tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59253342012-02-16T04:19:35.171-08:00Life as a fuegoRed headed and married to a red head. Enough said!Janenoreply@blogger.comBlogger2501100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-88917270813360999062012-01-14T20:32:00.001-08:002012-01-14T22:02:41.828-08:00Oh Dear! I can't begin to try and completely update the last year and a half, that would keep me from writing this post entirely. However, I thought it was time to come out of hiding and update my blog. The only reason I disappeared was the fact that we got a call from our social worker on May 11th, 2010 letting us know that Anthony's birth mom had a baby and the county wanted us to adopt her.Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-47990835321958462602010-04-29T12:01:00.000-07:002010-04-29T12:16:52.909-07:00Now Chickens!
Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-21481595771435993992010-04-29T11:06:00.000-07:002010-04-29T11:57:19.338-07:00Preschool Trip to Elkus RanchYesterday, I got to join Marie's preschool class on their field trip. Although I don't mind the rain, when we left for school and it was super windy and raining, I was a bit bummed. Fortunately just a half hour into the trip, the rain disappeared and we had a beautiful sunny day. Teacher Terri works at Elkus Ranch, so we got our own personal tour of the working farm. Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-5092890008496969142010-04-12T20:07:00.001-07:002010-04-12T21:02:24.022-07:00What Can't He Do? I first met Austin my senior year of high school. I had attended a youth retreat called Happening, and there was this incredibly cute grunge-looking guy that was on staff. We barely talked. I think I did more smiling than anything. :) I took this picture of him, I pretended to be taking a picture of some friends, but really I was sneaking a picture for my journal. :) I Janenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-21309391693579305832010-04-04T21:40:00.000-07:002010-04-04T22:05:03.767-07:00Happy Easter! This has been a great Easter! We started the day with Church, an amazing service with a wonderful sermon. Marie sang in the joyful noise choir, and did great! She actually sang a few notes this time, and loved singing with her friends. :) Anthony loved all the Easter treats, and especially loved reading books with Ne Ne and Auntie Loopy. This evening we had a very "traditionalJanenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-11260368427054876852010-03-19T20:50:00.000-07:002010-03-19T20:54:27.049-07:00A Few Cute Things~Anthony now knows where his eyes, nose, mouth, belly, head, and toes are located. Next time you see him, ask him where his mouth is, it is the cutest thing.~Anthony loves cows, and moos throughout the day every time he picks up a book with a cow, or one of his cow toys. ~Marie declared today that Austin is not my prince, he is her prince, and is available to dance with her Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-15558308272769808932010-03-15T09:55:00.000-07:002010-03-17T14:21:21.763-07:00We Can't Forget about Antz! I am constantly forgetting that I can post pictures and videos of Anthony. I have so many cute ones, so I am going to catch up on posting them. :)
Janenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-91570552971895569902010-03-14T20:17:00.000-07:002010-03-14T21:13:30.899-07:00She Sings! Marie joined the Joyful Noise choir at church a few weeks ago. She loves meeting up with her friends every Thursday for a half hour to sing with Cort. It is the cutest thing to see all the 3 and 4 year olds learning to sing together. We practice the songs and home, and I often catch Marie singing them in her room. Today, the Joyful Noise choir sang the Offeretory in church. Marie wasJanenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-31249701496874301252010-03-10T21:24:00.000-08:002010-03-11T22:34:31.345-08:00Their personalities show more and more everyday. I love these kids, and who they are becoming. I am so proud to be their mama! Marie loves to pick out her own outfits everyday, and sometimes wears three shirts (Austin is so good to humor her). Anthony often looks like he should live in Seattle and play for Pearl Jam. Their smiles are contagious and they give the best hugs and kisses. I am Janenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-29797804174940422302010-03-08T20:14:00.000-08:002010-03-08T20:25:30.563-08:00Home of the Cutest Boy Ever! Anthony has hit the cutest stage! He makes me laugh all day long, and if I happen to not be laughing, I am at least smiling. :) I have always struggled with the ages of 12mths - 18mths, and I am not sure why. It wasn't any different with Anthony. He hit 18mths and all of a sudden he is full of personality. I love it! Some of the cutest things that he says and Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-73216355005959751102010-03-05T08:50:00.000-08:002010-03-05T08:58:18.678-08:00Happy Adoption Day! Two years ago today we went before the judge and were named Marie's parents. It is a day that I will never forget. The feeling of excitement, and knowing that we were officially Marie's parents and officially a family! We have been talking to Marie about her adoption day in the last couple weeks. She doesn't quite get what it means. Last week, at her 3yr old check up Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-74889499866856368122010-03-03T15:21:00.000-08:002010-03-03T15:55:39.528-08:00Thunderstorm!Sarah nicknamed Marie's hair, Thunderstorm. :)
Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-9652578023868795982010-02-17T19:32:00.000-08:002010-02-18T18:34:57.383-08:00Marie's Birthday!Marie had a blast for her birthday! She loved going to Coyote Point Museum with Mor Mor, she loved having Uncle Jack and Auntie Shannon over for cupcakes, and she loved her roller skating party with Ne Ne, Auntie Yeah Yeah and Brandon. Three great days to celebrate! I will let the pictures do the talking!She got the hang of skating at the end! :)Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-90726482301915218052010-01-31T19:59:00.000-08:002010-01-31T21:52:57.279-08:00She is Two, Tomorrow She Will be Three! My little girl has grown up so much these last few months. I barely see the baby in her at all. She is an independent girl who needs my help less and less, and I cherish the moments at night when she says "snuggle me, Mama" before I leave her room for the night. Our sweet girl loves routine, and will tell me when things happen through out the day. Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-41767050223371950012010-01-06T13:30:00.000-08:002010-01-06T14:05:11.683-08:00Anthony's Adoption Story
Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-73285299718221280982009-12-15T13:21:00.000-08:002009-12-15T13:28:40.061-08:00It is Official! Yesterday, at about 8:40am we officially became Anthony's parents. It was a very quick meeting in the judge's chambers, and now we can take that protective barrier off of our hearts and love our son completely. He is ours, he is loved, and we are blessed. Thank you for all your love and support. Just a couple pictures, I promise there are more to come.Naming Us ParentsIt's Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-24392210626990381312009-11-12T21:46:00.000-08:002009-11-12T22:02:17.732-08:00She is Home! It has been an emotional week! After all that my mom and I have been through over the years, this week caused a lot of anxiety in all of us. Everyday that she was in the hospital there were tests being done on my mom, and until the results came in, we were all holding our breath. Today, the doctor was finally willing to let my mom go home! For the next couple months they will Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-58778729808761351752009-11-10T20:10:00.000-08:002009-11-10T20:17:35.451-08:00Prayers PleaseMy mom is in the hospital. She has been there since Thursday night. I took her in after she fainted in the parking lot when we brought her home after an afternoon of Christmas shopping. What was supposed to be just a 24hr watch has turned into a huge ordeal. Please say a prayer for her. We don't know what is going on, and as time continues to go on, my positive "it is going to Janenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-42508991249911189352009-10-31T21:31:00.000-07:002009-10-31T22:53:02.234-07:00Happy Halloween!This has been the best Halloween! Austin actually had the day off, (there are so few of those these days) and we were able to enjoy the whole day together as a family! We started the day off with a walk and some errands, then while AZ napped, we carved/decorated pumpkins. Marie LOOOOVED her pumpkins! After a late afternoon snack we got the kids in their costumes. Marie was Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-62581836709888678032009-10-16T22:09:00.000-07:002012-01-14T22:10:25.623-08:00Away We Go
Several months ago, a friend mentioned a trailer to a movie that she really wanted to see with me. The trailer made her laugh, and made her think of me. As soon as I saw said trailer, I knew I needed to see the movie. Austin and I finally watched Away We Go tonight, and it was as fabulous as I hoped it would be. In the middle of the movie, I asked Austin if he liked it, and he Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-26798015456841085332009-10-14T23:09:00.000-07:002009-10-14T23:37:32.937-07:00Things I Learned This Week~ There is a lot of great music from 1979.~ It is still fun to dance at weddings.~ I need to go on more dates with my husband.~ I am not too old for the after party.~ Our new county social worker is awesome!~ While in her room for quiet time, Marie will use her toy storage bin as a potty.~ There are far too many embarrassing stories about me floating around.~ It is Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-54635340516409976692009-10-01T09:42:00.000-07:002009-10-01T10:39:31.634-07:00Marieisms There are a few things throughout the day that Marie says that really make us laugh. It is so fun to see how she is learning language, and the cute language mistakes that she makes. Here are a few of our favorite Marieisms. :)~I Have it back - she says this when we take something away from her. ~Try again - when she gets in trouble, she asks to try again to get it right. ~No, it's Janenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-56127191887636843022009-09-28T11:58:00.000-07:002009-09-28T12:47:53.586-07:00She Amazes Me She is growing up so fast! I love the person she is becoming! She is full of sass and personality, and there is never a dull moment around here. Some days she makes me want to pull my hair out, and her need for independence can exhaust me, but I wouldn't change it for the world. I can't believe how lucky I am!Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-82636038807825841452009-09-27T13:11:00.000-07:002009-09-27T21:14:21.968-07:00BirthdaysYesterday, I went to a wonderful baby shower for some friends that are expecting. It was so exciting to see the mother-to-be prepare for the adventure of parenthood! Looking at the adorable personally decorated onsies (they were so tiny), it is hard to believe a little one is about to join the "family"! I can't wait to meet this little baby, and Marie is beyond excited as well. She Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-65808260975719803022009-09-14T12:52:00.000-07:002009-09-14T13:07:16.202-07:00Grandpa and his GirlsAt the beginning of August we went out to South Dakota for Austin's grandma's funeral. While we weren't expecting Grandma Pete to pass away, it wasn't unexpected either. The services were spread out so we stayed out in South Dakota for six days. I was a bit anxious about the trip, but it ended up being amazing. Marie loved playing with all her cousins, and she especially Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-81292939963331968202009-09-14T12:25:00.000-07:002009-09-14T12:36:45.343-07:00They Are Here! After holding my breath for months, my family has finally moved back to California. I didn't want to get my hopes up, so I kept an "I'll believe it when I see it" attitude, but now I can enjoy it since they are finally here. My mom has been staying with us since August 25th, and it has been wonderful. I found her a beautiful 62 and over community to live in, and last week she Janenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-48630612271787308092009-08-19T13:22:00.000-07:002009-09-14T12:25:20.454-07:00A Little AZ UpdateI haven't share much about AZ's adoption process and I not sure why. Having two very small