Twilight

Okay, I just got home from watching the movie Twilight with my friend Jess. The movie was great and I am now looking forward to reading the book but, I've got to tell you, I think we were 2 of maybe 4 people in the entire theatre that were over the age of 20. I officially feel old! I could not help myself from wondering if I was as irritating at that age. I'm sure I was. For some reason, a group of girls across from us thought they were watching a comedy. There were some humorous moments but WOW, they took it to a different level. Hmmmm....I really am old! I think I actually forgot what it was like to be a carefree teenager. haha

Merry Christmas! I'm back!

I know, it's been a while. I can't believe this is only my second post for December. It's been a crazy busy month! I hope you all had a great Christmas! It was fun to see some of you while I was home. I wish we could have had more time to visit. It's too hard to catch up at the parties. Too little time for so many people. You know what I mean? 

I'll have more pics of our Christmas soon but attached are some fun 1st Christmas pics of Miya. I had to use Jen's camera this year for pics back home so I need her to send them to me before I can post them. 

Take Care!

Christmas Party

We had such a fun Christmas party last night! It was so great to see everyone! Attached is one of our group photos. A lot of people were playing games so we couldn't get a group photo of everyone but these are some of my favorite girls. 

The Miracle of Adoption

Below is a touching You Tude broadcast that I found on facebook earlier. Since Cory and I are seriously considering Ethiopia for our adoption, I thought I would share it. We need to sell our 3 1/2 acres in Indy before we can move forward. To adopt an infant will be between $20,000 to $30,000 in Ethiopia right now. We do not qualify for the adoption assistance that everyone talks about. Hopefully it will be sold soon. Keep us in your prayers! 

  The Miracle of Adoption

Another Girls Night Out!

We had such a great time tonight! We had dinner at PF Chang's and then went over to The Fashion Mall for Simon's Evening of Giving event. It's an annual event the mall has every year. We found some great deals but we mostly just enjoyed each others company. This picture includes Tina Dahl, Jill Mullen, Tammy Dillon, Me and Shannon Smith. We were hoping others could join us but the schedules didn't work out. Hopefully, Diana, Tara, Janine, and Connie can join us the next time. Thanks for a fun night girls! 

Helping Hand

Is it any wonder why I adore my husband so much? He has such a big heart! 

All over the country good people are loosing their jobs due to downsizing or other unforeseen circumstances. He has decided that he wants to help a family in need. He's not doing it out of pity or to make himself feel better for trying to do something. He just sees a family who was dealt a bad hand recently and knows with a little encouragement and help they will be able to get back on track. They are an amazing family and I know good things are in the future for them. 

 

Joyful Gratitude

There is no single area where the faith of the Bible is more at odds with 20th-century American culture than Job losing everything that he used to call his own. Americans believe they have certain rights: the right to be happy; the right to an acceptable standard of living; the right to a satisfying marriage and a fulfilling job. 

But according to the Bible, we have no rights! Whatever we do have we have because God in his grace and generosity has given it to us. When we realize this, there comes into our lives a joyful gratitude for what we have, and we are freed from resentment and anxiety over what we don't have. 

Time for Change

What a sad day! Today is going to be rough on a lot of the people I care about. I have been with Estridge on and off for almost a decade. I love this company! Unfortunately, they are not doing as well as we all hoped in this crazy economy. Cut backs are necessary to help weather the economical storm. Yesterday was my last day with Estridge. My partner's last day was today. Basically our entire area, as we know it, is gone. I can't even express how much I will miss everyone. This really SUCKS!!!!! haha I actually felt really bad for my boss while he was telling me though. He seemed more upset than me! He's a wonderful caring person that I will continue to have the utmost respect for. I feel the same about the owner of our company. I have no doubt that this was something he would not have wanted and if he could have avoided it he would have. Many people are going to be effected today. Please be praying for them! 

Obama's European Vision

Shifting America's animating idea from creation to protection.

By DANIEL HENNINGER

The most basic explanation for why Barack Obama may win next Tuesday is that voters indeed want an economic deliverance. The standard fix in politics everywhere is to crowbar the old party out and patch in the other one. It is true as well that the historic nature of the first African-American candidacy would play a big role.

Push past the historic candidacy, however, and one sees something even larger is at stake in this vote. One sees is what Joe (The Plumber) Wurzelbacher saw. The real "change" being put to a vote for the American people in 2008 is not simply a break from the economic policies of "the past eight years" but with the American economic philosophy of the past 200 years. This election is about a long-term change in America's idea of itself.

I don't agree with the argument that an Obama-Pelosi-Reid-government is a one-off, that good old nonideological American pragmatism will temper their ambitions. Not true. With this election, U.S. is at a philosophical tipping point.

The goal of Sen. Obama and the modern, "progressive" Democratic party is to move the U.S. in the direction of Western Europe, the so-called German model and its "social market economy." Under this notion, business is highly regulated, as it would be in the next Congress under Democratic House committee chairmen Markey, Frank and Waxman. Business is allowed to create "wealth" so long as its utility is not primarily to create new jobs or economic growth but to support a deep welfare system.

The political planets are aligned to make this achievable. In the aftermath of the financial crisis, prominent Democrats, European leaders in France and Germany, and more U.S. newspaper articles than one can count have said that the crisis proves the need to permanently tame the American "free-market" model. P.O.W. Alan Greenspan is broadcasting confessions.

This would be a historic shift, one that post-Vietnam Democrats have been trying to achieve since their failed fight with Ronald Reagan's "Cowboy Capitalism."

Of course Cowboy Capitalism built the country. More than any previous nation in history, the U.S. made its way forward on a 200-year wave of upwardly mobile, profit-seeking merchants, tradesmen, craftsmen and workers. They blew out of New England and New York, rolled across the wildernesses of the Middle States, pushed thousands of miles across a tough frontier and banged into San Francisco and Los Angeles, leaving in their path city after city of vast wealth.

The U.S. emerged a superpower, and the tool of that ascent was simple -- the pursuit of economic growth. Now China, India and Brazil, embracing high-growth cowboy capitalism, are doing what America did, only their cities are bigger.

Now comes Barack Obama, standing at the head of a progressive Democratic Party, his right hand rising to say, "Stop. We've grown enough. It's time to spread the wealth around."

