Oops, Where Did 7 Months Go?

I confess. I let my blog and all the interesting connections to it go by the wayside. In the blink of an eye seven months slipped by. Lives went on. Families grew. How thankful I am to be caught up now though. Congratulations to the two "H" families. God has multiplied your blessings in beautiful ways. So happy and excited for you both!

Here is what life has presented to us these last number of months:

1. Chris and I completed a nine week Foster/Adopt course. We are one step away from being licensed but have decided to take another route. After much prayer and discussion, we felt that Cameron was just too young. How do you explain to a two year old why the child he has become attached to for the past few months or year is suddenly leaving? No, we wanted more stability for him at this stage in his life. So we stepped out in faith and are adopting again. Our profile is complete and being sent out. We have finished two of three Home Study visits. In a short time we will be eligible for the most exciting part of the whole process.... meeting the new addition to our family. Even now we pray for our next child's Birth Mom. There is and forever will be a life long connection there because of a precious little child.



2. We celebrated Cam Day (our second anniversary since bringing our son home) by introducing Cameron to the overstimulating world of Chuck E Cheese. Neither Chris or I had been to this restaurant in years. We both remembered that it was once called Showbiz Pizza. There were a lot more animatrontic characters then and the pizza was tastier. Then again, we were kids then too and probably thought the world revolved around such a cool, kid-centric eatery. The look of awe on Cameron's face when we entered the front doors should have been caught on film. He was instantly mesmorized by all the twinkle lights, bells, whistles, and activity. I was overstimulated, so I can only imagine how he was trying to process it all. In the end, he had the most fun climbing up and down the slide in the toddler area. Chris played the games. We picked out the prizes. As for Cameron... a memory was etched into his mind and the name Chuck E Cheese has been spoken by him more than once since this date.



3. After living in Virginia for eight years, we finally went to the local amusement park. Can't believe it took us this long. Then again, maybe I can. The credit, however, goes to good friends of ours who asked us to join them. One Sunday in June we all played hookie from church and spent the entire day in the heat and frivolity of roller coasters and overpriced food stands. It was worth it to spend time with friends AND to see Cameron fall in love with kiddie rides. At first he cried because we strapped him in, then he cried because the ride was over. Thankfully there weren't any lines, allowing him to go right back through the gate and into the fun. For the record... I, a roller coaster aficionado, will never ride The Intimidator again. The perk of the ride is that it makes you "almost" pass out. Seriously... Not... Normal!!!



4. Cameron is potty trained. After six weeks lil man is officially diaper free day and night. He loves being "just like Daddy." This is a statement we hear often in regards to the clothing he wears, the dishes he uses at the table, the lunch box he carries around, and in regards to how much he has grown. I am amazed at how long and lean his legs have become. As for the potty training, I am thankful for its success. The first week was a trial for us both as neither of us had any clue what to do or how to do it. By noon the first day I was ready to quit but Cameron was undeterred. As we are with most things he does, Chris and I are incredibly proud!



5. End of June/start of July we took a long family vacation to, well, visit family. In two and one half weeks, we traveled to South Carolina, Oklahoma and home again. Despite all the fun we had it was good to be home. The ants noticed our absence though and moved in. There is something very unnerving about these large black ants. They display a sort of intelligence that creeps me out. At any rate, we called in the Pest Control folks and they restored balance to our world... people indoors and bugs out.



6. Cameron and I leave for Colorado in less than a week. This too will be a nice long visit. Now that we have to purchase Cameron's seat on the plane, we have to make the most of our get-aways. I don't have a clue what we will do once baby number two comes along. In a couple of years we'll have to ditch the flight and be like the Griswolds... in that we'll be traveling by car instead. Hopefully our trips, unlike theirs, will not be grossly dysfunctional with pitfalls or police. As for this current trip, Chris has to stay home and build up more vacation time. He isn't looking forward to our absence and I can't say I would either were our situations reversed. Still, I owe him a father/son visit away... one of these days he will cash in on that promise. Until then, though, I will teach him how to use Skype so that we can all stay in visual touch even if separated by miles.



7. My twenty year High School Reunion is in one week. Twenty years? How did that happen? Chris and I are only a year or two away from 40. We used to think that was old but now with it upon us... we still look and feel pretty young. Or so we think. Okay, so bones pop and creek more than they used to but still. I haven't decided yet if I am going to the reunion. I'm not the social butterfly that Chris is and since he won't be there to chat up my old classmates, I'm a little hesitant to go it alone. The only folks I really want to see can't be there. Everyone is spread out and either unable to attend or uninterested in the event itself. A part of me would like to brave it, even for half an hour. The other and somewhat larger part of me says forget it. I'll let you know later which side gets its way.

Chris will be glad that I made a new entry in my blog. I feel better having put myself out there even if for no other reason than to say I did it. I am thankful for my family and we are feeling pretty blessed right now. Tomorrow is the great unknown and I am curious what it will bring. Summer will too soon come to an end, winter will too soon rob me of seasonal colors. But if that is all I can come up with to complain about, then life is very good. Thank you Lord for that!!!!