crash

Our computer has offically died. We will be saving up for a new one soon, hopefully. I miss my blog world. So until we are back up and running I will miss all your updates!

Joel got "Bat-a-tized"

(as said by Aliya)
Joel got baptized last night!! What a great way to spend Good Friday! I took the day off of work yesterday to clean the house and prepare for our company. My folks came into town and took Joel to the Creation Museum. . They had a wonderful time!!

We grilled out (well, Jon grilled...in the pouring rain...) and had the family over before we headed over to the church. Joel didn't want a cake, he asked for a cookie cake, so I tried my best!!!

There were 30 people signed up to be baptized last night and over 120 ended up taking the plunge! IT WAS AWESOME! Our small group came and gathered around the hot tub to celebrate with Joel. I honestly think he was more excited that his church family was there than he was with is family family. His mom and step-dad (grandma, grandpa and Aunt) came too. It was nice. We didn't sit with them, but I did go up and sit next to Tracy during the baptism part of the service. It was such a blessing to have them with us (Joel) for this HUGE step in his faith.

After service we spent time with our small group, our extended family. The kids ran around and the adults sat and talked. Everyone went around the room and said what their favorite part of the service was and almost all of them said Joel's baptism. They truly love him and that makes my heart smile.

My mom took a million pictures and I have a video of Joel's baptism (I just have to figure out how to get it off my blackberry). So, as soon as mom sends me the pictures I will post them!!

Got Me Thinking

We attended another funeral this morning, Jon's Uncle on his dad's side. It was a military funeral with the 21 gun solute and Taps. I cried and cried, even though I'd only met the man a few times.

I always do this, during every funeral I attend my mind starts to drift and I begin planning my funeral. What songs I want, what flowers, open or closed casket, you know the normal funeral stuff. And I always end up wondering the same thing, will people come to my funeral when I die? Have I made an impact in this world to anyone besides my husband and kids? Please don't think I'm selfish or self centered, that is not where I'm going with this. I just wonder.

So as we gathered on this freezing cold morning to say good-bye to Uncle Dave I am thankful he had family and friends gathered around his wife and kids...there were not many in attendance, but the ones that were there loved this man more than life its self. And someday, I pray that even if only six people come to my funeral it will be the most amazing celebration of life those six people have ever been to.

Look What We Did!!!

Last week was a very busy week. Besides work, it was my birthday. I am officially "in" my thirties now, I'm 31. Age doesn't bother me, I don't get stressed out over it. I don't understand why people freak out about getting older, it's a part of life and with age comes wisdom (apparently I still have a lot of aging to do, because I'm still not very wise! But I'm hoping some day I will be!)

My birthday week came to an end on Friday evening when Jon and myself (along with our small group from church and my mom and step dad) attended "Love Worth Fighting For" with Kirk Cameron, a marriage seminar. HERE It was awesome!

Saturday evening was spent with my dad, step-mom, younger sister, younger brother and his fiance at the Chinese buffet! We ate way too much and enjoyed every minute of it. My step-mom has started making jewelry and WOW, what beautiful stuff! As my birthday gift she let me pick out a few items from her collection. I will have to take a picture of the necklace and earrings I picked out! I can't wait to wear them and show off her talent. So as we were looking at her earrings Aliya announces to the group that she wants some too. I tried to explain to her that she doesn't have her ears pierced so she can't wear any of grandma Kris' earrings. She seemed satisfied with my answer and went about eating her dinner.

After dinner we were sitting around the table chatting and again Aliya announces that she wants earrings and that she wants to get her ears pierced, right now, tonight, on the way home. I told her to ask her father and winked at her. She slowly made her way over to where he was sitting and asked him if she could get her ears pierced. He told her to wait until she was four. Yeah right! Like that answer was going to fly with her. She had an agenda on her mind and she was set that it was going to happen that night. So she moved on to the next person, my little sister, Sheri. Now sweet kind Aunt Sheri, could she say no to that adorable little face??? Nope! We decided that we would just stop by the mall on the way home (just us girls) to price out ear piercing. I told Aliya we were just going to look. She told me "I'm ready mommy, I can do it". We went on to talk about how much it would hurt, like way worse than a shot. Confident that would scare her I thought she would drop the subject...

Oh no! Boy was I wrong. We pulled into the mall (an outdoor mall) and she squealed with excitement. My sister, Sheri, was caravaning behind me as we looked for parking spots near the store. Still trying to convince Miss Aliya it was going to hurt A LOT and maybe we should just look and ask questions tonight we found our spot. (Oh, I forgot to mention that little miss hadn't had a nap all day, so her emotions were intensified and in full swing this evening) As we entered the store her eyes lit up, much like mine do when I enter Starbucks. All the pretty jewelry was hers for the taking, but the only thing that she had her eyes on were the the earrings.

We went over and I spoke with the assistant manager about the cost and the procedure of getting a little one's ears pierced. After filling out a form and Aliya picking the starter set she wanted there was no turning back. She climbed up on the chair and helped herself to a sucker. You would have thought the child was 6 years old the way she sat there. Still, quiet and excited! One more time I asked her if she was sure and if she realized it was going to hurt, she said she was ready.

Below is how the rest of the event took place


Getting the purple dots on her ears to show where the earrings were going to go

Sitting still like a statue (the assistant manager's words, I don't think Aliya has a clue what a statue is, but she sat still like one)

Don't mind if I do, thanks! (as she helps herself to a sucker)At this point she still has no clue about how bad this is about to hurt. I am on my knees in front of her sitting on the floor. My palms are sweating and this is when I'm informed that this part is worse for the mom's, not the child.

