tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65820649075905491272024-03-18T23:38:52.857-05:00Tadpoles and TutusValeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-23201867510783148152012-01-13T09:35:00.000-06:002012-01-13T09:35:05.851-06:00Emergence(y)
Yawn, stretch, scratch head.....has it really been that long since my last post? A new year is upon us and the last one is officially in the memory book.
I am personally glad to see 2011 go. It was a long, hard, non-productive year in many ways. It saw the continuation of my husband searching for work since the last quarter of 2010.
It saw us go through our entire Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-35706816314719895832011-11-06T14:35:00.000-06:002011-11-06T14:35:52.769-06:00Forgotten Purpose
It was requested I be a "nice" witch.
Can it be true, that I've neglected updating for almost 3 months? It is so easy to wander off the path set forth with "good intentions".
This was supposed to be a diary of my journey to and with my children...and somehow I have gotten so caught up in the raising of my children, the documenting and memorization of them has gotten Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-41253953218148479872011-08-26T00:57:00.000-05:002011-08-26T00:57:35.587-05:00Love for Love's SakeThere are so many amazing people you meet via the world of adoption.
On the whole I would generalize them as people who have a heart with love to share and seek out a child to pour that energy into. A way of building a family. That is what it was for me, but as I've met more and more people, who share this road to build family and spread love, aside from the average adoptive Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-67103281898060307702011-08-24T00:52:00.000-05:002011-08-24T00:52:35.346-05:00What do you think of me now?Do you notice anything different? I've gotten an extreme make-over; well not me per say, but my blog.
My dear friend Christie, took the time out of her very busy schedule to bless me with an entirely new look and feel for my little corner of blogville.
I am crazy for the new look and inspired to pay more attention to posting on a more consistent basis, but more than Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-75157097609432942162011-07-31T08:40:00.004-05:002011-07-31T09:03:52.516-05:00Happy Birthday Aubriana RoseMy sweet child, what joy you have brought to me; with your soft and gentle demeanor.
You were born such a little lady, I am so lucky to be able to indulge your desires in all things girlie!
I find it difficult to restrain myself in feeding your passion for fashion!
I never realized how much I would be joining you on experiencing the joys
of Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-76581363017264519732011-07-01T00:00:00.017-05:002011-07-01T07:07:47.362-05:00You are my SonshineDear K-man,
As I reflect on the last four years of your life, I am still surprised that the thing I never thought I wanted was the very thing I needed most; a son.
A son treats his mother with adoration and devotion, she is his first "true-love" and his allegience to her is unfaltering and strong for all of his days.
You are my prince, you brighten my day with unsolicited declarationsValeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-17714619699924857412011-06-29T10:02:00.007-05:002011-06-29T10:12:07.887-05:00Sleep, come find me and lie beside me and soothe my weary soul
If I had to account for how and where I spend my time, I couldn't reliably tell you in all honesty.
I just know suffering from insomnia has taken the meaning of time and turned it upside down. I spend my days trying to catch up on sleep that was not captured during the moonlit hours of night time.
It creates a feeling of craziness, of not being normal. The Internet has Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-11957038760804712282011-05-03T02:32:00.003-05:002011-05-04T16:36:52.386-05:00What you say?My son, "Lil Dude" is a 35 year old man trapped in the body of a large 3 1/2 year old.
Out of his mouth come the most profound and wise statements. Some are lines out of movies or television shows, some are original thoughts, but he uses them in context and with the perfect inflection as if he has been here, done that, seen this and heard it all before.
I promised myself I would write Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-66528216638820535572011-04-24T02:11:00.001-05:002011-04-26T21:08:32.648-05:003 Years Ago TodayThree Years Ago Today - April 24, 2008
I had an angel placed into my arms and in that moment she claimed her proper place in my heart as my beloved daughter.
This was no stranger, my soul recognized her instantly, we were always meant to be together, the spot in my heart, which belonged to her and only her, swelled to contain the overflowing love which surged in when I held Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-80504476085914605132011-03-26T06:47:00.000-05:002011-03-26T06:47:34.298-05:00Photographers Everywhere - I applaud thee.Is it already Springtime 2011? Life has been laden with unexpected and long visiting struggles lately and many things have been neglected or re-prioritized, I may be down, but I'm not beaten and here are some pictures to catch you up to speed.
Everyone in the kid's class seems to be celebrating a birthday. We had two parties at the same place, for girls with the same name Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-69818004052050678352011-02-14T04:24:00.000-06:002011-02-14T04:24:40.596-06:00I honestly love you....
Do any of us escape childhood unscarred? I came out of mine weary, leary, untrustful of those who would declare their love for me. When you are disillusioned and disappointed by those who are supposed to be your champions of love and security, weather it be guardian or parent, it doesn't bode well for the random strangers you come across in the real world to get a fair Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-52718654688327022422010-12-28T13:53:00.000-06:002010-12-28T13:53:14.568-06:00Merry MemoriesThis is our 4th Christmas with Lil Dude and our 3rd with Aubriana and I can no longer call them my "babies" without people looking around for infants on the floor, as they are too big and well spoken for others to perceive them that way.
But in my eyes, I still see the awe and wonder that each day brings, they are still in a big phase of self discovery and new worldly experiences.
Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-10418444523028595462010-11-25T21:34:00.000-06:002010-11-25T21:34:37.109-06:00Giving ThanksI am still stunned that Halloween has come and gone, and now it is Thanksgiving. This used to be one of my top 5 holidays, a day to get dressed up and visit relatives for a wonderful feast with the table dressed in it's very best china and linen.
