Had a Merry Christmas and looking forward to the new year!

Hey all, We are home safe and sound. My last post indicated the anxiety over this years trip to MI, and, as it turns out, it was not for nothing. We took off on Friday afternoon around 2pm. I had been hearing about bad weather all day and school had let out early because of the threat of coming snow. We all figured that since we were from MI and used to driving in snow, we could push through it. Also, the weather updates seemed to indicate that we could beat the worst of it if we left when we did. However, we learned different. About a half an hour into the drive, we started to see snow covered cars coming from the southbound lane. We were headed north, straight into this snow, and began to get slightly concerned. It was hard to believe though because all that was happening above us was endless rain....how could it be snowing so hard just a few miles ahead? Well...it was. It was actually snowing so hard that we went from moving at 65 mph to 25mph in a matter of seconds. The roads that were covered in gallons of rain water soon became pure slush because of the falling snow. At this point, we were already an hour into our trip and did not want to turn back. We continued on, slow but sure, not knowing that 3 miles ahead we would end up stopped in a terrible traffic jam. We figured this out rather quickly but still were not deterred. A small accident up ahead...no big deal. It would be cleaned up in no time and we would be on our way again. NOT QUITE! The minutes turned into hours. We were stuck on I26 amidst falling sleet/snow and miles and miles of stopped traffic. We could not turn around or go forward. We were stuck. After about an hour of waiting, several cars tried to pull through the median and turn back. The bigger vehicles made it though, but every car got stuck in the deepening snow. We knew our cars would end up stuck so we had to stay put. An hour turned into two hours. The kids were amazingly good. They were hungry, but we had some snacks and activities to keep them occupied. Mommy needed to use the bathroom...but the wait continued. Two hours turned into three and three into four. I personally was getting very scared for the safety of my kids. By this time, the radio had been broadcasting about the storm and the accident up ahead that had put both sides of I26 at a complete standstill. Two semi trucks had jack knifed across all lanes, and the roads were too icy for wrecker crews to get in. They began to mention shutting down the interstate for the night and finding a shelter for all stranded motorists. YIKES! By this time, I was terrified. We had plenty of stuff and two cars full of gas, but home was less than and hour and a half back and we were going to end up either sleeping in our cars or in a shelter for the night. After 5 1/2 hours of worried waiting, the DOT managed to clear a path for the miles of motorists to at least exit the interstate. They ordered us to either find an open hotel or go to the nearby shelters for the night. The interstate would be closed, and we could go no where else. Ironically, we were at the Asheville airport exit. The airport had cancelled all flights for the night and 7 out of 7 of the available hotels had absolutely no vacancies. Mind you, the roads were covered in over a foot of snow, and we got stuck in every driveway while searching for an available place to stay. There were a bunch of cops manning the exit ramps so we stopped and asked them for directions to one of the shelters that had been set up. They had no idea that there even were shelters available and sent us on a treacherous goose chase to find nothing. We ended up driving and driving down some road that was taking us the back way to Asheville. It was the only way we could even travel so we just started praying for an open hotel. We stopped at every one we saw and all were full. We were starving and nothing was open. Finally after about an hour and a half of driving, we found an available room. It was crazy expensive and the last one available. It was 11 o'clock at night, and we were tired and hungry. Also, completely overwhelmed! Thank God we did not end up having to sleep in the car. Believe me, in the middle of all this I was thinking of all of the worst possible outcomes. I prayed and prayed and am sure that God saved us that one room. Anyway....I'm sure you figured out that it was a long night. We raided the vending machine and tried to calm our nerves enough to sleep so that we could hopefully continue the drive in the morning. We managed to leave about 9 o'clock the next morning and made it to MI around midnight. Needless to say....it was a long trip. I think it snowed the entire way up! So that's how out trip up went...our holiday was wonderful and we thoroughly enjoyed the time with our families. I'm sorry this is such a long post...but it is definitely a memory for the scrap books! I'll try to post some fun pictures from our trip within the next few days! Good night everyone!

Is it really finally here?

