I'm only a half... (political ranting)

Well... this post may or may not have anything to do with the kids....

The DNC (Democratic National Committee) decided today to seat Michigan and Florida's delegates to the national convention in Denver this August.
However... the old rule of One person = One vote isnt going to hold true in this primary for residents of this state. Instead...in their infinite wisdom *gag* they decided to only count each person's vote as 1/2 of a vote.
You can get the full story Here.

I got to watch quite a bit of the Michigan part. It was quite interesting. Senator Levin and former Rep. David Bonior (who I havnt seen publicly in a while) were both very good speakers in front of the committee. Unfortunately I did miss the Clinton's supporters speech...but I did get Bonior (who supports Obama).

First off... I'm glad that SOMETHING in this primary is going to count for us.
Second... I really hope that they change the way they do things for the next time around.
Third... what better way to divide our party and to distract from the goal of the bigger picture of the election than to put the two candidates supporters and have them go against each other in this fashion.

I'm soo tired of these primaries.... let's have them ALL on ONE flippin day...like we do the election! Why should Iowa and NH decide the candidate???? Ok..so maybe this year they havnt...but they sure have ruined some candidates this year.
I'm also upset at the Us vs. Them attitude when talking about Clinton vs. Obama.
It isnt Us vs. Them YET!!! It's who is the BEST candidate for the BIG vote in Nov!!!
I'm an Obama supporter...however... if, somehow he doesnt get the nod... I'm voting Hillary in Nov. Remember the fact that both are Democrats!!! They have some differences between them...but NOTHING that would cause me to jump parties. So.... why would Hillary supporters vote for Bush3 if she doesnt get the nod???? If you are a Dem on Monday.... why wouldnt you be one on Tues??? Cuz another Dem is the candidate??? Makes NO sense to me at all.
So.... we wait again till Tues... and see if anyone has enough of the elected delegates to become the candidate.... otherwise I'm afraid we will be waiting till Aug. What a horrible summer that would be.

I'm currently watching "Recount"... it isnt helping my mood at all!!! But it is a good movie if one is into politics!
I'm also currently reading "The Nine"... it's a deep look into the lives and going ons in the Supreme Court. It is very interesting for me. I've followed the Supreme Court pretty closely for the past 8 years or so... and it's nice to get some more background on the people who are making these all important decisions.... decisions that will and do impact not only our lives NOW...but my kids lives! I came across the thoughts behind Bush vs. Gore 2000.... that inspired me to watch this movie.

Yet another reason as to why people really need to consider their choice in candidate.
The next president is going to be able to nominate AT Least 2-3 Supreme Court Justices!
The average justice lasts 15-20 years on the court.
So.... this next president can affect us for at least that long! It's certainly clear in my own life...that this current president has already affected me and my kids for the past 7 years... and thanks to his nominations.... I'm afraid of how conservative the court is going to become. Thanks to things like the Patriot Act and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security we have already lost soo many of our civil liberties. How many more will the court decide the founders really never intended???? The right to privacy (which has been able to hold up MANY important cases) is believed by the conservative judges as to NOT be included in the original constitution. Scary stuff.... truly scary stuff...
Obviously... since wiretapping and such is now legal due to 9-11...guess privacy HAS been thrown out in many instances.

The more I watch this movie... the more I pray that this fiasco doesnt happen this time around.
Every vote HAS to count! Even if it isnt for the candidate I want it for... it isnt right that votes are not counted... or that people are kept from the polls... such as in Florida and in Ohio in the past 2 elections.

Well... guess I'm done for the night on that.... Movie is getting very interesting.

Fav Foto Friday (5-30)

Here are two of my fav pics from this week!!!!

My little lady sure does love her Watermelon!

My three boys enjoying the slide train!

Time flying by

Just a'swinging!

F at the bottom on the Slide!

K posing on the ladder for me!

E enjoying the play area!

Wow!

