I might be a Reject...but I have great friends!

Remember the crazy blinged-up sling we did for Mary Claire with a monkey and imperfectly-spaced rhinestones?  Well..my friend Jenifer had rotator cuff surgery a week ago, and we had to Bling her Sling! : )

For the first one, I just monogrammed it-very preppy with navy and hot pink-too sweet!

And then.  Before Bunco tonight, I loaded up a (really glitzy, sequined-appropriate for the occasion, don'tcha think?) bag with my iron, and blingy iron-ons and rhinestones! : )  I got to Candace's house (our lovely host), and heated up the iron.  (She can't really be without a sling, so we have to keep them close to her-she wore the monogrammed one while I blinged the rockstar one:

This is the only pix I got!  We were just enjoying the moment, and I never took my own picture!  Can you see the sequined guitar, the glittery Rock Star words and star, and wild rhinestones?  Perfect for a night out with the girls!

We had so much fun today, shopping at Hobby Lobby, lunch with little Ethan at Jose's (we were so hoping for Doug to notice we were there-Jen even "checked us in" there for a free dessert!  but he didn't notice till this evening.), and blinging, and Bunco.  Precious moments with friends are SO worth the time (and the hair washing, at least ten clothing changes, getting out of slippers, forgetting the chocolate cake calories, and braving the chilly cold!).  Thank you, God, for friends and honesty...

I emailed my "paragraph" that I intended to send into Bethany Christian Services to my friend (yeah, that preliminary application I sent in last night?), and I asked for her honest opinion.  I won't quote her, but I laughed!  She said she was glad I loved kids, but I might be moved really low on the list! : )  She said, "they don't make loving, peaceful, caring kids!"  "Don't you remember Mary Claire's colic??" (ha-yes!  I also remember ALL of my kids having at least a month-long bout with that crazy "illness" that drives you over the edge with panic, worry, and hair loss.  It is NOT fun.  But we made it through!  I think I meant to convey we couldn't handle drug-withdrawal babies.  I did complement it with my desire for any race (biracial included), and my insurance company's acceptance of all pre-existing conditions.  But, that wasn't enough-we'll be last on the list (if we get any further!  Ha!).  I LOVE a friend who can give me what I need-honesty included!  I love that we know each other well enough to ask, and to give those hard words.  Even if I don't get a baby due to my stupidity, at least I can be thankful for knowing why! : )

I gotta get you a picture of this game my friend Susan got for Ethan-we've been playing it most days.  It is murderous and hilarious all at once.  It's called Smashed Potatoes (by Play-doh):

You make these little potato people in these forms, then you start on the bag of potatoes.  Spin the spinner, and move along little dinner plates.  If you land on the Mash spots, and your playmates land on the green squish spinner spot, they get to mash everyone (on Mash spots) into french fries, waffle fries, scissor them up, or chop them with a green knife!  (you can also choose not to butcher your playmates, sweet afterthought).  If you die, you go back and get molded into a new potato.  So, you are back to square one plate one.

Ethan laughs hilariously when he gets to chop them up, but they have faces, and he just cuts them in two!  My job is the potato-maker.  He likes to have a small army of at least three of each color, at the ready.  I really love the game, but can you imagine being the inventor-lets cut up the little kids' potatoes!  (bahahahaha..Evil Laugh)

I love the game, would totally play it a million more times, and might even get if for another little boy, but girl..probably not!  She might cry when her sweet little purple potato gets the ax.  (and mine wears a bow)  Sadness.

Can I add that we just checked Mary Claire's blood for her midnight check (I know it's only 11:30, but we are tired, People!), and get this: she was 100!  First.  Time.  Ever.  We are real Rock Stars!!! : )  Sometimes the stars line up!  About every 6.6 years?

Broken Angel

Where to start...
We did have a wonderful three-day weekend with the kids-we had some eating out, some crazy running around the house-inside and out-every day, Isabella's birthday party (and I got to catch up with Tiffany-due in February with her fourth adorable baby!), church, Mary Claire had BSI with her friend, and today we got to play with Veronica and her precious babies!  (well, they are four and almost two, but so cute-they are little, so they are still babes to me-like Ethan).

We had Mary Claire's endocrinology appointment-and we didn't go to Little Rock!  We switched a few months ago to an endocrinologist in Northwest Arkansas, and today was our first appointment back with him (it's been two years since we've seen him!).  He's not a pediatric endocrinologist, but he is close to us, and Mary Claire is older now.  We went over her health, her sites, a new lancet (but it was by One Touch, and we aren't switching till they have one that only requires .3 microLiters. In my opinion, .5 to .6mL is just too much blood!!) (and their strips are not consistent-it takes almost two strips-and sometimes six or seven-to get one blood sugar reading-you get errors, too little blood, etc.) (I've been doing this for 6 3/4 years-I know what I'm doing-and One Touch still sucks.)  Gosh, back on track.. then we talked about his kids, and his adoption a couple years ago, right before we went back to Little Rock.

