GAGE IS EIGHT!

HAPPY 8TH BIRTHDAY GAGE!

I can't believe that today Gage is turning eight. It seems like just yesteday that I got that call saying Tommi was in labor. He is growing up too fast! Tomorrow night he will be making

his debut in his first play (it's a high school play!). Good luck Gage, we can't wait to see you on stage. Hope you have a wonderful birthday, we love you!

Happy Birthday Mom Kramer

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM KRAMER

(No I didn't forget her birthday, I just forgot to post!)

Sorry this birthday wish is a little late but know that you are in our thoughts

and we love you bunches! BTW, the birthday was the 6th!

What a weekend!

It sure seems like the weekend went by so quickly. It all started Friday night with a trip to Bardstown to watch Holy Cross take on Bethlehem. It was so cold at the game that you couldn't feel your feet. The boys played hard but lost their game. I just wanted to let Chase know how proud I am of him and I'm already looking forward to bringing Emma to watch him next year! It was a short night sleep as we got up at 4am to catch our 6am flight to Chicago. We got into Chicago at 6am their time and took the train into downtown. We got to the hotel, dropped our luggage and headed to meet Lisa and Jeff and Melissa and Darren. Of course we were able to pick Darren our right away. We got introduced and then Lisa and Jeff showed up. Now I guess I should back track. After we dropped the luggage we stopped at Starbucks (we're addicted) and I got a call from Lisa saying she was close and she was a little late. What Lisa didn't realize was that she was on the wrong time, it was only 8:30 in Chicago. Fast forward! We decided to eat breakfast at the hotel and get to know one another. We then headed over to Chinatown, where else! It's the first place us girls thought about going. We enjoyed checking out the stores and decided what not to eat in China. Jeff and Darren did a little shopping. It was then back across town so I could introduce the gang to Garretts Popcorn, (if you haven't tried it you are missing out) and then back to the hotel to clean up. We then headed for a stroll down Michigan Ave and to eat Giodornios Pizza. After dinner I needed to make a stop at the Apple store and guess what?! They had internet access! We had to check out our favorite blogs and the new referrals. I know, I can't go a day without it. I do want everyone to know that Melissa did take a sneak peak at Rumor Queen (we made her!) We spent the rest of the night hanging out talking and sharing gifts for our girls. Lisa got us the cutest matching outfits from Gap and the sweetest ladybug card. Melissa also got us a cute outfit along the cutest dolls. I promise I will take some pictures to show you. We met again in the morning for breakfast. At the next table sat the cutest little China doll. Melissa got the scoop and she had been adopted in January. How funny it was to see all six of us staring at this precious little girl. It was time to get ready to head back home so we said our farewells. I just wanted to let Lisa and Melissa know how much I enjoyed getting to spend time with them and know them better. Oh, BTW Melissa, Lisa's not the only one who figured out the slide show! More later, gotta get to bed.

We're back from Chicago!

Create Your Own!

OFF TO CHICAGO!

WE ARE OFF TO CHICAGO IN THE A.M. TO MEET LISA AND MELISSA. I CAN'T WAIT TO FINALLY MEET! I'LL FILL YOU IN WHEN WE GET BACK. UNTIL THEN.....

Better and better!

The day just got better and better. When I woke up this morning the first thing I did was go check the CCAA site and was very shocked to see the wonderful news. Then I got to see some of the beautiful babies that the stork has brought. I came home to find out that our agency got 10 precious dolls and also that our special needs list will be out tomorrow. To top it off I had a package waiting in the mailbox. It was from my wonderful March secret pal. I was so excited to see that she had changed things up and made it a Halloween theme. First I saw the orange pumpkin toy. On the top of it, it says "my first Halloween". It made my heart melt! Then I opened the package that had the cutest Halloween book and check out how cut the bib is!! Everytime I go shopping I keep looking at the Halloween bibs but I refrained from buying one. You sure know me secret pal, do you have someone watching me??? I also got a wonderful card that I always treasure and a Home Sweet Home Yankee candle. It smells so good! Thank you so much secret pal, you sure know how to put the smile on our faces.

FLY STORK FLY

THE STORK SHOULD BE ARRIVING THIS MORNING SO IF ANYONE SEE'S HIM TELL HIM TO HURRY. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE NEW BABIES!

Huge News!

I AWOKE THIS MORNING TO WONDERFUL NEWS. NOT ONLY DID THEY INCLUDE 8/24 BUT THEY GOT TO 8/25!

THIS WAS A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT. I HOPE THIS IS A GOOD SIGN

FOR THE MONTHS TO COME!

I WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL OF THE FAMILIES THAT WILL BE

FINDING OUT ABOUT THEIR PRECIOUS CHILDREN!

THANK YOU CCAA!

Happy Halloween!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

HOPE EVERYONE HAS FUN

TRICK OR TREATING!

Big News!!

