Double Digits...

~~~Ten months ago we were logged in with the CCAA . We wait and we wait. I found this poem last night.

The Rising Moon

As the moon begins to rise

I catch a glimpse of almond eyes

Staring back from outer space

The moon reflects your loving face.

My heart begins to yearn for you

A love down deep that grows so true

I see the moon throughout the night

My dreams of you are taking flight.

So when you look upon the moon

Please know that we will be there soon

I pray reflected in its light

Will be our love for you this night.

The moon must now complete its course

Let’s not regret and show remorse

It soon will rise and start anew

Reflecting love meant just for you.

~Tom Fisher

~~Mimi - we are one step closer to bringing you home. Your Dad, brother and I are all so full of love for you. We talk about you, we think about you, we dream about the day you will be home. Most of all, we can't wait to hold you in our arms.

Crabby Patty

For those who know us personally, you know J will not eat meat!! He will eat chicken and fish (as long as he caught it). Most recently he caught 2 snappers, 1 snook and 2 groupers and has been eating them all week long. Joe nor I prepare the fish as well as Grandma but he says we are getting better at it. Today while shopping, he asked if we can get the ingredients to make a Crabby Patty. I went along with it - got all the stuff - chop meat, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, cheese and buns. Here is how it turned out. Excuse the grill we are cooking on - we are in the process of having a summer kitchen built and our regular BBQ left yesterday.

Getting ready

Grilling it up

Ta Da....

Does anyone think he liked it?

The answer is: "not so much"


J also told me today that he had a dream last night that Mimi was home. He said he woke up and was so sad that it was just a dream. I asked if he saw her in his dream and he said yes and she was really, really cute. Then the conversation went on to him asking me again why it is taking so long and when was she going to be home. It is so hard not to be able to answer this question. We are coming up on 10 months and who knows how long it will be. I told him to hold on to the dream he had and that one day the dream will be real. What else can I say? He then said to me "well I don't want to be like 15 when she gets here". Okay, he will be 8 in October - I'm hoping for the same thing.

~~~~~ On a more serious note, I have not been able to get this boy out of my mind. As I watched my own son swimming yesterday and just so full of life - there lies this little boy who needs a miracle. For those who pray, please include this boy and his family in your prayers.

13 Years

Thirteen years ago we were married. I crossed my heart that day and I still do today.
Our wedding song was I cross my Heart by George Strait.

Catching up.....

We are back from an awesome week on the water. The island we were on is called Useppa and it is beautiful. You can only get there by boat - there is a shuttle boat that goes out every couple of hours to bring people back and forth from the mainland.

Lil' bit of history:
Useppa is rich in history. The museum features relics that date the island's early residents back more than 10,000 years and the Calusa Indians had a thriving community here by 3500 B.C. The Spanish inhabited Useppa in the 16th and 17th centuries and legend has it that in the late 1700s, a Spanish pirate kidnapped and imprisoned a Mexican princess named Joseffa de Mayorga. In the local dialect "Joseffa" became "Useppa." Among the notables who frequented Useppa were Vanderbilts, Herbert Hoover, Rockefellers, Rothschilds, Gloria Swanson, Shirley Temple and Zane Grey. The island was later abandoned and used by the U.S. government as a base for the Bay of Pigs invasion.

~~~~~ Below are some pictures from our time there. I've chosen this song to honor our upcoming 13 year anniversary which is Monday. I am truly married to a remarkable man. He has shown me what heaven on earth is. I'll try to scan our wedding picture for the occasion :)

Setting sail....

“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” -- Mark Twain

Okay, our boat is not a sailboat but when I read this tonight on a fellow boaters blog, I just had to take it.

We will be "setting sail" tomorrow for a quick trip - be back soon.

Because inquiring minds want to see....

Okay, here it is for all of you who wanted to see my hair. Boo got a haircut too so I'm showing off her cuteness. I think she looks more like a Norwich now so hopefully the "is she a Yorkie" comments will stop. I'm still experimenting on what to do with my hair (not that there's much to do) but today was try the flat iron look with a cute headband. I'm much more of a wash and go gal which will be how I wear it 90% of the time but today is a special day. We are going to J's recital. He's been in violin camp for the week and this afternoon we get to see all they learned. Also, tonight I'm having a girls night out with my friend Lori. Her and I became friends through our journey to Mimi. She is not adopting but owns the pack and mail store near our house. When we began back in May 2006, Joe and I walked into her store with our application all filled out but needing a notary. We were like (well I was like) a blubbering idiot explaining how we were adopting, blah, blah, blah. Long story short, she notarized every document as we paperchased, she listened as I came in frantic that something had to be re-done, she helped me make the endless copies that are needed for the Dossier and somehow along the way, we became friends. So tonight is our girls night out - woo hoo! Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Finally..... Rain

About an hour ago, it finally rained. We have not had nearly the amount of rain we should for this time of year. I love Florida afternoon rainstorms. It rains hard and fast and going out it in is one of our favorite things to do





My niece has been visiting us since we returned 2 weeks ago - this is for my sister - ~~~She is in good hands and is having a good time - Sorry about the tattoo, I don't know what I was thinking :) Just kidding, it's a henna. What do you think of the braids? She tried to talk me into doing it but due to the fact that last Friday on my 39th birthday, I tried a new hairdresser and told her to do whatever she wanted and I now look like a pixie - there will be no braids for me :( Also, she managed to get bit by every mosquito in SW Fl. Sorry about that too :)

In the past week I have complained about my house not being as neat as I like it, the long ride to bring my son to camp for the week, the wait for our daughter being horrendous, why I'm running and running and pounds are not falling off and then last night we received a call from a very good friend of ours that his wife has Cancer and the prognosis is not good.

I cried. I'm still crying and I'm mad at myself for complaining about such trivial things. B, if your reading, please know we are here for you both.