Hey all faithful followers of the Klipsch blog…I am happy you are here.

Just a few quick notes..I would encourage all to visit my friend Jody’s blog..if you go over to the right of my blog you’ll see the link under “Landers” or you can go to http://www.landersadoption.blogspot.com. Her husband is our worship leader at church (the best one at that) and when they say behind every man….they are referring to the Landers. Anyhow, they are adopting from Sierra Leone, which for those geographically challenged (hey, I’m not a hater, I would consider myself one of those) that is also in Africa. They are the proud parents to 4 boys already and are now going to have twin 2-yr-olds from Sierra Leone. I’ve mentioned them before, but wanted you to go to their blog to a) see pictures of those beautiful babes and b) pray for them that they may be able to go over there VERY soon to meet their newest kids.

Also, was on our forum just a few minutes ago (as mentioned previously, it’s a heinously addicting guilty pleasure of mine). One of the forum members has so generously donated her time to create what’s called “The List”. This list includes everyone on the forum waiting for their referral. It’s fairly accurate as far as the forum goes, but there are still many people going through CHSFS who aren’t on the forum/List so we have to take that into account as well. Anyhow, was just peeking through out of curiosity as to how long people have been waiting for siblings, how many are waiting for siblings, etc. There is only 1 other couple waiting for a sibling group 3.5 yrs and younger and they’ve been waiting for 5 MONTHS!! There are many others (7) others who are waiting for sibling groups 3 yrs and younger and range from wait times of 7 MONTHS and down. Oh, so I’m going to settle ourselves down for a bit and get comfty with our sibling group we have now. 🙂

On another note, we are continuously keeping our eyes on the WIC list and praying over the children on there. Please keep them in your prayers as well (they are kids on what’s called the waiting international children list who are waiting for various reasons, i.e. medical, age related, etc). We know if God intends us to have one of these angels He will reveal it to us in due time.

Enough for now, my eldest has his last soccer game tomorrow, sniff sniff. Our time as coaches is almost officially over and I enjoyed it immensly. Hope you all have great weekends!

Well, I think we passed. At least, our SW kept referring to the kids we were going to have, etc etc. She did mention she would like to see progress photos of our house (hey, you and me both, babe) so that’ll be an ongoing deal I’m sure.

So now, we wait until our SW writes up the formal homestudy (she says about 2 weeks). Once we get the approved homestudy, we will get our dossier (I think it’s French for crapton of paperwork, but can’t be sure) together. We send the dossier off to CHSFS, they send it off to Ethiopia and oila! we will be officially waiting for our referral. No real concrete idea as to when that will be, but I’m planning on telling myself that I am now officially paper pregnant. That way, I can settle in for 9 months of waiting to hear word on my children. This one will, of course, be different than the last two. Firstly, this one will be a *hopefully* a bit easier on the scale. Secondly, I won’t be feeling them kick or see pictures of them in the womb. I will and do love them just as sure as they were growing in there because as most adoptive parents would tell you, they have been growing in our hearts as our biological children grow in our womb. Unfortunately I won’t be able to talk the doctors into inducing me this time, and there is literally nothing I can do either real or imagined to speed the process along.

Now we get to the constant worry of the financial issue of adoption. Obviously this is where the money starts hemmoraging from our wallets to CHSFS so that will be interesting. Please pray that we will figure that part out.

After waking up early and steam cleaning our carpets in his underwear, my husband waited until the SW was gone and started demolition on our house, what wonderful site that is!

Best be getting off to snuggle with my hubby before he goes to Biscuits (the essence of small town bar) to watch the Cubs game. Go Cubies!

So today reminded me of the days when my mom would come home and say to herself while going up the stairs, “I had me such a hard day today.” Because “I had me such a hard day today.”

To set the stage, Zach got offered the Director of Camp position in April of this year. I had heard how gross the Director’s house was before that but didn’t really have a picture of it. One of our friends went through it and said it needed to be condemned and torn down. I went through it and had to plug my nose, wear my shoes and not let my kids get down to play. It really was that bad. We accepted the offer after they had said they were going to renovate the house for us. A couple months later, the bottom floor was being renovated (it houses the two kids’ rooms and the kitchen). So I was excited by the progress.

