Overwhelmed With Joy!

A shocking phone call

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 02:35:00 +0000

I received an unexpected phone call not long ago, from Giselle's mother.

I was shocked when she broke down and cried, telling me that Giselle is pregnant again and is unable to parent the baby. She asked if Oronzo and I would want to adopt this baby, that's due in one month!!

I was not at home at the time I received the call and after ending the lengthy conversation with, "I need to talk to Oronzo and I'll call you back," I drove quickly home to do just that.

It was tempting to think of adopting again, believe me, it was. Although Oronzo and I are happy with the two beautiful children we are raising right now, there's always more room in my heart for one more, especially for a biological half-sibling of Snuggle Bug's.

But after Oronzo and I talked about it, he made it very clear that all we went through to adopt the two children we now have was more than enough for him. I asked him to sleep on it and discuss it again the next morning, and he did, but his feelings didn't change. He is done building our family.

I felt a bit sad but knew that it was important to respect his feelings. I must be honest with myself and admit that I agree with him. I feel done with building our family as well for many reasons.

The kids are finally getting to the age where they're a bit more independent and we're enjoying this. There are financial considerations, since we want our children to attend college and we're saving for them. And lets face it, we're not getting any younger. We started out as "older" parents even with Snuggle Bug (we adopted him in our late-30's).

And so, I called Giselle's mother back and explained why adopting again is not right for our family. She said that she certainly understood and asked us if we knew of any other family that might be interested. As a matter of fact, we do!

I've made friends with the parents of a little boy in Snuggle Bug's class and during our budding friendship this mother has shared with me their struggles to adopt a second child.

So, to make a long story short, I've put this family in touch with Giselle and her mom. They've sent a photo scrapbook and the two families are at the "feeling each other out" stage.

I don't know if this adoption will happen or not, but if it does I think it'll be pretty neat to have some possible contact with Snuggle Bug's biological sibling living in the same city.

Time will tell.

Has anyone else been asked to adopt a second time by their child's birth parents?

1 year anniversary for Boo

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 10:22:00 +0000

One year ago today was a very happy day, indeed.

One year ago today, Boo legally became a part of our family. The courts finally recognized what we knew all along, that Boo belonged with us.

This past year has been a year of transition for us. We moved to another state, near the ocean. Snuggle Bug and Boo entered into a Montessori school (Snuggle Bug is now in 1st grade, Boo is still preschool until next year). Oronozo started a new job.

It's taken some time to get settled and we're certainly missing family and friends from back home, but we're happy hear near the ocean.

Live is peaceful in this small, costal town. The people are friendly and we've managed to make some good friends during the past year. Having children in school helps make those connections.

We now own a 27' sailboat, so we are out on the water a lot. Just yesterday we had a dolphin swimming next to our boat for quite a while, popping up frequently, as if to say, "Hi!" That was an amazing experience to see a dolphin up close and personal.

We had friends from back home come visit this summer and they mentioned how much more relaxed we look. The easing of stress will do that for you.

It's been wonderful just to be a family without the drama and the constant barrage of contact from the foster care system.

Boo is doing great! She's growing tall, she's getting smarter every day. She's sassy and outgoing. She's a beautiful child. In short, she's perfect!

We haven't heard anything from her birthmother since the day she voluntarily relinquished her rights during a phone conference with us last year. There's been no response from the picture and letter update that I sent out so I'm not sure she even received it. I'll try again soon.

So, that's what's going on with us. Hope all is well with you!

Life is good!

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 10:23:00 +0000

It's been over 7 months since I last posted here but this blog is like a comforting, old friend that I'll keep coming back to from time to time,

A lot has been going on since we finalized Boo's adoption. For one thing, we moved...like the day after Boo's adoption! Oronzo was offered a job in another state and we felt it was worth the move.

It was hard leaving family and dear friends to move to a small town area where we knew no one, but I was confident that we'd make friends quickly. I'm a rather social person.

The biggest appeal to the town were we live is that it's a mere 5 minute drive from the ocean! In fact, we can bike to the ocean from where we live. It's incredible!

We've settled in nicely to this community and we've already begun to make new friends. It helps that Snuggle Bug is in Kindergarten. I think all of our new friends are parents of children at the elementary school.

The move has been good for our family. It's given us a fresh start. We went through so much emotional turmoil to get Boo adopted that we really felt that a change would be refreshing. We were right. Snuggle Bug and Boo have adjusted quite well to the move, far better than we ever hoped for.

Somehow, our family feels more at peace now with this new adventure. We are enjoying exploring our new surroundings.

I know part of our peace comes is due to the release of stress of wondering each day of whether or not Boo would be taken from us. Now she is a permanent part of our family and we're so thankful.

I sent an update to Boo's bio mother after Boo's adoption. I mailed it to an address that she told me would always be a place to get mail to her, regardless of her circumstances. I never heard a word back from her. I'll try again in the future.

As of now, life is good, very good. I hope all is well with you.

Boo's adoption has been finalized!

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 03:52:00 +0000

The day we've been waiting for for approximately 2 1/2 years, give or take a month or two, finally arrived!

We recently finalized the adoption of Boo and she is now legally our daughter! Of course, we've considered her a part of our family pretty much from day one but now it's legal. There is no longer any threat of her being taken away from us.

As you all know, this has proven to be a much more difficult journey towards adoption than we expected. We entered into Foster Care training rather naively. We were quite optimistic in the outcome of adoption through the Foster Care system, believing that we'd have a child adopted within a year.

We also believed that we'd be adopting a child from unfit parents that had had their parental rights forcefully terminated by the State. In some ways, perhaps it helped us feel less guilty about wanting to adopt again, because we believed we'd be adopting a child truly in need of a loving home...a child right within our city.

Baby Bug was our first placement and we lost our hearts to her quickly. She was reunited with her parents 8 1/2 months later and, although we supported that decision because we knew how hard they worked to get her back, we grieved A LOT. I still miss her and I had to grieve all over again when her parents chose to end all contact with us a second time.

Our continued journey through the Foster Care system with Boo was very little like we expected. We were lied to by the initial social worker, who told us what she thought we wanted to hear, in order to get Boo placed in our home. It wasn't until I attended the next court hearing, a couple of months after her placement, that I realized how much the social worker had lied and kept information to us.

