More Christopher Logic

This post may be TMI for some people, but for others.... it may just remind them of a relative we have named Joseph Minich.... The Uncle Joseph, not the little Joey.

The other day Christopher pooped FIVE times in one day. And I bet most mothers will agree with me that that is just too much butt wiping to do in one day, especially considering you have two more kids whose butts you also wipe.

So I told him the next day as I was wiping him the first time he went, "Yesterday you pooped too many times, you've gone once today, so don't go anymore." I had told him this a million times.... just try to consolidate your poop! Get it all out at once, blah, blah, blah.

"Yes, Mommy." He responded.

The next day we were eating lunch and I offered him something else and he turned me down saying, "That might make me go poop." I told him that that was ok.

"But Mommy, you told me not to go anymore!"

"Chris! That is not what I meant! Of course you have to go poop..."

Oh my goodness. That child is so literal, just like Uncle Joe... whose similar story goes something like this: he was told by his mother not to use hot water at that time because it might burn him, and then a year or two later he came downstairs freezing after showering in the middle of winter... Because he truly thought she had told him never ever to use hot water again.

That story cracks me up every time I think about it. And apparently my Christopher thinks exactly the same way. We mommies better watch out!

Ilse and mommy playin'

As you can tell from the multitudes of videos of this game, we all love it.

More Birth Prep (Week 34), and Thankfulness

I've written down in my calendar when I need to have certain things done by.... but we're moving it all up again.  We just don't want to be caught off guard, and with the amount of achy-ness/tiredness I've been experiencing, we're just wondering really how long my blood pressure will stay acceptable.  I've started to notice some swelling in my feet, hands, and legs, so if it gets bad or gets to my face, that'll be the end of the waiting.  My poor toes look like tiny appendages coming out from a giant sausage foot.  :)

My ultrasound for week 34 is Monday.  I'm betting they'll tell me Ilse is upwards of five pounds and that I've gained 10 in the past two weeks.  I wouldn't be surprised at all.  Of course, after doing some reading, I've learned that a gain of more than two pounds a week is a reflection of blood pressure, so I'll be relieved if I've really only gained four pounds.

I've mostly completed my list of items necessary to have here when we come home from the hospital.  Mom told me of some things I never would have thought of, and we are planning this shopping trip on May 8.  It won't be fun.  Shopping is already not fun, but maybe if I nap a very long time day before, I'll be able to get through it.  ;)

I think Dad is helping us paint Ilse's room Tuesday or Wednesday of this week, and the following Wednesday (because I think by then I will have mostly recuperated from our May 8 shopping trip) I am going to buy some nightgowns, because I don't want to wear a hospital one. 

Soon I'm going to recruit Ivy to do some bodily beautifying on me, like paint my toes, unless I can do it myself.  I might still be able to, since I just did it a couple weeks ago.  I think I'm done with this green, though.  I need to choose another fab color for the fab day to come.

I cleaned my bathroom floor tonight, and I'm hoping that tomorrow morning I'll be able to do some vacuuming.  It seems like wanting to do vacuuming is my recurring theme..... :)

I'm also seriously considering making a doctor appointment for my wrist.  It is still hurting, and nothing I'm doing is making it feel better.  I know what I really need is an anti-inflammatory, but that just isn't allowed.  I'd also like to talk to the doctor about getting some other medicine for a condition that may, or may not, be going around.  I'd just like to be proactive considering I don't think getting this condition that may, or may not, be going around would be good for my blood pressure.  :)  I do love everyone, though.  :)

Here's something else that has been on my mind, and please, bear with me since this is a bit of a soap box.

I am more than thankful to be pregnant.  I'm rejoicing in each and every new symptom or issue because it means....... I'M PREGNANT.  Wow, it's still amazing to me that God did this.  So even if I say I'm tired, or I say I'm concerned about my blood pressure, or if I say that I'm having trouble getting my vacuuming done, or if I say I'm peeing constantly and sitting in the church nursery on Sundays now because the only maternity skirt I have is so short I can't sit modestly in the service and the chair is killing my wrist and tailbone anyway.....  et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.....