We have made it to the day before Christmas break starts. I say this with apprehension because every day of this week has brought new surprises for us that seem to be deterring us from heading out tomorrow afternoon. First, JJ came down with a stomach bug on Saturday night. Then, of course, I got it on Monday night and my husband got it on Tuesday night. (Miracle has been lucky so far!) Then the money bug started to gnaw at my heart...and I got really overwhelmed on Wednesday:) We thought Thursday was going great until I got this not so great call at school. JJ was sick---again---with what looked like another tummy virus or a possible sinus infection. I have to say, I am very nervous about what tomorrow has to bring. I am thankful for today because it allowed me to get a lot of our packing done that would have had to wait until this evening, but I am worried about JJ. The pediatrician would not give us an appointment until tomorrow. She said to wait it out. Now, normally I do this. I wait until I am absolutely sure they are sick before making an appointment. I learned the hard way that the doctor most always says..."Its probably a virus...just wait it out!" So of course...I wait until I am sure its not just a virus. Today is different though. We are leaving tomorrow and need to make sure JJ wont be miserable to entire time we are gone. So of course, I called...and, of course, they say to wait it out anyway. "If it gets worse you can take him to an outpatient clinic in MI," they told me. Well, Ms. Doctor, I just want someone to tell me he doesn't need an antibiotic so that I don't have to pay to see an out of state doctor. I could go on and on....but to sum it all up we have an appointment for tomorrow morning. He seemed a lot better tonight so we are hoping for a miracle in the morning! So this is my hodge-podge post for now...sorry this is so jumbled....so are the thoughts in my head!!! More updates to come....after the Merry days are over:)

oh the weather outside is....too warm!!!

Hey everyone! Its gotten a little colder around here in SC but not cold enough. It's December...I want sweaters, hot chocolate, winter coats, mittens, and scarves. I have yet to come to terms with the fact that we are no longer in MI this time of year...Yes, I must admit it is kind of nice to have less frost, less shivering in our beds, less need for thermal underwear....but the fact remains...it doesn't feel like the Christmas season without the prospect of snow! For this very reason, I am anxiously awaiting our Christmas break. We will be traveling to MI where we will spend our holiday with friends and family...and SNOW!!! Don't get me wrong, I love my life here. It's just that when I was young we would wake up looking for snow. Most days we were outside with all of our winter wear on sledding or even ice skating on our little country dirt road. Yes, I'm from the sticks...but its so cozy there. I don't regret it for a minute! We had ton of snow days in December too. So you see, I have other reasons for missing the snow as well. It's so nice to wake up in the morning, turn on the news, and see that school is cancelled for the day. We made a lot of memories on those wonderful snow days! We usually get a few here in SC but not until January...and that is if we are lucky! I'd almost venture to say that those memories are what made me so close to my brothers and sisters. Snow forts, snow men, snow angels, warm treats...and lots of fun pretending. When school was out, it was PARTY time! I guess those are the memories that will get me through these next few weeks until we get to venture on home to MI. Until then...here are some pictures of the snow last year:) There was a TON!

This is the view outside my mom's back door...PERFECT!

Some lonely birds stick around for the good stuff.

All bundled up at Grammies. Ready to play in the snow!


He had to borrow a scarf that was way too big for him...He endured though. The snow was so enticing!

The kids went sledding on a huge snow pile.

Hope you all enjoy the taste of Michigan's wonderful snow. I am so excited and will be updating about the rest of our Christmas plans soon!

New Hair and Holiday Excitement

Hey everyone! I know it has been a long while since a good update. I have no excuses...just an "I'm so sorry":) Overall, life is going well on our end. My family is coming into town tomorrow, and I am so excited to see them and get to celebrate Thanksgiving with them. I will get to see my uncle and his new wife. I have never met his new wife, and I have not seen him in ages. Also, I have never met my mom's sister's daughter, Emily. She is coming to SC with my parents so I will get to meet her for the first time. She lives in California but is in college in Indiana. It works out great for my parents to pick her up on their way down here. It will be a fun week for sure! In preparation for the holidays and upcoming family pictures, I re-did Miracle's hair tonight. It is starting to get cold outside, and she has been begging for curly hair like mommy's so I went ahead and put some extensions in. They are a lot of work...and way too hot for summer days outside...so she has had to wait for awhile:) It looks really cute....and she loves it. I think she has already flicked it over her shoulder like girls with long hair do about fifty times since we finished around seven. She is too cute!! Anyway...pictures of the new do are below, and I will try to update on how Thanksgiving goes. I have so very much to be thankful for and always enjoy this very special holiday that kicks off the Christmas season. We will be going home to MI for Christmas, and we are already counting down the days!!

Isn't she beautiful?? We are already preparing ourselves for the teen years...and the boys that will surely be drooling over this one! They better drool very respectfully or they wont even get a chance!

Randomness from the sister who visits too much!

So I am here visiting my sister and her family today, and on November 15 they are listening to Christmas music and Decorating their tree. I am all for this except for how we have not even Celebrated Thanksgiving yet. They say they will celebrate both, but I wil have to see if this is true. I would also like to wish my brother-in-law a Happy Birthday! I am thankful that I was included on your celebration even if it did include me watching you decorate for Christmas. :)

On to my other random topics. I have been going through pictures on my computer and found many of the Splan Clan so here they are in no specific order. Hope you enjoy the random pics of

the fun times I have had with all of them! These are not in any order since I do not usually blog and I had a lot of trouble figuring it all out. These pictures are from our day out to the splash park, the birthday celebration we had at Monkey Joes, our family get together, and them decorating the tree. Holly is helping but did not make it into the pictures from today. By the way Holly loves pictures of their feet. The pic was taken on JJ's birthday for her to always remember what small feet they were when he turned two. :) I hope you enjoy! From the blog Stealer :)

Happy Halloween 2009!