OOOUUUCCCHHH!!!! She cried for about 45 seconds and that was it!

And we're back to the sucker! (which spent a few seconds in my hair while I was consoling her after the initial pain/shock)

"Cheese" All done!

Thanks Aunt Sheri for the belated birthday gift!! Sheri had said she would go in for part of the cost of the earrings (they aren't cheap!), but when we got up to pay she had already taken care of the bill! What an awesome gift!!

Once the initial shock of the whole ordeal set in I realized that Jon said Aliya needed to wait until she was four to do this. HOLY CRAP! What did I just do!?!? What was he going to say?!?! It's not like I could turn back the hands of time and take the earrings out! I knew he couldn't be upset with Aliya, but would he be upset with me for doing it anyway?! I got so caught up in the moment...how bad could it be, right? I shouldn't have been worried a bit, he LOVES them!! He told me later that he knew she'd come home with pierced ears and he wasn't upset in the least!!! (and exhale)

Aliya is doing a great job of leaving them alone and letting me clean and "twist them" several times a day! I'm so proud of her!!!

Maybe next trip

I heard back from Aliya's birthmom last night. She already has plans today so we won't be meeting up with her. Thankfully I didn't say anything to Aliya, so she's not disapointed this time!

Maybe next trip!

Hopefully

We might be meeting up with Aliya's birthmom for a visit this weekend!! I spoke with her on the phone yesterday for the first time since her mother's funeral. It was a quick chat (she was on break at work and I was walking into work), but it was good. Every time Aliya sits on my lap here at the computer she sees pictures of our one and only visit (or of her on facebook) and get so excited and says, "Hey, there's my birthmom!!!!" I'm hoping we can make connections this weekend!

Hopefully more to come...

First week of "peeschool"

(**sorry for the quality of the pictures, I took them on my cell phone**)

So Monday was the big day, Aliya's first day of preschool. We'd talked up the big day for weeks now and the morning was finally here! She was beyond excited. Monday also happened to be Valentine's Day, so we had her valentine's all packed and ready for her new friends (just in case they had a party, we didn't want her to come empty handed). She wore a cute valentine's shirt and pink hoody. I did her hair in piggy-back braids with pastel colored hairbands. She was ready!

Her first day was AMAZING! No crying, no fits, she loved every minute of it!! The teacher even commented on how well she did, caught on and followed directions. I beamed as we walked out to the van on that first day. We came home and went through all her valentines, me desperately trying to remember everyone's name, her desperately trying to shove as much candy in her mouth as she could before I caught on! She talked about school all night long and went to bed peacefully that night!! PRAISE GOD!

Day two was not as smooth. She cried when I dropped her off, a lot. She refused breakfast at school that morning, but ate her lunch and took a nap. When I picked her up, she said she had fun, but doesn't like boys in her class. (we are coming from a sitter who watched only girls) But we were optimistic and revealed when her teacher said this is very normal for new kids. That night at dinner she talked about her bones and mussels. I asked her where she learned this she said, "pee school"

Day three. Where do I even begin?? The drop off was HORRIBLE!! I thought I was going to die as I left her. She was screaming bloody murder not wanting me to leave. It was so hard!! Someone on facebook suggested I send something of mine with her as a reminder that I am always with her. So I sent a bracelet with her, I kissed it then she kissed it and we put it in her book bag under her night night. She had that darn thing out and kissing it before I even left the room!! I called and checked on her twice that day. They said she finally calmed down at lunch. She did as she was asked, but was not participating in circle time (free dance). I thought it might be nice if her brother picked her up with me, maybe if she could show him her class she might feel better about being there. When we walked through the door she let out this happy squeal and came running towards us. I knelt down with my arms stretched out...she ran right past me and into her brother's arms! It was priceless!!!!

Day four. ROUGH drop off again, but not nearly as bad as Wednesday. I stayed in her room about 10 minutes and painted a picture with her and took her to the potty. She still cried when I left, but today she let Miss Ginger, her teacher, snuggle her. I called around 11:30a to check on her and they said she was doing okay, still quiet, but much better. Sigh. I took Joel with me again today to pick her up, she was happy to see him, but we interrupted story time (oops) so we sat quietly with the group and listened to the story. She did not nap, but rested. (she was in bed and asleep before 9pm!)

Day five, Friday. Morning drop off was still hard, but not nearly as bad as the previous days. We painted a picture again and also read a book. She cried when I left, but later the teacher told me by 8:30a she was fine, ate breakfast and was playing with the other kids!!! When I picked her up they were all outside playing. She was running and laughing, it was great to just stand back and watch her. I was there at least 3 minutes before she saw me. Once my presence was known, she ran over hugged me and then went back to playing!! WOW!!!!! I finally convinced her it was time to go, she waved by to all her friends and said goodbye. On our way back into the building one of her classmates mom's came in and she said,"oh, Bradyn's mom here, hold on, I'll get him". We went back outside and found Bradyn and told him his mom was here. Five days and she's already learning not only the kid's names, but who their parents are too!?!?!?! During dinner that night while she was eating she told us that her food goes in her mouth, down her "frowt" into her tummy to make her strong. Again, when I asked where she learned this "peeschool".

All in all, I think she had a good first week. The school is closed Monday for a teacher training day so she has a play date with her best friend Emi (from the sitter's). It has been a week now since the girls have seen each other. She is so excited!! I just pray this doesn't throw off the good streak we are on!!