She's ONE

I tried posting this yesterday but it wouldn't let me. So here it is today. This farm house now has a 2 yr old AND 1 yr old!! Miss A turned ONE yesterday. I couldn't believe it where did the year go. At nap time I sat upstairs in the rocking chair and rocked her as she babbled away as if she was telling me about how in 16 years i'll be taking her to get her drivers license. NOOOO....I had tears streaming down my face as she fell asleep in my arms and i thought about how lucky i am. After all the IVF treatments and the adoption process and here I sat with this child that I thought I'd never have. God definately had a plan in mind for us and sometimes I wonder if i messed with his plan by doing the IVF cycles. It's like he wanted us to adopt and then he blessed us with a pregnancy. Not many people can have this many experiences in there journey to be a parent. Although it was through all those IVF's that made my faith in God come out! Anyway, she is a little chunker now, she was so petite when she was born. She has quite a personality of wanting things now and her way. She hates being told no and if she's by the TV her brother will come over and gently pull her down. She'll sit down, clench her fists and growl. She's easily excited. She jumps up and down on her toosh and flings her arms. She loves to eat and while she isn't TO picky she loves her grapes and yogurt.
We celebrated the day by going on a little road trip with friends of ours and then out for breakfast. She had a great nap almost all afternoon and we went out to eat with DH's parents and brother.
Happy Birthday Baby and we wish you MANY more!

Uggg

Wow what a night. I'm not sure what Miss A's problem is but she will NOT sleep. She has a cold, maybe getting some teeth but last nite was horrible. She went to bed by 7 after barely napping all day and at 1030PM she as up. I thought it had to be like 3 AM. I had just fallen asleep. I was so annoyed. I don't handle this waking up business very well. Never have, never will. I need my sleep, uninterupted too. DH has a cold so i now i have THREE sick babies. I'm sure my turn is coming. So, we were up till midnight. We would set her down and she'd play and be happy then in 2 min she was wailing. I tried earlier to let her CIO (cry it out) and DH came and took her. She fussed off and on sleeping a couple minutes here and there. Finally around midnight she fell asleep in DH's arms. I finished my shopping @ this online pharmacy store. The only place I could find A's binkies. So i took her and she immediatly woke up. At which point DH took her in the the bedroom downstairs and i went upstairs. I couldn't take it ANYMORE.

6AM DH wakes me up, he's leaving for work. A slept 6 hours of which 3 of them were restless. I came downstairs and of course she wakes up and starts crying at the site of me. Hmmm...i felt like doing the same!

9AM she is now sleeping!!!!!

Mr C man is watching Spongebob, one episode. Show drives me nuts. He is a little touchy too but at least he sleeps at nite. That is once he falls asleep. The crib is coming down and he's going to have to sleep in the toddler bed. He gets out of the crib. He loves his crib but if he can get out then it's time to go the toddler bed.

Daddys little girl and she's needing more daddy time. Obviously this was taken a couple weeks ago.

I'm tired, have had a neck ache and just need a break. Oh crap, i've been at this 4 weeks now and i'm already saying i need a break. I knew this stay at home wouldn't be easy but i'm EXHAUSTED! THis is the longest i've sat in probably 4 weeks, aside from sleeping. My patience level leaves a lot to be desired. DH is working this week at the post office so at least he's out of my hair. I can be such a schedule person. Doesn't have to be minute by minute but i like some structure. As in DH leaving to go do farm work by 7 or 8 and then coming home 5-6. Does that make sense?

No regrets a/b leaving my job just wish i could get a better handle on staying home, or on me!

Cultural Experience

This farm wife and mother just came from quite the cultural experience. Now I hope that sentence didn't come off that I live in the middle of the USA and have had NO cultural experiences. I've actually traveled to most of the states here, was a nanny in Chicago, visited our Foreign Exchange student in China Town NY, not to mention the many summers spend in New York City, as my mom grew up near NYC. But tonight was interesting. My BIL (brother in law) got married, this would be Jeff's brother, to a Vietnamese lady. I'm not sure how they communicate as she speaks little English, but I like her. I think this is a MUCH better match then his first wife. They couldn't communicate either and they both spoke English!

