Hypothetically Speaking

2  Fridays ago received a call from LDS Family Services.  This is the 2nd time they had a hypothetical situation for us to consider.  The other times they had a baby in their arms.  If LDS Family Services has a hypothetical situation for you it will more than likely be good (if you're in the business of increasing the amount of offspring in your home).  Jason asked the social worker to please burn our file following the finalization of Mae's baby brother. 

She was due in 2 weeks.  By the following Wednesday (when our birth mother officially asked if we'd be her baby's parents), she was due Tuesday.  When we met with her Friday it was her due date.  ? So here I sit, madly editing photos from my latest session so that tomorrow I can be a labor coach. 

This will be the first time I've been at the birth of one of my own children.  Irony's cool.

I've run 4 reference letters around town, 3 to friends, only one can go to a family member.  Luckily, our Bishop lives next door, so I just walked his over. 

Uncle Jeremy leaned toward Quadraivon or Scout.

Had 3 health evaluations filled out by our pediatrician, which left us 3 more to do at an instacare for a total of $252, about 2 hours, and a near accident when I had to run Liv back to pee in a cup.  Wetting, not car.

Text from Grandma Helen: Anything but Abner.

Filled out private health insurance forms online (federal law), and finally purchased a policy afer about 3 hours devoted to answering "no", "no", "no", "eczema", "no".  Searched for our marriage license (they must keep an original in our file), went to West Valley for a preliminary background check, and sent Jason to the Social Security Office to get a temporary card for our federal background check. 

Call from Grandpa Dan and Grandma Wendy: Ezekial.  Or Deuteronomy.  We can call him Dude.

Saturday entailed a 4 hour visit with our social worker for familial, marital, and individual interviews followed by a Home Study, but only after we answered online questions about our family of origin, finances, health, marriage, and 47 (I counted),  questions each about everything from our feelings regarding adoption to our house, neighborhood, and community. 

Begged my sis-in-law for names and she and Marcus sent Jase.



Now I've got to get another fire alarm and a carbon monoxide detector.

I wanted Charlie.

My blessed friend Sarah brought every baby item in the history of world with her from Seattle (she likes all the awesome names I like), and all of the outfits I'd ever need for the first 6 months of this child's life.  The ox in the mire, I washed them on Sunday and they sit in the laundry basket as I type, even though Isaac cleared out 3 of his drawers and scooted his clothes in the closet to make room for his little brother.

Isaac likes Elliott.

Uncle Isaac thinks I have to get names from outer space because we know someone with every name he liked.

 

I've been through every baby naming site on the internet to finish with Samson, Raleigh, or Elisha.  We'll see what the little bugger looks like.

the next morning...P.S.  I forgot to mention that Liv wants Harry Dial.  But you have to say both, Harry Dial.

Today before the induction I've got to get us an adoption loan.  Whether you call them or they call you, it's got to be paid for :)

re

I'm nearly to the point in rennovating where I don't care what else happens in this house as long as I don't have to lift a finger for it.  I'm pretty sure that's how some of the folks on "Hoarders" began.  I'm two steps away.

So today I hung some art and started to finish (oxymoron), my sewing projects in an attempt to get re-motivated (another oxymoron).

This evening my husband found me lying on the girls' bed (in one of the 2 rooms in our house that is painted), musing over the newly hung art and carefully placed accessories (which have been re-placed 13 times since this morning, and I'm sure not carefully), and I asked him his thoughts about our family photos, which I was hoping to take exactly right here, at our new home. 

 He broke it to me that he doesn't appreciate my "hobo" style as he swept his arm around the room.  Apparently I'm turning our new home into just what the last one was (yay!).  He wants something that "looks like money".  We clarified that even though buying from Anthropologie means a lot of money, it's still "hobo".  He doesn't want to send our photo out thus. 

In the end we have no location, and he chose a suit and I've got the go ahead to wear something shabby so that we can both represent our own personal styles. Photos to follow, I guess. 

