Check out my Slide Show! June 27, 2007

"First" Day of Summer Pics.....

Each year, on or about the first day of summer we travel to Hamlin Beach for a "photo shoot" of the Gabster. Can it really be that this is our 3rd year doing so???


2005 Age 1 2006 Age 2
2007- Age 3

These are the Days....

I LOVE these days. I love watching Gabi explore the world through her eyes. She doesn't know the meaning of words like "not chosen", "homestudy" and "update". She doesn't know "wait" beyond having to hold off for a popcicle until after dinner. I thank God daily for this blessing in my life. Even when she tests my patience to the nth degree- she is still the best thing ever to happen to us!

Niagara Falls

Ahhh, Aunt Holly is the BEST!
Uncle Roy Wears Pink Well!

Mom, (I LOVE my) Gram, my Niece Haylie, Gabi, and Grandpa Fred

Mom and the Girls on The Maid of the Mist

Husbands......Ya Gotta Love Em

OY! Guess what? The grill WORKS! My dearest husband wasn't used to this new fangled invention that they call a "safety feature". OY! He had just turned the grill on in the wrong order and thats why the flame wouldn't get any higher than it was. Did I say OY? OY OY OY

Goodbye to a Best Friend

Those of you who know me, know what a LOYAL, ENTHUSIASTIC Target shopper I am. I drive a half hour a way, past 2 Wal Marts and a K Mart to shop there. Well, not anymore! I have vowed to never set foot in a Target store again. Ever.

I purchased a gas grill for Howie for xmas. Well, he FINALLY put it together only to find that it doesn't work. So I dig out my receipt (that I faithfully filed away for such possibilities) only to be told there is NOTHING they can do. Well, the store manager actually told me that he has seen the policy "over-ridden"...however, upon finally getting through to someone who speaks English...I learned that is NOT the case!

So- I refuse to patronize a company that devalues the very people that KEEP THEM GOING! Seriously, if you have stock in Target, you might want to consider selling as the thousands of dollars I spend there a year has now been brought to a SCREECHING halt!!!

Monumental Moments

Wow. I can honestly say that today was a day like no other I've ever experienced! I started the day attending the funeral. It was heart-breaking. As the story unfolds, it seems that he made a terrible decision in the spur of the moment. This was not planned. It was impulsive. It was exactly that old cliche of "a permanent solution to a temporary problem". The problem is, it wasn't a solution. It ignited a lifetime of problems for those he so dearly loved.

After the funeral, I attended the wedding ceremony of a friends sister. It was gorgeous. It also helped raise me up from such a difficult week. It was a complete juxtapose to the way my day began.

After the funeral, I went to the Holiday Inn to greet my Aunt and Uncle who arrived just today from Australia, where they live! I haven't seen them in five years! I adore my Aunt Holly! YAY!!!

Then, to top of my "circle of life" type day, I attended a graduation party! Yep, folks- I had a funeral, a wedding, a reunion, and a graduation celebration all in a six hour time span! You know what is missing, don't you? A BIRTH!!!!! Fingers crossed for us or any of our dear friends playing this waiting game!

PHEW! I am exhausted and off to read my book before spending the day at Darien Lake tomorrow!!!! (You should see my house right now........needs a little tending too......especially since the cleaning lady cancelled this week!!!)

24

The past 24 hours have been wrought with grief, celebration, anticipation, and finally exhaustion. At about this time yesterday (7 pm) as I was celebrating with colleagues at our annual retirement party, a phone call brought to light my greatest fear as a high school counselor; a student had just committed suicide. For years, I have feared this moment, knowing the unfortunate reality of its inevitability. I was shocked, shaken, saddened and just plain angry! I have known this young man since he was in 7th grade. For five years I have worked with him and his family, befriended his older and adored his younger sisters, counseled his girlfriend. and silently became enmeshed into the community that has been so violently shaken. But this isn't about me. This is about the un-necessary ending to an un-lived life. This is about watching 14, 15, 16 and 17 year olds attempt to comprehend immortality.

After learning the news, I headed directly to the school knowing that seniors were due there soon for their annual "camp" out before the last day of classes. An intention to stay only a few hours turned into an entire night. Yep, I stayed UP ALL NIGHT! GO ME! I even worked a full day today! I am so relieved to say that the night was only partly about the loss of a friend. It was more about "being together" as one big extended family. They were able to put aside what had happened and just be the beautiful, amazing, wonderful budding adults that they so clearly are. There were about 60 students, myself, and the principal. I am overflowing with pride at the respect and responsibility these students embodied as they spent an entire night largely unsupervised on the front lawn of their high school.

I have learned so many lessons in the past 24 hours:

I have learned that no matter how prepared we are, we are never fully prepared.

I have learned that confronting a fear head on serves as a remedy for overcoming that fear.

I have learned that despite my occasional doubts students, no people, are resilient creatures.

I have learned that life is meant to be embraced, and that despite sadness, happiness can, and often will prevail.

So I will continue to prepare, to confront my fears, to believe in others, including myself with the promise of good outwitting bad...........

Please Advise

You know how everybody loves to give advice? Probably the most frequent adoption advice I hear is "Don't worry, it will happen when you least expect it."

Question: CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO STOP EXPECTING IT??????????

Seriously???

We were close again. But close doesn't count in adoption, does it? We learned yesterday that we were one of two families that a birthmom had narrowed down to. We learned today that she chose the other couple. The childless couple.

I do still have a small bit of hope left. Hope and excitement. Knowing that our call will come. Knowing how exciting and amazing, and life altering that will be. So, for today I will practice stopping myself from expecting to expect. Or try, anyways.

Sally, Olive, and Picklejuice......

So, remember when Gabi renamed herself "Olive Picklejuice"? It occurred to me that I haven't talked about this in awhile. The name change didn't last long. What has lasted however, is the fact that we have three friends living with us. Sally, Olive, and Picklejuice are imaginary friends that spend much of their time with our family. In fact, it was just Sally's birthday on Saturday! Gabi informed us that we needed to sing "Happy Birthday" to her, which of course we did (well minus Nicki who absolutely refused). I asked Gabi what she had gotten Sally and she informed me that she got her a "booby holder." Happy Birthday, Sally!!!