Then it became a day to be shared with football, the family was still there, and plenty of food, but the sport brought with it a less formal feelValeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-57014687039568132372010-11-10T03:40:00.000-06:002010-11-10T03:40:04.280-06:00Trick or Treat 2010 ~ a little of both.What a differance a year makes, last Halloween, the kids were in awe that when you knocked on a door, people answered, the dress up and candy were background information. Their joy came from people greeting them with a smile and wishing them a good time on their journey. This year, we recognized characters from movies and books whom we could emmulate and that Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-59073473019400781142010-10-14T09:12:00.000-05:002010-10-14T09:12:54.838-05:00Rub-a-dub-dub Two Tikes in a TubWhat is it about containers without contents that makes children want to instantly become the aforementioned contents?
We are getting ready for our annual C.R.A.P day sale (Clean, Remove And Purge), so I purchased bins to sort and put various items in. One bin made it onto the floor for appoximately 3 1/2 minutes before it was noticed, re-located to a destination, not of my Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-12376323764772625842010-09-11T03:18:00.001-05:002010-09-14T02:00:51.613-05:00To Garden or not to Garden? That is our question.I wonder if young girls realize what they can look forward to as middle aged women? I used to observe my mother and think to myself, "I'll never have that problem. I'll never dress that way. I'll never go out of the house without make-up."
Never say "never"
Then the decades pass and you step on the proverbial rake and it hits you upside the head - you are now a middle Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-50022795533569811662010-08-25T02:05:00.001-05:002010-08-25T02:05:43.789-05:00Annual Pictures 2010Click here to view these pictures largerValeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-51918148765026557332010-08-23T16:00:00.001-05:002010-08-23T16:00:01.425-05:00I don't need you....planned ob·so·les·cence [ plànd obsə léss'ns ] noun
Definition:
ensuring that something becomes obsolete: a policy of designing and making products that quickly become outdated or wear out, so that they must be replaced
Is this what G*d had in mind when he created parents? That within a certain amount of time, you raise your kids right out of their need to require you a a Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-44199490637541419702010-08-02T02:48:00.000-05:002010-08-02T02:48:17.887-05:00Hi and By JulyI could have sworn I just saw July fly by here a second ago. Did you see it? I vaguely remember the 4th of July, a reunion of our China Travel Mates, Lil Dude's birthday, followed by my birthday, followed by Aubriana and Gary's birthdays together.
There were pool outings, and water slide days and many cakes and candles and presents and suddenly the calendar says it is August.&Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-38147076287867966642010-06-08T02:49:00.004-05:002010-06-22T11:40:10.446-05:00Lost In TimeThe time we spend in childhood seems to drag on forever, we wish it away, even as we are squeezing every moment of joy from it. "I want to be 5 and go to school, I want to be 10 and out of the single digits, I want to be a teenager" and on and on.
The time we spend in adulthood, zooms past us as if we are allotted only half as much as we once had, and this block of time is more delicate Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-70849911238026688212010-04-24T01:09:00.004-05:002010-04-26T03:24:49.603-05:00Gotcha Day x 2
Happy "Gotcha Day" Aubriana
I am stunned that it has been two years since you were placed into my arms and took your proper space in my heart which had a portion reserved just for you since my creation.
My love for you was planted before I ever saw your face or felt your soft skin against mine. I always knew I wanted to mother a daughter, when the winding road Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-42668644750713225872010-03-05T00:51:00.000-06:002010-03-05T00:51:47.544-06:00Acknowledgement Of Birth
This is an acknowledgement of your birth. It does not come with love nor respect as it should have and could have; as you never worked for or desired either. Your birth is acknowledged as a way to affirm that you were here and I am witness and one of many victims to that truth.
I review your life's work and see a course that was charted and sailed and in it's careless wake, left Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-56407231455194378022010-02-24T23:26:00.001-06:002010-02-25T10:27:00.458-06:00Do you believe in Fairies?A beautiful fairy princess visited me this evening. She had shiney dark hair adorned with pink ribbons, a crystal encrusted pink tutu, feathered high heel shoes, (which she politely removed out of respect for my no shoes on the bed policy) and a silver magic wand, I required no further proof.
I've spotted her before, but she is shy and very quick to fly away. Tonight, forValeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-13972526040954431312010-02-14T15:35:00.001-06:002010-02-14T23:38:23.783-06:00Descent in SuspensionThis slide was huge and you had to climb up steep rope steps to get to the top.
Challenging obstacle course made it hard to get to the slide at the end; this was about round 5.
Mini sibling throw down - after he helped her in.
A successful finish to his latest "hurdle".
Falling. I have been free falling emotionally for quite a while now; my life lately seems to be designed byValeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582064907590549127.post-85350749085392744812010-01-29T14:40:00.000-06:002010-01-29T14:40:17.668-06:00Classic Blog-o-visionThis is one of my favorite posts from Mother's Day 2007 while my friends and I were waiting for our China daughters, and I thought I would dust it off and re-present it to those of you who may not have had a chance to read it the first time around.
BOUNCE HOUSE DEVOURS WOMAN - FILM AT ELEVEN
What started out as a lovely day to be spent with friends and celebrating a delightful little girls 4th Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08802091255052040254noreply@blogger.com8