silly spring

So uh... does anyone know where May went? The last time I checked we still had some time to enjoy some spring before June comes bearing the gift of summer. I think Maribel is getting a little anxious for summer too in case you couldn't tell. She thinks it's hilarious when I try to snap a regular photo she cracks a silly face on the last possible split second. I gotta hand it to the girl, she sure knows how to make me smile. 

Happy uh, End of May?

>^..^<

walk with me

Maribel is already making plans for her next trip to Canada. She loved it so much and is always talking about it. Even though we're a year away from our next trip I'm afraid that her list of things to do will be so long that we would have to plan a super long trip just to accommodate everything she would want to do.

M loved walking along the Henderson Park lake but of course wanted to walk on the rocks like her older cousins but she was so unsteady that she almost took a drink in the lake more then a few times so Uncle Thom held her hand while they walked.

Too bad we can't walk around the lakes here in Florida without wondering what lurkes beneath the waters...There's been more than one report of gators snacking on fluffy Fifi's which is enough for me to stay away completely. Oh the joys of Florida living. But hey, it's better than shoveling snow...this I remember and now am extra grateful.
>^..^<

oh those glittered things

I’m still finding glitter all over the house. Someone once said that “glitter is the herpes of the crafting world” and they were so right. No matter how hard you try and when you think I got it all, you can’t get rid of this stuff. Maybe if I didn’t try saving some of it for my scrapbook page I would be rid of it already but what kind of scrapbooker would I be if I didn’t A) take a few photos and B) try to save some of it to use on the layout?

I couldn't just journal a small blurb so I printed out the event and created a journaling tag that tucks right behind Milo's picture. Poor Milo. At least he's allowing "Miss Elmyra Duff " to pet him again. Will he ever learn?
I can just hear Maribel now, "I love cats I love kitties, squeeze them into itty bittys!"
If you've ever watch Tiny Toons then you know....you know.

I created this LO for my challenge over at Skrap ‘n Chat. We’re having a month long online crop so you should stop in and say hello. We’d love to see you there.

>^..^<

back to the land of the web

We've been internet-less at home for over a week. It was the roughest week I've had to endure in a very long time but with many questions and a few frusterated words exchanged with the router and laptop I am so happy to say

"it's aliiiiiiiiiiiive!"

I have seen several signs that say that "a clean house is the sign of a broken computer" I only wish that was the case. Just think about what poor Milo had to endure and carry that forward to now.  We are starting to see why people don't talk about the 4's but I won't get into that right now as it is still too soon to talk about it...
I am just so happy to be back to the land of the living aka the web. Yay for determined hubby!

>^..^<

our "other mothers"

For the past year I have been wondering what the best way would be to teach Maribel what adoption means and how special it is and how special she is. I grew up knowing I was adopted and have seen just how special it is first hand and I wanted M to have the same understanding and love for it as I did/do so I started with showing pictures of her biological mother and her younger half brother. She loves that she has a brother which takes a bit of the pressure off Joe and I because we kinda suck in that department.

About a week before we left for Alberta Maribel crawled into my bed while I was getting ready for work and I said,
Me: Hey Maribel guess what? (we like this game)
Maribel: What?
Me: Guess who we’re going to see when we go to Canada?
Maribel: Oh who Mommy?
Me: Your baby brother Dayce.
She smiled super big so I continued

Me: And guess who else you’re going to see in Canada?
Maribel: Who?
Me: Your Birthmother, Tia.
She gasped her super happy excited breath and threw her arms around me and said, "I’m so excited!" While we held each other for that precious moment I knew telling her was the right thing. I wonder if my mother felt this when she told me I had another mother?

The Beautiful mother who blessed me with a beautiful daughter.

Maribel love's her Mommy Tia and that really made me so happy. I've wondered if some adoptive mothers have the hidden fear of the first meeting. No fear from me, just love and gratitude. So much gratitude.

Maribel and her little brother Dayce

This little meeting really melted my heart. They clicked right away and my heart was over joyed. She loves her little brother so so much.

Me and my birthmother Joann

That weeked we also had the chance to visit my birthmother which was also M’s first time meeting her kokum and the rest of my birth-family. She clicked with her cousins right away and just made her self at home with her extended family. My heart was seriously starting to overflow at this point.

Me, my Kookum, My birthmother Joann, and little Maribel

4 Generations

Now take a look at this photo and tell me that this could have been planned only by our Heavenly Father.
Adoption is such a beautiful thing.

Happy Mother's Day!

>^..^<

what’s green & orange & white and smells like coconuts?

I woke up to silence and a sniff of coconut yesterday. Silence is never a good thing when you have kids. The first thing I found was an empty plastic tube and my coconut scented hand soap laying on the bathroom floor. The vile used to hold green glitter. Keywords here: “used to.”

You can only guess which of our rats was actually willing, crazy, and stupid enough to just sit there and let it happen.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the look on his face while I was snapping the photos. You can see the defeat and humiliation in his eyes. Like he thought that maybe this time would be different. Poor Milo. It’s rough being Maribel’s favourite.

I hope your weekend was a good one and glitter free.

>^..^<