This and that

We had quite a nice evening to celebrate Noah's being with us as long as he was in the orphanage.  I made him homemade teriaki chicken and teriaki noodles :)  He ate that up :)  We got a cookie cake at the grocery store and when we were gettin the cake celeste is like what should we sing, and Bobby stated singing if we knew you were coming we'd a baked a cake and I was like UMM we KNEW he was coming for 10 and half long months of hard work, REMEMBER!  LOL  Then we sang Jesus loves you :)  not really anything to sing for being in your family as long as the orphange.  heeeheee 

Today we took a bunch of donated items and headed out to a craft show at a local cheer leading and tumbling gym.  All we had to pay for was our spot, posterboard and plastic tablecloths.  The items were made by professional seamstress and we just knew it would be an amazing day.  Well, WE DID NOT LOOSE MONEY!  that was a blessing after loosing over $300 last time.  We made a profit of $3!  Ok, so I will admit I was in tears a few times at the end and the whole show closed like an hour and half early cuz the turn out was so low.  Course it was also probably one of the coldest days we have had, though the show was inside, but maybe that was why folks didnt come, not sure .  But of those who did some bought some didnt.

I have been very reflective the past week or so on alot of things with me personally, a big one being my weight and how I feel about my weight and myself as a person.  I hae determined to find ways to exercise, am ont some medication for a disorder that apparently has affected the weight without my knowlege or understanding for a good while.  Anyway, I am going to be walking at the mall, pushing Noah in the stroller at least a couple days a week plus IF I can find the ones I had will be doing the Leslie Sansone walk away the pounds video's at home too.  Now, I realize that this really has nothing to do with adoption or fundraising and I have started my weight loss blog back up but I wanted to share this hear too where so many friends follow along.  Anyway, it was posed to me by a very dear friend the other day that she thought I should run a 5K and have folks sponsor me for donations to Jeremiah!  NOW, I totally laughed at this because I could not run a 5 minutes, much less 5K.  But with some time and work I MIGHT could WALK a 5K!  So I kinda tried to look into what might be available like the end of February around my area and not a whole lot and the one I found I could not use the stroller.  Now , one I like to push it, I loose more weight if I do and I just dont want to have to leave Noah with someone to do this, IF I do it.  So I am thinking and sorta prayin about it and I am thinking about when we were in journey to Noah we wanted to do a Fun walk/run for Noah.  I never could figure out how to go about planning it or doing it.  Well, I want to do a FUN WALK/RUN for Jeremiah!  The entry fees could go to our adoption fund and maybe a few folks might want to donate so much per minute I am able to walk or something like that, I dont know.  BUT, my question is HOW does one do this??  I am at a total loss of what to do and how to do it and if it can be done!!  Any ideas??? PLEASE let me know...

I need to focus on getting fitter and thinner right now and not so much on the $10, 500 mountain that stands between us and Jeremiah!  I need to let God worry about that mountain and I need to worry about getting ready for Jeremiah and the rest of our lives!  Not to say that I am not still looing for fundraising ideas, and going to be actively fundraising because I am, as well as looking for more grants and filling out applications and all and praying for the grant and loan apps already out, but I am going to spend some more time on getting ME ready for having 2 sweet boys :)  When we were waiting for Noah I went to a gym and did water aerobics and elliptical.  I SOOOO miss both!  But it is not financially feasible at this point for me to do that so I am finding another way. 

I am sure yall are wishin I would hush by now so I will get to what yall really want now....pics, thanks for reading this far if you did :)  heehee

reachin for his cookie cake :)

DON"T look at my messy house :)  between noah and 2 dogs they are all in the tear everything up and make messes stage!

my hubby bein cute :)

My Binky Boo at the show this morning :)

Getting ready!

Girls acting so silly! :)  and helping make signs!

Me and my friend Shonette!  She is adotping Annakae for Ukraine!  She had a spot at the Craft Show today too! :)

a shot of some of our items :)

another part of our booth!

My friend Ashley who owns a local consignment shop had a booth too and she took this picture of us.  I did NOT know she was doing it :)  LOL

Jeremiah sweetie, Mama is sooo aching to get you home sweetie.  Baba and I are doing all we can to figure out ways to raise the money so we will be able to come and bring you home!  There are so many people that love you already and can't wait to meet you little frogie boy!  Hang on tight sweetie and in your dreams tonight I pray Jesus will allow you to feel my kisses in the wind!

VERY SPECIAL DAY!!!!

