February

Can't believe it's the end of the month already. The post is going to be all over the place. If I wait for a theme I'll never post.

-Adoption-

We had our 2nd post placement visit a few weeks ago. Friday will be 90 days since placement. Yesterday we got a call from the lawyer's staff about petitioning for finalization among other things. We also got a big email with paperwork to complete. I swear we filled this stuff out before.

-Taxes-

We finished our federal and state returns. We're even getting some money back. This year was pretty simple since we won't have any adoption credits until after this year's finalization.

-New Carpet-

The smaller kids' bedrooms, hall, and stairs have new carpet. It was a lot of work getting the rooms cleared out for installation but so worth it. It's soft and cushy and a very boring beige so I won't bother posting a picture. The carpet type is Smart Strand which is supposed to be very stain resistant and durable.

-Matthew-

He's doing great! Over 3 months-Over 11 lbs- Smiling tons now. He's rolled from his tummy to back twice now but it still seems random. He's sleeping pretty regularly 5-6 at a stretch at night, basically his midnight or 3am feeding is gone.

- 4th children/40's mommy-

In general I'm a much more laid back of a mommy. I do miss sleep much more than with Andrea and Megan 20 years ago but I have such a more contentment joy whatever you can call that feeling with motherhood in general. Good example of more laid back is when we didn't have a receiving blanket for his bottle and didn't want to go upstairs to get one we used a dish towel. Teresa is so sweet with Matthew most of the time. She was teaching him word cards the other day. Matthew lights up with smiles for her many times even when I think she should give him more space etc.

-Synagis-

We finished the last of Matthew's series of Synagsis/RSV shots last week. Even though driving to Children's and their schedule was a pain with so many babies have been getting RSV I'm so happy Matthew has not been sick and was able to get the shots. After January's coughy crud the rest of the family has been well this month too. I'm also grateful for the staff member at Children's that gave us the info about a rebate program for the copays.

-Homeschooling-

We're not doing much formal stuff now. Since Teresa isn't old enough even for K in our state yet I'm concentrating on preparing for next year. We've registered with St Thomas Aquinas Academy for the fall. www.staa-homeschool.com We finished the assessment and have some plans for next fall that we'll finalize more after a phone conference in March.

-Me-

I had another ultrasound earlier in the month before rescheduling my surgery that was postponed by Matthew's arrival. The cyst on my left ovary and fibroid are still there and the right ovary now has a cyst too. Surgery is rescheduled for April 13th. I'm praying that it will be able to be done laproscopically like planned.

2 Months

Matthew is two months today. This will be one of those scattered thoughts kind of posts just because I want to try to capture my thoughts and feelings at the time. A few weeks after one of those middle of night feedings I got hit with this wave of feelings. Of course I cared for Matthew deeply from the first moment I held him when he was 15 days old and even the 1st time I knew he might possibly be our son at 6 days old he filled my prayers. This was the feeling, the bond, that I can't imagine our family without him. I suddenly realized how his weight, smell, and little gestures are all known to me and so special. Almost immediately following came the feelings of sadness for not being able to protect him before he was born, for his birth mom's never being able to experience this, and how her impossible situation made this possible for me. And also I grieved that I never experienced this time with Teresa. She was born at almost the same gestation as Matthew, just a bit bigger, spent time in NICU, and was about his age now when she was in foster care the 1st time. We weren't foster parents then. In fact we realized recently that a newspaper article that was published several months later that was one of the factors that caused us to persue foster parenting actually mentioned her original time in foster care.

2012 Goals Quick Takes

1 - First goal of the year is to keep to our budget, especially the food budget. I'll be trying to do all cash to help with this.

2 -Second goal is to average losing a 1/2 lb a week and exercise an average of 1 hr per week. I'm just plain old counting calories trying for something in the 1600-2000 calorie range. I did 2000 this week and lost 5lbs but I would say that was because I managed to gain 7.5 lbs in the prior 2 weeks. The average exercise is because right now with even mild January weather walking outdoors isn't really possible and with a new baby and little sleep exercise is not likely to happen the next several weeks but come spring I plan to do the 5K trail with the lovely stroller my brother gave to Matthew.

