Such good news at the dentist today!

I took AJ in for orthodontics adjustments and Sydney in for her first check. This is how it all went down:

Sydney: The dentist was thrilled at how great her teeth look! They are white; the last molars are making their way in slowly; the spacing is great! Dentist thinks we lucked out with her mouth!! It's a good thing because Luke and Aaron will make up for it with their dental issues. OY!

AJ: Orthodontist is very pleased with his brushing habits (although he says they have lots of room for improvement). He is thrilled that AJ's teeth have adjusted as quickly as they have in such a short amount of time. So much so, there's a possibilty of him getting them off in EARLY SUMMER instead of end of August or later. Looking toward a permanent retainer.....somehow I don't think that this child will:

a) Remember to wear it

b) Remember where he put it so he CAN wear it!!

I AM WELLLLLLLLL!!!!!

Well, mostly!! Tummy is still a little touchy here and there.....but......I'll take "a little touchy" over the alternative! Man that was a rough few days!!!

GO AWAAAAY

Ok, this stomach yuck needs to find a new home!!! I'm 24 hours into it and I am feeling sooooooo nasty!!! Sooooooooo nasty!!

Conquering the common cold

2 TOILET PAPER SQUARES AT A TIME!!!!

Snotty but SOOOOO stylin' in her new Dora sunglasses!

(Notice all the fingerprints on them.)

The nose is still running at break-neck speed. The eyes are still weepy. Every time I wipe her nose, she has a coughing spell. Not sure how those 2 things go together. When the dripping starts, she comes a-running.....

"NOSE NOSE NOSE.....NOSE MOMMA NOSE!!!"

Just some Bama Family cuteness.....

They were playing in Luke's room and called Daddy in to see them. When he went in they yelled - CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESE!!!!

Could this be any cuter?

Oh my, don't they know that this hat SO does not go with the nightgown?!?

I guess I'll humor them!!

Syd wouldn't look at me, she'd just giggle!

The constipated smile.....our family is famous for these!

A New Blog ---

I have started a new blog.......JUST for Sydney's fostermom!! It's so hard to email back and forth sometimes because a majority of the time, the e-mail system down in Guate is splotchy at best. So, I have set up a special blog just for her that only she, Alan and I have access to!!! Anyone willing to "pimp" it for us PRO BONO?? :-)

Now I can post pics and updates (translated into Spanish of course) any time. I can tell her little stories about the funny things she's doing, etc. Our FM can look at it whenever she wants!! I hope she REALLY enjoys it!!

Sydney's First Cold

Yep, we have our first cold around here......and it took 2 months!! We have weepy, watery eyes. A constant, clear drip from on nostril or the other. A tickley, drainagey cough and a stuffy nose. She has no idea how to blow her nose yet and is SICK of me wiping it. I believe everything we own might have snot on it. Hopefully it'll pass quickly.

"C" IS FOR COOKIES.....IN FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE

Do you want some YUMMMMMY goodies for your next gathering? Or how 'bout a SUPER COOL way to celebrate for your child's birthday?? Well, if you answered yes to either of those questions, have I got the place for you!!!

Head on over to:

http://www.sweetdreamscookies.com

My friend, Marnice Crawford Smith owns this little bakery in Franklin, TN and she wants you to come see her! Matter of fact, next time I'm up that way, I'll be stopping in too!!! My mouth was watering just looking at the pictures!!!

Anywho.....just thought I'd give my friend a little plug....go check her out and pass it along to your friends!!

Melt my heart moment ----

As per our usual routine.....Alan puts Luke down and I put Sydney down for the night. Tonight was no different. We put them down and then went to other ones room to do our tuck in there. I was headed down the hall and poked my head back in Syd's room to tell her goodnight. This was the "convo" that ensued:

Me: Nite Nite NeeNee(she calls herself NeeNee or Nydney)

Syd: Nite Nite Mommy, Wub You! (Nite Nite Mommy, I love you!)

THE WHOLE SENTENCE.......TOTALLY UNPROMPTED!!

Thanks Guys -

I have received so many emails, PM's, IM's of support from so many of you. You have no idea how much they mean. It's been a really bad couple of days. I never dreamed I'd come under fire for calling my child "GuateTot" or stating that I am tired and that a certain stage of toddlerhood was going to kill me. I never dreamed that being honest would invite people to tell me how wrong I am and in the same breath tell me they weren't judging me.