We tried desperately not to get our hopes up about adopting Boo, as we waited to see how things would pan out with her bio mom who was incarcerated. We waited, and waited, and waited for the judge to make a decision, either way.

We did our best to be "good" foster parents, attending all court hearings, filling out all necessary forms, speaking up inside and outside of the court and advocating for Boo's needs along the way, being careful to follow all guidelines put forth by the foster care agency we were licensed through.

After many months, we got the severance ruling that we had prayed for, due to the instability of Boo's bio mom and her criminal lifestyle. But then, against all odds, the Court of Appeals overturned that ruling on a technicality and threw the case back to the Juvenile Court system and told the new judge to "start over". That's when talks began in earnest of having Boo transferred out of state. It seemed that our state wanted to "wash their hands" of the situation, regardless of what that meant to Boo.

We had to hire our own lawyer to gain "party status" in the case and fight even harder for Boo's rights.

In the end, Boo's bio mom made the difficult decision to admit that she was incapable of offering Boo the stability she needed and deserved and voluntarily severe her parental rights so that we could adopt her. Everyone involved in the case felt that we would've gotten another severance ruling again, even had she not come to this conclusion on her own, but we didn't trust "the system".

The events leading up to Boo's adoption have been nightmarish. We lost a lot of sleep, our marriage was strained, our finances were strained with unexpected legal fees, our family struggled, we doubted ourselves. But, we hung in there, we fought for this precious little girl, and now she's forever an important part of our family!

Boo's Adoption Day was glorious! We had a private adoption ceremony, with the same judge that finalized Snuggle Bug's adoption and the same lawyer too! Many of our family members and very dear friends were there to witness this amazing event. There was much joy and celebration! And there was an unexpected bonus to all of this...Snuggle Bug was a part of it all and Boo's adoption finalization helped him to understand a bit more about his own that took place when he was only 3 months old.

Afterwards, we had a party in a nearby splash park for Boo. It's one of her favorite places to be and she had a grand time! She got an Adoption cake, many thoughtful gifts, lots of hugs and kisses, and many well-wishes.

It was an emotional day for me. It was perfect! There are moments when I still find it hard to believe that we actually made it through to the other side.

Shortly after Boo's finalization, we notified our foster care agency that we were closing our home. Ornozo and I thought long and hard about that decision. It wasn't an easy one to make. But we both feel that it's best to focus on the raising of the two beautiful children that we have been blessed with.

Maybe one day again we'll foster. I'm sure we'll find other ways to help children in need. It's a passion of mine.

Thank you for all that have followed this journey. Your support, encouragement, and prayers have meant the world to Oronzo and I!

Don't think that you've seen the last of me though. I may not blog as often as I used to, but I'll still pop in now and then to discuss issues related to being an adoptive parent. And I hope to hear from you as well!

I'm a bit uncomfortable posting our family picture on here, but if you've been following our journey and you'd like to see one of Boo's adoption day photos, leave me a comment with your email and I'll oblige!

Take care!

There's a whole lot of adoption talk going on in our household.

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 05:00:00 +0000

As Boo's adoption finalization date approaches (a bit over a month away now), there's a whole lot of adoption talk going on in our household.

Adoption has been part of our everyday conversation for several years now. We've made a point to speak of it frequently with Snuggle Bug, even before he was able to understand much of anything we were saying to him (we're talking newborn stage here), in large part to get ourselves well-versed and comfortable with the conversations. Now that Snuggle Bug is 5, the word pops up more and more each day, often times prompted by him.

Here are some of the things he'll say to me,

"Mama, remember when I was in my birth mother's tummy?"

"My birth mother lives in ______ (state), right Mama?"

"Remember when I was 'dopted, Mama?"

"When is Boo gonna be 'dopted?"

I'm actually enjoying these conversations about adoption because for the longest time I worried that something was wrong, that I was handling things incorrectly, since Snuggle Bug never spoke of adoption, never made any reference to it at all. It wasn't until he was about 4 1/2 that something finally clicked.

Snuggle Bug is a very visual child. He wants you to show him things, not just tell him about them.

His dawning awareness of adoption (as much as a preschooler can understand) began when a neighbor's pregnancy became quite visible.

As she and I stood outside chatting one day, Snuggle Bug piped up and asked, "What's in your tummy?"

Our neighbor explained that her baby was growing in her tummy and that her baby would be born in about a month.

Snuggle Bug turned to me and asked, "Remember when I growed in your tummy, Mama?"

The moment of truth had arrived. It felt as though all my efforts to normalize talk of adoption throughout the years had finally culminated in this first question.

I knelt down to his level and explained, "Actually, honey, you didn't grow in my tummy. You grew in your birth mother's tummy and we were there at the hospital to meet you the day you were born."

I waited to see if my response would generate more questions. Snuggle Bug looked thoughtful for a moment and then said, "Oh, right," and the moment passed.

Since that first question, over time many more have followed and Snuggle Bug has even looked at pictures of Giselle. It feels so good to know that he feels safe enough to come to me with these questions and to realize that he's slowly beginning to grasp the concept that our family has been formed through adoption.

The fact that we talk of Boo's upcoming adoption quite a bit just adds another layer of awareness for Snuggle Bug as we explain what will happen in court that day.

I've overheard Snuggle Bug and Boo excitedly talking together about her approaching adoption and it warms my heart.

I can't wait to have Snuggle Bug witness Boo's adoption finalization. Being the visual child that he is, I think having him there in the courtroom with us will give him a deeper understanding about what adoption means to our family.

The ball is rolling and picking up speed!

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 03:31:00 +0000

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted.

I wanted to stop in and let you all know that the ball is rolling towards adoption and picking up speed!

Boo's case has been transfered to an adoption agency and we have a social work assigned to us that seems quite organized and efficient (refreshing, really)!

We've completed and submitted all the paperwork this social work delivered to us during her first home visit. I had the paperwork back to her the same week.

Friday we met with an adoption attorney and signed "Petition to Adopt" paperwork!