But yeah, lets see. The wedding was at 11 AM, weird time. So the kids and I didn't attend. We went to the reception which started at 5pm. It was at a Chinese Restaurant that they closed down for the reception. It was a NINE course meal!!! We had it all, I need to try and get a copy of the menu to give one an idea of it all. But besides the meal they had karaoke. Well imagine twangy music and then people singing in Vietnamese. I'm sorry if i offend anyone, but it was HORRIBLE I mean THREE HOURS of sangggg sunnngggg sooooo whaaaaa. My poor C man was covering his ears. It was ear piercing, gut wrenching. It was so bad that i just laughed so hard I was crying. I mean the 80 yr old g'ma even sang. Then we had the future Vietnam. Idol give it a shot. Remember William HUNG?? Well it was like that but worse on the singing!! Oh, lets see we had a couple duets with Mr Move and Mr Freeze face.

Oh and my car that they borrowed b/c it's white. Let me tell you i ought to get an extra $500 for that way that was decorated. It was done tastefully but i could just see my Honda blushing!! BUT BIL is trying to sell it for me. I'm sad about that, I'll post about that another time.

Of course we had to create our own drama when DH put Miss A in the high chair much against her will. He didn't put her legs b/w the straps and out she came BUT she got stuck. What a drama. People yelling to try turning her head someone else saying no no, pull her up, I think i actually froze. The waitress came at that point and took care of it all for us. For once DH actually realized he screwed up by doing it. That was a first. She was a horrible fuss bucket from that point on and we were only to course 6!!

So yeah, more cultural things were done. like going to each table and having a toast. That my FIL (father in law) would have nothing of. At one point our names were read and we had to go stand up front and everyone clapped, and other speeches. For all we know they were probably talking about us and how we all our stupid:) Who knows couldn't understand it. DH actually said that was one place he wouldn't have minded singing b/c it couldn't have been any worse then what was being sung.

OK I'll stop the ramblings. I do think that i asked those of you whom i know via my old job to email me, but I'm not sure i have my address listed anywhere. Email me at likelabs@yahoo.com

OK everyone farewell till the next time. The people within this ol' farm house are exhausted and in need of just peaceful music.

I'm home

Here i am now a stay at home mom, and loving it It is so wierd to just enjoy the day. No worries a/b having to wake up at 6AM and making sure i get to bed on time. No thoughts thru out the day of wondering what my kids are doing without me. No crying from the C Man when i leave each AM or no horrible crabby moods to come home too. I can get supper ready all day if i want. I don't have to rush around trying to manage kids, husband and supper all in the first 15 min of me getting home at night. No more work 'issues' nonsense crap brought on b/c someone has to much time on there hands. No more eating at 1130 every day and be careful to make sure i'm back or done eating by 1230. So yeah, i'm glad to be home! It has it's challenging moments but all in all so far so good.

Yesterday after nap time Mr C and I went to town to pick up insurance quotes, mail letters and get some groceries all while daddy stayed home with miss A. I found baby kittens in our barn so the last two AM's we make trips out to see them. Evenings have been spents outside watching C and A swim. Miss A gets me up b/w 6-630, but it just doesn't seem so bad having her wake me up vs my alarm. Yeah i'm still very tired and probably will be the rest of my life. BUT i could lay down and take a nap if I really needed too.

We are planning on heading out East here in september so i'm busy checking out airfare. Speaking of East coast, my Easy coast friends, please if any of you read this drop me a quick note so i can have your email address!! Didn't get that before leaving.

