from Ohio to China

the daily grind

2013-01-07T20:08:00.002-05:00

Oh yeah - I'm back to being a workin' outside the home gal. So far, so good.

I was so nervous about going back to work after staying home for a few months, but it is going well with many thanks due to Damon. He's been really helping out around the house & getting dinner started while I pick up Wes on my way home.

Keeping Wes caught up with reading will prove to be a little more difficult though. When I was home we worked for about 90 minutes on letter writing, reading, numbers, etc., but now that just isn't possible. By the time I get home, I have to work on dinner, then there is only about an hour before Wes goes to bed (kid needs his sleep). I hate to take up every spare minute of free time at the table working though. Any ideas on how to fit the learning in when we are all tired & would much rather hang out or watch tv?

And I'll be honest - I am not dying to drill him with schoolwork stuff after working all day...I would much rather be doing what Katie is doing.

Sleeping all afternoon on a heated throw blanket - living the life :)

Christmas 2012 with the Wes-meister

2013-01-02T21:28:00.001-05:00

When you are five years old, is there anything better than Christmas? I don't think so!

We are not going to Moldova...probably ever

2012-12-31T22:40:00.001-05:00

So I guess the title of this post is not what you were expecting to read (or maybe it was, I probably have never met you & don't know you that well)...we are no longer in the Moldova adoption program, but never fear - we are still adopting!

After MUCH prayer and thought, we have decided to pursue a China Waiting Child (special needs) adoption. We have been in the process for Moldova for almost three years, and I honestly feel like we are no closer to our daughter now than we were a year or even two years ago. I've felt that way for a while (like a long while), but I couldn't admit it to myself, let alone anyone else. I felt like I was giving up our dream of adopting, but that wasn't it at all.

To go back in the day with you for a second, in 2006 when Damon and I were first looking at countries for our first adoption, I was 27 years old. I desperately wanted to adopt from China, but to adopt from there, you have to be 30 years old. Now the anxious person I am wasn't going to wait three years to even register a dossier, then begin the lifetime wait for a child. Good thing too because with the insanely long wait for China, we still wouldn't have a child. No joke. And because 2006 was a while ago, I am now old enough to adopt from China. Getting older does have some advantages.

Special needs adoption, again? It's funny how the longer an adoption takes, the more God softens your heart for children with special needs - at least He has with us. After dealing with Wesley's SIGNIFICANT medical issues, we pretty much said we wanted a "perfect" child this time around. I wasn't kidding either. And just like with Wesley, the longer the adoption took, the more my heart and mind got in line with God's. What do you know? Maybe we're getting to the reason why this adoption is taking so long...

It's been a very emotional journey so far and I am sure the emotional roller coaster isn't over yet, but for the first time in a long time, I feel hopeful. And hope is a necessary part of the adoption process - believe me!

Thank you so much for your prayers, even though I've been sorta absent in the blogging world. I intend to do a little recap for you of 2012 because I really have taken some great photos of Wesley this year. That kid is getting so big!

Happy New Year!

Who is another year older? Staci is!

2012-09-26T23:08:00.000-04:00

It is officially my 34th birthday. Wow. If you ask me tomorrow though, I'll have to calculate in my head how old I am. Anybody else do that? I completely forget my age, but that probably has more to do with the fact that in my head I am 23. I don't need time to calculate that number though!

I honestly didn't feel any older until I used a very powerful hand dryer in a restroom today and saw my loose hand skin rippling in the wind. I'm not sure how that ended up being such a poignant moment, but it's just a glimpse into the craziness that is my head. Be thankful you're on the outside!

{I have a few photos to show you, but I am working off less than 4 hours sleep last night & I cannot figure it out tonight - I need some beauty sleep}

decisions - the good, the bad & the ugly

2012-09-25T21:06:00.001-04:00

If you are anything like me, making decisions isn't your strong suit. Especially if it's one of those big ol' life-changing ones like marriage, children, where to live, your job. So often I struggle with doubt, even when God has shown me His way and I have followed it.

