Saturday, January 31, 2009

You could be a WINNER!

http://www.myspecialks.com/2009/01/valentine-giveaway.html Go visit Renee's blog and leave a comment! YOU could be a winner! :)

Blessings....Nancy

Friday, January 30, 2009

What I want!

You know, life's a funny thing. I am sitting here, longing to be somewhere else. Where, you might ask? Well...holding babies. I wish I were at the hospital, holding babies. MY babies, to be exact...well, my great-nieces, to be MORE exact. And I wonder just WHY I feel so strongly about this. And why I am jealous of everyone else who gets to hold them!!

But I THINK it's because I am not sure I will ever HAVE grandkids. Shao isn't inclined, exactly, to bless me with any (not that she's anywhere NEAR old enough to do so!) But she loves babies, just not sure she wants to give birth. Guess I let her see too many "Birth Day" episodus, huh? And she is only 12. She is young. And I? Well...I am old. Okay, so I am VERY old. But I certainly am older than the average 12 year old's mother! I think I wonder if I will be too senile, or too feeble to enjoy any grandbabies, by the time she may have any!

And then there's the fact that niece Jen, mama to aforesaid babies, was very special to me when SHE was a baby. I took her everywhere with me, to parties (mind you, I was a Christian when she was born, so they were "nice" parties!), to church, to friend's homes, to concerts. You name it, Jenny was with me whenever I could manage it. The day she was born, I went to a sidewalk sale and bought her FIFTEEN dresses, in all different sizes. I mean, they were a couple of bucks each, and from a high-end department store, so it was irresistible!

When Jen was two weeks old, our whole family went to Block Island for two weeks. I opted every day to stay home with her, gaining valuable solo baby time. You need to know just how much of a fish I am, and just how much I ADORE the water, especially on Block Island, to understand just how HUGE staying home from the beach was!

And now we have new babies. And somehow, I feel a little bit shuffled off to the side. Which is probably just MY perception, anyways. BUT...not only is our side of the family big, and baby-loving, but suddenly there is a whole OTHER side that's just as big, and so needs just as much baby time with the munchkins. And I resent it! Now isn't that silly?!? I KNOW it is...but it is, for the moment, the way I feel. I am sure I will get over it. But just now, I want to be the indispensable auntie, and I need to step back. To let the actual gramma (my sister), not to mention Paul's (daddy) mom revel in their new grandbabies. Maybe it is because they are twins, which is pretty special, if you ask me? I don't know. I will just have to work through it. I am sure it will all be fine. But, oh...I wish I were holding babies right now!

Blessings.....Nancy

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Sweetest things!

Oh, my. My two little nieces are utterly adorable, and OH so sweet! Tomorrow I will get my computer-savvy daughter to help me, and will try to post some pictures. Wait until you see these darlings! I am telling you, they are precious! I didn't get anywhere in enough cuddling, as their big brothers were there meeting them for the first time, as well as my sister, their gramma. So I let them hold them, and bit my tongue, and sat on my hands. But I did get to hold each one for a little while. My poor niece Jen is utterly exhausted. Tonight she will feed them well, then they are going to the nursery for one feeding. So hopefully, she can get maybe 4 or 5 hours a sleep...which will DOUBLE what she has gotten in the past 48 hours, thus far!

She told me that today they got "kicked out" of the nursery! Yikes, they're already in trouble! I guess they were a little too vocal, and they are understaffed during the day, and there are a couple of babies there who really need quite, so Cadence and Hayleigh were expelled. I shudder to think what lies ahead! :)

We had school today, although only after an hour and a half delay. LOTS of ice everywhere...well, most of the roads are fine. But my DRIVEWAY! Now that's a whole other ball of wax! Sheer ice, and it is THICK! Too bad it wasn't smooth, we could skate! LOL

Pray for Jen and the babes, and for Daddy Paul, too! They all need a peaceful night. They will all come home on Sunday. We are making them a big ham dinner, with all the fixings. Hopefully they will be able to pick on that for several days. I have two more weeks of work, and then a week off, which coincides with when the babies' daddy has to go back to work. So I will spend much of my weeks vacation helping out...very happily, I might add. There is little I like more than to hold tiny babies!

Blessings!...Nancy

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Drum roll, please!

