Thursday, November 20, 2008


Today's thankful post is brought to you by Hershey's chocolate...specifically Hershey's Chocolate Bar with Almonds. Our awesome neighbor sent one home for Mama with the girls when they went trick or treating. Yeeeeessssss...it has lasted this long and noooooooo...I didn't misplace it. Today was the first day that I NEEDED it. Therefore, I am thankful for chocolate.

Coming in at a close second is hot...steaming hot...decaf Typhoo tea. It is extremely delightful on a snowy, gray day like today...after a Hershey's Chocolate Bar with Almonds! ")

Soooo...it's been a rather...well...usual month for this time of year. For my long time readers you may remember that Hope goes stark raving crazy beginning sometime in October and it pretty much lasts well into the new year. The kid is a loon around the holidays and this year she's takin' her sister along for the ride. I've had just about all of the "Mama not only are we not listening to you but we don't even realize you are speaking" days I can take. The simplest requests are ignored...at least three times...sometimes six...at which point Mama has steam comin' out of her ears.

Getting Hope ready and out the door for school in the morning is, well, when I tell Garry goodnight as I head up to bed most evenings I say, "I need to get some sleep so I can fight the bear first thing in the morning." Don't get me wrong, she still LOVES school...but I would have to get her up somewhere around 2:30 in the morning to allow her to get ready on her own schedule and have her at the bus stop by 8:30. And let's not forget that when she arrives home every day she promptly has a screaming meltdown which lasts anywhere from 5-15 minutes.

Claire has decided that it is her sole purpose in life to rip/shred/tear/or otherwise destroy any or all books in the house OR anything that might happen to belong to her sister. Another favorite pastime is grabbing whatever Hope is playing with and either sticking it in her mouth and licking it and/or tossing it over the locked safety gate in the family room. Either one of those actions then brings on several minutes of blood curdling screams from Hope followed by the same from Claire as I put her on the bottom step for time out.

I used to watch a show called Jon & Kate Plus 8. This show follows the lives of Jon and Kate, parents to twins and sextuplets. I don't know how Kate manages to hang onto her sanity...I truly don't...especially when she's got eight children shrieking at once. I haven't had a chance to catch it in a long time. For those of you still watching? Hope is Mady...and Claire is Alexis.

The last two days have been surreal. I asked Garry, "Have we fallen into some strange parallel universe? Who are these children?!" They've been cooperating...and sharing...and listening...and saying thank you...either the end is near or the pods have gotten my kids. BUT never fear...today we were back to "normal".

So what am I thankful for? Besides the two day break? That in and of itself was a blessing. Not only for the fact that they were behaving but it gave me a chance to recoup my patience meter, which after running on fumes for a month is now back at full.

I am thankful for the fact that they are both HERE and they are both MINE. No one ever said that parenting was going to be easy...and just because your child is wanted more than you could ever voice, and you waited a lifetime for them, doesn't mean that they aren't going to frustrate the snot out of you now and again! ")

Referrals came out recently...two days worth...people who were logged in through February 17th...2006 finally saw a picture of their baby's face for the very first time. Let me say that again...people who sent their dossiers to China in February of 2006 just received their referral THIS month...November 2008. I am so very grateful not to be riding that roller coaster any longer. Heartiest congrats to the new families...and my prayers are with those still waiting...and there are many.

A week or so ago a man came up to us in Lowe's and asked when our girls came home. We started talking and he told us that his wife has her heart set on two girls from China...but they haven't even started the paperwork yet. What could we say? We gently urged him to look into other countries...telling him that the wait for a baby from China is quickly approaching three years...and that's not including the time it takes to get your dossier together. So yes, I am over the moon that both of my girls are here...right now...under my roof...even if they are raising it!

I am thankful for outlets...outlets like my blog...or my friends...so that I can get these feelings OUT safely and NOT put them onto my children. I am especially grateful to friends who "get it". Thank you Helen for my birthday card which read, "May you find 5 minutes of peace today". ")

I am thankful for every single ounce of energy, patience, and creativity that God has blessed me with. There are so many things I want to share with my girls but I've had to wait not only for them to GET here but also for them to be READY for these things. One of those is The Wizard of Oz. Being a child who had numerous nightmares about those flying monkeys, I wanted to be well sure that Hope was prepared for the deranged, shiny faced, cap wearing...things. For the last two days, once Claire is down for her nap, Hope and I snuggle under a blanket on the couch and watch 20-30 minutes of it. She's doing very well...she's paying attention...she's not talking the entire time...and so far she thinks it's absolutely awesome. Yesterday, while Dorothy was singing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" I was, well, obviously crying. Hope was resting against my chest, and without even looking at me said in a rather exasperated voice, "Mama, are you crying happy tears AGAIN!? Don't do THAT! You'll get my head all wet!"

Another thing that Hope and I are currently sharing is the book, Charlotte's Web. Is there a more perfect piece of children's literature? I can't tell you how long I've waited to have a little girl that I could read that book to. During Christmas vacation we're going to start reading The Little House books...they are mine...I started collecting them when I was in fourth grade.

Another sanity saver for me is music. I don't think I could survive a day without it. I sing...I play the piano...I make up songs for the girls...it is always playing in the background when I need to think...or create...or relax. I'm listening to Christmas carols right now! One night recently I sat down at the piano and started to play a few Christmas songs. I had one girl on either side of me creating their own little "counter melodies". Garry came home to our own version of Mel Torme's "The Christmas Song". His comment? "That's just about the scariest Christmas song I've ever heard." ")

Sarah McLachlan's "Ordinary Miracle" has struck a chord like none other. I find myself repeating bits of it aloud during especially difficult days. But the one that really hits home...that reminds me exactly what is important...and why I'm here...and brings me back to sanity? "You're Gonna Miss This" by Trace Adkins. Both of these incredible songs can be found at the bottom of the page. Treat yourself to one...or both...enjoy your ordinary miracles...you'll miss them when they're gone.

Be blessed!

1 comment:

Kat said...

So much to be thankful for. And yes, even your blessings can drive you crazy sometimes. I know mine do. ;)
I LOVE the Little House books. Those were my absolute favorite growing up. :)

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