Anywho, while I scanned the room I decided it needs a fabulous and bold rug.  Unfortunately I know this will cost some serious dinero, no matter what you call my style. 

These are what I'm dreaming of...

 *sigh*

The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

My kids this morning instead of attending Church.

Grab a snack.  This is going to be a long post.  In reading in the Book of Mormon I've been trying to impart the importance of journaling to my offspring, so I decided to "journal" in an attempt to make some good of the day.  And, my Aunt Louise cussed me out for not posting enough pictures of said offspring.  I'm also feeling guilty about sluffing Stake Conference.  

The Good: The girls are back in their room with new texture on the walls and ceiling, and new paint.

The Bad: Sans moulding.

The Ugly: Mae fell between the bed and the wall and shimmied under the bed as she wailed at 3:54 this morning.  She came to sleep with me which means that one or more body parts fall asleep, but not my entire being.

The Good: Sunroc had a $5 rebate on their awesome paint.

The Bad: It ended yesterday and I forgot to get the rest of it to finish the rest of the house after it's textured.

The Ugly: It's called "Solitaire"...as in solitary confinement?  Is it grey, is it purple, ugh?  It better look awesome when it's all done. 

The Good: I have a new pantry!   I knocked out a wall, framed the pantry and around the fridge. 

 I even moved an outlet, a light switch and a light fixture.

The door you see used to belong to a broom closet around the corner. 

The Bad: Don't tell a code inspector how low that outlet is now. 

We missed the era when that paint (yes it's paint, not paper) was awesome.

The Ugly: That big new fridge has been broken for 2 weeks.  The compressor that usually lasts longer than the hinges on the doors.  Gone. 

Sunroc and Home Depot have gotten 1/2 of our money this week.  McDonalds and local gas stations, the other.

And my kids look like hooligans.

*Refer back up to the last photo

The Good: She knows the meaning of  "potty", "toilet", and "bafroom", and has the most delicious booty you've ever seen in a pair of Elmo undies.  *we don't say "panties" it sounds so icky.*

The Bad: She will go when I take her, but not on her own.

The Ugly:  She's pooped this week at the library and Isaac's soccer game. 

More Good: Jason and his bro. Jeremy are awesome drywallers.

The  man and his mud.

I found this lenoleum under the carpet in the closet I was working on.  I like to call it "Walking on Sunshine"

The sunshine one gets from fried green tomatoes.  Thanks mom for planting this year since we couldn't!

Homemade bread.  When we were out painting baseboards yesterday, our self-proclaimed nosey neighbor brought us some homeade bread.  It goes swimmingly with our homemade apricot jam!  And I'm pretty sure it tastes better when you cut it on a cutting board that has sheetrock dust on it.

More Good: Jason re-hung the swing and now my kids don't feel nearly as abandoned.

The Bad: I missed pear picking.  Apparently it's not the same as any other kind of picking.  So when I went to see if they were ready I just found them all on the ground already.

The ugly: The project behind the swing that we can't finish without a bobcat.  A dog run that was very well made and very unneccesary.

The Good: My kids love school.

They all got great teachers and are making friends so now it's just Mae and Me in the morning.  We should start a radio show.

Georgia got to go to kindergarten at school instead of homeschool.

The Bad: It was- open the playdough and see ya' mom!

The Ugly: Note the refrigerator pictures once more.  One of those yellow papers magneted to the front lists the school schedule.  While tearing down walls Wednesday last (the second day of kindergarten), I watched the clock intently for 11:30 so I could pick up George on time.  Then I realized at 11:15 that she got out at 11:05!  Then I realized  it was Wednesday, which is early out day so Jorge had been sitting in the office waiting for me since 10:50.

The Ugliest of all:  I've been late to get her twice in two weeks.  I suck.

The Good: Chloe had her 2nd Birthday on September 9th.  Commemorated with a bath and a party.

The Bad: She hadn't had a bath since we moved in two months ago.

