Happily Ever After...

How did you spend your weekend? I am betting it was better than mine! Our plan for Saturday was to go to soccer, watch Aria get her medal for completing the class, and paint stripes in the dining room. Sounds simple enough, right? Instead, as we headed to soccer, I had chest pains that were radiating up to my neck. Not so great of a start to my day. As we pulled in to the soccer field, we realized that we better head to the ER, and a VEERRRY long story short, I was admitted to the hospital for the weekend. Oh joy! All the times I have longed for a quiet room all to myself, and I got one (be careful what you wish for, right?)    With a very nice view of a brick wall. More like a prison ward. With torture every few hours of the day and night in the form of tests and needle sticks. Horrible food. Ugly Pj's Bad service- I hate to say most of the nurses weren't very friendly. No toiletries. ( I am sorry I ever took toothpaste, deodorant and facewash for granted.) And my worst nightm...

Gianna turned 2 last month, and each day she says a new word or phrase that is totally new for her.  I absolutely LOVE this phase! She has had my jaw drop on more than one occasion by something she said, that I didn't know she could. Today, I had her on my sink and was finishing putting in her hairbows, and she looks in in the mirror, smiles, and says, " OOOOO, I CUTE!" Why, yes, yes, you are sweetie, but how do YOU know that??? She makes me smile.

We are trying to work on potty training Gianna. By trying, I mean: Only when I feel like cleaning up a puddle on the floor, only when I have time to give her an extra bath or two, and only when we are on non- carpeted surfaces. At this rate, she will be potty trained by the ripe ol' age of 10! The other day, I had her in undies, and she started peeing while SCREAMING: " I DROP IT, I DROP IT!!" Hysterically laughing, I run for paper towels and bleach, and she SLIPS while standing there and is, not hurt, but COVERED in pee! Yummy! I carry her to the kitchen sink, when the phone rings. Why I answered, I have no idea, but my friend Mary hears Gianna screaming at the injustice of it all, I am laughing so hard I can barely breathe while Aria is hollering loudly, "BOGEY IS WALKING THROUGH THE PEE!!!" Once the water was running, Gianna decided she'd rather NEVER leave the sink, so I grabbed my camera and got some great shots of her enjoying the water. Never a dull...

"It is the blessing of the LORD that makes rich, And He adds no sorrow to it." Prov 10:22 As I have been thinking about this verse I think of all the blessings in my life, and can't help but be overwhelmed by all I have been given.. I spent the morning having my hair brushed by my girls, playing dress up and ENJOYING my time with my babies. What a HUGE blessing! When the boys were little, I had to babysit to supplement our income, and I never had time to get everything done, much less have a leisurely morning playing without a care in the world.  When we requested a child with a  serious medical condition, Greg told me it was time to retire. I spent the last few months with just Aria before we traveled to China. I am so thankful for the blessing of being a stay at home mommy for the first time in 22 years of marriage. I am not sitting in a quiet house. I have dishes to do, fingerprints to clean off the windows, and loads of little pink dresses waiting to be washed. My tab...

Gianna needs to be fully comfortable( and contained) in her big girl bed before our upcoming BIG surgery this summer(ish).  So we headed out to shop for the perfect bedroom for our little princess. And I found it!!!!  Daddy bought her the  very best mattress available to support her sweet back( temperpedic). He was so sweet at the store, he took his car keys and laid on every mattress with them behind his back to simulate Gianna's protruding rods. It reminded me of the "Princess and the Pea"story. What a loving Daddy she has! So this morning, sniff, we took down our LAST  baby crib... I didn't have too much time to wallow as to" where the time has gone", because the door bell rang to deliver our little princess' new suite...... Her pumpkin carriage awaits, complete with a  lavender satin comforter set.  Since she will be spending a lot of time recovering from surgeries in the next 10- 15 years, we wanted her to feel like royalty. She is a princess after ...

We talk about the girl's adoption on a very regular basis, because we want them to continually be assured of the plan of God for their lives. This week, in the car, we were talking about going to China last year and adopting Gianna, and how God has one baby sister for us, but has more brothers and sisters for other families.... Just checking to make sure she really grasped the concept, I asked: " Aria, are your brothers adopted?" "No Mommy, but they can stay anyway." Alrightythen!  Apparently adoption ranks a little higher in her book than birth. Guess I can scratch "proud to be adopted" off the to-do list:) "...For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord,  "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future..."    Jeremiah 29:11

While we were busy projecting, the girls got, ahem, a little creative in playing. Aria didn't forget Gianna's back, and surrounded her sissy with stuffed animals. ( None of which actually ended up behind her to protect her back, but its the thought that counts!) Gianna rode all over the house AND they stayed busy for hours.... What a fun idea!