Hehe… I’m “IT” Is this like Sardines in a Can where we all squish in together? Thank goodness I had an example to follow because I was a bit confused as first!

My friend Andrea tagged me... (man, she really learned to run in just a few days! ;) I've always wanted to be tagged; I feel loved! Sorry still can't really figure out links (sad, sad me huh!)

What were you doing 10 years ago?

Hmmmm…. April 1998? I had just graduated High School in 1997 and decided to move around and travel a bit. I was a young girl just running about enjoying new found freedom with absolutely no direction to my journey... yet! I hadn’t started dating my husband yet (Oct. 1998), which is a funny story because I met him prior to this on a blind date with his best friend! Haha At that time, he moved to Australia for a couple years and when he got back, we started dating. Actually on the blind date all I thought was… ohhh he’s cute! I’ll date him when he moves back! Funny thing is, he drove that night and was an absolutely insane driver and I remember screaming at him from the back seat that I will never marry a man who drives like this! HA… I ended up marrying THAT exact insane driver! Luckily he gave up his crazy driving (at least while I’m in the car). Maybe driving on the wrong side of the road in AU beat some sense into him. He also had the car hit by a kangaroo or 2 and thousands of toads.

5 Things on your to-do list for today:

1. Get all 3 children ready for church in one hour flat
2. Sunday family dinner at my in-laws home and hubby’s siblings (eventful)
3. Actually have a day off with my husband! Movies, Hot Tamales,Ice cream, and kids are sleeping! WooHOO
4. Play tag and draw with the children
5. Squeeze my love handles

5 Things that you would do if you were a Billionaire:

1. Create a self-sufficient income so that we can renew it indefinitely
2. Travel to every country in the world and definitely help rebuild any place in need. Help grow jobs and farms so they can be self-sufficient, healthy and no longer hungry.
3. Pay off all of my siblings houses, etc., buy them new cars and actually set up a formal family reunion since the 10 of us have a hard time being in one place at one time. Set up trust funds for all extended family (as well as our own of course)
4. Revamp the entire U.S. foster care system and lobby for changes in education/ pay the teachers more than basketball players and entertainers (great teachers are priceless). Then we would have more teachers, brighter children, brighter futures. Make college free and part of the high school program.
5. Create more recreational activities that are free for youth so they can grow to be productive, happy members of society and have positive role models and a life plan for their future.

Name 3 of your bad habits:
1. If I hear a song or someone says a phrase that reminds me of a song, I sing it… even if it’s in the grocery store or Disneyland lines!
2. I’m a clean freak (which I have relinquished some control to the children by not looking at the clutter).
3. I have word vomit! My words spew out of my mouth as they are becoming thoughts! Thankfully I don’t think horrible thoughts… or I’d have a lot of black eyes!

List 5 jobs that you have had:

1. Babysitter to nieces, nephews, pets and helped mom at her daycare after school.
2. Summer job at my sister’s sports store in Sedona, AZ (so fun and I met people from all over the world).
3. Assistant to an executive assistant for an Engineering company (aka… “please do all my work so I can take half the day off everyday” job). hehe
4. Hostess and Waitress at Marie Calendar’s… oh yeah the pies are that good!
5. Most rewarding job ever: Momma!!!


List 5 books that you have recently read:

1. The Paper Dragon by Marguerite W. Davol (my favorite)
2. 20 Things Adoptive Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew
3. Naughty Parents (yes, it’s a children’s book… get your mind outta the gutter;)
4. Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood
5. Brothers by Yin and Chris Soenpiet (children’s book)

List 5 people you are going to tag:

I’m gonna sleep on this one!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Do I have a monkey on my back?

Nika took these photos while I was trying to scrub a rug on my hands and knees in the kitchen. Only because these are funny did I post them because I'm not wearing a stitch of makeup! Yep, this is how the work gets done and how momma stays thin! Jadyn is a heavy monkey can I tell ya and she just was having a blast.

Time for a Flashback!

Those really aren't my teeth... but they were fun! I couldn't even close my mouth with those suckers! Sorry, I was having a "laugh at me" moment!

