Christmas Goody Box From Mr. and Mrs Secret Pal

Well, today I went out clothes shopping and found some REALLY good deals! Plus, it was fun to just be out of the house trying on clothes and not having to watch the clock. When I got home, THERE was a package from our Secret Pals from the March DTC Group. Doug got home at the same time so I didn't have to wait for him to get home (which always takes a LOT of patience on my part! hahahahahaha). I opened the box to find:
1. A stocking of red and green mice for the cats to play with (notice it's not in the photo because they are now all over the floor! hahahahaha)
2. A Hallmark photo album scrapbook ready for Christmas pictures (hopefully 2008 will be our year to get our baby girl!)
3. The Christmas Miracle: Shaoey and Dot (they ALWAYS find these for us and I LOVE THEM!) by Stephen Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman
4. Rose petals to sprinkle in the bath!
5. A $25 giftcard to OUTBACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OUR FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT IN DANVILLE!!! THANK YOU!
6. A beautiful card FULL of encouraging and supportive sentiments. Thank you so much for being our friends through this HORRIBLE wait! What would we do without you?
7. An Amy Grant Christmas CD (I actually WANTED this but never bought it over the holidays! Thank you!)
8. A beautiful handmade bracelet about the Red Thread! Oh my gosh, I CRIED when I saw this and read the message that came with it! I can't WAIT to wear it as we wait for Rebekah in 2008. This was soooooooooooooooo touching!!!!!!!
9. Red fingernail polish! What a beautiful shade!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you so much Mr. and Mrs. Secret Pal. This waiting is getting harder and harder but knowing we have friends and support like you, make it a little more bearable! We truly love you guys so much and thank you for the thoughtfulness and love you put into our goody boxes each month! May God bless you and keep you hanging in there too! Let's all think positive thoughts as we head into a new year together! 2008 WILL be our year!!!!!!!!

You Tube Videos

Well, you can tell I have time on my hand during this Christmas break. I've discovered You Tube videos and have created a blog just to put my favorites. Feel free to visit and look at videos that I like. There's everything from Elvis to Laverne and Shirley......hahahahahahahahaha
I've also been doing some cross stitch projects, cleaning and organizing the house, and relaxing. School starts back on Wednesday.

My You Tube Video Blog:
http://susansutube.blogspot.com/

Lounging Around

Well, since we are out of school until January 2, 2008 I've been doing pretty much the same thing as my cat, Savannah........LOUNGING! hahahahahahahahahaha I had such big plans for the time off, but can't seem to get going on anything. I think that my body just needed time to chill out and rest my mind. I've been reading some of the Chicken Soup books Doug gave me and last night I started on a cross stitch project. I normally don't have time to do stuff like that so this has been nice. The break will speed by and we'll back in school shortly CRAMMING in stuff to get kids ready for Spring Testing. Oh the joys of teaching 5th grade! hahahahahahahahaha Meanwhile, doesn't little Savannah look precious and cozy in that new bed she got for Christmas?????

Ladybug Visit On Christmas!

Ok, yesterday was hard........I was really really missing not having our baby Rebekah with us and so when we went to visit my brother and his family on Christmas morning, I had to excuse myself a few times to go to the restroom and cry a little. I was sitting on the side of the tub, boohooing quietly when I suddenly felt something crawling on my arm.........imagine my surprise when I looked down and there was a little LADYBUG! Now, it was too cold for ladybugs to be out so this was quite a surprise! I dried my eyes, came out and got Doug to take a picture of the little ladybug. Yes, it does sound kind of silly, but who knows.......maybe Heavenly Father knew I needed a little reminder that HE is control of this whole process and our baby girl is going to come to us. I hope and pray that it will be during 2008 before our paperwork expires AGAIN. So, enjoy the ladybug's picture......I sure needed that little pick-me-up! I sounded like Meg Ryan and Rosie O'Donnel in Sleepless In Seattle saying, "It's a SIGN!" hahahahahahahahahahahaha

Looking At The Christmas Lights Display Tonight

Near Danville, in a tiny community called Casville, NC there is a HUGE MEGA display of lights out in the middle of the country. We found out about it after moving to Danville and every year we drive down to look at and walk through this wonderful display! The Christmas music is blaring and people are just so friendly wishing each other Merry Christmas as they walk around. There are train set displays and it is just WONDERFUL! This year as we walked around, I couldn't help but wonder if our baby Rebekah will be with us next year all bundled up and enjoying all of the lights! Oh I do hope and pray with all of my heart that she will be!!!!! Here is a letter full of thoughts that I have for our baby Bekah tonight (I wrote much more in her journal that I keep for her. As you can probably guess, I'm pretty emotional tonight and really having a hard time not having our baby this year!):

