It's SATURDAY!!

YEAH!! It's Saturday! I don't know why I said that. It's summer, EVERYDAY is Saturday here :)
We're off to Walmart for some groceries. Yep, the ENTIRE Poko Pack will be going. What an adventure! OK, gotta beat the RAIN that appears everyday here!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

HAPPY 12th BIRTHDAY
Megan Noel' Meng Yan
xoxo
Mom & Dad

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WENDY!

LOVE, MOM & DAD

RYAN UPDATE

Ryan did great last night. He slept though the night snuggled up to dad. This morning he had eggs and sausage for breakfast. I took the ear thing off and now he hears much better. It's only for sleeping anyhow. He's back to normal already, running around like a madman, playing with "Cranky Bugs" and all his trains. I'm thinking of putting Meg's softball helmet on him, it has a face mask!
Now, cleaning his nose is another story. He's having none of it, unless it's really running! YUCK, not a pretty sight. I was just thinking, what's this going to look like come Thursday morning? I'm being as gentle as I can be, but this HAS to get done! I can just imagine the infection...OK, I'm a nurse, I can figure this out and get around a squirming 5 yr old.
Pictures tomorrow!

REFERRAL !!!!!!!

Now that Ryan is home safe and sound, and tucked into bed, It's time to announce.....

WE GOT OUR REFERRAL THIS MORNING!!!!!!

Thank you Heavenly Father for another beautiful blessing!

Our Quiver is now full.

Here's what we know...

Vietnamese Name..Vu Thi Men (Men means LOVE)

American Name...Hannah Sophia Thi Men

DOB...Sept. 1, 2002

Province..Hung Yen (same orphanage as Paisley)

We are SO in love and anxious to bring our little girl home.

RYAN"S HOME

Ryan got home 4:30 this afternoon. He's doing pretty well considering what he went through. No tears unless a little brother or sister starts to come too close. He's got splints stitched into his nose and an ear protector on. He's doing MUCH better than he looks. He'll be spending most of his time on my bed high off the ground and away for siblings till we go back to Dr. S next week.

RYAN UPDATE

My little guy is out of surgery now. What started out as outpatient surgery has turned into an overnight stay. And I'm GLAD! I know he will get excellent care. Ryan's in so much pain. Morphine is the word for the day! Surgery started at 4 and was 2 hours. What a long day for my little man. We didn't realize it, but this nose revision is in 2 parts. Today Dr. S took cartilage from Ryan's ears and built up a tip for his nose. In 6 months the a second surgery will narrow his nose. Mike says it's AMAZING!!! What a difference. He is REALLY REALLY handsome! Not that he wasn't before, but this surgery must have really made a difference. I'm hoping he sleeps all night, I know I won't.

RYAN

My little man is having surgery today. Ryan is having his nose revised, and I can't imagine WHAT his little face will look like this afternoon. For those of you who don't know Ryan, he's 5 yrs old, from Dongguan China, and the cutest little guy ever! Ryan was born with bilateral CL/CP 3rd degree, needing MAJOR repairs. This will be Ryan's 5th surgery. He's such a little trooper. He left with daddy this morning with a big smile on his face and a backpack full of Thomas the Tank trains. Mike loves taking him for his surgeries, I guess it's his time to bond. So, off my boys went in the rain this AM. Now I sit and wait for updates...and Mike is NOT good at updating! It's going to be a LONG DAY!

Our Little COOKIE Made It!!!

She did it! It came today! The one day she didn't get the mail at noon. Meg's been stalking the mail carrier since the last day of school. Tonight Meg and I went to JoAnn's for more craft stuff (don't even ask about it). When we got home, I went to the mailbox (she's afraid to go in the dark, it's only at the end of the driveway). Guess what was there 6 weeks early? HER ACCEPTANCE LETTER !!! YEP! Our smart little Cookie made it into the Pre-Quantum Leap Program at the middle school! (gifted of the gifted) We are SO proud of her!!! She will stay with the same class all through Middle School then go on to the Quantum Leap program at the HS.

Meg is SO excited. She's putting the letter in her scrapbook and has already emailed her 5th grade teacher to give her the good news. Now she REALLY can't wait for school to begin!!

LET'S TALK ADOPTION

We are waiting for our "Official Referral" any day now and I'm going CRAZY! I can't stay away from the computer. I'm checking every 5 minutes for an email from my agency so I can post her pictures!!!! Who am I kidding? I check for an email every time I walk past my bedroom. She's SOOO CUTE! Poor Maizie has no name yet, but she sure has brothers and sisters loving her and wanting her home, not to mention a mom and dad anxious to get the last of their brood under one roof. Well, at least all in the same country :)
What can I tell you about Maizie? Well, she is very tiny, so the measurements say, will be 6 soon, and just got a REALLY short haircut. She has been told she has a family and cries for her mommy and daddy to come get her.
Her package arrived last week and she liked what we sent, but cried and cried because she thought she was going home that day! POOR BABY!!! My heart is breaking for her.

No, I haven't started my "stuff" yet, the kids were in the pool all morning. But nap time is coming and then I'm definitely starting. If I don't get movin' soon, I'll be traveling alone, and although that's not so bad, Maizie wants to meet her daddy.
OK, I'm off to tackle the nap time tears, then off to the "STUFF" for some fun!!!