We had a great Halloween with our kids. It can be such a fun holiday if you just have fun with it....Last year, Miracle had to be a cheerleader and JJ was a little pumpkin. As you can see....last year was too cute!

Halloween 2008

Halloween 2008




Halloween 2009--- JJ wore his same pumpkin sweatsuit from last year....hasn't he grown up a lot? Miracle was a barbie princess....she loved it:)

Halloween 2009- I had to post this cute picture. These two are the best of friends and Miracle was helping JJ to cross the street safely. This is a memory that will last a lifetime....sisters and brothers have such awesome relationships!

Happy Birthday to my Sweet Boy!

Happy Birthday to my sweet boy! Today JJ turns 2. He has been such a blessing to our family. I have very mixed emotions about this day....my baby is growing up too fast, and yet it is so exciting to see him grow!

We love you so much big boy!

Some Sunday afternooon pictures

What up, dudes?

JJ stole the cookie from the cookie jar? "Who me?"

Another Family Update...

Hello everyone! We are all doing pretty well in the Splan household. It seems that the sickness has finally decided to end for awhile....at least for now. Today my family and I headed over to my sisters house for some much needed family time. My mom is down from Michigan, and we were all antsy to see her. It was a very enjoyable and relaxing day! My husband is preparing for a little business trip to Charleston next week, and Miracle and JJ are both looking forward to JJ's birthday party next weekend. With Nanna visiting, the party is sure to be more fun!

Last week was a sad one for the Meyer Center, the school I work at. Our school was started in 1954 by an orthopedic surgeon named Leslie C. Meyer. He had a burden to offer therapy services to physically disabled children at as young of an age as possible. He passed away over last weekend and his funeral was on Thursday. I did not know this man very well but have a very great understanding of what his vision has done for hundreds of children. His funeral was awesome. I only wish he could have been there to hear everyone speak so highly of him. He sure did make an imprint on many lives!

Aside from lots of business, we have all been enjoying the arrival of fall. I did make it quite clear a few posts ago that we could do without fall. This, however, is only because of the awful spiders! I still enjoy the crisp smell of the air in the morning and evenings. I love to watch the leaves change colors, and I love that the fall time change is getting closer:) I hate how dark it is when we get up in the morning--- it makes me feel so much more tired! I am especially looking forward to the holidays this year. I have a lot of family coming to SC for Thanksgiving, and hopefully we will be traveling to Michigan for Christmas. We will still be crazy busy but getting to see family always makes life look a bit brighter!

Well the children are calling. I need to get off the computer and get some household needs taken care of. Have a wonderful weekend and especially enjoy the Lord's day!

So happy together

I was out sick last week with strep throat and this is how JJ spent his day...reclining and being lazy:) I was lazy too although I had to do a lot of disinfecting so that the rest of the house would not get sick. My best attempts failed, however, because Miracle woke up this morning with a sore throat, cough, and fever. Ahhh...the joys of fall!

This is just a cute picture of the kids playing dress up...and sharing a soda which is inevitably why we are passing this sickness around so quickly:(


One day last week, it was a really cool evening and Josh decided to mow the lawn. JJ would not let momma rest until he got to go out and help daddy. Yes, he is already in his PJ's, but I could not resist letting him play 'big boy'!

Just a random picture of my happy Miracle!





And my not so happy JJ....isn't he cute though?!?!?

Overall, it has been an interesting few weeks. I am hoping to get Miracle into the doctor this morning to get her better for tomorrow. School and jobs are calling...no time for being sick! I will enjoy this day at home with my kids though. It is raining and dreary and cold outside. Her little body could not have chosen a better day to be sick!

Signs of fall...

I can always tell when fall is on its way in good old SC. Its not the cool air at night or the every other day rain...though these things are definitely clues as well. It's the spiders. Spiders start to come out everywhere. I can definitely remember my first August in SC. I was quite pregnant with JJ. I came home from work one day to find a giant spider hanging in a web right outside my front door. By giant, I mean GIANT. In Michigan, spiders tend to die over the winter so they never get too big over the summer. What I thought was a big spider growing up is actually quite small compared to the big spiders here in SC. Well this big spider was blocking me from going through my front door. At this time, James was living with us. James was a teenager that we brought back with us from Michigan. He was going through a hard time and needed a summer away. Well, upon meeting this wonderfully giant spider at my front door, I backtracked to the back door. On the way there, I began noticing the many spiders that had emerged around the eaves of my house. There were several of these giant spiders, and I immediately new that we had to make a trip to Walmart. After all, GIANT SPIDERS are not allowed at the Splan house...or outside it. I was about to have a baby and my pregnant hormones said the spiders had to go NOW! James and I made an immediate trip to Walmart where we picked up the best spider killer spray we could find and a broom. We rushed home and got out the ladder. I then directed James to every spider that I could find outside of the house. I made him kill every spider I could find...and I made him sweep around the outside of the eaves to find any lurkers. He was very sweet to let me boss him around knowing full well that he was not willing to deny a pregnant hormonal woman. It was actually quite funny looking back. After this, I was content. The spray apparently worked through last summer too. I kept watch and never found GIANT spiders hanging around the eaves. However, this year they are back. I still check the top of my door every day when I get home. I will never forget that giant fella! The top of the door remains safe...but the spiders are everywhere else. I have had Josh kill a most of them, but there are still plenty out there. Also, I have killed several that I have found inside my supposed "Spider Free" house. YIKES! The other day, we were watching TV before bed. All of a sudden this little spider descended down from the ceiling right in front of the TV. I freaked, like I always do, and Josh took care of the little intruder very quickly. Some of you may find this entire post useless...but you have to understand how very badly this is effecting me right now. I HATE SPIDERS! They come out in hoards as fall approaches and cool weather starts coming. For this reason, I say...lets skip fall and start winter early!

A glimpse...

Cool Dude with his soapy mohawk!

Just an update...

Yes, we are still alive! I am so sorry its been so long since my last blog. I have been ultra tired and not in the mood to type....or think for that matter! It seems this new school year is kicking this mommas butt! Hopefully, I am more adjusted by next week. Anyway, we are all doing pretty well aside from the sleepiness. Miracle loves school. She has several of her friends from K4 in her class this year and that really makes her happy. She even gets to see her beloved friend Gavin on the playground most days. She informed me at the end of last school year that she was going to marry Gavin. I have heard several prospective marriages from this girl...her daddy, her brother JJ, Papa...but we always go back to Gavin. The other day she told me that her and Gavin had talked...they still want to get married. She wanted to know if I wanted to meet him before they get married or not?!?!?! HOLD ON A MINUTE! My baby girl is getting way to smart for her own good:) I'm glad she is enjoying life though. Scarily she seems to be becoming boy crazy like her mama...do you think that if she starts this early, her boy craziness may fade before she becomes a teenager??? Lets cross our fingers for that one!

Aside from Miracles overall success with K5, it has been determined that JJ has entered his "terrible twos" a little early. We have had quite the time the last few evenings. JJ inherited the high maintenance parts of both his daddy's and my personalities. You know how your mother told you that she hopes you have one just like yourself when you grow up?? Well, my mother told me that a few times...and it happened. I was not an easy child...and it looks like JJ is going to spend his little life pushing the limits whenever possible. We are working hard with him though and hope to end up with a nice young man nonetheless:) Don't get me wrong, he is still as cute as a button but he is starting to show his desire for independence very early in life. I have two very hard headed children....how in the world did that happen??? J/K I love them both to pieces no matter what!

We were able to enjoy a fun cookout for labor day. It was at my husbands bosses house. The boss part made it kind of stressful...but we still had a good day. I hate that I have no pictures. I took the camera and forgot it in the car! Both JJ and Miracle got to wear life jackets for the first time. JJ still wanted nothing to do with the water. Miracle was a bit apprehensive at first. She did not trust the life jacket to hold her up and she could not touch past the rocky shore line....Daddy helped her get used to it though, and she ended up having a blast!

Well, I need to get dinner started for two hungry little munchkins. Enjoy the weekend!

Morning suprises and first day of school

This week has definitely gone a little smoother for the Splan clan. Josh is still working late hours, but we are all getting adjusted. A few nights ago he brought home a surprise for the kids who were already in bed. When they woke up, they found this...

A GIANT LOBSTER! They loved this thing. It is so funny how easily kids are entertained. Daddy was happy that he had made two little hearts so happy!

Tuesday morning was Miracles first day of kindergarten. Mommy was worried, but Miracle was pumped! She must have asked me fifty thousand times when school would start...and when the day finally came she had to keep asking if she could really go to school. She did great:)

Miracle and Daddy

Before we walked out the door.

Are we done taking pictures yet, mommy? (the eyes say it all!)

For her first day, I actually walked her in and made sure she was OK. Today was her first day being dropped off in car line. Last year she rode the bus in the morning. I was very nervous about dropping my little girl off at the door to go find her classroom all by herself. She told me she could do it though, so I trusted her. I worried the whole way to school. When I dropped her off she jumped out and with only a slight, hesitant look back at me...marched into school like a big girl. She is so grown up all of a sudden!