In the early morning hours, a snowstorm arrived that blanketed the state. I think I can safely say that every school in CT is closed today. It's not that we got that much snow...but NOW the freezing rain has begun, and it is supposed to continue all day long. YUCK! Suffice it to say, we are home, and home we will stay!

That said, something much more important arrived this morning, as well! Or should I say 'somethingS'???

Miss Cadence Rae arrived at 7:46 this morning, weighing 7 pounds, 4 ounces, followed 3 min. later by Hayleigh Christina, who weighed a whopping 7 pounds, 12 ounces! No WONDER Jen was so miserable! Due to the storm, no one will be able to go up and visit today. But according to their daddy, they both have tons of hair, are absolutely beautiful, and have already nursed! Cannot WAIT to cuddle these little girls! Tomorrow afternoon can't come soon enough!

Nothing can top that, so I won't even try!

Blessings...Nancy

Monday, January 26, 2009

Baby alert!

So, I confess. I really am computer illiterate! Okay, breath deep. I know it's a shock (well, not to those who know me "in real life." I can assure you, they are not the least surprised...right, Lor?!? Thanks to my dear friend Lori, whom I traveled to China with way back when, to get our babies, soon my blog may look less "institutional", and more...hmm...well, beautiful, because Lori, aka the Queen of Scrapbooking, has kindly offered to put my blog out of its misery, and do some decorating! I cannot WAIT! Lori does some of the most elegant scrapbooking. You could show me a page anywhere, and I SWEAR I would recognize Lori's, because of it's style and beauty! :)

On to other things...spent some time with my sweet niece Jen this weekend. Oh, my. That child needs to have those babies POSTHASTE!!! Her poor feet! She is at the Dr's as we "speak", for her weekly appointments. I hope they say "You know, we'd better do it today!" But if NOT, then it's only 2 more days until Cadence and Hayleigh will be in our arms! Please pray at 7:30 AM EDT, for Jen and the girls. That is the scheduled time for the C-section. And I MAY get to be up at the hospital earlier than I had hoped, because the weather forecast looks like there may be no school on Wednesday, due to an incoming snowstorm. If it is not TOO bad, I will drive to the hospital in the AM, to get a peek at those sweeties! If there is school, thus work, I will be going up Wed. afternoon, once I get through work. Shao is taking the night off from dance, to go with me and cuddle babies. Can't wait! I spent a bit of time helping fold tiny clothes, etc., and looking at the HUGE row of outfits hanging in their closet! Those poor kids better get used to outfit changes, because trust me, there will be a lot of that going on! :)

Shao & I went to a movie on Saturday, "Hotel for Dogs". Cute movie. It was fun to go with her, as we very seldom go to movies, as they are a costly luxury, in my book. But I worked Sat. morning with my sister, cleaning up a recently vacated house that was going on the market, so I decided to use some of that "found" money to do something fun with my girlie. In between that, church, visiting with Jen, I managed to several loads of laundry. Not an easy thing, since we don't have facilities, thus I have to take it all over the place, to willing relatives' homes who DO have washers/dryers! :)

Today is Shao's first day to go on pointe. She is excited. I think that will wane quickly, once the pain of pointe shoes becomes a reality! Ah, how we must suffer for our art!

So, here we are. Happy Chinese New Year, by the way! Year of the Ox. We celebrated Friday night by going out for Chinese food. Yummy!

Nothing much else happening here. Frigid cold, single digits, and minus in some parts of the state. Big snow tomorrow night THROUGH Thursday, maybe. According to Shao, at this rate, she'll be going to school in the summer, with all the snow we are getting. Typically we get the MOST snowstorms in February and some in March, and occassionally one in April. So I think this year is stacking up to be a banner snow year...if you LIKE that sort of stuff! Me, not so much. 5 and half more years and Shao will be in college. At which point, I think I will turn into a snowbird. Beware, all you who live in warmer climes...I may land on your doorstep! HA!

Blessings...Nancy

Friday, January 23, 2009

Where there's smoke...

The end of the week...how we long for Fridays! But it makes me wonder why we are "wishing our lives away." Each week gone by is one that I will never see again. One full of lost opportunities, and many blessings as well. I have always said that we should live each day as if it is our last, because you just never know. And yet, I am guilty of doing just the opposite of that, of not savoring each day for what it is, a present to be opened with joy and expectation.

