Happiness & Pride

October may just be my favorite month.  I have to say, this has been an amazingly beautiful month here in Fort Wayne...which hardly ever happens up here!  Because the weather has been warmer than usual this month, the trees are beaming with color!  This has been the most beautiful fall since we have lived here.  And because our old historic neighborhood streets are canopied with huge trees, the sight is amazing.  I thank God every day as I drive through my neighborhood.  At times this fall, I have felt like I was back in NC or TN.  Ahhhh, how I have loved THAT feeling!  I need all I can get to help me feel at peace and this sure helps.  The Lord knows this and has blessed me.

Chali ran her cross country 1 mile race again today.  We have been training with her since last week's race.  First Austin ran with her and he told me she beat him.  I kind of giggled and said "yeah sure, she beat you."  He said "no really, she beat me."  But I really just thought he was being nice and being an awesome daddy and making her feel good about herself.  Then, I ran with her.  She beat me too.  No really, she kicked my butt!  Austin laughed and made some smart-ass remark.  We feel old. Anyway, last week Chali came in 25th, today...13th!!!  And she ran against 2nd and 3rd  graders!  She and her friend Eliza were the first 1st graders to cross the finish line! She is so excited because she got a ribbon.  Needless to say, I am SO proud.  I almost cried.  Seriously, I had to choke it back.  How silly am I?  Or emotional. =)

Karis is having so much fun in school!  I was parent helper in her class today.  I do this every other week.  It is so much fun to go in and work with the precious little kiddos.  I notice that Karis is very sweet and loving to all her friends in class.  We already knew she was, but to see her on her own (without Chali around) is such a different experience.  She just truly cares for and about everyone else.  Last night she came up behind me and started rubbing my shoulders because she knew I was feeling stressed out.  Chris told me that on Sunday, when they were over there while we were at a wedding reception, she got up in bed with Nana (Chris) and stroked her face gently and told her she was sorry her back was hurting.  Awww!  Chris has been having terrible problems with her back for a few years and at times it goes out and she cannot walk or do anything.  Karis is just so intuitive and compassionate.  Makes my heart swell with pride and happiness.

Oh, and Chali's quote for the day, "You have to know who you are.  That is the most important thing in life."

Where did the summer go?

I started this post on August 30th...
Well I'm not sure how it happened, but summer is over and school has started.  Chali is now in 1st grade and Karis in Pre-K. Chali has been in school a week now and Karis starts on Sept 7th...although she is ready to start NOW! haha.  

Chali is loving 1st grade so far.  At first she was not quite sure about it.  I think mainly because she wouldn't have her beloved Miss Miller and her little groupie of friends got broken up between the 5 classes.  But she also told me "Mom, they don't really have good books in there.  They are even easier than in kindergarten."  She was worried the books weren't challenging enough for her, but I assured her that her teacher would figure out where each kids level was and would definitely get some books that would be good for her level.  Ha. Smarty McFarty.  Chali's school has what they call Art Ensemble classes throughout the whole year that are either free or at very low cost!  Yay for fine arts magnet schools!  Chali has chosen to take Drama the first semester and Choir the second semester.  She will go to school an hour early one day a week to go to these classes.  Chali says the best thing about first grade so far is "everything, especially homework."  lol!  They were suppose to start getting homework today, but when I picked her up from school she said they now won't get it til next week.  Her thoughts on that...(insert sarcasm) "yay. so that's just great."  How happy a Mama I am that she is excited to get homework! =)

Karis had her "home visit" last Wednesday.  That is where her teachers come to the house to visit her and bring us parents information.  It is really designed to make the kiddos comfortable with their teachers in their own environment before starting school.  Miss Dionne sat on the floor and did activities with Karis while I spoke with Miss Jan.  Karis drew a picture of herself and wrote her name on the paper.  She also had a homework page that she had to do for them.  A "getting to know you" sort of thing.  She told what her favorite colors were, drew a picture of her family, cut out and glued pictures of her favorite foods (chocolate, corn on the , and cut and glued pics of things she likes to do...which included, going to the beach, playing games,and dancing.

October 7th...(that would be today.  yes, that's how much I suck at this blogging thing.)