As for the "GuateTots" thing.....I still find nothing wrong with that term. I really truly honestly don't. And believe me, I've been given ALL KINDS OF REASONS why I should. Even so far as to tell me that God wouldn't like it because of "XYZ Scripture" reference. I am so sorry if that offends you but please, don't let it eat at your soul like this one person did. Ya'll know my heart and my love for my kids. Even when they make me absolutely certifiable.....I would give my life for them....all 3 of them.

Anywho - I'm moving on. I'm done with the DRAMA. This is my blog. It's my place to tell what's going on in our world. It's my place to get my feelings out there and exhale. If you find things offensive, just remember --- not everyone agrees with everything and that's ok.

Love you all!!!

Going private is now being considered....

Why can't people just be nice?

I don't go around to other blogs spouting off my opinions about others peoples goings on.

Ugh, I am so frustrated!!

Just give you a heads up - we may go private in the very near future.

BTW, the poll is removed.....this is just so old!!!

ETA: IF this does go private, I will let ya'll know ahead of time. Everyone will be given a few days notice to get an email to me in order to be approved. Thanks for the support..I appreciate it so much!

My fellow SEW'ers.......

I've pulled out the old sewing machine, dusted it off, re-threaded it, etc and now I want to sew. Anyone know of any free sites I can patterns from?? I'm a TOTAL beginner and don't pick up on things nearly as quickly as LouLou!! :-) So, any "tutorial" or beginner stuff would be great!!!!

PLEASE PRAY FOR ABBY!!!

As her doctors put it.......Abby is about to go through sheer "HELL" in her treatments......God bless this little child who has incurred more pain and suffering than ANYONE should have to face!!! Bless you Riggs family for the witness that you are.

You can read about Abby's family by clicking the link on my sidebar.

DEAR ANONYMOUS ----

"Maybe you should call them your children or the small children or little ones, GuateTots sounds cold, like they are objects. They are just babies and Sydney is just home a short amount of time, you must have patience, its your job as their Mother to not "lose it"."

----------------------------------------

Well now, isn't it nice when we can feel so bold as to give advice, yet HIDE behind "ANONYMOUS"?? I mean really.....come on out. Tell me who you are. IF and that's a BIG IF you knew me, you'd know that the term GUATETOTS is used as MY TERM OF ENDEARMENT for MY CHILDREN! If you for ONE MINUTE believe that it is meant an other way than with MY WHOLE HEART, you are officially UNINVITED from my blog. Matter of fact, the term "GuateTots" is VERY WIDELY used among the Guatemalan Families. I didn't coin that one.....I borrowed it.

As usual, I am almost positive you are the one who has heckled me before...... GO AWAY!

And really, I don't care what your opinion is on my post. Atleast I admit that I have moments of frustration and struggles. Anyone who can be so perfect must feel good to comment anonomously to lowly Moms like me. Must be nice to be so perfectly patient all the time...as I am sure you are.

From now on, please keep your comments to yourself.......

I think I can, I think I can!

We're going through kind of a rough patch with the GuateTots right now.......too much to get into. Alot of it's behavioral issues with Luke. Please say a prayer that things begin to settle down around here. I am slap worn out and my patience is VERY VERY thin. And when Momma ain't happy.....

WELL

She just ain't happy and she makes it really really hard and slightly miserable for everyone else!

A Family for Clara

The day finally arrived for the Hammond family. While most of us were sleeping, Erica & Aaron met their sweet "YouYou" for the first time.......going from a family of 4 to a family of 5!! My heart is full of emotion for them. Remember, feeling, reliving the emotion I felt when they placed Sydney in my arms for....FOREVER!! Ya'll, *THIS* is what it's all about.....

This photo alone almost sent me to my knees.....

the raw emotion and the sense of "FINALLY"...

not to mention the love these two share....WOW!!

Erica, Aaron, Jack, Carter and Clara Hammond

A Family At Last!!!!

