THREE COUNTRIES, ONE FAMILY!

Long time, no see

2010-12-24T15:55:00.006-06:00

I know-- I'm shocking you by posting. Life seems to move so quickly that I have a hard time posting as much as I would love to.

Let's see-- Joshua is now 11 and thinks he is old enough to make all the decisions in his life ;). Delaney is a Diva Princess that can have the attitude to match! But all in all they are two awesome kids that keep life adventurous!

Here are a few pictures to enjoy:

Arrow of Light

2010-02-14T17:38:00.001-06:00

Philbrook Field Trip

2009-05-04T19:58:00.001-05:00

Better late than Never

2009-05-04T19:05:00.001-05:00

Nightengale

2009-03-11T09:11:00.006-05:00

The fourth grade class presented the play, "The Nightengale" It is playing on BATV at this time so if you get that on channel 20, you can watch it.

Joshua had a one word part. That is right, one word. I learned his line also :) "Brilliant". There is your replay.

It was a cute play and they did an awesome job.

Soccer Has Begun

2009-03-11T09:04:00.004-05:00

Soccer season has begun and it is starting off pretty good. Both kids one their games. I was a little late to Joshua's and forgot my camera in the car so I didn't get any pictures of his game. Most of the players on his team are new players, but they rock! They did real well. I was impressed. They won 3-1.

Delaney's team has one new player but otherwise they are the same team. She LOVES soccer. She says she always wants to play. Here is hoping for her enthusiasm to last.
She scored one goal. She is good at getting the ball and getting in to the goal, her aim is still a little off. She fears no one on the playing field. They won their game 13-1, I think that was the final score.

Random Pics

2009-02-22T21:06:00.002-06:00

Busy, Busy, busy!

1920s Report

2009-02-09T19:41:00.003-06:00

Joshua has had to research the 1920s. His Kaleidoscope class are traveling through the decades. Joshua chose 1920s since that was when King Tut was discovered.

It has been interesting learning about it along with him.

He has found out about Charlie Chaplin and bought the 1920 movie "Gold Rush". It does not surprise me that he likes him as he reminds me of an old time Mr. Bean. Joshua even used his own allowance money to buy the movie.

He also requested a Derby Hat as he is suppose to dress the part as well. He is also suppose to use slang words from that decade as well. Such as "the cat's meow".

We bought the Derby Hat online from WC Inc. via Amazon. They had great service and great prices.

Pine Wood Derby

2009-02-09T19:31:00.005-06:00

Joshua's Cub Scout Pack had their annual Pine Wood Derby. Joshua did not win first overall this year but he did come second in his den. Here are a couple of pictures from the event and one from the week before. I thought it was a good picture of him.

I am Addicted

2009-01-29T21:55:00.002-06:00

Well, my addiction all started last May. I really didn't think I would get addicted because I am stronger than most. Before I knew it I needed something that was bigger and better to satisfy me......I bought a different camera. I am trying to sell my old one but be warned... it is addicting.

Cafe

2009-01-29T21:26:00.002-06:00

The kids entertained themselves on one of their days off by setting up a cafe and movie theater. I was actually treated to some "food" and a movie without being charged. They sat me down to watch: Charlie Brown's Christmas and ran out to play in the snow. They even gave me my blanket and dog to snuggle up with while I watched the movie. Now that is service!

There were a couple of stuffed animals that were a little noisy though :).

Snow Days

2009-01-29T21:18:00.004-06:00

Like most kids in our area, the kids have had the last few days out of school.
The first time they went to play in the ice, it was still sleeting. I saw that they were taking umbrellas out. My last words to Joshua..."Please don't ruin your umbrella". You can see what became of the umbrella. He said it was already broken but I am pretty sure that using it as a scraper on the patio didn't cause any of the damage you see.

Next time I look out, I see that they are making and eating a coke slushy. Unfortunately they used the ice on the storage bench. You know, the one right underneath where the birds nest. You know the bench with the white spots all over the lid. UUGGHH! I hope that the birds don't have some disease (yeah right!). I told them that it was not safe. Next thing I know they are scraping more ice off the patio. You know the one the elderly dog has accidents on. I guess what doesn't kill you makes you stronger right???

This week is another story

2009-01-29T21:07:00.002-06:00

Last week it looked like Spring....

2009-01-29T19:49:00.005-06:00

Remembering Korea

2009-01-27T15:17:00.001-06:00

I have been playing on Photoshop a little and loved how this photo turned out. I am so blessed to have been there in person less than one year ago.