What this implies, undeniably, is that the United States would move away from running with the high GDP, high-growth nations rising today as economic and political powers and move over to join the low-growth economies it once displaced -- old Europe.

As noted in a 2006 World Bank report, spending in Europe on social-protection programs averages 19% of GDP (85% of it on social insurance programs), compared to 9% of GDP in the U.S. The Obama proposals send the U.S. inexorably and permanently toward European levels of social protection. This isn't an "agenda." It's a new way of life.

In detail:

Obama's federalized medical insurance system starts the transition away from private medical care and toward Obama's endlessly promised "universal health care." This has always been the sine qua non of achieving a U.S. social-market economy.

Obama's refundable tax credits are direct cash transfers from the federal government. This would place some 48% of Americans, nearly half, out of the income tax system. This isn't just a tax proposal; it's a deep philosophical shift. In Europe it's called being "on the dole."

His stated intent to renegotiate free-trade agreements such as Nafta is also a philosophical shift. It means a transition away from a tradition of a hypercompetitive America dating back to the Industrial Revolution, toward a protected, domestic work force, as in Western Europe. The Democratic proposal to eliminate private union votes -- "card check" -- ensures the spread of a static, Euro-style work force.

Eliminating the payment limit on payroll taxes changes Social Security from an insurance to a welfare program. Obama's tax credits requires performing government-identified activities, the essence of a "directed economy."

All this would shift the animating American idea -- away from creation and toward protection.

Many voters -- progressive Democrats, wealthy older people, academics and college students -- regard this as where America should go. They explicitly want America's energies transferred away from unwieldy economic competition and toward social construction. They want the U.S. to reduce its "footprint" in the world. Monies saved by stepping down from superpower status can be reprogrammed into "investments" (a constant Obama word) in a Euro-style 19% of GDP in social protection programs.

I wish John McCain had been better able to make clearer what the truly "historic" meaning of Tuesday's vote is. Once it's done, it's done.

Write to henninger@wsj.com

Halloween Friends

Check out this picture of a good friend of mine. She is dressed almost exactly like I described below. Good minds think alike!

Halloween Costumes

What a night! We probably had more fun than the kids. Attached are a few pictures of our evening. Mike's costume was by far the funniest. Don't worry, he wore a beach towel around himself when kids were around. Once it was dark and most of the kids were inside Mike went running up and down the street in this getup. LOL...

Cory was dressed as a guy stuck in the 80's and I was a Pirate Wench. Cory's didn't photograph as well as we would have liked. It was funny in person but hard to see in these pics. Mine was a little boring since I didn't have much time. I bought this costume about an hour and a half before everything started and I still had to cook yet. I didn't have the time to dress the way I really wanted. I wanted to be a witch with green makeup, a prosthetic nose and creepy contact lenses. Maybe next year! 

Happy Halloween!

We are dressing up for the first time in a long time this year. In fact, high school may have been the last time we got into it. This should be funny. I wasn't crazy about the idea at first but then I figured "what the heck". We might as well try to have some fun, right? I've been having trouble with my camera but hopefully I'll get some funny pics for you all to see. Cory plans to dress up for the 80's. We have the mullet wig and the tacky clothes. Now all we need is a fake mustache. The party is at our house this year so I better get started. I haven't even bought any candy yet! haha

Night Out On The Town

Wow, it has been forever since we went out and stayed up til 2:ooam. Cory's friend, Eric Church, was in town for the weekend so we decided to take him out to Britton Tavern. We don't drink but they have great food and had an awesome band playing last night. I had the most fun people watching, especially when Eric would be in the picture! He is hilarious!!! He was pretty much the envy of every guy in the place because women followed him everywhere. Young, old, it didn't really matter. He's never met a stranger. Me, Cory and Mike couldn't stop laughing. We had such a fun time!    

Perfect Fall Day!

What a nice day! I went to Stuckey Farms and got some yummy apple cider with a friend of mine and her girls. It was nice spending some time with them because it had been a while. The sun was shining. The leaves are turning. It was really a perfect fall day. Hopefully you all had some time to enjoy it also. 

Old Friends

What a great weekend! I was able to catch up with some old friends on Friday night, my cousin Nikki got married Saturday and my Anniversary was Sunday. I'm exhausted but it was so much fun! 

12th Wedding Anniversary!

It's hard to believe today is our 12th Anniversary. Time flies when you're having fun! We are just as happy today as we were the day of our wedding. Correction... I'd actually have to say we are even happier. 

For those of you that don't already know, Cory and I have actually been together for much longer. We began dating when I was only 15 years old. We've actually known each other our entire lives but it was a church youth retreat to Canada that brought us together. Hah, prior to that, we didn't pay any attention to each other at all. Everything started out so innocently. I had a boyfriend at the time so I tried my hardest not to seem interested. Unfortunately, for that boyfriend, that couldn't last long. Before I knew it, we had our first kiss during a game of truth or dare in the hotel pool where our youth group stayed. I didn't want anyone to see us kiss for the first time so we went under the water. It was quick but very sweet and it certainly left a good lasting impression. Needless to say, we had a memorable time in Canada. 

We had some ups and downs during our young relationship but we always seemed to find our way back to each other. They all turned out to be experiences that we learned from and they made us appreciate each other all the more. We are very lucky! I can't even imagine my life without Cory in it. We were both very sincere when we took our vows. I will love him forever!

Miya Joyce

OMGsh, Miya is adorable and Melissa sounds like she's doing great! Check out these pictures of the proud Grandparents. 

The Greatest Salesman in the World

This is a book that our sales team read recently. Below is a quote from it that I thought was very motivational. It's motivational not only for those of us in sales but for anyone wondering if they are making any progress toward long term goals in their life.  

"I will persist until I succeed."

"Henceforth, I will consider each days effort as but one blow of my blade against a mighty oak. The first blow may cause not a tremor in the wood, nor the second, nor the third. Each blow, of itself, may be trifling, and seem of no consequence. Yet from childish swipes the oak will eventually tumble. So it will be with my efforts of today."

Each day counts! 

Cory Runner's Up

I can't believe it! My husband has only had the opportunity to race twice this year and he runner's up last night. One of his good friends actually won the race against him so he wasn't too disappointed. I am absolutely amazed though. I'm sure the guys that race every weekend were also. Cory has a history of showing up and winning with no practice. It's unbelievable! I'm very proud of him. 