What I am getting to is my decision to leave my employer. It's been prayed about and discussed between Damon and me for at least 18 months now- you know back when we thought the adoption would happen "any day now," but I digress...

The situation has progressively gotten worse until it was at the point that I would get sick every morning before work from dread. You don't have to be a psychologist to know the toll that will take on a person, and subsequently a family. I had turned into a person that even I didn't like to be around. And you know it's bad when you cannot stand to be around yourself! I was constantly mad. I did a lot of yelling. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stop thinking about work and the way people were acting there. All around unpleasant person.

In early June the decision was made for me to quit but no one knew. Due to my contract, I had to give a two month's notice, so in early August I put in my notice. You may be wondering why it's September and I'm done working, but I'm getting there. My Grandma passed away, so I was off work for almost a week. It was in that time that I realized what a different person I was when not worrying about work. Damon and I talked and decided that I needed to just use my accumulated vacation time to finish out my two months, and I did just that.

So Friday, September 14th was my last day in the office, but I did have to go in today to help with payroll, then again next week for a meeting. I was only in the office for about 4.5 hours today, and I left the person I used to be. I realized as I was driving home that I was gripping the steering wheel so tight I was leaving nail marks in my palm, my teeth were clenched together, and I was replaying the day in my head with my blood pressure continually escalating.

I catch myself and started to pray about the anger and resentment inside of me, and I realized that me being able to leave that job is such a blessing in my life. I have time to focus on me, my family and my home. This last week I've been a lot closer to the person I want to be and that is always a good thing.

Now if the stinkin' adoption would move along, I'd really be great ;)

Adoption news

2012-09-24T21:48:00.001-04:00

I know I promised to update you on the adoption news like two weeks ago, but it's been crazy around this place! I am now staying at home and LOVING it (a girl could used to this). I honestly don't know how I ever had time to work. My closets are clean, I'm selling stuff on eBay that has been sitting around our house for years, I'm cooking dinner, I'm ironing Damon's work shirts, and I'm getting a room ready for that little girl.

So getting around to the real reason you are reading this post...our agency called a couple weeks ago to tell us that we needed to update our dossier. We updated a few documents in April, but we needed to update all the rest. While we were at it, we updated our home study to reflect the fact that I am no longer working outside the home. Of course updating everything was crazy-difficult due to the Secretary of State's office making me go back to several counties in southern Ohio to have the elected official sign our certified copies. Don't get me started...

Anyway, we were told that once we update our dossier, we are eligible to receive a referral. Now if this actually happens, then this is BIG news!! Obviously this isn't our first rodeo though, so we are overly cautious. When I first got off the phone, I was dancing around super excited, but then reality set in. We get excited to be disappointed, wait a few months then get excited to be disappointed yet again, wait a few more months and repeat the whole process.

Obviously we are so ready to get our daughter home, so we will stay on this roller coaster and continue praying that her referral comes soon. I'm getting tired of waiting!!

becoming a stay-at-home mom

2012-09-04T23:00:00.000-04:00

I'm not going to to lie to you, I never thought I would have a blog post about staying at home. I have much respect for women who can stay home full-time with their children (even more for homeschoolers), but it hasn't been for me...until now.

I have put in my resignation from my job and starting in just a few weeks, I'll be here to put Wesley on the bus and be here when he comes home. The change has been a long time coming, and I think it is going to be beneficial for our family. The stress and strain from my work had really begun to affect our home life, and that isn't what Damon or I want for ourselves or our family.

The pay I made was decent, but we made the choice that even though we do not have all the money saved for our adoption, we know God will provide for us. Even though it goes against our Dave Ramsey philosophy, we are willing to take out debt to get our daughter home. I figure if there is any "good debt," it has to be adoption debt. At least that's what I would tell Dave if we ever talked about it.

I will begin a new position in early January, but for now I am going to enjoy the holidays and my family!

