Andy's 1st Birthday Party: 11yrs old

So we made it...our first official birthday party. Andy's first ever and my first as a parent.
whoohoo milestone :)
I was hoping I'd have something really funny to write...lol but I don't. The party went over great.
We rented a huge inflatable slip n slide and the rest was "baseball themed" (well except for the pinata which Andy really wanted so of course we did). It was really fun.

I will say that I don't know of any other 10yr old who worries about the state of the house and yard for their own party. It was cute and sad at the same time. I had to keep gently reminding Andy we had it covered, we would take care of it. He was really exciting. We had a countdown going on the calendar and in the kitchen.

Of course I did my 'Motherly Duty' of worrying that we wouldn't have enough kids, or that it wouldn't be fun...whatever else there is to fret over... However, I must commend myself because I kept it under control and at some point (who knows when) I just stopped. Yeah, all on my own I was calm and collected and decided whatever would happen would happen. HA no.
Between my Mom and a few friends, that happened. Either way it was really fun, we really enjoyed ourselves and got a bunch of great pics--that need to be uploaded--and Andy scored some great gifts (can I say that? Is that tacky?)

My sister got the cake and pizza and I've never seen such an awesome cake that also tasted good--seriously it seems like you can only have one or the other. But it was great.

So here we are...1 down...tons more to go. Ahhh--insert me smiling and sighing. With this birthday/milestone comes the reminder of all the birthdays Andy didn't get to celebrate and all the years we missed. However, he is here now and it just seems normal--which is good. But it did make me stop and remember (although its easy to remember) how very blessed we are to be a family. I look at him and I just want to hug him and never let him go.
Last year we celebrated his birthday at a McDonald's in Simferopool, Ukraine. It was the first time we'd seen him in almost 2yrs and we couldn't have been happier. He spoke maybe 2 words of English and already called us Mamma and Pappa. I'll never forget him sitting there smiling from ear to ear. He had never even been to McDonald's. He ordered a cheeseburger happy meal, ice cream cone, and a chocolate muffin. He saved a few bites of his cheeseburger and half of his fries for later. And neither Andrew or myself could quit smiling or hugging him. And here I sit just shy of a year from that day (bc his real bday is the 25th) blogging about his first party. We've come along way. Thanks to all of you who've been a part. I'm actually trying not to cry just thinking about our journey. I keep a journal for Andy. I've been writing in it about him, the adoption...etc since we started this process. I was reading back through it Saturday night and there was a bday card tucked inside from what we thought was his 7th birthday. I remember his birthday then. I was at Dell and Andrew was still selling real estate. I must have thought about him all day wishing he would be here. And here we are, and he's here. It felt like it would never happen. The Lord sure does work in mysterious ways.

As I've told you before I don't go back and read these....so sorry if this one was a waste of your internet time :) I'll post pics of his bday as soon as I can get them loaded.

From dreaming on his birthday, to a McDonald's party of 4.....here we are, home all together--Mom, Dad and Andy-- :)
Happy Birthday Andy
Here's to all the birthday's to come!

I'm Stupid

Andy got upset the other night and in his madness (whatever you want to call it) he threatened to write "I'm Stupid" on his face. It was late and we were all tired. I (of course) told him he was not stupid--so don't go emailing me :) but that if he wanted to do that I wasn't going to stop him.
I shut the door and left...praying he wouldn't call for me again.

Fingers crossed.....hold your breath...nope no more yells.

The next morning I go in to wake him up, one of my favorite things. They are so sweet and inncocent before they get up aren't they? So I'm rubbing his back and as I'm about to say "Andy wake up" he rolls over and what do I see--you got it... black marker...smeared across his precious face.
I hold back a laugh and walk outside to call Andrew, who's already left for church.
I decide to not say a thing to Andy about his new tattoo. You can tell he did it in the mirror and it doesn't actually say 'I'm stupid' it really says MI then you can see an bits of stupid but it's all crossed out... so really it looks like MI with a dark line underneath. MI is somewhat accurate if its for mission impossible...that about sums up how I feel sometimes.

So we get ready with no mention of "the mark" and later a few minutes before we are leaving he says to me "you know how you say you wouldn't let me go out looking silly?"
"Yes."
"Well" he replies " Do you really mean that."
I of course nod, because I do--I wouldn't let him go out dressed silly as I have told him before.

This of course doesn't satisfy him because he wants me to say something about his mark, fuss, get mad, anything. And I'm not.

So finally he caves and asks "well are you going to let me go looking silly."
"No. I think your clothes look nice."
hmmm I can tell he's still not satisfied with his performance...
"So you really would let me go out looking silly then."
"No I reply, I told you I wouldn't send you out dressed silly and you are not. I cannot help that you chose to write on your face."

So finally as am walking out the door he says "how do I get it off" Which I know he knows because he's already washed part of it off.
"Soap and water"
"What if it doesn't come off?" dont' get all soft he says this defiantly as if it will give him a get out of church pass.

"Well then, I guess you will go to church looking silly."
With that I go to the car and wait. Whatta ya know he comes out, with a clean face.
Guess that will teach him not to use that type of 'threat' again.
One for Mom.
Whew, I was worried this would be a bad morning.