You've got to see this!

She's ready to pop!

Melissa's due date is Oct. 2nd. I'll be surprised if Miya waits that long. Something tells me Melissa won't mind if she decides to come a little early. 

She's going to kill me when she see this on here. haha 

First Mowing Experience

I know this will be hard to believe but I mowed the grass for the first time in my life Saturday afternoon. The girls at work are having the time of their lives laughing at me about it. Mike usually mows our lawn but he is going out of town for an extended period of time so I decided I wanted to learn how to do it. Cory just doesn't have the time with the way he works. Now, I have huge blisters on my hands. You should see them. They are unbelievable. I didn't realize I had them until I was finished. I guess I could hire someone else to mow the lawn but I actually didn't mind it other than the blisters. My neighbors probably thought it was the funniest sight. They usually see me all dressed up going out somewhere or dressed for work. Saturday was a no makeup, messy hairdo, old blue jeans and t-shirt day. It was actually very freeing not caring what I looked like for a day. No one can expect that to happen too often though. I just don't have it in me to not care all of the time. 

Beautiful Remodel

What a relaxing night. I just got back from a nice get together at our interior designers place. He just finished a major remodel and invited us over to see the transformation. He did an amazing job. I wouldn't have expected any less but all I can say is WOW. I love it! I wish I had a picture to show you. He is an extremely talented designer. 

  

Shopping Spree

Okay, I won't leave you hanging on my shopping spree. Below is a list of items I purchased. Some will be gifts but most I plan to keep for my house. I love redecorating!

1.) Lg French Chandelier

2.) Med/Lg Satin Nickel Chandelier - Gift

3.) 2 Vases

4.)2 Wall Sconces

5.) A dozen Yellow Long Stem Roses - Gift (The pedals even feel real.)

6.) Sm Leather Chair - For Mom

7.) AND a few small misc. items (Christmas Ornaments, etc.) 

This is just one more reason why I love my job so much! 

Great Deals!

I had the most fun shopping today! Our HOMExperience store had an employee sale and you wouldn't believe the deals I got. I bought over $2000 worth of stuff and I spent less than $150. I was like a kid in the candy store. There wasn't anything wrong with most of the sale items. Some items were custom orders from customers who decided not to purchase it after the order was too late to cancel. Others were things that we needed to get rid of due to lack of storage space. Regardless of why, they were awesome deals that couldn't be passed up. I felt a little guilty because I knew what the cost was for the store to purchase the items. The store lost a lot of money by practically giving this stuff away but they will probably save money by not having to store it all. Everything needed to sell by the end of the day today. Whatever didn't sell was to be donated to charity. It's a good thing they don't have sells like this all the time. Everyone already jokes with me and says I have a shopping addiction. 

Judgement or Forgiveness?

Barry and Michelle bought me a Couples Devotional Bible some years back. I try to read at least a little bit every day. It was hard for me to get into the routine of reading my bible at first. I started off only reading the devotions actually. It was quick and easy. After some time, I finally got into reading scripture. It's funny how it used to seem so difficult to understand. I sometimes still struggle comprehending some areas but I get much more out of it these days. I still go back and read the devotions though. Some of the stories are very insightful so I thought I'd try to share some with you. Below is one I read earlier. Enjoy!

Judgement or Forgiveness?

Can we ever fully recover from the sickness of "judgmentalism"? Maybe.

First, I can reprogram my thoughts to view people differently. When I search for the image of God stamped on all God's children, a spirit of gratitude comes to me quite naturally. With a thankful heart, I can sharpen the positive image of everyone with whom I come in contact. 

Second, I can confess my faults openly. At our church trio practice one Sunday, I snapped at a fellow member for being late. After church I apologized for my abruptness, and she revealed problems at home that made her ministry in music difficult. Together we worked out an alternative plan and ended up rescheduling our trio practices.

Third, I can give equal time in prayer. A man in our church was unfaithful to his wife. I spent time with his wife, in tears, anger and prayer. By week's end I realized I hadn't once prayed for her husband. He was hard to love, but perhaps prayer would have softened his heart. As I called his name in prayer, my compassion for him grew.

When a brother or sister stumbles or feels the pain of a fall, rather than reach for my judges robe, I need to kneel down with them, share their hurt, and then gently seek to restore them to health and wholeness. 

[Marriage Builders] 

* Why is the habit of negative thoughts about others dangerous for you and disappointing to God?

* In your marriage relationship, why is it important to "clear the air" by confessing wrongs and asking for forgiveness?

Additional Scripture Readings

Galatians 6:1-5; Matthew 7:1-6; 12:34b 

Going Green

I found out something really interesting in one of my training meetings at work today. Do you know the difference between the solid recycling logo and the clear recycling logo? To be honest, until today, I never noticed there were two different logos. The difference is pretty significant though. The solid logo means the product you are using was recycled. The clear logo means that it is recyclable. Evidently,  if you do not see the clear logo, it can only be recycled once. Which means it will still end up in a landfill eventually. Recyclable (clear logo) items can be recycled over and over so it has true sustainability.  So, if you are someone who cares about helping the environment, this is great information to know. Every little bit helps. 

Be careful when you recycle your plastic bottles. . If you recycle, you need to make sure you remove the plastic lid and the plastic ring from the lid. The reason? The two plastics melt down at different temperatures which means they can not be melted down together. Unfortunately, most cities do not have the staff to take the time to remove them for you so, if you do not do it, you might as well not recycle it at all because they are discarded and placed in landfills anyway. Both plastics can be recycled, of coarse, but the plastic from the bottle may be recycled into carpet and the lid might be recycled into car parts. Not all plastics are equal.

Now I need to look into eventually buying a more fuel efficient vehicle. Not only does my Yukon not help the environment, I'm sick of paying ridiculous gas prices. 

August Rush

Have any of you seen the movie August Rush? We just watched it and thought it was great. It features Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Terrance Howard, Robin Williams and Freddie Highmore (as August). What a touching movie! If you haven't seen it, you must. It's hard finding clean movies these days that are so well done. Below is the trailer so you can check it out. You might need to copy and paste it to your browser for it to work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5ab6RtA-KE

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. 

