A Carnival Came to Town

A carnival came to town. They had a Saturday deal. All the rides you want for $15.00. Tuks was tall enough for 5 and one I rode with her. She had a good time, and of course wanted to go longer, but she did leave peacefully once the time was up, so she is learning. Some of the rides put her into a trance as they were going round and round.

Recent Photos

By visiting Moms, Thanks

A Little Early FFF - PJ'S Party

Pajama party around her new bed.

Tuks is officially 2 1/2 years old today, and boy do we feel it in our household. LOL!!!!

My House

I thought I'd get a quick update in on Tuks, because I won't be posting much during the upcoming week for it will be busy.

I haven't updated in along time about how Tuks is doing. No head lice since last reported and I do shampoo and condition her hair in Tea Tree Oil as a preventative. The last few weeks she has had real bad reactions to mosquitoes bites again, same as last year. Actually her eyes have swelled up 3 times already this year. The difference is that I don't panic, and know how to treat it. Within the last few days the reactions have died down, even though she still gets bitten, even though I have her loaded down with bug spray. Yes, the skeeters are that hungry and that many!! The only thing I am doing differently is I am adding 2 drops of Citronella oil to her bath water every time I bathe her. So I don't know if it is helping in reducing the reaction, OR her body is acclimating to the mosquito venom.

She can also say her numbers up to 16, but can only count items up to 3. She is starting to recognize her colors. The other morning, just shortly after she woke up, she started listing off colors and I asked her where these colors were and she pointed to my shirt. Guess what, she was correct!!! Pink is definitely her favorite color, with I believe green a close second. It's funny it does not look like blue is a favorite of hers, and she has not specified any preference either way for any color of clothes I put on her. She can say her alphabet, but so far can only recognize "A", but I am confident she will get there within the year. She can also point to Guatemala and our state when looking at the globe. Her sense of directions and ability to point put landmarks just astounds me. She is amazing. It is hard to explain. She points out buildings and roads that we haven't been on since last year, summer to be exact, and she can explain what we did and who we went to see while there. This ability is growing exponentially too. Age appropriate, I don't know, you tell me...

Her potty training is still slowly become more frequent, and I predict she will will be out of diapers by the end of the summer.

She has also entered a, I'd call a yucky stage. She wants what she wants, when she wants it and don't tell her otherwise or she will have a FIT. She claims everything as hers. "My house", "My stairs", "My car", also the words "I want....", you fill it in comes out quite frequently. I thought we were in the terrible twos months and months ago, but I think not, because we are for certain in them now. How do I handle it?, well it depends on my energy level, and quite frankly my patience which ebbs and flows with my monthly cycle. I hate to admit that, but it is true. Oh yeah, the "whys" are coming in full force now too.

I thought I would post pictures of our nightly routine.


Brushing her teeth in my bathroom


Then she "puckers", actually she is putting chap stick on. She does this every night.


Getting ready to settle in for reading and tucking in of covers. I say to her
"Te amo me cielo", "I love you my sky" just before I tuck her in ever since she came home.


Just a few of the hundreds of books we read at night and throughout the day. She has started to sit down and "read" the books as well. I love it!!

Meme - tag

1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.

2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.

3. At the end of the post, the player then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read the player’s blog.

4. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer

What were you doing five years ago?
I was just recovering from my ACL/MCL knee surgery. Once I had the ok from the doctors, I started conditioning myself to summit Grand Teton (13,700 feet), in Wyoming, which I did in mid-July of that year. . I was finishing up my Master’s Degree. I was involved with a man who treated me VERY poorly and I was attempting to get out of that relationship by seeing other men. I didn’t get out until two years later. I was teaching science in my current district as well as coaching cross-country running, track and girls basketball.

What are 5 things on your to-do list today?

I put the laundry away, swept the floors, vacuumed, brushed and toe nail trimmed the dogs, colored my hair, sweep the basement, went for a walk with Tuks and the dogs, worked on a power point that I am creating to help prevent some woods from being developed, played with Tuks and finally work on some papers for my up-coming interview.