2009-01-02T22:42:00.001-06:00

Blessing from Afar

2009-01-02T22:31:00.004-06:00

We received a notice in the mail that we had missed a package being delivered from Ukraine.

We went to the post office to pick it up. Joshua was so excited that he could not contain his smile. He was almost giggly. He received a package from his birth mother. It is so heart warming to see how much he cherishes his connection with her. He really feels special when he receives something from her. I pray that our connection with her continues and he continues to find joy in it as well.

Old Friend

2009-01-02T22:25:00.003-06:00

Our friends are back from New York. They left in May of 2006 and are finally back where they call home. Joshua and Shawn were good friends before but 2 1/2 years is a long time between seeing each other. They picked back up as there had never been in absence in their friendship.

School Parties

2008-12-23T17:07:00.003-06:00

Each year while the parents are setting up for the year end Christmas (AKA as Holiday party :() party, the kids do a sing along of Christmas carols in the gym.

This year Joshua came home and said that his class was having a "PANTY TREE". Excuse me??? His teacher does this every year. The class decorates a tree with underwear/ panties for Broken Arrow Neighbors. It is a great idea, it just through me off for a second :)

Leave the Dog Alone!

2008-12-23T17:06:00.001-06:00

I say this phrase at least 50 times a day. Joshua loves the dog so much, too bad the affection is not mutual!

FATHER FROST

2008-12-23T16:53:00.003-06:00

The last two years we have gone to the Russian community Christmas Party. It is a special night for Joshua and Alex to exchange presents and to celebrate their heritage. We allowed two siblings to come along this year.

It is held at a local cinema. The organizer has games to play and presents have been bought through grants. This year we were able to meet Father Frost as well.

The Grinch called E-Bay!

2008-12-23T16:36:00.002-06:00

We have been burned on two occasions this holiday season by e-bay. We bid and won a present for Joshua. It was at such a great price-- should have been the first clue. When we read the small print we realized that the Lego set did not include the figurines.
So, we put it back on E-bay and put that it did not include figurines in the first sentence.

We also bought the actual present we wanted on a Buy It Now deal on e-bay. That was on 12/7.

Well the winning bidder on our sell backed out and recalled her deposit from our account. I am not sure how Paypal allowed it unless she lied to them-- but they did.

So after paying a re-listing fee. We placed it for sale again and it did sale-- we recouped our money from that deal.

So, all was good-- we waited for the much coveted present to arrive. We waited and waited some more. Two days ago, we received a notice from Paypal that our money had been returned to us because the seller couldn't meet delivery requirements! Since that time, the seller has received 10 other complaints in addition to ours. He was a complete fraud that held our money until there were no others to be purchased. Merry Christmas!!

Luckily, we can order it from Lego and it should arrive Jan. 29th. A lesson in patience???

I had a great idea to give my mother an Iris Portrait for Christmas. This flower reminds her of her friend that was murdered back in 1991. The bulbs her friend gave her still produce flowers every Spring.

I saw an awesome photo on a photography Bl0g. It was a daily give away prize. I didn't win it but decided to contact the photographer. She told me that she had no desire to let me buy a print at this time. Yes, she knows the story! I guess it is her choice though.

I contacted the winner and she was going to allow me to buy it but I find a nice substitute in the interim. Wow, I know my mom is going to love it. It does not have as much characteristic as the other one but I know it will be cherished none the less.

I am deciding not to let the Grinches get me down. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL! HAVE A VERY BLESSED CHRISTMAS!

My Little Helper

2008-12-23T16:12:00.002-06:00

I love when I find new products that help me clean in a shorter amount of time. I find the Sonic Scrubber at Wal-Mart and thought I would give it a try. It is right up there with the Magic Eraser!!

Paul had mentioned that our grout was looking pretty bad. I always thought it was suppose to be gray--- looks like I was wrong!

I used the Sonic Scrubber along with Armstrong Floor Cleaner and some Comet. After 6 hours of scrubbing, I now have much cleaner floors! They should last another 11 years until the next cleaning :)

NO MORE WIRE HANGERS!!

2008-12-19T08:22:00.002-06:00

I decided to take a quiz online after seeing a friend's results. I am not sure I like that I am compared to Mommy Dearest ;). Who are you most like??

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Joan!

You are a Joan -- "I need to succeed"

Joans are energetic, optimistic, self-assured, and goal oriented.

How to Get Along with Me

* Leave me alone when I am doing my work.

* Give me honest, but not unduly critical or judgmental, feedback.

* Help me keep my environment harmonious and peaceful.

* Don't burden me with negative emotions.

* Tell me you like being around me.

* Tell me when you're proud of me or my accomplishments.