Last night we had a scare. About 8:30PM, ShaoXi came into the living room, telling me she smelled something. I didn't, so she went back to her room. About 15 min. later, I DID smell something...not so much the smell of smoke, but definitely a burned smell. It got stronger and stronger, until I finally called the landlady. We scurried around, checking our smoke detectors, and they all worked. Not that I put full stock in THAT, since my friend Linny's house was LOADED with them, she is a fanatic, and only the one hooked into their home security system went off last Wednesday, when her house went up in flames! With her story fresh on my mind, Shao & I hurriedly pulled on clothes and left the house. Come to find out, the downstairs tenant had left a pan of veggies on the stove, and all the water had evaporated and the veggies scorched. WOW, it was a lot of smell for one pan of veggies! We had to open doors and windows for quite awhile, to get the house smelling halfway decent. Even so, it stilled smelled "burnt" when I went to bed 3 hours later. Thankfully, the smell was gone this morning. But it was a reminder to be thankful for each moment. And ALSO to check your smoke detectors, and replace those batteries!! Go on, now...check yours! And when was the last time you replaced the batteries? Well, what are you waiting for, hop to it!

Blessings...Nancy

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Still waiting for babies!

It has finally stopped snowing! Sometime in the middle of the night, it quit. A little slippery, driving this morning, but now the sun is out full force. There's even a little melting going on...which, in reality, just means tonight there will be some freezing! UGH!

The birds are flocking to the feeders in the side yard. I love watching them, especially the cardinals and chickadees. Pretty much the squirrels have decided our feeders are impregnable, so have given up. They'll have to find their sustenance elsewhere...sorry, squirrels, can't afford to feed you, too!

I have a new schedule for work these days. My boss decided that my cranky kid, D., was getting a bit out of hand, and put a man on that run as the driver. Poor Francis, he isn't haven't any trouble with D, last I heard, but my little C. is giving him a run for his money! C doesn't adjust well to change, and he is not a happy little camper. I miss C, but truthfully, do not miss D.

My new charge is a little boy who is autistic, and has some self-injuring tendencies. I have an aide, who sits with him to make sure he doesn't "go off." So far it has been peaceful and no problem at all, for which I am thankful. No drama works for me! In the afternoon I drive two kindergarteners home, both of whom are autistic, one much more affected than the other. They are such BEAUTIFUL little boys, really drop dead gorgeous. Makes your heart squeeze a bit to realize the difficulties they and their parents face on a daily basis. "There but for the grace of God", and all that!

No real news here, other than the "pointe info" meeting at Shao's ballet school. I now need to sit down and sew the ribbons and the elastic on the new shoes. Very exciting...no, honestly, it is. Shao has been working VERY hard toward this first goal in ballet. We face it with no little trepidation, knowing that as cool as it is, it can mean pain, blisters, bloody feet, and perseverance. I guess this may be the watershed moment for her. She will have to begin to make the choices necessary to follow her dream of dancing professionally, or to decide to take another path in life. She is already 12 and a half, and a mere 5 and a half years stands between now and college, and some big decisions! She will be JUST 18 when she starts college, God willing. The ride begins...I think I am going to need to hang on for dear life, it bodes to be quite the wild one!

Keep my niece Jen in prayer! Still pregnant, still miserable...at worst, babes will arrive next Wednesday. Best case scenario is SOONER! Can't wait to cuddle them...hurry up, Cadence and Hayleigh, we want to love on you!

Blessings....Nancy

Sunday, January 18, 2009

History in the making!

It has been snowing on and off for the past 20 hours, or so. Enough to keep us housebound, but not really enough to consider it alot of snow. More expected tomorrow night, though, so maybe that will put us over the top! And we are in the midst of a heat wave! It is in the teens for a low, not minus zero! HA!

No school tomorrow, thus no work for moi! We do get paid for this holiday, though! PTL! Our neighbor is taking me, Shao, my mom and my brother out for lunch tomorrow. How nice is that? I think it is our Christmas gift, or part of it! :) It will be good to get out of the house, since I hibernated today. But I am happy to not have to set the alarm for the pre-dawn hours!

