Quick Takes

1.)       We had a week of sickness in the house last week.  Thank God for Mere Mere and Mimi, who took care of the kids and brought meals when I needed to get to work and then got sick myself along with John.  After 20 minutes at work last Wednesday, I knew that I couldn’t stay a minute longer and drove home to capitulate to the 24 hour bug.  Had to pull over on the highway and again at a church parking lot to gracefully puke, if one can do that.

      2.)   Yesterday, the permanency plan meeting for the kids’ case took place.  Because of confidentiality, we can’t talk about anything that was said in the room.  However, the father (who is snowed in somewhere on a job site) and his lawyer did not answer their phones for this meeting. Everyone else managed to participate. I hope he has a very good reason for missing the call.  Please keep this in your prayers. We want the best for the kids, and we don’t think the best thing is what the CW is recommending.  We pray every night that the judge make a wise decision on 3/14 at the court hearing.

     3.)  Our niece, Maddy, is in Madama Butterfly at Kennedy Center in DC!  She auditioned with other 4 and 5 year olds for the non-speaking part of “Trouble,” Butterfly’s child.  They were looking for kids who are good listeners and who can ‘sleep’ on stage for 8 minutes or so—not easy for little kids! We are so proud of her and excited for her.  Sure wish we could see her onstage.  After her wig fitting, she looked like a little boy in a kimono.  Amazing.  Love you, Madge! 
      
     4.)  For months and months, I’ve neglected to exercise. L No more! I have to get back into running shape for a ½ marathon in June, and just for my health and sanity.  A few days of running, a few days of Zumba, and a few days of some good lifting will get me back to where I need to be.

      5.) John has finals in 2 weeks.  I cannot believe he is halfway through grad school! He does an awesome job both at school and at home.

      6.) My next home project is our small bathroom.  It really needs an update. The medicine cabinet is huge and covers part of an outlet.  There’s no good storage, and we need it in that small space. That reminds me that I never posted after photos of the main bathroom.


      7.)   I’m hoping to catch up on work this weekend.  Thank God for the VPN.  With all that’s going on, I got behind on year end reports.  It’ll all get done!

I Do, February 10, 2001: A Decade Later

Ten years married today.  10 years. Married. Today.  How in the world did John C. ever convince himself to marry Jenny M?? I sometimes still marvel at that. Most days I marvel at that.

We became friends in one of the the most romantic cities in the world-Rome during our semester abroad.  A year later in February 1997, we started dating.  A couple of break ups, a vocation search, a move to DC and the best proposal at the Lincoln Memorial later, and here we are: in WA state, a career change, some infertility, a foster parent license, and a set of twins later, in our own piece of heaven on earth.

Thank you, my dearest friend and husband, for gently nudging me towards striving to be my best, for your patience, for your humor, for your being just you who I met in a state called Texas and fell head over heels in love with 14 years ago in a country called Italy.

You are the best thing that has happened to this Florissant girl, to Little Man, Cherub and Thumbelina and Jill.  Please, don't ever change.

To paraphrase a line from "Sense and Sensibility" (John and I do not share a love of Jane Austen :) ): May I endeavor to deserve you.

Happy 10th, dearest John.

A Tale of Two Cities and Two Sacraments

Our family has been blessed to have celebrated two sacraments within a week of each other. First was Zelie who is the newest member of our family and is now a member of the family of God.  She was baptized at her new home parish on January 30! John was able to be present as her godfather.   From the photos I’ve seen it looked like such a happy and peaceful event.  I’ve been showing the twins the photos from that weekend, and every time I point to the baby, they say, “Bay-bee SAY-lee!”  She looked so sweet and beautiful in her baptismal gown, quietly sleeping as her happy parents, friends and relatives gazed down upon the little girl who has brought such joy to us all since we learned of her existence and the possibility of her joining our family.  God bless you, Zelie Yvonne.

                          Newly baptized Zelie with Mommy and Daddy.

            Zelie with Uncle Jeff, Uncle John, Mommy and Daddy (Missing are Aunt Miriam and Uncle Joe)

         Pere Pere (pronounced "Pay Pay") with his youngest granddaughter.