A Mothers heart...

Babies cry. That is a statement of the obvious...I know. However, I have NEVER been good at handling a crying baby or child of any age. When my first niece was born, I was still in college. She was quite a fussy baby, and I remember very clearly how very badly her crying hurt me. I would go visit her often. Every time she would cry I would end up leaving the house to get away from the crying. I would stand in my sisters driveway and cry myself....I always feel so helpless when a baby cries. This intensified when JJ was born. He has always been a little bit spoiled because I cannot ignore his cries. Yes, I know that babies cry when they are mad. They cry to get what they want. They cry for no reason at all. However, despite my motherly instinct of knowing why my boy was crying...I could NEVER ignore it. I always have to pick him up and cuddle him once he reaches the point of crocodile tears whether they are forced or not. Of course, I am the same way with my Miracle girl. When she first came to live with us, she hated bathing. By saying she hated bathing is actually putting it quite lightly. She would scream before she even stepped a foot into the tub. A high, heart wrenching plea. "Please daddy...NO! Please daddy...." I tried to give her the baths at first but had to let daddy take over. I could not handle the anguish of those tears, and yet I knew she needed to get used to bathing. She did of course...and she now begs for a bath every night. Don't get me wrong---I can completely ignore a fake cry. Really, I can. Once a child starts to really cry though...with tears and all...it all goes downhill. This made the newborn months really hard for me. Dropping off my crying baby before work never did get easier....and still kills me every time.

I say all this to explain to you the newest hardship of my week. JJ has been crying, crying, crying. It might be because he is teething or because he is just over tired. It might be because daddy is working crazy hours and our routine is a little different. It could be because he doesn't feel well. I cannot figure it out. I have tried everything. He cried when I dropped him off at daycare this morning,which he rarely does anymore, and he cried for the pettiest things all evening. He is sleeping now, but my poor heart is still hurting for him. I wish I could read his little mind and know whats wrong with my baby. Poor Miracle is feeling quite neglected because JJ is hogging all of my attention...but really...its the crying!

Its funny how children never fully realize the love of their parents until they become one themselves. If only I had known how very much my mother hurt when I made bad choices. If only I had understood how deeply her heart was connected to my happiness. I might have been a better child....but I guess we would all say that. I can say this though...My children will always have my heart. They both have me wrapped around their little fingers as it is...and both JJ and Miracle's pitiful crying will always get my attention and leave me crying right along with them.

as time flies by...

I have not felt much like blogging lately. I learned a lot from Thumper on Bambi...'If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all!"...and that is just how I have been feeling lately. Totally and completely overwhelmed by life. Don't worry...I see in myself this huge weakness of worrying, and I realize it will hardly get me anywhere in life. Most days I can sum up the strength to over come it, my worrying, but lately it has been tough. August has been a rough month for the Splans. Money is so tight...even the dogs are feeling the repercussions! (They still get plenty of food....but table scraps are few and far between;) You all know how it goes....when something goes bad---it seems that everything starts to fall apart around you. Oh well...things are starting to look up around here, and we are all happy for that. My husband is working lots of extra hours to get us caught up and it has not been very fun. I cannot complain though....God has provided like He promised He would. Also, my wonderful mother is always a huge encouragement. She sent me the sweetest card yesterday....how is it that mothers know just what to say? The stress is not just due to tight finances either. Starting a new school year is always a bit overwhelming. I do not like change, and it always takes me a few weeks to adjust.

After saying all this...let me tell you that I am determined to have a good week this week. My class is starting to get used to their new routine, my Miracle starts k-5 next week, and JJ is growing up more and more every day. I have plenty of things to be excited about and thankful for....I just need to quit focusing on myself! Miracle is so excited to start school that she can hardly stand it. She has asked me at least four or five times a day if tomorrow is school:) As for JJ, Miss Dana decided it was time to get rid of pacies at daycare. (She has several 2 year olds that take a pacy, and she is trying to wean them before her new infant nephew starts coming.) I, of course, was a bit apprehensive. I know JJ needs to get over his pacy, but it keeps him a baby that much longer. Despite my reservations, Miss Dana planned a "Throw the Pacies away party" The kids all threw their own pacies into the garbage and were then rewarded with ice cream. It went so well. JJ no longer takes a pacy at daycare at all! He still gets it for bed time at home...I am not quite ready to give that part up! Also, JJ is getting really close to the potty training stage. I had bought him a plane jane little potty to start practicing on, but he hated it. Yesterday, a friend gave us a spider man seat that sits inside of the big potty seat. JJ LOVED IT:) Unfortunately, he wanted to take it in the bath and everywhere else with him yesterday. It was cute. (Don't worry. I did not approve the playing with the potty seat, but JJ definitely tried for his 'two cents' worth on this issue;)

So you see from earlier in my post why I have not been posting. Thumper was really quite intelligent if you think about it:) However, my children are doing great, and I am dedicated to returning to the blogging world. I promise to keep you updated more often....:)

life is hard...but worth it!

It's been a long week for the Splan clan. We all enjoyed getting back into our regular routine of work and daycare, but we ended up being quite tired every night. It's funny how easily your body forgets routine! JJ and Miracle are none worse for the wear though...in fact, as I sit and type at my computer both kids are running around the house happily. Mommy and Daddy are wiped out...but the kids act like they could go for another 24 hours:)

JJ is starting to come down with a cold so we plan to stay in for the weekend doing absolutely nothing. I had a not so fun trip to the dentist yesterday. It seems that I broke a tooth without realizing it and without proper care it now needs a root canal. Dental work is ridiculously expensive so I will probably just get it pulled. This is NOT my favorite alternative, though it is the cheapest!

This week has really made me think about how thankful I am for my children and their health. I work with special needs children and have to go through yearly training. This year, we had to do an extra training on handling seizures because we have several new kids with different kinds of issues that will be starting this year. I have taught in this area for almost four years now, and I do not go a day with out being reminded of how hard life must be for parents of special needs children. My second year, I had one of my students pass away. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to go through. JJ had just been born, Miracle was four years old, and I was going to a funeral for a five year old. Hugging his mother, I felt so guilty. Guilty because my kids were OK. My kids were healthy. I couldn't even pretend to understand what she was going through, and she was younger than I was. The mother had the pastor read this very special poem about having a child with a disability.

WELCOME TO HOLLAND
by Emily Perl Kingsley.

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability – to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It’s like this……
When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip – to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.”
“Holland?!?” you say. “What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.”
But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It’s just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It’s just a different place. It’s slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…. and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills….and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandt's.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy… and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.”
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away… because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.
But… if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things … about Holland.

This poem sums it up all by itself. These parents may have quite a load, but they still love their kids and enjoy every moment spent with them. I praise God that my two are healthy, but I know in my heart that if God decides to give me a child with special needs I could handle it. After all, I have spent over 3 and 1/2 years seeing some wonderful examples of parents who would do anything for their kids...and have. Going through all of this training and having a glimpse of what these parents go through...has been enough for me this week! I don't find myself to be better than anyone else just because I teach special kids. In fact, at times I find myself wondering why God chose to put me in this profession at all! I am always thankful, however, that I get to be a special part in the lives of each of my students. They may not be able to experience life the way I do, but they get to experience it and its part of my job to help them experience it to the fullest.

OK getting back to what I started talking about (so sorry about that detour)---I am thankful for my children and their health. Need I say more??

PICTURES!

I am back with the updates that I promised. Today went well. I had a lot of meetings which was not that fun...but we all made it through. JJ and Miracle had a blast for their first day back...all that worrying for nothing. Aren't mom's silly? Anyway--here are a few pictures from our fun break last week. Hope you enjoy!

This is a picture of Miracle and JJ enjoying their morning routine or dry cereal and cartoons....JJ is so glad that he finally found his belly...can you tell?

On Saturday, we all took a trip to Falls park in Greenville. Miracle wanted to put her feet in the water with her cousins. They had a blast. JJ is still afraid of most water though we are trying to work through that.

After putting the feet into the dirty river....the splash zone was a must. Again, Miracle and her cousins had a blast!

JJ was so tired by the end of our adventure that daddy had to give him a ride. JJ was so so hot but would not touch the water...

The kids also enjoyed playing in at the park. This teeter totter was their favorite adventure. They pretended it was their air plane!

Overall, we all had a great and relaxing time. I am so looking forward to being able to take JJ swimming someday. Miracle used to have a horrible fear of water and is now a little fish...we are hoping JJ will feel the same way someday!

