Just Listen

I've Been Tagged! ... belated version!

This pic is the original tag: Kole tagged and tackled Pluto at one year's old.
My friend Judy tagged me a few weeks ago and I've been playing catch up with all the things I've missed while being sick-ish... plus these tags make me think. =0)Sorry that it took so long Judy. Here goes:

5 Things You Can Find Inside My Bag:
1. Decoy wallet for child entertainment purposes and prevention of "child-chucking-credit-cards-at-strangers-for-id-theft" game.
2. Enough emergency snacks, protein bars, bandages, & sippies for a 72 hour kit
3. A whole jar of "Wet Ones" for those look-what-candy-I-found-on-the-store-floor times.
4. Tampons, half of which seem to have magically ripped themselves open... hmmm, Jadyn!
5. 8 different colored pens and a pad of paper for color on your Sunday dress, oops I mean, paper fun!

5 Favorite Things Inside The Room I'm In:
1. A black and gold gong with Chinese characters painted on it that I have no idea what it says. Love that gong... the kids LOVE it as well.
2. Two Hawaiian Tiki Guys: one the Goddess of Love, the other the God of sun, sand, and surf.
3. Framed art piece of an African village made completely from different shades of dried banana leaves.
4. KY... nah, really my 9 foot long picture of China's coast painted with water colors.
5. My Darth Tater, Mr. Potato Head dressed up like Darth Vader

5 Things I've Always Wanted To Do:
Did you guys really want to ask this one?!
1. Visit Iguassu Falls in Argentina/Brazil and then go to Angel Falls in Venezuela and base jump over the edge! Wheeeeeeeee Oh and then run around all the ruins of Machu Picchu.
2. Gather items from every country in the world & display them in a Moroccan decorated room with colorful silk drapes hanging from the ceilings and walls with pillows instead of chairs. It will be a library with shelves of books,pictures and treasures I've found.
3. Be opposite Jet Li in a martial arts film (has to be more traditional than Hollywood'ed out, something like Once Upon a Time In China) or opposite Jackie Chan in something like Drunken Master... Yeah... I'd need some serious Sifu's to teach me the physical aspects and inner teachings... I'd be one beat down little sucker!
4. Explore the underground cities of Cappadocia, Turkey and the ruins at Sukhothai, Thailand & just become a scientist of some kind so I have reason to travel... okay just make me Lara Croft... haha
5. Get my husband to go on a hot air balloon ride with me... he'll go sky-diving he says but not on a hot air balloon!

5 Things I'm Currently Into:
1. My family: entertaining my husband & children and helping them be happy
2. Knowlegde... I'd love to be a college student forever and just learn everything.
3. Making it through this adoption without going stir crazy!
4. Going to the library with the children (it is so fascinating to see how excited they are over books).
5. Food... I love food. LOVE food... I'll try almost anything (can't guarantee I'll like it but hey!) Would love to learn to cook it though. hahaha

4 people I Plan To Tag:
1. Tammy- because she has no idea I read her blog... moohahaha, luv ya sis.
2. Amanda- because I always take up all the time when she does my hair so I'd love to see what she'd have to say.
3. Sarah K- because she knows she's not busy enough.
4. Sherry- because she just went through 2 birthdays and probably has lots of fresh ideas.

Lots of little tidbits

Here are the goings on of a mad woman (or my husband spells women as wemon... like demon; I always laugh as he truly thinks it's wemon). Not only was I sick from peppers, I seem to have become stressed; how do I know? I got a migraine. Not your average migraine, the kind where you can't see, hear, you get sick, and it's like your left side of your body is paralyzed and all you can do is sleep. Haven't had one of those for many many years and I rarely get them. So this is where I started the de-stressification process. First, I'm gonna to be jolly and thankful even when things go wrong, no matter what. I'm not a stress case at any rate but I do not need anymore migraines, EVER. Next, I'm going to go to sleep earlier (see I think if I write it down, I'll have to obey it)! Finally, I'm going to spend more time being a kid....why not! I like coloring and reading children's books and watching Disney classic movies too.