I'm STILL thankful that I'm pregnant, and none of those comments should be taken as complaining, because I'm really not.  I'm so happy to be experiencing even this complete exhaustion.  I'm so thankful that my wrist hurts enough to make want to cuss but I HAVEN'T :) and I'm so pleased to spend money that isn't in the bank account yet to have a delicious epidural, and I'm uber uber thankful that my feet are swollen and my skin on my belly is itchy and stretched and doesn't even feel like mine anymore.

God created an amazing little life and he blessed me with the experience of pregnancy that I have wanted to have for such a tremendously long time.

So please, hear my comments and don't think I'm complaining.  I don't feel like I'm going to be pregnant forever (yet) even though I have been known to cry lately because I feel so stupid for being so tired and making Tim do all the work, but I'm still amazingly HAPPY.

Changes

This past year brought Tim and me many changes, but you all know those. I'm going to tell you the changes that you haven't noticed.... but boy, do they make a difference in my life.

Last semester, fall of 2010, the boys needed constant supervision. TMI, but I couldn't go to the bathroom without worrying the whole time about what they were up to. It was bad. I could come out and someone would be screaming, biting, pooping everywhere, you name it. Terribly stressful, as other parents of man or beast could attest.

NOW, I can mostly trust that they will do exactly what I tell them. They still tend to take advantage of my not watching them, but it is usually when I walk off while they are eating that they begin to misbehave. If they are playing in their room, the worst they will do is steal the other's toy or get out too many toys at once.

Recently we instituted the one toy each rule. They have to put the first toy away before they get out another. I wouldn't mind if their toys were larger, but they have so many toys with small pieces that I am really saving lives (Tim falls, you know, and I've broken a foot before) instead of limiting creativity. I loathe stepping on blocks.

I'm very happy they have so many toys. In fact, there are some more I want to get them, but they are having so much fun right now with what they have that they don't need anything else immediately. I still want to get them a kitchen for the fabulous food Rebecca gave them and the dishes Kim gave them. They play with those constantly! But, nevertheless, the one toy each rule was necessary for sanity's sake in addition to saving life and limb.

The boys are so much more joyful than they were. Before, Joey was Mr. Frustration. It was very stressful, and (although I swore I would never be THAT parent) one day I found myself tiptoeing around him so that he wouldn't get upset. Boy, did I stop that, and now he doesn't get upset pretty much no matter what happens. He is cheerful when he wakes up, whereas before he'd be mopey, he doesn't whine when we can't understand what he is saying-- he just tries harder to express it, or he gives up and sweetly says, "I don' know, Mommy." And that cracks me up, because of course I was the one who didn't know.

Bam Bam is not as wimpy as he was. He is growing up. He almost never runs to me to hide when Joey chases him being a lion or 'little tiny puppy'.

They both say such funny things, whereas before their personalities were mostly hidden in bad behavior. Just now Joey was in Bam-Bam's face playing, and Bam-Bam said with a funny face: "You smell like..... Joey!"

Joey pretty frequently talks about how he's a 'big strong man', and he is, too.

When the boys first came, neither of them were potty trained, although Joey could usually put his poopies in the potty. We potty trained Joey first, but he still has more trouble paying attention to it than Christopher does, who was potty trained in three hours. Last night we put Christopher in underwear for bedtime, and he did great. Since I'm pregnant, it's been hard on my stomach muscles lately to get him down from and back up to his bunk at night, so yesterday we hassled all morning and most of the afternoon trying to attach the ladder. We managed, and I don't think it will ever move. Then we spent a long time teaching him to go up and down, and letting him practice it. He learned really well, and he knows that he cannot just get up; he has to ask first. At first we want to go in there and make sure he can climb down safely when he is half asleep, but after a few weeks of supervision, he'll get to do it on his own, and then, eventually, he won't have to ask to get up anymore. Joey is now to the stage where he doesn't have to ask anymore, although he still doesn't consistently flush and wash in the night, which we still require. It is absolutely gross to pee and then go back to sucking his finger as he still does at night. THAT (and common sense, genuine good manners, my background) is why he must. wash.

All of those potty related things were huge changes.

The boys are now learning to pretend obedience instead of naughtiness. Ivy is the one who pointed that out to me, when I told her about how Christopher was pretending to eat the fruit in the garden. I'd much rather he pretend he obeyed God instead of enacting the Fall, and hopefully this guidance will help. We've explained to them that if they pretend sin, they will do it for real. And then it happened with Joey, and it was a great object lesson.