3 - Read a "good" book each month. Conversion Diary Jen's link to the Register post will help with this. No Amish romances or other harlequin type books count.

4 - Do something every day with Teresa. This sounds odd as a stay at home mom but this is one on one time--reading, playing a board game, and her new favorite coloring with her. Homeschooling does not count.

5 - Quarterly dates with Andrea and my David. Andrea loves to go out to lunch and shop or garage sale and I need to make it more regular. My dear husband and I would love for this to be at least monthly but the expense and trouble of a sitter an outside date quarterly is a good goal.

6 - Add at least one spiritual activity per month. I've become very lax with any regular prayer. Things like doing a daily Angelus, or reading the gospel, or doing a weekly rosary. I'm sure I will come up with 12 things. Right now I'm working on doing a Morning Offering.

7 - Last but certainly not least enjoy this baby year with Matthew. I'm 45 and he will be our last and I know as much as possible I want savor every moment.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

New Baby Quick Takes

--- 1 ---

Yes, through the miracle of adoption we have a new baby, a son Matthew Joseph born the week before Thanksgiving weighing just shy of 4lbs .

--- 2 ---

We started working with Christian Adoption Consultant Tracie Loux in April.

--- 3 ---

While we were unloading groceries the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Tracie called to see if we were available. We said, well Megan's wedding is in 4 days, but sure we're open to being considered.

--- 4 ---

Wednesday night arount 7pm right after dropping Grandma D off at the Hampton we got the call that he was ours. We called and emailed back accepting after going to Culver's to think. I think better while eating chocolate frozen custard. Seriously though there were factors like prematurity and prenatal exposure that we needed to discuss.

--- 5 ---

The attorney was then unavailable for the LONG Thanksgiving weekend. Monday and Tuesday the 27th and 28th we did crazed packing and paperwork and shopping.

--- 6 ---

We drove 16 hrs south on the 30th and were able to hold him for the 1st time Thursday the 1st of December.

--- 7 ---

He was discharged from the NICU on Friday and we just passed ICPC this Tuesday (another miracle since Ohio is known for slow ICPC) and will be driving home starting tomorrow.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Why it was 11am before Teresa had her teeth brushed.

My Monday morning:

Get up

Weigh myself.

Drink diet pepsi.

See if Andrea is ready.

Eat breakfast.

Load dishwasher, mutter about why no one puts their dishes in there, I realize the door is actually broke but it is broke that it opens fast not that it won't open.

Start dishwasher.

Start first load of laundry so Teresa stops asking when Jaguar will be clean. Jaguar had a unfortunate accident Saturday at dinner when it was showered with chicken and rice soup and has been unwaiting a washing since then.

Find robe so I don't scare neighbors in my PJ's.

Take out trash and recycyling.

Start a second diet pepsi.

Write 3 emails to home study agency. 3 seperate emails since I've found that emails that address multiple topics don't get adequate responses.

Get one email back from our home study social worker within 5 minutes.

Decide to take shower.

Find Teresa awake and pestering on my way to shower.

Make Teresa eggs and bacon for breakfast. Make bacon for Megan too.

Take shower.

Try to get dressed and home study agency calls back. Talk to her for awhile.

Try to get Teresa off my computer so I can see if I got the email the home study agency sent.

Give Teresa her liquid claritin. Tell her I can't find the chewie ones. Get her a cup of iced tea to wash the medicine down.

Call in 3 RX refills for Andrea.

Find chewies for Teresa. Put them on bottom shelf where I can find them.

Get call from pharmacy that okay yes you need to order one it won't be ready until tomorrow after 1pm.

Put second load of laundry in washer. First load in dryer.

Dry and put away the clean dishes on the counter.

Finish getting ready myself.

Look for a 3rd diet pepsi but THEY ARE ALL GONE.

Brush Teresa's hair while she plays on computer.

Set timer for 10 minutes she must get off and brush her teeth then.

Let Teresa open the new book for this week's homeschooling.

Read Cordoruy to her.

Sit down at computer.