children doesn't make blogging very easy. AZ's process has been a bit different than Marie's. He was farther behind in the court process when he was placed with us, but because of our social worker's experience and advice, we knew that it was a good match. It wasn't until July 14th thatJanenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-24368352744417172152009-08-16T11:48:00.001-07:002009-08-16T14:55:40.762-07:00Time to RestI knew this summer was going to be busy, with something happening every weekend in July and at least one or more of us out of town for 3 out of four weeks. Then we got a call that Austin's Grandma Pete had passed away on August 3rd, and we had tickets to fly out to South Dakota two days later. We had just gotten home from our BREAD camp and Family Camp trip, helped Austin's brother Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-38201119633667073912009-07-13T22:06:00.000-07:002009-08-01T13:29:11.288-07:00Disneyland 2009 We survived! I was quite anxious about our trip to Disneyland, I really had no idea what to expect. I have been a few times as an adult but taking an 11 mth old and a 2 year old was completely new territory for me. Not to mention, adding the fact that I am not a fan of amusement parks, constant direct sunlight, and crowds. You can see why I was anxious. :) Ahead of time, Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-51906917815161078872009-07-06T13:57:00.000-07:002009-07-06T14:08:28.897-07:00All Things Princess Marie loves all things princess these days. She loves to have princess hair, to wear princess dresses (any dress she owns is a princess dress), and call all her female friends princess. I don't really recall this part of my childhood, but I am doing my best to support Marie in her dramatic play. I love how she calls the woman in her life Princess. I think that is a good Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-10515711803088747542009-07-06T11:49:00.000-07:002009-07-06T12:33:05.298-07:00Eventful Life has been eventful! Austin went on a mission trip with work this past week, and boy was it a long week. Austin and I don't spend much time apart, and certainly not since the kids came along. Austin is so tied in to our daily routine, that we missed him a lot while he was gone. I knew it was going to be rough on Marie, but with many visitors staying with us while he was gone, we Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-77683782569072099012009-06-15T12:25:00.000-07:002009-06-15T12:31:45.533-07:00Our Little Sea TurtleAZ loves crawling around in the sand when we go to the beach. I swear he looks like a baby sea turtle making its way to the ocean. :)
Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-67445591059970898462009-06-13T12:10:00.000-07:002009-06-13T12:22:40.342-07:00AZ is 10mths old!I have no idea where the time has gone, but AZ is 10mths old! Yikes! He is growing up too quickly and I haven't documented enough of his life. Here are a few tricks that our little man can now do.~ He says Mama, NeeNee, DaDa, BaBa, and YeaYea. :) ~He can crawl, and is now cruising all over the house. He loves to chase after Ginger for puppy kisses, and is known to crawl Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-75690612295644401162009-06-05T20:33:00.000-07:002009-06-05T21:11:15.079-07:00Bedtime Routine I had always known how important routines were for children. I was never one for having a schedule - we still don't, but I knew a routine would be crucial for my kids. My grandma suggested when we first brought Marie home that Austin should do one thing with her everyday that I don't do with her to help them with their bonding. So, Austin would get Marie dressed every morning.Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-68540649867908019952009-05-23T20:33:00.000-07:002009-06-05T20:33:09.508-07:00Having Lots of Fun That is the only excuse that I have for not blogging more often. I am too busy having fun to blog. :) I have waited many years to be this happy about living some place, and now that we are here, I am thoroughly enjoying it! We have had a lot of nice weather, which has increased the number of visitors. I love having people call up and say that they are heading to the Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-45369884525598169382009-05-03T22:52:00.000-07:002009-05-03T23:06:47.725-07:00More PicturesMarie Giving Pele Kisses He Loves Her BedAnother Marie OutfitYikes! Papa's Shoes Sweet and Innocent"Night Night Mama"Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-21935167646626057072009-05-03T22:10:00.000-07:002009-05-03T22:50:26.111-07:00Natural Bridges During the summer of 2000, I had an internship at Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz. I had the opportunity to take school groups and tourists out to the tide pools as well as doing some bird scope interpretation. Natural Bridges was a special place for me before the internship, and even more so afterward. Last weekend, we decided to join Jack and Shannon at Natural Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-69186983849101846072009-05-03T20:04:00.000-07:002009-05-03T22:09:47.933-07:00Another Year Older This year for my birthday, I decided I wanted to go Roller Skating with my friends. I had convinced a group to go with me a few years ago, and they all loved it and swore they would join me again. I was looking forward to getting on the floor with them again this year, while also getting to teach Marie to skate. Unfortunately, when we showed up to the Roller Rink, we Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-82001593921283537652009-05-03T19:32:00.000-07:002009-05-03T19:56:56.687-07:00Easter 2009 Just like the rest of Holy Week, Easter day was incredibly busy, but also a lot of fun. After church, we managed to make it over to the Morton's for their annual brunch. It had been a few years since I had been able to go, and Austin and I were really looking forward to it this year. Now that we are back in the bay area, day trips are so much easier. It was great to see everyoneJanenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-42194534566196069492009-05-02T21:10:00.000-07:002009-05-04T09:48:18.995-07:00Holy WeekThis was our first Holy Week at our new church, and we managed to survive! :) Austin was extremely busy for the three weeks leading up to Holy Week, and of course we never saw him during Holy Week (Marie spent the next week following Papa everywhere). We were lucky enough to have a visit from the Noble Family starting on Good Friday. While Austin was working, the Noble's and I took the Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-354338302479111512009-04-18T21:08:00.000-07:002009-04-18T21:24:47.700-07:00Things That I Love...