Yesterday ShaoXi and I went and bought her very first pair of pointe shoes! I can't tell you how very excited she is! I would be MORE excited if they hadn't been so very expensive! Nothing I can do about that. Tomorrow the parents of her pointe class have been "summoned" to come in at the end of class, for a sesson on how to sew on the ribbons, etc. You would think considering how much they cost, that this would already be done. Nope.

And of course, Shao is now worried that maybe her pointe shoes AREN'T the right size, in spite of the fact that we went to the store, and three different people checked to make sure they WERE. NOW she tells me that maybe she should have spoke up, because they may be too tight. In her defense she has no idea how they are REALLY supposed to feel, so figured they SHOULD feel snug. But now she is wondering. Guess the instructors may have a clue tomorrow. We may have to take a trip BACK to the store, if they aren't right.

The fun facts about pointe shoes are that they wear out QUICKLY. Oh, joy. Depending on how often they are worn, it could be a monthly expense! YIKES! The only good thing is that I understand we might be able to get them in "bulk"...ie, quantity, once we have a good feel for which shoes work best for her. Apparently, different makes and models work better for some than others, so it may "take several pairs" before we decided which ones are right for her. Oh, my.

Happy Martin Luther King day to y'all! Remember to be thankful for the freedom we have here in America. While I did not vote for Barack Obama, it is interesting that his inauguration comes on the heels of MLK day. What a very long way America has come since Rosa Parks! When you think of it, it really wasn't THAT long ago that we were in the midst of the Civil War! Equality still has a long ways to go, in some ways, but we are working on it! We are very privileged to be citizens of this great land. God Bless America!

Blessings...Nancy

Friday, January 16, 2009

Urgent need!

If I've been silent, it has not been because I have not been online. No. I have been riveted to one of my all time favorite blogs, that of Linn Saunders, at "aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com".

Go there. Read their story...not just the most recent, catastrophic happenings. Read about their hearts for orphans, their willingness to do whatever it takes to give forever families (theirs, specifically!) to children with NONE.

Linny's home burnt down on Wednesday. She was able to get all six kids and two dogs out. A miracle in itself...it was early morning, and they were all asleep. On Thursday her teenaged son Graham was rushed to surgery for appendicitis. Last night her husband became quite ill. Makes you wonder what these folks are doing, for the devil to be so intent on stopping them. Read the blog. You won't wonder any more.

Please pray for the Saunders family. Many people are lifting them up and helping them. But our prayers are what is most precious to them. They are grieving and bewildered, but hanging on to their faith and their Lord. I love you, Linn and Dwight...and Abi, Ryan, Ty, Autumn, Graham, Emma, Liberty, Isaiah, Elizabeth, Elijah, and Jubilee (still waiting in China for the Saunders to come bring her home!) Hope I didn't forget any kids! :)

Blessings....Nancy

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

It's either laugh or cry!

Today I had to laugh...I drive two boys to a school about 35 miles from town. They are "somewhere on the autistic spectrum." One is in middle school, one in high school. You have to understand that C, my middle schooler, is more on a level of 2nd or 3rd grade, probably...maybe less, considering his favorite activity is to watch Thomas videos. So, yep, he is young. But SMART! Today, as we were waiting for the teacher to come out and unload him, he pointed at the school and said, "You see that building there? It's under arrest, and POW, it's gone, off to jail!" C. does NOT like school much...it interferes with watching Thomas, I suspect. He amuses me, and baffles me all at the same time. Often he will sit in the back seat of the van, chattering and laughing uproariously, all by himself. No clue what is going on, but he obviously is having a blast! Those are the good days. Sometimes there are bad ones. He cannot listen to reason, and gets fixated on things, so if something goes wrong...watch out! The screaming and crying and screeching will begin. But I thought that his idea of sending the whole school to jail was great!