My Dearest Rebekah,
Please know that wherever you are my angel, Mommy loves you and prays that special guardian angels will watch over you and protect and comfort you until you are placed in our arms! I love you so much baby girl with a love so deep that it even surprises me! I KNOW with every ounce of my being that you are my daughter and I am your mother; no your MOMMY! Your Daddy and I want you soooooooooooooooooooooooo much and there will never be another baby girl who will be loved and cherished as much as you will be. Today, I went in your nursery and held your toys and dolls. I sat in the rocker and thought about you and looked at your clothes in the closet and drawers. It is hard to do that, but it is also comforting to picture you being there soon; wearing those little things and playing in that room. Oh, I shed the tears but at the same time, I felt your little spirit nearby and my mommy's heart was somewhat comforted. It is my prayer that you are safe, taken care of, and protected. I worry about you laying in a crib crying and no one comes to comfort you. My heart aches to think of you needing to be held close and there are no hands there to pick you up. Please know that Mommy and Daddy are sending our love all the way around the world to you this night and every night until we have you right there with us always. Be strong my sweet baby and we will try to be too! I pray that Heavenly Father will intervene in this whole process and bring you home to us during this next year. You will NEVER lack for love or support once we have you in our lives!
Loving You For Eternity and Beyond,
Mommy

Our 7th Wedding Anniversary!

Well seven years ago today, I married my very best friend, Doug! I remember every detail of the day because it was one of the happiest days of my life. What a joy to finally find the man of my dreams and then to go on to build a life with him! This journey hasn't always been easy, but then again, most things in life that are worth something have struggles too. As we prepare to be parents, I am so thankful to have him for my companion in life. I know that together we can do anything and I know that Doug is going to be a wonderful father to our baby girl. I love you honey!

Hairbows For Rebekah!

Today one of my students, Diana, gave me some hairbows for Baby Rebekah! Her aunt sent them over from China! Is this sweet, or what? My students are so hoping that we get to go to China while I'm teaching them. I told them it might not be until next Fall and they refuse to believe it. We'll see, I guess. It's so sweet of them to ask about the adoption and to be so excited for us! Diana's family is Vietnamese. I think she said that the aunt that sent them lives in Japan. I just LOVE them!!!!! Notice the Chinese writing on them! How cute! Thanks Diana!

Becky's Name In Chinese Calligraphy!

Today, a dear friend of mine, Rebecca (the music teacher at my school) came by my room and surprised me! Back in October she had traveled to China with friends and brought me baby shoes and chopsticks and then today she came in and handed me a card made in China with the Chinese Calligraphy for Rebekah's name (Becky)! What a precious gift! Thank you so much! When I think about our daughter and the Rebeccas I have known, it makes me very proud to know that she will carry the name of some of the sweetest people I have been blessed to know! Our baby will spell her name REBEKAH but when we call her nicknames of that it will be Becky, Bekah, etc.

Olny srmat poelpe can raed tihs.

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpelnig was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs psas it on!!

Precious Baby Clothes From Our Secret Pals!

Well, this has been a hard hard hard week with this whole adoption thinggie and then today we get a box from our Secret Pals........I put it in the nursery for a few hours and then I broke down and opened it. WOW, our secret pals REALLY went wild with the theme for November (Dress Me Up). They sent TWO dresses that are so cute and frilly AND a cute little outfit with kitty cats on it! I love the pants that come with that! And the dresses are just soooooooooooooooooooooo cute! They got different sizes in each outfit so our baby will be able to go from one size to another. They also sent hairbows and baby tights! HOW CUTE! I couldn't help but picture little chubby legs in those tights! Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Secret Pal........I don't know how you managed to time it just when we needed a pick-me-up but God bless you for all the thought and love you put into each package you send! You will never know how much your friendship and thoughtfulness have meant to us!

SICK OF IT ALL!