~ laying down next to Marie and singing her three songs before bed. I get the best snuggles from her.~ AZ snuggling into me when he wants to be held.~slobbery kisses from AZ.~feeling appreciated by our social workers.~finding the perfect gift for a friend.~getting mix cds from friends, especially those with a story behind them.~the outfits that Marie picks out each day. SheJanenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-60488964928281643742009-04-02T22:15:00.000-07:002009-04-02T22:43:19.737-07:00A Girl and Her CatMarie absolutely adores Pele. She is so fixated on what Pele is doing through out the day, and spends much of the day snuggling him on his chair. I never would have imagined that Pele would be so patient with Marie, but he just sits there and takes quite a bit of love from her before he leaves. Fred spends most of the day running away from her, he hisses at her when she gets Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-1490275112216702382009-03-30T22:39:00.000-07:002009-03-30T22:58:39.736-07:00Birth FamilyMarie with her full biological brother, half sister and Nino We have been so blessed with Marie's birth family. Even though in the beginning we struggled (who wouldn't when things were changing for everyone), today we have an amazing relationship. We continue to visit once a month with the exception of a couple months in 2 years due to illness. Marie has met 8 or her 9 siblingsJanenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-30629607723164321232009-03-29T15:50:00.000-07:002009-03-29T16:20:08.138-07:00Princess RibbonsMarie found my stash of cloth ribbons awhile ago, and decided they were her princess ribbons. I tied one in her hair, and then she had me put them around her waist and on her arm. We don't have very many dress up clothes, just some hand me down things, and the purple skirt she is wearing in the picture. So, I am grateful for the ribbons since they are able to transform her intoJanenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-84839972522717513872009-03-14T23:09:00.000-07:002009-03-15T00:23:05.599-07:00Back to Regularly Scheduled Posting - I Hope! I think I finally have a handle on things and will be able to post more regularly. With all the changes that are happening with the kids, I want to have this record for them when they are older. AZ is getting so big! He is 7 months now and is doing really well! He is truly our son, and no longer seems to have any lasting effects from the neglect heJanenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-55418190492857751882009-02-18T20:07:00.000-08:002009-02-18T20:27:41.029-08:00I am just awful at blogging lately. I have been enjoying Half Moon Bay a lot, and have been busy with the kids. I keep wanting to update with pictures, but my computer is so slow that it is next to impossible for me to have the patience to actually sit down and do it. So, a post without pictures. Marie is officially two and Antz is 6months. Things are going really well, I am figuring out how Janenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-31317412532103173092009-01-25T21:11:00.000-08:002009-01-25T21:53:28.531-08:00Almost Two One week from today, my little baby turns two. She has been less and less of a baby and more of a toddler for some time now, but it is still so hard for me to believe that I have a two year old. Over the last couple months she has very much become her own little person, with her own demands. She isn't shy to let us know what she wants, and if we don't understand, she grabs our hand Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-60040318079191185002009-01-10T20:15:00.000-08:002009-01-10T21:50:52.363-08:00Wow! When I think about all that we have done in the last month and a half, I am blown away. It has been a whirlwind. I knew moving would be a challenge, especially with a toddler and infant, but the part that made it more difficult was having to move within the rules of AZ's pre-placement, and then finally his placement. We couldn't spend the night in our new place until his placement Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-20006556126343398112008-12-26T22:05:00.000-08:002008-12-26T22:22:44.743-08:00Merry Christmas We are surviving our crazy move, and are grateful for all the help from the Christy family! It has been an overwhelming time, but we are nearing the end of the actual moving part, and for that I am grateful. We are desperately trying to keep some sort of order in the kids lives, and I think in doing that it has helped to keep us sane as well. We managed to have a very nice Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-73171714784268854342008-12-14T21:47:00.000-08:002008-12-14T22:04:15.229-08:00Sleep? On Monday, Marie climbed out of her crib for the first time. She was delighted at her climbing skills, and wanted to show us over and over again how talented she was at jumping down from her crib. When I went to put her down for a nap that afternoon, I spent a half hour picking her up off the floor and putting her in her crib before finally giving up and laying down with her on the Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-63802613442174124252008-12-10T21:34:00.000-08:002008-12-10T21:43:00.351-08:00Disappointed We were really hoping that AZ's placement would go through this week and we could stop taking back to his foster home for overnights once a week. Tonight we found out that the placement is going to trial at the end of December. So, once a week we will have to take him back to the foster home to sleep and then pick him up the next day. The county we are working with is the only Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-74712506753029795942008-12-02T21:11:00.000-08:002008-12-02T21:49:30.855-08:00What an Adventure It has been a whirlwind of a weekend, and we are already heading into the middle of the week. I am not quite sure where the time has gone. I got lost