Appreciation For The Things You Have

Earlier today I stopped by Penn Station for lunch. When I pulled in I noticed a man, who appeared to be homeless, looking into the window. It was 77 degrees and he was wearing at least one shirt underneath a torn raggedy sweater. He was an older gentleman. If I had to guess he was in his late 60's. At first, I did not want to go in because I wasn't sure about passing by him.  I feel terrible feeling that way but you just never know what to expect and it was very unusual seeing a man like that in our area. After a minute or two I decided to go in. He opened the door and came in with me but he never went to the counter to place an order. He just browsed around the front area looking at the pictures of different meals on the wall. I tried not to stare but the more I watched the more guilty and sad I felt for him. He never did approach the counter to order anything so when my name was called for my "To Go" order I asked the kid behind the counter if he had seen him before and if he knew what his situation was. I did not want to approach the man because I did not want to insult him in any way but I wanted to help if I could. The kid behind the counter explained to me that he has been in before and that he does order from time to time. I was thinking maybe I would buy him a sandwich or something but he left before I had the opportunity. All I could think about was that he was probably hungry and had no money on him to buy anything. He never asked anyone for anything. He just wandered around a bit cooling off in the air conditioning looking at the pictures. 

You know, times like this are truly humbling. We all go through life expecting this and wanting that and then you see someone with a real need. It reminded me of just how much I have to be thankful for and how much we all take for granted. In our society, it seems that no matter how much we have we always feel like we need more. We need not forget to be appreciative for what we have already been blessed with. 

Republican National Convention

Okay, have you all been watching the Republican National Convention? WOW! I am pumped after watching last night and tonight. I think our next Vice President just may be a woman. If you haven't been watching I want to encourage you to. History is being made! I loved many of the quotes made but this one really stuck out to me and several of the people I work with. 

"There are some people (Obama) who use change to promote their [short] careers, and some people (McCain) who use their careers to promote change."

I know they always say not to discuss politics or religion at work but we must have talked about it all day today. We even did our own Company Poll with those of us that watched it. It was so much fun hearing everyone's thoughts. I don't think I've ever looked this forward to an election. I guess it's not hard to see who I'm voting for. 

 

40th Wedding Anniversary

Today would have been my parents 40th Anniversary. They always talked about going to Hawaii for their 40th. I wish they would have been able to do that together. I guess we should be happy for the memories we do have though. My mom was so blessed to have such an amazing man in her life. My dad was the best!

Lucas Oil Stadium

I just got a glimpse at what $700+ million dollars can create. Indy's new Lucas Oil Stadium is amazing. Estridge has a suite there so we had the opportunity to enjoy it tonight. It was just a pre-season game but it was still fun socializing and everything. I'll be spending a lot more time there though. Me and two other girls were asked to host our Investor's during this season. I think it's a little funny that I was asked. I've never been a huge fan of football. There are probably tons of people that would love to be there in my place. It is an honor to be asked so I'm trying to appreciate it instead of just feeling obligated. The suite is beautiful so it's not such a bad place to be. Who knows, maybe I'll learn a thing or two and football won't seem so boring to me. Hmmm, probably not. 

Lila

Here is a picture of my precious Lila. She is the one with the dark face and paws. Isn't she beautiful. Sampson is with her in this picture. He is my older cat. Thank goodness he is healthy! I will miss her and I'm sure Sampson will to. They were always two peas in a pod. 

Land For Sale

Well, it looks like Cory and I are going to put our 3 1/2 aces on the market. We bought it 3 years ago, in Westfield,  with the intent to build our new home on it. We drew up plans and the whole works but for some reason we just kept delaying everything. Good friends of ours bought land next to it at the same time so it will be sad to lose it. They would have been fun neighbors. I believe everything happens for a reason though and  selling this land will free up enough money for us to move forward with our international adoption plans without needing to finance anything. That would be nice because we hate financing anything. We've pretty much decided that if we can't buy it without borrowing it, we just don't need it. I'm sure there will be a few exceptions to that rule, like our house, but few things will be that exception. If necessary, our baby will be that exception but hopefully our land will sell quickly so we won't need to worry about it. 

Keep us in your prayers! 

 

Emotional Week

Last week was a tough week. My Grandmother passed away on Tuesday. She will be missed by so many. She was an amazing lady! She had a sense of humor up to the end. She wasn't scared and constantly reassured everyone that she was ready to go. Our family was so blessed to have her in our lives. We all love her so much! It is comforting to know that she was ready. I know that she is in heaven with my Dad right now. They are probably singing together and hunting away.  I can just see them now. She was looking forward to seeing him and other loved ones again. 

My precious, Lila, also passed away this weekend. For those of you that don't know, Lila was one of my kitties. She was much more than just a cat though. I've had her for 11 years and my two cats are like my children. I found out that she had cancer the day Grandma passed away and then Cory had to have her put down on the day of Grandma's funeral. Needless to say, between my Grandmother's passing and poor Lila I had a rough week. 

Attached is a picture of me and my grandmother. This was the last opportunity I had to see her before her passing. Doesn't she look great! I am so grateful that she was my grandmother. She is just beautiful inside and out. She probably had no idea how many people she touched in such a positive way.   

 

New Mac

Cory and I just bought a new Mac desk top. It is so awesome! I didn't really get what the big deal was until we got it. The screen is huge yet it takes up no space. I will be able to do so many cool things with all of my photos and video once I figure it out. I haven't had much time to play with it yet. We almost bought another laptop but we thought this would be better for our needs since we never really moved it anyway. I was surprised at the amount of things this computer can do that most can't, especially in regard to photos and video. Everything seems so easy on it. I can't wait to play with everything. The trick is going to be getting Cory off of it long enough for me to get on. Oh well, I could have bigger problems, right?

Mom, Jen & Maddison visit IN

It's been a nice week visiting with Mom, Jen and Maddison. They drove in last Saturday and plan to stay until this Saturday. We went boating all day Sunday and then again Monday evening. Maddison had the best time. She loved tubing and swimming in the lake. We thought she might get scared but she wasn't at all. It was so much fun watching her.

Maddison's birthday is coming up this Saturday so we celebrated early. We took her and a couple of her friends, in Indy, to Chuckie Cheese this afternoon and then we went to Build A Bear. It was a full day but it was worth it to see her having such a good time. I'll post some pictures sometime later. My computer is still down at home. I'm borrowing Jen's right now. We may need to just buy a new computer. This one is too old to bother putting an money into it.

