New blog

http://joytransferred.blogspot.com/

That link will take you to our new adoption journal/blog. We'd be glad if you guys would also like to read that. We are VERY early in the adoption process but, if things move forward with the guys Joe mentions over there, they could move FAST!

Enjoy, friends

Macy pretends to be Joe's Dad

"Hey guys whacha doin?" (me and Joe giggle a bit)

"Oh, not much, Macy, what are you doing?"

"I'm grandpa! So whacha need to talk about?"

"So, Grandpa, I have a problem. I am having a problem with my daughters."

"Well...you could just bang em around a bit. What about your baby?"

"Grandpa, do you think she should sleep in my bed or her bed?"

"In your bed because she's a baby."

"She's almost 2! How long will she be a baby?"

"Until she is 5."

"So is Molly a baby? She's 4."

"No, just Arwen!"

"My daughters beat up my oldest child a lot..."

"That's fine, he's big, he won't get hurt. He let's them knock him down sometimes too. So that's good."

"Well, Grandpa, do you think we should stay in Alaska?"

"YES! Unless God says to move, then you move!"

"But what if he says to move to Africa... even if it smells like poo and there's lots of diseases where you have to live?"

Macy, as Grandpa, very sternly replies, "Son, if God says so you better do it because God knows how to handle things."

(Gav waves something in Joe's face)

"What should I do about this?" (points to Gav)

"Wrestle him down to the ground!"

(Joe runs after Gav. Gav runs away screaming like a girl.)

"Whelp. My work is done!"

I GOT IT!

I got my amautik today! I was told by the lady at Warbelows that it probably wouldn't make it on the flight today because of all the backed up mail but it made it! It made it! (speaking of backed up mail... our tracking #s are listing MANY pkgs as arrived in Stevens but they have NOT. we only received 1 box today... there are at least 4 others we are waiting on)

Here is the only picture I could get. I only had Ar-wee in it for a, very giggly, few minutes before she konked out. I don't think it will take us too long to master getting in and out of it... also got to figure out the right way to sit baby in the pouch so the amautik doesn't ride up and choke me.

This thing is AMAZING! SO love it already!

Going

Gone

Where'd Arwen get that adorable vest you ask? Well the lady I bought the amautik from filled our box full of wonderful goodies! There was winter boots, down suits, fleece vests, and more! WOW! How awesome is that ay?!

My Overthinking: Purposeful Giveaways

I found this blog through a blog and it was just what I needed. I love the idea of buying with a purpose. Me and Joe are often looking for shops/items/ideas for gifts for each other that serve a purpose. What this blog is doing is putting lots of wonderful shops/items/ideas all in one place for you. So hop on over and find yourself something for Christmas! DON'T FORGET to enter some of those giveaways while your at it ;) Click on the link below to read more

My Overthinking: Purposeful Giveaways: You know what has me thinking? Americans spend $450 billion a year every Christmas. $450 billion. That's a lot of money to spend on gif...

Halloween Party

Photo booth fun! We used print outs from here, Martha Stewart online, and some I made myself. Print them out and place on sticky back foam sheets. Then, cut them out using an xacto knife. Lastly, hot glue a wooden dowel to the back of each piece. Now, take ridiculous photos with your family and friends!

Haha! She was just doing what she thought everyone else was doing! Hold it to your face and say CHEESE!

Family photo... with a unibrow baby!

SUGGGGAARRR!

The group of littles -1

She actually popped one of them!

Sugar Crash the morning after

I wish I had taken the time to take better photos of the kids in their costumes, but the truth is I didn't have time. Joe and I had help from no one during the party (some of the kids did help set up Friday), so we got snacks and drinks for everyone, held costume contests, kept the music going, and manned every game. I think everyone had a blast, but we were exhausted. Looking back on the photos, though, I wish I had snapped more pics of my kids in costume! They were seriously the MOST ADORABLE kids ever!

In the 0-4 category there was Arwen owl, Molly chicken, an Indian (not pictured), a frog, and a race car driver. Everyone got the same prize because there was only 5 of them and I thought it would be unfair to hand cash to 3. I also went and found a stack of books I had just ordered for the preschool and handed those out. Each kid got $5 and 'A House for Hermit Crab' by Eric Carle. LOVE HIM!

In the 5-13 group we had Macy the octopus (1st place $25), a zombie thing (2nd place $15), a witch/zombie (2nd place $15), a skeleton (3rd place $10), and Gavin the soldier. Gavin was a sport when he realized he didn't win! He did voice later that he was sure he had won because he and Macy were the only ones to wear their costumes the whole night. The others only wore theirs for the judging.

In the adult group there was a cat princess fairy thing (1st $30), me the spaceman (2nd $15), Cleopatra (3rd $10), Joe- the Phantom of the Opera.

We had lots of games... ringtoss, pinata, slime pit relay, balloon pop darts, fishing for prizes, and bubble gum blowpop contest. Each had candy and toy prizes!

We also had popcorn, apple juice, coffee, pumpkin pie, and cupcakes as snacks for our guests.

It was a ridiculously fun and busy night! Enjoying the peace of this weekend... nothing other than cleaning and laundry :)

Wednesday's Confession

What do you do with a child who can't stand you? How do you encourage a naughty child to behave?

Every weekday morning, between 10 and 1, my life is filled with stress and frustration. Each school day I am crushed by my inadequacy. I have no idea what to do with this child. I have exhausted all options we have come up with except a baby gate. Even if that is legal and successful it only solves part of our problem.

Today was not unlike any other morning, she left the room numerous times again today. When coaxed back into the room she screams a long drawn out "NO!" at me, yells "ow!" if I touch her (that's new), and if I try to talk to her it's "stop it!" and those are just a few of her favorites. She doesn't hurt other children (although she isn't especially nice to them) and is eager to learn for a minute on a very good day. I'm told in the mornings she can't wait to get to school and play with her friends... it doesn't show once she's there! All this week she has been sent home early (not my choice) because I can't get control.

Today was the first time I heard the whispers. This particular child has 2 family members who work at the school. Today at lunch the grandmother started whispering to her daughter about me. It was loud in the gym so I'm sure they didn't think I would hear. As soon as I realized what was happening I focused my attention elsewhere. I don't want to hear it. Then, the Auntie of the child directed her words loudly in my direction, "Then just stop bringing her to school!" This is not what I desire and have said this many times to this family. Maybe that is what needs to happen though? I'm not sure. The poor child has a difficult life and she's not yet 3! Her mother is in Fairbanks "without a job to care for her," her grandmother is considering adopting her so she doesn't have to live with her "good for nothing father," and most of the adults in her life are alcoholics! My co-workers are sober enough during school hours, I believe, but I am not a good judge between sober and slightly intoxicated. I only know when they are super drunk... such as the time one called the house looking for her son. When I promised to help her while she confided in me she told me she loved me! *sigh* Obviously drunk. At least she is a silly drunk and not an angry drunk.

So maybe the child isn't naughty at all... maybe she is hurting. Most likely this is the case. Like I said, she isn't yet 3... there are no naughty children at that age. So what now? How do I fix this? What can I do to help her if, after 3 months, this is just getting worse? It has me thinking more about myself... as a person, mother, future adoptive parent. I am so completely inadequate. I. Can't. Do. This. But He can.

Handing it over to the Big Guy

Praying for His guidance

So the title says Wednesday's Confession but feeling inadequate wasn't the only confession.
Since I had had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day (more happened I didn't post here) I convinced myself I deserved a treat. So I drank a sunkist. Then I found a box of HUGE eclairs in the kitchen. I hid in there and ate two of them.
I came back later and had two more!