somewhere between all the laundry, dishes, and juggling of kids. It has been an amazing experience adjusting to life as a family of four. I find myself holding my breath a lot hoping that the timing between Marie and the baby Janenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-4237753675436793002008-11-28T21:32:00.000-08:002008-11-28T21:42:57.705-08:00Exhausted That would be the best way to describe how I feel tonight. It is certainly a challenge to juggle the needs of two children, but it is going smoothly so far. When we got to the foster home this morning, Marie went right up to AZ's swing and said "Brother Brother!" She was so excited to see him, and touch him and kiss him. We have been showing her pictures ever since we got them, andJanenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-61174627131994893412008-11-26T21:37:00.000-08:002008-11-26T21:46:52.910-08:00Many Thanks There are many things for which we are thankful for this year. Yesterday, we got to hold our adorable son for the first time, and on Friday we will be bringing him home. I keep writing it out over and over, and it still hasn't sunk in that we have a baby boy. While we are saying goodbye to Austin's ministry here, we are anticipating his new ministry which will start in the new Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-22916216714681777142008-11-17T19:04:00.000-08:002008-11-17T19:10:57.032-08:00It's A Boy On Friday, we got a call from our social worker that we had been matched with a baby boy. We were so excited, but also felt caution, unsure how our move would affect us. We took down all the information on A, and then told her we would call back. Once I filled Austin in, he called her back to let her know about our move. She said she didn't think it would be a problem, but it Janenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-31239321516180975952008-11-09T19:39:00.000-08:002008-11-09T19:52:31.705-08:00I Can Finally Talk About It I struggle with keeping news to myself. I had a great conversation with a friend the other day about how things don't feel exciting to me until I can share with friends and family, until I can talk about it openly. It feels like things are dead when I have to keep them to myself, and become alive once I can share the news. She felt the opposite, which was so hard Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-80424304217163799912008-11-05T10:54:00.000-08:002008-11-05T10:57:54.015-08:00She Will Never Know... anything different, and for that I am incredibly grateful. I cried last night as they announced Barack Obama as our next President. I cried for what it meant for Marie, for our family, and for our country. I am hopeful once again. Hope is so refreshing!Janenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-38754249381661447762008-11-03T19:46:00.000-08:002008-11-03T20:58:27.228-08:00Could It Be?Is fall finally here? Thank goodness! I have been wearing a sweatshirt or sweater for the last month patiently waiting for fall to arrive. Finally, last week the rain made its appearance, and I have been on cloud 9 ever since. This is my time of year. I have been listening to my favorite albums, watching my favorite fall movies, and enjoying my favorite fall beverages. It is Janenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-61557579309730266842008-10-24T20:35:00.000-07:002008-10-24T21:24:25.247-07:00Five years LaterI still think about him quite a bit, but I can say that this year has been easier than the previous years. I almost forgot about the anniversary in all that has been happening in our lives. I can hardly believe it has been five years since I held his hand, felt his hugs, and heard his laugh. I force myself to remember what his hands felt like, what he smelled like, what he Janenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-84041263100544627932008-10-22T16:37:00.001-07:002008-10-22T16:41:22.314-07:00Out of the Running We got the call today that we did not get the baby boy in southern California. Although we had one of the strongest homestudies, they picked a family that lived closer. We are bummed. Although we knew that it was a possibility that they would pick a family that lived closer, we were really hoping our strong homestudy would carry us through the match. He really seemed like Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-27539648524621261122008-10-14T20:42:00.000-07:002008-10-14T21:44:16.198-07:00Where Did My Baby Go? Every day Marie seems to be less and less baby, and more and more big girl. While it is so exciting to see her grow and change into this little person, I do look back fondly on the baby stage. I just can't get over how much she has changed over the last few months. Her language blows me away. She loves animals, and pretty much knows every animal noise, and looks for anyJanenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-72266099116828177182008-10-08T21:33:00.000-07:002008-10-08T22:03:14.852-07:00Getting Used to the Idea As many of you know, I got a cellphone last week as a result of a head injury. I somehow (don't remember actually hitting my head) hit my head on the trunk of our Subaru. I still ended up driving Marie and I to the train station, and when I got out of the car I ended up getting violently ill all over an unsuspecting bush. Fortunately, I had Austin's phone with me, andJanenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-66550181669895023922008-10-08T10:50:00.001-07:002008-10-08T10:57:20.052-07:00In The Running We found out yesterday that we are in the running for a baby boy. We have known about him since last week, but we just found out that we are one of the top three home studies. We have a strong home study, but if another family has a strong home study and lives closer, they will most likely go with that family. So, we anxiously wait to find out if we are matched with him. From Janenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-38629730760406014302008-10-05T21:36:00.000-07:002008-10-06T00:01:04.559-07:00My Soundtrack For the last year, Austin and I have been talking a lot about our soundtracks. When we are bored in the car we bring up another song that recounts a memory. Songs for the many firsts in our lives, first kiss, first broken heart. Songs that remind us of the different places we lived, the friends