Grandma seems like she is doing really well this week also. Mom called to check on her last night. She is doing so much better than we thought she would do. Who knows, she may make it to Nikki's wedding after all. The doctor thought she would only last a couple weeks but if she keeps doing as well as she has been doing you never know. If anyone can beat the odds, it's Grandma!

Trip to PA

We just got back from PA last night. It was a nice trip. I was able to spend some quality time with my Grandmother. My cousin Nikki had her bridal shower on Saturday. She is getting married in October and will probably be the most beautiful bride we've ever seen. Cory's sister, Melissa, had a shower on Saturday also. A baby shower! I know, it was a surprise for a lot of people. She looks really cute pregnant and is due at the beginning of October. I'll post some pictures when I get a chance.

I was able to see quite a few people while I was home. The Mong reunion was this weekend also. It was so fun catching up with everyone. I missed a few that I really wanted to see though. Hopefully I will have the chance to see you (Holly & Heather) in the fall. I'll be home the weekend of October 11th for Nikki's wedding.

Our computer is on the fritz at home so I'm not sure when I'll be able to post next. I hope it won't take too long.

Grandma Ferrari

For those of you that know my Grandmother, you are already aware that she is not doing so well. She was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver a while back and she has been a real trooper during the ups and downs. She has been in and out of the hospital several times with infections and dementia that the condition has caused. During her last trip to the hospital the doctors told her that this would be her last trip because her condition is now at a stage where they can no longer help her. They gave her the option of going into hospice care or going home and having hospice check on her each day. Of course, she chose to go home. I spoke with her over the phone not long ago and she seemed to still be in good spirits but she sounded so tired. We will never be ready to lose her but she says she is ready to go. She is such an amazing person. She has such a sense of humor even during this time. She laughs at herself when she gets confused. We all love her so much! She is a true inspiration for all of us as she endures this time and continues to have such a great attitude. I aspire to be like her. She is one of the strongest people I know.

Top 12 *edit* 14 Reasons Why You May Be Called To Adopt...

I found this list online and thought it was worthy of thievery.

1.) The fact that there are 143 million children without a parent to kiss them goodnight has made you lose sleep.

2.) You realize DNA has nothing to do with love and family.

3.) You can't watch Adoption Stories on TLC without sobbing.

4.) The fact that, if 7% of Christians adopted 1 child there would be no orphans in the world, is convicting to you.

5.) You spend free time surfing blogs about families who have experienced the blessing of adoption.

6.) It drives you crazy when people ask you about adopted child's "real" parents.

7.) You have ever been "pregnant" with your adoptive child longer than it takes an elephant to give birth. (2 years!)

8.) You had no idea how you would afford to adopt but stepped out in faith anyway, knowing where God calls you He will provide.

9.) You have ever taken an airplane ride half-way around the world with a child you just met.

10.) You believe God's heart is for adoption.

11.) You realize that welcoming a child into your heart and family is one of the most important legacies you could ever leave on this earth.

12.) You know what the word "Dossier" means, and you can actually pronounce it!

13.) You have welcomed a social worker into the most private parts of your life.

14.) You shudder when people say your child is so lucky that you adopted them, knowing full well you are the blessed one to have him or her in your life.

Good Books

I've been reading some really good books lately. I've mentioned before that I really enjoy The Left Behind Series. I'm reading Tribulation Force right now. This is a fictional series, of course, but it is based off of the book of Revelation. These books are hard to put down. I believe there are 12 books in total. If you like to read I would recommend trying them out. A good friend of mine got the first book for me a while ago. It didn't take me long to finish it. I've been hooked ever since. I had to wait a while for the second book but I'm glad to have it now.

The Janitor is another good book I've started reading. It was recommended by my boss. It's just a small book that you could probably finish in one sitting if you are lucky enough to not have any interruptions. It has some great life lessons in it and it's a simple book to read.

The newest book is called The Strength of Mercy. I actually received this book from one of the adoption agencies we are considering. Nicole, this would be a great one for you if you haven't already read it.

Hopefully you will enjoy these books as much as I have if you decide to check them out.

Have a good night!

Inspiring Quotes

Below are a couple quotes that I noticed while researching more adoption agencies. They really spoke to me. Hopefully you will enjoy them also.

"Vision is when you see it and others don't. Faith is when you do it and others won't."
- Luci Swindol

"A Father to the fatherless, God makes a home for the lonely." Psalm 68:6

Please keep us in your prayers. Cory and I are hoping to make a decision very soon concerning the direction we plan to take with adoption.

God Bless!

4th of July

I hope you all had a great 4th of July. Cory and I picked up our new boat yesterday so we were out on the water tonight. The fireworks were amazing from the lake. We couldn't have had a better spot. It was a little cool so we didn't get in the water this time but hopefully it will be nice the next time we're out. We are anxious to try some new toys. Mike bought a knee board. They are always fun but Cory and I really want to try a wake board. A wake board will be a little more challenging from what we hear. I'll let you know how it goes. I think it will be awesome! I'll try and remember to take some pictures of our attempts so you can laugh a little with us.

Feeling much better

I am feeling so much better. Today was a good day. I did some of my usual running around from here to there and I finally ate some regular food. I'll probably start back on my exercise program tomorrow. I haven't done anything since Monday. It will be nice getting back into my routine again.

Cory is going to southern Indiana tomorrow to check out a boat. If it's in as good shape as it sounds he'll probably buy it. It's a 2004 Caravelle. We'll see what happens. It looks like a good boat and a good deal. We'll have a fun 4th of July on the water if he decides to buy it. They do some amazing fireworks over the reservoir.

Wow, I just noticed the time. I need to get to bed. I'll post more later.

Good night!

I am sick of being sick

Man, this flu is kicking my butt. I starting getting it Monday afternoon. At that time, I thought it was going to be a simple cold but I was so wrong. I could barely move yesterday. You might have noticed that my last post was dated for Monday but I actually didn't finish writing it until today. The text is current though. Oh well! I hope none of you come down with this. I'm too busy to be sick. I'm sure you are to. One good thing happened though. I got on the scale and I LOVED what I saw. I do not recommend this weight lose method however. It will reek havoc on your body.