Sweet Baby Reed

It's with a heavy heart that I inform my wonderful blog friends that sweet Baby Reed, "neighbor" of Sweet Baby JC at Hsv Hospital, has lost his fight and went to be with Jesus on Sunday morning. Please keep this family in your prayers as they grieve!

http://ourlocolife.blogspot.com/2009/01/sweet-baby-jc-update.html

UPDATE ON BABY JC

Hey everybody.......

JAMES & SABRINA GOT TO HOLD BABY JC TODAY!!!

Congrats Cagle Family!!!

Keep praying!! He's doing great!!!

YEEEEEEEEEEHAW!!!!

Sweet Baby JC update.......

I spoke to James(the Daddy) today and got the latest........

Please keep praying for JC! This little fighter had his C-PAP removed today and was put on a Nasal Canula!! For a baby so little and so early, that is FANTABULOUS!!!! They are hoping and praying that he'll give them a nice POOPY DIAPER really soon so they can hold him......FINALLY!!! I can't even imagine not having held your baby yet and he's already almost 3 weeks old!!

Also, there's another little fighter named Reed that could use your prayers. Reed "lives" at Hsv Hospital right now and is the "next door neighbor" of JC. Sweet Reed was born on 11/6/08 at 23 weeks. He's doing well and fighting hard too. Reed is VERY swollen and his diapers are not exactly what they would always like to see them be. HOWEVER, he's holding his own. If you could please also pray for Reed and his family, we'd appreciate it!

ChInA BoUnD!!!!!

Please pray for my sweet friends, the Hammond Family. They left yesterday for China to pick up their 2 year old daughter. The crew was Mom, Dad, 2 sons, 2 grandmothers and a granddaddy! How COOL is that!! They will meet their daughter for the first time on Monday! Someone pass the tissue!!

I am so stinking excited for them!!

!!LOVE YA'LL!!

What a TREMENDOUS pain in the rear!!!

Leave it to my sweet friend Kris to put it in perspective for me:

Let's say you get $2000 back. If it takes you 2 hours to get the paperwork together, you're making $1000 an hour! :)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let me start by saying that I am so insanely thankful that Alan's employer has a SIZEABLE adoption assistance re-imbursement!!! So thankful, there are no words.

BUT

Please, someone, tell me why a LETTER FROM THE AGENCY stating what we paid them(not including travel, foster care, medical, USE) is NOT sufficient evidence that we spent that money. I mean helloooooooooooo.....................they sure as heck didn't do this for free!!! All they would have to do is call to verify the letter.

NOOOOOOOOOOO

I have to go back through credit cards statements and bank statements and fostercare wire receipts, etc, to PROVE that we paid the full amount they will re-imburse. The letter from the agency is almost THREE TIMES the reimburseable amount!!!

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Here I sit, printing off page after page after page of statements that include ANYTHING and EVERYTHING related to Guatemala. Then I have to go through and black out all the stuff they don't have any need for. All the while, a copy of a letter from the agency sits in someone's hand.....as insufficient evidence of money paid.

FUN FUN FUN........NOT!!!!

My first attempt....WALGREENS

AND I AM DARN PROUD OF MYSELF!!!

3 - 64oz jugs of Motts Apple Juice

(in store coupon for $1.59 each...regularly $3.59....limit 3)

1 - OneTouch Ultra 2 Glucose Monitor

(Sunday newspaper coupons - $30.00 off coupon - on sale at Walgreens $29.99...was $69.99)

(The meter is for my Dad's work car so he doesn't have to keep switching)

1 - Pack "Feminine Products"

(In store coupon $3 off of $6.99)

1 - 40ct Diapers

(In store savings $5.49)

2 - 240 count Melatonin

(BOGOF -- $11.99 for both)

2 - Garnier Fructis Shampoo

2 - Garnier Fructis Conditioner

(In store coupon $2 off each; 99 cents each)

TOTAL: $142

SPENT: $37

SAVED: $105

Armed and dangerous!

YIKES!! I think it's going to take more time to get "ARMED AND DANGEROUS" than I expected......I may not go to the store till tomorrow!! :-( I'm a smidge overwhelmed with it!

------------------------------------------

I decided it's high time!! High time for me to start being a "SUPER SHOPPER"!! This weeks coupons, sale circulars, scissors, paper, pen and coupon box are in a stack. I am going to wheel and deal ...... without having to do too much driving and hopefully saving us some money in the meantime.