We’ve now been in the house for 2 months and virtually nothing has been done since then. It’s been SO hard for me, as the top floor hasn’t been touched and that’s where most of our stuff is. I hit the wall tonight because Dailah’s head got stuck in the freakin’ railing. Plus, I was cleaning for over 3 hours to prepare for our last homestudy tomorrow and I would be willing to bet the layperson coming into the house would not be able to tell I spent so much time doing it.

Sooo, I’m a fairly laidback person. I don’t get worked up over much but I’m officially worked up over the homestudy tomorrow. I guess the reason is because I’m honestly not sure if I were the social worker, that I’d be able to okay the family living here to bring in more kids until conditions improve. I’m just plain upset I suppose.

My always amazing husband sensed my frustration (and by sensed, I mean heard me bawling uncontrollably) and asked what he could do before tomorrow to make me a little more comfortable. He hung up the phone, called back a few minutes later and announced he was getting himself and the guy working on the house together to work on it from 8-12 tomorrow. What oh what did I do to deserve him?

So I’m trying to get in a positive place. Living here (did I mention it’s free?) has made it possible for me to stay-at-home. My day consists of working out, training a few people and laughing uncontrollably with my kids, do I really have the right to complain? I struggle with that so much because on one hand I praise God for giving us the opportunity to live at camp, on the other I ask how I’ve constantly put my kids in a position where they could be injured, perhaps even seriously.

Ok, I’ve got to stop dwelling on this and get back to more serious things like The Bachelor. 🙂 If you’re reading, Lindsay, I’m thinking of you, can’t wait to hear possible baby news!

So this weekend, Friday 11-8, Saturday 8-5 and Sunday 7-3, I was at a Les Mills training (a fitness thing, go to http://www.lesmills.com to check it out) this weekend. It was INTENSE to say the least but extremely rewarding. I’ve always been one to find HUGE value in women getting together for GOOD and accomplishing things they didn’t even think was possible. This weekend there were 15 girls (and one boy, thanks Brian) that came together and it was seriously awesome. We all had quite a bit in common: a true belief in the values of fitness, the passion to change lives with what we know about fitness and the desire to take our fitness backgrounds to the next level. I can say without a doubt we mastered it all! What was so amazing to me was watching our bodies continue moving even when our heads said it was impossible. I’ve always been one to appreciate the human form (thank you, God for creating such masterpieces as Brad Pitt circa Fight Club, etc, etc) but it really was amazing. I kept praying all weekend and just giving thanks to God for giving me a body that could move let alone accomplish such crazy stuff!

On another note, our last homestudy was supposed to be tomorrow but I called our SW (again, she didn’t call me, I had to call her) and she’s had the flu all weekend, doesn’t know if she’ll be over it by tomorrow. So it’s next Tuesday. NOT MY TIMING, NOT MY TIMING, that is my mantra.

My eldest son had a soccer game on Saturday when I was away. The kid scored 5 goals! If you noticed from previous posts, he was the one to be playing with his hair and pulling grass in previous seasons, so it was so exciting hearing how excited he was when I talked to him Saturday night.

My dearest daughter has begun to take a few steps here and there. I’ll be the first to admit I never saw this coming. 🙂 I thought we still had a few months (and we still might) so it’s just crazy. I look at her and I still feel like she’s too young to be doing it! So as congratulations, Zach and I (and Tman) bought her some Ugh boots and ballernia shoes tonight. Not exactly on my Target list, but a necessity nonetheless. 🙂

That’s all for now, must get to my guilty pleasure of the night, but will remain mum on what exactly that is!

For the record, to those few of you demanding pictures, some nicer than others, I’ve been trying for a few days, it’s just hard on this new computer of mine!

Anyway, the last couple days have been really great. First of all, today my youngest daughter took her first steps! It was very exciting and made even more fun because she laughed hysterically at herself each time. Looking forward to the next few weeks to see if she finally gets the hang of it.

I was also able to meet another mom adopting from Africa and I can’t tell you how much that relationship will bless me in the months and years to come. Her family also goes to our church so it will be really nice having our children together as well.

