silly fabric dilemma March 28, 2009

So I bought fabric for the girls bedding – it wasn’t exactly what I had wanted, but it was much less expensive and still quite cute. I spent last night and this morning cutting it all and then I started building the blocks on the floor… and I don’t like it!! AAAAHHHH!!! I’m not posting pictures – because I know you’ll all be super nice and say it’s fine – I’m still trying to problem solve and make something great out of it.

I’m also babysitting my two MB nieces. The smaller of the two is only one and can’t be put down for a minute. She starts wailing if she’s not held ALL the time!! (I’m now more excited about 5 year olds!!!)

Baby crying and Budder just informed me that the older one just peed her pants… lovely.  - gotta run~!

Three days in a row, just for Rana! March 25, 2009

Hey everyone – it’s a snow day!!!! Which means I am HOME with my kids and don’t have to go to work. Spring break starts next week, so this is just an amazing gift!!

What did I do today? Cleaned my whole house top to bottom -including washing curtains and bedding, washing baseboards, finishing all the clean up from the reno, baking cream cookies, roasting a chicken for my best friend down the street who is also renovating (kitchen), and smiling a lot!!  

The great thing is that the house is clean and now, and when the weekend hits I’ll be ready to start packing up rooms, sorting and getting to the fun of the girls rooms!! My kids were amazing at helping me and now I feel like we are at least two days ahead of where we would have been! = shopping in Winnipeg during spring break!!

My treat for all this hard work is going to be putting in my order at Shuruba! Thanks to Shelly who sent me the most amazingly detailed e-mail today about what I really need! Poor Dave…. I don’t even want to tell him how much all the hair stuff will cost! And for our friends and family who might not understand – black hair is so different than ours and needs totally different products. They don’t produce oils like we do and therefore their hair can’t be washed nearly as often and needs special conditioners and shampoo. Even brushes are unique. For those that know me well, you know I am grinning from ear to ear – I can’t wait!!! Do you know how many different colors beads come in?!!!

The fun is starting! March 24, 2009

Tonight I had a blast trying to navigate the world of African hair! A fellow adoptive mom has a fantastic on-line business called shuruba.com. I felt like I was at a candy store Shelly! When I was done with my dream list I had a VERY expensive order… so I chickened out and e-mailed her for advice on what I need and what would work best for our girl’s hair. I can’t wait to sit with the girls and have the bonding time that doing their hair will give us. 

Still haven’t made any decisions on the girl’s room, but I’ll let you all know when I do! I’m hoping that over spring break (next week in MB) I can find some fabric to make their bedding and then I’ll have colors to work with. I’m a fabric nut – I can’t wait to get my hands on some, but it has to be “just right”. (whatever that is!) I also have a little girl’s play room to decorate. Budder is moving to the basement into his soon to be built room next to Peanut’s. Then the two kids bedrooms upstairs will be turned into a little girl’s room and a play room for our gigantic barbie castle, dolls, and a picnic table. My creative juices are now all flowing on this project (now that the set painting is done at work!). 

The weather here is just awful – lots of rain and snow on the way tonight. I’m totally selfish – I LOVE my kids at work, but I’d also love love love a day to sleep in – I know I have spring break next week!! But I’d love to start packing up the rooms and get them empty – it would mean more creative FUN over the break! There is speculation as to whether school will be open or not tomorrow.

Where oh where have I been? March 23, 2009

I’m back! Thanks Rana for the reminder! 

Our school production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream just finished and I am exhausted! I think I ate lunch in the staff room five times since school started up in January – I’ve been painting almost every day to get ready. At the last minute I helped with hair and make-up and behind the scenes with some of the actors. It was a blast and the kids put on an amazing show. Our drama teacher has much to be proud of, but I’m sure he’ll need a few weeks of recuperation before he can even think about drama without the exhaustion! 

We’ve been working on the adoption behind the scenes too! All our paperwork is done.  Now we wait patiently for a court date. In the mean time I am trying to finish this week off at school strong so that spring break I can concentrate on the girls rooms. I have lots to do and I’m feeling the crunch! I have to order beds and mattresses, sew bedding, clean out two storage rooms (the yucky job), and finish their care packages which Jody has so kindly agreed to take for me – yes they are coming Jody!!!  

Other things that have eaten up all our spare time is gymnastics. Both our kids competed in Gimli recently and did very well – both finished with bronze trophies for their age group. This past weekend our gym ran a meet here, and Peanut finished fourth out of fifteen girls. She was very happy with her performance – as were we! The next two weekends are provincials. It’s a lot of sitting on bleachers for long periods of time, but we console ourselves – they are warm bleachers!  

I bought Abebu and Abebet their first outfits last weekend, but after an e-mail from Justine I think that I may have bought too small. I bought one size four and one size five. Even if it fits for a little while I’m o.k. with that. I’m really hoping that our agency will let Jody present the packages and take a picture of them in the clothes so I can see how they fit. (I have no idea if this is allowed, but I’ll ask!) We’re also sending them photos of our family, some stickers and hair elastics and I’m trying to find a stuffie that they can bring home with them. I’m still waiting to hear from our agency about that one too. I’d really like it if they had a transition object that they could bring with them when they come home. At least they will have each other – I’m so thankful for that. 

Better not bore you all on the first day back! 

But before I go, where are the referrals friends? Rana, Ramona, Carolyn… and others? I’m praying that there is more good news soon. It’s seemed very quiet these weeks since our referral. I’m praying that you all hear something real soon and that it doesn’t take R’s trip in April to get the ball rolling again!

Still living in a surreal world… March 2, 2009

Well, we made it through the weekend! It was a wonderful time of connecting with family and friends as we shared the news of our girls. I was so excited that I told some people twice! – how embarrassing is that? I also had someone ask about the girl’s names and I forgot (momentarily!)… another friend had to help me out… that’s really embarrassing.

We have started planning for the girl’s room. I’ve held off until now, not knowing the sexes. Now we are in full girl mode! I’m sewing all the bedding for both girls. I love to sew and quilt and this project will be very special. I haven’t chosen fabric or patterns – that’s most of the fun! But I do need to get at it – hand quilting two quilts will take a bit of time!! I may just choose to tie these ones and make them summer quilts later on – they will probably really appreciate the big blankets in fall! (praying that they are home then)

My cousin is living in Australia right now with her husband and sweet baby girl. She called tonight to congratulate us – thanks so much Tessa and Isi! Not too often we get a call from that part of the world! They are home in October and I look forward to being off work and being able to spend time with her and the kids.

I’m off to research bedding ideas, colors, and all things girly!