Eli Update..

Here's my little bruiser. The swelling has gone down, but the color has turned up. His eye is black and purple, but the stitches are looking wonderful.
Training pants are the fashion statement tonight, he didn't do very well with the potty today, so we are putting him on it every 45 minutes.

A Meme for Rachael...

10 years ago I was: realizing that my first marriage was over.

5 years ago I was: a single Mom, loving my life, fluorishing in my career, a month away from meeting the man I was to walk the rest of my life with.

1 year ago I was: remembering my Mother because today is her birthday.

Yesterday I was: spending time with my two youngest sons and understanding that I need to be with them as much as they need to be with me.

5 snacks that I enjoy: cheez-its, honey roasted peanuts, popcorn (kettlecorn), peanut m&m's and mustard pretzels.

5 songs I know all the words to: Crazy Love by Van Morrison, The Promise by Tracy Chapman, Lover Lay Down by Dave Matthews, When I Fall in Love by Nat King Cole, Somewhere Over The Rainbow...

5 things I would do with a million dollars: tithe, pay off my mortgage, pay off the rest of my children's college education, pay off all of our debt, invest wisely

5 favorite TV shows:1. Grey's Anatomy 2. Brother's and Sisters 3. Numbers. House 5. CSI

5 things I am thankful for: My salvation, My children, My husband, My education, My ability to sustain and take care of myself and my family if need be.

2 names I go by:1. Kimberley/Kim/Kimber/Mom/RedMaryJanes/RMJ/Betty in my bar going days.

2 parts of your heritage Irish, Danish

2 things that scare me: The thought of anything happening to my children, heights

2 of my every day essentials: Kisses and coffee

2 things I am wearing right now: I got a wish necklace yesterday that I am wearing on my wrist, my wedding ring

2 of my favorite bands/musical artists (at the moment): Rascal Flatts, Nora Jones

2 things I want in a relationship (other than real love): Partnership, Understanding

2 truths: Jesus died to save me, I have been blessed

2 physical things that appeal to me in the opposite sex:I like a tall strong man, hair

2 of my favorite hobbies: gardenging, scrapbooking

2 things I want really badly: my children to have wonderful productive lives, a safe world fot them to live in

2 places I want to go on vacation: egypt and ireland

2 ways I am stereotypically a chick: I want my doors opened and my bills paid.

2 things I normally wouldn't admit: my weight, my shoe size

2 things I am thinking about right now: Eli is upset about something, Tyler is at hunter's safety

2 stores you shop at: Target and Tuesday Morning

2 people I haven't talked to in a while: My little sister Andrea and my friend Carrie

Thank You Secret Buddy for a most Amazing Gift...

I am always anxious when it comes to the middle of the month because I know that I will be receiving a gift from my secret buddy. She is very thoughtful and creative. Her gifts are always from the heart and very unique.
This month she sent me a red thread wish necklace. Well, I'm sure you all can guess what I wished for and I am wearing my red thread right now and will not take it off until it falls off per the instructions. What fun!
As always, the card is very special. I have purchased a keepsake box to keep her cards in and I will be making a scrapbook of all of the fun cards and things that I receive along the way on my journey to Sophia.
Thank you secret buddy. I really feel so fortunate to be matched with you. You are incredible!

Eli's Owie...

Look at my poor baby. Eli fell yesterday and hit his left cheekbone. His cut required a trip to the emergency room and four stitches. It was just awful. They had to strap him down to a board and give him three numbing shots in his wound. Then the stitches. He tried so hard to be brave. I did too, holding back my tears so he wouldn't see.


The medical team was just wonderful. The stitches will dissolve on their own. They told me that he will most likely have a scar, but to keep antibiotic ointment on it and liquid vitamin e when it heals a little further.

Here is a close-up of his stitches and puffy eye. You would never guess he was hurt though, he was running around like a little wild man today. It hasn't phased him a bit.

A Message From Gwen...

To My Blog Family,

Words will never be able to express how much I have enjoyed this day of celebrating my sweet daughter, Maggie. Very soon she will feel the love that was expressed today and more. Your gifts, well wishes, and prayers are cherished by our family and one day I hope to show Maggie the comments from the shower to show her that from afar we were already loving her. To have so many people whom faces I have never seen in person to reach out their hand of kindness shows how the Lord takes his simple plan for adoption and connects His people with a thread that can not be broken.Special Thanks to RMJ, my sweet friend for all her hard work, energy, enthusiasm, and love that she has for her friends and for all of us bringing home our daughters .... You are a real Jewel !!!!

Thank You All !!!!

Love, Gwen (Maggie's Proud Mom) ... check out OatsvallTeam.Blogspot.com in the days to come for present updates!

Welcome to Gwen and Maggie's Baby Shower!!

Hello everyone and welcome to the baby shower! If you would like to rsvp to receive Gwen's wish list for Maggie, just e-mail me at timnkim@gmail.com and I will get it right over to you. Gwen is going to be printing out the comments and keeping them for Maggie, so if you want to leave any good wishes, or just want to chat with some fellow bloggers, just jump into the comments. Each 5th rsvp will be receiving a shower gift. The shower gifts are shown in a post below. Please enjoy the photos of Maggie's family in the sidebar.