What are 5 snacks you enjoy?

chips and salsa, anything chocolate, popcorn, nuts, bananas

What are 5 of your bad habits?
Leaving my shoes and coats lying around the house, spending time on the computer, reacting badly to bad news at first, then I settle down, have hard time listening to details, I’m a get to the point kind of gal, and low patience level, especially when I am tired

What 5 things would I do if I were a billionaire?
Get completely out of debt. Finish construction on phase 3 on my home. Buy land. Set up my kids in trust funds to insure a college education. Travel more, volunteer and fincially support grass roots organizations that help impoverished people in the US and other countries, and also organizations that work to protect destruction of habitat for wildlife worldwide. Set up a wildlife rehabilitation center in my hometown…..again, but this time well funded to avoid the board of directors problem from the previous center. Set up a financial plan to insure that I could continue this life style well into my old age and beyond.


Where are 5 places you have lived?

Mississippi, New York, Minnesota, Various places within my home state

What are 5 jobs you have had?

LTE with the DNR, Wildlife Technician, Surgery technician, Bindery worker, Waitress for 5 weeks, Graphic Artist, Educator, Coach, Founded and Executive Director for the Wildlfie Center



Who are 5 people do you want to tag?
Gage's Mom
Gabi's Mom
Brenda
Blessed Life
Minta's Mom

Sleeping Arrangement

Picked this bed and mattress up from a rummage sale for $40.00. Tuks slept in it the first night and hasn't looked back. She has been finding all kinds of reasons to go upstairs to her bedroom in the last 2 days. I know it is because she LOVES the "big girl bed" I now plan to put together the one I bought on sale last summer for Panda. I decided not to invest too much in beds until I know how the girls from Haiti wanted to sleep. More specifically Cheetah, since she is much older and I thought she may want her own room, but she is use to others in her room so she may not. I figured by having the younger girls in the toddler beds for awhile will give me time to watch and figure out the best sleeping arrangement for all 3.

BTW I have been tagged with a Meme and I will get on it ASAP. Thanks

lia sophia update

The lia sophia party raised $386.00 from my party for Haiti. Four women booked a party from mine, so that meant 40% of the sales from my party went to Haiti, plus $15.00 I received for booking a party, and then this is not all yet.......10% of the sales from each of the four parties that were booked will also be added to the $386.00. Then that will be the total I will send. I guess I will have to wait until all the parties have been placed before the total money will be sent. So that places it in early August............I think it was a successful fundraiser for Haiti.

FFF - Best Photos of the week

Tuki serving her guys, Kiki and A, a five-course meal.


Panda in her school uniform

Male Bonding Weekend

Friday night Kiki (Tuks word for E's name) and neighbor A spent quality time with Tuks, and then Saturday, C, co-worker and friend took Tuks and me to a nearby town to look at paintings at his parent's home, and then this morning Tuks went for a tractor ride with uncle W while he was discing the field and tonight she went four-wheeling with uncle J and cousin N. It was a weekend of male bonding. She enjoys spending time with her guy buddies and it makes me glad to see her so happy.

CRAZY

Except for the fact that Tuks was bit up by mosquitoes last night, (I guess the bug spray needs to come out in full force now) we have had great times with friends today and last night. REALLY GREAT TIMES!!! The times together is what I long for to occur more often. Groups of people that feel comfortable with each other to just "hang" and feel free to be themselves. It's GREAT!!!

BUT, then I force myself to come to this blog and try to blog about these events. I can't seem to do it. It's like I am tired of blogging about it and just want to live it. BUT, I want to live it with all my family home, so I come back to this blog to yell, scream, shout for joy etc., along the process so that I don't drive my friends and family bonkers with adoption talk. This blogs gets it all out. BUT, it has also caused me great heartache... I have many other blogs linked to this one, and you may have noticed that many other families started their process months, and sometimes even a year after me, and they are all either TRAVELING for pick-up, waiting to TRAVEL SOON for pick-up, or giving birth soon. IT'S driving me CRAZY!!!! even though I am happy for them, I am feeling a little sorry for us. Ok. that's all I have to say for now.