Check back this week because I am going to let you know our recent adoption-related news, and it seems to be good :)

Ladies and gentleman, we have a kindergartener

2012-09-03T15:31:00.002-04:00

Wesley has officially started kindergarten - and he loves it! I have never known a child so excited to meet new people and experience new things. I wish I was more like that.

The pictures where Wes is wearing a teal shirt are the first "official" day of school. Our district phases in the kindergarten kids over three days.

The navy shirt photos are the first day with all the kids and his first bus ride, which is really the most exciting part when you're five. All his grandparents were at the house to see him off - such a blessing to have family that lives close!

Do not be alarmed by the large number of pictures I'm uploading. I never get this many good pictures, so I'm going to to post them all because it's my blog & I can do that :)

the three of us

the "serious" face

the "excited" face

the "I am pretending to be a teenager" face

I love this picture!!

and this one as well

Wes with Doda and Pappaw

Wes with Grandma

my big boy getting on the bus

Wes will dance you out of here.

I'm an emotional girl, I can't help myself

2012-08-24T04:13:00.000-04:00

Most of you win't get the reference to a Teri Clark song there in the title, but that's okay, it made me smile.

This week has been an emotional one for our family. Wesley starts kindergarten today (in 5 hours actually) and my Grandmother (my Dad's Mom) passed away. Grandma moved back to Ohio from Florida just three weeks before she passed away from lung cancer.

Last night was her memorial service, and I enjoyed getting to spend more time with my whole family, which it seems we don't do often enough. My Mom asked if I wanted to speak during the service, but I declined because I wasn't sure what to say and I didn't want to stand up & just cry the whole time with people wondering what I was saying (you know you've seen those people). I am so proud of my brother Scott though who read a beautiful poem.

At 3:30am, I woke up with the words I wanted to say. Since it's too late to speak at her service and I may have been too scared, I'm speaking them here. Here goes...

My Grandma & Grandpa would have been celebrating their 62nd wedding anniversary on earth the day she passed away. I know that she made the choice to go when she did so they could celebrate their first anniversary in heaven together. Sure my Grandparents argued - I can still hear my Grandpa saying "Patty" in a resigned tone and my Grandma following up with "Bobby" in a more staccato, quick tone, but more than anything, you knew they loved each other. Not a fleeting "emotional" love, but a true, abiding love that ran away to Richmond, Indiana and got married despite their parent's objections that they were too young. In additional to my parent's marriage, my Grandparents are a wonderful example to me of what it means to love unconditionally. That is the one thing that will stay with me and I hope to pass on to my children.

And hopefully now I can get back to sleep. If not, it's gonna be a LONG day! I'll post kindergarten pictures soon & update you on the adoption.

Moldova adoption movement? Could be soon...

2012-02-29T20:26:00.000-05:00

So we received an email today from our agency with what may be good news in terms of bringing home baby sister by autumn (my self-appointed goal, by the way with little to no basis in reality). The gist of the email is that they don't expect any significant movement on us until April or May. I consider this good news because it means something is likely to happen after that. We are one of the first in line to receive a referral once things are all straightened out!!

So I guess that means it's time to start getting her room ready and stop using it as a catch-all for everything...yeah, gonna be a lot of work.

You know what though? We picked up the most awesome armoire the other night to repaint and put in her room. Here are two photos:

And the kicker...we got it out of the neighbor's trash. Obviously Damon wasn't keen on being seen pulling something out of the neighbor's trash, but this was SO WORTH IT!! This armoire is solid wood and weighs at least two hundred pounds! Painted up this will be a great piece for baby sister's room. Along with the headboard and footboard that also need painted for the room. Yep, lots to do.

Please keep up your prayers for us - we need them!!

Thank you so much for taking the time to check in on us!

Happy 5th birthday, Wesley

2012-02-12T21:22:00.000-05:00

Wesley turned 5 today!