The second picture is a "we're so poor" picture. We were so poor growing up that we used a rat bottle as a baby bottle for our dolls (which is actually a baby Ricky doll from the 1950's that is my mother's). Poor baby Ricky had his arms and legs glued back on sooo many times. We (my siblings and I) just recently purchased one for my mom in mint condition and when we presented it to her, she just cried and hugged us. She has it in a doll case on her dresser and because we all played with her other Ricky, it not only brings back happy memories of her Dad who gave it to her, but also all of us "loving" it to "pieces".

The third pic is one "house" we lived in at one time. Isn't it a beauty? We were quite poor but all together. We actually took this picture from our window but ours looked exactly the same but with added bullet holes! You actually need to find humor in this. My husband still has no idea how we all survived but hey... we did so that's what is most important right? I didn't grow up with a fairy tale childhood but I have some great memories and always remember feeling loved and wanted. We were bussed up to a wealthier school across town on the mountain... we were the "inner-city kids". The principal told my father that we were messing up his numbers (meaning, because you are Caucasian, you are not giving me the racial mix I need for my school). My Dad told him, "Then you pay for us to move if those numbers are so important to you!" That school became a private school later because they didn't want "us" attending that school anymore. This little community was actually not as "frightening" as it may seem. We took care of each other and watched out for one another because of the crime each night. It taught me some serious street smarts but yet left me "vulnerable" in a way because I thought I was invincible (as most children sometimes do). Let's just thank a few thousand Guardian Angels for watching over me and my brothers and sisters.

This last picture is a picture of me at Christmas with my Christmas present. Yes, we usually only recieved one and usually they were donated from various churches, but oh how we treasured that one! Here I am, in all my nappy-headed glory with my favorite Bambi pajama shirt that actually shredded up to my chest before my mom had to cut Bambi out for me and throw away the shirt (I bawled). But look at that happy face! I loved getting only one gift. I was soooo excited to have something to open. I knew how much my parents struggled to feed and clothe us, not to mention the supply of duck tape for our holey shoes. And I strangely love freeze-dried apple chips because I ate freeze dried food storage for so many years. I confess to eating the baby food ones even now.

Now for my point in my madness tonight. Be Content! Be happy with what you have. Help out when you can; even a small smile. Keep hope and faith alive even when things get dark. Remember your worth! I am thankful for these experiences from the bottom of my heart. I can't imagine growing up a different way... I'd probably not be as appreciative if I didn't know what hunger, thrist, ache, loss, was and I was taught gratitude, humor, love, compassion, and so many numerous blessings. So when you think of people growing up with a meager existance, remember that laughter, love and hope can do wonders.... they may not be as "poor" as you think. I always knew that somewhere someone had less than me. This is a piece of my motivation to adopt. I could not imagine a child not having parents. That was all I had... my family. I love them so much and even with the struggles and trials, We Are Family. So when the struggles and trials of your journey to build a family get rough, Persevere!

Happy Birthday Nika and Me!!!!

Our lovely and talented Nika Chica has had her 8th birthday and I am now 29! We share a birthday which has always been the greatest birthday gift ever. Each time one of my children have a birthday it feels like my birthday again because they are such precious gifts.

To my "fabulous" Nika (she likes that High School Musical song because she is my resident drama mama... in a hilarious Zsa Zsa silliness sort of way), you are one of the most compassionate, exquisite, self-less, kindest, Christ-like child I have ever met. I am so honored to be your mother and friend. I have no idea how I became so lucky to be blessed by your presence everyday. You have amazing gifts and talents that I love watching them grow and develop. I used to be worried that Nika may want her "own" birthday one day, but every year she just absolutely makes my birthday wonderful without even trying. She so willingly "shares" this day and although I try to make it all about her... she always corrects everyone... "Not my birthday, OUR birthdays" I've always tried to make my children's birthdays all about that person but they so willingly make it everyone's day! I'm so pleased with each of them and their sweet, unique gorgeous spirits. Thanks for sharing this month with us! Now we're off to Spring!