that we had, the things we liked to do. The more we have talked about it, the more I Janenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-90549515697964993912008-09-29T21:21:00.000-07:002008-09-29T21:41:05.579-07:00An Exciting Day I think awhile back I mentioned our friend Bobby and his dog Jake. Bobby was one of the first people we met when we moved here. We were visiting the church before Austin was offered the job, and while we waited before meeting the rector for lunch we headed over to a local shopping center, where Bobby was collecting donations. When we were walking back to the church, he Janenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-55063409277020373762008-09-28T14:22:00.000-07:002008-09-28T20:11:41.079-07:00Refreshed! After such a rough couple of weeks, Austin and I got some sweet relief. We headed up north on Friday night to stay with Jason and Olivia, Mor Mor watched Marie over night so we could have a get away. It was just what we needed! We stayed up late chatting and playing dominoes, and watching the dogs play( Ginger came along to play with Greta). This weekend was the Hike for Beer on MtJanenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-84920358351468784962008-09-25T20:31:00.001-07:002008-09-25T21:18:45.387-07:00Little FarmWhile Austin is helping with a class at the Seminary (he gave his first lecture of the semester this week), Marie and I have been spending that time exploring Berkeley. I used to nanny in the area while Austin was in school, so I have a long list of toddler friendly activities to do in the area. One of my favorites is the Little Farm in Tilden. Every week, Marie and I make our way to Janenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-8549197233140755722008-09-21T19:24:00.000-07:002008-09-23T14:05:53.237-07:00RoughThat would be the best way to describe the last couple weeks. It has been rough. I am tired, a bit bummed, and overwhelmed. Being that this is the internet, and public, I won't go into details about much, but I can say that we seem to be on the other side of things, and for that I am grateful. Marie was not sleeping for a couple weeks as she was dealing with a cold, teeth, and a huge Janenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-40322160651201642442008-09-15T22:00:00.000-07:002008-09-15T22:06:34.257-07:00Going Private While I haven't taken the plunge yet, Austin has.. so if you want to still read, let me know and I will pass it along. We actually have no idea who reads or how regularly, but if you are interested let us know. There is a lot going on around here, I will update sometime soon.Janenoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-38911510546013431482008-09-09T12:34:00.000-07:002008-09-09T12:43:26.974-07:00Making an Effort Since returning from vacation I have been making an effort to meet knew people, and find my niche in our little town. Just this week, after some venting over the weekend, I finally feel like things are coming together. I have signed up for a sewing class, I am going for walks with another mom at least once a week, I am taking Marie to the library story time, I found the BEST Janenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-46676481928499289702008-09-08T12:58:00.000-07:002008-09-08T13:26:05.866-07:00A Dose of Fun I got a dose of fun this weekend, and I think it might be enough to carry me through. Shaela finished her degree this summer, and we were able to help her celebrate on Saturday. It was the first real dose of social time I have had in awhile. We have visited with friends since we returned from Ohio, but I haven't been to a party like that since the beginning of summer. It was Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-29795827279875115572008-09-05T11:30:00.000-07:002008-09-05T11:47:05.928-07:00First Day of School Marie and I had our first day of school today. We started the toddler parent program at the Waldorf School. I had no idea what to expect this morning, so Marie and I kinda flew by the seat of our pants. The classroom was great, lots of wooden toys, and silk scarves, which Marie loved. During snack time the kids are given their snack in a ceramic bowl, and water in a smallJanenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-76271439655898689182008-08-30T20:04:00.000-07:002008-09-02T10:22:05.109-07:00What I Learned/Discovered This Summer...This summer was quite an experience for all of us in the Fuego household. We discovered some new things about ourselves, and learned a lot along the way. Here are a few of the things that I have been thinking about the last couple days.~ I prefer spending time at the beach when it is mild and foggy. I am not one of those beach goers that loves to soak upJanenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-36565532172456781372008-08-28T12:11:00.000-07:002008-08-28T13:08:55.894-07:00LaggingI have been seriously lagging in my blog updates, and Laney called me on it last night. :) Things have been crazy since we returned from vacation, and I am doing my best to keep my head above water. We are in the process of updating our homestudy to bring home baby number 2. This is very exciting, but also time consuming, as it should be. Our social worker is very excited to have us onJanenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-122410962325805432008-08-18T21:23:00.000-07:002008-08-18T22:11:49.466-07:00My Sister While we were in Ohio, my sister put together a mix of some of the songs that bring up memories of us together. Tonight I finally took the time to upload it into iTunes, and actually listen closely. Each song has a distinct memory, or least a time frame in our lives. There are so many more that we can add to the list, but for volume 1 it is perfect. :) Here is the playlist and the Janenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-80847695657897719862008-08-11T19:45:00.000-07:002008-08-11T20:05:31.095-07:00Making Room We have been very busy since we returned from vacation. While we were away, Austin and I talked a lot about the stuff that we have accumulated over the last five years. Although we have gotten rid of random stuff along the way, it was finally time to do a major purge. Our first goal was to turn Marie's room into an actual bedroom. Before, her room was just a hodge podge of Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-12946610459354268532008-08-05T22:31:00.000-07:002008-08-06T15:02:15.717-07:00It was a Blast!We all had a wonderful time in Ohio. Eating gluten free was the major challenge of the whole trip, but toward the end that became easier. We tried to do some vacation type activities while we were out there, it allowed us to get out of the house, and explore an area where we don't get to spend much time. We took Marie to the square fountain, lots of kids enjoy playing in the Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-45750727487354699942008-08-05T22:16:00.000-07:002008-08-07T12:21:51.162-07:00Let Us Welcome the Newly BaptizedJust about a month ago, we were finally able to baptize Marie. We waited so long because we really wanted my mom to be able to experience the event. She misses out on so many important events, and it was nice to be able to have attend this one.The Service was quite wonderful. Everything was geared toward Marie's day, and she loved every moment of it. :) The Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-45831385104410934442008-07-29T08:11:00.000-07:002008-07-29T08:19:17.341-07:00So Little Time There are many things I am looking forward to updating about, but I have so little time right now. Marie's Baptism, our trip to the east coast, life in Ohio, etc. My time online is so infrequent that I just don't have the time to sit down and update. So, I promise soon there will be updates with pictures. We are having a wonderful time, and Marie loves spending so much time Janenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-9671955878266363642008-07-20T17:24:00.000-07:002008-12-13T04:36:58.649-08:00 It is the Ohio Time of YearIt is that time of year again where we make our annual trip to Ohio to visit with the fam. Marie and I flew back with my mom and Brandon, and Austin joined us a week later. It has been great to spend time with my grandma. However, it is hard to be back home and not have my grandpa around. I didn't have the constant reminder in back in California, so being back homeJanenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-30415687425242324662008-07-07T22:51:00.001-07:002008-12-13T04:36:59.778-08:00Adventures Aren't So BadApparently, if you plan just the right adventure, your nine year old nephew will have a great time, and think you are the best Aunt - ever! Today, we took Brandon out to New Hogan Lake to see Topher and his family. It is their annual camping trip, and while we haven't been able to camp with them these last two years, it is quite fun to visit for the day.I wasn't sure howJanenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-18736745802436780802008-07-03T13:24:00.000-07:002008-07-03T13:29:24.628-07:00Just Say No to Melanoma! The doctor just called, and I don't have melanoma! Yippeee! I am so relieved! He warned me to still stay out of the sun, and after this scare I plan to do so, but I am so glad that I am in the clear. The other moles were mostly worry free. One is what they Actinic Keratosis, which is a pre cancer cell that they can freeze off, the other was a Basel Cell. Anyways, aJanenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-73020797127924177342008-06-30T12:13:00.000-07:002008-06-30T12:27:03.506-07:00Skin Cancer? As many of you know, my mom had stage four Malignant Melanoma over 10 years ago. I was there to take her to all her treatments, surgeries, etc. It was a pretty scary time for our family, and ever since then I have been very aware of using sunblock, avoiding the sun, and checking any suspicious moles. It wasn't always easy to avoid the sun, especially since I love the outdoors. IJanenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-21801569193824513422008-06-27T20:44:00.000-07:002008-12-13T04:37:02.427-08:00All of the AdventuresAfter all the traveling we have done the last couple days, we were all starting to agree with Brandon about there being too many adventures. This last week has been a whirlwind, but it has been a lot of fun. We started it off with a trip down to Capitola. We stayedat a great inn, and enjoyed going to the beach everyday. Brandon and Austin enjoyed running from the waves, Janenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-64751456295244528722008-06-15T20:44:00.000-07:002008-06-17T10:05:50.745-07:00Too Many Adventures? It is no secret that I am a social being. I live for social interaction. I hate staying inside all day, and when forced to do so I get depressed. My nephew, on the other hand, does not have that same desire. On Friday, when I woke him up for the day, and let him know about Friday's adventure, he let me know that the excitement of the adventures has worn off since we were Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-86107069720083339832008-06-12T21:10:00.000-07:002008-06-12T21:40:10.433-07:00A Lot More Laughter The laughter in our household has grown exponentially. On Tuesday, Mom and Brandon arrived after a long day of traveling. Marie loves having Brandon around, and follows him around the house. She normally has a book in her hand and throws it at him as she says please. At least she is polite as she annoys him. :) It is so fun to see her adore her cousin so much. She hugs Janenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-10160987051380517772008-06-09T23:09:00.000-07:002008-12-13T04:37:04.052-08:00Just Like Her ParentsThis last weekend we took Marie on her first camping trip. Auntie Sarah organized a nice little weekend trip, and it was the perfect way to try out camping with Marie. I have to admit, I was quite nervous about camping with a 16 month old, but I was pleasantly surprised with how well Marie did on the trip. She LOVED all of it. She was thrilled when I set up her pack and Janenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-44008633272701514512008-05-31T20:52:00.001-07:002008-12-13T04:37:04.639-08:00In Case You Forgot...this is what Marie looks like. ;) It has been awhile since I have really done an update on Marie, so I thought I would give an update on life in the Fuego household. Marie is growing like crazy, officially wearing 2t clothing, and officially sporting real shoes. Now that she is willing to walk in front of us (for the first couple months she wouldn't let us see her