Filed under: Day after day
Things I’m currently thinking about:
Where to enroll Speedy for Pre-K
I can’t believe Princess is 2
Speedy and I taking a weekend roadtrip
Possibility of adding a baby to our family
Princess funnies:
picking up a pinecone and calling it a “christmas tree”
saying “I boootiful”
Filed under: Day after day
I mean seriously. Seriously. Princess and Speedy have had runny noses for the last few weeks. Cough. Congestion. Both of them finished up an antibiotic yesterday. I was sick yesterday and the day before (and thankfully, had help from mom and mil so I could stay in bed). I wake up feeling better than I have in afew days (maybe because I did a few shots of Nyquil before bedtime). Speedy wakes up puking. Poor baby. He seems fine now but he’s thrown up three times this morning. Could be just drainage – it did look a lot like snot. HAH AHA I know, TMI!
Seriously, though. Can’t we all just be well?
Filed under: Princess
My Sweet Princess,
What you lack in size you make up for in personality. Entering this world at just over 4lbs, you have certainly grown and are such a big girl now. You are almost always able to communicate your wants/needs and I can understand most of the words you use. There are way too many to list now as you have been speaking in sentences for several months.
You are still such a happy baby kid and very easy going. You love all things pink and sparkly and think Dora hung the moon. You call yourself a pwincess and you enjoy wearing your tiara, but you’d rather wear it like sunglasses than a crown. In fact, I think you’d wear your sunglasses 24/7 if I’d let you.
You are very loving and sweet – always wanting to hug or cuddle. You have your grandmothers wrapped tightly around your finger and most everyone else who comes across your path. You’re definitely a social butterfly as you still enjoy speaking to strangers wherever we go. It’s more than that, even, you wonder why they aren’t looking at you and talking to you so you try to get their attention.
Lately, you’ve taken to calling me “mom” instead of “mommy” which I’m not too happy about. 
Your favorite person in the world is still Speedy and you miss him when he’s at school or away from home.
When praying at night, I say, “Princess, what do you want to thank God for? Thank you, God, for ____” and you fill in the blank with the following: pappy, boo, mom, daddy, speedy, blanky, pappy. Pappy is always listed at least twice. You really love your pacifier and wish I’d let you have it all day long.
You make my heart smile. I adore you and know that God has a wonderful plan for your life. I can not wait to see the woman you become, but I hope it takes a VERY long time. 
Regardless of how tired I am or how cranky I get, when you hug me it always brings a smile to my face and to my heart.
I love you.
Mommy.
Well, so her birthday isn’t officially until tomorrow, but we celebrated on Saturday!
Filed under: Speedy
I just got off the phone with Speedy’s new teacher…..
We still have some issues but they are being handled and addressed in a much more positive way. Speedy LOVES school and he loves his teacher. She loves him, too. She did tell me that he’s a sweet boy and he uses his manners like “yes m’am” when she corrects him. As long as she gets in front of him and down on his level, he responds fine but if she tries to correct him from across the room, it’s like he doesn’t hear her. I’ve had a similar experience. ha ha ha
She also told me that Speedy is very smart. (but we knew that, right?) She said that he traces his letters well and today they had some assignment where they were supposed to circle the letter ‘y’ or something. Anyway, Speedy picked up a pen and went straight to the ‘y’ circled it and then walked off, like, “okay, I’m done. Let’s play now.”
He’s making friends with the other kids and seems to be learning quite a bit.
Woo Hoo!
Filed under: Marathon
I finished. I was limping a little but I did it. I walked 13.1 miles in 3 hours 51 minutes and 21 seconds.
It hurts.
Alot.
Filed under: Marathon
Maybe. Tomorrow is the marathon.
We just got back from driving the course and NO ONE TOLD ME THERE WOULD BE HILLS!!!!!There aren’t a lot, but one is too many. I was tired halfway through driving it. I can’t imagine what tomorrow will be. I am imagining a successful race. I finish the entire course. Positive thinking is about the only training I’m doing.
The starting point is a few blocks away from the convention center. I asked daddyo if he thought there would be a shuttle service but he said no.
13.1 miles. What was I smoking when I signed up for this?
When I went to pick up my packet, I noticed that there weren’t a lot of other fat people there. I sure hope I run into some tomorrow.