There's so much to tell that I don't even know where to begin. 
School is going great for both girls.  Chali just ran a mile cross country race on Tuesday and is running again next Wednesday.  If she makes the top 10, she goes on to the finals on Oct. 20th.  Unfortunately, she is in the same grouping as 2nd and 3rd graders, so it makes it harder.  But she came in 25th on Tuesday out of 40 and I think that's pretty good for it being the first time EVER she's run a mile!  Anyway, she gets to try again next week.  So we will be practicing this week.  Chali has also been begging me to cut her hair asymetrical for a long time, so I finally did. She's so stylish. =)

Of course Karis had to have hers cut too.  And after just "compromising" with her for the past year or more, I finally gave in and gave her what she asked for.  It is right above her shoulders and it is so stinkin' cute!  It looks much fuller now and no more tangles!  I think she looks a little older though. 

This one is the day she had her school pic taken...

These just make me smile. =)

As far as I am concerned, it has been a long road since July.  I am still dealing with a weird feeling in my throat, which they tell me is from the stomach ulcer they think I have, but the Nexium isn't making any difference. My appetite is back though.  I have gained 3-4 lbs back of the 15 I had lost.  I am still dizzy often, but I have a lot of sinus pressure which I think may be contributing to the dizziness.  I went to the optometrist last week and my eyesight has changed since the summer.  While I was on the antibiotic this summer, I couldn't see out of my glasses at all.  I felt cross-eyed when I would wear them.  So something happened and my eyesight changed.  I have an appointment with a neurosurgeon on Nov. 1st.  After the brain MRI, they discovered I have what is called Chiari I Malformation, which is where the cerebellum comes down into my spinal column, compressing the space and creating less spinal fluid.  Which, unfortunately, can cause all sorts of symptoms...dizziness, headaches, disequilibrium, tingling in hands & feet etc..  I have experienced several strange things, but at this point I don't know how much of it may be the Chiari or aftereffects of the medication that messed me up so bad.  The doctors say "there's no way that medication would have those side effects," but I know better.  I know my body, and most of this stuff did NOT happen before I took that medication.  Anyway, I am just praying and trying to keep a positive attitude about it all.  Well, I should start my day now.

Rainy Day

I thank God for the rain today. I will be able to get some things done in the house without feeling guilty. Not cleaning of course, oh no. How much my house needs to be cleaned! But I need to get creative. It's been a long time. My sewing machine was not working for quite some time and now I've got it fixed, so I will be sewing today! I also have some beautiful new flowers to make hair accessories! So busy busy I will bee. =) It's fun with the hair things because sometimes, the girls can help. They have very interesting ideas. Chali is a regular Picasso and I go with it. When Mom was in town, I made a Button Barrette from a couple of buttons that Chali picked out and it turned our SOOO cute. I am going to continue on that path as well. The girls seem quite tired today though and are watching Alice in Wonderland. Movies and crafts...sounds good to me!

Sumthin's gotta give

Haven't posted in forever. Though I've thought about it time after time for the past 6 months, life grabs ahold and never lets go. Things have been crazy. Seriously. Starting MiJee consumed me for 4 months.

I'm working for an independent insurance agent answering the phone M-F. I have a business cell he transfers calls to me. I have also been working on spreadsheets for him. I thought this would be a much quicker process than it is. I literally cannot find time to work on them during the day. This leaves me the evening after bedtime. So by the time the girls are in bed, it's 9:30 when I get started. I work on them til my eyes can't stay open any longer and my neck, shoulders and back are hurting. Oh, and I had to learn HOW to make a spreadsheet all over again since it's been like 15 years.

I wish I could sit and work on MiJee and Bugg & Bean Boutique during the day too, but if I do, I feel guilty for making Karis go play by herself or watch a movie. She is starting to get a bit of an attitude and I can't help but wonder if this is due to lack of attention from me as I try to catch up on everything...which is a never ending battle.

