One word...

Introducing...The Boy!

Kristine...that lucky bitch...had one of the easiest deliveries ever. I suppose she deserved the break since her pregnancy was so miserable but I still resent it just the tiniest bit. (Did I mention that I pushed for over 3 hours with Landen???? OVER THREE hours...yep...you heard me right!)

She went in to be induced at 5 am this morning and she had him around noon. We visited a little after 7 pm and she looked fabulous. Not a hair out of place...full of energy...happy. Almost makes me want to try this again myself...ok...maybe not.

Now...would you just look at the tiny, precious boy...I'm smitten.

Blog Giveaways!

Some dear cyber-friends of mine are participating in a bloggy

giveaway and I just love what they're offering...so I'm sure you will

too! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on THEIR site (not here, although you could send some love my way too and I won't complain). Both of these ladies traveled to China when we did and brought their daughters home too. First of all...look at these darling handmade hair bows that Tonni is giving away.

And then there's my dear cyber-twin, Melissa W. (who, BTW, has lost 55 pounds recently! Whoo-hoo! Way to go, Meliss!). Melissa W. is giving away some gorgeous handmade earrings.

Interesting quote...

from author, Toni Morrison on Barack Obama, who she says has...

"creative imagination which coupled with brilliance equals wisdom."

Raining men...

well not actually but we did have a shower for my dear friend, Kristine, yesterday. Kristine is about to give birth to The Boy (as I have gotten accustomed to calling him). We held the shower at the coffee house that Kristine and her husband, Scott, own...Larry's home away from home, Bella Vita. Lovely food, lovely friends...really...this is the stuff of life!

Isaac's first...

girlfriend????

Yes...it's true. My handsome 10-yr old...you know, the one with the big brown eyes and eyelashes out to here? He has a girlfriend. Well, as much of a girlfriend as you can have in fifth grade. They're "going out". What a stud my little man is.

Pictured to the left is pal, Zack, and Isaac sitting on the stairs doing their "I'm-t00-sexy-for-my-shirt" dance. I'm pretty sure the "going out" negotiations took place over the phone and involved some friend-interventions.

My Inner Rock Chick...

I'm a sucka for quizzes...

You Are Sheryl Crow!

Down to earth with tons of creative energy When you talk, everyone can relate to you "Life springs eternal On a gaudy neon street Not that I care at all"

Who's Your Inner Rock Chick?

Favorite Quotes from Today

from Landen (my almost 14-yr old after describing an idea he had)-

"It sounded cooler inside my head."

from Emma (my 9 yr old...in a handwritten note on My Little Pony paper with little pink hearts expressing how much she hates me and her older brother right now because we won't give in to her little tantrum)-

"I feel like crying but I ran out of tears. From, Your daughter that hates you!"

Talk about drama queen...

Best laid plans...

I had high hopes for all the house work I would accomplish today after being down with some stomach yuck. Somehow, with missing snow boots, a drive to the school to search for them, a run-in with a certain son's teacher who informed me of some important missing homework, an hour and 1/2 of walking said son through the homework assignment, throwing a certain un-named preschooler into the tub because she drew all over her arms with ballpoint pen, scrubbing aforementioned arms until they were raw so that she wouldn't show up at preschool tomorrow looking like she has a mother who only eats bon-bons all day while her children run wild ( I mean, real-ly. I only do that on Tuesdays.), and then realizing I better get dinner going so my children won't starve since I have to take one of them to small group at 6 and then get myself to worship rehearsal...it just didn't happen.

(Random Pet Peeve Statement: By the way, WORLD, I just used "myself" in the previous sentence the correct way...I am so frustrated with the way people use that word in place of "me"!!! Even on the news, in presidential debates, sermons, in books...it's criminal.)

Oh crap... I just remembered that I have to make lunches.

Waiting Child Adoption

Many of you know that we found our daughter, Maddie, on a waiting child list almost three years ago. Because the subject is very near and dear, I wanted to share this post with you. Amy Eldridge of Love Without Boundaries has graciously given me permission to repost this from her blog.

A friend on the Waiting Child list posted this quote by Martin Luther King, Jr today: "The day our lives begin to end is the day we remain silent about things that matter."

It sure is easier to remain silent, isn't it? It sure is easier to live in our comfortable homes and think that the most important issue of the day is where we want to go out to eat that night or whether we can get our kids to soccer practice on time. It sure is easy to not think outside our own little space. Does it matter that millions of children around the world live every single day without a mother or father to care for them? Does it matter that so many orphaned children with medical needs don't have access to the healthcare that could improve their lives? Does it matter that many are unable to go to public school? Or that they go to bed each night feeling that their special need might define them for the rest of their lives? I think those who love children would say it matters greatly.
The woman who posted the quote went on to say: "Let's not keep silent about the things that matter..... all these precious children who need love. " I hope everyone whose life has been touched by the miracle of adoption chooses to be vocal and encourages those around them to consider building a family in this wonderful way. Those of us who track the waiting children lists often watch child after child have their adoption files returned without being chosen. I looked up the opposite of "chosen" online, and the word that I saw made me cringe. Did you know the opposite of chosen is "rejected?" What an awful word that is.
It is a sad reality that thousands of children around the world each year are abandoned. We all wish that wasn't the case. But for many... there is still hope. The staff in their orphanages who care for them prepare their files and send them forward with the hope of a new family. But for some, particularly the boys....no one ever comes forward. The time goes by and their files are returned without being chosen. The hope of a family is gone.
Right now on so many great agency lists....there are children who are waiting and who have not been chosen. It is hard to believe that with millions of potential parents in the United States, that there isn't a family for every child who shows up on an adoption list. We know adoption is expensive. We know it is most definitely a leap of faith. But all of us at LWB believe completely that every child born deserves to know what it really means to be loved. And when there is a will to become a parent, there is almost always a way....whether it is through domestic adoption or international.
Let's not keep silent about the fact that so many orphaned children are waiting for homes. Have you seen Winter on Small World's list? (see photo to the right) She DOES NOT DESERVE to be orphaned for the rest of her life. Her smile tells us all that she is child, who if just given the chance, will accomplish great things in this world. Have you seen BumbleBee boy on CWA'slist? What family wouldn't love to tuck him in at night? Or little Dallas with CHI, whose caregivers wrote: "We all love him and wish him to have a beautiful future." (note from Melissa: Dallas's information is available by password. If you would like the information, just comment below and I will make sure you get it)These precious children and so many more are waiting right now for a family to choose them for their own.
Help spread the news that so many kids are waiting for homes. You never know.... the person you tell might have been praying that very day for a way to become a parent. The majority of people around us have absolutely no idea that so many children wait. Let's not be silent.... because every child on this earth truly does matter.