She NEEDED an apple while I was typing this.

I'm ready for lunch.

And I need to go check on Jaguar. I hope he didn't melt. I planned on getting him out after a FEW minutes in the dryer but of course that didn't happen.

Quick Takes Homeschooling 2.0

Megan apologizes for the lack of picture; she is posting this from someone else's computer.

1. Homeschooling 2.0 refers to the fact that Teresa is frequently refered to frequently as family 2.0. I will admit there have been times I have not looked forward to homeschooling for 13 or so more years.

2. Doing VBS last week at our parish really reminded me about school life. Up every day, all sorts of stuff to bring in or pay for (CD, diaper donation for the crisis pregnancy center, Tshirt for tie dying), and well Teresa dear is so so active and if she is tired or hungry or interested in the room decorations she won't listen to the lesson.

3. I'm planning on starting K with Teresa in the next month or so. She won't be 5 until October so this year can totally be practice.

4. Why I'm starting in July is that maybe just maybe if all this paperwork and other stuff falls into place we will adopt again this year and it's likely a newborn. Homeschooling with a newborn I've never done. Andrea and Megan were 10 and 12 when we started so I've never done a K student either.

5. The curriculum has fallen in place the last few weeks. I'm using CHC for phonics and handwriting. MUS for, well, Math. A CHC number workbook before the MUS primer. Image of God K for religion. I don't think I'll use the God's Love Story book that CHC uses too for Religion. Other than that we'll read a bunch and do any of the Little Saints Preschool that we want to do. Likely mostly crafts since Teresa loves to glue and cut and color and I AM NOT CREATIVE.

6. The Image of God books came today. I LOVE THEM. I need to figure out how to ask our religious ed dept of our parish to use these instead. The stuff they use for Jesus Hour (our preschool/K CCD) now is so weak. Image of God talks about communion is the bread and wine becoming Jesus. I didn't know this until I was in my mid-thirties. It also has lots of worksheets and crafty stuff which Teresa adores. She thinks mazes are so cool.

7. Puzzles are educational too. This week I bought Teresa this Melissa and Doug puzzle. I think 100 pieces might take her a bit to master. The last 50 piece one I bought her she mastered in 1/2 hour.


Go to Hallie for more quick takes and to Conversion Diary to see Jen's new daughter.

7 Quick Takes 25th Anniversary

1. Last Saturday May 28th David and I were married for 25 years. I'd post a wedding picture but that's one area that the quick wedding while you're home on military leave was lacking in. Maybe my daughter Megan will help me get the fairly bad picture my brother posted on facebook. I must remember to send our priest a thank you note for all he did so we could be married at my parish while we were home. Megan says: Here it is.

2. We went away for 50 hours. (That's how long Megan could be convinced/bought off watching Teresa) It's also about how long I can go before missing being at home. The bed and breakfast we went to was the White Oak Inn. Here's a picture of our cabin. It was a wonderful place. Very scenic. In fact there was a high water road closed sign at the last turn that had us a wee bit concerned but it didn't block our route thankfully.

3. We went to Red Lobster for dinner Saturday night. We had unheard of service. Our entrees were ready within 5 minutes of ordering. Our waitress apologized for bringing the salads and rolls out after the entrees.

4. Sunday we went to Mass at St. Francis in Newark. We've been to this parish in the past and it was worth the drive. Then out to lunch at Texas Roadhouse. Again our wait times were short. We did get to eat our salads first.

5. The rest of Sunday David and I spent relaxing at the Inn. We took a walk. I napped. We watched NASCAR. Our cabin had this wonderful tub.
I soaked in this at least 4 times over the weekend. We brought wine, cheese (yummy Jarlsburg spread from Kroger), crackers, and Hershey dark kisses to snack on.
I also loved the teas the Inn had available. This was my favorite.
David even liked it. "It's not bad for tea" Of course he drunk it without sugar and milk.

6. I almost forgot the flowers my sweetie had waiting for me at the cabin.

7. Here's my sweetie too. I love you BLOT (Bunches, Lot, Ooodles, and Tons). May we be blessed with at least 25 more years together.

Visit Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes.