This is sure to make you smile!

I'm not exactly sure why, but I've been in kind of a little funk lately....Just a lot on my mind I guess...and then of course the sick kids...for two weeks! (all better now thank goodness!) that's enough to wear any mom down! Anyway, I've been trying to shake it, then suddenly tonight, one look at this little ham....I think I'm cured!























Here's a few from storytime tonight!

Look what I found in my bed!

I just went upstairs to make my bed and look what I discovered! Three kids, snug as a couple of bugs in a rug!
















And just to be fair here is one of Emma this morning with a block of cheese she stole from the refrigerator! (she sure does love cheese!)

We're making progress!

Today I feel like we are finally making progress on the adoption front! This morning I sent out our I600-A to our local immigration office, along with a hefty check, Ouch!! There goes that new camara I had my eye on! We also have completed the first stack of our dossier paperwork! That's a big sigh of relief!

Now, after our agency in MN recieves our homestudy from our local agency (which hopefully is next week,) they will send us the second stack of paperwork for the dossier! Yeah! Then, once that's all done, then we can official start the really difficult part, the wait!

I'm not looking forward to that! I already am feeling the need to nest! I am constantly looking around the house thinking "what else can I paint!" Luckily for me... the kids have all been sick for the last two weeks, so that has kept me very busy and has kept my mind from wandering too much! (yeah right!)

Actually, I shouldn't say all of the kids, because of course fiesty little Em, nothing gets her to slow down! As the other three have been content resting, watching movies, and reading books little Em is running circles around them! She cracks me up! Not to worry, I think we are finally on the mend. Caroline and Jack are both back at school today and Sam will go back tomorrow! Ahhh....peace....well sort of It'll be just me and Em!

Our first INJERA!

This weekend Emma and I sampled our first Injera! The two of us, and another wonderful local family (who are going very soon to bring home their gorgeous little boy from Ethiopia!) went to an Ethiopian Restaurant that just opened downtown.

We had Injera, which is the bread of Ethiopia. (it's not much like american bread...especially the texture, Emma kept saying "look it's squishy!") The injera is meant to be a sort of "table cloth" and then the meal is served over top. You break off a piece of Injera and then scoop up the food, there are no utensils involved! Which Emma thought was very cool!

We had Iab (homemade cottage cheese), Doro Wat (chicken stew with hard boiled egg), Sega Wat (Lamb dices), I think a type of vegetable stew and something else very delicious and spicy but I have no idea what it was called or what was in it! -Patrick do you remember?

I was very interested to see if Emma liked the cuisine. Which she did indeed. (when she wasn't busy exploring the social scene!) She especially liked the Iab, which is a homemade cottage cheese....(I'm not sure if this is an Ethiopian taste she inherited or if it's growing up in Wisconsin!) She has recently also expressed a liking for coffee, (bunna in Amharic) which is typically served to children in Ethiopia...

She has gotten to the point where she steals sips, whenever I'm not looking. I have to admit, seeing these little tid-bits, these tiny little links to Emma's Ethiopian Heritage, become apparent.....it make me feel joyous, and wanting to know more....

All in all... the restaurant was great...the dinner was delicious...and the company was awesome!

I look forward to going back! Only, next time, maybe Emma and I will both know a few Amharic words!

Something to think about....

These are two of my favorite quotes from Melissa Fay Greene's book...they have been running through my head over and over this past week....

"So how does it happen that----while most people instinctively try to save themselves and their families from a catastrophe----a few slow down, look back, and suddenly reach out to stragers? Instead of fleeing in the opposite direction, a few wade into the rising waters to try to yank the drowning onto higher land".....

"----just as there is no blood test to identify who will jump into the fray---there is no simple biographical arc either. No Resume can predict why this man or woman, at a safe remove from crisis, suddenly announces,'this is my fight.' "

This weekend we had a wonderful family that we met through temple, over for dinner, Neil and Adria Willenson and their two gorgeous children. Neil is the founder of Camp Heartland, which is a national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children, youth and their families facing HIV/AIDS, poverty, grief and other significant life challenges.

The thing that struck me was , Neil was a 22 year old college student when he started this camp.

Here is his story...(this is from their website Camp Heartland.org )

In 1991, Neil Willenson, a native of Mequon, Wisconsin, was 20 years old and a senior at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. He was majoring in TV/Film and, upon graduation, had plans to seek a career as a feature film producer in Hollywood. All that changed, however, when Neil read the headline in his hometown newspaper: "AIDS hysteria in Mequon." A young boy with AIDS named Nile Sandeen was entering kindergarten in the small town of Mequon, and the community was up in arms. Fear and prejudice filled the air. At the center of all this controversy was a five-year-old boy who only wanted to go to school, who only wanted a chance to make friends.

When Neil read this story in his hometown paper, he knew he had to get involved. For the next two years, Neil got to know Nile. He got to know Nile's brother, Sean, and his mother, Dawn Wolff; an entire family affected by AIDS in the center of America's heartland. Neil compared his own life-history in Mequon to Nile's. On the sidewalks, streets and in the schools of Mequon, where Neil had found joy and friendship, Nile had found only isolation and despair. Fear, ignorance and prejudice had turned what had been a heartland for Neil Willenson into a wasteland for Nile Sandeen.

In 1993, Nile turned seven years old. Like millions of other children, more than anything, he wanted to go to summer camp. He wanted to run; to play in the sun with kids his own age. He wanted to sit around a campfire at the end of a day filled with fun activities and sing silly summer camp songs in the dancing firelight - to eat breakfast in a dining hall ringing with joy and activities.

And so in 1993, inspired by Nile Sandeen, Neil Willenson founded Camp Heartland - a summer camp program that accepted both children infected with AIDS and children who were affected by the disease. The camp was equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities able to handle the special needs of immuno-compromised campers. It was a summer camping program where children living with HIV/AIDS could step out of the shadows of secrecy into the light of openness and honesty - a place where they could have the best week of their lives.

Neil, at a safe remove from crisis, instead of fleaing in the opposite direction, jumped into the fray, and pronounced that this was his fight...

I have been so inspired by Neil... he has given me a lot to think about....

A Funny thing happened the other day...

As I was waiting in this tiny little room while Caroline and Jack had piano lessons... I felt myself relax!

In part because usually I have all the kids with and the task of keeping everyone quiet and entertained in this tiny little room leaves me exhausted and sweaty! However this particular Tuesday Jud was home from work a little early, which meant I could go alone!

So, as I sat and enjoyed my hour of quiet, I noticed the woman sitting across from me. After watching her fidget with her phone, her bracelet, her boots...I noticed, hey! I used to have those boots! I wonder what ever happened to those...Then I suddenly realized, this woman sitting across from me, was me a few years ago.

She was pretty, not gorgeous, but pretty. Her hair was beautiful, her makeup was flawless, her nails were perfect and her jewelry sparkled so much I almost had to squint! Ok so maybe she wasn't exactly me, but there were similarities!

Anyway, it got me thinking about how much motherhood has changed me in the last three years!

Three years ago, I rarely left the house without doing my hair and makeup, even just to go to story time.... these days a hat is just fine! and it's a good day if I get a shower!

My once manicured nails are so pathetic and haven't been painted since Emma wanted me to match her hot pink polish she was wearing one day, the remains are still there...

I have two pieces of jewelry that I wear everyday and they are so filthy that the sparkle is lost.

I used to plan out what everyone was wearing each day, because like a complete whacko I liked everyone to coordinate! That one makes me laugh! Because these days it's a battle just to get Sam to wear pants! (one day he refused so I had to take him to Mayfair Mall in his Captain Hook costume)...

Wherever we went, we all looked nice, and put together. Who did I think was watching us? And even if people were watching, why did I care?

A few weeks ago, I literally looked in the mirror and started laughing! Jud came in and asked what I was laughing at...I said "me! look at me, I'm such a mom! turtleneck, short hair, no makeup, what's happened!"

So, this is the part where I start to relax... That whole phony front, looking like you have everything together, when maybe... just maybe... you don't, I'm over it!

I don't notice people watching us, (although, I do hear their often stupid comments..but that's another story) and I'm not worried about what other people think anymore....

I have started to be more honest with myself about what things really matter, and I have never felt happier and more content with myself and my life. I think for the first time in a long time I really feel like myself...and I'm happy with the person that I'm becoming... afterall, I have a husband who digs the mom look, and four fabulous kids, why should it matter that I haven't showered today!

I guess one day, if we ever find a sitter again, I can wear my boots out for dinner!

Jackson!

Well, I've been informed that there is one thing that this blog is lacking...some pictures of Jack! So here you go Grandpa, this post is for you!

This week I was at the kid's school, helping out in Caroline's classroom, so before I left I thought I'd quick stop in Jack's classroom to say HI...as I was walking down the hall, a woman stopped me. Turns out she is the school substitute. She asked if I was Jackson's mom....(for those of you who haven't heard, when he started kindergarten Jack decided he wanted to be called Jackson!) I said yes, and then she began to gush about what a wonderful little boy Jackson is. She had been in his classroom helping out the day before, and was very impressed with what a great listener and helper he was! This was a moment I think every mom dreams about...having someone (other than maybe your in-laws) recognize what wonderful little people your kids are!

Jud and I were talking about Jack awhile back, about how much he is like a little Jud! I see so much of Jud in Jack. He is so sensitive and caring...yet very rambunctious and athletic! Just like his dad right? And of course he is obsessed with the Badgers! Now where else would he get that from? Anyway I had jokingly mentioned that maybe we should have named him Judson Jr. (something we had in fact thought about) Well, Jack heard that and was so bummed. He really wanted to be a little Jud! Later he told me that someday when he was a daddy, he would have a little boy and his name was going to be Jud! Can you tell he idolizes his dad?

My little brag!

Our Beautiful Little Girl! Can you believe she is almost three?




Well, thank's to Mrs. Baker, I have figured out how to put together a slide show! Oh now your all in trouble! There's nothing I love more in the whole wide world than bragging about my kids!

This one however is all about Emma! I know, what a horrible mother singling out only one child... believe me, I'll make it up later!

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about the whole process of Emma coming home, (I'm sure in a way, to prepare myself for round two) and how this one little girl, this gorgeous perfect little girl changed our family forever! Watching her grow these past two years has felt like we were raising a baby in fast forward. She came home a tiny little peanut who didn't move and days later was rolling over, then sitting up, crawling, laughing, talking , walking...running...and has not stopped yet! Everyday she continues to amaze me!


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Friday, Feb.15

Ok, I'm adding this here because I am so proud of the new slideshow and I don't want it to move down...but I wanted to share some very exciting news ...Today, Sam and Emma and I attended our first Obama rally! It was awesome! Right before he came out Emma was yelling "Where's Obama?" Everyone around us was cracking up! Then throughout the speech whenever anyone started to chant "yes we can" Emma yelled it out as loud as she could right along with the crowd! Brainwashing? No, I'd like to think that at the age of 2 she's already a really great judge of character!

It was so exciting to be there, of course in large part to see Obama in person and to hear him speak, but also to witness the reactions of the several hundred people there. It was very touching, (and a little funny) how most of the people standing around me, thought that Obama was talking directly to them! They went on answering every question he posed, and affirming every comment he made! At one point I turned to the woman behind me, thinking she was talking to me, but nope, she was talking to Barack! It was a true sign of how so many people, from so many different backrounds find him and his message both relatable and inspiring!

A little update!

This week has definately been a crazy one! We had our social worker come to our house yesterday for our in home "interview"...the last step before she can put together all of the information for our actual homestudy. She thought it would take her a few weeks to get everything in order, meanwhile Jud and I have the next stack of paperwork to get moving on...the dossier! whew! that's a load of fun!

So, anyone who knows me, knows that I am quite the... oh let's see, how should I put it...anal retentive clean freak! yup that's me! So, with a social worker coming into our house I, in true form went a little nuts! I cleaned and scrubbed, washed and folded, even organized closets! So to my surprise, in the midst of my craziness, my sweet dear little angel Emma, (who has been potty trained for about three months) decides this is the day she wants to pee in the middle of the kitchen floor! Wonderful! We had a little talk about why we don't go potty on the floor, which of course she and Sam thought was hillarious! Then, just a short while later, while I was vacuuming the stairs, I noticed a bad smell....I knew just what it was and who had done it!!! I walked into Emma's room to find that she had gotten a pull-up (normally used for bedtime) out of her closet, pooped in it, and then was trying to get rid of the evidence! The used pull-up was balled up in her closet, there where wipes everywhere, and poop all over her rug! Fabulous! We had another discussion about why we don't go poopy in the pull-ups and try to hide it from mommy! This time even Sam was disgusted! It was a learning experience for all! Emma learned how to get mommy's attention, and mommy learned that perhaps it is not wise to take her eyes off of Emma! And Sam, well he learned that he is not the only one in this family who likes yucky things!

Yes, we can!