Austin never gets home at any sort of normal time. It's usually while I'm reading books to the girls just before bedtime. This makes it very difficult for me to have any sort of "me" time. Weekends are always full, and if a day is not, I always feel like it should be family time since the girls don't get to see Austin throughout the week much. Where's the balance? How do people do it? I wonder if every mother feels the way I do. I feel like I do so much, and yet, don't get much accomplished. How do I get everything done & do it well, raise my children, run my business, work for someone else, do hair, etc. all while keeping my sanity???

On another note, today is Karis' 4th birthday. I wanted to do something special for her instead of buying toys and such. So I thought it would be a grand idea to book her and a friend of her choice to go to the salonspa and get their fingernails and toenails painted and their hair done in pretty curls or whatever they want. She loved it of course and walked around afterwards like a little prissy thing. We get home and after a while I notice both big toes have no polish on them. I asked what happened and she had picked it off! I had a conversation with her about not picking off her pretty polish because it was a special gift. She's 4, she doesn't care.

HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY BABY GIRL!!!

Heads, noses, wrists and legs, wrists and legs

I know that this post is a week past due, but the past week has been very, well, challenging to say the least. We had a wonderful 4 days with Chali and Jen! We took all the kids to the park and had a picnic. The weather was amazing. I took them back to the airport last Monday which was really hard for me to do! I miss my girlie.

We've always had really difficult nights with Josh, but now the days are becoming tough as well. They say 6 weeks is the honeymoon stage and now we are running up on 2 months, so honeymoon is over. We are working really hard with him on discipline, cause and effect (which he doesn't understand yet) and anger management. It's a long, tough road ahead, but we feel that with God and good people surrounding him, it is possible! He is actually sometimes saying "yes ma'am, and please and thank you" without being prompted now.

Well the results of Mom's MRI...fractured tibia. Owie! We are thankful it isn't muscular though and doesn't require surgery! Mom is still getting around with the help of a cane, but she's moving a bit quicker now. She's not in as much pain anymore which is so great! She is still needing to ice it each day though, because there is still swelling in her knee. I think she twisted and sprained her knee as well, not just fractured the tibia. Her next appt is on the 23rd. She gets the cast off of her arm and recheck the leg/knee. She is thinking she will be able to drive after getting the cast off.

On an exciting note, I am coming home to surprise Chali on her birthday! I am so excited, I feel like a little kid! Originally, I wasn't going to be home until after mom got her cast off and could get around well enough to keep up with Josh, but she insists I be home for Chali's birthday. She has some people lined up to help out. I am nervous about leaving her though. I know she can handle herself, but Josh is another story. He is my kids times 10. I am trusting that God will provide and knows what the heck he is doing. =)

Mom and I started to get sick about 3 days ago. We both have colds. No fun. Yesterday, we all stayed in our pjs. The kids played most of the day by themselves. That is one huge thing we have to be thankful for...Karis and Josh get along really well. They played games, hide and seek, mommy and daddy and blocks all day. I feel a tiny bit better today. We are drinking lots and lots of cold care hot tea and honey. Well, looking at the computer makes my head hurt even worse, so I'm going to call it quits now. Hope everyone is well!

Update on my Mama and what's going on with us

Well, as some may already know, on Sept. 21st my Mama fell and broke her wrist and messed up her knee. She lives in a condo on the 3rd floor with no elevator AND has a 6 yr old (extremely active) foster son. I immediately figured out how to get Chali to and from school for the next 2 weeks, packed Karis and I up and made the 11 hour drive down (13 hrs for those of us with a 3 yr old in the car.) Jee and Kim are our lifesavers right now! I enrolled Chali into afterschool care and Jee and Kim are taking turns picking her up and helping Austin out when needed. How wonderful you two are! *muah!*

So, Mom is very fortunate to have wonderful neighbors who had been taking care of her. She and Joshua were staying with a retired couple on the first floor before I got here. Another neighbor had been taking Josh to and from school every day. She is still taking him most days. The day that I came Mom tried again to scoot up all 3 flights of stairs on her butt and made it! Geesh! She is all casted up on her right arm with a pretty blue waterproof cast. I keep telling her she needs to let me sign it! Haha! She has been rolling around the house in her office chair. Her neighbor gave her a cane to use and she has been getting around a little with the cane. However, she said today that the pain has not gotten any less. Tuesday she went back to the dr. and he said they needed to do an MRI b/c it's not getting any better. He thinks she may have a torn meniscus. Yesterday I took her for her MRI and we find out tomorrow what the results are. She asked about how long she would be out of work because, you know, those bosses, they like to know these things. He said the crystal ball says mmm at least 4 weeks or so. Oh boss lady is gonna love that.

