1st day of Vacay!

Heat.
I’m just NOT a huge fan.
I like being outside…I like enjoying summer…but I really wish it were like 65 out. NOT 80ish!

We had a super-duper long day yesterday!
We boarded a plane for Ft. Lauderdale at 9ish…. After getting to the airport early so that we could get all of us through security. Lucky for us, security wasn’t too bad and we had 3 hours to kill at the airport. Took a few long walks and it was finally time to board.

The boys just didn’t want to sit. I don’t blame them…but all the other times on the plane they have slept. Not this time! Ernie went to the potty at least 20 times in 3 hours. Kinney also went at least 10 times. They ate 3 boxes of Cracker Jacks, ate chips and Cheetos, and drank 2 cups of orange juice, 2 bottles of water, and most of my Pepsi. All of the eating and drinking took place between bathroom trips of course!!!

I really wanted them to sleep…and they finally did… 20 min before we landed.
Getting off of the plane we had 3 pissed off toddlers!!!!
Got our luggage, caught a cab, and headed to our hotel.

Our cab driver had on a French-Speaking channel… wow… my French is sooo bad. I really wanted to talk to him…but everything I “thought” about saying, I thought in Spanish… or a weird mix of Spanch…. That’s right… Spanch… that is MY new language!!!!! When I’m in Guatemala and need to come up with a word, I come up with the French word…. Here I have the first chance in years to speak French…and I can only come up with Spanish…. Go figure!!!!!

Had a fitfull night…. Too warm…too tired…. Woke up to have breakfast in the hotel…then caught a cab to Miami.
The whole 5 minutes I saw of Miami really makes me want to visit here! Wow! Looked like such a vibrant downtown!!!
The boat dock was soo cool!!!! There were 4 ships docked here…and we found ours right away.
Check in was so smooth. Less than an hour total. Got on the boat and ran for the food!!!!! The ship we are on is exactly the same layout as the previous 2 we have been on….so we know our way around quite well! Seems like they also have the same damm food though. Don’t get me wrong… I really like the selection and the opportunity to try new food. I love the food in the formal dining room…but the buffets sometimes leave something to be desired. The food was so unappetizing to me that I actually had a cheeseburger. And some Ice Cream. A lot of ice cream.

The boys did well during the fire drill…but they got kinda freaked out when the boat actually started moving. Once they realized it wasn’t so bad, they were ok. They did fabulous during our dinner tonight! The food was great! We then went to the Camp Carnival registration. Signed the boys up for CC and then we went to the kids dance.
E is a little dancing machine!!!! F and K had fun too….but E sure got the comments.
We then went upstairs to check out Camp Carnival and it was quite obvious that the boys loved it! Toys, toys, and more toys!!! What toddler wouldn’t like that????
They got to play for a while….and then they had their showers and they crashed in bed.

Tomorrow is a day at sea!
Camp Carnival for the boys…. Open day to do not much of anything for the parents….
Sounds like a plan to me!

Fav Foto Friday!!! 3-28

Today's FFF is: Eyes!!!

Eyes are the window to the soul!!!

Here are my guys with their big, brown eyes!

Happy 3rd Birthday!!!!!!!!

E's 1st Picture!

E's 1st Birthday!

E's 2nd Birthday!

E's 3rd Birthday!!!

3 years ago today a little baby boy was born in Guatemala City.


His mom gave birth to him and then signed papers to relinquish him.


A few days later, we would get his pictures in our email and he would be forever etched in our hearts.


We met him when he was 3 months old. Not even 6 lbs yet...but he could hold his head up, he could hold his bottle, and he was starting to eat baby food. He had the cutest little hicuupy cry. He peed on me every damm time I changed his diaper...even when I "covered" him up. He fell asleep on my chest while I walked him around. In those 7 days I went from a plain ole woman to a mother.


Leaving him with his foster mom was the most hurtful and frightening thing I have ever had to do. The 3 1/2 months that it took to finish our adoption would be pure torture for me. But, once I held him again, it didnt matter. All that mattered was that E was my son.... and I was completely smitten with him.


He came home very much a baby. He cruised the furniture, he ate baby mush food, he took 10 bottles a day, he gaga, gogoed.

Today... he runs, he jumps, he somersaults. He has an astounding vocabulary that grows by the minute. He eats everything that he can get his hands on. Food item or not. He loves his Cookie Monster and Diego. He dances to the Backyardigans. He has the funniest cheesy grin. All the girls swoon over his looks.

I am still absolutely smitten with him.

I love every single minute of being his mother.

I thank God everyday for allowing me the privilege of watching this amazing little boy grow into a man.

I cry for the loss that he has had.... and for the loss he has yet to realize.

I cry for his mother... she gave him life... and then she left.

I hope that she will see him again very soon.

To see her amazing little boy who has brought so much joy, happiness, and love to our lives.



Happy Birthday 3rd Birthday E!!!

Therapy...

Well.... after a relaxing yet productive Easter weekend, I took the day to partake in some retail therapy.

Started off at a 2nd hand clothing store for kids. Had to buy some summer clothes for the boys...specially since we will need them on our cruise!
Oh my... I got sooo many cute clothes and such a cheap price!!! My boys are going to be the best dressed on that boat!!!! I am just so lucky that my guys look stunning in any color!

From there, it was off to Toys R Us to buy some bday gifts for E!
Found what I wanted!!!! and a few things I didnt know I wanted!!!!
Overall though... I'm pretty confident that E is gonna love his things!

Needed a new pair of shoes for me to go with the new dress I bought last week!!!!
Found my new shoes in less than 10 min!!! It was fab! I HATE shopping as it is.... it is even better when I find what I need in a timely manner! My new shoes are awesome!!! (If I do say so myself!!) and they seem pretty comfortable...which is a double bonus!

Rounded out the day by buying some random (yet needed) things!
Tomorrow, I'm all set to start packing!!!!
I'm excited...yet... I hate packing... I hate the nervousness.... I hate the last minute scrounging around for crap that you really dont need anyways but refuse to leave the house without....

I so need to head to the library before Sat!!!! Oh me and my i-pod and some books are going to have some good ole bonding time!!!!!!!!!
Oh...dont worry.... my puter will be there too...but hopefully I'm too busy to really deal with it... although while waiting on other things to happen in life....I may need to check in on the real world at least once a day.

Which brings me to my depressing update....
No news on Mixco bc.....
No new pics or updates on our little lady.....

Tomorrow is another day however.... and hoping I dont have a depressing update tomorrow!!!!

Easter

Well... today is Easter Sunday!!!!

Got to dress the boys up in their new suits!!!!!!! Just LOVE the little suits in them!!!

We are spending the night up north and then heading home in the morning.

Dh met all of us up here for mass this morning... went to mass... then out for breakfast!

Got soo much of my sewing done!!!!!

Both of the blankets are cut and ready to be pinned together to have the binding put on them... I am sooo loving how E's blanket is turning out!!!!!

I will be sure to post pics here when I am done...it is probably the last big sewing project that I will be undertaking till after LS... (Law School)

It is so helpful to have my mom help me with all the cutting and pinning. It is so difficult to accurately measure out these blankets and such without someone holding the end still.... also...it is a motivating factor! Especially since I have been soo without sleep! UUUGGGG! Just hoping the boys sleep tonight!!!! I just need like one day of nothing but sleep... not sickness sleep... had enough of that with the strep throat...but just sleep. One day... one day.

Well...speaking of sleep!

Ate way too much turkey and fixing today!!!!!!!!

Happy Easter!