We're being told that we should have a finalization court date by end of August! We are so THRILLED! Of course, we'll believe it when it happens.

Please keep us in your prayers!

Thanks so much!

Relinquishment paperwork has been signed!

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 19:26:00 +0000

My hands are shaking as I type this and there are tears welling in my eyes. We got word just now that Boo's bio mom has voluntarily relinquished her parental rights so that we can adopt Boo. Our prayers these past 2 years have finally been answered! Thank you so much to all of you who have stood by us during these difficult times! We are so blessed!

More later. I need to go have a good cry now.

No paperwork signed yet.

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 05:09:00 +0000

We had been given hope that relinquishment paperwork would be signed by Boo's bio mom before the end of last week. To our knowledge, they have not yet been signed.

Our lawyer has attempted to contact her lawyer and has gotten no response.

What does this mean? Has Boo's bio mom changed her mind or is the prison system just hindering the process? Why isn't her lawyer responding to our lawyer?

I'm nervous that Boo's bio mom has changed her mind for some reason.

Well, we still have the second termination trial date set for later this month. Hopefully it won't come to that but this is our back-up plan.

Keep those prayers coming, please!

A Time To Mourn

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 06:46:00 +0000

We've made it through to the other side of the mediation conference. It wasn't easy and I felt so apprehensive walking into that room. We had to wait for over 30 minutes before getting Boo's bio mom on the phone (it's tricky getting an inmate to a court ordered conference call, apparently).

We weren't sure what to expect. We expected that IF Boo's bio mom was considering relinquishment, she'd want much more post adoptive contact that we were willing to offer. We were preparing for the worst, that the negotiation attempt would end miserably and we'd be waiting for the second severance trial court date to press on.

The mediation did not go as expected! When Boo's bio mom got on the phone, the mediator started it out by asking her, "What do you feel is in your child's best interest?" or something to that affect.

There was a long pause and then we heard Boo's bio mom begin weeping. Through her tears she said, "This is the hardest thing I've ever had to do! I love my little girl so much, but as much as it pains me I know it's in her best interest to be adopted by her foster family."

We were shocked! We weren't expected to hear those words from her. We sat in stunned silence.

Then Boo's bio mom said that she did not agree with amount of contact that was written in the draft post adoptive agreement, that she wanted much more than that. As my mind churned, trying to process everything and trying to figure out a way to tactfully tell her that the amount of contact she wanted was not going to happen at this point in time, the mediator took over.

The mediator told Boo's bio mom that before the specifics of the post adoptive agreement could be formalized, she needed to understand that her decision as to whether or not to relinquish her parental rights had to be made entirely independent of what we might or might not offer her in the way of a post adoptive agreement, otherwise it could be construed as an attempt at coercion on our part and the mediator was not going to allow that to happen. She told everyone that she was going to ask us to leave the room (along with our lawyer and the CPS case manager) so that she could speak in private with Boo's bio mom and her lawyer before this went any further.

We left the room and sat waiting, mostly in stunned silence. Eventually the mediator came out and said that Boo's bio mom had made the decision to relinquish and would accept the terms of our post adoptive agreement. She told us that we were free to go, unless we wanted to say anything further to Boo's bio mom.

Tears welled in my eyes and I said, "Saying thank you seems so inadequate in this situation." The mediator encouraged us to come back in and talk a bit more with Boo's bio mom.

We went back in and I told Boo's bio mom, "I want to thank you for trusting us with raising Boo and being her family. You know how much we love her already." Boo's mom said, "I know. I just hope that you'll make sure she knows how much I love her." I assured her that we'd be raising Boo with the knowledge that she was adopted and that her bio mom loves her very much. I reiterated that we would share age-appropriate information about her to Boo as Boo grew older. I encouraged her to write Boo a letter for us to give to her later.

I asked Boo's bio mom if she'd be willing to provide us with her family medical history, a picture of herself, and a baby picture of Boo (since we only have pictures of Boo from 12 months on). I explained that I thought these things would be very important to Boo as she got older. She said that she would get those things to us.

The mediator said something to the effect that she was sure we realized that Boo's bio mom was disappointed that we weren't offering her more frequent contact but that she explained to Boo's bio mom that she would need to lead a healthy, crime-free, sober life-style after she was released from prison and maybe that would help build trust between us and later change the frequency of our contact with her. We said we would keep an open mind about that.

So, now we wait. We wait for the lawyers to gather the necessary documents and get them faxed to Boo's bio mom in prison. We wait for her to sign the relinquishment papers. And while we wait, we mourn.

Yes, as strange as that sounds, we are mourning in some respects.

Of course, we're relieved and thankful that Boo's bio mom has made the decision to do what she feels is in her daughter's best interest, to allow her to be adopted by us.

But we're also experiencing sadness. It was difficult hearing the pain and tears in Boo's bio mom's voice as she told us of her decision. It was bittersweet to finally hear her admit that she was not able to provide her daughter with the stability that she deserves and that she wanted us to adopt her.

Boo's bio mom has fought so hard and for so long (over 2 1/2 years) to maintain her parental rights and to get her daughter back and in the end she couldn't overcome her personal demons and do what is necessary to make that happen.

But in the final hour, she put her child's needs first. She made it very clear that she loves her daughter and that this decision is the hardest she'll ever make. I believe that to be true. And, as a mother, it pains me. Her loss pains me.

That's the thing about adoption that many don't truly understand. As an adoptive mother, it's very hard to reconcile that my happiness has to come at the expense of another mother's pain and sadness. My gain is another mother's loss. No matter how brave or noble that mother is trying to be, that loss will always be with her. And it will always be with me as well. I will always be conscious of that loss.

And there will come a time when my children will be old enough to understand the sacrifice that was made and they will feel a sense of loss too, I'm certain. If I, as an adoptive mom, feel it then certainly my children will feel it at some level as well. I just hope that I can have a solid enough relationship with my children that when they reach that level of understanding and begin to mourn that loss, that they will come to me and I will be able to at least offer to listen and empathize and support them. And maybe we'll be at a place in our relationship with their bio moms that they can speak directly to them about their feelings as well.