Early FFF - Fun in the sun

Since Panda is now legally my daughter, here she is playing tag at her 0 in Haiti. Panda is in the blue plaid dress and Cheetah is in the blue jean dress.

Again from last year since we really haven't had any REALLY great sun yet.



Tuks at the lake.


Tuks visiting family in Louisiana.


Tuks at a company swimming pool.

HAPPY AS A CLAM

because Panda (we) has been signed out of Parquet. That means on paper Panda is legally my daughter.. YEAH!!!!!!. Still not sure as to her homecoming though.

Now and Then

Tuks; today at nearly 2 1/2 years


Being cute after church..



Not wanting to smile for the camera


Her version of jump roping


Tuks; 2 years ago at nearly 6 months

Got Milk, still loves it today


too cute

Happy Mothers Day and Forever Family Day!!!

I met Tuks for the first time in February 2006. I held my tiny little baby in my arms, my baby, for the first time when I was 42 years old. I was scared, worried, happy, tired, thrilled, overwhelmed and overjoyed.

Three months later, I held her again, but this time it was forever.

Forever a Mom, forever my daughter.

Tuks made me a Mom, and even though I have two more girls coming home from Haiti, Tuks will always hold the position of making me a Mom for the first time in my life. A dream come true. Her forever family day lands on the perfect day, May 11, and this year even more perfect, right on Mother’s day.

Happy forever family day Tuks!!!

and to all Mothers..........

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!!!!!!!!!

The very first time she was placed in my arms. Feb 2006


The morning after a nearly sleepless night by the two of us. Feb 2006


Relaxing with each other and at the pool. Feb 2006


On the pick-up trip 2 years ago today. They close off a street every Sunday in Guatemala City and the citizens walk, run, bike etc. We participated in it too.
May 2006

Happy Mothers Day to Guatemalan Mommys

Happy Mother's Day to Tuk's;

Guatemalan Mommy Francisca

and her

Foster Mommy Lucreia (Lucky)

My How Time Flies

Two years ago tonight, I was on my way to Guatemala to bring Tuks home forever.........

FFF-Mommy & Me

Christams 2007 Collage photo has a couple of Mommy & Me


Sept 2007 at a Cross Country meet


Fall 2006 at a Sesame Street Production

The scale is all over

Gourds and cherry tomatoes are in the ground. I am risking it a little, but they needed to be planted. The rest will be put in the ground in the next week or two.

I realized at the lia sophia party last night that I am, on a scale of 1 - 10, with 1 being the most strict and 10 the most permissive parent, that I lean way towards the 10. Yet, the funny thing is, is that I, and many of my students would call me a
1, or darn close to a 1 as to my classroom expectations. Why so different..I do not know, but it works for me.....

FE BE calling in the day

I am sitting here at the computer, early in the morning, drinking my coffee, anticipating a great spring day. Everyone is still asleep except for me and the birds. FE BE FE BE is the language being spoken outside my window. They start singing way before the crack of dawn. It is beautiful listening to the excitement for the day in their calls.

Tonight is the lia sophia party.. wish me luck and/or please pray for a successful party and a good time is had by all.

Lawnmower Fun with A

The last two weekends have been busy with fun and busy with work. Last weekend we attended a family fun day on Saturday in which Tuks took a train ride and then went to a petting zoo, and then Sunday after church we attended the Kitefest and later we went to Uncle W's and Tuks went for a 4-wheeler ride. Then this weekend on Saturday, we attended the Cultural fest...it was very busy but we stayed for over 2 hours and later we went out to eat. Today we did yard work all day except for the time Tuks was given a wagon ride by neighbor A. Later I actually cut the grass with Tuks awake, She was hilarious!! She put her biking helmet on and ran around wherever I was cutting and she would scream in fun whenever the lawnmower came near her. She was playing some sort of game. I wish I had a camera, because I was laughing pretty hard just watching her. This is a break through because last year I could hardly do any yard work, but his year, a whole different story.