Mom's new position

Mom is loving her new position! It's only been a about a week and she seems to be fitting right in. Everyone around her has noticed how happy she seems. Dad would be so proud of her! This is just what she needed. She even went out with the girls last night after work. They all got together to wish Dee a fond farewell. Dee has decided to stay home with her kids. She will be missed. They all seem to be like family. Mom was honored that they invited her along. They gave her a really nice card welcoming her also. I'm sure Mom will miss the girls in the plant but this is a much better fit for her at this stage in her life. She will especially miss working with Aunt Karen. She has always said they made such a great team. Everyone is being really supportive. Aunt Linda called the other night to see how she was doing. We are lucky to have such an amazing family.

Congratulations Mom!

I am so proud of my mom! She has been with Archway for 20+ years now and she has finally made the move she has been wanting for a while. She is moving into the office where she will make more money, have a better schedule and she is guaranteed 5 days a week. She never knew from week to week what days she would be working with her position as an operator so this will provide some much needed stress relief. She starts tomorrow. I'll be anxious to hear her thoughts after the first few weeks. I think she is going to love it. She has been praying for some kind of stability in regards to work so she is seeing this as an answer to prayer.

God is so good!

Austin & Michaela

Take a look at these school pictures of Austin and Michaela. It's the end of the school year but I finally got them. They look so mature all of the sudden. I spoke with Austin on the phone not long ago and I was surprised to hear how deep his voice had become. It's sad that I don't have the opportunity to see them more. They are both great kids and I miss seeing them.

Austin has become quite the athlete from what I understand. Mom said he reminds her so much of dad because he puts 11o% into whatever to does. He is really competitive and hates to lose. I mean he hates to lose more than your average kid. I guess he's looking to join the football team or cross country this year. He feels torn between them because they are scheduled at the same time. Michelle is hoping that he chooses cross country though because she is too worried about him getting hurt. Unfortunately for her, that will likely make him want to do it even more. I guess we'll wait and see what happens.

Michaela is growing up a lot also. She's waxing her eyebrows and shaving her legs already. She is all about wanting to look pretty. I don't remember even thinking about that stuff when I was her age. She is 9. I was actually a tomboy at that age, believe it or not. I was around 13 or 14 when I went to the opposite extreme. Hopefully she won't go overboard like I did. It's scary how much she is like me. Michelle tells her all the time that she would swear she should have been my child.

It's fun to see how much they are changing. I'm so glad they live closer to home now so that we can experience some of that with them.

Happy Father's Day

It will be 2 years this August that I lost my dad. It's kind of hard to believe that much time has passed. I am so grateful for the time we all had with him though. We really couldn't have asked for a better father. He was everything you would want a father to be and more. We love him and miss him so much. We may have only had him with us for a short time but it was always quality time. We have so many great memories.

Yesterday was his birthday also. He would have been 59 this year. Happy Birthday Dad!

Melissa's Cuties

Isn't this a cute picture? These are Melissa's babies in Florida.

I just found this on Carol's computer while I was killing time at the track.

Guess where I am

Can you believe it? I'm at the race track sitting in the rain. haha Well, we're not literally in the rain. We've all been sitting in the motor coach eating all day. As I said in my last post "I'll believe he's selling race stuff when I see it". He's still serious about the boat though. He just doesn't have the time he needs to really get into racing like he once did. Hopefully he'll have a good day tomorrow since he doesn't get to race much any more. Wish him luck! Maybe he'll win some money.

Unbelievable

I never thought I would see the day that my husband would be considering selling his race car stuff. He has been racing since he was 16 years old. He just decided a few days ago that he wants to sell a bunch of his race equipment and buy a boat. I actually thought he was joking at first but he has been looking diligently over the last couple of days. I'm sure he won't sell everything but I am still in shock that he would sell any of it without replacing it with newer race equipment. That is what I'm more used to. I still feel a little bit like "I'll believe it when I see it" but it's not because I don't believe him it's just that it was a huge step for him to take. I think some of this is coming from the fact that we are getting closer and closer to having a family of our own also. Children can really change your priorities. Boating will be something we can all do as a family and it will be nice with friends and their children as well. We could go to the track as a family also but it's much harder to really enjoy quality time together because the guys are always working on the cars or running around the track. This is going to be a real change. I can't wait to catch some rays and maybe try some of the fun things we did when we were younger. Something tells me it won't come as easy as it once did though.

Carol, grab a life vest because we're going to get you out there also.

It's been a while

Man, it's been a while since I've posted anything. We've just been busy since we got back.

Memorial weekend was fun. Jack, Carol and Mike joined us at Turkey Run (IN State Park) where we hiked and canoed all day. Mike brought Kya along. Kya is his/our dog. Cory and I joke with Mike all the time by saying that he is really ours. Kya probably had the best time of all. Canoeing wasn't his thing though. He seemed to prefer swimming beside us the whole time. Attached are some pics we took during the day.

I had a fun night out with the girls last weekend. A group of about 16 of us went to see the new Sex in the City movie. We had an awesome time together but there are definitely some scenes I could have lived without. We did laugh a lot though. Most of us went out to dinner after the movie at Bella Vita (my new favorite restaurant). We had just as much fun there as we did at the movie. We all went around the table and said which character we thought we were most like and why. I think I am most like Charlotte with a little bit of Carrie. One of the girls laughed and said I was most like Carrie. Once I said why, she agreed with me however. I am most like Charlotte because I'm always the one embarrassed during intimate conversations and though I hate to admit it I have a naive side but I'm a little like Carrie because, as vein as it sounds, fashion is incredibly important to me and I do like labels. Sorry! I know how bad that sounds. I'm trying to get control of it and I'm not as bad as I was. My priorities are changing now that I want a child so badly.

Cory and I are scheduled to visit Kirsh & Kirsh this coming Tuesday. They are local adoption attorneys. I'm hoping this will be the end of our research phase and we can just move forward. We have been told by many that they are the best when it comes to domestic adoption. It will be interesting to see if they tell us anything different because so far I haven't been so impressed with the domestic programs. I still have a heavy lean toward Ethiopia but Cory really just wanted to cover everything before making any life altering decisions. There is so much to consider. Cory is the more analytical one of the two of us and he is right to be thorough. He will be such a great dad!

More Beach Fun

Here are some additional pictures I received from Jen while I was home. It was so nice having the opportunity to see Gary and Darlene and the rest of the family. We had a nice time catching up and they all looked great.

