"She got me from Africa, my brother from Wal-mart, and my sister came out of her belly"

That's what I overheard Fasika telling her friends mom at dance class the other day. Keep in mind we only go to dance class once a week, and the people we see there are acquaintances only. Obviously Fasika is adopted, but the whole Wal-mart thing needed a little explaining. One day, shortly after we brought Fasika home, Thomas asked me "if Autumn came out of your belly and Fasika came from Africa, then where did you get me?" being the smart ass I am, I said. "I picked you up at Wal-mart, $5.00 on the clearance rack, and omg you were sooo cute!!" So for the longest time, Thomas really thought I "bought" him there. We joke about it all the time, but apparently Fasika didn't realize we were kidding and at times I think Thomas thinks we really got him there too. LOL, poor lil guy! Autumn even picks on him about it too. We'll be at Wal-mart and Autumn will say "MOM, isn't that the shelf you picked Thomas off???" LOL, we all laugh and joke about it! So... I'm sure most, if not all of the mom's at dance class think we are a little crazy!! Haha, if they only knew!!!

What to do???

So, next week is school vacation and my kids are so excited, especially Thomas. Thomas hates school, mostly because he doesn't like his teacher. I'm thinking she'd make a better drill Sergeant rather than a kindergarten teacher!! ANYWAY... my dilemma is this: now that I work, what do I do with my 3 children??? I usually spend school vacations at home with a house full of kids... now what???
As of right now, here's the schedule for next week:

Monday: Kids with Kellie (one of my bf's)
Tuesday: Kids with John (my sisters bf)
Wednesday: any volunteers
Thursday: Kids with Brock's mom
Friday: Kids with Brock's mom

It seems like a mess to me.... but I guess it will work.

Looking ahead, summer vacation is only 7 weeks away. There is NO way I'm going to be able to juggle this schedule for the entire summer. Luckily, Onward, the after- school program is offering care from July 6th to August 6th. They have lot's of activities planned and a field trip scheduled for every Friday. The kids will have a blast and I wont have to worry about them. They will be in great hands. With the after school program running for only 4 weeks this summer, it leaves 4 weeks that I need to find care for. I could always bring them to work with me, OMG could you imagine?? Or worst case scenario.... I have to take the rest of the summer off!!!! Ahhh, sun & kids & the pool & the beach!!!

I love this necklace and I really want it!! After I came across it, I really started to think about it's meaning.... and what it means to me. My journey, like all journeys, has a beginning. Although I'm not sure exactly where mine started or where it will end. Everyday there are new places to explore, new people to meet, new ways of looking at the world. There are always ups & downs and bumps along the way. Bright, sunny days and dark, miserable rainy days... all a part of the journey. The possibilities spread themselves out before me everyday. I always find myself looking forward..... forward to the "prize" or to the end of the day, or to Friday, or to summer, or vacation... I'm always wishing time would fly, always looking ahead. Is it bad that I've even wished away entire months??? Once it's gone, it's gone-- there's just no going back, all you can do is sit there and think about the time that has past and what you wished you had done with it. It's always nice to have something to look forward to, but at the same time it's easy to forget to appreciate the process and all of the possibilities along the way.

Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months pass by without notice or a care, and for every moment that passes by, I am always too busy looking forward to and anticipating the next, that I never take the time to appreciate and enjoy what's right there in front of me.

It's not the destination I'm going to be looking forward to anymore, instead, I'm going to make the best of the journey. I'm going to dance with my kids in the rain, and stare the shit days straight in the face. I'm not going to wish away the bad days, or any days for that matter. Instead I'm going to take every day as it comes and with my eyes wide open, I'll appreciate it for what it is and take away as much as I can.

TWO years ago today.....

2 years ago today my good friend Maureen left for Ethiopia to meet her son Biniyam. Maureen and I met through a WHFC group and became instant friends. We knew Biniyam and Fasika were at the same orphanage and probably knew each other. It was comforting for both of us. Together we anxiously awaited the "travel to Ethiopia" email. When she got it, and I did not, I was heart broken.... I had prayed we'd travel together to pick up our children. For the next weeks that followed we talked every night and into the early hours of the morning, packing and unpacking our bags. Maureen offered to bring a package to Fasika and promised to tell her that she had a mommy & a daddy and a brother and a sister waiting for her. I couldn't wait to put together a package for her, I spent many nights at the mall looking for the perfect things to pack! We send her an outfit, slippers, crayons and a coloring book, bubbles, a photo album of our family and a bunny with a voice recorder that we put a special message on for her, along with a few other things. I was so thankful to Maureen for delivering it to her! By the time Maureen and Biniyam got home the following week, group #62 was announced, and we were in it!!!!!

Biniyam and Fasika!

And two years ago TOMORROW!!........ "4/12/08 What an amazing surprise this a.m.!!! Today at about 9 a.m. I got a call from an unknown number. After quickly debating weather or not to answer I picked up. I was shocked to hear Maureen (a friend who is in Ethiopia now) on the other end. At a rate of $8.00 a minute I surely wasn't expecting to hear from her while she was gone. Anyway, she says "Valerie, I have someone here who wants to say hello to you" Instant tears of course, I knew it was Fasika-- I could barely speak!! I heard her chatting with the nannies and laughing. Maureen kept saying "VALERIE, talk to her!!" Finally after a minute or two I was able to get my composure and tell her that i love her and that we'd be there soon to get her. It was amazing to hear her little voice and listen to her giggle-- I couldn't have asked for a better start to this sunny day!! "

I'm so lucky to have an amazing friend like Maureen and for Fasika to have her sweet little friend, Biniyam!! We are hoping to spend lots of time together this summer!!!