2 year ago......

2 years ago today I lost my friend.... 2 years has gone by and sometimes I still don't believe it's true.... 2 years since we said goodbye.... And I still really, really miss you! Sometimes I wonder what life would be like.... If that day you hadn't been taken away.... But, then I realize that you are never far away... You will always be in my heart.... and my thoughts....

I still think of and miss you everyday MK! I will never forget you!! xoxo

Monster Trucks 2011!

Buddies!!! I love them!

Side by Side!

After jumping together!

Solo jumper

Mud Boggin'

I apologize for my absence.... I know I owe a Christmas update since it's been a while that I have posted anything.... I will try to do an end of 2010 recap sometime soon but, wanted to get these on too.

Last year my sis & I took J to the Circus. This year, my hubby & I decided to take him to see the Monster Trucks.... J has been looking forward to it all week.... And-- because we are still in *new* parent mode we decided to go on opening night.... When they start at J's bedtime.... He FELL ASLEEP after seeing the first couple of jumps! Yep..... Our lil man slept right through it..... I got some cute shots of him sleeping w/ his earmuffs on..... Everyone that walked by stared at him because I don't think they could believe it!

When we woke him up to come home.... J said he had a good time! We just laughed inside.... I guess he thought he saw it all!

J's Christmas Program 2010

I attended J's Christmas program this past Tuesday. He is in this pic but, my camera is out dated and doesn't zoom very well.... I did get some close ups later in the program but, can't post them of course.... I was such a proud Mama! It was a great program and they recorded it so, I will have a copy to keep and show family members that couldn't attend.

T'was the night before Christmas.....

I kept up my *tradition* I started last year and bought J *Christmas PJ's* to wear tonight... This was the only shot I got of him that I can post for now! He was super excited to be going to bed!

.....and all through the house the 5 1/2 yr old was asking to go to bed starting at 6:30pm..... He also warned the parents to go to bed early because if we were still awake then Santa wouldn't bring his presents....

I love seeing Christmas through a child's eyes again this year! I am probably just as excited to wake up tomorrow morning and see J's reaction to the stuff we got him for Christmas...

Merry Christmas to all & all a good night!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree......

Our *new* Christmas tree....

Spiderman-- I mean J helping decorate our tree!

The last several years I have always tried to put the Christmas tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving while my hubby is hunting.... But, our tree was a bit shabby last year and so my hubby *refused* to put it up again this year.... Someone from his work offered us their old tree and my hubby accepted it... After all, it was bigger than ours.... Well, it's bigger alright! And it was not pre-lit.... But, we had enough lights already and it wasn't too bad to put them on.... So, yesterday I had a special helper to decorate it-- SPIDERMAN! I thought it was cute and couldn't resist snapping some pics!

We went *Santa* shopping this week for J and except for a few little things, we have him done... Whew! Operation Santa Clause was a success! We got the Criss Cross Crash I mentioned in a previous post as well as a few other requested items and a Penguin Pillow Pet! I think J will be pleased on Christmas morning.....

Although I can't go into details let me tell you.... J is processing A LOT of stuff right now! Some of the things he has been saying [mostly good!] we are like: "What the.... How does he know that???" We try not to say too much around him or where he could possibly hear but, he is a smart boy and I think he just *knows*.... I am hoping the things we are hearing/seeing will be helpful in another couple months when we need it!

For now, we will just count down to Christmas..... 20 days!

Thanksgiving......

J mixing the brownies after assisting me with counting and measuring the ingredients out...

J checking to see if the brownies are ready yet.....

J's adorable Turkey hat he made at school.....

Wearing his Turkey hat and playing @ my in-laws waiting for dinner....

Wow! Thanksgiving again? Sometimes I feel like we celebrate a holiday/birthday and before I can turn around again it's back again! Last year I hosted Thanksgiving.... This year my MIL offered to host.... My sis & Mom and their boyfriends came in town too.... I am thankful for my MIL hosting this year because I have to work tomorrow..... We did some cooking too and I am exhausted after doing those things this morning! We had a nice day....

I decided to make brownies for the non-pie dessert since I am not a pie person.... I decided to use it as a teachable moment for J and asked him if he wanted to help.... We did it *step by step*, he counted eggs, watched me measure the liquids, poured the ingredients in the bowl and helped stir it up... It was fun! He was proud of himself and beamed when I told our family that *he* made the brownies.....

Tonight when we got home my Mom's boyfriend called me to say how impressed he was with J's behavior this year and that my hubby & I have done a remarkable job with him this past year.... It was so nice to hear that because as I have said before being a foster parent [probably a parent in general too] is a thankless job and to have someone take time to point out that WE have made a difference in J's life was so nice..... It's been a tough year but, things are going very well right now and we are really starting to live as a family.....

So, now to what I am thankful for:

I am thankful for my husband-- we have had so many ups & downs in the 11/6 yrs we have been together/married and we are still together and strong.

I am thankful for J-- Seeing the progress he is making and hearing his sweet voice saying things like: 'Mommy, you're the best. You know why? Because you always take care of me!' or 'Mommy! I LOVE YOU!' He melts my heart.

I am thankful for my family-- we might not see each other too often but, they are always in my thoughts.....

I am thankful for my job-- I know there are so many out there without one that even on the *tough* days [which aren't very much but, you have them w/ all jobs!] I am thankful that I have one.

I am thankful for my friends-- I have real life friends, cyber friends, and foster care friends.... each one of them have a different role in my life and some days I don't know if I could make it through without them..... Some of my cyber friends whom I have never met in person are closer to me than my real life friends!

I am thankful for our men & women in the armed forces-- they risk their lives so that we may live the way we want too and many of them aren't with their families today and that is a sacrifice too....

Finally, I am thankful to you-- my blog readers.... I still don't know if I am very good at this but, reading your comments make me feel like what I write makes a difference!

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!

Catching up....

I am still here... Sorry I haven't blogged in a while.... Not much blog worthy going on right now.... Just busy w/ work, school [for J] and appointments.... Things are going really, really well right now... Each day I see J growing closer & closer to my hubby & I. He is really such a sweet boy... We got his school pictures a couple weeks ago & I really wish I could post them because they are A*D*O*R*A*B*L*E! We are gearing up for Thanksgiving. My MIL is hosting it this year so, I get to relax a bit this year....

Other than that, J & I attended the Adoption Day Celebration our local DSS hosted yesterday. It was nice to hear the inspiring stories of those who have already adopted. I hope that next year we will be one of the celebrated! J's sister's former foster parents were there and have just this week finalized the adoption of their infant.

We are looking forward to celebrating another Christmas w/ J in our lives too... He is already talking about the main thing Santa is going to bring him..... So, I think Santa needs to get on it so that he won't be disappointed.... This is all he talks about: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hot-Wheels-Criss-Cross-Crash-Track-Set/14689690 even sings the song all the time... So, we need to get it so we are not scrambling at the last minute.... It's going to be fun again shopping and preparing for him! I can't wait! I am going to decorate again this year w/ J while DH is out hunting.... I think it will be J & I 's tradition to decorate together the weekend after Thanksgiving!