Ok mommy needs to get some lunch!! Babies are sleeping

I have RESIGNED

WEll folks, i did it! I have resigned from my job. I didn't leave on the terms i wanted to, but i must look forward now. I had 2 things that I said if happened i would resign. They were 1. work Fridays and 2. move my office from the tec bldg to the other bldg (the hen house) well the later happened today.
This is no rush decision i made. I have moved my office in the last NINE years more then 15+ times. I have been pooped on way to many times and enough was enough. Prior to me leaving last year on maternity leave some things were said to me that really hurt. I didn't want to come back and the only thing that made me go back was knowing i'd be in an office with the guys. WEll a couple weeks ago they changed who i had to 'report' too and that came to me in an email, didn't appreciate that AT ALL. But i got over it. Well today this thing came to me in an impromptu meeting called my the manager. Just told me Rachel your're moving back over here. Ok i thought.....i'm outta here. They were busy visuallizing how everything was going to look and eye contact by my 2 favorite co-workers was not looking at me. They knew what was coming.
Came back to my office, called my mom went and talked to two of the guys and then typed up my resignation. Office manager came over to 'talk to me' but the damage was done. I handed her my resignation. She left, came back later with the other 'manager' see here are you following all these 'manager's one of our problems is we have to many chiefs and not enough indians!!
They tried to persuade me otherwise but by then I saw an email come in from my dad saying 'Way to go' I'm never disappointed in you' I said i just got all the affirmation I needed from my husband and my dad.
Well then they told me I could leave at noon. THAT HURT!! I was fully planning on staying the 2 weeks and tying up the loose ends of which were MANY! I really lost it at that point. Of course not till they were gone and the two guys i work with came up and were shocked at what they just told me a/b leaving at noon.

SOOOOO here i am AT HOME!! I'm a STAY AT HOME MOM=SAHM that's me!! Dam proud too. I'm hurt that after 9 years i ended like this. Hurt that the real manager never came over to talk to me. Hurt that they didn't talk to me a/b this prior, but you know, that's life. It's full of hurts and disappointments and in the long run, i'm coming out ahead.

God will make it work, i know He will!! There were some things that kind of fell in to place prior to today that makes me think God was orchestrating this. But now i must not get discouraged being home. I must be happy for my hubby. I must not complain.

Dad called me this evening to see how i was doing. He said he's releaved for me and he even started to cry as we talked a/b me not ever disappointing him. Did i tell you he's an owner. There will be lots of explaining to come i'm sure, at the next board meeting. One of the owners daughters LEFT!? What the @#*$( happened!! Dad said an email was sent to the board members that i had quit, HATE that word. Said that i will be greatly missed...blah blah. Why am I always making the sacrifices and being pooped on. Myself and one other girl i work with always get the short end of the stick. We really do I'm not making this up.

So yeah, I'll stop now this has gotten way long. DH was over here saying are you recappng your story?? I replied yeah but i'm not sure any one even reads this. LOL Shot out if you do!

Well i should be able to blog more often now!!

Laura is Coming

My dear friend Laura ie LaLa, is coming from NEW JERSEY TOMORROW!! YEAH!! I met Laura when we sold her and her hubby 2 lab puppies, back in the day when we raised pups. It's amazing how God brought us together. Lets see, that would have been 4 years ago?? I posted an ad somewhere on the internet, she searched for Black Labs and came up with my ad along with a couple others. We continued to email back and forth till she said she would take ours. Did you catch that, TWO LABS!! Now we would have to ship these little lovers too!! What an experience but it was amazing. We continued to keep in touch.

I was rather interested in her life story and her love for labs. I wondered if she had kids, found out she didn't. I was going thru one of my SIX freakin mind you, IVF cycles, and wondered what her life story was. Well as i always say God brings people in to my life for a reason. She had walked in my shoes some years earlier. It was AMAZING!! I was going thru IVF with NO support from anyone that 'had done' it and here I meet this lady who knows EXACTLY what i'm going thru. Trust me, unless you've done IVF you do NOT know what it's like. Another post about that some time later.

So we shipped to lab puppies to her that she was going to suprise her husband with! It was so exciting. Marley and Dreyfus now live a WONDERFUL life in Stockton NJ. They have a great place to run around, swim and they even get spa treatments. They have a wonderful doggy hotel that they stay at and i'm telling you these dogs live a better life then most kids!

These dogs brought Laura and I together and we have formed a relationship/friendship that is just amazing. I've been out to see her and her here. We email sometimes daily, sometimes every other day. We've seen eachother thru sadness and happiness. Lauras dear daddy passed away during the early years of our friendship. I was still getting to know her then but it was very sad then already to see my friend hurting. It was then i knew we had something. THEN she saw us thru the many IVF cycles and then on to adoption. She was on my cell phone when Carson took his first cries!! She was on one phone and my mom on Jeff's phone. She was there, miles away, but she was there. She cried tears of joy with me!! It was the most amazing moment for me. Sob sob i have tears in my eyes now!!!

