Monday, January 31, 2011

Weekend Blessing

I think my camera has taken a vacation. Perhaps it has decided that if it can't photograph sunny warm things, it might as well not photograph at all. Or, it could just be that I never remember to actually use it.

Today is an exciting day! We have officially made it through what in my opinion is the worst month of the year if you live in winter weather land. Once we hit February, it feels like we are on the downhill slide toward Spring. Woohoo! But it doesn't look like January is going out without leaving her mark. We are expecting a major ice and then snow storm in the next few days that will probably mean not leaving the house again until Thursday. You can bet Benjamin and I will be doing some major reading, crafting, baking, and playing. Maybe I'll even take some pictures. :-)

This past weekend was a fun one for Ben (and for me). He got to attend his very first friend birthday party. MOPS is not a big thing around here, but there is a very small group that meets once a month and I decided to join it. I've only gone to one meeting, but it's been such a blessing and Ben has really hit it off with a couple of the boys. One of the boys had his birthday party and Ben got invited. After almost a year of feeling pretty unconnected, it was amazing to be there watching Ben really interact with some other boys and to get to have some comfortable conversations with other moms at the same time. This past year has been such a season of loneliness and this weekend felt so normal and fun. God is good whether I'm lonely or not, but I'm thankful for His blessings of new friends.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

This and That

It's snowing again today. I think I get spring fever every time it gets above 35 and the snow melts. But then I get my reality check two days later when we get another 5 inches of snow. I'm getting a bit of cabin fever from being cooped up so much. I keep seeing facebook status updates of people doing outdoor things and I'm super jealous. But, I will say that despite the cold and the yucky driving conditions, it is really pretty. I'm so incredibly grateful for the beautiful view we have out our apartment windows. Snow can get so ugly after a few days of being driven in, but not having a view of the street at least keeps it pristine white for our view. I have to keep it positive so I don't go crazy. Hahaha!

Ben started Kindermusik today. He's been super excited about it for weeks. All morning he kept asking me when it would be time to go. Then it finally was time and we got there and he went in and didn't participate in anything. I figured he was just observing but would be excited to tell me about it afterword. Sometimes when something is totally new, he does tend to stay back and observe. But when it was time to leave, he told me he wasn't coming back ever. He told his teacher that he wouldn't see her again because he was never coming back. I asked him why, but he didn't have any reason, so I guess maybe the winter doldrums are getting to him too.

I'm so determined to be a more consistent blogger this year, but some weeks just don't seem to have much in the way of blog worthy activities. So, since I'm cooped up inside due to snow and I'm completely in the mood to bake, I'll leave you with a few pictures of Ben's cupcakes from his adoption party last week. And then I'm going to go work out before I figure out something fun to bake today. I'm thinking homemade soft pretzels might be in order.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Happy Adoption Day!

For some reason this week has been a week of stepping back and really looking at Benjamin. I mean, I see him every day, but sometimes I just go through life with him and don't think about how big he's getting. But a couple of days ago we were sitting on the couch reading a stack of books and he and Matt were carrying on this very adult-like conversation about one of them and it just hit me that he is not at all a baby anymore. He's just so grown up. He's getting so independent and wants to do everything himself. He even made his own PB&J this week. I was blown away.

So today we are celebrating his third adoption day. Ben and I spent an hour this morning looking through pictures from our first time of meeting Olana, his birth, his first few months after birth, and pictures of his finalization. He's starting to ask more questions about adoption now. He's still very much at the age where he just takes it in stride like it's no big deal. I love the little ways he's grasping it all and I love getting to share the way that God brought him into our family. Today as we were looking through pictures of his placement ceremony, he was asking me if we were sad. I still cannot look through those pictures without getting emotional. So I tried to explain to him how much Olana loved him and how she chose us to be his parents, but that it broke her heart not to be able to be his mommy. Just explaining it all to him makes me so amazed at the strength it took for Olana to make and follow through with her decision. I am so blessed to be able to be Ben's mommy.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Christmas Recap

Well I'm a week late, but Happy New Year!!!
We enjoyed some great family time and times of rest over Christmas this year. This was the first year since Ben's first Christmas that we got to be with family and it was so much fun! This was also Matt's and my first year to stay up late putting together a Christmas present for Ben. I think we were a little crazy given that we are in an apartment with limited space, but we got him a train table and so far, it's been a hit. And while it was not Ben's first snow, it was his very first white Christmas and it was beautiful.
Christmas morning started off in our bed with the Christmas story. Then we ate a quick breakfast of cinnamon rolls and egg bake before heading to the living room for gifts. This may be the last year we can hold Ben off that long. As a kid I always remember hating it when we had to eat breakfast before we opened gifts. Haha! After having fun opening gifts from each other, we cleaned up a bit and headed to my parents' for Christmas #2. It was so fun to be close enough to spend Christmas morning at home as a family and then the afternoon with my family.
The day after Christmas, Matt and I headed to Indy with my sister and her husband to see Wicked. Matt and I had the opportunity to see it in San Antonio and we loved it so much we wanted Craig and Rachel to see it too. Grandma was kind enough to watch the boys so we could all go. Although it made for a crazy day after Christmas, it was lots of fun!

Monday we headed up to see Matt's parents and had a great time at their house. It's been quite a while since both his siblings were there at the same time we were, so it was fun to visit and to get to see our crazy cute little nieces. We had gift opening #3 at their house and can I just say that I had to go out and purchase totes to store all the new toys Ben got? But I'm grateful for all of them. He's had such a great time playing with all of them.
We came back home Thursday afternoon and got to have a few days to relax as a family and also catch up on some things before heading back into normal routine. I'm pretty sure I am spoiled forever by Matt having so much holiday time off.