Cleaning out clutter and Catching up.

I am preparing Mike to accept the fact that we will be adopting again. :) (no we are not signed up and he's reading this all right now, plotting how he can get me to stop saying such things. ha ha ha) When we were first married, yes we had no clue to an extent but, we wanted a big family - 6 kids. After all the years of aging, infertility, adoption stress and not preparing enough monetarily, it has deterred only one of us from our original goal. :) Not me :). Annnnnyway, in order to have another baby there are many things I know need to happen but there are also a few things I want at the same time. {no order} 1. we need to save up money for an adoption (between $10,000 and $13,000 dollars, easy right?)and I want to have a yard sale soon to benefit it. 2. I need to de-clutter and organize my space so we can all fit in our 1100sf home. 3. I'd want to move to a bigger home before we do paperwork, otherwise you have to do your home study all over with your new address. costly and time consuming. I can't afford to take more time than it's taking to even convince the daddy right now! lol. 4. I know I need to be on a budget so we can scrimp and save for the possibility of a down payment (as WELL as the adoption cost) 5. It may be time for a minivan... more saving but I'm in mourning over the thought of not having my CRV. I just love love love that car! I just don't like having to take so many cars when we go out with friends so a minivan is such a convenience and I've always wanted one or a huge passenger van. No, I'm not kidding but would still miss my CRV.
There are more things on my mind but right now I've been trying to give the kids more attention. After my recent post where I was stressed out about what was said about Evan, I am happy to report he is thankfully the same, smart, beautiful, inquisitive, energetic, toe walking, funny, sweet and loving son & big brother he's ever been. I have planted my feet firmly in trusting my parental skills to be smart about what he needs and how I can help him. I don't think he needs anything but continued confidence in him, love and positive attention so he's going to have that. Thank you to everyone who silently or physically commented, sent emails, called or talked to me about it. I get in my own world and forget what wonderful, caring friends and family I have to lean on when I'm having a hard day. . . More about Evan; I finally decided to bite the bullet and potty train him for real about a month ago. As reported, he started pooping in the potty and I decided no diapers after that, I knew he could do it. He's slept through the night with a dry diaper for about a year now so that wasn't a concern but just in case, he got a pull up for the first time for the first 2-3 nights then we ditched that and he's only been in underwear. Mike and I are just so impressed with his self motivation to go potty and through the night! I really have to give some credit to day care for this. They are very consistent with asking the kids to go potty and they have little baby toilets so you can imagine the motivation to use their own size potty. :) I wish we had one! Anyway, he only recently wet the bed two nights, got a pull up the 3rd night, wet it then the next night we had him sit on the potty more consistently before bed and 'get it all out'. That was the ticket and he's off and running again with dry nights (knock on wood). He cheerfully wakes us up almost every morning at the inhuman hour of 830am (LOL), bouncing and chanting "MOMMY!" or "DADDY, can I cuddle with you?" He has his favorite green blankie and maybe a stuffed animal with him then he nestles in between us. He cuddles and strokes our hair, softly pleading to watch "Wonder Pets" most days cause that's the show Daddy has recorded on 'his' TV. He loves watching Madagascar 1 & 2, Charlotte's Web (as of this week), Toy Story 3 and I can count on him to do anything for me so he can watch his movies. Sometimes he gets to earn 30minutes of watching, sometimes he can watch the whole thing, either way, he has turned our new couch purchase into his own lounger. lol :). Now that it's sunny out we have been out almost every day and no, I haven't brought my camera. Evan is very very happy about this weather. Oh, and Daddy is his 'best friend". Whatever. ;). Still calls Peppermint Pattie's "Your Momma" and I'm not trying to stop him. he he he.
Cora Grace is a straight up mess of love. She is wild. You go to get her from her crib jail in the morning and she's standing with her hair all crazy till you start walking towards her. Next she drops int he crib and does tactical moves to avoid you picking her up as she giggles. :) hilarious. As soon as you get her out of the bed to change her diaper she is feverishly signing 'milk' but saying "Mihhhlol. I'm not kidding, she really tries to pick you up. Cora is wild, she chases Evan, let's him chase her, pulls his hair (sometimes at his request), helps me give love smacks to Evan's booty (oh it's so fun!), prefers mommy over daddy :), still tries to flip backward when you hold her on your lap. She tries to go anywhere Evan does and nothing is cuter than when she puts her rain boots on then stops around the house or chases some bubbles outside... with her pig tails in. :)
Mike has waited for this weather  to turn so he could begin his long awaited love affair with our cluttered garage. He's been on a mission to finish a bunch of projects and it's paying off nicely around here. I've been going through old papers and cards from when Evan was born. It was so nice to reminisce old friends words from before I was married even, about what they think of me and ... I'm still the person they described. Instead of feeling like I am immature for being now, like I was then, I think I was ahead of my time, then, in some senses. :) (hope that made sense). Anyway, it made me feel good and I want to feel good. So... I've been cleaning out those old boxes and cleaning up crevices and cracks around the house so we can build a bigger pile for our Yard Sale. {btw, if any of you have old stuff around the house you'd like to donate to the sale, let us know, we'll be happy to arrange to get it from you} It's not an 'official Adoption yard sale' but believe you me, all proceeds will go towards our children if I can't win Mike over to the dark side to consider #3.
Anyway, I'm grateful Mike has been so successful in Real Estate and pray that continues. He is working so hard for our family and excited about what he does. His hard work in the garage has trickled into the house as well and I'm never going to be mad at that. Lately I've had a stronger desire to be more on top of things in our home so getting his help is encouraging that I can do it too.
I'm doing really well at Tangerine so that is great. I have many projects ahead with helping plan our Inaugural "Tennessee" FSA conference in April then doing hair for a United Way Runway Fashion show our salon is heading up for May 5th. Let's not forget how delinquent I have been in capturing my family in photos so I need to be getting my camera out again to dazzle you all with my hobby. In closing, I just want to say, I'm not quite out of a funk I've been in but there have been many friends, family and even strangers lately who have really perked me up, showing me things about me I didn't yet know about myself and I'm excited about my new found information. I am no fan of feeling sorry for my/yourself, especially cause I know we could all do better if we would rely on the Lord for our self esteem, love and guidance in all things. That is just it, I've been relying too heavily on myself lately. The faster I go back to leaning on Him, the faster I'll be back to 100%. I can't wait. :)