I'm happy they know how to pretend and they know the word. They didn't at the very beginning, and then slowly they started copying things we had done, like going to Starbucks and getting coffee, but now they will pretend tons of things-- and 'boy' things, too! I will hear one of them saying, "I'm going to cut your hand off!" I'm not going to put a stop to that. They are so funny to listen to.

Also, we've been teaching them to pray by having them repeat every line we say. At first, they didn't know which way was up, but then slowly Joey started adding in extra words of his own. I would pray, "Keep Daddy safe today," and Joey would add "at work."

But NOW, Christopher adds other things. When Tim prays, "Thank you for Jesus," Christopher will add, "who died on the cross." It's so wonderful.

"Out of the mouths of infants and tiny nursing babes, from the lips of the little ones You have ordained Your praise! You have ordained Your praise!" ~Judy Rogers

These boys are growing and changing. We don't take baths anymore. I shower them standing up, and Joey is swiftly learning how to take a shower. It won't be long until he can do it on his own. Joey always holds his eating utensil correctly now, and neither boy drops food like they're trying to feed the whole zoo with crumbs anymore. Sometimes I don't even have to wipe the table when they are done. Before, I had to vacuum constantly.

Christopher doesn't generally eat like a turtle anymore. He knows that he will run out of time if he dawdles and then he won't have the rest of his food until supper... OR if he is dawdling because he doesn't like it, then I'll give him the same thing over and over until he doesn't dawdle. He would rather just eat, now. (He was taking an hour plus to eat a PB&J sandwich. Ridiculous.)

This has been a long post, but these are the changes that have happened around here since last semester.

Oh, one other thing. Joey is going to be the romantic one of my sons. He loves giving back rubs and he will just stand here by me stroking my hair or rubbing my shoulder. He's so sweet. I remember when he wouldn't sit on our laps. :( And then the day he did I was so thankful, and NOW he is constantly touching. It's really special.

My life is wonderfully special, and our boys are such a blessing.

Joey's Speech Continued

I'm just so impressed with Joey. He has made some amazing strides, he and acts more like a six year old than a four year old. One of the things he has really grown in is his speech.

The last time I wrote about this he was just barely learning to do his 'f' sound correctly, IF he used his fingers to keep his lips from making the 'p' sound afterward. Well, as of today, he can do it correctly without fail. No more 'p' sounds and no lip holding. He can say:

ChristoPHer
CoFFee
Food
For

and so many more things. He doesn't do it correctly usually without reminders, but.... who would? He's made a habit for months of saying it wrong. I'm happy to remind him for a while. Eventually he won't need them any more.

(Right now he is being a complete goofball trying to do something like the Russian kicking dance. I'm laughing so much.)

The other thing that has improved in his speech is his use of the 'v' sound. Just the other day he no longer needed me to split words up like 'mov-ing'. I could split it properly 'mo-ving' and he could say it! Today he no longer needs me to split it at all. He can say 'over' properly too.

(Now Joey is in his Daddy's face saying 'MOOOOOO!' over and over and over, making Tim laugh so hard. At the table, Christopher is remarking on Joey's antics: "Unbelievable!"

Fun family times are able to make the heart glad. I love my sweet little family.

Date

Tim and I got to go on a date tonight. It is only the second date in a little over six months. That might seem like a lot of dates to some people, but to Tim and me it is very few, considering we had nothing but dates for six years of our marriage.

At any rate, sweet Dee came over tonight and house sat basically, since the boys were already in bed. It was really nice; she got a pizza out of it and Tim and I got Macaroni Grill and then Best Buy. We would have stayed at Best Buy longer, or possibly even gone to another store in search of our desired movie, except that the two Italian sodas, the two glasses of water, and the cappuccino I drank caught up with me. I'm pregnant after all.

We really enjoyed ourselves. I got a camera case for the new camera; it's purple. I love it.

Tim was uber sweet to take me out. We both needed the time together and were really thankful to get it.

And tomorrow we're going back to the Plano Animal Shelter in search of our puppy. She is somewhere, we just don't know where yet.

Joey has discovered kissing

Joey has started coming up and kissing my arm. So sweet.