I cannot believe how quick the weeks are flying by!

While we were waiting for our little lady, (and each of our boys) time just stood still. A week took a month. Now that I am a momma to 4 little ones... wow... What day is it again??? :)

Our little Lady is doing very well!

She started crawling early in the week... she is pulling herself up onto the couch and is cruising everywhere... she is putting EVERYTHING in her mouth... she is trying to feed herself... and she is giving us more and more smiles every day!

She still prefers me well over dh. But, he feeds her dinner (which is why I'm able to update this blog!) and he has been giving her a bottle or two a day. She is still not napping... but... we were warned!

She still needs to have me around all the time.... which is great! But my back doesnt think so! Really... i'm just glad to get away for a minute or two!

The boys are still handling things well... we are getting ready to paint her room...so they are disappointed that she isnt going to sleep in their room. They also are afraid of us painting cuz they are worried bout our friend staying with us... as if he couldnt sleep in a purple, flowerin room!

We have had the "lost penis" conversations!!!

E and K have both been worried that she has lost her penis.... so we have been explaining that boys have penis's and girls have vagina's. The first time, E looked really confused and told me that HE wanted a gina instead! I told him to wait till he was older... that seemed to satisfy him. Now though it's a question at every diaper change. He also likes to tell people that she is a boy and she has a gina. I'm sure they will "get" it soon enough! It's funny as all hell though!

My parents are down for this weekend cuz we are having a yard sale!!!!

I have SOOOO many flipping baby clothes!!!! I'm hoping to sell at least half! Which could probalby clothe 50 kids! We are also selling E's crib, the changing table, and a whole lot of toys! I'm sad to see the crib go... but L wont be using it. She is already climbing... so right into a toddler bed for her! The changing table... adios! The couch or floor is MUCH more practical anyways... especially now that the kids are older and heavyer. The only one who used the ct anyways was E.

One persons treasure...... :)

Fav Foto Friday (5-23)

I had to pick ONE picture.

So.... Here it is!

This is a picture of my three boys from last Christmas's pictures.

This sure shows their personality!

Love to see her smile!

Things are improving! Slowly...but surely!

We are now seeing parts of her personality and what a bubbly little girl she is!

I think her stomach issues have resolved... at least our laundry shows that it has resolved. :)

Otherwise... it has just been plain busy round here. We have been playing outside in the backyard, going to the neighborhood park, and watching our favorite movies during down time.

Auntie K spent the evening with us yesterday...and of course, our little Lady got an introduction to Democratic politics! I think she liked it! Our boys are used to K and I talking politics... cant wait till they can join in the conversation.

We introduced our little Lady to our favorite bar this week! It's a bar-restaurant that I have been going to since I was 6 days old. My dad has been going there for 40 years.... so of course they had to show me off.... and I have had to show off my kids! The owners and a couple of the bar maids have been there since I was a little kid...now they get to see my kids... It's kinda more like family than business. Anyways.... we introduced her around and she spent a lot of time away from the table as S walked her around the bar. It was cold out...and I dont have any warm clothes for her so she has been wearing her brother F's clothes (since they are the same size). S and L felt bad for me....so they are going to get some girl's clothes together and give them to me since they didnt like her wearing "boys" clothes.... Now i dont care... I do NOT want a house full of pink...but guess others want a girl to look like a girl. What can I do? I am a glutton for hand-me downs (which is what 80% of the boys clothes are).

I'm waiting on a date to have my tonsils out. It's a date I'm dreading...but I'm hearing that things will be better. Good thing for me is that I will get a week or so sans kiddo's! That part I'm almost looking forward to! Ahhhh Sleep..... my long, lost friend.

10 Months

Yesterday, our little Lady became 10 months old!

She can sit up, turn from back to front (sometimes), loves to growl, can screech, eats 2 jars of food at meals, loves her pacha, is beginning to hold her own pacha, and is generally happy all day long. She sure loves her baths now also! Oh.. yea... and... She is a Momma's girl!!!!! Good for Momma! Not so happy for Daddy.