What I Like About Being a Joan

* being optimistic, friendly, and upbeat

* providing well for my family

* being able to recover quickly from setbacks and to charge ahead to the next challenge

* staying informed, knowing what's going on

* being competent and able to get things to work efficiently

* being able to motivate people

What's Hard About Being a Joan

* having to put up with inefficiency and incompetence

* the fear on not being -- or of not being seen as -- successful

* comparing myself to people who do things better

* struggling to hang on to my success

* putting on facades in order to impress people

* always being "on." It's exhausting.

Joans as Children Often

* work hard to receive appreciation for their accomplishments

* are well liked by other children and by adults

* are among the most capable and responsible children in their class or school

* are active in school government and clubs or are quietly busy working on their own projects

Joans as Parents

* are consistent, dependable, and loyal

* struggle between wanting to spend time with their children and wanting to get more work done

* expect their children to be responsible and organized

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

Things I have done....

2008-12-08T17:44:00.002-06:00

My answers are in Blue

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a Baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day.

Christmas Time!

2008-12-07T18:26:00.003-06:00

It is so hard to believe that it is so close to Christmas. We are really starting to get busy with the parties. The kids were excited to put the tree up. We dragged everything down this weekend and decked the halls!

Cutie Pie

2008-12-07T18:23:00.001-06:00

Here is little Isaac. He is getting so big and I get the pleasure of babysitting him from time to time.

Soccer Night

2008-12-07T18:20:00.002-06:00

The local High School held a Soccer Clinic to raise money for their program. Delaney wanted to go. Joshua decided not to go.
Delaney was so excited because her babysitter was there. Delaney was able to hang out with her for the evening. Her sitter said that she was a great player.

Thanksgiving Day!

2008-12-07T17:43:00.004-06:00

We went over to my dad and mom's for Thanksgiving. It is one of the few occasions that my side of the family gets together. We all live in the same area but with all the kids involved in sports, it is hard to make our schedules meet up.

The kids love playing with each other although there is usually a lot of mischief going on between them.

Before the meal, we go around the table and tell what we are thankful for. It is so cute listening to the kids.

After eating the meal, we played a family game of soccer. The adults played against the kids. The adults actually outlasted the kids. The next few days, I was very sore from playing. It is amazing how just a little game could cause so much soreness.

Uncle Buck!

2008-12-07T17:28:00.002-06:00

My Great Uncle Buck passed away last month after being diagnosed with Cancer. In his last days, he was comforted by many from his past that had already made it to Heaven. He would talk about his old relatives and how they were in the room with him. My grandmother did the same thing. I believe that our transition is made easier with the comfort of those that went before us. They welcome us home and let us know that they are ready and waiting for us.

Uncle Buck was more like a grandfather to me. My father's dad passed away before I turned two years old. We spent many a Thanksgiving at Buck and Joyce's house. It was always great seeing them again.

Buck was a character. You can read an article about him that his granddaughter wrote about him several years ago. He was such a loving man. He will be missed!

A little late--- worth the wait??

2008-11-23T20:51:00.001-06:00

2008-11-13T21:14:00.000-06:00

2008-10-31T16:19:00.001-05:00

Fall Break!

2008-10-31T16:05:00.004-05:00

The kids fell in love with Great Wolf Lodge this summer while we were in Grapevine. We promised them that we would go again. We decided to change venues so we went to Kansas City.
The great thing about the children's resort is that you can have an awesome vacation with out ever leaving the hotel.
We didn't do that but it is a possibility. I love the Kansas City area!
Here are a few of my favs: (Delaney was being a toot when it came to pictures so there are fewer of her :)

Soccer Girl!

2008-10-31T16:03:00.002-05:00

All I can say is WOW! Delaney is really becoming a great soccer player. Joshua is making strides as well. He will always be our academic and she will be our athletic child. The girl truly loves the sport. She is excited to play indoor soccer this winter. She misses it if she doesn't have practice or games. You go Girl!

20 Years??? Where does the time go??

2008-10-31T15:57:00.002-05:00

Bixby 20 year reunion was earlier this month. Wow, I am getting old ;). Everyone was nice enough to say that I hadn't changed a bit.That is so sweet. I have to admit that others had changed more than I have over the last 20 years. At the 10 year I wasn't really interested in going to my reunion. I had a great time this year. It was nice catching up on everyone's life. There are so many that still live in the area.
They say once a Spartan always a Spartan. Well, I am still proud to be a Tiger currently :)

My new toy!

2008-10-27T22:39:00.003-05:00

I finally bought the New Photoshop program. Can you see the difference?? I am just a beginner so I still need to fine tune some things. It is so much fun turning so- so pictures into va-va-va-voom. (or something like that!)