I was just telling Ivy yesterday that my boys don't know about kissing to show affection to mommy..... but apparently today Joey does! Maybe he witnessed Will or Charlie do it?

Thanks, nephews!

Baby Bedding

Tim and I picked our favorite baby bedding for Ilse, and I'm in the process of looking for the perfect bedding for Jonathan.

Here's Ilse's.

Lovely!

We'll paint the bottom half of the room one of the darker colors in the bedding, with the top half an ivory. Decals of flowers and butterflies and some lovely pictures and scriptures will hang on the walls, and I'll get cherry furniture and a rocker. There's a rocker I have my eye on that has pink gingham fabric. Gingham wouldn't match exactly, but I'd love the pink.

A tiny part of me leans toward something more simple, but it wasn't at Target.

Now, getting ideas for Jonathan's room took some work. I think it's because I've never ever pictured myself having a boy. I just always knew it was going to be a girl. Well, since one can't technically know that intuitively like I've claimed to, it came to my attention that I better get ready to have a boy just in case.

I'm ready now. And a big part of getting ready was being able to visualize his room. I can. :)

He'll have spots. Bedding with spots (maybe, if it looks right with the walls I'm definitely doing) but the walls! I'm doing brown on the bottom with ivory on the top, and SPOTS on the walls. I don't know the pattern, but they'll be as big as a pie plate and very very glossy. Blues, oranges, greens, and reds will make such a wonderful room. Then we'll get decals of bugs to intersperse among the spots. We'll have scriptures on the wall (verses about how to be a godly man are the best for Jonathan's room, I think) and I'll make something with his name on it so he'll know it's his room.

Unfortunately, we still have to wait six weeks to execute any of this, and then the money isn't in the budget until March. Come March, though, the guest room will be de-guest bedded, and we'll assemble the nursery.

I'll try to restrain myself from any further raptures on the subject. :)

Things I Say, Apparently

It has come to my attention that I say some specific things very frequently.

Last night I was resting, and Tim was sitting with me as the boys played in their room. We heard Christopher proclaim, very loudly, "UNBELIEVABLE! Unbelievable! Unbelievable!"

Tim just looked at me, and I said, "Well, I guess I say that a lot!"

And then this morning Joseph announced to Christopher, "I a train!" Christopher responded, "Well, you can be a train if you want to."

As I was typing this, I forgot what my second example was but I got reminded of it when Christopher put his puppy on my head. "I don't want that on my head, sweetheart." "I have it on my head?" "You can have it on your head if you want to." :)

I think the reason I push the phrase 'if you want to' is because the boys tend to ask permission for everything. "I may eat now?" "I drink my milk?" "I may play with my car?" "I may go to the potty?" Et cetera..... and I am trying to get the boys to be a little more independent. I tell them that they won't have to ask to play with their own toys, and they certainly don't have to ask before they eat things on their own plate!

Christmas Prep

This year we bought our tree from Lowe's. Every other year we've gone to a tent somewhere on the side of the road, and every year we felt like we spent too much.

Last year we did something brilliant and spectacular. We had the guy at the tent put the tree in the stand for us. Amazing! We didn't hassle with it for hours, we didn't get sticky, and we ended up with a perfectly straight tree! That guy should have gotten a medal. So for weeks I've been saying that I want to do the same thing again this year. I want someone to put the dumb stand on for us. Yes, we buy a new stand every year, because we HATE hassling with it.

Well, we had the bright idea to go to Lowe's because we saw that the trees there were good quality (non Hogan's goatish) and so much cheaper than one of those tent places. I asked the man if he could put the stand on, and to this minute I wish I hadn't asked him. You guessed it, we had to redo it when we got home.

So there sweet Tim was, laying (lying?) on the ground in his work clothes, hassling with the dumb stand. And there I was, a broken down pregnant woman (lol) standing on the stand with my broken foot to keep it flat and pushing the tree the other direction to provide resistance to Tim's faithful twisting of the dumb stand screws. I got achy and my tummy started pulling. Terrible. But both of us stuck it out and now we have a more nearly perfectly more nearly straight tree.

It's lovely. See?


And here are our stockings.



I hope to wrap the boys' presents soon and stick them under the tree. Then I'll torture the boys with them for the next 25 days. :)

Thanksgiving

I haven't posted in a while, and it has probably been a good thing since I am having trouble putting coherent thoughts and sentences together.