This is not a done deal yet by any means, and it's certainly pre-mature to be celebrating. Right now, for me personally, this is a time to mourn for Boo's bio mom. It could've been different for her but it's not, so right now she's making what she feels is the right choice for her daughter. She's placing her trust in us and I'm determined to be trustworthy.

In case you're wondering...

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 05:28:00 +0000

We still don't have a definitive answer on Boo's case but here's the latest.

Once CPS determined that Boo's bio mom is indeed incarcerated again, they filed a motion for a new severance trial. That trial has been set for mid-April.

In the meantime, the judge has ordered that a mediation conference be held between us (Oronzo, me, and our lawyer) and Boo's bio mom and her lawyer, as well as a facilitator and CPS present. Obviously, since Boo's bio mom is incarcerated in another state, this will be a phone conference.

The judge is hoping that we'll be able to come to some kind of post-adoptive arrangement that where we agree to some type of post-adoptive contact in exchange for Boo's bio mom voluntarily relinquishing her parental rights, rather than fighting it in court longer (Boo has been in the system for over 2 1/2 years now, it's time for this to be done).

I must admit, I've gone through some angry moments. I've felt angry that we're being strongly encouraged to negotiate post-adoptive contact with a woman who has led a dangerous and criminal life-style for over 20 years. I've felt angry at what she's put her daughter through these past 2 1/2 years with her actions. I've felt angry that she's fought so hard to maintain her parental rights and yet couldn't seem to keep her own life together to give her daughter the stability she deserves. And I've struggled with these emotions because under different circumstances, I'd probably have no problem with some type of post-adoptive contact, as we have with Snuggle Bug's bio mom.

It's taken me time to work through this anger. Thank goodness for supportive family and friends who have listened without judgement and prayed with and for us.

I'm in a better place now to enter this mediation conference that's to be held next week. Oronzo and I have agreed on a "bottom-line" as far as what type of post-adoptive contact we're willing to offer (visitation is NOT a part of that bottom-line, not while Boo's bio mom is living the life that she's living now and maybe not at all until Boo requests that...if she makes that decision). If Boo's bio mom isn't willing to accept our bottom-line, then we'll see her in court. We feel the odds are more in our favor at this point.

We've been told that Boo's bio mom is seriously considering relinquishing her parental rights. She's begun to admit to herself and others that she may never be stable enough in her own life to parent her child. Still, it's not certain that she will make that decision in the end. We may still end up in court.

So, that's the update. This has been a much harder road than we ever imagined. It's been so stressful and there are days when I feel I've aged 10 years in the past 2. I just pray that this will all be worth it in the end. Boo is what keeps us going throughout all of this.

We celebrated Boo's 3rd birthday recently by having a birthday tea party for her. She loved pouring tea for all of her little friends that day!

I look back at some of the first pictures we took of her when she arrived to us at 12 months old. It didn't seem like it at the time, but she was still such a baby girl back then...now she's grown taller, her face is definitely more defined, and her hair is nearly down to her waist (she calls it her princess hair). She's a sassy, beautiful, stubborn little girl. We love her dearly!

I'll post another update sooner rather than later.

Snow Day

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:08:00 +0000

In an effort to boost my spirits, yesterday I drove to the top of a nearby mountain and played with kids in the snow.

Snuggle Bug and Boo had a wonderful time throwing snowballs, catching snowflakes with their tongues, and making snow angels. It was beautiful and peaceful up there on the mountain. It was exactly what I needed to clear my head and to reconnect with God and nature.

Thank you all who have left supportive comments in my previous post. The prayers and encouragement from family and friends (online and in person) are what keep us going.

I'll update when I can.

Severance ruling overturned for Boo's case.

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 04:12:00 +0000

It's been so long since I've posted. To be honest, our life has been hell as of late!

We've waited on pins and needles for 8 months to learn what the Court of Appeals would rule (remember, we got a severance ruling back in March and Boo's bio mom appealed the ruling and the case got sent up to the higher court of appeals).

In mid-November, we got very bad news. The Court of Appeals overturned the severance ruling, stating that the state did not provide sufficient evidence that Boo's bio mom would be unable to parent her child in the near future. The fact that Boo had been in foster care for over 16 months, while her bio mom was incarcerated wasn't enough evidence. The problem was that her bio mom got out of prison on parole, spent 90 days in a half-way house, and swore up and down that she was ready to reform and parent her child.

It was also suggested by the Court of Appeals that perhaps CPS hadn't done enough to do an ICPC (Interstate Compact Placement of a Child) transfer of Boo to the state where bio mom was incarcerated, as bio mom requested when she learned her daughter was in the foster care system. They suggested that CPS should've tried to get this other state to find a foster family for Boo when the 3 families that Boo's bio mom suggested didn't meet the ICPC criteria to foster her.

So, what has bio mom been up to these past 8 months as she awaited news of the Court of Appeals ruling? Well we don't know the entire story, but we do know that she quit her job this fall (because she wasn't getting enough hours) without having another job lined up. We do know that she got arrested 4 times for the same misdemeanor crime within the span of 1 month (Oct-Nov)! We learned this week that her parole was revoked and she's currently incarcerated again, this time for at least 6 months. If she doesn't get written up, she'll be eligible for another parole hearing in the summer of 2010.

You'd think that the fact that she got arrested 4 times and is back in prison would be enough to schedule another severance trial, or at least take the pressure of an ICPC transfer off. Apparently not.

Bio mom's lawyer is still fighting to get Boo transferred to this other state, so Boo can have visits with her bio mom in prison and so that bio mom can start working a case plan if/when she's released from prison next summer.

Sadly, after having the severance ruling overturned, CPS and Boo's lawyer seem to be washing their hands of it all. They're not standing in the way of bio mom's lawyer demanding an ICPC transfer. In fact, CPS is starting to draw up the paperwork in anticipation of the new juvenile judge court ordering that ICPC be started, despite the fact that the judge has said he wants to wait to see what bio mom's incarceration status is (it was not known at the last hearing that her parole was indeed revoked).