While packing up Mike's parents on Saturday his Mom ran across an umbrella stroller in the garage. Lisa thought she should throw it away as she thought we wouldn't want Emma riding in it. To our surprise she said, "well, maybe she isn't the only one that needs one". With that all eyes went straight to Shelley. You got it, I'm going to be an aunt again! This will be #11! Hey, there is that #11 again! Now Emma will have a playmate cousin her age (and a bunch of older cousins to spoil her!). Anyway, congrats to Mike and Shelley, the parents to be!!

Why haven't I blogged?

Sorry no posts lately but life has been moving way to fast (oh, isn't that what I was wanting these days?). I actually had a few days off from work last week but I did help out a few days at my parents office. I did manage to get away one day and visit Corbyn down at WKU. Mike and I did start painting the living room. I will have to take a picture of the finished process. We still have to finish the trim. I like the color (cocoa butter), a fancy name for yellow if you ask me. We have also been in the process of helping Mike's parents move. They have to be out of their house this week so there was lots to do. You sure do accumulate a lot of things in 35 years! Of course there were 2 nights of football this week. I can't believe the season is almost over. This Friday is the first round of the playoffs. They are playing Bardstown Bethlehem and this team beat them in the regular season. Hope they come out to play.

It's only been 7??

Yes, today is our 7 month LID anniversary. If you see above the number seven it says restless, that would be me! I know we still have a long wait ahead of us and at this point SEVEN just doesn't seem to be far enough. I guess right now we are all just on pins and needles waiting to hear the news on the latest referrals. We were all hoping they would come last week but it looks like they may be Halloween referrals. The big mystery is just how far did they get. I guess I will be checking in with Rumor Queen for all the latest rumors and gossip. On a good note it does make us SEVEN months closer to Emma!

Where have I been???

Where have I been?? Everywhere but here.

Where do I blog?

Melissa made a challange to show where you blog. This is a picture of me on the couch (notice my leg, I'm still in my scrubs). This is in my family room in front of the TV. Hey, I have to kill 2 birds with one stone. Of course Jack is sitting below me wondering why I would rather look at this stupid screen then play ball. Up on the screen is my Baby Jellybeans site.
This is the other place I go to blog. This is a picture of our office. You can see all the cludder on the desk, boy do I need to clean. The mouse pad is a Cleveland Browns pad (Mike's fav. team even though they aren't any good). On this computer you can see I was checking in on Lisa
to see her latest post.

We got more babies

We got a little sugar, spice, and pumpkin! I'll have to take some new pictures because these came out a little dark. A few weeks ago a stray cat had babies under our deck and now we have inheritied 3 little ones. They are so cute and playful. I feel like we are starting to have a farm here. We have our deers, turkeys, ducks and now our kittens and lets not forget my Jack and Kozmo.

AHH Book Buddy

Of course I joined another swap, just don't tell Mike! This swap is a book swap that was started by my March/April A Helping Hand group. For September my book pal was Nancy and boy did she send me the sweetest book and snuggly bunny for Emma. I have looked at this book many times at the book store but hadn't bought it yet. I am so excited that Emma now has it to add to her book collection. As for the bunny, it is already waiting for Emma in her crib. I thought it might be the only safe place where Jack wouldn't find it! Thank you so much Nancy for the wonderful gift. We love it and can't wait to share it with Emma. We will be able to read her this at bedtime while she snuggles with her bunny and I can steal those kisses while we count them!!

Way to go Dazzlers!

Of course, here I am bragging again! The pictures above are of our niece Charlee-Lyn at Jamfest. They won their division and came in 2nd overall out of over 70 teams, beating out many of the high school teams. Way to go Dazzlers! Charlee, I am so proud of you. Way to go in school and with the dance team. Tonight we are off to Highland Hills to watch her dance and we even get an added bonus because Stevie will get to cheer at the game also. I will try to remember to take pictures!

Happy Bithday Wishes!

Happy 1st Birthday Wishes!

The top 2 pictures are the twins Cohen and Griffin

and the bottom picture is Delaney.

A New Start

Tomorrow Mike starts a new chapter in his life. He is starting a new job at Invesco. The picture above is of a cookie bouquet that they sent Mike welcoming him to their team. I thought that was really sweet of them. Mike has been working for my parents business for the last six years and is sad to say goodbye. He has loved his job but is excited about the opportunity that awaits him. I just wanted to wish him good luck! I love you!

A special gift for Emma

Yesteday when I got the mail I was shocked to see a envelope from Amber. Amber is our home study advocate. She did our home study when we went to Ukraine and we were lucky enough to get to have her again when we decided to go to China. I have to say I was thinking that there must me some paperwork we needed to update. I was so excited when I opened the envelope and saw the precious bib pictured above. She had gotten this bib for her Emma and she never got to use it but thought that our Emma should have it. I can't believe how thoughtful she is. A few months ago she had sent me the cutest card and material for Emma's quilt. Thank you so much Amber for being so good to us. I can't wait until we have our Emma here and we can bring her to visit. We love the bib and can't wait to have Emma use it.