He adopted two adorable little girls (sisters), and they are thriving.  We veered into adoption, foster care, friends and people he knows caring for kids of Northwest Arkansas.  He encouraged us to get trained on caring for foster children, and we could offer to take in kids with diabetes, since we are so familiar, and definitely not scared.  It is a lot to consider, but Mary Claire is praying for a sweet girl just like her, and we don't know how God intends to answer her prayer.  We are open.

We know a little girl who struggles with her diabetes, and her family loves her, but it's tough, and she's been in the hospital, and I just think, we could take care of her.  I don't want to ask her dad to give her up, ..BUT.  There are other kids just like her, and after repeated poor care, they are removed from their homes.  There is usually no one equipped to care for them!  Can you imagine adjusting to care of a new child plus a new disease?  It'd only be one for us.


Anyway, then we had to go to the lab to get Mary Claire's blood drawn.  She was not prepared for it, and she cried.  Two years is a big difference.  Two years ago, she got her blood work done-I thought she'd be petrified, but she watched them draw the blood!!  Today, she was low right before we went to the lab, and just cried.  I felt so bad for her, but it was something I couldn't do for her.  I had brought four tiny cookies (Nestle's Minis), two for each of us after the appointment (so she'd have good blood sugar while we were there!), and I told her she could have one of mine too after the labwork.  (Big Girl Momma giving up a cookie..only for my baby! heehee)  She still cried, and said she just wanted to go home.  (Broke. My. Heart.)  She made it through, and I actually watched the blood draw-it was much less scary/creepy than I thought it would be-no messy squirting, leaking out, etc.  Then she had to give a urine sample, and it made her cry too.  What a hard life for an eight-year-old.  One arm was broken and in a sling, and the other had a band-aid and cotton ball taped across it.  Both were sore, so I helped her use the cup and go to the bathroom.  Stressful Day for her.  Glad she is safe and warm in bed now.

On the adoption front..
This weekend we also requested information from Bethany Christian Services (local adoption agency).  Just this evening, I filled out the preliminary form.  If they liked what I wrote (and my info?), they'll send me the Bethany Statement of Faith, and the Personal Statement of Faith (I guess they are different?), then if they like those, they'll tell us when and where their next adoption informational meeting is. (it's top-secret, undisclosed to outsiders!)  I'll keep you posted.  We are praying for God's hand to be on it if His will is there.


I didn't submit the Waiting Child application to Great Wall of China from last week, since they all ask if you've applied with anyone else, when, and the results.  I don't think they'll consider us if we are already working with another agency, understandably.
Oh!  I totally forgot to tell you-I called Great Wall of China on Friday afternoon, and we had a misunderstanding over email before.  Ches is not too old to apply for a healthy infant from China!  It will still be a 54-month wait, but we can proceed.  We are debating on local vs. international adoption, and we'll see how it pans out.  We could really do both-since it'd be so far apart in time! :)

Ches went back to the dermatologist today, and got some things burned off his head.  They are only pre-cancerous, so not to worry.  They are hurting him, but we are so glad he's keeping up with them.  Wear Sunblock, young people!! (well, you old people should too. :)

Most Honest Quote This Weekend:
"I didn't break it this time."
Ethan to me after he slid down the stair rail with his huge fluffy dragon costume in his hand, raking off all the stuff in its way-a tall box with lock, bird cage, wicker balls, a glass lamp, and my angel on a stand-the one he broke the wing off yesterday doing the same thing.  I fixed it last night (using super glue and masking tape to hold it together overnight).

Extra Information:
I still have some Christmas garland and lights up.  I make green tea every day (and drink a quart a day!).  I love skinny cheetos (and throw away the fat ones-somehow, in my mind they have less cheese per square inch of surface area).  We are considering building again.  Mary Claire's A1c (three-month blood sugar) was 7.6-higher than I like, but okay.  It lets us know how much damage her blood sugar is doing to her body (blood vessels), and what her average is overall.

Facelift, Anyone?

Oh my goodness!  I'm so ready for a great Blog-Facelift!  I have a blogging friend who got a great facelift (it is absolutely amazing, and I'm so happy for her, it was also lovely before, but so precious-check it out!), and I am ready to seek out her great people, Designer Blogs!  Their work is amazing.  I have to say I have tried my best to "fancy" mine up, but I can't do all the little buttons and titles and signatures, but follow them, and they'll teach you some tricks!
Just wait, I'll have newness for you soon enough! : )  (unless there's a long wait..)
They are also having a sale and a giveaway!  Click the link above, and read all about it!

TGIF, people!  My kids home for three days, a birthday party, an endocrinology appointment (pray for a great A1c please!!), and Ches' checkup at the dermatologist's office to check to make sure he has no more little cancers on his head/ears.  He can't stay off the bike, so he has to sunblock his head (his helmet has air slits-enough to burn his head!) and ears even in the winter!  Lord, we pray you watch over our family and heal them physically!  and bless us in the waiting.