We had a little swimming party at the YMCA and a family party before that. Talk about a long day!! Mom & Dad are exhausted, but so is Wes, so it works out. I haven't uploaded all our pictures yet, but I will soon. {Now I know I always say that, but I'm having my tonsils out in two weeks, so I'm serious when I say I'll have some free time. How I'll feel is another story...}

Please pray for Wes as he's been having a difficult time at school, which so far ranks as the understatement of the year. We're working hard to get answers and find out solutions that work for all parties involved. Please pray for me as work has been rough {another understatement}, and please pray for Damon as he's been working very hard to eat better and has been losing weight like a fiend. And of course the ol' stand-by prayer - for our daughter in Moldova. We haven't given up hope that this year is our year to bring her home!!

Merry CHRISTmas

2011-12-25T23:31:00.000-05:00

Merry CHRISTmas from our family to yours

9 lessons I learned while not blogging the last three months

2011-11-22T22:43:00.000-05:00

So I've obviously been MIA in the blogging world. To catch you up to speed in the DSW (Damon Staci Wesley) household, here's what I've learned in the last three months.

Lesson #1

While I always figured Wesley would break a bone, I never knew it would happen in the middle of the night when he woke up to go to the bathroom. But it did.

We went to one hospital, but they couldn't treat him because he was a child, so he (and me by default) got to take an ambulance ride to a children's hospital. Wes was in a lot of pain, but not too much that he couldn't at least enjoy the ambulance ride a little bit.

He healed amazingly quick - just three weeks!

I love this picture of my brave little guy :)

Lesson #2

My parent's rock. Now this "technically" isn't a lesson I learned because I've always known how great they are (except for when I forgot in my teenage years), but for our adoption benefit garage sale, they worked with me and Damon in our garage in humid, upper-ninety degree heat for three days straight! My mother-in-law was a big help as well.

Lesson #3

There is nothing more adorable than a boy and his dog.

Lesson #4
Wesley loves his Grandma's convertible.

Lesson #5

Dogs can get hives (seriously), but Benadryl and a super-expensive trip to the emergency vet takes care of it right quick.

Lesson #6

Being 33 is the same as being 32.

Lesson #7
Halloween and trick-or-treating is crazy-exciting even for a kid that doesn't like candy. {Wes was a spooky ghost}

Lesson #8

Go Bengals!! {I know this isn't a lesson, but I just wanted to post the picture}

Lesson #9

Don't go so long between blog posts. I need to remember that it's okay to just type a few lines.

So what have you been up to these last few months?

I promise to post a "real" update soon

2011-11-16T21:42:00.000-05:00

So I know I have been remiss, not updating in MONTHS! I promise to post an update by Sunday. I also need to keep in mind that posts don't have to be forever long, a few sentences or photos is okay. I let posts get so behind that the thought of catching up seems too much.

We're all doing well. Still a family of three :( Hopeful that our referral will be coming in the next few months, but that isn't really based on anything (just what I have to think to keep from going crazy waiting).

three years ago today Wesley "officially" became our son - my how things have changed

2011-08-13T21:47:00.001-04:00

Damon and I were just talking at dinner about how much has changed in the last three years. I think pictures can tell the story better than I can.

And don't tell my husband he looks younger, he'll be offended. Not that I found that out the hard way or anything. His response: I was younger!!

just makes me laugh

a man of many expressions

with Mommy (before you say it, I already know I look younger in this picture)

Court Day!! (also called day 31 in Ukraine)

Us after court (Yes, we were sweating a lot. It had to be in the 90s in the building, and Damon was wearing a suit. I had on a dress, but I get greasy easily :)

See...A LOT of sweat! (And yes, it was all the way up to his shoulder and down to his waist)

the court building

the courtroom (If I had been sure we wouldn't get in trouble, I would have gotten a picture inside the cell, but I was too scared)

the judge's seat. We sat at the table in front of her.

and Wesley now

Matt Maher - "Turn Around"

2011-07-27T22:38:00.000-04:00

Have you heard this new song by Matt Maher called "Turn Around"? I seriously cannot get enough of this song!! What do you think?