I love this video! Jud laughs at me because I listen to it over and over! Watching Obama speak, I can't help but feel like I am witnessing something great and powerful.

There Is No Me Without You!

A few months ago, Rhona, Jud's mom, asked me if I had heard of this book by Melissa Fay Greene. I said that I had, but I hadn't read it yet...Honestly I think I was avoiding reading it. A couple days later the book arrived in the mail. (Thanks Rhona!)

I kept the book on my nightstand for a few weeks, I could feel it staring at me, so I moved it to the coffee table. At last one day about two weeks ago, I finally picked it up and began to read, and read, and read. It was so hard to put down, everytime I had a free minute I'd quick try to get in another chapter. I felt so many emotions while reading the story of Heregewoin Teferra, I felt deep sadness, frustration and anger...I don't remember the last time I cried so hard.

The reason I kept putting off reading the book, was because I had heard so much about it and knowing the nature of the story and knowing myself the way I do, I knew it was going to be difficult to read. I think I feared that the book was going to require me to stand up and make changes in my own life and my own way of thinking.

You know when you're driving in your car and you see an accident, and you think how lucky you were that you didn't leave two minutes earlier, or you could have been the car in the accident? That knot in the stomache is what I felt while I read about the children born in Ethiopia, near Addis Ababa. Over and over I kept thinking, that could've been Emma...I could feel myself changing inside as I read these stories.

I have started looking into organizations commited to bettering the lives of these children who have become orphans because of this devastating disease. I'm not sure exactly how yet but I do belive that this is my fight...

Below is some information from Melissa Fay Greene's website where she mentions specific organizations, there is a link on the right hand side I encourage everyone to check it out.

Life in the shadow of the HIV/AIDS pandemic is brutally difficult for parents and children.

Orphaned healthy children are far less likely to attend school, even to grow up: the mortality rate of children under five spikes when their parents are gone.

Children actually infected with the HIV/AIDS virus will die by the age of two; a small percentage of survivors may live to be ten; but, without medicine, their brief lives are full of suffering.

Fewer than ten percent of adult African HIV/AIDS sufferers -- and an even smaller percentage of children -- have access to the expensive and complicated life-saving medicines.


But, there is hope.

A variety of organizations are importing the miraculous drugs into Africa, helping to build health-care institutions, and saving lives.

Other organizations are nurturing and raising orphaned children; some even facilitate adoptions of HIV-positive orphans to America.

Still other organizations help destitute people find decent work.

We actually made it!

Last night was the first time in our family's history that we made it through an entire length of Shabbot Services! Jud and I were amazed at how well all four of the kids did! Caroline sang with her sunday school class, she looked so grown up standing up there, and she was so proud of herself! She kept waiving at Emma who was very jealous that she was not up in the front with her.

On the ride home Jud and I were just giddy with the thought that we are finally getting to the point where we can take the beasts out in public again! We have recently been going out for dinner as a family (to actual restaurants rather than McDonald's) again and each time we just beam with pride at how well behaved they are! Then we reminded ourselves not to get too comfortable because just as we get ready to turn this corner we are preparing to add another one (or two!) and start the whole thing over again!

Well it's official, I have a seven year old!

So Caroline officially turned seven this week! Even though she had her party last week she kept insisting she wasn't actually seven until her birthday! (similar to what I said about turning 30!) This was her and some friends at Libby Lu! She had so much fun!


This turned out to be a busy weekend with Grandma and Grandpa in town...Sam's party with his friends...oh just a magic show, some games and face painting, followed by a pirate cake, the kid was on cloud nine! Then Sunday Jud took the three "bigs" to the Bucks game! They thought it was awesome! Bango the mascot is Jack's hero! It's all he could talk about when he came home. Sam of course was cheering for the bad guys, aka the Wizards! A very busy but wonderful weekend together! Thank goodness we don't have another birhtday until March, I think I need a little break!

Let the Emotional Rollercoaster Begin!

Well I dropped off all of our paperwork for our home study with our local agency yesterday! Now our social worker will put it all together and send it to our international agency, after of course she does a home visit to make sure we have room in our hearts and our house for another child... it'll be a nail-biter!