I'll let you know how do.......

Sister Girl Gets a Haircut

I just realized that I had not posted pics of Sydney's haircut last week. It was just me, Syd and Christina(my hair girl).....so, these are the ONLY pics we have. Christina took them.

..............BEFORE................

Being bashful after her cut.......

Sydney with my sweet friend Christina

Get Well Soup

Since Nana has been so insanely sick with the shingles this week, me and the GuateTots decided to make GET WELL POTATO SOUP!!!! We're going to take it over to her in a little while and she doesn't know anything about it!!

Here's a little sneak peek at the festivities....

Stirring the soup..............

Smelling the soup.....

Looking cute with a spoon.....

"I SAID I WAS THE BETTER COOK, YA HEAR ME?!?!?!?"

WOMANLY EXCELLENCE

That's what I plan on trying to achieve this year......

as a wife, mother, woman....

as a daughter of the King.

And here is a blog I am going to follow to help me:

http://www.womanlyexcellence.com/

Fave Foto Friday

I don't usually participate in these because I'm too lazy!! This time, though, the theme is "FAVORITE PHOTO OF 2008" and I have the PERFECT PHOTO!!!

New Year's Survey -

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? Went to Guatemala all by myself!
2. Did you keep your New Years’ Resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Don't make any but this year, I just might!
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes, my sister and there were many adoptions too
4. Did anyone close to you die? NO
5. What countries did you visit? Guatemala
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? Attending church and getting plugged in - We joined a new church a couple months ago.
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? FInally bringing my daughter home from Guatemala
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Deciding to stay home with my kids!
9. What was your biggest failure? Not being in church like we should be!
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Yep, ruptured a disc in my back and had surgery in July
11. What was the best thing you bought? Plane tickets to GC to pi ck up Sydney
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration? AJ was inducted into National Junior Honor Society in the spring of 7th grade
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? Hmmm not going to say but the Lord and i know..
14. Where did most of your money go? Guatemala
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Christmas with all 3 kids at home!!
16. What song will always remind you of 2008? "I Will Praise You In This Storm"
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
happier or sadder? happier
thinner or fatter? Fatter
richer or poorer? POORER!!
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Exercise
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Eating junk
20. How did you spend Christmas? WITH MY WHOLE FAMILY IN THE USA!!!
21. What on-line users did you meet? Adoptive Families in Guatemala - not sure how many or exactly who
22. Did you fall in love in 2008? Not sure what this means......
23. How many one-night stands? Nope - happily married
24. What was your favourite TV program? Exreme Home Makeover
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? This question will go unanswered
26. What was the best book you read this year? Didn't read much this year
27. What was your greatest musical discovery? I really found that I like Taylor Swift
28. What did you want and get? My baby girl home!!
29. What did you want and not get? nothing that I can think of
30. What was your favourite film of this year? Not sure - Yes, Man was really funny!!!
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 35...OMG middle 30's! I went to California for Mommy Weekend with 25 girlfriends 2 weeks after my b'day.
32.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Finally getting my daughter home
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? Comfort,Comfort
34. What kept you sane? my laptop
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? None!!
36. What political issue stirred you the most? Politics in general
37.Who did you miss? not sure
38. Who was the best new person you met? Too many to name!!
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008? If God brings you to it, He *WILL* bring you through it!!
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
I was sure by now
That You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining
As the thunder rollsI barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
Chorus:
I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You
I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The maker of heaven and earth

James Clifton Cagle, Jr

Please say a prayer for my friend James and his wife Sabrina. I have been friends with James since high school and he's just an all around good guy. He and his wife have 2 girls and their little man, James Clifton Cagle Jr was born on Tuesday December 30 at 4:46pm. He weighed 2lbs 6 ounces, and 14 inches long. This sweet little guy was born right at 3 monts premature and is quite the little fighter....he's already breathing on his own. JJ, Cliff, JC are among the names he's being called - nothing is set in stone yet.

I just talked to James and they are running some more tests on him tomorrow but for now, all that they've done has come back good. This little one has a BIG LIFE ahead of him!!! I'll keep you posted as to his progress. Here are their photos so you can see who you are praying for: