got some new pics today of my sister...

well, i received several pictures today of madisyn... some were sent by barbara walker & others were sent by licia betor (whom madisyn's living near)... they run a rescue clinic in cazale, haiti... you can read all about what they're doing up there by clicking on http://www.xanga.com/haitinurse4life... (note: don't go to their site if you get sick from the sight of blood)... madisyn was to go with barbara today for wrist xrays, but that's all, as every thing else's already done... well, i'll try & blog more later... ttfn

stayed home all day & got absolutely NOTHING done...

boy, i know we all need these days, but i sure don't like them much... days when we're home all day with nothing to do & then at the end of the day, i'm more tired that i'd be if i'd have worked my tail off (is that even possible - to work your tail off?... boy, i sure with it was - anyway, back to the meat of this post)... seemed like kiara was in trouble most of the day as she's into this pushing thing... it's truly not as if she's trying/wanting to hurt ruby or karleigh & neither one of them let her get by with it without telling on her immediately, but she's still doing it... when you ask her why she pushed she said, "cause i did"... well duh, we know you did!!! UGH... i know it's just one of those 'phases' that kids will go through (some bite, some hit & other push), but it's not fair to the little ones & in the end, she's in trouble... one good thing about all this' that she's assured us that, 'it'll never, never, NEVER happen again' *just smiling, as i've heard that exact phrase about 5 times today!*... tomorrow kiara doesn't have school as they're doing their parent/teacher conferences & ours are at 8:45am... what was i thinking agreeing to that time, on a day when we don't even have school & to have to drag out 2 little ones for what, 15-20 minutes!!... it's not the teachers faults, but boy, wish i'd have thought harder about that one... today brit & i went through & added some things to my blog (gotta keep updating it so you all don't get bored ya know!)... i'll keep playing around with it over the next few days (or months) adding/deleting things, so tell me whatcha think!!... have a happy monday!!

the ICK's finally gone from our home - PRAISE THE LORD!!!

well, it's true, we've not heard a cough at all today & we're claiming victory in the 'ICK' department... this junk started christmas morning when brit got up & until yesterday we've been battling it the entire time... it's been one or more of us passing it around & i'm happy to announce, it's outta here!... we're getting together tomorrow with kyle, angie & their kiddos (that's who we're vacationing with this year) & we're all excited about that...

yesterday i started redoing the girls' hair (starting with kiara & karleigh)... i then finished up today (with ruby) & i'm done for another month!!... i love doing it, but man is it time consuming... i'm going to post a few pictures (below) on here for my sister so she can give me tips/pointers on how i'm doing as she's still in haiti, but hopefully will be home sometime by the end of this year (2007)...

this evening we went to my niece's birthday party... megan's 5 today (happy birthday megan!) & boy did the kiddos have fun!... there was bubbles, cake, ice cream, space to run & when you add all that in with 6 little girls ages 5y, 4y, 4y, 3y, 3y & 2y, you've got a VERY fun time... there was also smoochin' going on as my parents were 'caught'... we all had a great time & hope you enjoy the pics of all the silliness!5y megan (the birthday girl)

2y katie (the birthday girl's little sister)

3y morgon (the birthday girl's niece)

5y megan, 4y kiara & 3y karleigh (the back of her head at least!)

4y ruby

3y karleigh (making a face cause the bubbles were getting in her eyes)

dad & mom smoochin'!

happy birthday mom!!...

well, we went to grandma's house tonight as it was her bday & we'd not even seen her since a couple days before christmas as we've all been sick!... lots of the family came over to wish her a happy birthday & i think she really enjoyed it... all the kiddos got to play with their cousins & then they got cookies for dessert... here's a picture that was taken over the summer, but i thought it was a good one of her & wanted to share... tomorrow's preschool for kiara & ruby, so karleigh & i are off to papaw/nana's house to help them work on their dossier to bring madisyn home (boy, it's fun when i'm not the one having to do all the running!)... spike will be getting home late tomorrow night as he'll be out of tow all day, so when we're done at papaw/nana's, we'll be heading home for the night... well, more tomorrow... ttfn!

party night!...

well, ruby's birthday was a couple weeks ago (8th), but with all the snow we've gotten & last weekend we were out of town hosting a haitian weekend, we've not had time to take her out for her birthday dinner... we went tonight & dad/mom went with us (forgot the camera, sorry!) & we all had a great time... we ate, they came out & sang to her (which she was a lovin'!), then came the presents & ice cream, YUM!!... she got an outfit from us which i'll take her to get her pics taken in, in the next few days & a huge dora stuffed doll/pillow from papaw & nana... her mouth flew open when she saw it & she started signing DORA!... she's carried it around the restaurant, all the way to the car & proudly escorted dear dora into our home when we got back... i'll be sure & post new pics as soon as we get them taken...

all these sickos!!...

wow, i'm up to my armpits in ill people!!... brit's still got her deep cough (might help if she'd actually TAKE the meds that we've gotten for her, but...), ruby's got a cough & fever off/on, kiara & karleigh both have complained over the past couple days of having tummy aches & spike's got a sore throat!... i'm about the only normal one around here (but you all knew that, right?)... things are going alright, just will be glad when everyone's on the mend & will stay there!... we've not even seen spike's mom since december 23 EEEEK!... she certainly does NOT want us coming over & passing this all around... seems when 1 gets better, 2 more get sick, maybe we'll see her by memorial day, you think?... had to get a new washer/dryer as mine passed away... we'd a stackable unit which i loved, but the dryer's been misbehaving for a long time & just last week the washer decided it was going to follow suit... we went & purchased a new stackable unit with loads more capasity & i love it!!... this set only needs to run the dryer 1 time to get them dry (opposed to the 4 times + that i was having to do with the old set... well, spike's here saying, "car's running, gotta go!", so we're off to run errands & get more meds... ttfn!

BRRRR, it's a blizzard out there!...

wow, we're at 14" of snow & it's still coming down... it's blowing & drifting all over the place... we stayed home all day long & will tomorrow too, except that ----- our washer broke!!... we've gotta try & get out tomorrow sometime to head to HHgregg & purchase a new one - UGH!... spike's going to go out tomorrow & 'play' with the snow blower as all men will be doing & i really think he's looking forward to it!... when johny was here, he sooooo wanted to see snow, well johny, we've got some now for ya!!!... this past weekend we'd haitian camp in ft. wayne, IN & there was almost 100 people that showed... we all had a wonderful time & what we can see's that people that come to these gatherings on a regular basis are now not only just 'people who're connected by haitian adoptions', but rather 'friends' & we could all really feel that this weekend... we missed those that weren't able to attend, but also loved spending time that showed up too... i do think we'll try & have it at a different location (same general area, just different hotel) as this one that we've been going to's getting a bit 'run down' (pool too cold, lock on child play area was broke, etc.)... well, i'm going to get off here as i've still got things to accomplist before heading to bed & it's almost midnight... nite!

i'm getting a new sister!!!...

wow... i still can't believe it, but god's done it again!!!... to make a long story extremely short(er), my parents are adopting mirlande (above) from haiti!!!... this' the girl i'd posted on my blog a few weeks ago that we're sponsoring & sending to school... well, things are just working out so well, that my parents have decided after much prayer, talking to friends/family, etc. to adopt her & call her their own... she's 13 now (14 in may) & will be named Madisyn Mirlande :)... i'm so excited i can hardly wait!... we'll be going to meet her in october as we've already had the trip planned... she's been told that she's to be adopted & seems very good with the idea... please pray with us that god comforts her through this whole exciting adventure called adoption, that he gives dad/mom peace that they're doing the right thing & that finances move in the right direction QUICKLY!... they're both so excited & can't wait to see her... i just had to share as i'm bubbly inside!!

happy birthday ruby!!...

well, ruby turned 4y today... wow, where does time go?... she's doing very well & is working on potty training (yes, still working on it)... she does just fine, until she gets mad & in trouble & then she misteriously has an 'accident' - hmmmmm... she's still a tiny little thing, but certainly holds her own!... we're starting to work on a 'sticker reward chart' & she's starting to get the hang of, 'if i get 3 stickers, i get something good!'... we're all heading out of town tomorrow AM to head to ft. wayne, IN for haitian camp... we're looking forward to it as we go there every year... this year's supposted to be a very large crowd & we can't wait!... i'll add new pictures of all the kids as soon as we get home too... here's recent picture of ruby, but we'll be getting her bday pictures taken soon so we'll add them in when i get them back... happy birthday sweetie, we love you!!

new shoes & COLD weather...

well, today was kiara's first day back to school since being sick & she was so ready... they even had 'hotel' today too (show & tell)... after picking her up, we stopped & got nana & went to muncie to buy the girls some new sneakers... they love getting new shoes (what girl doesn't?) & couldn't wait to show daddy when he got home... this evening we decided to take them all to a movie as we've not been out of the house for almost 2 weeks (EEEK!), so we went to see arthur & the invisables & they loved it... it was a cute movie, but boy, when we left the theatre, it was COLD!!!... we rushed home, hopped into jammies & off to bed they went with no fussies at all as they were beat!... tomorrow, spike's working here at home & then also some at the office & i've got some errands to run... i've gotta hit target & dj's again as i'm packaging up some things for our new daughter, mirlande, that's in haiti... we bought her a couple new outfits today & a new purse, etc. & now i've gotta get her some pretty hair things... i've heard she's such a sweet girl & i can't wait to meet her at some point (our next trip!)... i know a couple that's there now, that's to be taking pics of her, for us & so i'm very excited to see them when they return... well, i'm off to bed (or at least gearing myself that way)... tata!