Help Bring Timur Home!!!

Allow me to introduce a very special family to you all!

This is my friend Meghan and her hubby, Wayne with their beautiful children, Taylor and Tanner. They are on an amazing journey to adopt a darling little boy from Eastern Europe.

His name is Timur.

They are giving away a Wii just in time for Christmas to help raise the rest of the money they need to go rescue their son. Please check out their website and buy a chance for only $5! I can't wait to post some awesome pictures - very soon - of Timur in his new home with his forever family!

Their website : www.thenewdickinsonfamily.com

Oscar's Can

Does anyone know why Oscar lives in a trash can?

My sweet Luke sat watching Sesame Street this morning, and as he watched, he was also asking me questions. Nothing new, he's full of non-stop questions about things I really know nothing about. Anyway, he was pondering why Oscar lives in a trash can. "I have no idea, son. All I know is that he lived in a trash can when I was a little girl, and it appears he is still living in the same trash can now." Why, I wonder? What is the purpose of Oscar? He's grouchy and mean to everyone else living happily on Sesame Street. He never wants to sing the "ABC's", or count, or talk about the shapes and colors, and he never wants to play any games with anyone else. And he's SOOOO messy. That's not really a good example to be setting for our little ones. And, if he's so unhappy there, why is he - after more that 25 years - still there?

As I wonder, myself, about Oscar, it makes me consider my own trash can. Sometimes, I think, we get stuck in our routine of life (our trash-can, if you will) and, even though we say we really are happy where we are, it really puts us in a bad mood and we lash out at everyone around us. I think many of us have our own trash cans that we are living in. Some of them - like mine - are stacked inside of each other. Things I want to change, things that negatively affect my attitude and my self-esteem. "I wish I could lose some weight", "I wish we had more money", "I wish I was further in my walk with the Lord", "I wish, I wish, I wish . . . " If I let myself get carried away wishing, I never get around to changing anything, and I remain stuck in my trash can and everyone else pays the price of my negativity. SOOOO, let me apologize to those who have recieved the outpouring of my trash can attitude. I know the trash can life is not what God has for me. I pray for contentment for where I am, but also for hope for where I'm going. I will not be an Oscar, stuck for years in a trash can of unhappiness!

"They tricked me!"

A new adventure in the life of my Sadie girl.

For several weeks now, she has been asking to get "holes in her ears". Now, for those of you familiar with my little drama queen, I had pictured a joyous trip to the mall, followed by hysterical screaming as she changed her mind at the last minute.

We talked it over seriously for about 3 days.

She decided she did NOT want to wait until Daddy gets his next pay check, but she wanted to use her very own money (precious coins she's saving for her next American Girl - a whole new post for another day!) and go NOW!

So, we arrive at the mall, joyously bouncing around like a crazy person, and proceed to locate the famous Claire's jewelry store. As we get closer and closer, she begins to slow her stride, and her bouncing becomes a little less evident. She looks up at me. "Mommy, what if I change my mind?" Oh, no. Not happening. By the time we arrive, she sayes her tummy hurts.

But, she picks out the pair that she likes - sparkly, diamond looking things, and climbs up in the chair. Then climbs back down. "Mommy, can I sit in your lap?"

Oh great. Here we go. Cue hysterics at any moment.

She lets the nice man clean her ears and put the fabulous little purple dots on her ears. Then she decides she's done. She doesn't really like this place after all, and she really doesn't need any holes in her ears just now. Are you kidding me?

So, the very smart man at Claire's called the two lovely ladies over that are working with him. The talk her out from behind the chair. (Oh, yes. By this time, she had climbed out of my lap, and was hiding behind the big chair in tears) They ask if they can just "measure the dots". That's all, they just want to "measure" They are brilliant. They grab their "measuring devices" and count to 3. "OW!OW!OW! That hurt! What? You're done?"

SUCCESS!!!! And on the very first trip!

She looks fabulous with her new sparkly earrings, and she is so proud of them. She tells everyone she sees that the ladies tricked her, but I'm so very grateful to the tricky Claire's girls!

So, if anyone needs some really good "hole punchers" - let me recommend the Claire's in Sooner Mall in Norman, OK. Go on a Monday afternoon/early evening. They are never busy - and they measure those dots like you've never seen!

My darlings, all dressed up!

I thought a fitting beginning to this crazy endeavor would be a tribute to my darling children, all dressed up and ready to hit the streets for a ridiculous amount of candy that should last us until next Halloween ~ unless their daddy eats it all before then! So here we go! Luke is Batman. Again. But oh what a batman he is!

A princess? A fairy godmother? I'm not really sure, but isn't she gorgeous!

We had a great time. We visited a church down the street that we always go to, and then hit a nice neighborhood for some good candy! About an hour trick/treating, and they were ready to call it quits. The weather was beautiful, and even better, my hubby got to join us for the first time! What a blessing to have a "real" job and get to make some special memories with his kiddos! God is so good to bless our socks off ~ even on Halloween!
I just noticed my photos are dated the day AFTER Halloween. I don't know how that happened! hehe! Guess I better fix the camera!