Photo Shop trial

2008-10-09T18:26:00.004-05:00

Photography class!

2008-09-24T21:53:00.003-05:00

As I had posted before, I bought a "big girl" camera this summer. I love it but have a lot to learn.

I am envious of some of the blog photos I see. I just knew with a better camera that I too could obtain awesome pictures. I have since figured out that it is not only the camera but a lot about photo editing that makes a great picture. I am putting together a Christmas list :)

I decided to indulge myself with a photography class. It part of our community education program so it is very reasonable.

It is harder than you think! I was so use to just using the automatic features on my camera. They turn out nice but you can get better pictures when you adjust lighting, aperture, shutter speed, etc. Wow, I sound like I know what I am talking about!! In reality, I still don't have it all straightened out but I am getting there.

You may still see me use the Automatic settings some, but I am a work in progress!

We went to a local park and worked on photos.

Escape from a Heart Attack

2008-09-24T21:46:00.002-05:00

My dad has been having chest pressure for the last week or so. He went to the urgent care initially and he was scheduled for an Exercise Stress Test.

He completed it and then never heard the results. No news is good news, right? Plus the technicians said it looked fine

On Tuesday morning around 1 am, the pressure returned. Difference is that this time it was not exercised induced. My mom took him to the ER and he had a heart cath with 2 stents placed later that day.

He came home and is doing well.

It scares me to think of him being on the back nine of golf and suffering a heart attack.

His dad had his first heart attack at age 42. Genetics are definitely not on our side.

Oh, that exercise stress test--- it was abnormal-- one would think there should have been a call made!!!

Twice bitten, Once hysterical!

2008-09-24T18:01:00.003-05:00

As I sat down to enjoy my quiet morning off, I hear a panicked voice at the door. "MOM, MOM, OPEN UP!! HURRY- there is an EMERGENCY!!

I run out the door and what do I see?? One hysterical child running towards me. Two red eyes crying and two angry welts, led me to know that a wasp had attacked.

Twice this angry insect attacked my precious child!! The grandfather that watches the bus-stop stated: "Just a little sting is all-- she will be alright. Off to the bus she goes and it will drive out of sight".

Well-- seeing that she had never been stung, I did what any smart mother would have done! She stayed home while I watched for a possible reaction to come. Tylenol, benadryl and cream on the wounds calmed down this frantic child while she watched cartoons.

Okay-- enough rhyming!! I am not a poet after all.

She settled down quickly and no reaction came. We met Joshua for lunch and she still wanted to stay home--- IMAGINE!! A little TLC and off to school tomorrow.

What a way to start a day!!

Hair and tooth today, gone tomorrow!

2008-09-24T17:50:00.002-05:00

My little girl is growing up. She lost her first tooth last week. She was at school so she received a little tooth keeper chest for it. She was so excited the next morning to see the golden dollar coin and Littlest Pet Shop toy. Our tooth fairy also brings a small gift in addition to money on the first tooth lost. She is the greatest!!

Delaney also decided to cut her hair. It makes her look older but it so much easier to maintain and rarely gets in her food-- Yuck!

More Soccer!

2008-09-22T21:35:00.004-05:00

We are really enjoying watching the kids soccer games on the weekends. One of Delaney's games was in the pouring rain-- -okay, that one wasn't too much fun. The girls loved it though :)

Time Machine

2008-09-12T15:12:00.003-05:00

Someone else had this on their blog and I thought it was hilarious! It is at www.yearbookyourself.com

May the Force be with you!

2008-09-06T23:02:00.004-05:00

Can you guess what the latest craze at our house is???

Soccer Has Begun

2008-09-06T20:57:00.003-05:00

The soccer season has begun. I just love watching the kids soccer games. It is so fun to cheer them on as they play. I have got to watch myself though because I get a little too into the game and get a little loud with the yelling.

The kids had their first games at the exact same time. I watched Delaney's and Paul watched Joshua's. I did get to see about the last 5 minutes of Joshua's game though.

Delaney really hustled. She tried so hard to score but just wasn't able to make it happen. Her team scored one goal and the other team well.... let's just say they scored several...I mean many....more.

Joshua's team won their first game. I was so excited for them as they lost most of their top players this season. Joshua scored a goal!! Way to step it up buddy!!

McCain/Palin

2008-09-06T20:14:00.003-05:00

Wow, that is all I can say about McCain selecting a woman as a running mate. I think it is a great strategy. I am and always will be a hard core Republican. I don't think there will ever be a day that I will vote for a Democratic President.

