Back from State Finals

We are back from State Finals and our gymnast did not do as well as we thought she could have.  Big Dad has a great perspective on all of this which I will share at a later date, but i think he is right on.  Our entire team was off, but it has been a weird week. As many of you know, we had a small fire at our gym last Monday which in itself was not huge, but activated the sprinkler system.  All of our equipment and floors were soaked and ruined.  We will most likely be displaced for workout space for at least 2 months.  On the bright side, another semi-local gym has opened their doors to us and has allowed our team girls to work out there.  Not a small thing, as we are a huge team of rambunctious and unsocialized wild girls who happen to be exceptional gymnasts (also great singers) Anyone heard 7 nine-year old girls belting the song "Super-Girl" for 9 miles in a closed car?  Good Times!! We carpool now!  Honestly I am not complaining.  It is true joy for me to see my daughter having so much fun.  She loves her team, she loves what she is doing, she is so happy.  Worth it!! 

Need I Say More?

Very Fun-Filled Days

We have been having a lot of exciting things going on in the last few weeks. I will share some highlights.  We still have more fun coming up with Nicky's birthday coming on Friday. Tony's last Football Game and our last visit from the Social Worker both on Saturday.  We will have our final Gymnastic Competition the following weekend, then Basketball will start.  WooHoo! 

We stepped out on Halloween Night with the Neighborhood Gang.  I got a little irritated at the older ones because they "ditched" Big Daddy, Nicholas and me.  We apparently were not moving with their lightening speeds and they wanted to hang with their friends and not their parents or their three-year old brother who happened to be dressed as a skunk.  Luckily there were a lot of other parents supervising the mayhem.  We finally met up and collected the bunch of them.  They got SOOO much candy.
Tony celebrated his birthday with a few of his buddies.  Big Dad and Curtis took them all bowling then back to the house for a BBQ.  I wondered how B-Dad was going to handle all of the boys.  He is not used to that kind of thing.  Guess who happened to be bowling in the lane next to the boys? Their School Principal!!! He just happened to be there bowling with his son. HA HA HA! Dad and Curtis got to enjoy themselves while the boys acted like perfect angels.  Big Dad always comes out smelling like a rose.

This is the pile of laundry that I happened to be left with after the busy weekend.  This pile extends up to the second floor.  Can anyone guess what I was doing all day on Monday?
Our Gymnast had her big Sectionals Meet.  She qualified for State Finals by the seat of her leotard.  Not the best effort on her part.  She did make her goal of qualification for the next meet. I know it sounds like I am less than impressed and I am being one of those crazy Sports-Moms, but you know as a parent when your child is not giving it their all.  For whatever reason, she lacked that spark she needed to get the scores she is capable of making. She just works too hard throughout the year for her not to bring out her best "game" at an event of this magnitude. I am sure she will put forth her best effort for State.  The girls on her team are so darn cute.  They love to ham it up for the cameras.  

Two Things

First, please go visit little Miss Zoey Grace at her blog "Little Wonders"  Zoey and her family can use all of the love, prayers and support that they can get right now.  Her button is to the left.  Just click on it to get you there.

Second, The Reece's Rainbow Angel Tree Project is in full swing. It is their biggest fundraiser of the year. Click on the RR button to the left then go to the Angel Tree.  Wait until you see the precious faces of the babies that are all waiting for families.  Our little Angel Liza is all the way at the bottom on the last row.  

Attachment

This is Nicholas on his first day of Pre-school this September.  Such a Big Boy!!

These are the first photos we ever saw of Nicholas, we think he was about 11 months old here.  These were unofficial referral photos sent to us by our agency.  Did we want him? "OH YEAH!! We want him! Are you kidding me? "Look at those eyes!!  Look at that smile!  I took pictures of these with my digital camera since all we had were prints.  Check out the beautiful lady who works in the baby house.  Isn't she gorgeous?

We are nearing our 3 year "Gotcha Day" for Nicholas.  It is so hard to believe that it has already been three years.  It seems impossible that it was 3 years ago that we first met him.  In ways it seems like yesterday and in other ways it seems as if he has always been with us.  I know that when he is not with me, I feel like something, a piece of me is missing.  Maybe it is because he is the baby of the family or maybe it is because he has the kind of disposition that warrants me to always know where he is and what he is doing. 

Our attachment and bonding has been fairly textbook for a kid who was institutionalized for the first 13 months of his life.  He bonded to us easily, but there have been and probably always will be bumps in the road.  He still will run off in a crowd without looking back.  He did this just last weekend at a birthday party at an extremely over crowded and noisy indoor playground.  The other kids his age were sticking to their mom's like glue.  Not Nick, he was off and running.  I could not even find him at one point.  I knew he could not get out of the building but it is still an uneasy feeling.  He is fearless and does crazy stuff for an almost 4-year old.

