Motherhood...

is hard.

It's been an especially tough week, I've lost my temper several times and have needed lots of support to get back to the joy of mothering.
B is a talkative fella, extremely smart and his motor is constantly running. Couple his high activity level with too much backtalking and disobedience, and I was at my end. My dear friend, SoulSisterM, listened to me cry and helped me gain perspective and enthusiasm for keeping on. Later in the evening, SuperDaddy took over parenting duties as soon as he got home from work. I was emotionally spent and physically worn out. I called my Dad (who is also a SuperDaddy) asking for help from him and my mom the following afternoon.
With the support of friends and family who were kind enough to listen to me whine and make great suggestions, SuperDaddy and I made some adjustments to our rules and procedures to get our little guy back on track. I'm also making a more concerted effort to spend quality one-on-one time with B. With a 3 yr old in the house and B in school, it's a little tricky!


I am reminded
-how much I rely on friends and family in the tough times. And how reliable they are, amazing.
-that I'm a better mom when I take care of myself and take little breaks from mothering.
-that I am still learning how to mother 2 kids.
-that these children are so special, even in the hard times.
-that SuperDaddy and I make a pretty good team.

-that this is my highest calling, to be B and SJ's mom. God entrusted them to ME, He has a plan for us.

Music Lover

I'm a huge fan of Donna the Buffalo and am thrilled that my daughter loves them too! She asks often to play "Matt Music" and dances and dances. It's so touching that we can dance and bond to our favorite music. "Matt Music" is because she first noticed DTB while on the party boat when Mr Matt was driving.

Check out Ethiopian Batgirl dancin'!

"I never expected to be loved by you." -Donna the Buffalo

"It all comes together in a family picture and every wall's got room for that." -Donna the Buffalo

http://donnathebuffalo.com/

Bonus: My girlfriends and I are taking a beach trip in October. DTB is playing at a club in Charleston while we're there! We're so excited!

East TN Ethiopian Families Enktatush Party

This past weekend, we attended an Ethiopian New Year party with our East TN Ethiopian families. We had 14 families and 58 people attend! Families drove in from the TriCities and Nashville, and many local yokels too. L brought injera and 3 of us made Ethiopian stews to serve, the food was FABULOUS! And it brought me such joy to see Rusie and SJ eating happily the food of their home country. Thanks so much to the Casa de Chaos for hosting us!

Some of these families are already home with their children, some are waiting for referral, some are paperchasing, and some are in the beginning stages. It is amazing how much this group has grown! And what a blessing it is to share the journey with other families, to support each other in the hard times, to share the joy of adoption, and to marvel at the gift of these children.

Jelly's Princess Party

Our beloved Jelly turned 2 and celebrated in grand princess style! The girls had a terrific time complete with jelly sandwiches (get it?), crowns and dress up shoes. Auntie did a terrific job with this sweet party.
Later in the day, we had a family dinner of Lola's amazing Filipino food. We are so thankful for our family and especially enjoyed honoring this precious girl.

My Beloved Nieces and Nephews

I'm cuckoo over my nieces and nephews, what a joy they are! All of the fun stuff, and little responsibility. And my kids are so blessed to get to grow up with their cousins, what sweet memories they'll have.

(Liv and Cruise Control are SuperDaddy's sister's kids and BJB and Jelly are my brother's kids.)

Liv- my first niece, a sensitive, insightful, creative soul

BJB- my first nephew, loves slapstick, is a realist, and so stylish

Cruise Control- my second nephew, stubborn, confident, and expressive

Jelly- my second niece, over the top wild woman, silly, and oh so funny

Fun on the Lake and Happy Birthday Auntie Jo!

On Monday, we got to go out in a big party boat on Norris Lake to celebrate Auntie Jo's 30th birthday. It was nice relaxing on the lake with my favorite people, we had so much fun! The only downside was that SuperDaddy had to work. :(

1. B was either sliding or tubing ALL DAY! And with his best buds, he's a happy boy.

2. Jelly and SJ catching a power nap.

3. Mamaw and Papaw relaxing.

4. Classic Jelly, this girl is a hoot!

5. 2 boys per tube.

A Big Week for SJ!

Our little SJ had a big week! We completed her readoption and celebrated her 3rd birthday!

For the readoption, we went to the courthouse on Tuesday and she's officially a US citizen.

And we celebrated her 3rd birthday on Saturday, complete with a flip-flop cake for our Flip Flop Bandit. We decided on a small family swim party, which was a good choice. SJ knew everyone well and had a blast. SuperDaddy took her out in his truck to pick out a toy while B and I decorated the room and her cake. She was so excited to go out with Daddy, just the 2 of them, and was even more excited to come home to the party. We had a great time, and enjoyed seeing SJ so happy. She is so loved, this sweet girl!