Monday, April 30, 2007

Yay Ya Ya!!!!



On Friday, we had another sleepover!! Ya Ya came to spend time with us while her Mommy and Daddy moved them into their new home.


So- sadly Gabi accidently threw a cup -while the two were giggleing and joking in bed- right into Ya Ya's little face!! Poor kid has a fat lip!! Funny story- anyone who knows Allie (Ya Ya) knows that despite her pint size body THAT KID CAN EAT!!! She could easily eat me under the table anyday. Well, I grabbed a half bag of frozen corn to put on her lip (mind you this is at about 10:00 pm) and the next thing I know- she's munching on it! Yup, she's eating the frozen corn like it's M&M's! She would have finished off the bag if I would have let her!



Ava, Gabi, Allie, and Mya enjoy a chilly day at Sprindale!

Monday, April 23, 2007

I Must Confess....I Love to Google Myself

Have you ever googled someone? How about yourself? It's true- I LOVE to check myself out once in awhile. So many of my sites that come up are related to adoption-- I love that! and my job- if it weren 't for those two things I'd be un-google-able!! So I thought I'd put in my two favorite links which are both quotes from Adoptive Families magazine.







Sunday, April 22, 2007

My Biker Chick

What a beautiful Spring weekend we had! We took advantage of the nice weather spending as much time outside as possible. It's so amazing to me how many firsts we still have before us! Today, Gabi rode her FIRST big girl bike. She did pretty well, just needs to work on what those pedals are for!

Grandpa 'Due Helps Gabi Out

Saturday, April 21, 2007

A Visit With Gabi's Birthfamily

Today we had a FANTASTIC visit with Gabi's birthfamily! Cole couldn't make it, but the most of her siblings and all of her cousins were there, along with Grandma Kathy and Aunt Michelle.

Sunday, April 15, 2007

A Surprise Sleep Over!

Last night, Gabi was very lucky to have her second ever friend-sleep-over! It was un-planned, as she came to us so Mommy and Daddy could care for her sick brother.


It was so FUN! Emma is such a cute, well-behaved little girl! Gabi kept saying, "I'm practicing to be a big sister, honey" as she patted her head. At one point, Howie said to me "So this is what having two little ones will be like". Despite the craziness, and occasional "refereeing", I must say, I CAN'T WAIT!

Sunday, April 8, 2007

Poor Honey......

My baby is sick! It was such a long night. She started throwing up last night and continued through most of the night. This morning she brought some of her stuffed animals into the living room and fell asleep on the floor for several hours. Did I mention that this is a child that never sleeps outside of her own bed?

Saturday, April 7, 2007

Uncontrollable

One word to describe my life: uncontrollable. The problem with that is that I have spent years of my life tricking myself into thinking that I had total control over things. It was essential. I needed that feeling of control for my "safety". What now? Now that I face yet another month, another week, another day, another hour, another minute, another second, waiting. My heart aches. It's the unknown that gets me. If I just had something to grasp, to keep me a float while I await this due date that never comes. A due date. Life is measured in time. With a due date you know if you're early, or late, or perfectly on time. Without one there is no measure of your progress. No measure of how far you've come, and how much further you've to go.

I feel like have this secret life, my own personal hell....this is where I live:

I NEVER let more than 10 minutes pass without looking at my phone to make sure that I didn't miss a 716 call.

I JUMP with hopeless expectation EVERY time my phone rings. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

I can't walk through my own house without feeling like an inmate at San Quentin. The baby gear that sits unused glaring at me, taunting me reminds me that I am trapped, with my release in the hands of others.

I feel guilty many days because I should be happy with what God has given me. With that little angelic presence who said to me today, quite randomly: "If you weren't my Mommy, I would be so sad I wouldn't ever come out of my room."

I refuse to get our family pictures done because they will feel too empty.

I feel guilty because some days I think I spend more time thinking about the child that is to come, than the ones that are already here.

and then there was this one other thing. this one connection that felt so right. maybe it was going to lead to our child. maybe it wasn't. either way, i was okay with that. it was more about the force, the momentum with which innocent exchanges just made sense. where something beyond my control tells me to stick with it. the reason is not yet clear- it quite possibly has nothing to do with bringing our baby home. it doesn't matter. what matters is that something tells me this is important. this is significant. so i'm going to pay attention.

...at the Easter Parade...


We celebrated Easter one day early so that we could enjoy it with Nicki. Daddy and Gabi put on a wonderful Easter parade for our enjoyment! Like Gabi's pj's? If you look closely you will see that they are completely mis-matched- at her insistence. She definitely marches to the beat of a different drum and I wouldn't want it any other way!! :)

Friday, April 6, 2007

Announcing....Miss Gabriella

Gabi had dance pictures on Thursday so I took that opportunity to get some pics of her in The Dress.....As if I ever need an excuse to take her picture? Wasn't one of her first words "cheeeese"???

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Beyond myself....

Today I have been feeling down. I called the other agency we were talking to, and learned that the potential birth mom has chosen to parent. I wasn't surprised, just disappointed. I find myself yearning for this baby to arrive. To be able to spend the rest of my life nurturing and growing this amazing being. To be there for all the "firsts", and seconds, and thirds..... So as I was feeling down and allowing myself to indulge in a little self pity it occurred to me; she won't get to see these things. As I am suspended in this "waiting" phase, so is she. She only gets to spend nine months nurturing and growing this amazing being. I imagine what she must be feeling. Whether she is in her 4th week or her 40th, she is also waiting. Her wait must be infinitely harder than mine. I need to look beyond myself. Beyond my yearnings and imagine hers. So wherever you may be, I admire you, I believe in you, and I ache for you.

Monday, April 2, 2007

To Anonymous.......

I am going out on a limb here, and I know that. I can't help it. I have been thinking about you. Wondering. I hope you will return to my blog and read this. I hope you will not be offended. Please feel free to contact me privately at terilynnh2000@aol.com.

Sunday, April 1, 2007

A Common Thread (**Warning- it's a bit "deep" I'm feeling philosophical




Yesterday was amazing. It was FABULOUS! We hosted our second annual Easter Egg Hunt for families touched by adoption. All of the families (about 15 total in attendance!!) have adopted through STAR. The oldest STAR "babies" -the fab 3- Mackenzy, Allie, and Gabi- will all turn four soon. I think the youngest was about 2 months old! Justin was actually the oldest child in attendance- he is a "big brother in waiting"...he was great with the young ones- I think I even saw him smile a few times! At one point, my heart skipped a beat as I looked into our bedroom where we were storing coats and such, and saw three infant car seats in a row. It was beautiful! What a miracle adoption is!!! I loved watching the children play, Innocent to the common thread that weaves them together. One day, they may find comfort in one another- knowing they share the bond of adoption. More likely, if they are like their mommies and daddies, it will be so much more than that. Adoption will be what brought them together, but I hope they will find they have developed friendships that supersede where their "stories" began.