Well the illustrious and almighty CCAA has updated their website and the cutoff date for referrals for this month is December 14, 2005........I am just sick of this WHOLE STINKING PROCESS! I know I said we were going to hang in there and all that crap, but at the moment I am just sick of it all! When is this proverbial "speed up" going to happen? WHEN? Back in the spring everyone said, "Oh the CCAA will speed up in May." Then we heard, "Oh the CCAA will speed up when they get the November 2005 referrals done." Guess what folks?? THEY AIN'T GOING TO SPEED UP! It just isn't going to happen. At this point I have had about all I think I can take. This is CRAZY! We have been waiting 20 freaking months! TWENTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No end in sight! Doug and I have seriously talked about just calling it quits. It breaks my heart, but my gosh at this rate, I think they are just going to shut the whole program down and we're not going to ever get a baby so why hang in there and do this to ourselves month after month after month after month after month after month!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our 20th LID-iversary!!!!!!!

Well, here we are at month 20......no baby yet! We have NO earthly clue when we will EVER get our baby girl. Nothing to do but go on with life and don't think about it too much. I was in line at Walmart tonight and happened to read, "Britney Spears Pregnant Again." Geez, that chick can't even take care of the children she has and here she is pregnant again. Life is NOT fair!
Oh well........we'll keep hanging in there and hopefully one day, something will happen for us!

Awwww.......thanks Flissy For The Christmas Present!

Today, my dear friend Felicity sent me a Christmas present that I just LOVE! She sent me one of those precious Willow Tree statues with the mommy and baby! Oh Felicity, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!! I can't believe you sent me this! You're a thoughtful friend and I'm glad we share the same LID! Hang in there my friend! I'm here if you ever need to talk, complain, vent, spew, etc.........We'll get through this HORRIBLE wait and have our girls one day (hopefully before next Christmas!!!!) I put the little statue on my piano so I can look at it everytime I sit down to play.
Love ya girl!

This is the description of the statue that is found on the Willow Tree website. Felicity sent it to me by email. I love it!!!!

CHILD OF THE WORLD

Child of the world,
Into my heart you came —
Bringing sun into my life,
Making family our name.

Child of my Heart is a tall figurine of a woman holding a young child in her arms. The mother and child have different hair and skin color, subtly implying that they may not be related by blood. The piece was inspired by a friend of Susan’s who adopted an Asian child. However, the adoption reference does not prevent this piece from being meaningful for any parent and child.

As with all of Susan’s sculptures, the piece is open to interpretation… the woman could be the child’s birth mother, caregiver, godparent, aunt, etc. Regardless of relationship, the two share a strong love and bond. The sentiment for the piece is a love poem to a child. It may speak especially clearly to someone who has or is planning to adopt, as it refers to welcoming a long-awaited child into a family.

Doug and I

Here's a picture my brother took of us at his home (using our new camera). The cute little girl in the picture is my niece, Caity. I love the Fall colors!

Thanksgiving Fun!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We had Thanksgiving at my brother, Tony's house. It was a lot of fun. My niece and nephew, Caitlin and Zach were fun to play with and we had fun taking pictures with the family and around the house. Mom came as well as my sister-in-laws mom and sister (and her two children). My sister, Stacey, came down yesterday and spent the night with us and then her husband came today. It was a good meal and we even played some music! YAY! It was fun to sing with my family again. Doug and I played outside with the beagle puppy, Josie, who was a fat little butterball (so cute). Hopefully next year, we will have baby Rebekah here for the Thanksgiving festivities! What fun that will be! I want her to grow up surrounded by loving family and friends! Oh my brother, Jason from Texas called too. It was nice to talk to him!!!!!

We have a new digital camera!!!!!!!!

Today we got a new Canon digital camera with all of the bells and whistles AND a telephoto lens! YAY!!!!! Now we have to learn how to use all of the little gadgets!
Here's some pics we took around the house of the girls! What fun! Can't wait to take some on Thanksgiving!

We Have A Piano!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, yesterday they delivered my piano! I have longed and longed for a piano for YEARS! When I lived with my parents in Halifax County a neighbor gave us his family's OLD upright piano and as much as I loved it, it was very old and VERY out of tune and in need of many many repairs. When we moved to Danville I just left it and I have missed having a piano so after spending two weeks working Intercession at my school, I took the money and bought a little Wurlitzer! Growing up in a family that played music constantly makes me want to have music around me ALL OF THE TIME! It was such a blessing to grow up like that and I want my baby to develop that love for music. I can remember many many hours singing and playing music in my family. My sister and I would even get up in the middle of the night when we couldn't sleep and take out the guitar and bass fiddle and play for HOURS! My Daddy brought us up singing in his bluegrass and country bands and I really took for granted that love for music that I enjoyed in my home. I just assumed that EVERYONE did the same thing! hahahahahahahaha
Anyhow, I am LOVING my piano and can't wait to find all of my music books now. I'm not that great at playing it, but I am sure am enjoying trying! I hope one day, our baby girl will love the piano too!