Boo has been with our family for nearly 2 years. She is nearly 3 years old. She's seen her bio mom twice (two 1-hour supervised visits that were quite traumatic for Boo) since birth. She doesn't know her. Boo has been through hell being uprooted 3 times before reaching us. We've spent months working to get her stabilized! She thinks of us as her family, we're the only family she's ever truly known. She's well bonded to us. She's thriving and happy here. She's safe and well cared for her. We love her, she loves us.

Sadly, there's a good chance she will be removed from our home and sent to another foster family in another state in the hopes that her bio mom will get out of prison and get her life together so she can parent her child. It will take another 6-9 months from her release date to even have a hope of determining how successful she'll be! So, that means Boo will remain in foster care another year and a half!

CPS and Boo's lawyer are no longer thinking of the best interest of this child. Bio mom's lawyer's job is to protect the rights of the bio mother, even at the expense of the best interest of this child, and he's working hard to do just that.

This bio mom has had over 20 years of criminal/substance abuse history. She's been convicted of 40+ criminal charges (2 felony convictions, the rest misdemeanors). She's been incarcerated in prison 3 times now and has violated parole twice now. I've tried really hard not to judge throughout this process, but for goodness sake, at what point is enough enough?! At what point is her child allowed to have stability and permanency without having to wait longer to see if her bio mom is willing/able to change her life?!

What are we to do?!

Well, we've decided to hire an attorney to represent us. We've filed a Motion to Intervene in the hopes that the judge will make us a party to this case and give us legal standing and a voice, since Boo's lawyer is not proving to be much of a voice for her.

Our lawyer is suggesting that we file a Motion to Severance, to launch another severance trial, in the hopes that bio mom's recent incarceration will provide enough grounds to prove that bio mom will not be able to successfully parent her child in the near future!

There's a Status Hearing scheduled for mid-January and we'll learn more then.

In the meantime, we're loosing sleep worrying about things like, what kind of life will Boo lead if she's forced to leave our family and move to another state and another foster family while waiting to see if her bio mom can change her life? What kind of life will she lead if bio mom holds it together long enough to get Boo back but then later returns to her past unsafe way of life? How will Snuggle Bug (and Ornozo and I) cope with loosing her if it comes to that?

And of course, there's the worry of money. We're the only one in this case having to pay legal fees. Our lawyer has told us it'll cost up to $20,000 to launch our own termination trial. Needless to say, we don't have that kind of money! We're hoping to arrange some fundraisers and ask for donations from family and friends to offset some of this cost.

My nightmare has come true and I'm still in shock!

Your prayers would be much appreciated! I'll update when I know more. Sorry for the lack of consistency but our world is in upheaval right now and blogging regularly is no longer a top priority. I hope you all understand!

Baby Bug's 2nd birthday

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:35:00 +0000

Today is Baby Bug's 2nd birthday. I haven't heard from her mother or seen Baby Bug since April of this year. Her mother just stop keeping in touch or returning my calls.

I'm grieving today. I miss Baby Bug and I would've liked to see her on her birthday.

I know some may think, 'She rejoined her family last August, you should be over it by now!' Maybe I should. Most days I do pretty good. But it's days like today, her birthday, that I'm caught off guard. I'm feeling overly sensitive today. The sweet memories of our time with her are seeping in.

I'm offering up a prayer for this little sweetie, because it's all I can do. I hope she's safe and being well cared for. It's just hard to feel confident of that.

I'm home from surgery!

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 12:15:00 +0000

Well, I made it through my kidney stone surgery and I"m back at home. I got home last night around 7 PM.

The surgery on Thursday went far better than expected (in large part I'm sure due to the prayers everyone has sent out)! The surgeon made the incision into my back, stuck the nephrostomy tube in and went in to laser and pull out the first large kidney stone. She had reserved the O.R. for 4 hours, expecting my case to be a bit complicated. Miraculously, the kidney stone just crumbled to bits before she even started attempting to laser it! She was in and out in a bit less than an hour!

My surgeon told me later that she had to laugh because she was standing next to the Recovery Room nurse when I woke up from surgery and the first question I asked was, "Do I still have my kidney?!" And the next question I asked was, "Is it still working?" Thank goodness the answer was, "Yes" to both of those questions.

Yesterday morning I was sent back to the Cath Lab so that radiology could do a dye injection test of my kidney to see what stone fragments were left from the first kidney stone and to see how big the 2nd stone still was (the surgeon didn't have access to that stone through her first point of entry and warned me she'd in all likelihood have to do a second surgical procedure at a later date). The radiology nurse called Oronzo while I was still asleep from the procedure and told him that it appears the 1st stone was broken into small enough bits to be passed naturally and that the 2nd stone was broken up too!! So, there's a good chance I may not need the second surgery! Time will tell.

I was released to go home last night and sent home with some pretty powerful pain medication. I'm walking quite slowly and certainly can't bend or lift anything but I am walking under my own steam at the moment. Snuggle Bug and Boo were excited to see me come home last night and were very good about heeding Oronzo's warning that I couldn't hold them and they had to be very careful around me. Snuggle Bug wanted to see my "owie" on my back (where the incision was made to get to my kidney) and he seems to accept my news that I'm okay and that the doctor got rid of the owie inside of my kidney.

I found myself exhausted by 8 PM and went to slowly head in to bed. Snuggle Bug and Boo each took one of my hands and said, "We'll help you get to bed" and they walked very slowly with me to put me in to bed and give me "goodnight" kisses. They were very sweet!

Speaking of sweet, thank you so much for your prayers! I know they made a difference. God's hands were clearly all over this surgery for it to have turned out as well as it did!

I'll try to keep you all posted of my progress as I can. For now, although I won't be out running any marathons anytime soon, I'm doing as well as can be expected and I'm thankful that I'm at home and that my recovery appears to be going well so far.

I am feeling very blessed!

Going into surgery tomorrow morning.

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:55:00 +0000

I've been missing in action from my blog not just because we've been busy with the process of getting closer to adopting Boo (although that's been in the works and still is), but lately I've been even more busy going to various doctors and specialists and having tests run, for some health issues that have been recently discovered.

I think long ago I mentioned that I have only 1 kidney (my right one was removed when I was 2 years old).

Well, at an annual physical, it was discovered that I had over-the-top high blood pressure, which is not normal for me. My blood pressure has always been within normal ranges, until recently.