walk, weJanenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-10324392063612901672008-05-26T19:39:00.000-07:002008-05-26T19:50:39.058-07:00Marie's head 1 : My Nose 0 Marie has a hard head, I already learned that when she was just a wee one, and she gave me a fat lip when she knocked her head into my face. However, now she has a hard head and a lot of momentum to go with it. Marie broke my nose this morning, while we were all enjoying a lazy morning snuggling in bed. We had just taken turns giving her hugs, and even tickled her Janenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-37760993406013275612008-05-19T10:35:00.000-07:002008-05-19T11:26:46.912-07:00In a Funk I seem to be in the "I just lost a loved one funk" lately. I did this on a grand scale when my dad died. I was struggling so much just to function day to day, that I didn't have the energy to try and go out and see friends, or do much of anything social. I just couldn't put the effort into that aspect of my life, which was sad, because that would have probably made me feel better. IJanenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-17544874484240158072008-05-08T14:45:00.000-07:002008-12-13T04:37:05.787-08:00Harder Than I ThoughtI have tried countless times to write a post about my grandpa, and I just haven't been able to do it. There have been too many emotions over the last week, and trying to write them all down has been overwhelming. I tried to write a few amazing facts about his life - two masters degrees, Naval Officer, well loved coach, teacher and principal, amazing father, grandfather, Janenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-68842246325085052302008-04-30T09:07:00.000-07:002008-12-13T04:37:06.022-08:00You Will Be Missed My grandpa passed away early this morning in his sleep. He just got home from the hospital yesterday to be able to spend his last days with family by his side. I had planned to head out to Ohio next week to say my goodbyes, but his body was ready to go. I will sit down and write a long post about how wonderful he was, but now we are trying to figure out how we can go and Janenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-81925018356044051522008-04-29T19:49:00.000-07:002008-04-29T22:53:34.120-07:00My Journey to GreenA lot of the green bloggers that I read have been giving their "green history". So, I thought I would do the same. Of course I don't consider myself a green blogger specifically, but it is certainly and aspect of our lives.It took me a while to think of when my green lifestyle began. Growing up my heart was always with the earth. I was a tomboy to the fullest and spent Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-50959139199574439892008-04-28T22:06:00.000-07:002008-12-13T04:37:06.805-08:00It's A Boy It is about time that I introduce the newest member of our family. Pele came to live with us just a couple weeks ago, and we already can't imagine our lives without him. Our dear friends had to make the tough choice to find another home for him when they realized that a cat allergy existed. It was so hard because our joy to finally have another cat in the home was their loss. We Janenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-19992271458465278872008-04-28T21:47:00.001-07:002008-12-13T04:37:07.018-08:00Hair! Marie has some serious hair. I remember when we first met her we saw that her hair was a bit curly, but we had no idea what it would turn into. :) It is quite fun to take her out without pulling her hair back. People don't always know how to respond, but more often than not they can't help but to smile, especially when she gives them a smile and a "hi". Marie now knows to run when I Janenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-35719693576012187862008-04-24T11:02:00.000-07:002008-04-24T11:27:13.849-07:00Where Has the Time Gone? It is hard to believe that 10 days have gone by so quickly. There has been a lot going on around here. A sweet baby was born too early just three days after my birthday. He is strong and both he and mom are doing well. It is amazing to watch him grow! Austin and I had our first overnight away from Marie this past weekend. We had a great time hanging out with Janenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-21987696751056668502008-04-14T19:21:00.000-07:002008-04-14T19:30:58.727-07:00What Makes a Birthday Great... ~getting to sleep in until 10am. ~waking up to coffee in bed. ~getting to talk on the phone while still lying in bed. ~a beautiful homemade gluten free birthday cake with too many candles. ~lunch at my favorite restaurant. ~hilarious online birthday cards. ~getting to talk with my friends. ~our new cat coming out from under bed when I called his name. :) ~wonderfulJanenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-77978041832518335092008-04-13T20:28:00.001-07:002008-12-13T04:37:07.207-08:00One Year Later On April 12, 2007 we woke up to our social worker calling to say that we had a match. I vividly remember the sheer excitement that Austin and I had as we listened to our social worker give us the details about our daughter to be. I frantically wrote down each piece of information on an index card. It seemed too good to be true that we were finally going to be parents. That Janenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-79441162196104643962008-04-08T11:18:00.000-07:002008-04-08T16:11:34.435-07:00Some Thoughts ~Communicating with my extended family can be very frustrating at times. I think the problem is solved, but getting there was challenging.~ Marie took her first solo walk across the room yesterday. Austin and I both got to witness it, and I am so grateful Austin was there. ~Green parenting is so much harder than I thought it would be, not because I don't want to do it, but becauseJanenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5925334.post-30453446647342223632008-04-02T09:10:00.000-07:002008-04-02T09:21:56.036-07:00Mix CD + Reminiscing = Happy Fuego I had been wanting to post about this for months, but other things seemed to come up instead. Anyways, this past Christmas I received one of the coolest, most thoughtful gifts. I had been bugging my friend Topher for a CD of the music we used to listen to when we were roommates in college. I spent most of my time in his room since it was the warmest room, so Janenoreply@blogger.com1