I don't think I've ever been this exhausted. And you know what? I'm loving every minute of it.

Since I wrote last, I painted the boys' bunk beds mostly by myself. Marc and Ivy came over and helped us switch the two rooms so the boys would have more space to play. That was work, let me tell you. We consummated the boys' adoption last Saturday (and what a wonderful day it was!) and then prepared for our giant party AND thanksgiving all of the beginning of this week.

Today we celebrated our first Thanksgiving as bonafide parents; we have our two precious boys and the little baby who is 12 weeks on Sunday. I didn't take any pictures; I think other family members did, but I was so tired I only thought about pictures once. I did make sure to give each of my children the first bite on their plates and ask them if they loved it. Christopher ate seconds of the potatoes I made, while we had to make Joey finish his food. I don't know why he was acting so funny about eating; usually he is a human garbage disposal. :) At any rate, he was certainly hungry again by dessert time. I let him pick two kinds of pie. I had thought all day that I would do tiny slivers of each kind for him, but tiny slivers of 21 pies is STILL 21 pieces of pie. I was too tired to cut that much, so I gave up after two.

The boys played happily all day with their cousins, and one of these days I'll get a picture of the reading parties Mamaw always has on her giant king size bed. Will, Luke, Abby, and Joey sit quietly for many stories, while Bam-Bam runs back and forth from the bedroom to the living room. Sooner or later he'll learn to appreciate good books and time with his family. Right now he just needs action, I guess.

We managed not to have too many disasters today, although we thought we had one when Charlie got woken up because of an unfortunate incident, but with some hard work he went back to sleep. Someone brought dirt into the house, but the trusty dusty macmuum took care of that.

Nothing got broken, and we loved playing Foster-style poker. Then, I beat all the girls at Boggle, which is shocking because I have pregnancy brain going on. I think it was the word 'naked' that did it. That and 'better', 'butter', and 'butters'. Handy dandy words. I found 'luau', but Ivy did too. Kim was always announcing that she'd found her perfect word, but there was only one time that she was the only one who had it. Ellen was Queen of the Dictionary.

I am beat. The next two days will be spend getting ready for our party. There isn't two much to do, but a little bit seems like an ocean of work to me these days. I'm so thankful that the weather seems like it will be bounce house friendly!

God has blessed us unbelievably this year, beyond all that we asked or thought. I had stopped praying for a baby, but he gave us one anyway. I can't wait until next year when the boys can understand the concept of 'Thanksgiving' more. It will be so special to sit there and list things we're thankful for.

I know what I will be thankful for. 'Scalped' potatoes.

Yum!

Grammar

It is now less than two weeks until court. We are uber excited.

Now to life:

I have been working with the boys on how to ask a question. And really, I agonized over it way more than I needed to. For as long as they could talk, which has been less than five months, they have been stating their questions in the negative.

"We not getting Daddy right now?"
"I not getting that?"

It got very annoying. But then I had a brain storm. Instead of correcting every time: "ARE we getting Daddy right now?" "AM I getting that pizza?" I just started saying, "How do you ask a question?"

AND IT WORKED! I am so excited. So just now, Bam-Bam says to me: "Stella not want to get in her chair?" I asked him, "How are you supposed to ask a question?" And my silly boy turned to Stella in all seriousness and said: "Will you get in your chair please?"

Upon Stella continuing to sit in the grass, Bam-Bam informed me: "Stella not want to talk right now."

So funny. I think he really expected her to answer him like he has to answer us-- "Yes, Mommy," and "Yes, Daddy."

Life Happenings Again

I would just like to say, that it is three weeks until court! Woohoo!!!

The boys, of course, are more excited about their party than court. I am more excited about court because I am ready for the state to move on! (This is not a plug for moveon.org. Goodness no.)

But on that topic, I hope all you U.S. citizens are going to vote tomorrow! I am going to take the boys for an adventure while I vote. Too bad we're saving tax money by not giving out the 'I voted' stickers. They would have loved 'em.

