Cleaning and Thinking

Two more days to go...

I've got a million things on the brain and honestly, I could probably use a good counseling session right about now. Sometimes I just need to vent and though I do tend to get it out to my husband or mom or a friend, I always feel bad afterwards for talking too much or being too negative or gossiping. I need to talk to someone who gets paid to listen to me and doesn't care if I talk an hour straight without taking a breath.

Also, last fall during our homestudy, our social worker suggested that I was a complacent person. I didn't exactly know what she meant and really didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. I've been contemplating that a lot more lately as I think about these million things in my brain and observe my reaction to them. Is it personality? It is laziness? Is it smugness? Is it tiredness? Is it keeping an eternal mindset? This is a conversation that I am hoping to have with my husband on the side of the pool.

But that's a whole other story.

I found out Thursday night that some good friends of ours will be homeless next week as they are moving and the closing of their new home was delayed. It works out perfectly that we will be gone so they can move in here with their 2 girls and have plenty of space and privacy. I'm thrilled to let them live here and hope they make themselves at home - that means that I need to clean clean clean so when they are making themselves at home they aren't disgusted by dust and grime and things falling out of closets. It's actually been kind of nice to get some deep cleaning done. A jump start on Spring cleaning I guess.

This is really a vague and scattered post isn't it!? I guess that's what happens when you deep clean closets, cupboards, and corners...you start to think and analyze too much.

Can't wait to get in the sun and be lazy! Read! And Relax. I'm so ready!!!

Packing

Packing a little bit for our trip to Florida. Management is leaving Friday and will be taking all of our luggage with him so it needs to be finished by then. It's nice to pull out bathing suits and tank-tops but I know it is only for a limited time. Still a few months before they are regularly worn around here. But the sun is shining today so that is a happy thing!

Many thought I was crazy for saving ALL of our baby clothes but I'm so glad that I did. I know a few things are missing as I did lend some out that never made it back but for the most part H&G can start off with some of WeeklyAd's clothes and we can slowly add to it as we are able. It's fun to see some of my favorites hanging in a closet again! I'm thankful that they held up well and will be able to be used again!

Update

Ugh, I know it's been a week of silence from me but wow, what a week it's been. To be honest, it's been a whirlwind.

We've been so busy with HomeAudio's basketball games, a big science project, a missions banquet, family birthday parties, work, planning for our vacation, keeping up with a 15 month old, and most importantly, saying goodbye to our dear friend Brian whose memorial service was on Sunday and absolutely incredibly amazing!

HomeAudio made his first basket in his last game and of course, I cried! He has improved so much and I'm so proud of him for sticking with it and continuing to try his best. I've seen him grow in confidence and ability and it's been so fun for me to get back into basketball. It's by far my favorite sport!

WeeklyAd is doing well. Of course she's loving all the Valentine's candy! She currently has a crush on Justin Bieber which bothers me because A) she's only 8 and B) she really seems to like him because a few of her friends do. WeeklyAd has always been a naive, in-her-own-little-world girl who was oblivious to caddyness (is that how you spell it?), cliques, and so on but now she seems to be more aware of friends, opinions, and being swayed by them.

Some good news, she also has become more and more aware of helping the poor. Not only did she clean out her closet and fill two bags to donate, she also went with her cousins and aunt to participate in putting meals together to be sent overseas. It was a great experience for her!

H&G is also doing very well. People keep telling me that she is very verbal and very smart. I sure think she is! She seems to be learning at least 3-4 words every week and communicates her needs pretty well. Just this afternoon when I went to get her after her nap -
H&G "hi"
Me "hi baby!"
H&G (doing the sign for "eat") "lunch"
Me "are you hungry for lunch?"
H&G "yis"

So this week she has learned lunch, snack, and mess. Yes, she is a HUGE eater and can communicate how much she wants to eat! :)

Hopefully more updates (and some pictures) tomorrow...

Change of Scenery

WeeklyAd inherited some bedroom furniture from my grandma. She's been begging me for months to paint her room so when I found out she was getting new furniture, I decided to give in to her begging.

From little princess room~


To big girl room~






We moved the molding up a little bit, painted the top 15 inches and ceiling taupe, and painted the bottom eggplant/plum. Then miraculously found matching curtains at Lowe's and a bedspread at Kohl's.

I'm a little sad at how grown up it looks but hopefully she will be in this room until she's a teenager so it has to be able to grow with her.

I think we can find some age appropriate artwork that will add some finishing touches and personalize it more.

The accessories - coming soon!