Then she was the first person I called that Christmas Day evening when i took a pregnancy test and it was POSITIVE. I called her right away. We cried, we cheered, we laughed we were also speechless. Then 9 months later i called her within seconds of Addison being born. To be honest, i really don't even remember that conversation. And you want to know who addison is named after?? Laura's mother. Her mother goes by Addie and i always loved that name.

Laura and her husband own a restaurant, here check it out www.chamberswalk.com I tell you i'm so dang proud of them. This place is amazing!! Please take a moment and check out the site. For my NJ friends, we shall meet here some day when i'm out there for lunch!!

So my eyes are now tearing up again. Tearing up for the joy Laura has brought in to my life. Everyone should have a friend like her. I could go on and on about her. I'm actually very blessed to not only have her as one of my very dear friends but also Shannan and Erica. Posts on them too some day!! So Laura....i can't WAIT TO SEE YOU!! I just can't wait!!
Love ya and thanks for being such an amazing, wonderful, great, trustworthy, honest friend. God blessed me when he brought you in to my life! Safe travels!!

C sliding in to pool

Eyes

SEVEN days from now i'll be free from my glasses!! Lasik surgery HERE I COME!! Went for my pre-op today. Had to get my eyes dilated 3 times what they normally would do. It was horrible. I had to wear those sexy glasses thingys and then drive back to work. Once at work and looking at my computer my eyes told me i was drunk but my brain said nope!! I couldn't do it. Everything was just a blur. So i left early. Actually driving wasn't to bad with my sunglass thingys.
Shocked the babysitter by being home 3 1/2 hrs early. Yesterday Jeff walked in the house and she was in the bathroom with the door open LOL!!!!! Jeff was in front of the door when she said 'ah, i'm in the bathroom and the door is NOT shut' Jeff was WAY more embarrased then she was. When you walk in from the garage you see the mirror in the bathroom which shows everything. Still getting a good ol' chuckle out of that one!
C got to swim this afternoon in the swimming pool. Mom and dad bought us a new one b/c we thought our old one was broke. It wasn't we just didn't have the right air plugs in. So now we have TWO b/c we didn't figure that out till AFTER we opened the new one. It's not inflated yet so maybe I can squeze it back in the box?? Yeah RIGHT:)

Kids are upstairs. C is learning to go to sleep with NO BINKY!! Last nite he kepts saying 'binky. binky' and i was like HERE!! Now tonite he's not asking for it, just wants his daddy. But all is quite now. @ 15 min of crying he did, or whining.

Our 'farm' not our house but the actual farm place/home place is being over ran by skunks. Well guess WHAT BOJI got sprayed!! A momma skunk and 4 little ones were somewhere and boji found them. Jeff said the momma ran boji down. It's not HORRIBLE but i have given him one bath (outside in the doggy pool) with Plumeria bubble bath. One hot smellin dog he is!!

C is whimpering again....if i go up there i know i'll cave and give him a binky....hohum... I think he's getting out of his crib. Time to go see what's going on...that noise didn't sound good!

More vidoe of Parade

Parade

Parade Time

We were in our first parade today!! The town near us was having a 125th celebration and C, DH and I were in the parade. What with you ask?? MY PURSES!! I was a BAG LADY. Daddy and C drove a lawnmower. NO purses attached to him. It was hotter then....well you know what. My gosh pushing that cart filled with purses was no easy task and i bet the parade was over 1 1/2 miles long. People were great. They loved my 'bag lady' idea, oh I didn't mention that I borrowed a grocery cart:) Many people took pictures of me and then of DH and C. C had much fun throwing canie...i know, CANDY but he calls it 'fro canie' although he never did get it down to throw it to the people, not before or after we went by them. Then he'd shake his bag wanting more...mo...mo he'd sign to us. He did wave to people and i'll try to attach a short clip of that.

Miss A was with her Godmother enjoying the parade from the shade of some great trees. She was happy to see us when we went by. I had this fear that'd we walk down the street knowing knowone and everyone would be like...oh...BORING...but they weren't and i knew many people. Especially the guy that said 'Hi RACHEL..' I was like do i know you? He said yeah you do...come to find out he was doing that to everyone and then i remembered i had my name on the cart. Dah...good one buddy!!

