PRODUCTS I LOVE

This shoe rack was only $15.00 at TARGET, easy to put together and it stores a lot of shoes. Plus it keeps the dust off of them. I love it.









The chopper was a yard sale find for $1.00. It works great, cleans easy and chops just about anything.
























I do not have a green thumb and that is why I LOVE fake plants that look real. They work great in high places that you can't reach to water too. 

ADOPTION ROUNDTABLE...What's in a name?

Heather at PRODUCTION NOT REPRODUCTION is hosting her next ADOPTION ROUNDTABLE.

The writing prompt for this week is:

Write about names/naming and open adoption.

Richard and I had chosen a boy's name long before Samuel was ever even thought of.

Richard and I had been discussing names for quite awhile and we couldn't find one that we both really loved. Then while attending a Bible study class together, we came across this:

"...And she made a vow, saying, "O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life..." 1 Samuel 1:11

"...I was pouring out my soul to the LORD..." 1Samuel 1:15

"...the LORD remembered her..." 1Samuel 1:19

"...She named him Samuel, saying, "Because I asked the LORD for him...."1Samuel 1:20

"...I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. 1 Samuel 1:27

"...So now I give him to the LORD..." 1Samuel1:28

God spoke our son's name that day. From that day forward we knew that if we had a son, God had already named him, Samuel.

The middle name was easy too. I always knew that whatever we chose for a first name it had to go with my father's middle name, Henry.

We had a harder time coming up with a girl's name.

We spent a lot of money, time and anguish trying to get pregnant on our own. Finally, in November of 2007, we (me) had had enough and we decided, God must not want us to have children. Within days family stepped forward and said that if we wanted to adopt, they would help and we together could make it happen. It hit me..."IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD?" Then we found the exact passage from the Bible.

"...Then the LORD said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son." Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, "After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?" Then the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' Is anything too hard for the LORD?..." Genesis 18:10-14

We then realized that, again, God had decided what the name of our daughter would be. She would be called Sarah.

The middle name was little harder. We were thinking of Lapaige which was my grandmothers maiden name. Then we met "K" and decided that if our little one was a girl the middle name would be "K" too.

GOD HEAR OUR PRAYERS #59

My mother has always had a prayer list and I've now started one of my own. So each Sunday I will publish the prayer requests of anyone who e-mails me. Please keep us updated as God answers your prayers too.

Who we are praying for this week...

* My mother's hip and heart to stay healthy.
* Janice's cancer has returned...prayers for healing
* Financial and job prayers needed.
* Debbie-prayers for her depression and more acceptance for her daughter.
* Stellan needs our prayer to heal his little heart.
* RB to talk to "B" and have her worries calmed.
* Lana wants prayers that she is approved and matched soon
* Sissy and hubby to be matched and bring home their baby soon.
* Amy needs to come home
* BB's husband's job situation.
* "K"-the birthmother of our baby
* Bri's hubby's job situation.
* Lisa - prayers for "A's" health, baby and adoption.
* Uplift Michele's spirits
* Dawn - husband to hear God and find his way to Him
* Christy prayers and praise
* Rebel may your troubles end soon and blessings for Turtle
* our economy
* quick healing for Amy
* all service men and women that they may come home soon
* peace in the Middle East

E-mail me if you want me to add someone to the weekly prayer request. God Bless.

FUNNY HAIR

At the family gathering we had back on August 8th, my brothers, Mark and John, brought these great hats. Except for the facial hair, my brothers are almost bald! The hair color matched so well, a couple people didn't even realize it was fake.

This is their cool look! They're only 18 months apart in age and have always been best friends.

The twins made sure that everyone took a turn with the hat. Here is my brother, Kurt.

Here is my brother, Kent. These two brothers are also almost completely bald, which makes this all the more funny.

The twins made sure that women tried it on too. Here is my sister Mary Kay.

The hat was great hit!

He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

My brother, Kent, is making a dopey face in this picture, but he's really rather handsome. I won't tell you how old he is, but he is 18 years older then I am. The first time I remember meeting my brother...I know that sounds odd, but stay with me here....was when I was about 6 years old, which put him at about 24.

The front door was locked and the bell rang. I went to the door, but didn't recognize the person standing there so I called to my dad. "Dad, there's a guy here, but I don't know who he is." My brother was dressed in military fatigues and had a scruffy beard. He looked like a homeless man. Kent went to the Air Force Academy and a college in Montana while I was living in New Hampshire. If you couple this with our age difference, it kind of makes sense why we have never been close. It's really no one's fault, as we have never lived in the same house, state or decade.

Kent is still my brother, though and I know in my heart that if I ever asked something of him, he would be there for me. I have two illustrations of this to share with you.

The first example of this happened about 2 days before I was to be married to my now, ex-husband (back in 1992). I received a letter in the mail, basically telling me that I didn't have to go through with the marriage and if I needed somewhere to hide out until things calmed down with the family I could come stay with him in North Carolina, no questions asked. Of course, I look back now and wish I had taken him up on his offer, but then I just thought he was looking out for me. I wasn't mad at all, in fact, I felt very loved.

The next time came when I was going through my divorce (1998) with my now ex-husband. It was a horrible time for me (that's another post) and I felt very alone. One day, out of the blue, Kent called me and after a short conversation, where I vented about my X trying to kick me out of the house (don't ask), he said that if I wanted him and my other brothers to come out here and beat up my (now X) husband, that they would. All I had to do was ask. That's what big brothers were for. To this day, I honestly think that if I had said yes, that he would have done it.