I have to say also what has gotten me a bit stressed, the world. Watching the people in Myanmar (Burma) have to struggle not only through political problems but now they are absolutely being battered by mother nature. Seeing the pictures (which don't need words) of the Earthquake survivors in China is heartbreaking. I've been staying away from watching the news as always but I read it online. I don't need my children being so scared that they can't go outside. I do tell them what is going on but with my words and ways so that I can give them comfort & reassurance (I'd rather them hear things from me then other people)... not some exuberant newsperson trying to win an emmy. And with things like this, it's hard to even compare any worry of the state of the international adoption programs, although it is painful to think of how many people are waiting helpless, hopeful, and so looking forward to a day that they succeed in building their families. So I take a step back.

I want you to know, I read all the blogs and especially am grateful for others sharing the news about relief funds and tales of hope and community spirit. If I post about it.... I will dwell on it and as I am already heartbroken by it, it will not help any type of migraine prevention. So I'll say prayers, send donations when I can, read about your wonderful intentions of bringing others much needed support, and most importantly enjoy my life! I've been kissing my kids a lot more and hugging them a little tighter everyday. My husband and my kids often catch me tearing up just by looking at them. So in this time of trials and hardships, joy, hope, and love abounds. Go give your loved ones a kiss, call your parents, or siblings or any loved ones and just say I was thinking of you today and you really are wonderful, you know that? Don't miss any moment.

Now on to other things, this picture is my birthday gift. I told my husband I didn't need one so whenever I have done that... he gets creative. This is a picture he had painted by the master artist at an art school in China. This watercolor is on 9 FEET of paper! It is sooo beautiful to look at and so fun to stare at all the intricate details! Sigh... if only I could paint. I'm a nature LOVER... could sit happily in the grass listening to the wind in the trees for hours (hubby could ride happily through the grass on dirt bikes for hours... haha... love ya). Thank you so much for my b-day gift, Love! ALright enough sappyiness! hehe

The pics of us and the children are at the Shark Reef... notice Kole covering face, notice Jadyn scowling! And finally we have a Chocolat! creation from my husband's work. He gets these for every holiday at his work.... this one is a purse for Mother's Day (yeah it was delicious). He also took pictures of the New Year Rat but I can't find those pics. Last year's Chinese Dog was a 2 foot tall solid white chocolate masterpiece! Soooo yummy!

Oh My! Surprise!

I get a phone call from a friend who tells me to check an email... Oh My Heavens to Betsy! Look at this beautiful header! Am I allowed to cry over a blog? YEP indeedy! Miss Sarah K... I can not even begin to show my appreciation for this. It means so much more than you'll know. With a little secret slipped in, you have so made my day. Thank you mega mucho mondo massive much! Just so ya'll realize how much I can't do this stuff... one night while you all were tucked into bed, I deleted half the blog, mixed up all the posts and almost down-loaded a virus trying to "improve" this sucker! haha I love looking at it. When any of you got a blog up-do, did you want to stare at it forever too? Husband says it looks really cool and said "WOW!", which you know that means a lot in husband talk! haha You asked if it was a perfect fit... it totally is! Love it and love you.

OKay... I'm getting back down to blog biz. I owe a lot of people a lot of hello's and checking in's and I'm totally tagged! You might ask why I was under the weather... I was totally nauseous for over a week. What was the verdict???? Peppers! The bell kind! I'm allergic; they cause ulcer symptoms... bad ones... But I'm good now... definitely no taqueria taco bell for me! It wasn't toxic hell... oh I mean, taco bell... it was a home made fajita type meat (just in case I might have caused a mass manic attack... beware the ringing of the "Bell" Edgar Allen Poe.. if you forgot High School Lit. =)).

So welcome to my newly re-decorated blog living room just leave the bell peppers outside!

Been a little sick

Sorry guys, I've been a little sick and then also a bit overwhelmed by so many things to share that I have committed blog-neglect. Sorry bloggy. Later, I'll try to share until then have a pic or 2.