Gifts Brought To Us Straight From China!

Well, today I went back to school after being out on Fall Break for a week. As soon as I got to my classroom, the music teacher came in my room and said, "I have something for you." Now, she has spent the last few weeks IN CHINA with friends. Then she gave me some chopsticks for Doug and I to practice with AND the cutest little baby slippers! Of course I saw those little slippers and just CRIED! What a thoughtful little surprise! It just really touched my heart so much! She explained to me that she did not get them in a big store or anything in the big cities that she visited but when she visited this remote little village there was this little old Chinese man who had set up a stand and was selling his wares and THAT is where she got them! It made her think about the baby that we will adopt and she could just picture her coming from a little village like this one. The slippers are handmade and even the bottoms are a type of cloth that has been meticulously stitched by hand! What a loving little gift to give us as we wait to travel to China and get our baby girl! Thank you so much Mrs. Holt! You are so sweet to think of us during your travels!

19th LID-iversary Today!

Well, here we are again........the 5th day of the month marks our LID-iversary point. NINETEEN months and no end in sight. Yesterday the CCAA posted on their website that they have referred through December 8, 2005. We are April 5, 2006.......who the heck knows when this will happen. I think I will just stop right there because I don't have anything positive or uplifting to say. So, we wait.......

Hallmark Ornament For This Year & "Big Girl Panties"

Today Doug and I drove down to Burlington, NC and ended up stopping by the Hallmark Store. We have a tradition that every year we buy a Hallmark ornament to add to our Christmas tree. Well this year it was Doug's turn to pick it out and when he saw this one, he knew we had to add it to our collection. This year they have ornaments from different countries and one of those countries is China. It comes with two ornaments: one is a little pagoda and one is the little Chinese girl. Gosh, I hope this will be the last holiday season without Baby Bekah. I'm serious.......this wait is just ridiculous and heartbreaking and just plain out NOT fair! Yes, I'm a little emotional tonight.........why do other people get to just pop out babies and then people who want a child to love more than life itself have to wait at the mercy of others who drag out a process that was supposed to be just 6 months???????????? On November 5, 2007 we will have been logged in to the CCAA for 19 MONTHS! That doesn't even include the 12 months before that that we filled out paperwork, authenticated forms, notarized forms, had a homestudy done by a social worker that dragged a 6 week process into 23 weeks, medical exams, immunizations, etc. It doesn't include the 2 and 1/2 years we worked with the public system to try to adopt a baby only to be overlooked time after time because we didn't have any children and were not "experienced" parents.
Oh boy.......I didn't mean to go off on tangent like that in a simple posting about a Hallmark ornament, and I've thought about backspacing and deleting it all, but it's truly how I'm feeling tonight. I love the ornament and it will look so precious on our tree this year, but I would give it all up to just hold our baby this year. THAT'S what I want most of all.......to hold our baby and be done with this whole arduous, heartbreaking, process. The other week I was talking to a dear online friend (who shares the same LID) and we were laughing at how obsessed we've become over things like ladybugs, pandas, 100 wishes quilts, etc. etc. and what it all boils down to is these are the things we have right now to focus on while we wait all of this out. Thank goodness we have met people along the way who try to encourage us, uplift us, and share in our pain, but sometimes when you sit and think too long about the pain of the wait, you can't help but feel a little down and the tears come whether you want them too or not. There's nothing else you can do. You can't MAKE the CCAA speed up, you can't fill out another form, or contact a government official, or even pay any amount of money to make your place in the proverbial "LID line" speed up. And I think that's the worst part.........you can't do anything but hang in there, suck it up, and pray pray pray that your turn will come before you lose your mind. In Cracker Barrel today there was a card that said, "Put your big girl panties on and face it." THAT'S my theme now........Please pray that things move along quicker! Oh, and enjoy the pictures of the ornament! hahahahahahahahaha

Doll From Mr. and Mrs. Secret Pal

Yesterday we got our monthly goody package from our March DTC Group Secret Pals. We have had the same secret pals for many months and every single month we are amazed at what they send and how much heartfelt thought they put into it. This month the theme was Dolls and when I opened the box, inside was the prettiest little Precious Moments Doll dressed in the cutest little ladybug outfit. She even has ladybugs in her hand! She is a vinyl doll so one day baby Rebekah will be able to play with her although I might hold on to her until she is older and won't do weird things like cut her hair thinking it will grow back (oh yes, I did that to SEVERAL dolls! hahahahahahaha). She is the most angelic little doll and I personally LOVED opening the box! Did I mention that I still love dolls????? hahahahahahahaha Thanks Mr. and Mrs. Secret Pal!!!! You're the best!