Today is a VERY SPECIAL DAY!!!  It is EXACTLY 16 months, 2 weeks and 5 days since Noah came home!!!!  THAT is very special BECAUSE that is EXACTLY how long Noah was in the orphanage!  WOW!  I can't believe we are at this point.  He has been with us as long as he was there!  So tomorow he will be with us LONGER than he was there!  WOW!!  So many things we were told by adoption specialist and alot of times we heard till he has at least been with you as long as he was there!  Well, we are HERE! :)  I look at him and I think, does he remember before us?  At times it feels like he has always been here.  Yall the child has grown like a weed!!!!!!  He is gonna be one tall Asian! heehee  When I look at pictures of him on Gotcha Day and I look at him now and I am like WOW! I wonder if he is properly bonded, I wonder so much, but I am so in love with this little guy! :)

We got word that the testing is finally all back in and it is 100 percent that Noah does NOT have Fragile X Syndrome!  This has been an on and off question since our journey to him began and we finally got the appropriate DNA testing done.  We did get some other information about some things in his family makeup that put him at risk for some things and out of respect for the families privacy I will not go into detail here on the blog.  We are digesting all this information and moving forward.  Noah is set to go for some Neurological workup on Feb 5th so that is the next medical thing with him.  I am hoping to have him in to the allergy doctor about his allergies and excema.  He siil to this day has bowel issues and it so worries me that we have to use miralax and sometimes resort to pedia lax baby enemas to help him and it is jut no tnormal.  The pediatrician is not concerened, I am .  Not sure what to do about that but there you have it.  Panda boy is outgrowing things faster than I can blink.  I pull out an outfit to put on him put it on, pull it off and put it in Jeremiah's bucket!  LOL  I have filled 2 buckets that way so far and am headed to another bag now!  It floors me the child who was wearing 9 to 12 months for sooo long is now needed 2T for the most part!  Overalls which he and I love or anything one peice and it is a given he need a 2T.  Some pants he can wear an 18 month and some shirts if they were made long he can wear a 12 month.  I know weird but that is that.  lol  Basically if folks ask or I am lookign I say 2T.  He even has a few sleepers taht are 3T because they were a cheap brand and made small!  He is looking so old and mature to me lately!  He is talking up a streak, granted it is not clear really and alot of things others can't understand but I do :)  He is saying sentences but the sentence is all one word!  :)  heehee INEEEEDDDDAAAEEAAAT  at the top of his lung...translation I need to eat!  heehee  he has many of these words.  He wines alot and I am having to try and teach him if he does NOT wine we understand ALOT more and he gets further!  lol  He is a very demanding little Panda but we are TRYING to teach him to not be so do it now or I am gonna freak!  In some ways it is getting better and in others, worse!  LOL 

Today we marked his special day by going to the library and getting him a library card and attending story time!  He was the ONLY child there :(  kinda sad.  They said every other week the preschool at the First Baptist brings their kiddos and there are more.  We plan to go every week unless he has a playdate function that interfeers. 

Here are pictures galore to share! :) 

He found a GIRLS hat (shhhh don't tell Daddy) when I was goin through things in the nursery and moving out girls things to store somewhere else for when God sends us a princess.  Well our Panda just thought it was for him!  LOL

Eating our triscuits!  He is addicted!  lol and watching the Saints WIN the championship and a spot into the Superbowl!!! :)

Nanny was usin this Chair to prop her feet and Noah just had to get up there.  THANK GOD when he did this I had the camera to grab!  :)  heehee :)

Noah and his buddy drake at a play date!  They had a baby at this house and Noah kept playing with all the baby things too :)  heehee

This thing was a hoot!  Even as tall as he has gotten he is not tall enough to play on this bounce ball thing.  It was quite a site me tryin to help him!  LOL

Making boomerangs on Australia Day! :) 

Here hi is playing with the toy bar for the baby swing!  See how intently he studies what he is doing? :)

THIS was a miracle!  I put him on the love seat for time out and after he was done I said it is nap time now and told him to lay down, He was fussing and sayin no no no and I was like, nope you are gonna sleep there.  So he layed and was fussin and I said, let me finish what I am doing and I will get your blankie.  Before I was done he had pulled the small lapblanket off the back of the loveseat and had one to sleep!  LOL  Dont look at the love seat!  I HATE it, it was inherrited so to speak and I keep praying to get a microsuade cover for it!  Someday!  anyway this was the second time he has fallen asleep not on me but the first time he did it not by accident so to speak.  I had him do it 2 other days this week but today he flipped out and had to be on me.  It is a start! :)  I would love to have at least nap time without him on top of me! :)  But whatever he needs!