She had her 1st Dr's appointment two days ago. She has been filling her diapers way too often and it was just getting worse and worse, so we took her in. Turns out she has an ear infection (no signs of one though) and probably a stomach virus. So, the dr took her off of Nan1 and put her on some formula for kids that have protein and lactose issues. It really stinks and is expensive but it has helped a little bit. Lucky for us, she hasnt acted sick or anything...

She is still not sleeping at night. I know it is normal and I did expect it, it is just difficult to do while in the midst of it. I crave my sleep and maybe it's a touch more difficult for me because of that. I noticed the other day though just what a bi^@# I have become... I promptly put the boys down for a nap and took the little lady and her pacha to bed with me. Surprising she did take a little nap. I felt much better afterwards too!

The weather here had been beautiful so we did get out in the backyard to play and to the park. L loves the swing! I"m sooo happy! The boys love the swings too...but I wish they could get the whole "pumping" thing down! I have to do all the work!!! By the time all 4 of them have been on the swings for 30 min or so, mom has certainly had a workout!!

Cant wait till the water park is open!!!! I just LOVE the pool!!! I have a feeling that we will be there quite often this summer! I'm also trying to plan a time to go to my parents house.... they live on a very nice lake up north. I grew up swimming all summer... cant wait for my kids to have the same experiences! I know this year they will be the right height to be able to get out in the water!!! They also love spending time with Grandma and Grandpa! I like having a little, tiny bit of a break! IT's a win-win for everyone!!!!

Well.... all good things much come to an end.... at least I have a reminder of what my desk looks like!

Fav Foto Fri (5-15)

Today's Theme is:

Fun in the Sun!

The 5 of us at Tabyana Beach in Roatan, Honduras!

The boys loving 7 Mile Beach on Grand Cayman Island!

Taking a break in Cozumel, Mexico!

Everything is new again...

Well... we are trying to settle into our "new" normal.

Lady L has met her Grandparents, been to McD's, met a few of my friends, and went to her first Union election! She has also gone to our 3 fav restaurants, met our fav waitresses, and gone swinging on the swingset. She loved the swing btw! She even fell asleep in it! For 5 min of course! Then she was up with no problem. In fact, as I'm typing this, she is playing with a stuffed animal, talking with it, while sitting on my lap. It's a beautiful thing!

With the fiasco going on in pgn right now... wow... I mean I knew we were going to be incredibly blessed to even get her home. I knew we would be incredibly blessed if we had her home before her first birthday. Now though... we have her home at 9 months old... while everyone elses cases are almost completely stopped as they wait in the limbo of pgn. It makes me sick. That could have been us. After all... F's case took 9 long months in pgn... we have been there. It was horrible...but we kept the hope that we would be out one day. Now... there are interviews, hogar's being raided, and just a lot of junk going on.... how does one process all of it????

I have friends who have been waiting YEARS for their children.... now they have to wait through this.... Ya cant give up.... but wow does it sound like a good idea some days.... The whole process of working with two governments who sometimes conflict is just a difficult task. Guatemala is a sovereign nation as is the US. Is it right to ask the US to intervene in the pgn??? I dont know... I do know that the US pushed and threatened Guatemala to pass this impossible law in the first place... and now.... hands off... well why weren't they hands off in the first place???? Would their intervention even help?? I have done research into the US government and the occupations of Central America. I know what has been done. I'm not sure I trust my government to intervene.

It's a big mess.... and it is dealing with the lives of children.... children just like the little angel who is sittin on my lap talking to me. The problems of the world melt away when she smiles at me. It's the same with my boys.... I get a hug or a "I love you mommy" and everything is right in the world.

I will continue to pray for those still in process. I pray that everyone will be reunited with the children they are trying to adopt. I pray that the Guatemalan government will finish their business in a quick and fair fashion and that they respect the moms and the children they are dealing with.