My highschooler, D, is another whole story. Poor sad boy. He is a curmudgeon, at best. He plays these really dark, satanic (in my opinion...he has tried to explain them to me!) video games. He views life as worthless. According to D, everyone else (and I mean EVERYONE else!) is stupid, and HE is the only good one, with any sense. He is convinced he would be the only choice to rule the world, and that is his goal. He thinks God has done a very poor job of it, and is fed up with Him. Yesterday he asked me a question of what I thought about the idea of good versus evil, based on a game he tried to explain to me. It was amazing how much it sounded like a biblical game, based on the end times. He even mentioned a "thousand year reign." Wierd.
At any rate, I have to be careful how much I say. But after a while, I really got upset hearing him speak so disrespectfully about my Lord. I finally told him that it upset me, and that we needed to agree not to speak about this subject, obviously, because we were on totally different "sides". His response? "Oh, so now you are pushing your religion on me?" No, D., quite the opposite. I wish to NOT speak about religion. And anyways, I don't HAVE a religion. I have a God, who loves me personally, and with Whom I have a PERSONAL relationsip. D would not stop arguing. It wasn't pretty. I had to raise my voice and say "D, ZIP it! End of discussion! We are DONE!" Not really loudly...but according to D, he felt he should turn me in for "yelling" at him. I advised him that I had every right to "yell" at him if it was merited (insert scold firmly for yell...if he wants to hear me yell, I CAN!), that I could NOT swear at him, or touch him, but oh yes, I could yell! :) He was quiet all the way home. Thank the Lord!

So, this morning when C sent his school to jail, D looked up from his video game and said quite distinctly "and send the world's worst bus driver with it!" Alrighty then. I was laughing with C about the comment, so D's didn't immediately process. I said "D, what did you say?" He did not look up, ignored me. Finally I turned off the radio and said repeated my question loudly. He looked up and said "I didn't say a word!" I got to laughing. Which was a much better response than anger. Felt better, I can tell you! It was just such a bare faced lie, and came on top of C's mom handed me a small monetary gift and telling me I deserved a million dollars, but this was all she can afford right now! Such a difference between the two families! It just made me laugh, that I drive them BOTH together, and they can have such different outlooks! I giggled all the way to D's school, about 10 min. away, and grinned when he got off, saying "D, have a GREAT day at school!" He gave me SUCH a look! I confused him no end. Too funny.

Anyhow...I am, needless to say, praying for D. He sure needs it. Sad, sad ANGRY kid. And from what I can tell, his mother, at least, is just as angry. She had a huge confrontation with the bus company today, about D walking to the end of his driveway when there's a lot of snow. The van does NOT do well in snow, his drive is practically perpendicularly up, and then down into his yard. No way can I drive up it, if the ground (dirt, not paved) is not clear. Mom doesn't like that answer. No pleasing some folk! At all holidays, C and his family remember me with gifts. D and his family have NEVER done so, and have never even said thank you, EVER. Gives you an idea of where they are in life, huh? Glad I am NOT in their shoes...seems pretty grim!

I told my boss I needed battle pay! But I was laughing when I told her. I mean really...people are a hoot! I will continue to pray for D and his family. But I will pray for MYSELF, as well, that I find ways to "heap burning coals" of kindness on his head, and to remember to NOT take his grouching and complaining and downright rudeness to heart, but instead remember that even though he towers over me, he is a kid, and a hurt one at that, and he doesn't, apparently, have very good role models to follow at home.

All right...enough ranting! :) Have a GREAT day, everyone! I know I will! :)

Blessings...Nancy

Monday, January 12, 2009

Prima Ballerina

Very peaceful here...that translates to girly being at her ballet and modern dance classes! Monday is a VERY long day for her, as I don't pick her up until 8:30 pm, which is the time she is USUALLY climbing into bed (if I have anything to say about it!) Originally she just had ballet, but the head of her studio requested that Shao be allowed to join her modern dance class, and we couldn't turn down the honor. Shao is on full scholarship with her ballet studio, which is such a blessing. She is extraorinarily gifted at ballet. This fact alone floors me. Here is a child who, but for the grace and mercy of our loving Father, could still be in a Chinese orphanage. And yet, she is not, and her many God-given gifts are celebrated by such a huge crowd of people who love her. If this is not a confirmation of how much God loves us, I don't know what is! I was told, after her first year of dance, at age 5, that she had what it took to be prima ballerina in any company in the world, if she decided that was what she wanted, and was willing to work for it. At age FIVE! Now THAT'S a gift! How's THAT for a little girl who not long before was an orphan in a Communist country, with little hope of a future of ANY sort, never mind THAT! Go, God! Let's see what ELSE You have planned for this marvelous child you have entrusted to me!