Of course....if you read this and you have kids that know Andy PLEASE do not let them read this or know about this story. He would be devastated.....
Ok I'm trusting you...
Dear God, please don't let any of Andy's friends come up to him at church or wherever about this...or I'll die and feel like dirt.
Amen.

:)

andy's 1st birthday party

andys birthday is coming up, july 25th and so we are planning his 1st birthday party! not just his 1st in America, or 1st with us but his VERY first ever!! needless to say he is excited...and oooh so cute @ it. hence me posting this from my cell phone-holy sore thumbs. after his baseball game last night we pulled into the parking lot of party city and headed inside. when he realized we were there for his party he squealed and his eyes lit up-oh yeah, i'm thinking-im in big trouble, if he's that appreciative over invites hwo can i say no to anything?? lol. anyway short story long he was in heaven the whole time. and he's making out his invites as we speak and he was so happy to do them. it was so sweet. he's looking forward to it so much we have a countdown in our kitchen! so...basically i just wanted to share how much joy he brings me-just seeing his excitement over his bday. little boys, or @ least mine, sure do know how to get their moms wrapped around their fingers! good thing he doesn,t know :)

"Mom Guilt"

"Mom Guilt". Someone should tell all new Moms @ the extreme amount of guilt they will feel upon entering Motherhood. Guilt over any and everything at any given time. This was a surprise to me. I mean I expected a little but all the time? Something must be wrong with me. Here's a nice little example to show u how nutso I can be. I told Andy we would try to go to the library after VBS today. What I didn't think @ is the reality that we don't have time today. See I take little trips to the Magical Kingdom-mom version. Where I am super Mom and can do all things with no time constraints. I invent these super fab agendas in my head and bc in the magic kingdom they work I am comletely devasted when I am back in the real world and can't fit it all in. Luckily I don't divulge all my "splendid" plans with Andy, otherwise he'd not only be stressed but also dissapointed. So here I sit feeling like a failure bc not only can we not go to the library (which he only wants to go bc I'm making him read lol) but I also couldn't pick him up so he's riding with the neighbor and her kids bc I had to do some work. *sigh* the part that makes me nut is that he is best friends with the neighbors and they are like family. And, in fact she usually picks them up. In reality as I am drowning in my guilt the rational part of me knows he would rather be wherever the boys are. So if they r with her that's where he wants to be. If they r with me, that's where he wants to be. I know all this so why am I still feeling like a loser? Good question. No one can seem to ease it. Well, that's not true, I only tqalked to andrew as he worked and he wa super busy so he just looked at me as I half talked and half thought and trying to help smiled saying "its ok.". Ok? No I need more than that-so, I call the mom help hotline-my mom. That def helped. However I was only relieved from this guilt after talking to my sweet son. He was happy and so excited that instead of going to the library for a little while today we r going to try to go next week with the neighbors, downtown. That got me a hearty "cool. Love you Mom. Bye.". Insert relief and a smile. What I didn't tell him was my loftyh plans of taking the train to the downtown library! Nevermind its blocks from the trainstation...there I go again

Andy just finished a dbl header. He was catcher-his 1st time. He did great! Had a great attitude and game! He hustles no matter what. We are so proud :)
Not to mention how cute he looks!

Andy is @ kroger with my neighbor and her boys-his 2 best friends. They are having a serious argument @ who's Dad is the best! My neighbor took her boys to pick out Father's day cards and let Andy tag along. She said that Andy proudly said "My dad is the BEST DAD." Of course all little boys think their Dad is the best so her son refuted this. But Andy took it really seriously and he was getting upset (lol). He told his best friend... "you don't understand, my Dad is the best. He came all the way to Ukraine to get me and adopt me."

If that isn't heart melting I don't know what is. He's so sweet. This has been such an amazing journey. I promise to fill in the gaps because we've had some really funny stories.
Oh, and they took a fart machine! My poor neighbor!

I'm back....or at least trying to be

Where have I been? I don't know how it has been so long since my last post? I really do love posting....I am trying to think of a reason why I haven't had time to post....hmm Below are a few things I think may have kept me a bit tied up.
1. teaching my Andy English
2. learning how to be a mom
3. cooking
4. cleaning
5. laundry
6. figuring out how to 'make friends' with total strangers on account that they too have a 10 yr old--aawwwkwwaaaard
7. laundry
8. keeping my calm
9. debating time out with other punishments
10. being frustrated
11. being tired
12. figuring out my place as Mom at school....pta....room mom
13. little league
14. youth soccer
15. vbs
16. being a mom
17. feeling guilty
18. wondering why i feel guilty all the sudden
19. helping andy learn to read
20. laundry
21. feeling guilty....again
22. homework
23. summer!
24. playing with Andy
25. hosting sleepovers
26. play dates
27. LAUNDRY!!! AAAAH
28. answering the question--mom where are you
29. working
30. wondering what i've been up to and why i'm so busy and tired?

I gotta say I thought I could do all of the above and still write, post, edit, talk on the phone, work out and be super mom and wife. Funny thing. I can't. And I feel guilty that I can't??
Maybe some of you other Mom's can let me in on the secret.

So....I'm going to try to write more...although I don't know that anyone other than my family really cares to read it :) Nevertheless....just be patient with me as I don't edit these half the time! So don't shoot me down as I bare my soul :)

By the way....thanks for reading :)