He still exhibits indiscriminate affection.  He will go with anyone at all.  Most people think it is so cute,  "He is so out-going and lovable." I still think he could leave and move into a whole new family without missing us at all.  I hope I am exaggerating, but it still breaks my heart to think about.  He talks to anyone and everyone, will go up and ask to share food or drink with total strangers and sit down and play with any kid no matter the age. Most people have no idea that this is all typical of a kid with some kind of attachment issue.      

We still struggle with direct eye-contact at times.  He will look away if he is at all feeling stressed or like he is in trouble.  He still bonks his head into the wall or slaps himself in the head if he has to go on a time-out.  This happens very rarely anymore, but it does happen, even after three years.  

I do not want to sound like he has not made progress.  He has made SO MUCH progress.  He is huggy and affectionate.  He snuggles and kisses without being asked.  He loves to fall asleep with me in our big bed. He prefers to be with me as opposed to most anyone else, except maybe Grandpa Donut or his God-Brother Sean who is 13.  He tells me he loves me and my favorite line which I hear almost daily... "I very like you and you are my best friend."  He lights up when his siblings arrive home from school.  He wants his daddy when mom won't let him have a cookie before dinner.  He actually came to me the other day asking for a band-aid.  He had a little scab on his foot that he scratched off.  It was bleeding a little bit.  He came to me for help.  Usually when he gets hurt, he just deals with it, himself.  He will have "owies" that I never know how they happened.  He actually wanted me to clean his foot this time and put a band aid on it.  Amazing!!! Monumental, in fact.  He loves us---I know that, but we still struggle with his little quirks that I know are related to his attachment or lack thereof.  We love him for who he is....he is fine.  He is ours.  He is the bomb!!!  

Three years, I can't believe it.  Wait until you hear about the Russian Feast I prepare for The Gotcha Day Festivities!!  YUMMY!!

Six Random Things About Me

My bloggy friend Tammy tagged me.  It happened awhile ago, but I am just getting around to it. I feel quite honored.  Seeing as I am taking a break from blogging and hardly anyone reads my blog anyhow, I thought I would do it.  Just for fun. 

Here are six random things about me in no particular order:

1.  I have a serious potato chip addiction.  I love them.  I would eat them every day of my life.  I could eat an entire bag of Ruffles if I wanted to.  I especially love Ruffles with onion dip or cottage cheese....yes, I dip them in cottage cheese, wierd? I think not.

2.  I have next to no computer skills.  Since I have been home raising kids and out of the work force for almost 12 years, I have not had the chance to learn them. Even when I was working (teaching elementary school) we never used computers.  It is a miracle that I even figured out how to do this blog.  My sister has to help me with my camera every time she comes for a visit. Pathetic-huh? 

3.  I hate going to the movies.  I have probably only seen 3 movies in the theatre in the last 5 years.  They were all kid movies, and I had no choice but to go. UGH!!

4.  I will not gladly share my burrito or my sandwich.  I absolutely love burritos, especially from the yummy Mexican markets we have around here.  I also adore deli-sandwiches. DO NOT ask me for a bite of either one of these items.  I will gladly share any other meal or dessert with anyone who asks.  My husband always asks to take a bite--just to annoy me. 

5.  I wear flip-flops every single day.  Even in the rain, which makes everyone laugh.  I rarely wear shoes unless I am hiking.  I once in awhile will wear boots to church.  I have at least 15 pairs of flip-flops in all different colors.  

6.  I love going to my kids sporting events.  I absolutely love it.  I never (hardly ever) miss anyone's event.  I always get excited and nervous right before.  I have spent hundreds maybe thousands of hours watching my kids play sports.  FUN!!!!

That's it!!!  6 silly things.  

Taking a Break!!

Here is a photo of the Squid-Eaters saying Goodbye!! (actually I think they were grinding down a bunch of Killer Shrimp)  

I actually set up this blog because I wanted to document our second adoption.  I really thought that it was going to take place.  I had such high hopes.  Now that it seems that my dream will not become a reality, I think I will take a break from writing for awhile.  Our day to day life is not all that exciting.  

I will still continue to check my favorite blogs daily, I am addicted.  I will rejoice with those of you in the process of bringing kids home from faraway lands.  

I am feeling very depressed and sorry for myself---boo hoo!

I am incredibly thankful for the children I have been blessed with and will continue to try to be the best mom I can be.  So for now....Adios!