It is funny because as a teenager, I was all for women's rights, including pro-choice. Let's just say that I have changed quite a bit since that time. I am more mature for one but I have also been blessed with two wonderful children that could have been part of the awful statistics of abortion. Praise God that their birth mothers cherished life and gave birth.

Day after day, I see little tiny humans that are only around 8-9 weeks from their conception. I am not sure how one can see that and say that the human that is moving and the heart that is beating has no rights!

As far as Palin goes, I admire her. She seems to have views close to my own. She chose to cherish what God had planned for her in her youngest son. She also is not ashamed to support her pregnant unwed daughter. Was it what she wished for at this time in her daughter's life, most likely not. It is what it is and a baby will be born and loved.

What ever the results are from this election-- it is a time of firsts and for that we should all be excited.

Have I said....

2008-09-06T20:11:00.002-05:00

that I love my new job?? Everyone is so nice, the hours are absolutely wonderful, and the pay is good.

Labor Day Fun

2008-09-06T10:01:00.005-05:00

The kids were able to spend some time with their cousins this weekend. They had sleepovers, went swimming together and out to eat together. They really enjoy spending time with each other.

On Labor Day, we traveled to Chanute to celebrate their Great- Grandma's birthday/ Grandparents Day/ Great Grandparents 68TH anniversary. WOW, 68 years!!!!! You don't see that very often.

Isaac Update!

2008-09-06T09:45:00.002-05:00

Look at that cutie! He is getting to be such a big boy. He is gaining wt, eating on his own, and is getting closer day by day to come home. He will most likely be home by the end of next week. Please continue to keep the little guy in your prayers.

Happy Ninth Gotcha Day!!- 8/13/08

2008-08-16T22:19:00.004-05:00

Wow, it is amazing to believe that I have been a mom for 9 years now. All those years of wanting a child and being unable to have one changed me but motherhood has definitely healed my soul. I love you Joshua!!

That was such a great Friday the 13th!!!!

First Day of School

2008-08-16T21:53:00.003-05:00

The summer went so quickly! We missed out on doing a few things we had planned. All in all we had a great time though.

Last Tuesday was meet the teacher day. We are so blessed to have gotten the teachers we wanted for both the kids. They also have some of their friends in the same class so they are excited.

This was the first year that I was the t-shirt chairperson. I think the shirt turned out well considering that I had no experience. Of course it helps that the designer at the t-shirt shop-- Integriteez is so great!

Introducing Isaac!

2008-08-16T21:12:00.002-05:00

Isn't he just precious!! He weighed 3 lbs 12 oz. and was 16 inches long at his birth.

I just love his little hand wrapped around his mommy's finger.

Sadness

2008-08-16T19:20:00.003-05:00

My friend found out at 31 weeks that she had lost one of her twins. J. will be greatly missed. It is hard not to question God when things like this happen. I think it is beyond our understanding.

The babies were delivered on 8/8.

I took her two other boys out to Incredible pizza while my friend went into surgery and spent some time saying her good-byes to her little boy.

Here are a few pictures from that day with the boys. They are so sweet. I hate that anyone has to go through a loss like they are dealing with.

I hope I was able to add a few moments of happiness to their day.

Flowers

2008-08-16T18:44:00.005-05:00

First flowers are a bouquet I received from my friend's grandmother. What a nice surprise. They were so beautiful.

The other flowers are from my flower garden. I didn't realize the purple ones would spread so much. Maybe one of these days I can get out there and get them under control.

New Job!

2008-08-16T16:36:00.002-05:00

I have been very blessed in my new job. It is so amazing how it pretty much just dropped in my lap. It is a totally new field and I love the fact that I am going to have to stretch my brain a little to learn it.

I had been in Critical Care for so long that it had become a day in/day out job. Don't get me wrong-- I enjoyed it but it was not causing me to learn on a daily basis. I was very comfortable there. I had great friends there. I was really torn about leaving my comfort zone and my dear friends.

I have been working at The Tulsa Fertility Center now for two weeks. I am basically in a new position that the Doctor and I are making up as we go along. I hope I am being the help that she was wanting.

She has treated me well. I will have my own office, laptop and my hours are tailored to my family's needs. She is awesome to work with. Her knowledge amazes me, I love to listen to her explain things to patients. She is such a wealth of knowledge! I guess why that is why people travel from out of state to see her.

Since the time that I have left the hospital, many people including my old manager has quit. It sounds like it is turning in to a sinking ship. I hate that as I liked working there.

Purple Glaze

2008-08-16T16:12:00.003-05:00

You too can be a great artist. Delaney had been begging me to take them back to Purple Glaze Studio. The pieces really turn out looking nice regardless of what kind of artist talent you may or may not have.

