Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Happy New Year

Last year I wrote these letters to the daughters of my dear friends who are waiting for the day that they hold their child. I have added to the letter this year because many of them are still waiting moms.....but not for much longer:)


Dear Mia,

Your mom will always be there for you, just like she is always there when a friend needs her. She will show you how to be a good friend. She will love you always. She has waited for you to come with a positive attitude and words of encouragement for other waiting moms. She has missed you and thinks of you every day. She has been sad but not for very long though, because she has never doubted for one second that she was meant to be your mom. Your Mom can't wait to hold you!

Your mommy is one funny girl and I should warn you .....your aren't going to get much past your mommy!

Love Mommy’s Friend,
Maryellen


Dear Pug Pup,

So much going on with your family! You are going to have a big sister, two big brothers, 3 dogs, and horses! Your Mom is a professional mommy. There is nothing she takes more seriously than her life as a mom. She will hug you and kiss every day. Your mom and daddy will always love you and keep you safe; they have whispered this promise to you many times. Your sister and brothers will teach you so many new things. They have waited for you too and can’t wait for you to come home.

Your mom has fought long and hard to bring you home sweet baby girl. Remember that there is nothing that your mom can't do! I believe that you and your mommy are kindered spirits....You both are strong and determined.

Love Mommy’s Friend,
Maryellen

Dear Claire,

What a strong and determined Mom you have! She is so smart and funny. She will show you that there is nothing that you can’t do once you put your mind to it! Waiting for you has been hard for your mom too, but she has never given up hope that you will be a family. She has prepared so many places in your new home for you. Wait until you see your playroom! Your Mom did that just for you! Your mom has helped so many waiting mommies with her funny stories. They all miss her when she takes breaks; she makes waiting a little easier for so many people. She has a generous heart. She will always love you and you will always be the most important person in her life.

Baby Claire your mom is coming very soon to bring you home! Soon all that you will know will be the love that your mommy has been keeping just for you. No longer will you have to wait for hugs and kisses....your mommy will always be there to keep you safe and to be sure that you know every minute of every day that you are precious.

Love Mommy’s Friend,
Maryellen

Dear Polar Cub,

This letter is one of the hardest for me to write. I have seen the tears in your Mom’s eyes. She loves you so much and aches to hold you. She is going to be such a great mom. She is kind and will teach you so many things. She has waited such a long time to be your mommy! She will read you stories, she will act silly and make Christmas cookies with you every year. She will teach you to be strong and believe in yourself. She will love you always; I have seen it in her eyes.

Your mommy is such a good friend. She has never stop loving or dreaming about you. The moment you are placed in your loving mommy's arms we will all be crying tears of happiness!

Love Mommy’s Friend,

Maryellen



Dear Beach Boatin' Baby,

Your family has waited so long for you! Waiting has not been easy for your mommy or your daddy, but they know that you are waiting for them too. They have prepared a beautiful room for you, that you won’t have to share with any of your brothers! Speaking of your brothers you will have three to teach you so many cool things. They will protect you and love you the only way big brothers can! Your mom will love you always, she has loved you for such a long time already and she hasn’t even held you yet. Her love for you is endless and she will always be there to hold you and keep you safe, but more importantly to remind you that you are loved.

Baby girl your mommy has never given up hope that you would come home to her and your family. She has continued to dream about the moment that you are finally placed in her arms. Guess what baby girl......it will be very soon!


Love Mommy’s Friend,

Maryellen


Dear Gracie Mae,

What fun you are going to have with your Mommy and Daddy! Your home is filled with love, music and lots of laughter. Your mommy will teach to love unconditionally, because little Gracie that is how she loves you. She will show you that you can be strong and still cry. She will sing you songs, read you stories, play dress up and shower you with hugs and kisses. She will love and treasure you always.

Mommy and Daddy have a big surprise for you when you get home! You have a big sister named Georgia! Isn't that exciting!! Your big sister will teach lots of things! You will have so much fun together.