The Ugly: She peed on the plastic in the dining room and we had to clean the plastic and the floor.  Ick.

The Good:  I get to do flowers for a really cool couple next weekend.  I did a bouquet for pictures this week.

There is no bad or ugly in this situation!

The Good: Finished my first Half Marathon in 2:36!  No resuscitation or iv fluid required!

Apparently my kids are singing barbershop and Jason is beat boxing.

Everyone was at the finish to cheer me on!  Last time George had to use the can and they missed it.

The Bad: I've only been running once since my race.  If I'm going to make a habit of it I should really make a habit of it.

The Ugly: Which, it turns out is VERY good.  My running pants sagged as I ran.  I spent a good portion of the race tugging them back up :) 

Phew!

Hard Things

"We Do Hard Things"

I don't know where I heard it first, but it is my favorite quote of all time.

I want that to be our family motto this year because it applies to so many areas of our lives and helps us to keep a clear perspective.

There are hard things that just flat out need to be done. 

There are hard things that we are forced to do.

There are hard things we do just because they are right.

Some hard things are to be done because we will be better and stronger when we do them. 

It keeps us from feeling entitled to have it easy.

It reverberates in my head if it empties while I'm deep into a run and can't remember for the life of me why I'm so far from home.

No one is spared hard things in this life.  What we are spared is going it alone if we prefer to have company.  We spare the people near us if we approach things with a good spirit and gratitude. 

The New Joint

We got the house everyone was rooting for, still feels like a dream!

I love it more every day!  I haven't even had time to step out and enjoy a meal on the deck, but that time is 'a comin!

These are, of course, "before" pictures.  The wallpaper is already down, hooray!  Thanks mostly to Isaac, Liv, and Liv's buddies, Penina and Kallysta.

Liv said, "I do not like their fish," when we saw the house the first time.

3, yes 3 family rooms in this house. I guess if we get sick of our family we'll just choose a different "family" room to be in. 

Front room, 2 views

Got to keep telling myself that these fruit (pear, cherry, and apricot) trees are a blessing.  Just ask the troops!  Georgia kept trying to get out of the action.  It took more work to keep her going than it did to pick the 809,983,290,321 apricots.  And there are still more on the tree!

My kids look like hoodlems, and will continue to do so, I fear, until school begins.

P.S. That's my mil, Helen and beautiful Naloni, you all know them, and the big guy is Cousin Dakota.  He deserves his own post.

And getting me through it all, blessed nectar of the gods.

House Hunters

Heaven forbid we have to continue looking for a house.  But this one fell through. .  .

Our mortgage guy has a sign in his office that says, "No Reason, Just Rules."  This place has our offer on it (for the asking price), as well as one even higher and it will be forclosed upon on the 12th of next month.   NO REASON.

Heaven seems on our side because Jason and I were ready to build.  EEEK!  The Good Lord knew I'd be lonely when my children and husband left me because of my bad attitude.  So it was this or that.

I'm no hippy, but I am fundamentally opposed to subdividing open land, especially when there are so many houses on the market.  HOWEVER, have you seen these houses?  After about the 70th one, my realtor's down to $5.00/hr and it leaves me wondering if I'm not normal for expecting to be able to stand up straight in my laundry room and guest bath, or for preferring not to have my guests walk into the basement of our house because there's no front entrance. 

But if it's between commuting to my marriage and building a house on some corn farmer's field, the farmer's going to get the raw end. 

So today, in a last ditch effort to rule out every home on the MLS in Utah County, we found these two gems.  Either one would make me giddy! 

Which would you choose?

Think the summer weather got the better of him...

My beautiful boy is now the proud rocker of a 'hawk!

8 is GREAT!

Miss Olivia is 8 today, HiP hIP HoOrAY!

For her Birthday she asked for a

day at the spa

with her best friend in the whole, whole,

WORLD, Penina.

You should have seen those little sweeties lying with white-towell turbans on their heads while the aesthetician cleansed and massaged.  Then it was toes and fingernails across the board.  Complete with polka-dots.