At our recent family gathering, I finally had a chance to talk to Kent and thank him for the letter he wrote and the "beating" he offered. He said the letter was written because he thought I was too young (which I was) and the other was just what any good brother should do. It was a very emotional conversation and I even cried some. For all his quirks, Kent is a wonderfully, smart and funny man and I am very proud to call him my brother. I love you, Kent!

NEW STRATEGY NEEDED

So last week I gave out 4 discipline slips and today I gave out two more.

Before Literacy Block begins I send everyone for a bathroom break so that they won't leave during reading groups. As I'm standing by the bathrooms waiting for everyone, three of my boys come running out of the boys rooms saying that "AS" was choking "QUESTION BOY," but that "QUESTION BOY" started it by pushing "AS".

Of course both boys point the finger at each other as to who started it. After much questioning by both myself and the principal, we find out that "QUESTION BOY" did push "AS," but he says it was "by accident" and "AS" then chose to put his hands around "QUESTION BOY'S" throat to make him stop.

I have known "AS's" family for many years, as I have had all three of his sisters in years past and I haven't had any problems with "AS" at all. Personally, I think all of my students are at their wits end with "QUESTION BOY'S" behavior and "AS" had just had enough.

Both mom's came down to the school. "AS's" mom was very supportive and was ok with whatever punishment we deemed necessary.

On the other hand, "QUESTION BOY'S" mother feels like he is being picked on by the the other kids for no reason. "QUESTION BOY" never takes any responsibility for his behavior and now I see why. I tried to explain to her that I have caught him in multiple lies, isn't doing his work, is very manipulative, is in everyone else's business and is very impulsive. I also told her that I thought it may help him if she were to enroll him in Karate or baseball etc. She told me he is ADHD, but that he hasn't been on his medicine for about 6 months. She was hoping he didn't have to go back on his medicine, but now feels it may be necessary.

I don't like labeling kids and putting them on drugs. I think a good 85%-90% of these hyper kids just need another outlet to channel all that energy, especially boys. Girls are much better at sitting for long periods of time and listening, but boys need to be up and moving and be involved in physical activities. I think too many parents use the label as an excuse for poor behavior.

Unfortunately, kids like this, that can't learn to control themselves, end up having even worse problems in middle school, because they're not monitored as closely and the 7th and 8th graders are not going to stand for antics like this from a little 6th grader. He'll say or do something to annoy one of the older kids and they'll just "pop" him one.

"QUESTION BOY" will be gone tomorrow, as mom is having him reevaluated by their pediatrician for his ADHD. I'm hoping for a calmer Friday. I'm going to make constructive use of this break from him to come up with some new strategies to use to curb his behaviors and to change my negative attitude about him. I need to start fresh with the little man on Monday or my year will not be bearable.

PETER PEPPERS

These are actual peppers from a garden. They are called 'Peter Peppers'......By the way, the farmer says they can grow up to 18" long!

Sort of brings tears to your eyes doesn’t it?

What a difference 4 months makes...

This was my little man back on April 15, 2009. I can't believe how much he's changed.

I was amazed by how little he was. He only weighed 6 lbs, 9 oz. when he was born. He's tripled his weight!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY #54...NEW HAIRDO FOR HUBBY!

For more WORDLESS WEDNESDAY pictures go to 5 MINUTES FOR MOM.

His performance made me cry....

TWO SENSE TUESDAYS #25...When to feed solid foods?

Being a new mother I seem to get a lot of advice, which can be helpful, but is also very frustrating when it's from people who are insistent that their way is the BEST way. I also get advice (because I'm an adoptive mother) from those who think that my son is just a stand-in until I get "the real thing."

Each week I will post a new question. I'd love it if you'd play along and offer us new mothers your pearls of wisdom.

HERE IS THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:

How soon can you start a baby on more solid foods? What about if at 8 months he still doesn't have any teeth?

EVIDENCE!

My camera was found and now I can show pictures, in case anyone thought I was exaggerating in my posts about the condition of our school or why learning is on hold. Here is the evidence!

This is my classroom from last week. I wheeled everything I needed to another room. The candy is to bribe them to behave.

One of the walls down to the metal studs.

Dry wall torn off to dry out the inside of the walls.

Exposed wires hanging from the ceiling.

Huge fans being used while the air conditioning is off.

Ceiling tiles gone while they find the leaks and fix them. The lights are off because there was standing water in the light fixtures too.

Here is the mold I talked about.

And once again, the leak is back in my room and running down the wall.

WELCOME TO SCHOOL, EVERYONE!

THE BUBBLE EXPERT

This series of pictures was just too cute not to share. My brother, Kent, is showing our niece, Mae, how to blow and catch bubbles. Kent is an expert on everything, so Mae was correct in going to him for advice.

WHY DAD'S AREN'T ALLOWED TO BUY BABY CLOTHES

COUSINS

Hannah and Carly, who are 16 and 12 years of age, just love their 5 year old cousins, Abigail (2 ponytails) and Mae (1 ponytail). They played in the pool together....

...and at the restaurant together. Hannah even let Abigail feed her chips.

Here they are giving Carly a mustache!

The older girls were very patient with all their antics. Hannah and Carly live in New Hampshire and Abigail and Mae live in California, so they don't get to see each other much, but when they get together, they really make up for lost time.