Love Mommy’s Friend,

Maryellen


Dear Kris' Baby,

Be prepared to have your picture taken! Your Mom can’t help but capture beauty around her, and you Baby girl will add so much beauty to your Mommy’s life. She is waiting for you and praying for you every day. She will share her love of God and her faith with you each day. She will show you that love is boundless by how much she loves and cares for her patients, friends and pets. She will show the simple yet amazing things all around. She will love you forever, she has promised that in her heart.

Your mommy has waited patiently for your arrival. She has prepared a beautiful room for you! Your mom is amazing and not only does she capture the beauty of the world around her with her camera, she recognizes the beauty in everything and everyone. She has a kind and giving heart. I am lucky to call her my friend. She has so much to share with you.....


Love Mommy’s Friend,

Maryellen



And last but not least I wish all of you a Happy New Year! I hope and pray that this is the year that your daughters come home to the love that waits for them in each of your hearts.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

What a Circus!! (and report of a fake blogger!)

The day before vacation started Hannah's class had taken a field trip to the same museum...unfortunately Hannah got sick (throwing up I want my mommy sick) while on the field trip. The museum is about 2 hours away and by the time the teachers called Chris, they were close to getting on the bus to come home. Anyway, Hannah was bummed that she did not get a chance to walk the tight rope, so I packed up the crew and we headed to the museum for a day of fun.

Hannah showing me where she took a nap when she was sick on her field trip.


Here is Hannah walking the tight rope!



Photographic proof of Ben! He had lots of fun with Sophie today.




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After we got home I checked my email to find 32 messages from my snarky, smart and pretty freakin funny group of friends! It seems one of the "Nancy Drews" in the group has come across a fake blogger. Seriously. Who has that kind of time to make up slightly interesting stuff to blog about??? This "blogger" it seems to have the exact same nursery that can be seen on the HGTV website, the exact yellow car that someone else blogged about, and apparently the puking pumpkins from Halloween were her son's doing! Stupid really, but the sad/weird part is that she has blogged about an adoption that she "needs prayers for" and posted the picture of the baby. The baby in the picture is a stock photo. She has what seems to be a nice group of ladies that follow her blog and are praying for the precious angel in the photo. I guess we all "invest" ourselves one way or another in the stories that we read on blogs, it is just terribly sad that this person has exploited the support given by her readers....

In these emails there were quite a few confessions of misrepresentations, I won't go into it here but lets just say the information shared was quite interesting:) So in the interest in keeping it real and honest it is time for me to be honest with the four of you who still read my blog.... The brunette that often is holding Sophie in pictures is not me....this is the real me.




I encourage ALL of you to please take a moment and come clean! Be honest! Be Real! Please don't be shy we want to see the real you!!!

PIPO's Baby Claire!!! Pure Cuteness!!!

Congrats again PIPO!

Monday, December 29, 2008

It's a Beautiful Thing....

My heart is full of happiness with this new mama's announcement!

I love to see dreams come true!

XO

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Happy 12th Birthday Hannah!!

Our eldest daughter is twelve years old today....hard to believe. While
pregnant with Hannah I kept telling everyone that I was having a girl.
They would often assume that we had an ultrasound that revealed the sex
of our baby....but they were wrong. I hoped and prayed for a sweet baby girl. I
bought girl clothes and hid them in the closet. I just knew I was
having a baby girl. My second born child made her appearance exactly on
her due date of December 27th. Our lives have been made more beautiful
and exciting by her presence in our lives. We love you Hannah we are so
lucky to be your Mom and Dad!!



* this pic was taken at steak house in town that embarrases...I mean sings happy birthday to you on your special day:)

Thursday, December 25, 2008

We Must Have Been on the "Good" list!

We had a great day. The kids had fun with their new toys...big kids included! Sophie still is too small to "get it", but I am sure next year will be even more fun!

We went to visit Santa on Christmas eve day. Santa was supposed to be there at 9:00, so we got up and dressed and headed to the mall. Santa over slept. He showed up about an hour later....oh well. Sophie wasn't lovin' Santa, she didn't cry...but she did try to escape!





Ben has been playing his gu+tar hero world tour game with Sophie. Apparently Sophie is his drummer.


Hannah got the Guita* Hero. Lots of fun! We have been rockin' all day!