The end has arrived:(

For all of you who are wondering, we had a wonderful break. I have to admit that I was not the perfect mom. I had to take some time for myself catching up on my favorite Lifetime movies, cleaning, arranging, etc. However, I also spent a lot of good time interacting with my angels. We just had fun doing nothing. We didn't go on vacation. We didn't go out everyday. We didn't get to go on any huge adventures. We just spent time home and together. In JJ and Miracle's little minds...What could be better? I think we all enjoyed it too much and will have a hard time going back to our everyday routine tomorrow. I don't have time to post any of our fun pics from the week today...but stay tuned for some fun pictures to come:) For now, I just need to relax and mentally prepare for tomorrow. My kids love their daycare....however, being the worrier that I am, I am apprehensive about dropping them off tomorrow. I know they don't care that I am a working mom. They enjoy their little friends and enjoy their time at Mrs. Dana's house. However, I have my own self-imposed guilt at being a working mom. After all, it is not the ideal according to how I was raised. Hopefully when my children are grown, they will see that I have spent their entire young life trying to give them a good life. That is why I have to work. I hope they will see this and understand how much I loved them even though I had to drop them off everyday so that I could work. I want them to know that if I ever doubted that they were being well taken care of...I would quit my job in an instant. In my heart, I know they know that I love them more than anything. I know that they are in good hands while I am away, and I know that God is watching out for them too. Hopefully the time we've had together will stick in their minds and "keep them company" when they miss mommy. Because I will miss them...I will think about them all day everyday as I always do. I will do my job and complete my responsibilities and rush home to pick them up like I do everyday. That is all I can say for now...more pics and reports of our exciting first days back are to come:) For all who are reading this....keep my little Miracle and JJ in your thoughts and prayers tomorrow as they get back into their routines:)

Saying "Farewell" to our summer vacation

I am so sorry I have not posted in awhile. I have been pretty anxious about all that is going on in my life, and I have not felt like sharing my worries just yet:) However, this coming week is my last week off and my anxieties are starting to seem small and pointless. I just wish that I could get over my "NEED" to worry and give it to God. That is, after all, the best way to go. I just have a major weakness in this particular area. I was watching an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition last night, and I had to kick myself for all the little stuff I worry about. There are so many families out there who have less than we do...who have more reason to worry than I do. After this particular episode, I was able to really sit down and see the many things God has given me and my family throughout this year. Surely He will continue to provide!

Moving on to more exciting things...I hope you all like my new blog design. I was so excited about figuring out how to change my background that I had to do it several times before I was happy. Its been fun though...my trying to be artistic and all. I was not blessed with extreme talent in this area;)

Also, I have next week off. I have a kind of sadness/excitement when I look towards this week off. Sad because its my last week off before starting the wonderful August through November stretch with nearly no breaks. Excited because I get to spend another great week with my wonderful kids. They, of course, have no idea that this is our last week off or that summer is almost over. Kids have that advantage of just loving life no matter what! I wish that I could somehow get across to them that being a kid is truly something to be happy about. My Miracle can't wait till she is all grown up. Oh well, I never listened to my mom when she said to enjoy it either! I guess we all did that....wished away our childhood and then want it back when times get tough!

We have nothing but fun things planned for next week aside from my unpleasant appointment to see the dentist. I have a tooth that is really bothering me. I hope it is just a cavity and can be fixed on a low budget:) Aside from the dentist apt, we are just going to have fun. I will be cleaning and getting my house ready for a long stretch of 'quick cleans' as I so fondly call them. You know...the ones where you just hurry up and put stuff away and cannot find the energy to dig deep and scrub down everything? I figure if I get everything scrubbed down now...I wont have to stress too much about my 'quick cleans' knowing that the underneath is not too bad:) One thing I can be so happy about is...I HAVE NO MORE CLASSES TO TAKE!!! This is truly an accomplishment in my book. For the last two years, I have been taking classes, taking care of kids, teaching full time, taking care of kids, taking care of my house, taking care of kids, cooking healthy dinners, and taking care of kids:) Please don't get me wrong...I have loved taking care of my kids and all of the other craziness of the past few years. However, I am plenty ready to be able to enjoy my kids a little more...and enjoy my job a little more!

OK...I have to end this hodge -podge of crazy thoughts so that I can get some much needed 'quick cleaning' done right now! I hope you all are enjoying your days with your loved ones and not worrying them away like I tend to do. I like to remember one of my favorite old hymns that has a line that goes like this: "oh, what peace we often forfeit. Oh, what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer".

changes

Ok. As you can see I have been trying to figure out how to remodel my blog. I have tried several different backgrounds and am still not completely satisfied with this one. Keep in touch for the finished product....

This is a little poem given to me by a fellow adoptive parent. I love my girl so much and this explains most of my thoughts and feeling towards the many thoughts and questions directed my way throughout this entire process.....


Yes, I have adopted from foster care.

"Please...Don't assume that I could not become a parent in any other way- or wanted to become a parent in any other way. This was my choice and I am pleased with it.

Don't ask if I plan to have any "real" children. This one IS real: I have crayon marks on my wall, little muddy footprints on the carpet and lots of hugs and kisses to prove it.

Don't ask about her "real" parents. A real parent is there through thick and thin. I AM her real mother and will be for the rest of her life; she just wasn't born to me.

Don't ask why she was in foster care. Some people do very terrible things to children and Social Services must intervene. These details are private and for my child to share. If you are a medical professional, realize that she CAN hear and let me tell you some things out of ear shot.