Meanwhile, taking care of Joshua has been very challenging for me. He needs a whole different level of discipline that I have not really had to do much in my mama days. Joshua's been having a difficult time because his mother missed his first visitation last week and is now back in jail. He has not seen or talked to her since his birthday in mid August. So please, please pray for him and us.

Joshua and Karis have been having fun together though. Josh really loves to have someone to play with. (at all times) They are starting to bicker a little like brother and sister but it's very minimal. We bought some games to play with the kids and we don't think Joshua has ever really played games before...other than video games. He is loving it. He absolutely loves music! He asks every day, "I can turn the ipod on?" So several days ago, I said, "Let me see you dance." He just looked at me. So I said "Can you dance?" And THIS is what he does! We have a b-boy in the house! I apologize it's so dark. My phone doesn't have flash for video.

I asked him if he'd ever danced before and he said no. I cannot believe it! He is a natural! Mom wants to get him a little cd player for his room so he can just have at it whenever he wants. I have other videos of him dancing to Austin's and my song "Hanging" but they wont send because the file is too big. I need my card to transfer them onto, but of course it's in IN.

Chali and Jee are flying here tomorrow morning!!! I cannot wait! I have missed my Chay SO much! Phone conversations with her have been fun but I can't wait to kiss and hug her. The cutest thing though are the conversations between her and Karis. Overexcited and squeally "Hi Karis!" "Hi Chali!" "I miss you!" "I miss you too!" "I'm flying on a PLANE to see come see you!" "I know!" Oh I love it. Precious memories.

I will update tomorrow or this weekend when we find out the results.

Having such a blast!

"Wash Your Troubles Away"

Well, even though we are so exhausted between shows we can barely function, we are having so much fun with the show! Mom and Josh (my mom's foster son) came up this past weekend. We really enjoyed meeting him and spending time with him. He is such a cute kid! He just turned 6 but is smaller than Chali. Jen and I went to Goodwill and Salvation Army to find him some clothes (b/c they sent him with only the ones on his back.) But what slim pickings they have. We found a few items and it was like Christmas for him. His face lit up. So sweet.

Friday night was opening night and it went great! Everyone was pumped and it went so smoothly. Unfortunately, we have a few people in that are extremely ill and several of us getting over it. Our villian ended up in the ER on Saturday at 4:30am! He had been having an allergic reaction to the antibiotic they had put him on the week before! I cannot believe he was still making it through performances! I have mucho respect for that man! Saturday we took the kiddos to the zoo. Josh had never been to a zoo before. Of course we left the darn camera in the car. Poo. But they had a great time. And of course to follow tradition...Zesto's ice cream on the way home! yummy! Then home to pass out before the next show. Saturday night Mom, Josh, Trip and Jen came. Another great show! Josh had a blast! The show is very active and interactive. The audience is very much involved with this show, so Josh thought that was fun.

"Opal & Lavania"

We had brunch at Spyro's on Sunday, then Mom and Josh had to leave. =( Never enough time. And off to the theater we went again for a matinee show. We had several friends there on Sunday, including Chali's teacher Miss Miller as well as Ms. Jan, her teacher last year. We had another great show, despite poor "Phineas." Chali just swelled with pride as her teachers brought her flowers! I don't think I have seen her beam that much before. =) Thank you Ms. Jan and Miss Miller for making her day!

These are all the girlies in the show. Karis, Meiying, Grayson, Allison, and Chali.

Karis liked trying on my wig. It's about as long as she is tall. Lol.

We are excited about another weekend of perfoming coming up! But GRATEFUL for a few days off inbetween! Pray for Ed "Phineas" and other cast members to be feeling their best! Mama Zannie, Papa D, Aunt Donk and Uncle Andrew are coming this weekend. Yay!