Chris and I are heading here tomorrow for a little rest and relaxation. There wasn't anything that I really wanted except a quite evening with my husband and to sleep late! We are going here to have a nice quite dinnerhere. I can't wait!

I hope everyone had a great day!!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Merry Christmas!

Tonight as I was putting together the kids stockings I realized that that I only had 2 gift cards and polo deodorant for Ben's stocking! LOL! I was able to "fill" up his stocking with a few lacrosse items. Filling a boys stocking is way more challenging than filling a girls stocking for sure!

I hope that you all have a great day with family and friends. From my little blog to you and your family....... Merry Christmas!


Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Almost Done.....

Well it looks like I am closing the gap between what I have done and what needs to get done! Took the kids pic for the "New Year's " card. Those will go out next week:) Not as creative as last years, but it will do and all three kiddos look cute. I am pretty sure I am done shopping. Seriously, if I have not remembered to pick something up .....we must not need it!! My mom came in late last night and will be here for her Christmas break. It should be lots of fun. She was here this summer and at that time Ben was just about as tall as my mom ( all four foot ten of her!) and well now he is probably a good 6 inches taller! My mom and I will be busy making some apps today for a party we are going to tonight. Hannah has choir practice, we need to go see Santa, and I need to buy wrapping paper. Oh and I almost forgot! I need to come up with something for Christmas morning breakfast. One of the teacher assistants at school had no where to go for Christmas:( I invited her to come to our crazy house so when she leaves here, she will be ready for some peace and quiet! Well, now that I have just written all that out, it doesn't really seem like I am close to being finished! Enjoy some pics and video from the last few days.

Sophie putting daddy to bed:) At night I sit in a chair in Sophie's room until she falls asleep. She is so funny! She sits in a chair when she puts her babies to bed too!


Murphy giving y'all a quick wink!


Sasha

Piper


**Photo's by Hannah**

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Bring on Winter Break!

Winter break started at 3:00 Friday! Wahoooo! I will be back with pics and a post as soon as I catch up here a little:) I need to finish Christmas shopping. We still have not gone to see Santa, and I have yet to take a picture for our "New Year's" card.....well you get the idea:P

Have a great weekend!

Sunday, December 14, 2008

shhhhhhh

Sophie slept in her big girl bed in her OWN room last night, and didn't wake up once! Me, well I slept like crap :) I was so worried that she would wake up and freak out or that I wouldn't hear her that I was up and down all night. To tell the truth I kind of missed that little stinker-bell sleeping next to me.......

Friday, December 12, 2008

Princess of Pink and Green



Not to be confused with the Queen of Pink and Green! We are still working on carpets and curtains but we should get that taken care of over Christmas break. I will post some more pics as we continue to decorate:)

Maybe tomorrow I will be able to post pics of Ben's room ( this would require him picking up his room) and Sophie's big girl bed that I am praying she will sleep in the rest of the weekend.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Still Here....

I am still here. Hannah's room is coming along. I will post some pics tomorrow night. It has been another crazy week. My two big kids are grounded and therefor "unplugged"...no cell phones and for Ben an added bonus of no x*box. The fighting reached an insane level and Chris and I could not take another minute. My dads advice, "Make them miserable enough to unite against you." So far Ben has read three books and Hannah doesn't seem to be missing her phone much, but is a little ticked that she can't go to the school dodge ball tournament tomorrow after school. BUT they are not fighting:)

Work is crazy. My sweet little behavior and emotionally disabled child kicked me this week. Was there a full moon??? She also had another meltdown on Tuesday. Now the system has assigned her a personal assistant...which can be a good thing or just one more person I have to manage. Only time will tell.

Apparently I could have possibly given my family a touch of food poisoning Tuesday night. I made breakfast for dinner....eggs, hashbrowns etc. Our neighbor gave me double yolk eggs so I made omelets. Everyone who ate eggs was home sick on Wednesday including me! Hannah and Sophie didn't eat any eggs and their tummies were fine....I knew those double yolk eggs were freakish.

I promise pics of three kids this weekend. Pictures of all three kids in their "new" rooms. crap and I need to take a christmas card pic this weekend too. Don't be surprised to get a Happy January card instead of a christmas card this year:)