Happy 3rd Birthday Tator!

Yesterday the baby turned 3...it started off and ended with day full of everything that Nathan loves...

Poptarts for breakfast...

Hot dogs, Chips, French Fries, Milk and Pop for dinner (yes, I let him have a teeny glass 1/2 full of pop)

After taking him out for supper for another favorite - pizza - we came home for cake, ice cream and presents.

Of course Nate would not touch his cake...

But as you can see, he was beyond thrilled with the look of it (love the choo-choos!)

What I think is the most hysterical is really, the best present of the night was a the card that Nick picked out for him - it was one of those musical cards - Madagascar theme singing "I like to move it move it" - Nate LOVED it and seriously, I don't even know how many times we got to hear that last night!

...notice the card has not left his hands...

Happy Birthday baby - we love you so much!

Snow #2

So the next day we had gotten more snow (two 'snow days' called after that evening) and this time we had such a fun time...making a snowman, a fort and sledding up and down our very little hill (hey, it works for them!).  We were all so wet (very heavy wet snow) so it was time to head in and Nate was so peeved - I think he could have stayed outside all night.  It's not often we see him so happy and that was fun to see!

Snow #1

Because there was so much snow on the ground (see below) we just had to get outside and play!

Thanksgiving

Frustrated...with the system and myself

So I'm home for lunch - getting supper in the crock pot, checking email, checking blogs...and a gal I know of (don't know her well) just blogged that they have their adopted daughters file in their possesion.  They started with the same country we are with in July of last year...and they have HER.  Theirs.  Just over a year.

and. i'm. frustrated.

I think that me be putting it mildly...because while they are with a different agency than us and everyone sets different peramiters, we are hearing back from others that they have waited OVER 12 MONTHS (really more like 14mos, 16mos etc) for their children.

how is this possible?

How can we all be adopting from the same country and have such DRASTICALLY different wait times.

so i'm frustrated...i'm doubting God's timing and I'm not sharing in the joy of this aqaintaince who has seen her daughter for the first time...and that is not like me...but it doesn't stop the 5 year old in me from thinking "It's my turn!"

Prayers for acceptance and joy and patience...I guess that's all I can ask for....

Update...

Wow...is it time for an update or what!

No time for pictures...let's get too it...

*  Water For Christmas - one day - $30,000 plus - AMAZING!  Wonderful!  Thank you!

huge slide down from that...read on if you will

*  We had a cat...for all of two weeks (maybe a skoch more than that) named Cinder...beautiful approx 2 mo. old black cat that was almost ran over by my co-worker and came to live with us.  Crazy cat that loved to pick fights (could be the age - who knows, she and Halley ((dog)) had fun though) and bite.  Nate hated her - too much invading of personal space for him and I realized I just don't have the patience or the time for cats after having children.  So Cinder went off to a friends farm - seriously she did - and is now known as Trixie.  Laugh it up...it's true!

*  Went away for a girls weekend with some friends last weekend - so much fun, such good memories - love those gals!!

*  Had a great Thanksgiving with my 3 guys yesterday - did the bird, the potatoes, the stuffing - well, really Brian did, I did the gravy and drank a glass of wine - all in all, a great meal and a great day!

*  Nicholas is being this amazing boy these past two weeks...very helpful and trying new things willingly...just amazing...  So my big guy and I starting putting up the tree and the Christmas decor yesterday...still have a ways to go...but love that Nicker man for always wanting to be there!

*  Going a little stir crazy in the house today - laundry and the usual cleaning - Brian went hunting - needed to GET OUT so we braved the "eating out with young children" and went out for Chinese (I know, what the heck were we thinking - the least we could have done was found a place with a grilled cheese sandwich right?)...but actually it went REALLY well.  I think the kids were as couped up as I was.  We enjoyed our meal immensely!

*  After supper we went to pick up a couple of movies (wild and crazy guys that we are!).  Let the boys stay up late then sat down to watch a cute movie about love, relationships and marriage...not a real blockbuster, but cute (and really, our options were SO limited).  So after the movie was done I couldn't help myself, turned to Brian and asked "So, was I your safe bet?" and his answer to me - verbatim - was "YOU?  Yeah, about as safe as a heart attack!" which cracked me up.  I for one, am taking this as a compliment.  Love you too babe!

So that's about it...will follow up with pictures in good time...

Water For Christmas...Friday, November 13th

I'm at a loss for words...

I feel that my babies deserve the best of everything I can give them...

...and these babies do too.

I feel that for some, once your are a mother, you can't help but have your eyes opened to all of the children that need love, attention or just a moment for one person to see what a wonder a joy they really are.

These children need more than that.

They need water.  Wonderful, lifegiving water.

Go HERE to donate.

To help these people.

To change the world.

To change yourself.

Pictures provided by Jody Landers. 

Go HERE to read more about her trip to Liberia last week with charity: water.