My Primary Care Physician (who I think is awesome) was alarmed and acted aggressively by ordering all sorts of tests on me. She started with blood work and focused on my kidney, telling me that sudden high blood pressure was often a sign of kidney problems and, since I only have one, she was quickly starting to look there.

After all the tests were run (including an ultrasound, a cat scan, and x-rays), it was determined that I have two very large stag horn kidney stones in my one remaining kidney. Left unattended, they are ticking time bombs waiting to go off and the results will not be pretty.

I was referred to a urologist and a nephrologist, and they even consulted with other doctors in their field and it was collectively decided that I needed to have surgery to attempt to have the stones removed (they're too large to pass on their own or be dissolved by medicine and lithotripsy is not a viable option in my case) while I'm in relative good health and not in a crisis situation.

So, tomorrow I go under the knife for a rather invasive surgery that involves cutting into my one remaining kidney. The surgeon did her job very well in informing me of the risks (internal bleeding, infection, accidental damage of other internal organs, renal failure, need for dialysis, even death). As Oronzo and I sat there and listened to her spell all of this out and then signed the paper listing all of these risks, the terror set in.

I'm terrified. I'm terrified that things will go wrong and that I won't wake up from this surgery and I'll never see my kids or husband again. I'm terrified that I'll wake up from surgery and have no kidney left. I'm terrified of all the worst case scenarios.

And it's a bit surreal to have to sit down and explain to your 4 1/2 year old and 2 1/2 year old children that Mommy has an owie in her kidney and has to go to the hospital for an operation to make it all better. The picture I've attached is the one I showed Snuggle Bug because, bless his heart, he's a worrier and I knew that giving him a visual image would help him process. I thought about crossing out the right kidney, that's missing, but thought that might just confuse him.

And today I spent the day filling out Durable Health Care & Mental Health Power of Attorney forms, as well as Living Will forms. I'm 41 years old and I'm having to face the reality that these forms need to be filled out now, not some day, but NOW.

So, please, if some of you are still reading after my long absence from blogging, please say a prayer for me and my family tomorrow, that all will go well.

I'll be heading in to the OR at about 8:30 AM so that the radiologist people can prep me for the surgeon who starts her procedure at 10 AM. The surgeon told me that the procedure normally takes under 2 hours, but she suspects mine will be longer so she booked the OR for 4 hours!

Thank you! God willing, all will go well and I'll be able to provide you all with an update over the weekend or early next week, depending on how well my healing is going.

Slowly moving forward with Boo's adoption.

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:40:00 +0000

So, I've been out of commission in the blogger world lately. What can I say, we've been busy on this end.

Today was a good day. Oronzo took both kids out and kept them busy for about 4 hours so that I could clean our home from top to bottom!! I guess you could consider this a fall cleaning, but I had a specific purpose in mind for the clean fest.

We had another home inspection today, you see, and we passed! In the past 4 1/2 years, we've had 4 home inspections. One for Snuggle Bug's adoption, and 3 now for fostering (the initial one and now 2 renewals). So, by now, I know exactly what they're looking for and I made sure our house was in order.

The medicines were locked up appropriately. Our pool gates were padlocked, probably not necessary considering we have self-latching, self-closing gates, but with the state you can never be too prepared. We made sure the smoke detectors in every room had functional batteries. All the cleaning supplies were up out of reach. Our meager stash of liquor (wine and stuff for mixed drinks when we have parties) was up on a high shelf out of reach. The fire extinguisher is a current model. Our evacuation plan was prominently displayed. Every room of the house was neat and tidy. Everything was in order and we passed! Hooray!

Our foster licensing worker was in our home for about 30 minutes, and after doing the walk-through of the house, he sat and reviewed the mound of paperwork that we had to fill out for the relicensing. All was in order (yep, we're getting good at this).

We've been told that once we get certified for fostering for another year, that also transfers over to get us certified for adoption for Boo! :) We don't have to go through the same process twice in one year, thank goodness.

We're keeping our fingers crossed that we'll be allowed to finalize Boo's adoption by mid-November, in time for a huge adoption celebration that our city is holding in the park. It'll all depend on how well the foster agency and the adoption agency work together in passing information back and forth for certification. And it'll depend on whether or not that appeals ruling will be returned in time.

We'd appreciate your prayers. It's moving forward...just rather slowly! We can't wait for Boo to be a permanent part of our family!

By the way, check back later this week. I have some books to review and give away!

Favorite Ingredients Friday (Grilled Sweet Pepper Poppers)

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:45:00 +0000

Good Friday to you all! It's time for another Favorite Ingredients Friday recipe exchange! I can't wait to see what you all come up with!

Check out my upcoming themed schedule below:

Upcoming 2009 "Themed" Schedule

September 4- Kid Friendly Meals Edition

September 18- Bread Edition

October 2- Sauce Edition

We're still happily grilling and I came across this recipe in a Safeway grocery store a while back. These are so yummy! You have to try them!

Now, I look forward to seeing your Favorite Ingredients Friday recipe!

Don't forget to link your specific recipe post link on Mr. Linky so I can see what's cooking at your house!

Oh, and be sure to put the title of your recipe in parenthesis! It makes it so much quicker for me to go back and search for recipes as I build my weekly menu.

For guidelines and my past Favorite Ingredients Friday recipes, click here.

Thanks so much for your participation. I do appreciate it!

Favorite Ingredients Friday (Salad Edition)

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:14:00 +0000

Good Friday to you all! It's time for a special Favorite Ingredients Friday Salad Edition! Many of you gave me some wonderful recipes last year. I can't wait to see what you come up with this time!

The recipe I'm sharing is from a neighbor back in the small Nebraska town that I grew up in! The neighbor's name was Dolly Miller. She's no longer alive, but I remember her and I'm so glad my mom got this recipe from her years ago and shared it with me. Each time I make this recipe, I'm reminded of home, childhood, and Dolly Miller!

Dolly Miller's Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

12 oz pasta (I like the rotini the best)
2 cups mayo (Helmans is great for this)
Dorothy Lynch salad dressing to taste (this orginated in Columbus, NE and can be purchased online if it's not in your store)
1 green pepper, diced
1/3 c. sliced green onion
2 tomatoes

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving, but longer is better!