My bathroom has an aquatic life theme. Delaney's art would look perfect in there. I haven't talked her out of it......yet.

Korea Camp 2008

2008-08-16T15:25:00.006-05:00

Korea camp was at the end of July. Normally, I am one of the teachers. Last year I taught the older 5 yr olds. The week literally wore me out. I am not sure how teachers do it day in and day out. I admire them greatly.

I decided to take this year off from teaching. The kids were also having swim lessons the same week so I was pretty much their taxi driver running between the two places with them.

I was so excited to see that our dear friends, The Karls, from Texas were there this year. I traveled with them to Korea and back when I went to pick up Delaney. They were there picking up their first child, Robert. We spent a lot of time together. We had a blast sightseeing and even doing a little Korean Karaoke. When the jetlag was really bad, we would laugh until we cried over the silliest things.

Our babies were "airplane buddies". It was so nice to see them reunited again.

More summer fun!

2008-08-16T14:57:00.003-05:00

Delaney went to a birthday party at Bounce U in July. I also took the kids to Incredible Pizza one day for fun. It was so hot out that it was a nice alternative to being outside.

I talked Joshua into driving a Go- Kart. I think he had fun but for some reason it is just not "his cup of tea". He prefers playing on the Ticket games. He is saving up for a big prize. I am surprised that he is able to save tickets as he has a hard time saving money.

Omniplex with Friends

2008-08-16T14:55:00.003-05:00

My friend, Rhonda, and I decided to take an end of summer day trip. We took the kids to the Oklahoma Science Museum in OKC. My kids always have a blast there. Rhonda's kids had never been, but I think they had a great time as well.

We ate at Spaghetti Warehouse afterwards.

Swim Lessons 2008

2008-08-16T09:55:00.001-05:00

My mom insisted that we have swim lessons as children. I think it is a great idea if for nothing more than a safety issue alone. I love to swim and was actually on a swim team as a teenager.

A co-worker mentioned Jane Whitt as a swim teacher. She is also a child psychologist and also a dance instructor. She is awesome with children.

While on vacation, we were pretty hesitant to let Delaney do much swimming in areas that were above her head. Little did I know until "watch" day at swimming lessons, just how well she swims.

My Special Shell

2008-08-15T22:06:00.002-05:00

While we were on vacation, Delaney got into our van all excited. She wanted to give me a special shell, "just for her mommy". The joy in her eyes was priceless.

I opened my hand to find the shell of her dreams.

I said, "Paul, is this a....?"
He said, "Yes, it is a pistachio shell".

The girl is always making us laugh. I didn't have the heart to tell her what it really was-- discarded trash.

I still have my special shell :).

Galveston Day 3

2008-07-21T23:09:00.001-05:00

Galveston Day 1 and 2

2008-07-21T09:51:00.001-05:00

GrapeVine, TX

2008-07-19T21:58:00.001-05:00

My Baby is 6!

2008-07-08T18:34:00.001-05:00

Fourth of July

2008-07-08T14:32:00.001-05:00

Random Pics

2008-06-24T20:19:00.004-05:00

STATUS QUO

2008-06-24T20:11:00.001-05:00

Sometimes status quo is a really good thing and something to rejoice in.
Joshua had his annual hearing exam this month and his hearing remains stable for the fourth year in a row. Praise God!!!

A Day at the Zoo

2008-06-24T20:01:00.002-05:00

Harry and Ryanne's Baby Shower

2008-06-21T15:12:00.002-05:00

Opportunity Knocks!

2008-06-11T16:16:00.003-05:00

I love my job at the hospital. My record prior to this job was around 5 years at a job. After that, I was ready to find something different. I have been at this job for 8 years now and had no intention of leaving.

Well, The fertility center knocked on my door again with a deal too good to pass up. I am making my own hours and get to work from home for half of my job. I will work 9-3:30 on M-TU and Thursday. The rest will be from home.

One of the doctors has been wanting an assistant to review charts and get patients treatment plans more organized. She also mentioned doing some research online. I love details and love research.

Plus....the kids won't need before care at school.

Life is good--- wish me luck. I will start there in August after the doctor gets back from Africa.

First Pedicure

2008-06-11T15:46:00.003-05:00

Delaney has been wanting to go into the Nail Salon at the local Wal-Mart to get her nails done. I think she is drawn to the fact that the workers are Asian.