She also asked for ice cream cake, which is yet to come with Daddy tomorrow.  He's a spoiler.

Today she also asked for hamburgers, bowling and a birthday photo shoot.  

I obliged. Even added some rootbeer floats.

She even lost her sparkly tooth at the alley.  Natural causes, not a wild throw by Georgia.

I love you, love you, love you my sweet Liv!!!

The other kids got in on some photo action too

On My First Tri

I'm typing this entry to avoid running right now.  Mentally I feel like I should have a vacation after my first race on Saturday even though I've run more that twice the distance of the race and have to run more than 4 times its distance in August.  So there.

I don't have any pictures of me or the other Speed Divas on our team from Saturday, but picture me only redder and breathing heavily with my farmer tanned arms bare to the world.  I felt so liberated.  Especially since Shakira was on my ipod keeping her hips honest, when I crossed the timing line to begin my race.

It was mostly uphill at 11:00 a.m. and I'm pretty sure it was 126 degrees.  Especially since I run at o'dark thirty.  Some blessed person on 2nd South and 2nd East put their sprinkler in the road around mile 3 for our relief.  They have probably been translated by now, but you can put flowers on their porch in Salem if you're ever around.  I got passed and then I passed some and when I was certain we were nearly done and pulled out my headphones so I could hear my kids cheer me across the finish line some jovial spectator cheered, "Nice job 10 (it was my number, he wasn't hitting on me), only 1/2 mile to go." 

The other ladies on my team, LuAnn (team captain), and Lori, were fantastic and so much fun.  Thank-you, thank-you for the opportunity!  Maybe next year we can each do it all!  And maybe Georgia will have better bladder control and the fam will be at the finish line.

It was a wonderful atmosphere at the race with a mixture of anticipation, competition, and support.  Potentially addicting.

Kids Say...

I was snuggling Liv and Georgia one night when the subject of posterity came up.  I told Liv, "When I'm a grandma I'm going to be a HOT grandma.  I'll spend all my money shopping and taking care of myself and I'll look sooo good."

"I'm going to tell my kids you're dead."

Isaac and I were playing "Rock Paper Scissors" in Sacrament Meeting when he told me, "Mama, I made up some new ones...Tornado (he says, spinning his finger in a tight circle), and Sexy Lady (as he "walks" his fingers down his leg).

Update

Well, we've left our beautiful cottage on Brookside and we're in the market for the next "best thing".  We need bigger, but I don't think anything could be better than the wonderful community we've left.  I adore our neighbors and the freindeships we made were hopefully lasting as the people around us are incredible support and examples.

I'd lived in that house longer than any other in my life except for our Tacoma house.  Most of you find that strange.  I find it strange to live in the same place forever.  Not to mention all the crap one collects when it never has to be moved.  HOWEVER...I hope to  never have to do this again.  Junk seemed to multiply the more trips that were made to the storage unit. 

Cool fact #456- Our last boxes included:

wrapping paper

a ballerina statuette

child's magnet playset

a Magic Eraser

a pair of flats

the missing wheel from our bed

justaposition

I am in just such a place that this makes perfect sense...

Moving.  While life goes on.

I couldn't wear open-toed shoes to church last Sunday with my pedicure a mess.  But you better believe I'm not wasting a trip to the salon and $25.00 to fix my manicure before we move.

U-Yi-Ya

Thought I'd be tricky and leave Mae in her crib crying for U-yi-ya and just quickly walk them across the street to school. 

When I got back she was sobbing and crying, "U-yi-ya hode you!"

She pointed to her window and I was horrified to learn that she'd helplessly watched the whole episode. 

It took the poor girl a couple of hours to get over the fact that U-yi-ya hadn't held her before she went to school.

Notice Mae already has 3 sandwiches on her plate.

On a much lighter note, that day she and George got to go to a tea party and eat nearly every finger sandwich in the place.  She sat perfectly still for me while I put curlers in her hair.