Now, I look forward to seeing your Favorite Ingredients Friday Salad Edition recipe! I won't be able to visit your recipes right away but fear not, I will stop by to visit your recipe as soon as I can!

Don't forget to link your specific recipe post link on Mr. Linky so I can see what's cooking at your house!

Oh, and be sure to put the title of your recipe in parenthesis! It makes it so much quicker for me to go back and search for recipes as I build my weekly menu.

For guidelines and my past Favorite Ingredients Friday recipes, click here.

Thanks so much for your participation. I do appreciate it!

My life as a SAHM.

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:07:00 +0000

These past 3 days I've had the opportunity to experience what life might be like as a Stay-At-Home mom. Our nanny is on vacation, so I took some days off of work to cover.

Here's how my days as a temporary SAHM have gone thus far:

1) Get up with Snuggle Bug between 6:00 AM- 6:30 AM. Snuggle Bug is an early riser but I don't mind because I like early mornings myself.

2) Take Snuggle Bug out for a walk or to pull weeds while it's still cool outside.

3) Go back in the house at about 7:00 AM to check on Boo. She's usually getting up about that time.

4) Make breakfast for the kids and check to see if Oronzo is interested in eating or if he's more interested in sleeping until the last possible minute before heading out the door for work, since he knows I'm around to take care of the kids (usually I'm the first to leave in the mornings for work).

5) Help the kids clean up after breakfast and play with them a bit.

6) Get the kids dressed and gear packed and head out the door no later than 8:15 AM to take them in to preschool.

7) Drop the kids off, stay and chat with the preschool director and other moms for a while (very nice socialization time).

8) Meet a friend for breakfast/coffee without the kids (she drops her daughter off 30 minutes before I do). Again, the adult time alone is wonderful!

8) Go back home, clip coupons, go to the store and do shopping without having to drag 2 small children in and out of the car with me (shopping alone, what a novel concept)!

9) Go back home, straighten up the house a bit...maybe even sneak in a wee bit of a nap (that happened on one day at least) or do some sewing or baking.

10) Pick the kids up from preschool at 12:30 PM. Rush home and make lunch because they're both hungry and crabby!

11) Play with them a bit, then put them down for a nap at 2:00 PM (yes, both Snuggle Bug and Boo still nap, for an 1-2 hours and it's wonderful).

12) While the kids are napping, check some blogs, check my coupon news board, do some laundry, etc.

13) When the kids get up around 3:30 PM- 4:00 PM, feed them a light snack, and get them involved in some activity or playing together and think about what to make for dinner.

14) Start dinner and wait for Oronzo to arrive home so that we can sit down together for a meal.

I have a few of observations about my temporary SAHM status:

1) The day flies by far quicker than I imagined it would and I don't get as much accomplished as I think I will! How does that happen?

2) It's nice not to have to be in such a frantic rush all day.

3) It's nice to have some adult time alone, time that's not at a business.

4) I would struggle not to be addicted to my blogging.

5) I eat more staying at home than I do when I go in to work (not a good thing)!

6) I'd have time to run errands that I struggle to accomplish during normal business hours while I'm working.

7) Having kids that are at an age when they can be a bit independent helps.

8) Having the kids in PT preschool also really helps!

All-in-all, I've enjoyed my temporary SAHM gig. It was kind of neat to see what Oronzo's experience has been like when he used to work from home (he's working outside of the home for the time-being with a contract job). Of course, when he stays at home with the kids, he's also got work to do. Being on vacation, I did not. I know that makes things a bit tougher.

Now granted, a few days off does not a SAHM make me, but it's been fun to get a glimpse of the other side, even for a brief amount of time.

Potty mouth

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 12:00:00 +0000

We're in the midst of potty training Boo right now. It's actually going surprisingly well.

We made the decision NOT to use pull-ups. We felt like they were a waste of time (and money) with Snuggle Bug and actually hindered his potty training efforts. So, with Boo, we skipped straight to underpants, using diapers only at nap time and bedtime since she's still not waking up dry.

Boo is very much into princesses right now so we bought her princess underpants and she loves them! She's very proud of her princess underpants.

So, she's doing quite well going pee on her own accord. And now she's actually going poop too!

The other day, she went poop on her own, and then came rushing to me saying, "Come look! I poopy in da potty!"

As she's proudly showing me her fine work, she points and tells me, "Dat's a big crap! I did a big crap, Mama!"

Umm...perhaps I shouldn't be saying "crap" around the kids, ya think?

Favorite Ingredients Friday (Appetizers & Snacks Edition)

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:35:00 +0000

Good Friday to you all! It's time for a Favorite Ingredients Friday Appetizers & Snacks edition! I enjoyed the recipes you all shared with me last year and can't wait to see what you come up with today.

Before we get started, I'd like to encourage you to enter for a chance to win the Chicken Soup for the Soul book that I'm giving away. I'll be choosing the winner tomorrow evening!

Now then, the recipe I'm sharing is courtesy Giada De Laurentiis. I watched her make this on Food Network and decided to give it a try. It was a yummy and somewhat elegant appetizer that I served to some friends that we had over one night. It really isn't that complicated to make.

Pecorino Romano with Apples and Fig Jam

Ingredients:
6 dried figs, halved
1/2 cup simple syrup, recipe follows
2 tablespoons brandy
1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
24 baguette slices
Olive oil, for drizzling
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
1 large apple (Granny Smith or Braeburn), thinly sliced into 24 slices
1/4 pound chunk Pecorino Romano, for shaving 24 pieces

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the figs, simple syrup, and brandy. Bring the mixture up to a simmer. Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Place the fig mixture and the hazelnuts in a food processor and blend, pulsing a few times, until pureed. Set aside.

Place the baguette slices on a heavy baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Top each slice with 1 teaspoon grated Pecorino Romano. Bake until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted and golden, about 7 minutes.

Top each slice of toast with 2 teaspoons of fig jam, a slice of apple and a piece of shaved Pecorino Romano. Transfer the toasts to a serving platter and serve.