That's my favorite part!

Adoption Notes

So as you know from previous posts, my little WeeklyAd loves to journal and write. She has about 4 or 5 notepads around the house, notecards scattered, and she is absolutely in love with sticky notes. Seriously! You want to make her day? Give her a pack of sticky notes.

It's fun for me to discover her words and I treasure her imagination and ideas. It's always a treat to see what was once on her mind, now on paper. Sometimes it's letters to God (as in my previous posts), sometimes it's stories about her friends, or songs, or letters to family. You just never know.

Yesterday I saw a stack of sticky notes and as usual, before throwing them away, I glanced through them. They were all about adoption. It appears that they are the interview/interaction of people regarding adoption.

This is what each one said -

1. Name - Elizabeth
Middle - Rae
Last - Cooper

(Btw, Cooper is the name of my parent's dog)

2. Really want her.
Why?
How will you punish her?
How old do you want her to be?

3. They have been planning this for a long time.
They really want a baby girl named Elizabeth Rae Cooper.

4. Well this might take a while for the paperwork to go through so we all have to vote.

5. So this might take about 5 months for you to get her.

6. Well, we talked it over and we think....

7. So what do you think?
YES!

8. Ok, then we'll have her here tomorrow.

And those 8 sticky notes display a mixture of some pieces she has gleaned from our process and some good ole fashioned make-believe.

Dear Friends

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." Romans 12:15

It's so easy to rejoice with friends! It's fun to celebrate and smile and laugh and share good times and encourage them during happy times.

But we live in a broken, sinful world and because of that there are times of mourning too. And it truly truly truly stinks!

And I'm just going to stop right here and preface this post by saying that nothing I say here is going to do justice to this situation. Nothing will let you know how hard or sad or loving or treasured or anything this last year, this last week, this family, this man, has been. I can't even put into words my own grief and there is absolutely no way I can even fathom what my friend votemom and her family are going through.

But I have to write about it.

Because they are extremely dear to me and Management. Votemom's husband B is a great friend to Management and I love votemom like my sister and her children like my nephews and nieces. They are family. And we've been trying to encourage them and pray with them and lift them up during this part of life. To put it nicely, the sucky part. The time to mourn with those who mourn.

Last January I posted this -

"I have such a heavy heart. There is so much sadness and devastation around and at times it is completely suffocating! All I can do today is pray and trust the Lord and lean on His promises and that is what I am trying to do. Such devastating, life changing news yesterday!"

It was the day after the devastation in Haiti but I was secretly talking about votemom's family. Her husband, B, was diagnosed with cancer that day.


After a year of treatments, faithfulness to their Lord, and a testimony to others that is absolutely incredible - full of prayer, faith, wisdom, grace, compassion, evangelism, and so much more - B went home to be with Jesus last Friday night.

Let me tell you a few things about B that have been coming to my mind this weekend...

1. He was a top executive at Ford which meant he was extremely busy and had days full of meetings, phone calls, e-mails, etc. but B had a passion for adoption (TheShortOnes are his daughters, adopted from Russia). He would take the time to send us encouraging e-mails throughout our process and was quick to share our excitement and let us know he was praying for us!
2. He had a great, hearty laugh that was very contagious. He would kind of crinkle his nose while laughing and for some reason that is the one thing that I keep remembering. I would love to have a picture of him laughing!
3. He was a very generous man! Very passionate about helping people and very action oriented. I know he loves ideas but I think even more than that, he loved having a plan and taking action steps.
4. He LOVED loved loved his family! He and votemom are in a small group with us and when it was time for prayer requests, he wouldn't just share a request, he would give us an update (with sparkling eyes) on each of his 5 kids. He was so proud of them!

There is so much more...but you just simply can not put all the goodness of someone's life into words.

To say he will be dearly missed is, of course, a huge understatement! He is extremely loved and respected by so many many people. It's amazing! And such a testimony of how one man can influence so many! I've said that he was proud of his family...well I know they are truly proud of him too!

Thank you for praying for votemom and her family. I know details have been lacking but some, if not all, of you were faithful in praying for her despite not knowing why she needed your prayers and I know she is so thankful for that! Please continue to pray for her and her 5 children and their extended families! There is just no easy way to walk through these next several days, months, or years.

But the good news is that they are not alone! Nor do they even have to walk...Christ can carry them and votemom says that He has been. And He is faithful and good and promises so much. I know they are resting in Him and trusting in Him and holding tight to Luke 1:37 "For no word from God will ever fail.”

Amen.