Children deserve a loving home in a timely fashion.

Home! Exhausted! Happy!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

We are home! We arrived home late on Thursday night and we even had a little gathering at the airport waiting for us!!!!!! (Thanks!!!!)

Our last couple of days in Guatemala were great but bittersweet.

We got to spend a ton of time with our kid's foster families (yes... all 4 of them!) but, I still wonder about the kids left behind... and how fortunate we have been....all of the foster moms are struggling since they now have no children to foster. I want so badly to help...but I know that financially we are not in a place to... nor do I think that they would want that anyways... I just know that it pains them to put so much love into a child, have that child leave, and not see them again...but that it pains them more knowing there are children out there that may not ever grow up with a family...

It will be a year at least till we can go back to GC...mainly due to $$$ and law school...but we will go back as soon as we can.

Embassy went very smooth. E's Godmother watched the boys for us and we were back to the hotel around 9am!

Visa pickup went smooth...and Wed night we had a huge dinner for our lady's foster family.

It ended with a lot of hugs and kisses...and we got the kids off to bed and packed everything up.

The kids did pretty well on the flights home minus our little tude, F. He is having a few jealously issues over not being the baby anymore and he chose to take them out on us at 35,000 feet. Minus that, and the a$$hole sitting in front of us from Houston to home. (yes, YOU, you old, fat, drunken *bleep* *bleep*) our flights were pretty uneventful! This is the FIRST time we have flown and NOT had diarrhea!!! (sorry bout the tmi...but I'm pretty excited!)

So... we have been home since late Thursday night... and Sunday night is the first night I can update this blog.... my Mother's day present from our little lady has been a couple hours of sleep!!! Which of course I'm using to be online....

We do have a perfect little girl. She eats well, is generally happy, doesnt fuss, goes with the flow, prefers me (yea!), tolerates her brothers, and does sleep. I will explain the sleep part though... she does NOT take naps. Seriously. She just doesnt take a nap. Foster mom told us she will take 2-3 catnaps of 5-10 min each and that is it. Unfortunately, it turns out that I think she was telling us the truth. At night, she needs me to sleep. Which leaves me with 0, and that is a big ole fat ZERO, free time. Granted... I have three toddler boys...but dang... they take a 3 hour nap in the afternoon... and at night, we throw them in bed and they stay there till morning.

Talk about a shock to my system!!!! I wouldnt even mind the evening cuddling to sleep as much if I had some time during the day to so something for me. I dont mind her needing me to sleep. I dont mind at all....and I kinda expected it... and I kinda like it. But... I need some decompression time.

She is very much still a baby also. She holds her head up, she can sit up, roll from back to stomach (but not back again), and is trying to crawl. She eats stage 2 baby food (and eats like a flipping champ!!!), drinks 6-8 pachas a day, hates her diaper changes but loves her bath. I have found some of her tickle spots and she has found she can make my nose bleed with a swift headbutt. She is difficult to dress...but very cute once the clothes make it on.

Being used to walking, self feeding, toddlers... it is quite a shock to go back to little tiny spoons with nasty smelling, tiny little jars, of mush that needs to be put into an ever moving mouth!

Yea for self feeding!!!!!

Really though... we are truly blessed to be able to see some of her babyhood. I dont take that for granted for one single minute. Missing two 1st birthdays was just too damm hard. Now, I get to plan for her party!

This Mother's day weekend I have so much to be thankful for!

It's a Wonderful Life

Well we have settled in well at the Grand Tikal Futura!!!