If you want to see all of our pictures, just click on the slide show.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Florida Vacation

Our trip to Florida was such a nice get away. We loved the condo we stayed in and the view couldn't have been better. The decor of the condo wasn't the best but everything else made up for that. Attached are a few fun pictures of our trip.

If you like to vacation in Florida, I would definitely recommend Siesta Key. Below is Cindy's website if you prefer a condo over the typical hotel.

http://www.crescentbeachfront.com/

Uncle Frank

I'm sad to say my mom's brother, Frank, passed away Friday night. Mom, Jen and Maddison went home from Florida a day early so Mom could be with him in his final hours. We never expected that he would pass so quickly. It is unbelievable that everything happened as fast as it did. Frank was just diagnosed with Lung cancer around 3-4 weeks ago.

Please keep Frank's wife, Pat, and the rest of the family in your prayers. They will need them.

The first viewing will be Monday evening between 7pm and 9pm. Tuesday's viewing will be held from 2pm to 4pm and again from 7pm to 9pm. The funeral will be held on Wednesday. I'm not certain of that time but it will be in the paper on Monday for those of you who might want to express your condolences.

This is a reminder that we should not take our loved ones for granted. It was just a few short weeks ago that we thought Frank was perfectly healthy. We lost my dad even more suddenly. Always tell the ones you love how you feel about them. Make the time you have with them count.

God Bless!

Florida here we come!

Cory and I leave early tomorrow morning for Florida. I can smell the salt filled air already. I can't wait to be vegged out on the beach reading a good book or just relaxing. Hopefully we'll have some fun family pics to share when we get back. It's been a while since I've taken any pictures so I'm sure I'll take a lot. We'll be back on the 17th so I'll try to post something soon after. C-ya!

Kitchen Photos

My kitchen is taking forever to complete. It's not surprising since I really only worked on it my days off. I finally have some before and after pictures to show you though. My job is done! The guys are in charge of the granite countertops and tile flooring. Hopefully it won't take them quite as long as it did me. These pictures will at least show the progress that has been made so far.

Vacation Countdown

Our vacation is right around the corner and we are sooo ready for it. We are vacationing in Siesta Key this year. Cory and I leave Indy on May 10th and then Mom, Jen and Maddison will be joining us on the 12th. We haven't vacationed together since the mid 90's. It's going to be so much fun and it will give us all a much needed break. Cory and I decided to just get a beachfront condo this year. I think it will be much nicer than just staying in a hotel, especially with Maddison. I don't think she will care much for eating out every night so the kitchen will be handy.

Allen and Melissa are going to stop by on our first night. It's been a year since we last saw them so it will be fun hanging out for a day or two with them also.

I hope you all are planning fun vacations for the year if you haven't already taken one. Vacations are just what we all need to refresh ourselves a bit. Attached is a picture of the view from our condo. I can't wait to relax out there.

Earthquake in Indiana

What a morning! Around 5:30am Me, Cory and Mike all sat straight up in bed. I would have thought I was just having a vivid dream until my armoire, which is very heavy, started shaking. Then I heard Mike yell from the other side of the house, "Did you feel that?". It only lasted a few seconds but it was a strange feeling. If I lived in CA I'm sure I wouldn't have thought anything of it but it was really unusual for Indiana. In fact, I wasn't certain it was an earthquake until I spoke with my neighbor because Indiana hasn't experienced an earthquake in over 40 years. I believe the news said it was a 5.2 earthquake. They expect us to have aftershocks for a few days. We've only had one so far. It was a 4.6 around 11:15 this morning. Well, at least it's not a boring day.

Finally Connected

What a coincidence! I just heard from Courtney. She is the contact I just spoke about in my last post. She seems like a great person. Courtney and her husband adopted a little boy from Ethiopia. His name is Noah. They brought him home when he was 6 months old. He is now 17 months old. I haven't seen pictures but I'm sure he's adorable. Courtney said that it took around 8 months for them to unite with their son from start to finish. While in Ethiopia they were able to visit the orphanage. She said it was great to see how well they were being cared for by the nannies. It must have been reassuring because it is easy to picture a negative environment. She said it was an amazing experience and that they plan to adopt from Ethiopia again. They used America World Adoption and had a seamless process. They are based out of Virginia but have the ability to work in many states, including Indiana. Courtney and her family don't live far from us so it was really great to be in contact with her. She even gave me a cool Ethiopian restaurant to check out. It will be interesting to experience some of the culture there. I guess it is pretty authentic. I never would have expected Indy to have an Ethiopian restaurant. I can't wait to check it out.

Ethiopia Contacts

Do any of you know of someone who has adopted a child from Ethiopia? Cory and I feel so drawn to this country but it seems hard to find people who have adopted from there. I guess Ethiopia is very picky about the agencies they allow in the country. I was put in touch with one person but I have left her a voice mail and sent an email with no response. It's quite possible she is just away for spring break but maybe she is not interested or doesn't have the time to share her experience with us. Most adoptive parents are very willing to share but others keep it very private. I can respect both but I would feel a lot more comfortable moving forward if we had someone to talk to that had first hand experience.

Kitchen Remodel Update

This project is taking a while but it is going to be so worth it. It already looks like a completely different kitchen but I can't wait for it to be finished. The cabinets have been completed for several weeks but that was just the beginning. I just finished stripping wallpaper and repairing the drywall. I hope I never have to do that again. Removing the wallpaper was more work than refinishing the cabinets. It was difficult to remove because the walls were never primed. Yuk! I plan to start priming and hopefully painting next week. Once the painting is finished we'll be ready for the tile floor and granite countertops. That part is up to the guys though. Maybe I'll post a picture after I'm through painting and then another once everything is complete. It's really something to see the transformation.

The Bridge

Some of you have seen this already but those who haven't should check this out. The video is very powerful. It was my first exposure to this web site. It looks like a Christian version of Youtube at first glance. Be prepared to sob uncontrollably.