Well, after I finish the race I will come home and sleep. Some time after that I’ll tell you how it went. (unless the hospital doesn’t have wi-fi)
This one’s for you, Stella. And all the others like you.
Filed under: WWTT
Remember the one were Rachael had to keep a secret and Chandler couldn’t make fun of people? I don’t know how he did it, I don’t think i could. I just can’t help it. I don’t know if you’ll find the same humor in this as I did, but really…..WHAT WERE THEY THINKING? This was back in August when we were on vacation and it CRACKED ME UP. I took the photos from our balcony.
What’s wrong with this picture?
And then they leave poor old lady to fend for herself. On the very sandy beach. Witha a frickin’ walker.
So, if you’re still with me, let’s play a little game. What is the best caption for this second photo? Leave your response in the comments and I’ll pick a winner. Maybe you’ll even win something exciting or something not exciting at all.
Filed under: Speedy
I’m sure you remember a while back when I announced the possibility of another little Ebenezer joining our family. Well, this post has absolutely nothing to do with that but it probably did get your attention. 
And the sad thing is I have absolutely nothing to say. Oh, except that I did some research today on special programs and schools for kids with ADHD (just in case) and I feel like there are a lot of options. I found one school that sounds incredible, but I think it is reserved for celebrities because the tuition for PRE-K is $37,000 a year. Yes, you read that correctly. $37,000. WHAT? The other two were much more reasonable, still not cheap, but workable if I prostitute myself. (hey linnsie, wanna give me some tips on the best places to do that?) aha ha ha ha ha ha
Day 2 of school seems to have gone well. No comments when I picked him up and I’m going with the theory that no news is good news. This morning, he was excited to go back to school and was especially excited that he was getting to take his lunch. I asked him what he liked most about his new teacher (let’s just call her Ms. Wonderful) and he said (with a huge grin on his face), “she gives me hugs.”
I.almost.cried. Thank you, Ms. Wonderful, for hugging my sweet Speedy. She also sent home a small photo album today that has pictures of her and her family and small captions. It’s a “get to know your teacher” book and I thought it was a really neat idea. Tomorrow is “show and tell” day at school and Speedy asked me if he could take his tractor (the riding one he got from Santa) to school with him. ha ha ha I’ll have to try and talk him in to something a little smaller.
Filed under: Marathon
The marathon is quickly approaching – unfortunately, my goal is not. Although I had hoped to raise $5000, I now realize that my fundraising skills are more than lacking. So, I’d love to at least raise enough money to service one child for a year. That’s $1600. A little less than half of what I’ve already raised. ha ha ha
Anything can happen, right? If you have been holding out for a last minute donation, here is the link again.
With just a $35 donation, Child Advocates can service a child for one whole week.
With $135, a month.
If you are able, please help me help Stella and others like her.
Filed under: Marathon
So remember back when I would post how much I was walking to prepare for this marathon? I haven’t written anything about it in a long time because, well, I haven’t walked since the last time I wrote about it. Yes, that was back way before Thanksgiving. So what’s going to happen this Sunday when I go to the marathon?
Your guess is as good as mine. Hopefully, I will live to write about it on Monday.
Filed under: Speedy
Speedy was very excited about going to school today – not at all anxious or even nervous. In fact, despite my plans to walk him in today, he remembered that he can be dropped off and walk in by himself. When we got in the car, that’s one of the first things he said. I told him that tomorrow he could start walking in by himself but that today mommy wanted to go in with him. “Um, no thanks, mommy. I’ll do it myself.”
I thought he may change his mind when we got there but no such luck. When it was his turn, he clammered out of the van and turned to wave, “Bye, mom!!!!!” as he raced away towards the playground. The teacher who was helping redirected him towards the door. It made me feel good that when we pulled up and I told her we were new and introduced Nathan, she knew who he was and whose class he belonged to. I’m sure he’ll have a great time, today and I can’t wait to hear about it after school.
What stinks is that he may not tell me anything at all and I won’t talk to the teacher today.
Thanks for your prayers and support. I know that God has a perfect plan for Speedy (Jeremiah 29:11) and I also know that each thing he struggles through will help mold him into the man God created him to be. I wouldn’t change a thing about him because he is absolutely perfect just the way he is. And he is so funny, too!