ShaoXi's goal is to dance prima with New York City Ballet...and to attend Juilliard. She'd "settle" for Yale, though...although I don't think they have a ballet program that would be right for her! :)
She is incredible. How did I get so blessed? I mean, REALLY? I just don't get it. So much life in one little package, even right from the very beginning! It breaks my heart that there are so many new rules in place now, that people like myself (single, somewhat poor, older, etc., etc.) will never have the opportunity to go to China and bring home a treasure like I have done...and also that so many little ones, mostly girls, will never have the chance to be part of a forever family.

Anyhow...while I enjoy the quiet, I miss her, at the same time. She is such a integral part of this little family of ours...just she and I...and yet, without either one of us, we would not BE a "family." And so, I am ever grateful for this gift. It's incomparable, only to be exceeded by God's GREATEST gift to us, that of His Son, Jesus. God is good...all the time!

Blessings...(wow, two posts in one day!)

Nancy

Scrooge resides at our house!

SO...did ya miss me?!? :) It's been quiet around here...mostly because we spent the entire weekend hunkered down, with a snowstorm that turned to an icestorm at the end! Actually, to be correct, I should say I spent it that way. ShaoXi managed to escape on Sunday for several hours, to go play in the snow with a friend...whose mom was much more willing than I to drive!

Back to the normal routine today. Not looking forward to the rest of the week. The Northeast is in for what is being the called the coldest temps in YEARS. UGH!!!! Get me OUTTA here! Seriously, it is supposed to be 15 to 20 BELOW...read that again, people, I said BELOW zero! That IS with the windchill factor...it's only supposed to be a balmy ZERO without figuring the wind into the equation. Have I mentioned how very MUCH I detest the cold? My getting-older-every-minute-bones are protesting as it is, and it is only 25 degrees out. This will be one of those times that you need to wrap your entire face in a scarf, or else you won't be able to catch your breath. UGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!

So, most of our Christmas things are packed away, except the actual tree. I had it on all weekend, and really enjoyed the beauty of the lights. Soon enough it will be gone to the attic for another year. Probably sooner than I would like, as Shao seems to want it gone (little Scrooge!) I will not do it JUST because she wants it, but I suppose it has been up quite awhile (since the day after Thanksgiving!) I have to get used to the look of the UNdecorated house. I HATED it at first, so very bare. It should improve once I begin REdecorating with all the usual knickknacks, which are still packed away in the attic. One of these days....

Need to head out to work...wish I could stay home and snuggle with my girl...but she's in school, and my kindergarteners are depending on me to deliver them safely to school. So its off to the saltmines...HA! :)

Blessings....Nancy

Friday, January 9, 2009

The hard reality of Chinese Adoption

The past few days have been peaceful. Mostly because on Wednesday we had no school, thus I didn't work! While this means I don't get paid, it still comes as a nice bonus, especially in the very middle of the first week back, after Christmas break! Kind of a nice way to ease back into normal life, if you ask me!

Shao came to me on Tuesday night, teary eyed. Seems her geography class was discussing Asia, and they were talking about the one-child policy in China. Hit a little too close to home for my sweetie. Now, don't get crazy here...her teacher approached her in home room and told her what she was planning on covering, and if this would be too sensitive a subject for Shao. Good work, Ms. Robertson! And Shao said it would be fine. But when it came right down to it, it was tough. She told me about it early in the evening, and said it had been hard. Later, at bedtime, she broke down in tears, because she would never be able to know her birthparents. I cried along with her. That is the sad reality of Chinese adoption. The one really BAD feature of it, if you ask me. Other than that, it is a wonderful thing.

I hugged her for a long time, and I told her that I prayed often for her birth parents, particularly her mother, especially near her birthday. I also told her that in a way, I was glad, because if it had not been this way, then I would never have known her, or been given the incredible gift of being her parent. It is a very hard road to walk, this one. I am sure the issue will come up time and again, with different twists as she grows older, and will always be one that haunts her, at least a little bit. Hopefully we can go to China in the next couple of years and she can gain a little more of the puzzle that is her. We will definitely go to the orphanage. Her last question of the evening was about her ayi. We have pictures, but no name. Very hard.