Oh no...not again...

I have a stomach virus for the second time since Dec. 31st. I hate this feeling.

Mini-Roar

Today I had an expected surprise. A few months ago I took the advice of Writer Mama (from her wonderful book, Writer Mama: How To Raise A Writing Career Alongside Your Kids) and started looking at writing some "filler" pieces and submitting them. Well, being the busy mom that I am, I didn't get very far but I did submit one little blurb to Today's Christian (a publication by Christianity Today). It was a comic piece for their Kids in the Kingdom column. I e-mailed my submission and promptly forgot all about it. (I guess I didn't follow Christina's advice on tracking submissions very well!)

Anyway, today I got an envelope in the mail. Inside were two copies of the January/February 2008 issue of Today's Christian with a notecard saying, "Thank you for your contribution. See page 7". So, I did and there was my little anecdote! But it wasn't over yet...I looked inside the envelope and there was a $35 check! My first writing paycheck!!! Whoo-hoo!

Does that make me an official Writer Mama?

I think I need these...

t-shirts...

(click on them to go the site!)

Big Butt = Smart Kids!

Who knew???

"Smart ass" has a whole new significance for me now. Thank you, Dana, for the link! I knew this cellulite would use it's power for good someday...
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2008/01/04/fortin.hfh.curvy.women.cnn

Girls Scouts: Handmaidens of Satan

Why else would they make their cookie season during the month of January when fat, chubby, or simply fluffy people are trying desperately to lose weight? What fresh hell is this?

By the way, your orders are in.

Time With My Kids...

I've had fun with my kids in the last couple days. Last night the elementary school had a dance where the kids could bring their families. I ended up taking Isaac and Emma and we had a blast. I loved watching how uninhibited they can be in the right surroundings. There was also the added pleasure of seeing Isaac grow up...before the dance he showered, brushed his teeth and put on deodorant! He and his friends spent the entire night showing off for the other fifth grade girls...all taller than them, of course! (pictured l. to rt.: some 6th grader girl, anonymous boy, Isaac-wearing the brown shirt with stripes, Tyler, Zack, and them some 5th grade girls). Emma danced with her friends all night long and really had fun helping a little first grader enjoy herself (pictured l. to rt.: Emma, Katie-the 1st grader, and Jenny, our neighbor and Emma's friend).





Jenny, Emma S. and my Emma rockin' out!





Isaac tried his hand at break-dancing!



Today Maddie asked me if she could give me a make-over. I guess I've had "What Not To Wear" on a little too much lately. She got out her play makeup from Christmas, a squirt bottle (for my hair) and all the hair do-dads she could find. Every so often she would say, "Ok...I'm done. Now pretend you're another person." Then she'd grab toilet paper (clean toilet paper!) and wipe all the lip gloss off and start again. I think I ended up with more lip gloss in my mouth than on my lips but, hey, my finger nails have glitter!!!

Every Bad Girl Does An Emo-dance

Can you guess what I'm going?? Yep...time for this singer to learn to accompany herself with more than a one finger piano part...so...Every Bad Girl Does An Emo-dance (EBGDAE).

Enter stage left: Jess Strantz (ROCK ON!)


Jess attempts to teach Melissa her first guitar lesson all while spouting advice about toughing up finger tips by holding your fingers over a flame and then testing the callouses later with needles... (sidebar: kids, do NOT try this at home! Especially MY kids!)





Center stage under mounting pressure to perform: Melissa, sticking her tongue out at 20 + years of procrastination and trying to figure out how to hold the guitar with boobs in the way. (Please take note of the way rad Invisible Children shirt...one of my Christmas presents.)

The Year of the "F" Word

I am staring down a deadline. For about two months I've been letting it paralyze me...or so I thought. What I've realized is that while I may have felt immobilized I was in all actuality bowing down to the god of fear and regret. Well...I'm done. Look for more updates over the coming days, weeks and months as kick this idol in the ass (with the Holy Spirit's help, of course)!

One foot of snow and counting!

Happy Snowy New Year! I spent New Year's Eve in bed just sicker than I've felt in a very long time. Apparently this flu thing has been making the rounds and it finally found the Baldwin Bungalow.

Larry made sure I had some crackers and ginger ale and also made sure the kids had everything they needed for some New Years Eve fun!

Today we watched the snow fall and I annointed the house with Lysol! We've had a foot of snow...the kids have really enjoyed it... Landen plowed our front walk way so we could get to the door.

Isaac and his friends built tunnels and forts in the middle of the cul-de-sac.

Maddie helped shovel, then played in the snow with Emma where they built a tunnel around our tall grasses.