And..speaking of waiting!  My sweet kids can find anything to busy themselves.  We were at Sam's..waiting on our van..and our favorite is their book section!  Ethan just makes himself at home.  I'm sorry, did you need to get your huge cart through here?

Look!  The boat moves!

Can I consider myself really blessed that my kids *love* to read!?  Clay is deep in his book (nonfiction, usually!)

Ahhh..look what she found!  An American Girl party set.  It has supplies for four different parties!  Why can't we get it NOW?  She got some money for her grades, but this was $39.99!  Umm..sweet girl, you don't have enough.

Keep saving?  Yep, you'll get there!

Ahh..books tonight with Ethan, I got to see my desk (the wood surface, people!)  Ha, I'm positively giddy!  I know, I'll take a picture, but I'm not quite done.  I got new folders, and need to make new labels for them, I'm almost there.  Don't you just love the fresh start we get in January?

here are my humble cans all hard at work.  I also got a fat jar for all my Sharpies-all 25 of them!  I *heart* colored markers, pens, pencils, crayons...

I'm switching back to manila folders to calm the color.  And maybe I'll take the label off the little storage caddy?  haha!

notice there's some s-p-a-c-e in there?  Ahh..room to grow. (and get more books!) heehee

(Maybe I should put away my Christmas decorations?  Nah, I'll get to them.  I just love my desk!)  I should definitely pace myself. : )

 I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever.

Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it.

Ecclesiastes 3:14

Waiting Princess

Ahh..precious days.  Makes all that crazy running around a joke! (but not really.)  Here is his newest track set up.  In my room.  I think he prefers it small and manageable.  He can reach everything.  He also likes it at my feet (and I do too-he plays better and longer!).

Mary Claire lost another tooth-this was for the Tooth Fairy to take a rest and have a snack!  (Umm..we are assuming she eats plastic food?)

And she was OvErJoYeD that we were in her room playing Barbies yesterday!

She even wanted to take my picture..but guess who didn't want their picture taken??  Hahahaha!

And we found Isabella a perfect game!  She loves princesses, her real birthday is today, and she's a big FIVE years old. I just adore her!

You are traveling to the enchanted castle, collecting gems and drawing friend cards.  Sounds fun to me!

All wrapped up, and guess what I added to the bow...

A Shrinky Dink!  I just went into Microsoft Word, typed a capital "I", made the font huge (350 pt!), printed, and traced it.  (and decorated it, of course!)

More sending love to my kids..I photocopied more of my "stationery" Mary Claire and I made, and colored them!  They are going to school in lunch boxes tomorrow.  Love those little people! : )

We worked on Ethan's thank you notes today-he gave me some words to say, picked out paper and bows, and wanted green writing, but didn't write in them!  I even told him he could scribble in green, but he's left-handed and not so good at writing.  We are working on how to spell his name, and he can get as far as "E, Cross" and knows it ends in "N".  Only two more letters to go! : )

Totally a side note.  I got frustrated at my desk today (messy is not an adequate word), so I got crafty.  I needed new pencil/marker/pen cups.  I dug through two trash bags to find three cans (yes, really) and washed and dried them really well.

I wrapped coordinating papers around them, some ribbon and jute string, then added labels with scripture and my favorite, Philippians 4:13!

I'm still working on my desk..it's a work in progress.  To make a short story long (which I'm really good at), I'm trying to clean my slate to start fresh (January and all), and I have been trying to think what I could do to take away all my twin memories and let it all go.  Forgive I guess.  I took down all my ultrasound pictures, put away my calendars, and shelved all the twin and baby books out of sight.  They've been on a shelf above my desk for almost a year, and it's time to move on.  I bought a new (pink!) Bible for me (I haven't had a new one since before Mary Claire was born, and it's all marked up-I need to start really fresh.), and we are starting a new Bible Study on February 1.
We've decided to go ahead and enter a Waiting Child application with Great Wall of China.  It means we'll get an existing child (maybe) who needs a forever home.  They won't be a newborn, and it's only after reading and choosing, but we'd still love a child.  We are thinking we could even see if there's another little girl with Type I Diabetes.  Mary Claire keeps praying for a little girl, sweet and cute just like her (her words), and maybe that's what we need.  So sweet, she needs insulin.
Pray for us as we take the road less-traveled.  The will of God won't take us where the grace of God won't protect us.  I think we'll just keep praying and listen as we go.  We won't stop trying to have our own child, but I can't keep focusing on my cycle-I'll go nuts!

James 1:13 God does not tempt men.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9

And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond

what you can bear.  1 Corinthians 10:13

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Deuteronomy 31:6

No, I didn't forget! 

Here is our Winner!!

Hallie over at theprincessandthepump.com wins a $25 CSN.com gift certificate!

Hallie, I'll send your code over via email, thanks for playing everyone!! : )