Carved The Jack-o-Lantern Today!

Well today we just kind of slept in, watched old tv series, and carved the pumpkin. It was nice to just vacation and do NOTHING!!!!!! Yesterday we down to Burlington, NC and ate out, shopped some, and just enjoyed the sunny Fall day and temperatures.
Maybe next year at this time we will have baby Rebekah with us to enjoy the festivities of the Fall Season. You can see that our furrbabies loved the Jack-o-Lantern!

Fisher Price Wooden Clock!!!!!!!

Last night we ran through Lynchburg on the way home and of course I just HAD to stop in at Target. Guess what I found in the toy department? Apparently the new movie that is coming out with Dustin Hoffman in it(Mister McGorium's Wonder Emporium) has old toys involved in it and Fisher Price has manufactured some of their OLD toys. One of them is this clock that I remember having as a child! The song, "Grandfather's Clock," still sounds the same and it looks EXACTLY like the one I had! I was so excited to get it! Now Rebekah will have a toy just like her Mommy had! Now if only I could get one of those Fisher Price yellow dollhouses like I used to have! hahahahahahhahahahahaha

Our Pumpkin For This Year!

Well, we have our pumpkin to carve this year! Yesterday we went to Layman Family Farms in Montvale, VA and met members of our Roanoke FCC Group there. It was so much fun! We rode the hayride out to the pumpkin patch where Doug picked out the BIGGEST pumpkin (30 pounds)!!!! Of course he then had to carry it back to the car and we actually strapped it in the backseat with the seatbelts so it wouldn't move on the way back to Danville! hahahahahahhahaha We then went to the Goat Walk, the Corn Cannon, and the CornMaze (which I thought we would NEVER get out of!) It was a beautiful Fall day to be outside all day! Sunny, a little warm with a cool breeze blowing!
Anyhow, we then went to Kim and Randy's home for a potluck dinner and got the chance to see everyone's little babies! Can't wait til we have one of our own! It was so reassuring to talk to others who have gone before us and to see that they were blessed with their babies, so our turn WILL eventually get here and we'll enjoy those blessings too! Thanks to Kim for planning it all and opening up her house to all of us! What a great group to be a part of!
You can see the pics of our "girls" when Doug brought the pumpkin in this morning and then my little Chelsea with the "Fall decorations" that we have. That cat kind of resembles the sneaky looking crow! hahahahahhahaha
Here's the website if you'd like to see The Layman Family Farms Cornmaze
http://www.laymanfamilyfarms.com

18th LID-iversary!

Well, usually I am up on celebrating the LID-iversary each time but this time I just didn't even think about it as it came and went. It has been 18 MONTHS since we logged in with the CCAA. That means they have had our paperwork (dossier)for 18 LONG AGONIZING MONTHS........just sitting on a shelf. It's nothing important to them; we're just another number, another file, nothing special at all. Why should they care? They have THOUSANDS just like it......waiting, waiting, waiting.....meanwhile friends, family, coworkers, etc. all get pregnant, carry babies, deliver babies, share tales of their sweet babies, and we sit and wait and wait and wait, and wait...........and cry.

CCAA Updates Website!

Well, today we saw the update on the CCAA's website. They are FINISHED with the NOVEMEBER 2005 referrals............FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now maybe things will pick up a little bit and they will be able to refer more each month than they have been doing. The November 2005 group was apparently the largest group of dossiers and after that the numbers dropped off until the March 06' group. Ours was sent and logged in on April 04, 2006 so we're REALLY hoping that things will speed up and they will get to ours before the summer of 2008. We really don't want to travel in the summer during the Olympics in Beijing. Everyone join in and say a prayer that things will speed up and we'll get our babygirl soon!!!!!!!

Secret Pals BLOW Us AWAY!!!!!!!!