I will be coming in and out throughout the day to make sure that everyone gets the list and is having a great time! Thank you for supporting this family and their new little girl.

Shower gift winners:

Steffie B. at 'Never Too Many'

Leigh Ann - Gwen's sister-in-law

Nikki at 'Life with Lily Lin'

A Special Post From Maggie's Aunt & Uncle, Paul and Leigh Ann...

"Most of all the other beautiful things in life come by twos and threes by dozens and hundreds. Plenty of roses, stars, sunsets, rainbows, brothers,and sisters, aunts and cousins, but only one mother in the whole world." --Kate Douglas Wiggin




Gwen,Of all the women in the whole world, you were chosen to be the "one mother in the world" to Maggie. Love and Miss you bunches, Paul & Leigh Ann

Our gifts for Maggie.

Baby Shower Prizes~

Each 5th RSVP receives a shower gift! These are the prizes, so feel free to request one that you life if you are a winnner!

3 Posts Today...A Dream of Sophia...

Today I had my first dream of Sophia. As many of you already know, I had a dream before my BFF became pregnant with her second child. I saw the child laying on the floor next to her big sister, they were lying on their backs, hair layed out, looking up at me. I told my friend she was going to be pregnant soon with a daughter and I described her perfectly. That child was born and was the child of my dream. I am her Godmother.

I came home from work very tired today. I took a nap upstairs in my room with my cat. I had my first dream of Sophia. I have never dreamed of any of my other three children or anyone else's except for my Goddaughter. The dream was interupted by my husband and Eli coming home, but she is beautiful. Her hair stays in my mind.

Big Hug to my girls Steffie, Verna and Becky...

We'll get through this. Verna, this one is called the hug fairy.

Please Head over to 'Two Kayaks' And Lend Some Comfort...

I see a lot of support over there, but if anyone still hasn't heard, K1's mother has had a stroke. She is asking for thoughts, a hug and maybe a prayer or two. Their blog is 'Two Kayaks', please find your way over and leave some kind words.

Some Tough News from our Adoption Agency...

Several of us received word yesterday from Bethany that they will not be reviewing requests for SN children from their waiting families unless those families' dossiers have made it through the review room.

So, if you are with Bethany and your dossier has not cleared the review room and you were anticipating seeing the upcoming COP list, you may want to contact your social worker.

Quote for the Week...

I am grateful for the adoption sisterhood.

9/11

My New Coping Mechanism...

Truly, this is my new stance. The rumors have been way off for months now. The timelines keep growing. I'm tired of trying to figure it all out. I'm tired of the monthly rollercoaster . I'm hunkered down and I'm riding it out. I don't need to see any more graphs or hear anymore guesses. It just makes me nuts. I'm here for the long haul. I will cherish every baby I see come home and hold them in my heart until my Sophia comes home.

Sara Needs Some Encouragement...

Sara, I love you girl. You put together the China Weight Loss Mom's blog (I haven't lost a pound in 2 months now), but I still love that blog. Your blog 'Wish I May Wish I Might' is the cat's ass (this is a Dragonfly term I've picked up)-it means you rock. I'm sorry that this waiting madness is bringing you down.

Please everyone, drop Sara a good line!

Have a Great Monday!

It's Monday again~today should be pretty busy at work. Have a great week everyone!

Happy Birthday Rhonda!

Happy Birthday Rhonda!!! Rhonda's blog is 'Our Journey to Little Maple and Back'. I hope you are having a great day!!

Saw Someone At Church Today...

As most of you know, we have started to attend a new church. It's been really amazing, each time we go, we encounter friends who have adopted daughters, one couple has twins from China and another has a daughter from Korea.

Well, today I was signing Eli up for his Sunday school class and low and behold, I look up and see Kelly from 'Katie's Antics'! She was there with her husband and sons and their beautiful little Katie who was adopted from China. We ended up sitting together through the church service and it was really great to run into her. I lost her though when leaving the sanctuary, this is a LARGE church.

Kelly, thank you so much for taking us under your wing. We had a wonderful time. I tried to find you again, but there was just so many people.

Baby Shower for Maggie Next Saturday...

Please join us next Saturday, September 15th for a baby shower for a very special little girl. Maggie is the newest member of the Oatsvall family. Their blog is 'The Oatsvall Team'. Please take some time to visit their blog and read Maggie's story.

I been asked several times to release Gwen's wish list for Maggie and so today I am unveiling it.

Maggie's head was badly burned while in foster care in China. Two mother's have volunteered to have their daughter's hair cut for Locks of Love to make a wig for Maggie. That is just one of the most beautiful gifts I have ever heard of. I don't know how many hair donations would be needed to make a wig, but if any of you Mom's would be willing, I think that would be incredible.

Please e-mail me if you would like to have Gwen's wish list. My e-mail address is timnkim@gmail.com, I'm doing it this way so that she doesn't receive duplicates of the same gifts. If you plan to purchase something from the list, let me know and I will remove your list item.

Gwen is also putting together a box of needed items to leave behind at Maggie's orphanage. Please keep the orphans in mind and feel free to include one of the items below or one of your choice to be sent to the orphanage and include it clearly labeled with your gift for Maggie.

blankets
socks
wash clothes

If anyone would like to support the shower on their blog, it would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to add the sidebar graphic or do a post. Thank you so much~