After i mustered enough energy to pry myself off the ground from the heat exhausion i took the lawnmower and cart to the park where i sold purses out of the cart!! Great idea eh?? It was...i sold @ 15 at least. Not to mention all the business cards i have floating around out there. What a great publicity this was and it didn't cost me anything to be in the parade. The lawn mower was provided by an implement dealer in the area that DH's friend works at. They even supplied candy. Chocolate...BAD IDEA On a 90 degree day, in the shade. Luckly they froze it prior.

This evening we went back to the town and ate and then they had a petting zoo. G'pa and G'ma L were with us. The petting zoo had every of goat. C kept calling them sheep and saying 'aww...that cute' he was having a blast till he got bucked up the nose with an antler!! My poor baby. His nose even bleed. Then it was time to go. I think what happened is he was going down as the goat was coming up. I found a gouch on his head too during bath time. But not much blood. Oh and one of the animals chewed on Miss A's sandal thru the gates. She liked that. and she was happy too till one nibbled on her hands. That ended her visit at the zoo.

Tomorrow we're heading up to my parents for the day. Will try and make it up in time for church! That's @ 930. It'll be interesting if we can do it.

Father's Day tomorrow!! happy dad's day to all!!

Did i mention how hot it was ?? Oh yeah i did. Just wanted to make sure i didn't for get that. LOL

Farm house is quite

Kids are sleeping, dogs aren't here and it's peaceful in the house. I was home from work today because our sitter couldn't babysite today. I tried till 1015 last nite trying to call our other sitter and got no answer. DH is busy mowing so he can bale. He promises after this he'll be around more. I'm not sure if that's good or not hahaha.

So i'm really struggling right now with what to do about work. I really want to stay home but then i have a day like today and it's like AM I SURE I want to stay home?? Miss A is SUCH a fuss bucket. She did sleep all afternoon and C to a nice long nap too. THANK HEAVEN for NAPS!! But then I got called by work about issues and I sat and instant messaged the supervisor in tears b/c i was so frustrated that things have to go wrong when i'm gone and that i'm sure will have a 'talk' tomorrow. Nothing i can really do about issues that come up like they did today. I really need everyone else to step up to the place instead of calling me. I will put down a hr of working for today. I have set my resignation point and when one or both are reached I will resign. Can't stand the word 'quit' b/c i am SO NOT a quitter.

Quitter...not in my vocab. After 5 + IVF attempts, one failed adoption (we had to end it) and heck look at my house! I don't QUIT!! So mom came up with RESIGNING. MUCH better!

SO today, the yard got 1/2 mowed. Man I HATE mowing. I hate the bugs, flying grass and good grief if there is anything in my way i have no mercy. I did something to the mower that left it unusable. No suprise. I see grass i mow it no matter whats underneath it. Much to DH's dismay!! but then don't put me on it. I haven't mowed since last summer when i saw a snake that ended that. But i braved it this time! Saw no snakes. Got two play things put together that i bought out of the paper. One is a Step 2 play and climby thing and the other is a house.

Quit? man was i tempted to throw both things out. WOW what an undertaking THAT was. But they are together and i had to wait for DH to come home and finish it. While working on it I came in to check on the kids and email and someone pulled up in to our driveway. I didn't recognize him so i snuck away from the computer and ran upstairs. He knocked forever. He had a blue tooth, papers, noteboook, and i didn't recognize the license plate. NOw i wished the dogs were here b/c KNOWONE stops when they see THREE dogs laying in the driveway. Heck don't even think about pulling IN TO our driveway with out the rath of MOCHA!!

So i'm not sure who he was but he left and left nothing on the door. No I don't think he was a Jehovah Witness. They know better then to come around here.

Well folks, i think i jumped from one subject to another. But that's my life. Constantly doing something else while thinking something too:) Goodnight house!!

Rocker boy

I just had to post these pics of C rocking with his guitar and then the sunglasses. At no prompting by us he did this all by himself. He keeps saying 'rock'n'roll' I have a GREAT video that i will try to post too sometime.

Bath Time

Isn't this picture(s) ADORABLE!!