heaven and hell - conversations with a four year-old

2011-07-11T20:17:00.000-04:00

So maybe this is normal or maybe it isn't, but we talk a lot about death, heaven and hell in our house. And by a lot I mean many conversations daily. We try to tailor the conversations to the understanding ability of a four year-old, which is difficult with this kid's questions. We also try to be biblical correct. I don't want to give him incorrect information, though it would be much easier than the research and remembering I've been doing! I also want to give him age-appropriate information, which can be difficult to gauge. Here's what we've said so far:

- once you go to heaven or hell, you stay there forever

- heaven is a wonderful nice place where you live with Jesus forever

- hell is a bad place (Wes also calls it dangerous) with fire and you are sad forever.

If you know of any good books or resources that might answer his questions, please leave a comment and let me know!!

This morning while driving (obviously it was me driving), Wesley started his daily question and answer session regarding heaven and hell...

Wes: Are there cars in heaven?

Me: I don't know. The Bible doesn't say, but I doubt it.

Wes: Are there cars in hell?

Me: I don't know. The Bible doesn't say, but I doubt it.

a few seconds later...

Wes: Do you wear clothes in heaven?

Me: I don't know, the Bible doesn't say. {are you noticing a pattern here?}

Wes: I hope not.

Me: Why?

Wes: I like being naked.

a few seconds after that...

Wes: Do you eat in heaven?

Me: I don't know, the Bible doesn't say.

Wes: I'm pretty sure you have to eat in hell.

Me: Why?

Wes: Because its hell. {what else could I expect from the kid who HATES to eat?}

Me: (laughing) Okay...

Wes: (in a serious tone) It's not funny.

Me: Maybe a little?

Wes: (an even more serious tone) No, it's not.

Me: (still snickering in the front seat)

Wes: Still not funny, Mommy.

Silly, silly boy...

soccer ends, Uncle Scott visits

2011-07-09T23:18:00.000-04:00

Completely unrelated to anything, but "Big Brother" started this week!! I didn't start watching this show until about tow years ago, but I'm hooked now. Are people that crazy in "real" life?! Surely not.

Wesley's finished his first (and probably his last) soccer season. Maybe its just his age, but he really wasn't interested in kicking the ball, chasing the ball, passing the ball, scoring a goal. In his defense though, he did score a goal on his own team with another player. Don't think I didn't cheer too! I figure he can learn the basics later, or not.

Wesley with his Doda, Pawpaw, and Uncle Scott

Wesley and Uncle Scott (look how much Wes has grown!) The first picture was taken the weekend after we came home from Ukraine.

more fun with Uncle Scott

I'm getting all the vacation pictures ready to post, so get ready!!

updates willl be coming- I promise!

2011-07-04T23:48:00.000-04:00

So many updates will be coming soon! I had trouble getting into my account for the last week, but we're good to go now.

Pediasure to the rescue

2011-06-05T18:26:00.001-04:00

Thank you so much for the encouraging emails and comments I received after my last post. For obvious reasons I was nervous to put myself out there, but I am so glad I did.

We haven't gotten into Wesley's surgeon yet, but we did make the choice to give Wesley Pediasure. Back when Wes had a g-tube, he was given five-six cans of Pediasure each day, so we're using it now to supplement his oral feedings. With him getting the additional nutrition each day, I am stressing less about how much and how often he eats. It hasn't changed his desire to eat, but it absolutely helps me mentally. Damon went to a golf tournament today, so Wes and I went to the pool. I just took Pediasure for him to drink, then we didn't have the typical hot, tired, pool-time fight where he refused to eat and I threatened to take him home if he didn't. We had a meal when we got home, but the drink was enough to keep his blood sugar stable when he was swimming.

I have to be honest, I preferred it when insurance paid for the Pediasure, but thankfully we don't need nearly as much as we used to! And hopefully we won't need it for nearly as long.

