Follow this blog...

I just added a new feature to my blog. If you'd like to add yourself, go ahead! I'd love to know who is reading. That way I can follow your stories too. Sometimes I come across a really great blog but I'm a afraid to post b/c I don't want to be a 'stalker'. Once I posted on a fellow Michiganders blog and the next day she went private. I was like alrighty then.
I just added it and I already have two followers. Did I do something wrong??? I hope I'm not randomly added blogs to myself....hehehehe.
Well I'm off to read some interesting blogs...night.

My little birthday boy!

I never thought this day would come. G is going to be 1 year old on February 16th. He is walking all over the place, he screams mommy when he is mad, of course he calls for his dada and baba. This afternoon he said nigh-nigh when it was nap time. He is so funny and I can not get enough of him. Right now he is playing in his little blow up house. I wish I could catch every second of his life on video. I hope and pray we have another child but really who knows...if not, I'm very thankful for our little guy.

Here are a couple pics of him in his blow up house....btw, A loves these pj's. G's cousin bought them for him...pretty fancy!





babyGap pj's...

No poker party...:(

We were invited to a poker party tonight. I love playing poker. I've played in a couple tournaments and the most I've won in one night is $175. But in the last year I've played once and lost after making it to the final table. So I was really excited to play tonight. But unfortunately we couldn't go...we could not find babysitters for the kids. I love my nieces, really I do but I can't wait until they go home. All of this responsibility was so sudden and we were not prepare but with God's guidance we are making it work. I'm just excited to be able to do more and go more places after they go home.

I'm going to ask my friends to send me pics of the party. I'll post them even though we were not there....I miss my friends!

I'm so late but I just have to post these..

G really enjoyed opening all of this gifts. Of course T and K were excited to help him. It's amazing how different these holidays were for us. We wanted a family for so long, we shed many many tears, we prayed over and over and finally we have a family. We know we are so blessed. Being a mother is everything I imagined, I love my snuggle bear more than words could ever express. I'm so happy that is hard to remember how much my heartached for a child. But when I really think about it, I remember.....it hurts to remember. So to all those women out there in the matched period or the waiting to be matched, your time is coming. I hope sooner than later!

Our report is finally done!!!

I seriously can't believe it took about 3 months of paperwork to finally get our report in to the state. If you are just starting to read my blog, I'll fill you in....we are applying to become foster parents for our nieces. They have been in our home since May of 08'. We were not required to have a license but in Oct. 08' that all changed. Something happened and the state now wants relative caregivers to be licensed. So on top of everything....like caring for 3 children, the holidays and birthdays we have been plugging away at paperwork. And I swear for the past 4 weeks our SW called wanting something else, something she had previously forgotten about. I was really getting sick and tired of her phone calls and emails. She called today to say that everything was submitted, now we just wait. I seriously thought we were already at this point but nope. Now we really are waiting. Waiting for the state to read all about who we are, why we are and how we are.....will they deny us, maybe but maybe not. After all the state has allowed my nieces to be here for this long and they are still healthy and alive.
I'm just exhausted of the whole situation. Last week we found out that the girls may go home in April. So what's the point of getting our license now???? Oh yeah, because all the cr@p we've already gone through, might as well get it over with. I asked my dh in a joking sort of a way the other day if he would like to request any more children once our nieces go home...he said NO WAY! I just had to laugh. We are seriously exhausted and we are not sure if we are cut out for foster care. But then it seems like God is driving this car...KWIM?
Anyhow, that's my rant. I feel I've aged a good 5 years. I can only imagine my life without my nieces. I became a mother for the first time in Feb. 08 and then a legal guardian to my nieces in May of 08. So basically we went from a family of 2 to a family of 5 overnight.....wow.
For those of you who have never seen a pic of my nieces, here's one of me and the girls from the holidays...

It's not official yet but....

looks like G won second place. Thanks to all my family and friends!!! The winners will be annouced the 25th, I'll make sure to post a link. I can't believe that there were two rounds of voting and each were a week long. GEESH! I became a psyhco voting mom! Actually A and I were addicted to the mlive website. Mlive is our local newspaper's website. We would check it in the morning, in the afternoon...again in the afternoon, then in the evening about fives and in the middle of the night at least two times. I told A that I would never allow G to be entered into another contest where the public can vote. If something comes up in the future it will have to be judged by a panel of judges. It's stressful and truthfully I'm not a good loser. I scare myself! The funny thing is A is just like me. I can't believe how into it he got, Friday night he arranged a voting party at our house. We had some family and friends over to vote. At first I thought he was crazy but it was fun.
Now that the voting is over I don't know what to do with myself....lol. Today I finally took down all my Christmas decorations. Can you believe it....January 18th and just took them down. I'm such a slacker! My living room looks so boring now. But it does feel good to put the holidays behind and start looking forward to spring. Right now we have about a foot and a half of snow and it's only 19 degrees out but I'm thinking spring! I even started spring cleaning today. A and I put up some shelves in our basement. We need to get organized! G toys and clothes are taking over the house. I love it really but I need room to walk...lol. So this is what happens when you're stuck to the computer for a week voting then the contest ends and life resumes! I actually have energy and motivation....think spring, even while buried in snow.

Thanks to all who voted for my handsome little man. We are very blessed to have G in our lives and my whole family is just so proud to know such a wonderful little human being. In fact, I better log off so I can go give him a kiss!

Round Two...

Voting starts for the final round! G made the top 10, the winner will be chosen on the 25th. Voting is from the 11th through the 17th. Please help G win!

I just don't understand?

I feel like I'm losing control. Like my life is so disorganized. Am I lazy? Am I crazy? I don't know but if feel like A and I are hamsters on one of those little wheels that goes round and round. Will we ever get off of it? I'm not trying to drum up a pity party but are we ever going to catch up with our bills or get ahead????? I'm hoping and praying it's this year.
After all we've been through so much infertility treatments and that's not cheap. We've also just adopted...I feel we will be forever in debt. I imagine all the money we would have if we had been fertile....I know money is not everything but it helps!
Ok back to the matter at hand, my house and my life are out of control. I can't keep up with the housekeeping. It sucks! I'm glad that we are able to provide a home for my nieces but geez...I never knew how much parenting takes out of ya!
Have you ever gotten so far behind you just feel like moving? That's right, I said it...I want to move! I want a new clean house. I know it'll probably get just as messy as this one but right now I'm enjoying my fantasy new clean house. Where everything has a place and there is nothing but sunshine pouring through the windows. Aaahhh, seems so sweet.
I remember when A and I were buying this house, I was attracted to the character and the fact that all the houses on the block were different. Not so cookie cutter, kwim. Well, six years later and one project after another later, I want out!
Besides A would love two more children. Can you believe it....two more. I love him dearly but I'm thinking one more, we'll see. I think we will move before we add to our family. So I have to make cuts. I'm thinking of getting rid of cable. I'm online all the time anyhow. It is nice to have Sex and the City playing in the background though....lol. Who needs TV, right?

Anyhow, here's to the New Year and to following all of our dreams.

G is walking!!!!!

New Year...new tricks! G is walking! He has been taking a couple steps every now and then but today he decided to just give it a go...

I just have to post the video of him, I almost cried.

Vote for G

Go to mlive.com and vote for my baby! He is up for the baby of the year award.
You have to create an acct but once you do that, you can VOTE 10 TIMES!!! PLEASE HELP G WIN!


here is the official link ~

www.mlive.com/grpress/babyoftheyear



Deanna