His little panda boy personality is coming out more and more :)  he is funny!  He asked to have the glove put on and then wore it for the longest which is a miracle with his sensory things.  And then he put the pants on his head!  LOLOL

See how fun he is!!!! :)

this is our new thing.  He LOVES to eat his breakfast sittin on the truck toybox watching ELMOS or handy Many depending on what time it is.  LOL  He wants totable foods in the am.  I am on a mission to figure out things I can get him.  For some reason in the am he HATES the chair and does not want me to mess with his diaper for like an hour.  IT kills me to give in, but if I change it first thing he wigs and then is in a dreadful mood for hours!  So I am tryin to avoid the issue if not imperative as along as he is only wet.  We use night night diapers and they are VERY absorbent :)

another shot of him watchin disney this am :)

he POSED for this :)  I LOVE IT :)  Still can't believe it that he has been home with me now as long as the orphanage! :)  I worry so much that I am not a good enough mama for him and that maybe he has fits sometimes because he remembers them and how they did things, or that he misse sthem and on and on, but he is such my little cuddler and I SOOOOO want to do and be the best I can for him.  Someone said to me recently they thought he was manipulative and had rad, was only attached for HIS purpose and had no compassion or empathy for us, just wanted us to fill his need.  Last night at church I was upset and had tears STREAMING down my face as I sought the Lord IN FAITH for the funds for Jeremiah to come home.  Noah is in my lap and all of a sudden I feel this little hand wiping my tears and open my eyes and he is cockin his head and lookin at me with the most sad and concerned face.  I look at him and say its ok baby and he breaks out in this HUGE grin!  To me, that baby was worried about me and sad I was sad!  I think he is attached.  Now, will I worry next week about it, probably, but I do NOT see RAD in my son. 

This is his things from the Library today :)  He got a sticker that said he got his library card today :)  The card is there and the back is where his name is.  The little one is for my keyring!  Is that not the coolest thing! and that is the little groundhog craft he made today during storytime :)

Here he is holding Mr. Groundhog :)

Showing Nanny Mr. Groundhog!

sittin in the big chair!  He is sooo into climbing in the chairs, he pushes them all over the room!

lookin at our Mr. Groundhog!

January 31st is the final day of our Barefoot books fundraiser!  If you have not gone and looked please do.  Some of the sale prices are like $2.99!!  Not bad and the books are great.  All kinds even multicultural, educational, cds, games etc. 

CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT! :) Make sure if you do order it says sisemore on the cart.

http://www.barefootbooks.com/shop/

Please keep Jeremiah in your prayers and pray for us this weekend.  We have a spot at a craft show, yes I know the last one did NOT go well, but this one is less to get in and we have ALL DONATED items to sell so other than the spot no costs to us.  Even if we dont sell alot we have postcards and business cards we got free from Vista Printing to give out.  If 1 person keeps that card and later come to the blog and doantes, or shares with someone who gives grants or something then it could be huge.  But whatever we do or dont we are just hopin to have fun and be thankful for whatever God chooses for us to get :)  Please cotinue to pray for our Show Hope grant we have not heard back from and a possible adoption loan opportunity. 

Jeremiah my sweet frogie boy!  HOLD on baby!  we are coming as quick as we can.  God is helping us move the mountain and we will be there!  Until then, catch my kisses in the wind baby boy!

Woohooo! THANK YOU GOD! LOOK!!!!!

LOOK what I just got in my email:

Tami, it is with such pleasure that I am sending you this email. My

Anna I know is smiling with Jesus tonight......her love is continuing.

Thank you for the honor in being a part of your journey to Jeremiah.

We are pleased to award you with a grant of $2,500.00 to be used for adoption related expenses.

God is soooo amazing!!!!  Thank you LORD for your provision!!!!   With this grant from Anna's Forever Families we are down to only needing $10,500 or so depending on how much travel comes in at!  WOOHOO!  Please keep praying for our Show Hope Grant that we have not heard back from and an adoption loan we applied for and a couple other things we are applying for this week! :)  And of course our auction and other fundraiser on and off line.  I have with permission put a picture up from Anna's Forever Families on the sidebar!  If you click the picture you can go and read about their sweet family and there darling Anna's Story!  Please if you have time go and read.  We are soo thankful to them for turning their grief into a blessing for so many! 

Jeremiah sweetie, we are getting closer and closer frogie boy!  We are sooo excited and can't wait to be annoucning on this blog that we have you in our arms! :)  Its coming baby....hold on tight and while you wait, catch my kisses in the wind! :)