So anyway, after the home study report is received by the international agency then the next round of paperwork, the dossier begins.... Much more involved than the home study. Lots of papers to get notarized and double notarized(yes,really), fingerprints, government approvals, copies, copies, and more copies, blah... blah... blah... red tape! I guess jumping through hoops is another thing to add to my resume! Which I might add at the moment consists of things like; expert laundry folder, floor sweeper, bathroom scrubber, personal shopper, cook... yeah right! ok maybe not cook but you get my point!

So we're a long way from the end but at least we are finally on our way! Once the dossier is complete I really have no idea what the timing will be like. For infant referrals they are estimating 7-9 months wait and then 1-2 months to travel! In our application to CHSFS (the international agency we use) we said that we would be open to either sex, possibly siblings up to age 3. We agree with CHSFS that we should follow birth order so the child(ren) would need to be younger than Emma. I know it sounds crazy, but I really think if any family has enough love to do it it's us! Yeah that's the sound of me tooting my own horn!

Well that's all I have for a progress report.... We are getting ready for Grandma and Grandpa to come visit this weekend... so I'm off to make some toilets sparkle!

Happy Birthday to Sammy Squirrel!

What an amazing first four years!
The boy who once screamed at the sight of a camera has since turned into a little actor, almost never seen out of costume. His favorite things in the "whole wide world" as he likes to say, are dressing up, pirates, (combine the two and he's in heaven!) and talking about anything disgusting...i.e. toots, poops, potty, burps etc... etc...Yes we are so proud!This weekend, on a road trip to visit Bubbie, he actually taught himself how to cup a fart! And he's only 4...just imagine the possibilities! All kidding aside, Sam really is the sweetest little boy! He is an amazing little artist who just loves to color! And of course he loves to watch the packers! Unfortunately, (plug your ears papa) he likes to cheer for the bad guys! (whoever is playing the packers!) I know, I know, we're working on it!

Just looking at this silly little face everyday can take away any worries! He is such a little character! It's impossible to be around him and not be filled with pure adoration. That crazy squirrel!

Reminisce with me?

This is Jud and I a few weeks before Caroline was born!




And here we are at the Hannah Montana concert last night!

Only 7 years ago!

A few days ago I was putting together invitations for Caroline's 7th birthday party, when it suddenly hit me...my baby is almost 7! I don't know where the times goes, but sure goes quickly... I've been thinking a lot about where we were as a family only seven years ago...

It was just Jud and I, well we did have the enormous "rock" the dog! We were in our first little house, anxiously awaiting the arrival of our first little bundle! We were so happy, yet so clueless! Clueless about the changes we were about to undergo. From the moment that Caroline was born, we were forever changed. In a way you just can't possibly begin to imagine until you experience it...We went into the hospital almost 7 years ago as two people who were so nervous and excited about what the future held and we emerged only a few days later as a family.

Jud and I are not the same two people we once were...this has never been more clear to either of us than it was yesterday when we surprised Caroline with two tickets for her and I to go see Hannah Montana! I brought her upstairs to tell her alone... her face immediately lit up and her eyes beamed with excitement, all she could get out was a loud piercing screech! There was something so pure and heartfelt about her reaction that really got me. After a quick hug, she ran downstairs to tell the boys, I followed wiping tears from my face, embarrassed at what a softy I was, when I looked up and saw Jud doing the same thing!

The years have flown by in a whirlwind of new adventures and new additions! We've moved...and moved...and moved again. Our family has grown from three to six! Not bad for only 7 years! I can only imagine what the next seven hold!

Barack Obama | Change We Can Believe In |

Barack Obama | Change We Can Believe In |

Hurray!

What an exciting day at our house! We were all very pleased with the Obama Victory! Knowing that we are not the only ones who are ready for some well needed change comes as a real relief!

With Bubbie and Zaide and Grandma and Grandpa living so far away, and now that Nana and Papa have flown south the winter, I thought this blog would be an easier way to keep you all updated with recent pictures and updates of what the crazies are up to.

Man do they love chocolate!





Jud&I had a holiday party to go to, the sitter was nice enough to snap a quick picture.


Sam's debute at his Holiday Program! He insisted on a tie of course!

Emma has been growing like crazy! She has officially passed up Sam in the height and weight categories! She is turning into the sweetest little girl...the terrible two's are almost behind us! She is even having patience while I've started experimenting with her hair a little...For Emma that is major progress!








I never thought I'd be one of "those mom's" who couldn't wait for school break to be over...but I must admit it was quite a relief today dropping them off at school...I actually was able to go to the bathroom with the door closed today! Oh how I do enjoy the little things!