Simple syrup:
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
In a saucepan combine water and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved. Take pan off heat and cool the syrup. Any extra cooled syrup can be saved in an airtight container in the refrigerator

Now, I look forward to seeing your Favorite Ingredients Friday Appetizers & Snacks edition recipe! I won't be able to visit your recipes right away but fear not, I will stop by to visit your recipe as soon as I can!

Don't forget to link your specific recipe post link on Mr. Linky so I can see what's cooking at your house!

Oh, and be sure to put the title of your recipe in parenthesis! It makes it so much quicker for me to go back and search for recipes as I build my weekly menu.

For guidelines and my past Favorite Ingredients Friday recipes, click here.

Thanks so much for your participation. I do appreciate it!

A small step forward in Boo's case.

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Boo has been with our family for 17 1/2 months now and she's been in the foster care system for 25 months.

Earlier this week, we FINALLY got the news that Boo's case has been transfered from CPS to the state-contracted adoption agency. And we got a call from a social worker from that agency saying she's been assigned to Boo's case and she wants to meet with our family next week. We also have an adoption application to fill out to get the ball rolling on the adoption process!

To say I'm thrilled is not doing this justice! I am beyond excited that Boo's case has finally been transfered over to the adoption agency. We've been waiting for this day for months and months.

When we took the training classes for our foster care license back in 2007, we were warned that it could take "up to 12 months or so" before we might be allowed to adopt a child from foster care. I now realize they were being overly optimistic in their 12 months estimate, at least Boo's case has proven them wrong.

I must admit, there's still anger lingering in me that this precious child has been stuck in the system for 25 months (of her 29 1/2 months of existence) and we still haven't gotten a ruling from the higher court of appeals on whether or not the severance ruling will be upheld. We still haven't been able to finalize her adoption and legally make her a part of our family. The system is failing children pulled into the foster care system. They're failing Boo right now. She should've been allowed to be adopted a long time ago!

But I'm trying to let go of that anger and count my blessings that she's with us now. She knows she's loved. She's stable and thriving. And, God willing, she's not going anywhere! I suspect I won't be able to fully let go of the anger until after we've been allowed to adopt her.

I have to tell you, I'm throwing this child a HUGE celebration party on the day we get to finalize her adoption (I'm thinking positively here)! She so deserves a day of celebration for all that she's been through!

Please keep her and our family in your prayers!

Favorite Ingredients Friday (Chocolate Banana Smoothie)

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:49:00 +0000

August 7- Appetizers & Snacks Edition

August 21- Salad Edition

September 4- Kid Friendly Meals Edition
September 18- Bread Edition

October 2- Sauce Edition

With the summer heat, I find myself craving smoothies! Oronzo and the kids enjoy them too. This smoothie recipe is one I found on a fun website appropriately named Smoothie Recipes.

Chocolate Banana Smoothie

The chocolate banana smoothie recipe conbines to ingredients that are meant to be together, chocolate and bananas. If you ever wondered what a chocolate covered banana on a stick would taste like as a drink, then here is your answer.

Ingredients

1 1/2 banana cut into chunks and frozen
2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup or your favorite melted chocolate
1/2 cup of yogurt
1 cup of milk
ice (if needed to thicken it up)

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender until bananas are really mixed and chocolate is swirled. Add ice cubes if you need to thicken it up! Now you have your chocolate and banana smoothie.

Now, I look forward to seeing your Favorite Ingredients Friday recipe!

Don't forget to link your specific recipe post link on Mr. Linky so I can see what's cooking at your house!

Oh, and be sure to put the title of your recipe in parenthesis! It makes it so much quicker for me to go back and search for recipes as I build my weekly menu.

For guidelines and my past Favorite Ingredients Friday recipes, click here.

Thanks so much for your participation. I do appreciate it!

Favorite Ingredients Friday (Healthy Eating Edition)

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:44:00 +0000

Good Friday to you all! It's time for a special Favorite Ingredients Friday Healthy Eating edition!

I got some wonderful ideas from the Healthy Edition that I hosted last year but I'm hoping for me this year too!
So please, share your light and healthy recipes to help me and my family eat healthier! :)

The recipe I'm sharing I found on Mayoclinic.com! It makes a wonderful side dish for a healthy meal.

Steamed Summer Squash with warm leek vinaigrette

Ingredients

2 yellow crookneck squash, about 1/2 pound total weight
2 zucchini, about 1/2 pound total weight

For the vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 leek, including tender green top, finely chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable stock or broth
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Trim the stems from the yellow squash and zucchini. Halve lengthwise and then cut the halves crosswise on the diagonal into slices 1/2-inch thick. Set aside.

To make the vinaigrette, in a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leek and saute until soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vegetable stock, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a large pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Add the yellow squash and zucchini, cover, and steam until tender, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the squash to a warmed serving dish. Add the vinaigrette and toss gently to mix. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Info

Servings Per Recipe: 12
Calories 63
Monounsaturated fat 3 g
Protein 1 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Carbohydrate 5 g
Sodium 200 mg
Total fat 5 g Fiber 2 g
Saturated fat 1 g

Now, I look forward to seeing your Favorite Ingredients Friday Healthy Eating edition recipe! I won't be able to visit your recipes right away but fear not, I will stop by to visit your recipe as soon as I can!

Don't forget to link your specific recipe post link on Mr. Linky so I can see what's cooking at your house!

Oh, and be sure to put the title of your recipe in parenthesis! It makes it so much quicker for me to go back and search for recipes as I build my weekly menu.

For guidelines and my past Favorite Ingredients Friday recipes, click here.

Thanks so much for your participation. I do appreciate it!

Leaving on a jet plane...heading home!

noreply@blogger.com (Overwhelmed!) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:17:00 +0000

Finally, the day has arrived and I'm flying home! I'm in the airport right now, waiting for the chance to board the first plane that will fly me towards home.

I'm praying that I do not experience any delayed or canceled flights on my way home because I'm sure anxious to see Snuggle Bug, Boo, and Oronzo! I've missed them these past 8 days!

Ft. Walton Beach/Destin, FL is a beautiful area to visit, but I'm happy to be leaving and heading home!