Tried going garage saling today. I bought NOTHING!! It was not good or fun for that matter. I'm not going to even think a/b the gas money I spent-DEPRESSING!! If gas prices keep going up it is not going to be worth it to drive to work every day. (I drive 40 miles one way) I have been pricing out insurance and I think we could swing it assuming I really picked up my purse business. Maybe I could make a website with my purses?? Anyone have an 'easy' program to do that?

Besides gas costs work is just really getting to me. Big changes have been going on and I fear the day they tell me I have to move back to the other office, with the women. That is the day I'll walk. Here it is on my blog!! I will do it!!

Kids are great. They are sleeping now. But not after C dumped my laundry baskets out. As you'll see from the pic I don't know how many days of laundry i had to fold, but it was a lot. Miss A had pulled them out before everything was folded. C did it after everything was folded. AND I think he might have hit A with the laundry basket. She was a wailing! When i discovered what he did, I was unloading the dishwasher, there were clothes EVERYWHERE! I freaked but he said 'i sorry' to A I was like, hmmm what did you do to her??

So they are in bed and sound asleep.

Enjoy the pics!!

Active place

This ol' farm house is a rockin!! Or something like that. Kids are busy, daddy's busy and yes I got my wisdom teeth out. Don't worry tho, the wisdom didn't go with them. Although I think the pain med did something to me. Right before I went in work called. They had MAJOR problems with a cut we did Thursday night. SO....after my teeth were yanked, and yes my blood pressure was elevated, I went in to work. Yah....real lovely I looked. No make up on, sweatpant gouchos and a pink T-shirt. THEN the really nasty part was my mouth. Couldn't feel my tongue and i was gagging on blood. BUT I still was able to call someone an arrogant jack arse!!

Yup sure did. Couldn't help it it just slipped. I was so frustrated with this arrogant guy with Qwest that I was talking to. Wow was he rude and I had had enough. Come on BUDDY my frickin mouth was killing me, I had a cancer center that couldn't accept any calls, and he thought I was out of my mind. So yes the words came out of my mouth. Everyone around me scampered away and I was left with no choice but to hang up before some other nasty words came out of my mouth. I must say those two words came out loud and clear!



Problems were fixed 2 1/2 hrs later and I came home to the kiddos.



Right now they are sleeping. I couldn't keep C awake. I don't think he's feeling the best. His nose is runny and he just seems sluggish. I had to take the two of them to church today. Now wasn't that fun. I got there and within 3 min. Pastor says Rachel the piano quit working. Well after some plugging and unplugging we realized a fuse was blown. Betty and I fixed it!! My words when i went up to test the piano to the congregation 'Never underestimate the power of two women". There was 2 bapitisms today so the church was full, normaly we have maybe 30 people in church and thats on a good Sunday. So Pastor was greatly relieved. But the good part was I have her Addie while i worked things out. Well by the time I got upstairs she was sitting at the pulpit with Addie LOL!! Carson was with me so I walked him to the bench and then I walked forward and got her. Only in Cushing IA would a Pastor walk down the aisle with our 9 month old. Actually only Pastor Sheryl hahaha



The other big news is my friend/car pooling buddy had her baby. Baby Girl 'Andrea Delsie' Delsie was the fathers moms name, she passed away while giving birth to daddy's youngest brother. V nice that they honored her with naming the first baby girl after her. Not sure where Andrea came from, not a name you hear of to often these days!? But the Andrea I work with is a DOLL!! This means that there's a chance that 'Andrea' and 'Addison' might be in the same grade!! Might, b/c with Addie's August b-day she could either be the youngest or oldest in her class.



We went to see the new baby and mommy yesterday. Just the kids and I. C pee'd his pants just as we got there and as usual, I had NO back up clothes. WHY!!!! We didn't stay long as mommy was tired and the baby was in the nursery. I then decided to be brave and took the kids to the "Olive Garden' Yup ALL BY MYSELF!! It went really well!! The food was great, especially with my soar mouth. I didn't even know C man was with me he ate so good. Miss A did good too!



Graduation party last nite and today.



So, here are some pics of C and his toys. I get SUCH a kick out of listening and watching him play. He has a 'papa' and a 'Delbut' (delbert) farmer and those two take care of the animal. I wonder many times what he was thinking when i find animals or 'people' in wierd places. I hope you see the humor and cutness in this as much as I did.



Farewell!!