the rebound and was fouled at the buzzer. 5-10 minutes later, J got to shoot 2 free throws. No big deal right - only down by 2pts, no time on the clock, all alone on the court, no pressure for a 10yr old. Well he made the first shot and missed the 2nd. I know he was disappointed to say the least. His teammates and coach were great as well as the parents from both teams. Such a heartbreaker though - they don't teach you how to deal with those disappointments in the "parent book". We have another game today, I know it's the superbowl. I told J we were leaving at 6p regardless of what was going on - his game starts at 4:10p. Other than that, he's doing really well. He got straight A's in school this marking period and other than the typical pre-teen stuff, it's going well.

D is typical D - my video game child. When I can peel him away from the video games, he does well with his homework and he also had a great report card (they only have S, S+ and S- at his level). He's doing well on his reading despite getting upset and frustrated in sounding out some of the words - but that's to be expected. He's getting excited about his b-day party coming up in a few weeks. He wants a wrestling cake (difficult to find; mom's going to have to make) and to go bowling. He's looking forward to that. He's going to play soccer this spring again. I'm excited to get him away from the video games!!!!

AB's hole is still closed. We're supposed to go back to the doc on Tuesday for her to check it out but it's supposed to snow on Tuesday and it's an hour and 40 min drive so it looks like we're going to have to reschedule. Brad and AB are also going to the daddy/princess dance on Feb 19th so I hope they have a lot of fun with that. We're also going to try AB in soccer and see how she likes that. We'll give it a whirl and I'm going to coach so hopefully she'll participate and not be afraid - she still doesn't like crowds. We're going to put our best foot forward and go for it.

Brad and I will be celebrating our 7 yr anniversary this Valentine's Day. He gave me the best compliment when he told his mom that he couldn't believe it's been 7 yrs already. I love that man!

Basketball & Wrestling

We went to an exciting basketball game today for J's team. They lost but they came back from, I believe, 17 to 3 at the 4th qtr to lose only by 2 pts. You know if was a good game when the parents leave their seats and have to be told to get back to their seats. It was an awesome game with J making the first basket. J played very well today and despite the loss, I think everyone had a good time.

D is all into wrestling. I don't know how or why but he loves to watch wrestling and Ray M*sterio and the Under*aker. He used his gift card money to buy a wrestling ring and 5 force flex wrestlers and has been playing with them ever since. Unfortunately, the language is not necessarily the greatest so we've had to have several talks with him, but I hate to take it away because he really enjoys it.

Sweet Things

I meant to post this earlier as something for AB to look back upon and read. A few weeks ago, she seemed to be having a rough evening - typical, busy night and trying to get everyone in the bath after basketball practice. So I just held her and rocked her while sitting on her bed and she looked up at me and said, "They do this in China". I was kind of taken aback but I said "They rocked you and held you like this in China?". She replies back "Yes, I think so". I simply said "I think so too" and we just continued on rocking. I don't know if she was remembering something or if she was fantasizing but I do truly believe that the orphanage that she spend over two years of her life in did care for her. I believe that they loved the children and I don't believe that they had a lot of money or things or even much of what we consider necessities, but I do believe that they loved and cared for AB. I will always be grateful for that.

Surgery Update

I just wanted to do a quick post about AB's surgery. It's still closed!!!!! Don't get too excited as there is still stitches in there but so far it's looking good. The last of the stitches should start dissolving this coming week and be completely dissolved in about 2 1/2 weeks. We go back to the dr on 2/9 and by that time the stitches will be fully dissolved. Her speech therapist came to see her this past week and has noticed improvement in her speech already with the surgery being complete. I won't be optimistic until we see the dr on 2/9 - but it does look good. There is one spot that dips (that's the best explanation I got), but it doesn't appear to be opening. It appears to be closer to the bone on the opposite side of where the hole was so I'm not sure if that's where they were trying to take the tissue from to use but it was too scarred or what. For now, we're hanging in there and I'll give another update once the stitches are completely dissolved.

Adoption

I read a post the other day about adoption and attachment/sensory issues. It made me think about AB and the challenges that she's overcome in such a short time. The words that come into my mind quickly about AB's personality are sassy, loving and definitely stubborn. It seems so long ago that I held her for the first time. Those first days she just shut down, she could barely walk, would moan all night yet want me to hold her everywhere and at all times. 15 months later and 3 surgeries later, I think she had done a 180, so to speak. We still have issues with control and security (thus her stubbornness), but it seems like every day we get a little better. She still fears large crowds and does not like to be alone in a room but that is to be expected and is getting better. I can't remember when I noticed the change but now if I leave the room she doesn't panic at first but instead call out "mommy" and looks before panic. She has the need to be in complete control of all situations but she's learning to let go and that part is slowly getting better. We no longer have "night terrors" which is great. Overall, I can't think of the situation going as well today as it is - to think of all the major traumas in her life and to see where she is now is nothing short of a miracle by God.

And now for a parting with D humor. Conversation between D and myself:

Mom - "D did you want to go and spend some of your gift card money you received from Christmas?"

D - "No, Save More and Live Better mom".

Now that's either one smart boy or I have to give thanks to Walmart (can't believe I'm writing this) for their ad and chastise myself for letting my child watch obviously too much tv, so much that he's memorized the ads.

D's Antics/Sayings

I keep meaning to write down some of the funny things that the kids say. Well D seems to always be quick on his toes in responding and he's been responding a lot with Christmas nearly here.

So we have the presents from Aunt Amy under the tree and she does a beautiful job in wrapping the kids gifts all in different cool wrapping paper. So the Spongebob present (D's) has a big rip/tear on on side but you can't see what the present is. So I call D down and ask if he opened up a gift. His response "I was just getting a jump start on the opening" and "there wasn't a good ripping spot".

The other morning, Brad stayed home with the kids while I went into work and I covered D back up with his blanket before I left. He rolled over and with his eyes still shut he says "I had the best dream". I tell him to go back to sleep and when as I was leaving he says "I dreamed it was Christmas". He is so sweet.

Speaking of Christmas, we'll be having our talk with the kids tomorrow night about the "Christmas J Ruined". In case you have forgotten, this involves the Christmas that I got a really nice, unexpected bonus check the week before Christmas. So we had bought J and baby D all kinds of great gifts and I believe we got all the spy toy stuff we could find (J was really into this - age 5), including the spy toy remote control, listening device, grabber, thing. It was cool. Well about 2a, a sweet, excited, little boys comes into our bedroom and says "Mommy, come see what Santa brought me". Half asleep, I'm thinking he went downstairs and saw everything well he started naming things that were wrapped and it clicked in my head. Brad and I went down the stairs to find every present unwrapped and paper all over the place (including most of D's gifts as well). Needless to say, I cried a lot, ok the entire time I spend re-wrapping gifts. The next morning, J proceeds to tell me "Can you give the gift there with the nerf gun and than the one with the spy pen, etc, etc, etc". I believe I cried the whole day. Well anyways, he was 5 and that was than, but we do NOT want a repeat with any of the other children, so we will be repeating this story again tomorrow night as well as next year on the same night. Oh, we had a great punishment for him too - but we'll talk about that later.