I have a lot of planning to do for the boys' party, and I need to start my Christmas shopping already, too. I've only bought ONE present so far, and last year I was done by this time..... for under $200! I was so proud of myself. This year is not going to be the same because we need to buy the boys some things. They need football helmets, jerseys with their names on the back, a play vacuum, a kitchen, and who knows what else. Maybe some books, too. I can't wait to cart all the presents over to Mamaw's and open them like we do every year. Last year I got my little niece a rug for her room. They are planning on going to Mexico as missionaries after the first of the year, and so this year I'm getting her something smaller and more transportable. Hopefully she'll be able to keep her lovely butterfly rug.

I can't express how happy it makes me to buy my family gifts. Oh, I like getting gifts, too, but even when people say "We're skipping Christmas this year" and believe me we've had a lot of those years over my life even though we never really skipped anything, I would still want to give gifts to my fam. Starting last year, I decided I really like picking the things out and figuring out how not to break the bank. Before last year it was really hard for me, but apparently I came into my own last year. :)

This year I've been so busy, though, and haven't done the planning I had meant to do all year.

However, I am planning to take a nap here in a bit, and I'm sure that will actually happen. :)

Baby Names

From the beginning of our marriage, Tim and I have spent countless hours talking about baby names. We had a set of seven picked out, and now that we are finally expecting a baby, I don't believe we will use any of them, or at least any of the girl names.

And I am utterly convinced we are having a girl.

My most recent favorite baby girl names are a bit interesting. I adore the name Gemma, but Tim dislikes it intensely. I also adore another name, and I hesitate to mention it lest I jinx it, which of course, is impossible, but nevertheless, you get my point.

The name I'm not mentioning is growing on Tim, and I hope it continues to grow on him.

We are open for suggestions, but please don't be upset if we don't like your suggestion or if we name the baby something you didn't like. Ultimately, we believe the Lord has chosen the name for our baby, and as Randie Grantham once said, all we have to do is figure out the name that God has already written in the Book of Life.

Sounds like an impossible task, doesn't it! But we are up for the challenge, and I think my second favorite name is the one written there. After all, according to one book, it does mean "Consecrated to God".

Singing

The boys were making a horrendous noise, and Tim asked them what they were doing.

Joey said, "Dad, we're just singing."

:) So cute.

And it means a lot because Joey can say a sentence like that... and it means a lot because they want to sing. I'm sure they're trying to be just like Bapaw.

I woke up hours 'go!

Besides "It maybe be hining," the cutest thing Bam-Bam has been saying lately is:

"I woke up hours 'go."

It makes me smile every time. One day I told him that he was about to take a nap, and he said, "But I just woke up!" And I responded, "No, you woke up hours ago!" and now, that is what he says. Sometimes he even adds in:

"I just woke up hours 'go."

And that makes me laugh.

Cute Sayings

"I may come out?"

"I may tahowk?" (Can you say tick tock? Talk is like tick tock, not tahowk.)

So now they say: "I may tick tock?" :)

"It may be hining (hiding)."

"It darky?"

"The moon not have no wienie!"

"I bump my haid!" (This is a game they are not allowed to play.)

When someone farts/burps/sneezes and then says "Excuse me," Bam-Bam replies with "You wehcome!"

There are so many more, but as I was about to type them, Bam-Bam came up and told me there was somebody on the phone.

So we had this conversation:

Me: Yes! We are going to have a party! It's in two months.... well more like a month and x days. Yes, we're going to have a bounce house! And two cakes, a train cake and a puppy cake. It's for my two babies, Joseph Enoch Minich and Christopher Timothy Minich. Yes, they're always staying here, even when they're old and ugly. No one is taking them away. Ok, goodbye!"

And then Bam-Bam says, "Do it 'gain!" Big smiles all around.

Life Happenings

We have a very fun day planned... I don't know what it is about this weather, but it makes me want to do things!

We are about to head to Hobby Lobby and Michaels. I need to find a scrapbook for my babies. I want to get the pictures and decorations put in there so it can be viewed at the fabulous adoption party Tim and I are planning. We are also going to frame some pics to place around the house, and if I can manage it, I'm going to get an easel and a large poster board with their names and interesting tid bits of info.

I am going to make the party invites, also. I'm going to buy stickers to decorate them with. Tim asked me if the boys were going to do it, and I was like.... ummm, no! :) Is that terrible? Maybe I'm a bad mother, but I really want to make them myself. And then I reconsidered, maybe I'll let them help a bit, because we are definitely going to make one to put on their wall in their room.