On a brighter note: it is sunny here today! COLD, but sunny. Won't get above freezing, but I will take the sun. Because TOMORROW is another story...somewhat big storm coming in, late Saturday morning. Could be a foot of snow before all is said and done. Oh, joy. May not make it to church on Sunday...which won't be good, since Shao is the lay reader. But not worth risking life and limb over, that's for sure. We shall see.

So. It's Friday. And while I don't wish away my days (I don't have as many left as I used to!), I am happy that tomorrow I have NOTHING planned. Doesn't happen often, let me tell you! More likely, I have things booked back to back. This will be nice. And I suppose, even if I did have things planned, I likely wouldn't do them, with the storm coming in. Hopefully NEXT weekend won't be bad, as it is a three day weekend (Martin Luther King day), and I'd like to get out and about a bit!

Blessings!....Nancy

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

ON POINTE!

Last night I picked up Shao from ballet, and she was SOOO excited! She is going on pointe in the near future!!! This past fall she has been laid up (for THREE months) with a basically unexplained muscle ligament problem in her left foot/ankle. While she went to ballet every class, she did NOT dance, just watched, which made her slightly crazed. And she was sure this would stop her from going on pointe this year, which made her more than slightly sad. BUT...she is going on pointe! :) Can't wait to see her first pointe performance...how cool!

But of course, my first thoughts went to...oh, no, pointe shoes! Which are EXPENSIVE. Which cannot be handed down (as far as I know!) And which we have NO money for! Gramma & Grampa to the rescue...our Christmas gift arrived today, just enough for the shoes! Yippee! THANK YOU, Gramma & Grampa...the thank you note is sitting right in front of me, all sealed, waiting for an address and a stamp! :)

While this is primarily a blog to journal our everyday life, I also want it to be an expression of who I am. So be forewarned...I may just get philosophical on y'all at times! AND...I may have questions to ask, as well! Because, let's face it...while those of you who are family & friends (which in our book are one and the same) know us, and I can privately email or call you whenever I please, a public blog can introduce us to a whole lot of folks we've never met before! COOL!!! I have a bigger pool of brains to pick, when things get a bit rocky! :)

Hope your Tuesday has gone well. Shao is off tonight at her tap class, for an hour. And we are braced for a winter storm of sorts...supposed to end in rain, especially here on the shore...but that's not until tomorrow afternoon, and prior to that...snow, then sleet, then freezing rain! Oh, joy...don't I just love driving children to school (70 miles round trip!) in THAT!

Blessings....Nancy

Monday, January 5, 2009

School's in Session...WAKE UP!

So...life back to normal...whatever "normal" is! Up at 5:05 (alright...alarm RINGS at 5:05...I get up countless times, shuffle across the room, hit snooze...and repeat!) Icy roads this morning, but no delays for the school I drive for (I know, dangling participle!) Shao left me a frantic note on her bedroom door. Seems senile mom forgot to get her tap shoes fixed, and her instructor, according to Shao, will FREAK tomorrow night. So, I will take them in TODAY, in hopes they can be fixed while I wait...and that they're even FIXABLE! It's always something, eh?

We wait a bit anxiously around here for the arrival of my two nieces, a scheduled C-section on Jan. 28th, but at this point, we're ALL hoping it is sooner, as mama, AKA Jen, is MISERABLE! Poor sweetie, her feet and legs look like they belong to a VERY large person...and Jen, in her usual non-pregnant state, is a size 4! Cadence Rae & Hayleigh Christina both weigh well over 5 pounds, so any time now is GOOD!!!!!!

Other than that, no news...which, as they say, is good news. We plow on in life, just trying to manage each day. Not always gracefully, but onward we go. After all, it sure beats the alternative!

Blessings....Nancy

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Yikes...what am I doing?!?!

So, here I am. Moving up into the new millenium...me, the computer illiterate! This should be...um...well, interesting! Well, at least, for YOUR sakes, I hope so!

I am a single mom to an adopted daughter who is speeding toward teenage hood as we speak. Dear Lord, give me strength! Seriously, my daughter is the very best part of my life, and adopting her is definitely the very best thing I have ever done!

I will do my best to keep y'all updated on stuff happening around here...it may not all be interesting, but it
is our life...as the title says, "unembellished!"

Happy New Year, everybody!

Nancy