                        Mere Mere (pronounced "May May")

A week or so later, John’s sister, Miriam (Confirmation name Gianna) was confirmed at our beautiful parish by Bishop Eusebio Elizondo along with several other teenagers and a few adults.  Her sister Ellen, was her sponsor, but due to her new status as mom of a newborn in another state,  I honored to be Miriam’s proxy sponsor.  Miriam’s mom stood in for me at the baptism since I was home with the twins.  The family that proxies together….

Standing behind Miriam and seeing the young woman she has become made it difficult for me not to tear up. Where have the years gone?? She is a lovely, responsible, talented, fun person much beloved by her nieces and nephews, especially by two of them who melted down an hour and fifteen minutes into the confirmation Mass. Thank you, Mere Mere and Pere Pere for helping Daddy so much with the kids!

"Gianna" and the Confirmati.  She is on the far left standing next to our pastor.

                              "Gianna" (middle) and friends.

Our family now has a baby Catholic and a fully adult Catholic.  God is good.

Pampered Chef!

I don't usually post about things I'm hosting, but thought I would today.  If any readers love The Pampered Chef like I do, I'm hosting a catalog show that is open until January 31.  My close friend, Erin, is a consultant with 3 young daughters and another child on the way this summer.  So, if you'd like to add to your PC collection, go to Erin's personal website and enter my name as the host.  If you don't know my last name, comment or leave me a message and I will send it to you.

Happy MLK Day!

All Done with M.aybe Days

This morning as we were getting ready for the day, from the bathroom I spied Thumbelina in her room.  She was picking up a book and sitting down on the red toy box (of John's childhood) which is now their shoe box.  She was dressed in her little purple skirt, off white tights and brown boots with the flowers on them.  As she maneuvered herself to sit down on the red box, she picked up a book and said, "I read "M.aybe Days."

This is a book written for children in foster care.  Our twinks are only 2.5, and don't understand the gist of the book.  They enjoy the pictures and being read to.  But the book is geared toward school age kids whose questions  to their foster parents are often answered with "Maybe."

-Will I go back to my parents?
-Maybe.
-Will I stay with my foster parents?
-Maybe.


However, John and I find ourselves using the word "maybe" in our own conversations with each other.  
Maybe if the kids are still with us in March, we can get their 3 year portraits done."  
Maybe if they are with us in April, we can have their birthday party.
Maybe if we can adopt them, we should move.

So many maybes. All of these thoughts passed through my head as I finished cleaning up the bathroom and focused on the day about to start.  In my heart, I don't want their parents to fail, but also in my heart, I don't want our dearests to leave.

Then I heard Thumbelina say out loud to herself as she stood up, "All done with M.aybe Days."

Baby Girl, we are, too.

Oh Happy Day!

E & K's baby was born this morning! They are on their way to the baby's birth state right now. Please pray for their safe arrival, and please join me in giving thanks for the baby's safe arrival.  Birth mom and baby are doing well.  Little girl, we can't wait to see your beautiful face.

Precious one,

So small,

So sweet

Dancing in

on angel feet

Straight from Heaven's 

brightest star

What a miracle

you are!

New Year's Eve

The kids just went to bed. John is preparing the crepes for our NYE get together with his parents and sister.  I have curlers in my hair to look presentable for when they arrive.  But I won't be wearing shoes.  This Christmas was wonderful and spending it with the twins and our families made it that way.  It must have been tough for their mom, since she was without them.  Please keep her in your prayers.  Please keep another mother in your prayers who is carrying our (possible) niece.  She has chosen wonderful people to parent this little girl: John's sister and brother-in-law.  We eagerly await her arrival in mid-January.  Ellen and Kurt will drive from WI down to Louisiana for the birth. She will be our 9th godchild, an incredible honor for us.  This is a baby so precious and a pearl of great price to both her birth mother and her parents.

This beautiful and moving Christmas song about the Baby Jesus makes me think of all children, especially this little baby girl, who come to be in less than perfect circumstances, but who bring light and joy to our lives.  I challenge you not to tear up when you listen to the words.
 
God bless you all in 2011.  

Our Sugar Plums at Mere Mere and Pere Pere's house, Christmas night.