I'll post some fun swimming pictures soon!

the hard truth about our "non-eater"

2011-05-29T20:50:00.000-04:00

I don't talk about this much, but Damon and I are really struggling with Wesley's eating (or lack thereof). I'm not sure how to explain the stress (serious understatement) we feel to someone to who hasn't experienced it with their own child. It's even hard for me to comprehend (and I live it every day) because I love eating and the whole experience of eating! It baffles me to try to imagine not enjoying food or the time spent eating with friends and family.

I find myself struggling to enjoy spending time with him due to the thought of a future battle to make him eat or the stress lingering from a past battle. It sounds crazy to type, but in all reality, his eating will often consume my thoughts. But at the same time, I'm numb to it. It doesn't phase me when Wesley makes the most horrible gagging sound at a restaurant, even if it's loud enough to hear three tables over (and yes, others look at you like you are a horrible parent for letting your child choke like that when you don't freak out).

If you do a google search on "a child who refuses to eat," here's the advice you get "wait until he gets hungry enough to eat. Children won't starve themselves." Um, yes they will. We aren't dealing with a picky child in terms of what foods he likes or doesn't like. In all honesty, there aren't many foods that Wes dislikes. I realize how strange that sounds because I'm talking about a child who doesn't eat. I'm not sure his dislike stems from the food so much, but more the act of eating the food. We have tried to make dinner time fun and enjoyable, but somehow it always comes down to us putting the food in his mouth or telling him he can't get up until his food is gone. No longer fun or enjoyable for any of us.

Damon and I have been talking, and we think he might need to go back to feeding therapy. I used to take him once a week, but it was horrible. He would show off and throw food and just misbehave in ANY way possible. I have to say, those were some of the longest hours of my life. I would have difficulty driving home because I was sobbing so hard.

At this point in our eating adventures, I am inclined to think that there must be something physically wrong with Wes that makes eating difficult. My guess is that it is something called dysphagia (because online reasearch has made me a doctor). The basic definition would be that he can't swallow effectively because he can't control the food with his mouth or tongue. It's also possible that his esophagus has narrowed in the area where his EA repair is. All past swallow studies haven't shown narrowing, but at the same time it hasn't been easy to get him to eat and sit still so the doctors could watch the barium go down his throat on an x-ray.

So the plan is to get an appointment with his surgeon as soon as possible and ask him to get us started on the process to taking care of these eating issues once and for all. We would really like to get this taken care of before we bring home his sister (which is taking longer than I had hoped, of course). Please pray for all of us during this time...and especially at dinner time.

Sorry this post is such a downer...I promise to write a happy one next time :)

how time flies

2011-05-26T20:40:00.000-04:00

How does the time get away like it does? Here in Ohio it has pretty much been raining for 40 days and 40 nights...not really, but it is beginning to feel like that. Wesley desperately wants to play outside (Damon and I also want him to), but it is going to take a long time for our back yard to dry out! I keep trying to put off the drainage issues in our backyard (so far I've stalled Damon for two years), but when it rains at more than a sprinkle, I'm reminded of why we need to deal with the issue. Somehow ignoring it isn't making the issue go away. Who would've guessed that? (I can already see Damon smirking at this paragraph...)

My ankle is feeling MUCH better! I am working out again, but so far, I haven't been running. The orthopedic surgeon I went to stated that I should bike for a while before getting into running again. I signed up to run the the Air Force Half Marathon in September though, so pretty soon I'll have to take the plunge and get running again. Turns out that I had five stress fractures in my heel and all the ligaments were severely inflamed. NO idea how I did that much damage just running on an indoor track, so I'm not sure that I could prevent future damage. Except maybe for me not to run anymore...we'll consider after the half marathon.

We're currently still waiting with the adoption...feels like the waiting never ends. We got an email today from our agency stating that accreditation for agencies has been delayed due to political elections. No idea how long this will hold up adoptions in Moldova, but I jsut have to remember that it will all happen in God's time. The current delays aren't a surprise to him and they don't mess up our adoption plans (even though it can feel like that to us). I remember how depressed I was when some political upheaval in Ukraine delayed our adoption about 10 months from when we thought we would travel. I felt like everything was messed up and it wouldn't work out, but what do you know...our son just became available for adoption the day we saw his picture. Nothing was messed up at all.