We had a girl's day out on Saturday and had our nails done. The workers were Vietnamese but Delaney kept calling them Chinese. Funny....since she hates when she is called Chinese. Well, I guess the man finally got tired of it because he exclaimed, "NO Chinese!". He seemed to be a sweet man and said it sweet enough but he didn't want to hear it anymore.

Delaney wanted both of us to get flowers on our toes. She has already picked the "jewels" off of her toes. She said they just fell off. This from the girl that picks things off her clothes, ruining them. We may do it again sometime but NO Jewels!

We are the Champions!

2008-06-11T15:38:00.003-05:00

Joshua's team went to a special ceremony for the first place teams. Have I told you how blessed we are to have found this coach and team???

Bowling Fun!

2008-06-11T15:34:00.002-05:00

2008-06-03T16:09:00.002-05:00

Bear Clinic

2008-06-03T15:54:00.003-05:00

My hospital had an open house this past weekend. They also had a Bear Clinic as well. I took the kids to one when Joshua was about 4 years old. He still has very fond memories of it and has asked when we could go again.

The kids had both bought a new Webkinz that morning so Joshua chose to take Tigger rather than his beloved, Ellie.

It saddened me a bit to watch Joshua at the Bear Clinic. He is getting to the point were he still wants to be a kids but also is enough pre-teen that he doesn't want to look childish.

He appeared embarrassed at times. When Delaney was getting a balloon animal, she requested an elephant with a heart balloon. Joshua stood by and at first he said that he would pass. After seeing how cute the elephant was, he decided to set aside his pride and get one as well.

Delaney had a great time. She did play shy at first.

I so wish that they could keep their childhood wonder and innocence. They grow up so fast.

Tea Party!

2008-05-30T10:16:00.001-05:00

Here is the picture from the Tea Party that I posted about earlier.
Doesn't Delaney look beautiful!!

Family Reunion

2008-05-30T09:53:00.003-05:00

We went to Chanute last weekend in celebration of Father's Day and June Birthdays.

Eastern European Weekend

2008-05-30T09:49:00.002-05:00

Eastern European weekend was last week. We taught the kids about the holidays in Eastern Europe (focusing on Russia, Romania, Ukraine and Kazakhstan).

The kids had a great time. I even overheard "I want to come to this again!"

This year we had a pre-teen group that spoke to the children about their identities based on their birh family and adoptive family.

See the slide show under the header for pictures.

More Summertime Fun!

2008-05-30T09:16:00.003-05:00

1st day complete

2008-05-20T19:30:00.005-05:00

We took a picnic lunch to the park and then went on to enroll the kids for the Tulsa County Library Summer Reading Program.

Here are some pictures from the Park.

Soccer team

2008-05-20T19:26:00.002-05:00

LUCK Y GIRL!

2008-05-20T19:08:00.003-05:00

Delaney has found around 6 four leaf clovers in the last couple of weeks. How does she do it? She is either lucky or has a good eye.

Last week, I was called out to the bus by the bus driver. I was told that I needed to call poison control because Delaney had eaten a four leaf clover.

I guess one sweet brother had told her that if she ate it then she would be lucky! Nice Joshua!

Well, it is not poisonous but may cause diarrhea. I hope we at least provided a good laugh for the poison control center!

Got Milk?

2008-05-20T19:07:00.000-05:00

SUMMER IS HERE!!!

2008-05-20T11:45:00.003-05:00

First thing the kids wanted to do when they woke up on their first day of summer break.

Parties, Parties, and more...

2008-05-20T10:40:00.006-05:00

We went to a going away party for my friend, Melissa.

She and her family are moving to the Houston area next weekend. I am really going to miss them. We were hoping to visit them while on vacation in July but they are going to be out of town at that time. I love Melissa's spirit, she has never met a stranger!

We went to Gracee's birthday party the next day. Delaney had a great time playing on the water slide.

Later that day was the year end soccer party for the Eagles. It was a swim party at the Boys and Girls club.

The next evening was Aubrey's birthday party. Delaney had actually fallen asleep before the party and I really thought about just letting her sleep since we were all worn out by Sunday evening. I did get her to finally wake up and she had a blast. The girl is such a social butterfly!

CELL PHONE vs. BIBLE

2008-05-20T10:16:00.002-05:00

CELL PHONE vs. BIBLE

I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our
cell
phone?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we flipped through it several times a day?

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?

What if we used it when we traveled?

What if we used it in case of emergency?

This is something to make you go....hmm..where is my Bible?

Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about
our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.

Makes you stop and think 'where are my priorities?

And no dropped calls!

Photos

2008-05-20T10:00:00.003-05:00

Here are a sampling of the photos I have been taking with the new camera.