We have a wonderful suite with a regular room attached. The boys are currently taking a nap in the extra room while Lady L is sitting in between her dad and myself trying to help me type.
Our little lady is an absolut joy!!!! She is happy all day long! She sleeps great! She eats great! She enjoys her brothers and her brothers seem to enjoy the novelty of her! She is really a momma's girl right now which is a very nice problem to have!

we have been to Antigua and all over around the hotel. E's padrino and his family came and spent the day with us yesterday! We had a wonderful time....and the boys made some new friends! I swear that E and C are cut from the same fabric. You cant belive how much alike these boys are. C is 7 years old and E is 3.... but wow....they are so much alike! Everyone had a great time at the pool... even our little lady! She LOVES the water!!!!!!! I even had her in the baby float.... her little arms and legs going 100mph.... splashing herself in the face and laughing.

Right now... daddy is feeding her Doritos! Uh oh!!! Another Dorito addict in our family!

We go to the embassy tomorrow for our appointment!!! 7:15 and we are #3!!!!!! Sooo excited!!!! She has a very pretty dress for tomorrow! Cant belive I'm actually dressing her up! Who would have thunk it????
Still need to dump our pics.... it's just soo busy trying to schedule everyone and entertain 3 toddlers boys all day!!!!!!!

Wouldnt have it any other way!

We are here!!!!

Wow!
I'm actually typing at the computer... listening to the disco...and NOT hearing any crying!!!!!!!!!!

We are in Guatemala City and we are officially a family of S-I-X!!!!!!!!!!!

Our little lady was brought to us last night, right on time (yes...shocker)! We barely had any time to un pack or get anything arranged....but we did have time to take a dip in the completely cold and dirty pool.

Her foster mom and her son stayed to have dinner with us...and then they went home around 9pm. It was very difficult to get them home though!!!! We told them we would get them a cab...since it is like 3 hours to get home by bus. The hotel called a special cab (cuz of where they live) and it took him 20 min to get here.... so he gets here... we say our good buys and such...and I go down to see them off and pay for the cab. Well he doesnt go to their part of town... So.... the son starts to flag down cabs... Nope, Nope, too far... the guy at the steak house calls a cab... we wait for him... yea... too far for him also.... so... finally, and HOUR later.... the steakhouse guy's friend shows up and He will take them home!!!! I knew the foster mom was going to have a difficult time... her other foster daughter had left the previous Sat... and now she was going home to a childless house.... She did hand her over though.... little lady looked quite perterbed.... but, she didnt start crying till she got back in our room.... then she let loose till 5am. Took an hour nap...and started all over again till 9am. Perfectly normal, perfectly expected, perfectly heartbreaking. What do you say to your new child whos life you have just completely turned around???? All I kept saying is: sorry... sorry.... sorry. Maybe not the most elequont words ever spoken....but certainly the truth.

She is NOW sleeping though!!!!!! E is with W his Godmother, while K and F are both also sleeping. All of our previous foster moms were here today! Talk about a busy day! When our neighbors called them earlier in the week...we asked them to tell the foster moms to CALL us on Thursday... somewhere in the translations though it ended up. COME FOR LUNCH... ON THURSDAY. So... where you may ask do you take a group of about 20 people, 4 of whom are children??? Of course... to the Golden Arches!!!! That's right! McD's.... the kids played their hearts out.... which is why they are sleeping now.... so no... I'm not complaining.

We are moving hotels tomorrow. This hotel is really nice. Nothing hugely wrong with it....but not really appropriate for 4 kids. Now... I understand that short of Disney (YUCK!) there are NOT very many hotels that are appropriate for 4 under 4....but still... this one is decorated in antiques... Not replicated antiques... REAL and expensive ones! The hotel does have a pool... but even I thought the pool was absolutly freezing...and in dire needs of a cleaning. We are also lacking AC.... now... being from a cold climate and craving the cold weather.... this is horrible for me. However, even dh, sun-lover, thinks it is too damm hot in the room. I am sitting here sweating while I type.... not a good thing!!!!
So...tomorrow, we are moving hotels on our way to Antigua. Gonna do some shopping, some walking, and then come back and do some swimming!

I have been trying to post pics...but some reason I cannot attach them right now.... I will try tomorrow!!!!!!