Damon's boss graciously gave us his personal tickets to a Cincinnati Red's game in April, so Wesley got to attend his first real baseball game.

Want Mom and Dad to get you a baseball at the baseball game? Nope, I'll take a stuffed dog thanks.

I think the game overwhelmed him a bit because there was so much to watch and see. When a Reds player hit a home run, they let off fireworks. After that, Wesley kept asking us when they would do it again. It didn't happen though.

Doda and Pawpaw got Wesley his first pair of binoculars in his Easter basket, and boy was he excited! He wears those things around his neck pretty much every day.

looking through his Easter eggs and gathering all the money (he doesn't like candy, so the eggs had money in them. Sure wish I'd caught onto that racket when I was younger.Naw...I loved candy too much!)

here's a wreath I made out of book pages (after the cast came off my ankle, I did everything domestic I could think of)

Wesley preferred eating the peanut shell versus the peanut at Five Guys Burgers and Fries. We had to stop him thought because it was just too gross.

with Doda and Pawpaw for Pawpaw's birthday (notice how Dad and Wes have the same serious facial expression)

Wesley's first soccer practice

playing goalie in his first game

Wesley's lack of fear worked out pretty well when he was in the goal (it didn't seem to phase him that 4-5 year-olds were kicking toward his face)

a traditional soccer pose (he sure does love his mom taking so many pictures)

"reading" the program to his dog after the Antioch Shrine Circus was in Dayton. This was Wesley's first circus, and he just couldn't get enough of the animals. The acrobats and such didn't interest him much, but as soon as he spotted an animal he got excited.

(Staci side note: obviously I haven't been to a circus since I was much younger, I didn't realize how cruel they can be to the animals! The tigers above kept snarling at the trainer and it hurt me to watch. So if Wesley never wants to go to a circus again, it's fine by me!)

Damon and I had a night out, and we went to downtown Cincinnati and had dinner in the hood at Terry's Turf Club. From the outside this place looked like an antique yard sale gone bad and inside was lit by neon lights. The burgers were HUGE and greasy. Everyone raves about this place, but personally it was too greasy for me. I loved the atmosphere though! We had to wait about an hour to sit in a cramped restaurant at a table with two people we'd never met, but it was a fun date night.

LM&M Railroad in Lebanon had a few weekends where you could ride the train and visit with Curious George. Due to the fact that George is #1 in this house (or at least tied with WordWorld), we had to go. Unfortunately there isn't a picture with the "Man with the Yellow Hat" (George's owner)...when I pointed out the "Man," Wesley's response was "that isn't a man, it's a girl!" Sure enough, the "Man with the Yellow Hat" was actually a woman, so we didn't take a picture for fear of confusing an easily confused kid. I have to say though that I am proud of Wes - I remember that for a long time I was concerned that Wes would never be able to tell the difference between a man and a woman!

I know I have more to say, but it's almost Friday at this point and my brain is fried...

we're still here

2011-04-02T10:31:00.000-04:00

It's been a month since I've written anything, but we're still here. I had the cast on my ankle for three and a half weeks. When the cast came off (after what felt like FOREVER), my ankle started to swell. And swell. And swell. Then came the pain...x-rays show that the break has healed, so it looks like something else is going on. Boo. I have a CT scan Monday morning, so hopefully it shows what is wrong with my ankle. I would like to wear cute shoes again, not just comfortable shoes!!

All our paperwork has been sent to Moldova! It is being translated, then the real fun begins - or not. Reminds me of the song "the waiting is the hardest part, every day you get one more yard, you take it on faith, you take it to the heart, the waiting is the hardest part." (Bet you didn't expect me bust out Tom Petty this morning did you?) Now I'll have that chorus stuck in my head all day.

Damon still loves his new job. Wesley is ready for summer. He desperately needs to get out of the house to wear himself out!! He and Damon have gone out a few evenings and played golf in the backyard, even though it was cold. I watched from inside.