It amazes me how much clearer the MOPS rose is. Of course, it is a little more wilted at this point.

New Toy

2008-05-20T09:54:00.002-05:00

After becoming quite envious of the photos on the blog: Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, I decided to upgrade to a better camera. I found out what she uses and bought one for myself. I hope that it is idiot proof and my photos come out as beautiful and clear as hers.

So... Now you will have to put up with tons and tons of photos on this blog. I love looking at photos. Maybe there is a photographer buried deep down in me somewhere.

I am going to sign up for a photo plan on dotphoto.com so I can store some of my photo albums there. If you are interested in seeing the photos and maybe ordering from them. let me know and I will give you the permission to access them.

Ducks

2008-05-20T09:38:00.003-05:00

The kids and I ate out at Joe's Crab Shack last Wednesday. They wanted to sit out back on the deck but it had been raining.

The kids went out to visit the ducks and found these little cuties out there as well.

Joshua was my photographer!

Ballistic Year End

2008-05-20T09:30:00.002-05:00

Joshua's team had their end of the year party. We had it at the soccer fields and had a cook out.

After the cook out, we had a soccer game between the parents and the kids. The parents rocked! We were outnumbered by a few but still managed to win :).

Google Reader

2008-05-12T14:35:00.002-05:00

I am a very faithful reader of a lot of blogs. I use to have a ritual of checking each one for updates. They can be so addicting. I spent a lot of time checking each one.

UNTIL...... I discovered Google Reader.

I have all of my favorite blogs logged in to my account. Anytime one is updated I know when I sign in to my account.

If you are a fellow Blog addict, I encourage you to give it a try.

Best Survivor Yet.....

2008-05-11T23:38:00.004-05:00

Wow, I never imagined that I would love a Survivor season more than I loved Survivor Australia.

I had pretty much given up hope on it getting any better. I can now say that this season, Favorites vs. Fans, was my all time favorite.

I don't think I laughed or cried more than I did this season. It was truly awesome!

Finally, it came down to all women at the end. So many times they could have done it in seasons before, but they always held on to a man for some reason.

There were so many surprises this season. I truly did not care which of the four ladies won it although I was rooting for Amanda-- see below.

I am totally ecstatic that Parvati won though. She is one smart cookie!

I also am glad to see that James the Gravedigger was awarded for his personality.

My Pride and Joy!

2008-05-11T23:30:00.002-05:00

In honor of Mother's Day, I spent some time with my kids at the park.

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T23:24:00.004-05:00

I can't believe that I am so blessed to be called by the name.....Mother, Mom, Momma.

Nine years ago, I cringed at this day and definitely skipped church. It was just too painful to see all the others being recognized when I so desperately wanted to join their ranks.

I now stand with my fellow moms but will always remain mindful of those that are hurting on this day. Those that want and can't have, those that had but lost and those that made the selfless sacrifice that led to my dream coming true....

One Fish, Two Fish.........

2008-05-08T13:14:00.003-05:00

I bought Delaney an aquarium a couple of months ago. I had initially set up a one gallon bowl for her but the fish died. Since Joshua has a 10 gallon aquarium, I decided to go ahead and get one for Delaney as well.

She picked out 5 fish for her tank. Well, last week- the crew had grown to 6. As each day passes, one of the fish is adding to the tank's population.

We now have 7 fry. I am really hoping she is close to being done as they are hard to catch. They are so small that they swim through the fish net.

We have a small birthing center for them. Delaney wanted pictures. They are so small-- I am not sure you can see them in the pictures.

Help a Child!

2008-05-08T09:11:00.003-05:00

My heart goes out to the Homeless or Orphaned Children of the world.

Adoption allowed for me to become a parent. What a blessing!

Traveling to other countries and seeing the starving children (be it starving for love or starving for food) has changed my life. I can no longer turn my head away and forget that there are others out there that need our help.

Here are several of my favorite causes:

Orphan's Bright Star: This gives aid to children living in Orphanages in Ukraine. There are two in Joshua's birth city that need help. The actual home that he lived now no longer needs assistance due to prior donations.

Here are the two that are in his birth city:

teterevka internat
nova borova internat

Here is a local organization that helps others with the costs of adoption:
The Hug Away Foudation.

A new organization is : The Red Letter Campaign.

Mario Kart

2008-05-08T09:09:00.002-05:00

The kids received a Wii for Christmas. I recently bought Mario Kart for the family. Here is Joshua's Mii (his character) on the Wii.

Pinwheels

2008-05-08T09:03:00.002-05:00

I saw this display at a local Family- Children's place. All the pinwheels are for the abused children out there.

It really caught my attention and made me think