Another Monday Morning

Good morning Friends. Another week stares us in the face. What surprises are in store for us ? I pray it's all good news!
Thanks everyone for leaving comments. I love them! Mike says Thank-you for the Father's Day wishes. He had a "GREAT" day..poor guy, I had a big "honeydew" list for him. WELL....he never gets a day off and things have piled up around here. Things I Can't do..you know, like changing the light bulbs in the outside fixtures, hanging big pictures, moving china cabinets. So, he was working yesterday. The girls all called and Michelle came over with her family and we had dessert together. Key Lime Pie and a Chocolate Football Cake.

Now for my "STUFF". It has made it's way to the dining room, which is now my craft room since there are lots of little bodies in lots of little beds in the rooms that used to be my craft room, office, and exercise rooms. SO..... I'm crafting today!!!

Have you seen the price of food? I think we will start eating MONEY, IT'S CHEAPER!!!
I bought EDY's Ice Cream yesterday, it was on sale..3 for $10. Now I know why...they are the tiniest containers I have ever seen. Food is shrinking gals! I remember when you bought ice cream in half gal. containers and that was standard. I better start paying attention!
Have a GREAT week!!!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

THE PARTY STARTED WITHOUT ME!!!

My "STUFF" is still in my room, and I had Poundcake for breakfast! So much for my fundraising AND my diet :(

Let's get This PARTY Started!!

GOOD MORNING!!!



Schools OUT! Summer's HERE! Let's get MOOVIN'!

It's time to buckle down and get to work!! The kids are ready for a summer of fun in the sun. The pool is calling them. Well, all except Meg who is counting down the days till school starts again. She's already emailed her teacher twice. I bought her a big LADYBUG scrapbook Friday night. She already has it filled and decorated!! I should teach her how to do crafts. Hey, good idea! She can help me with my "STUFF".



Oh ya, My "STUFF" That's my pet name for my Fundraising Items for our adoption. UGH, I'm NOT a fundraiser...I like to CHARGE things...But this adoption came out of nowhere and it's a CASH deal. ( sorta used the CC for 5 other adoptions) OH NO...3 months for that kind of $$$? WHAT was I thinking? Obviously, I wasn't. Mike will tell you that...He tells ME that every chance he gets :( Well, I've done pretty well so far. All I need now is travel $$$...So, out comes the "STUFF".



Now, I've been a crafter for years and years..but for fun. Oh, those were the days. I actually had a room for my crafting..lets see, there are 2 little girls sleeping in that room now... Anyhow, I used to sell my things at craft shows, and did pretty well too. Then I stopped and Mike threw everything out! YEP, all my leftover things, in the trash...seems 2 boxes in the attic were "bothering" him. MEN!



So, I need to get started. Ya, I said that a month ago. Everything is still sitting in boxes. But we could travel as early as 6 weeks from now so I NEED TO START...

I'm hoping to at least get things out of the box tonight and start tomorrow. Monday is always a good day to start isn't it? Maybe I'll start a diet too! HA! HA! I would REALLY be miserable wouldn't I? Hungry, trying to make my "STUFF", 5 kids running around fighting and crying and whining about going into the "BIG" pool. Oh YA, I can already envision my day tomorrow. Hmmm, Do I have another CC somewhere?



OK, Tonight's the night. By hook or by crook, I'm getting my "STUFF" out.



Oh, What's my "STUFF" you ask? It's only the CUTEST sandals, hairbows, and beaded sox! Wait till you see them!!!

The sandals are SWEET! I'll post the pics here when I get a few done :) You're gonna LOVE them!!!



I'm tired already..............................

NOT TO BE OUTDONE BY THE BOYS.....

Meg and Sara
Megan got all A's on her report card today, is on the "A" Honor roll, and got the President's GOLD Award for Educational Excellence. What a smart little cookie! She is waiting for a letter of acceptance from the Middle School this summer for the Pre-Quantum Leap Program. It's the gifted of the gifted classes. The school is choosing 25 incoming 6th graders for the program. Meg had to write an essay last month to be considered and they also look at her FCAT scores. She had a 98 on her math NRT test, so I'm thinking she'll get in. Well, I sure hope she does, because she will be one dissappointed little girl if she doesn't. She lives for school. Today was the last day of 5th grade..she has already made a calendar to countdown summer vacation. She can't wait for school to start again!
How far she has come in the 3 years she has been home. From that screaming, tantrum throwing little girl who refused to speak to us for 6 months, to this beautiful, sweet young lady. I sure am one lucky mama.

ANOTHER GRADUATION

Isn't he CUTE?? My little man graduated from Pre-K yesterday. He was SO proud of himself, and so excited because we were all there to watch! What a little sweetie he is :)

He had a fantastic teacher for the past 2 years. Miss Sue is wonderful. She will be Austin's teacher in the fall. Watch Out Miss Sue!

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION!!!!!

Today was a day of CELEBRATION!!!!

Our Grandson Ben Graduated High School this weekend!

Way to Go Ben!! We are SOOOO Proud of you!!!

This was a lot of hard work for Ben. You see, Ben is autistic. He worked SO hard at school and did such a great job! All his family here in South Florida came to help him celebrate today. We all had Ben's favorite foods :) all made by the loving hands of his mom, Michelle. Baked Ziti, Chicken Parm and garlic bread. It was Ben's day to SHINE!!

We love you SO much Ben!!!!!!

Grandma & Grandpap