We got our September package from Mr. and Mrs. Secret Pal with the March '06 Marching Pandas Yahoo Group today and all I can say is "pass the tissues!" I loved loved loved everything but the one thing that just brought the tears to my eyes and touched my heart sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo deeply was the BEAUTIFUL handmade blanket that Mrs. Secret Pal put so much love into! Oh my gosh! What a beautiful, loving thing for you to do! The colors and the scalloped edging is just so.........oh my gosh, I don't have words to describe it! I have ALWAYS handmade gifts because I think they become treasured heirlooms with so much thought and love put into them and THIS was just AWESOME!!!!!! Thank you so much Mrs. Secret Pal from one mommy's heart to another! I can hardly wait to hold Rebekah close to me wrapped in this beautiful blanket and know that you put so much time and effort into it! THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!! (Can I say that enough??????)
There were other goodies in the box too that we loved. For one, there was the most adorable Build A Bear dressed in a Chinese outfit! HOW PRECIOUS! They had even included the birth certificate and had the birthdate as our LID 04/05/06! Are these two people on top of things or WHAT???? There was a wonderful sequel to the book Shaoey and Dot which I just HAD to take a moment and read! (Teachers definitely love those books!). There was a journal which may become part 2 of Rebekah's journal since the first one I had is almost full by now! And then........there was GODIVA CHOCOLATES!!!!!!!! In the pictures you will notice that a couple of spots are empty because when I saw those (and after the day I have had) I just jumped on them like a bear on honey! WOW! hahahahhahahahahahhahaha There was also two little hats in there for Rebekah and one had a ladybug on it while the other was pink. My gosh..........how do we say thank you for all of this???????? Please know from the bottom of our hearts that we LOVE everything you send and love you guys for always thinking about us and helping us get through these LONG LONG months of waiting. There was even a birthday card for me with a gift card for the movie theater in it! I guess Doug and I had better have a TON of date nights before baby Bekah comes along!
Rest assured secret pals that you have truly touched our hearts this month and made the day VERY SPECIAL! Take care and we love you both!

Birthday Surprise From Felicity and Mike!

Well, I got home from a VERY hectic and crazy day and checked the mail and there was a funny singing card from my dear friends Fliss and Mike in Florida! It was so funny to open it and hear it yodeling!!!! There was also a card in there that said that they had made a donation to "Half The Sky Foundation" in China which helps the orphans! How touching to know that maybe the money they donated will go to help our baby Rebekah one day! I have tears in my eyes just thinking about that. THANKS FLISS AND MIKE! You guys are such cool friends and I'm glad we share the same LID!

Susan's Birthday Was Today!

I have had a wonderful birthday thanks to my AWESOME husband! He has spoiled me rotten today and I have loved every single surprise he gave me. He even had a BEAUTIFUL bouquet of long-stemmed red roses and a teddy bear sent to my school which my principal hand-delivered to my classroom....WHAT A SURPRISE!
Thanks to all of my friends, family, and students who made this a special day too. I love you Doug for everything and for being such a wonderful husband!

Secret Pals Spoil The Kitties Too!

Today we got a box from our secret pals that was addressed to: "The Appleton Kittens" hahahahahahahahahahaha How wonderful are they??????? Inside there were balls, toys, furry and fuzzy thinggies and just wonderful little toys for them. Of course when they saw the box, they all came running over since they have gotten very addicted to helping us open boxes from our secret pals. Doug and I laughed when Chelsea jumped in the box before I could even pull the first toy out. Savannah went NUTS over these long things that hang from the doorknobs and have little puffy balls on the end for them to smack at. Tabitha kind of sat away from the action until the other two went in the kitchen for some "eats" and then she started playing with the blue puffy mouse and jumping in and out of the box. We laughed at these spoiled rotten girls of ours for at least an hour! Thanks Mr. and Mrs. Secret Pal! We will post pictures when I find the cable! hahahahahahahahahahaha You guys are the BEST!

Happy Birthday To Doug From Our Secret Pals!

I knew that I had forgotten to post something the other day when I was doing my blog. Doug's birthday was a couple of weeks ago and just the other day he went to the mailbox and found a card addressed to him from Mr. and Mrs. Secret Pal with our Marching Pandas DTC 06' Group. It was a really pretty card with Chinese writing on the front and inside was a really really nice surprise......an Outback Steakhouse giftcard! WOW! He did NOT expect this surprise! Our secret pals are so thoughtful and they do little things like this for us ALL THE TIME! I cannot imagine making it through this long wait for Rebekah without this couple who has looked out for us and thought of us so kindly. Everytime we get a little goody box, postcard, letter, etc. from them, you can tell that they truly put a lot of time and effort into whatever they choose to send. THAT's what has made a big difference in this wait for us! Whenever I've felt like I couldn't take the wait anymore, I'd get a card, email, etc. just to pick me up and give me the boost I needed to get back in the game. So, whoever you are, Mr. and Mrs Secret Pal.......THANK YOU!!!!! You have made a tremendous difference in our lives!
LOVE YOU BOTH!