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=13a4a045cd290bc2ae2d

Ethiopia

Cory and I have added a new possibility to our adoption plans. Kids First, the adoption agency we have met with a couple of times, just added Ethiopia to their international program. This is a country that Cory and I are strongly considering. We have not ruled out Guatemala or domestic just yet but there are so many things that have touch our hearts with this country. Some of the things I have read have brought me to tears. We have so much to consider. Below are some links if you are interested in checking them out. The first one is actually from a different agency but there are some very moving topics. Many of the children in Ethiopia are orphaned because their parents have died due to aids or starvation. Sadly, children with aids are not available for adoption. I'm not saying that I would be a strong enough person to take that on but I know some families would be and my heart aches for those children. They do not understand why other children are finding homes and they are not. There are many touching stories and photos about Ethiopia. Below are just a couple. Check it out if you have a few minutes.

http://www.carolinahopeadoption.org/blog/archives/category/mission-trips/ethiopia-trip-pics

http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=b1ie7&va=ethiopia+adoption&sz=all

More Birthday Wishes

Happy Birthday Mom! I really wish I could have wished you "Happy Birthday" in person. I'm disappointed I could not be home with you but I will definitely make it up to you. Vacation is right around the corner.

I Love You!

Happy Easter!

I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday with your families. Easter is such a special time. I am so grateful that Jesus loves us so much that he died for our sins. I feel so undeserving because I have made so many mistakes in the past and even recently. Thank goodness we have a forgiving living God.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Cor 5:17

Birthday Wishes

Happy Birthday Jen! Sorry I couldn't be home for your birthday. I hope you had a fun day.

Love ya!

Busy, Busy, Busy

What a busy few weeks. Things have been crazy around here. Between work, striping wallpaper and all the adoption stuff I think I need a vacation. Thank goodness it is right around the corner. We are planning a trip to Florida mid May. I can't wait to relax and just forget about everything for a while. It should be a fun trip.

Cory and I finally had the opportunity to meet with the Miriam Project Adoption Agency last night. They were great! We both really liked them. Only one problem though, they are just a small agency and do not seem to be very well known which makes it difficult for young pregnant women to find them. They currently do not have any birth mothers. That could change rather quickly but it is a concern for those who want something to happen in the near future. Regardless if we choose to go with them or not, it was encouraging to meet them. They were very kind and reassured us that if we decide to use someone else to not feel guilty about it. They said that all that means is that our child is waiting somewhere else for us and that the spirit will bring us together. They seemed very sincere and it was amazing to hear the story behind the creation of this agency. I don't have time to tell the story but it all started with the pastor at Madison Park Church of God and his own adoption experience. I have heard so many touching stories since starting this journey. Adopting a child will truly be a blessing.

Adoption Update

Talk about spinning your wheels. Cory and I attended another adoption meeting last Thursday. It was on domestic adoption. We both felt like we had a much better understanding of why most lean toward international. There are just way to many unknowns and the stats are scary. (50% of mothers change their minds at time of birth or decide they prefer a different couple.) We are trying to stay open minded however so we are planning to visit another agency on March 12 to hear about their domestic program. I believe I mentioned this agency in a previous post. It is called the Miriam Project and is run through Madison Park Church of God in Anderson, IN. This process is definitely a test of faith. I feel like faith is the only thing keeping me together right now. We have had a lot going on in our lives over the past several months in addition to this and it is truly amazing to see God work when you let him. I pray that I will be a strong enough person to let him take care of this also. I have always struggled to want to control things myself.

Kitchen Remodel

Wow, it's been a while since I've had time to post anything new. My kitchen remodel is really coming along. The cabinets are finished. Next is adding the granite countertops, tile flooring and painting the walls. I will show before and after pictures but I want to wait until the transformation is complete. It will be a dramatic change. We are updating the flooring throughout the house also but the kitchen will by far be the most dramatic. Hopefully it won't take so long to do the rest. Refinishing the cabinets wore me out but it was sooo worth it.

Valentine's Day

What a great Valentine's Day! Cory and I usually don't get all caught up in this stuff but he was so thoughtful this year. Most of you know that I've been working hard on refinishing all the cabinetry in my house. Well, I've been having some issues with my lower back because of it so instead of going out to dinner, like we always do, he went to David & Mary's Spa and got me a 4 handed massage. Any massage would have been great but he remembered a conversation from a month ago that this was the massage I wanted. At the time, I didn't even think he was listening because I was just reading over the different types because I wanted to book something special for my mom and sister the next time they visit. Isn't he awesome! I am so thankful for every day I'm with him. I love you Cory!

I hope all of you had a great Valentine's Day!

Miriam Project Adoption Services

I just found out about an adoption agency that is affiliated with the Church of God in Anderson, IN. I was surprised that I hadn't heard about it sooner. One of the girls at work put me in touch with her cousin who had adopted through them. I talked with her for over an hour last night learning more about her experience and things to expect. It was so helpful and I am so grateful that we had the chance to talk. She seems like an amazing mom and she had some really insightful perspectives. Cory and I will definitely look into this agency further. Please keep us in your prayers.

Maddison

Isn't she adorable! This is one of the latest pictures Jen had taken of her. She was so funny during her photo session. The photographer would ask her to pose a certain way and Maddison would start negotiating with her. Maddison told her she would pose for her as long as she got to do her own pose next. She is so hilarious!

I'll try to post pictures of the other three soon. I need to get some updated ones from Barry and Michelle.

"God will provide"

Our sermon in church this morning was so good. It was about Abraham and Isaac at Mount Moriah. The core of the sermon was that sometimes our faith will be tested but we need to have faith that God will provide. If you get the chance and want to read or listen to the sermon I would highly recommend it. Below is the link to our church website.

http://gracecc.org/

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Austin, Michaela, Matthew & Maddison

My neices and nephews are growing up so fast. Austin is becoming quite the athlete. He is unbelievably competitive. Mom and I were just talking about it and how much it reminds us of dad. Michaela is learning to play the guitar. She made her debut in church last week and did an amazing job. Austin and Michaela are both gifted with music. Of course, that should be no surprise considering the talents their parents have. Matthew is now driving. I can't even believe it. He is growing up to be an amazing kid. He is so well mannered and a pleasure to be around. I wish we could see him more. Maddison is now in pre-school and she loves every minute of it. She is so advanced for her age it's almost scary. She's four years old and she already knows how to add and subtract. She loves socializing also. She was really disappointed when the weather kept her from going to school on Friday. I'd add some pictures of them but it is not allowing me tonight for some reason. I'll post them when I figure it out. It's too late to worry about it right now. Good night!