I haven't been taking too many photos. It isn't easy to take pictures when you're hobbling around on crutches. We also didn't do much because I couldn't walk very far.

here's Katie Katherine snuggling with me

Katie loves Damon the most though!

the one time it snowed when I was on crutches

(thankfully it wasn't too much snow)

We went to breakfast at the Golden Nugget in Dayton. I haven't been to this restaurant in YEARS, but it was a great breakfast (or lunch as I had, see below).

one word...genius!!

Once I got my cast off, I've been crazy-domestic. I've cleaned like a crazy person, made crafts, cooked dinner A LOT. Here's a wreath I made from book pages. I've made more than one of these, but I haven't taken a picture of the second one.

here's a fun birthday balloon wreath

homemade cheeseburger macaroni - YUM!

Is anyone else ready for warm weather? I can't stand being stuck in the house much longer!!

facebook wedding invite? I think not

2011-03-02T20:30:00.000-05:00

Now Damon and I are both on facebook, so I frequently scrutinize how differently we approach facebook. For instance, we have differing criteria for accepting friend requests. My main criteria is that I have some idea who you are, Damon on the other hand will accept pretty much all friend requests. {I think he is trying to get as many "friends" as me} I am not so strict as to only accept close friends and family, I have high school friends, college friends, adoption friends, church friends, esophageal atresia friends, etc. I don't want you to get the impression I am too discriminating in my facebook friend acceptance, just that I have some standard.

Unlike Damon, I am not afraid to "unfriend" people, even though I've only done it about ten times. The main ways to be unfriended by me are to frequently curse in your posts or to rant and rave about how horrible republicans are. One more thing, I unfriended someone from high school because she posted what I consider vulgar pictures of herself. She requested me again, and so as not to appear rude, I accepted, then deleted a few days later. So I was still rude, but maybe she didn't notice...

I also feel the need to comment or "like" people's posts. I want people to feel like someone is paying attention to them, so if you post cute pictures of your kids, I am going to at least acknowledge that I saw them. Damon won't comment unless he really has something to say, and I don't know that he has ever "liked" a post.

The point I am laboriously getting to is this...Damon got invited to a wedding on facebook. *seriously* Not only that, but he has NO idea who the guy is!! This would not have happened to me due to my stringent screening process. {who am I kidding? It absolutely could happen to me, but it hasn't yet which is why I can post this} I am all for using modern communication methods, but some things are just too modern. I shudder to think that one day you won't get a beautiful wedding invitation in the mail. I love getting the thick envelope with the gorgeous invitation inside and all the tiny pieces of paper with information related to the big day, in which I inevitably lose the one important tiny paper we end up needing.

Not only is the invite through facebook, it is for a medieval wedding! Let us not forget our foray to the Renaissance Festival last fall. Good times...

Am I the only one who thinks the facebook wedding invite is totally out of line? If you want a present from me, you'll need to send me that paper invite that I so adore. Otherwise, no dice - you'll be celebrating the day without me.

P.S. We are NOT attending the medieval facebook-invite wedding...in case you didn't catch that from my post. Subtlety is not my strong suit.

a cast on my foot...boo

2011-03-01T09:37:00.000-05:00

So, I have a cast on my ankle now instead of the good ol' walking boot. In the interest of looking at the positive side of things, I had my first good night of sleep in weeks (I didn't wake up due to the pain as I have been). I go back in three weeks for an x-ray, and if its healed (God-willing), then the cast will come off. Unfortunately, I won't be able to run the Flying Pig half marathon on May 1st. On Saturday (when the cast was put on), I signed up for the USAF half marathon on September 17th in an effort to show my ankle that it isn't going to keep me down. I have to be healed by then.

Getting around is a bit tricky, but I'm getting the hang of it...slowly. I CANNOT go down the stairs on the crutches though, I have to get down and scoot :) Going up is much easier. Please pray that I don't break any more bones with these crazy crutches :)