Don't ever think she did something wrong to end up in foster care. She was a victim.

Don't ask if her birth parents were punished. If I know, I will only answer "yes, that they lost her".Don't feel sorry for her. SHe does not need your pity. Just treat her like any other kid.

Don't call her birth parents horrible. She may look just like one or have the personality of the other. I love my child and she came from them. I do not like what they did, but I am happy for what I have.

Don't tell me how lucky she is to have been adopted by me. I am the lucky one to have her.

Don't call me noble or kind since I have "taken her in". She is not a stray puppy or a charity case. I became a parent for the same reasons most other people do- I wanted a child.

Don't compare her progress to other children her age at this time. She did not have the best start. She is catching up and working hard. I have only had her a short time.

Don't jokingly ask if she will go home with you. Realize that she is actually afraid that you might take her away. Remember I was a stranger to her a year ago.

Don't ask about her baby pictures or toddler years. I don't have any pictures or memories. The only details I know of those years relate to her arrival in foster care.

Do congratulate me. The happiest day I've had is becoming her mother.

Do realize that we are a "REAL" family. My name is on her birth certificate and she is mine.

Do throw a baby shower if you want to. Yes, she's five, but she's my baby and I would like to celebrate.

Do listen to my stories about her. I am as proud of her progress as you are about your kids.

Do talk to her and treat her like every other kid.

Do talk to me and treat me like every other parent.

Don't tell me that you could never do what I've done.

Have you NEVER truly love ANYONE who was not blood related to you? Remember, a marriage is more important than the wedding and raising a child is more important than how she arrived."

- Jean Williams, proud mother.

My baby boy is growing up!

This is a super cute picture I took on my phone tonight. My husband would kill me for posting this...but I just couldn't resist. (btw: my hubby does have shorts on...just in case you could not see them:) Josh really likes to get on the computer and enjoy u-tube videos. Well, he decided to do this tonight while dinner was cooking. JJ was stripped down to his diaper because he wanted to take a bath. Let me rephrase that. He was BEGGING to take a bath. With it being stormy outside, his constant begging to play outside never won out so he decided a bath would be fun. He figured that if he stripped for me, I would give in. It was too cute! Anyway...Josh was on the computer, and JJ decided to climb up with his favorite horsey and enjoy computer time with daddy. Cute isn't it?

I am so very 'befuddled' these days. JJ is still my baby, and yet he is getting so grown up. Being around his sister all the time is not helping to keep him a baby! He can now climb out of his crib with the mattress all the way lowered and the bar all the way up. He is starting to sit on his little potty every now and then to get used to the idea of potty training. He is no longer in a high chair. He can drink with almost no spilling out of a big boy cup. He says "love you". Thankfully he still likes to cuddle with mommy now and then. The scary thing is that my cuddle times are getting shorter and shorter. I am so happy to see him growing up...but I want him to slow down a bit!

Tonight we were looking at pictures on the computer to distract JJ from wanting to go outside. He was laughing at every one and excitedly yelling out 'JOSH' every time he saw daddy in a photo. (JJ calls daddy Josh. We have been working on this for awhile now. He does call him daddy most of the time now...but still prefers Josh sometimes:) He loves that man to pieces!

As JJ gets older, his little attitude comes out more and more. It's so hard to discipline every 2 minutes. I have to keep reminding myself of something my co-worker Wendy shared with me when JJ was first born. I was telling her about how sweet he was and how I couldn't imagine ever having to yell at him. She agreed that it would be hard, but she told me to ask myself this: are you raising a little boy or a man? This helps a lot. I have to remember that all of the 'No's' will pay off. Raising this little boy is already overwhelming at times. However, its the best experience ever, and when he is all grown up and on his own...I want to be able to say I raised a nice young man:)

Update on summer fun:)

We are still alive and enjoying our summer to the fullest! The other night, we had spaghetti for dinner. JJ loves this meal but decided he was way more interested in playing peek a boo with his bib than eating. It was too cute!

After dinner, we decided to spend some time outside with the kids. They enjoyed playing ball together and posing for pictures:) Our dog Jezzi also decided to enter the photo op as you can see in the together picture below:)

This morning we decided to take the kids to a little beach near Clemson. It was really fun. Miracle loves the water and enjoyed swimming with daddy. JJ, on the other hand, isn't too sure about the water these days. He decided he would rather play on the slides. We all had a nice time!

Here are some pictures from our trip to Michigan.

Here is Miracle trying to sleep during our long trip up, and JJ trying to look like Daddy.

Here is JJ after deciding to drink ice cold water from an outside fountain. He decided he did not like it:)
Happy Birthday Miracle:)

Josh and I with his sister and brother.

Pile Up! All the cousins on Josh's side having some fun with Uncle Bubba a.k.a. my hubby!