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19 May 2008

Pregnancy, Preparation, and Posting Pauses

Well I'm nearing the end of the second trimester, and feeling great with child these days. When I'm not chasing an inquisitive toddler or trying to keep the house operations from coming to a complete halt, I'm finding myself spending more and more frequent breaks with my feet up (good for my circulation "issues") and reading books to the kids, rather than blogging. We're also gearing up for a long Memorial Day weekend visit from Grandma Stevenson and Aunt Becky. So with all there is to do (a woman's work is never done, you know!), my blogging posts have greatly reduced. But those are my reasons, and I'll do my best to keep it going as I am able.

13 May 2008

Fourteen Inches of Love

And here's the after photos you've all been waiting for! They said they took off 14 inches, my longest donation so far! I was somewhat pleased with the results, but might need to go in soon to re-do my 'do more to my liking. But for now I like it well enough.







Rosalind seems to like it, too. I couldn't resist posting this last shot of her lovable locks with all their luscious curls.


Mother's Day Photos

Here's a few snapshots of our gang in recent days.









10 May 2008

Mother's Day 2008

Tonight I shed tears while I talked with a friend over the phone for the first time in a few weeks. She and her husband have been dear friends of ours for nearly seven years, since before Julien was born. They moved away when Tristan was a wee babe in diapers, and have never met Rosalind face to face. And they have no children of their own, yet. They have gone through the rigors of fertility specialists, and began the adoption process through China a couple of years ago. That process has slowed down (China is apparently processing adoptions filed in 2005, currently) and seems practically out of reach. So they decided to proceed with pursuing a domestic adoption, which tends to have different challenges of its own, namely, open adoption.

Imagine the emotional and financial challenges that each of those "processes" demands! Imagine the years and years of filling out paperwork, answering questionnaires, interviewing with case workers, driving long distances, requesting referrals, being properly fingerprinted, etc. Imagine the number of Mother's Days celebrated but with a longing for a child yet unfulfilled. Imagine the inappropriate, insensitive, rude or nosy comments made by people who feel they must say something. Imagine the comments never made by people who were afraid to ask any questions at all. Imagine struggling with the emotions of being happy for your fertile friends' exciting news (again and again), and still having to wait with no news, and no guarantee of good news in sight. Imagine being the couple not chosen after a second interview, and then seeing the birth mother at the next support group meeting.

I have to imagine it all, but my friend, she has been living it. It seemed at times better to not ask how things were going in that department, simply because I didn't want it to be what we always talked about. I thought perhaps she didn't always want to talk about it either. So we didn't, always. But every so often, she would let me know how things were going or if there was something about to happen to pray for her. And every so often I would ask. So I had been praying for her, whenever God would lay her on my heart. This week she was on my heart a lot. In this department, no news usually isn't good news, and we hadn't touched bases with one another in a few weeks...

(Sigh) It's not my story to tell. But I know it is a beautiful story, because my tears were tears of JOY. My friend is finally going to have a baby in her arms, by the end of next week, Lord willing! And the birth mother, who had never before known the Lord, has now also been adopted into God's family, by His saving grace.

So on this Mother's Day, I'm thinking about my Mom, and I'm thinking about myself as a Mom, and I'm thankful for my kids. But I'm thinking a lot about my friend, who has had the longest, hardest "gestational period" imaginable, and will finally begin the exciting new challenges that come with motherhood. Happy Mother's Day. And Happy Birth Mother's Day.

09 May 2008

The End Of An "Hair-a"

Okay, I can't use the telephone company as an excuse any longer; we are back up and running faster and cheaper than before, so the blog entries and e-mails are free flowing again.

Speaking of free-flowing, my long locks will soon be sheared! Monday is the date of their departure. I had been planning to visit the beauty shop of a fellow kindergarten Mom who has generously given us numerous half-price coupons, but that still requires making an appointment and arranging for childcare, which I never get around to doing.

Then Enoch told me that the high school where he teaches is sponsoring a Locks of Love day. Better yet, he made the appointment for me during an hour when he doesn't have a class, so he can watch the kiddos while I get myself a new look for the spring/summer season. (Let's face it: probably the next few spring/summer seasons, as I tend to get my hair cut about every 3 years or every other child, whichever comes first.)

So I'll try to take some farewell photos of my long hair, and hopefully get some good before/after shots. I'm looking forward to it, but also not. Sometimes shorter hair is more work than long, and I'm low-maintenance almost to a fault! But we'll see. A new look is fun too, and long hair is old hair, so maybe it will make me look younger! Ha!