I know it’s been a while since I’ve really written…
It’s just that lately it’s been hard to process what’s in my head and my heart has been heavy. Being a parent is so much different than I ever imagined it to be. It hurts a lot more than I thought it would and it also brings me immeasurable joy. We waited so long to be parents and now that we’re here sometimes it just feels so overwhelming.
If you are a parent, you know what I mean. You know what it means to love a child so much it hurts. You know what it means to watch your heart run around outside of your body. You know what it means to be emotionall exhausted and exhilirated at the same time.
Almost two years ago, our world turned right side up when we brought Speedy and Princess into our home and into our hearts. I still remember it like it was yesterday. We were so full of hope that they would become our forever family, and in my heart I knew they would. There were days in the beginning that I thought I just couldn’t do it – someone had made a mistake because I couldn’t go one more day with a 2 year old bouncing off the wall and a newborn baby. And then I’d get some much needed sleep and I’d wake up ready to take on the world for those kids.
I’m remembering that now because I’m waiting to wake up again. It’s not that I don’t think I can do it – I know I can. I’m just feeling rather defeated these days. Emotional. (and I really hate that) On the verge of tears. (and I really, really hate that) You have this picture of what parenting will be like and no matter how much you think you are prepared, you’re just not. I can handle the everyday stuff…the getting sick…the loss of freedom…the poopy diapers and chocolate syrup in the rug. I knew it would be that way. What I didn’t know, is how often my heart would shatter.
When we took Speedy out of school, we made the right decision for him. I hope that we are making another right decision by enrolling him in this new school. He starts tomorrow and I’m very anxious and trying to work it out of my system before morning so he doesn’t pick up on it. He’s having trouble in church, also, and that is really getting to me. Daddyo went to the children’s service with him this morning and he did pretty well with daddy right there keeping him on track.
Last Sunday, I had a very unpleasant conversation with a staff member regarding Speedy’s behavior. It wasn’t ugly or rude or anything like that, it’s just that what she had to say was, in my opinion, incredibly inappropriate and misguided. I don’t expect people at church to be perfect, not even the staff, but I do expect compassion from someone in her position and definitely didn’t get that. We love our church family (but every family has a black sheep or two, right?) and I was touched when I received not one, but two phone calls from other staff members following up with helpful suggestions and possible solutions rather than just complaints.
Here’s what I think is the hardest part for me. Speedy is not agressive. He doesn’t bite or hit or kick. He doesn’t blatantly disregard instructions. He’s not oppositional. He has a very hard time sitting and focusing for more than a few minutes at a time in a group setting. His constant movement and talking is disruptive in a group setting. I honestly don’t know that he is capable of doing some of what we’re asking him to do. (paying attention and sitting quietly during story time, etc…) I’m not sure if it is an emotional/social immaturity or the first signs of ADHD or something else along those lines. All I really know is that I love my baby boy and I want him to be able to behave appropriately for his age.
And then I have to ask myself what the real issue is that I’m having. Am I making this about me? Can I move past my dream of having everything be just hunky-dory? Unless you’ve been there, you have absolutely know idea how difficult it is to constantly hear about your child’s behavior issues. To constantly be asked for answers you don’t have. And it sucks when people say, “Speedy is …………” rather than “Speedy’s behavior is ……….”. I never used to understand why the wording mattered so much but I totally get it now. When it’s your child, you want to make sure there is a difference between the child and the child’s behavior.
Speedy is so much fun to be around. He never stops smiling and laughing and has the kind of smile that reaches his eyes. His love for life is contagious. It’s hard to not keep him with me all the time where I know he can be protected and loved. But I know that is not the answer. He’s going to have to find his own way and our job is to help him.
Say a prayer for him and his teacher today. And pray that God will give us wisdom and discernment. And a little more self-control on my part because if I have another conversation with that person I’m afraid of what may come out of my mouth.
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Mathew 11:28-30
Filed under: Speedy
Speedy playing with the dollhouse princess got for Christmas:
Speedy: Oh no! The ground is shaking……
Me: uh oh, why is the ground shaking?
Speedy: A potato is coming! Oh no! Here comes all the wind….
Filed under: Uncategorized
Regularly scheduled blogging will resume eventually.