Before the party we have to replace the screen door on the back, because the other day Stella charged through it. I think she thought she had to have the little stuffed dog the boys were playing with or something.... and she was half way through the door before she charged backwards, realizing what she had done. She looked quite shocked at herself. So this morning I ghettoed the door and duck taped the screen onto the door. The boys were so funny as they said, "Mommy pitst it." I told them, ummmm, no. I ghettoed it. :) They thought that was funny.

The boys are absolutely fascinated with the bounce house we're going to get for their party. They've been asking to see it so often that I printed it out and put it on the fridge. Now they've changed their request to 'see fire truck on commmmputer... peease??' So cute.

I know I've told the boys about the party waaaaay in advance, but we carefully thought it out and decided that Joey would do better waiting forever than not being prepared for a giant party at his house. Historically he's done pretty poorly even having small groups of family here. We're not taking any chances that he won't have fun. So, he's currently really looking forward to having his cousins and friends here, with his wonderful train cake and Bam-Bam's puppy cake. And... the BOUNCE HOUSE! I don't think he could be any more excited. Telling him this early was absolutely the right thing to do. They also know that the party isn't for two months. 62 sleeps.... wow that's a long time! It will fly by, though, because there are so many other fun things to do in the mean time.

We have Bapaw's barbershop competition this weekend... and we are going to a hotel for it! The boys know there is a cool tv there, a pool, and really good food. And they know they have to be quiet.... no talking during the competition! They will do great.

We are going to the Pumpkin Patch with Ivy and Laura, then we have the fair on the 12th, then I am working the election on November 2 and the boys get to spend the entire day with their daddy. He might order them pizza. That sounds like a good daddy thing to do.

The court is on the 20th of November and the party soon after that. This time will be gone before we know it, and then we can breathe a sigh of relief mingled with extreme thankfulness that the state is out of our home.... at least until we adopt again. And right now the plan is to do that sooner rather than later! We want to add to our family and then add again. We'll see if that's what God wants as well. We know that he will bring us the perfect kids, just as he did this time.

Well, this was a horrendously long post, but since I'm off facebook, I've been lacking that periodic status update that lets me update on what is going on over here and what I am thinking. So now, it's in one post. :) Until later!

Oh.... one other thing. We have a new nephew! I've yet to see a picture, but his name is Truman Shepherd. Very upstanding and distinguished. He needs to write scholarly papers or something.

I'm sure he's a cutie.

Joey and Mr. Owens

We experienced some emotion from Joey in the second service today.... just a little crying here and there with his heart clearly on his sleeve.

When we were leaving church, Tim mentioned to me that probably the reason Joey was emotional was because I whisked Bam-Bam out during the singing to make his attitude better, and left Joey sitting there with Mr. Owens.

I didn't think anything of it at the time. Mr. Owens was nicely sharing his songbook with Joey and encouraging him to sing. Joey looked fine.

Well, I asked him at lunch. "Were you afraid, Joey, when I took Bam-Bam out and left you with that man?"

A definite "YES" from Joey.

Apologies from me. Then, "He's such a nice man, Joey. His name is Mr. Owens. He's such a nice man. I knew him when I was a little girl. He's so nice." I probably overdid it on the nice based on what Joey proceeded to say.

"What's he name, Mommy?"

"Mr. Owens."

"Mr. Engings (Owens) NICE! He have nice hair!"

Here I try to redirect it toward Daddy a bit... "He has nice hair like Daddy?"

Joey: "YES! He have nice hair like Daddy, and NICE eyes! And he have nose. And NICE mouth! And he have bible. I see it."

Lol. All of this was said with serious wonder..... like, of course he is a nice man, because he has nice hair, eyes, nose, mouth, etc.. apparently, he looks like he's nice. :) And he has a bible that he shared with Joey. I think Joey made a friend.

Happiness

Tim and I were at Sam's yesterday, and a lady in the checkout line made my day when she said to me regarding the boys and Tim:

"They look JUST like him! Wow! Exactly the same!"

It made me so happy. Of course I said, "Thank you!"

Of course, that comment shows she didn't know anything about science since both of us have blue-ish eyes, and the boys' eyes are dark brown! But we are skipping that part, and moving on. :)