Tonight the kiddos and myself took off to see the African Children’s Choir. It was so amazing and worth it. Can’t believe how talented those kids are! What beautiful faces and voices!

I just had to follow up the last email by saying I really couldn’t be more blessed. I look at my life and am completely humbled by everything I’ve been given. My pride is kept in check when I realize there are no real differences between myself and the other moms struggling around the world. I hope to bless their lives in any way I can. I don’t know what role I can do yet, but I pray it’s something for someone out there.

Off to itch my ridiculous amounts of mosquito bites. I guess that’s what I get for holding a Boot Camp out at Camp. When will it get chilly enough to kill those little devils?

It’s 10:42 on a Friday night. The kids are in bed, my parents are staying the night on their way to watch my favorite little brother play soccer in Chicago, my favorite husband is bowling with his siblings and I’m here, not sleeping. Thinking and praying and crying. I know, those that know me are asking themselves, “what’s new?”

Interesting sidenote, I am on my bed at camp typing this, we finally got the internet today out here. Yippee ki yay (how in the world would you spell such a thing?)

Anywho…I’m thinking of my kids this night. Not just my kids who are safe and sound. One in her crib, her soft blankets caressing her baby skin, heated house on this frosty night. One on the floor, surrounded by a grandma and grandpa that love him. Both with more blankets, stuffed animals and love than can fit in one room, one house, one nation, even. But I’m also thinking of my kids in Ethiopia. We talked a lot with our social worker at our homestudy (which went well by the way) about what we were thinking for our kids. We’re pretty set on 2 siblings 3.5 and under. She seemed to be pushing us towards one for some reason but we’ve been feeling led to two. We will continue to pray and talk this over. I’m begging for His will and not my own on this issue.

But are my children born yet? Are they suffering? GOD PLEASE DO NOT LET THEM BE SUFFERING! Rainy season has somewhat ended. Were they protected during this time? Were they kept warm and dry by coverings or love? Do they know of you, Dearest Jesus? Do they know of your grace that will bring them to us in the harshest of ways. Do they know of their impending loss and our impending gain? Do they know how my heart aches for their hurt and yearns for them? Tell them, tell them I love them already. Tell them though they may lose all that is good and true in their world, we will love them as our own.

Tell them of their amazing daddy they will be getting. Who will love them more than they can measure. Who will be there, through the pain, suffering, joys, love, hurt, crying, laughing and everything in between. Who will be their rock. Who will teach them of You and all Your goodness.

Tell them of their big brother who will teach them what kindess means. What it means to laugh from your belly. How to trick mommy into thinking you ate more than you did. Who will get them in trouble and keep them out of trouble. Who will be there for support and encouragement. Who will love them unconditionally and completely stand up for them should harm come their way again.

Tell them of their sister. Tell them of her laugh and her giggle. Tell them of her stubborness and beauty. Tell them of the way they will play with her and laugh with her. Of the way she will love them and jump up and down when she sees them. Tell them of her kisses and how she will do her best to heal even the harshest of wounds with them.

And tell them of me. Though I may stumble and fall short of what You were hoping for me every day, tell them how I will cover them in prayer as I do my family now. Tell them how I have loved them before I knew of them. Tell them I love their abaye and amaye (father and mother in Amharic, the national Ethiopian language). Tell them I love their country and culture, that I love them in every way possible. Tell them, God, that I will fall short. That I am a flawed mom and that I will make mistakes. But I will be there for them. I will do my absolute best and above all else, Lord, tell them of my undying love. Tell them how I shower my children with love and hugs and kisses. How I will go to the ends of the earth to make sure they know how much I love them.

Tell them we’re coming. Let Your timing be perfect. Let them have all the time they need with their parents and their family. Help their parents remember every freckle, every expression. Engrave it on their memories. Bless our children with more love than they can stand. Your timing may be hard on me through this journey but I know You go before me and prepare our way. Give me the patience and the wisdom to understand that.

Today is THE day, what I mean by that is at precisely 2:30 we will be in the midst of our first homestudy. YAY! This is where the process gets exciting. This meeting (to take place in Cedar Rapids) will be approx 3 hours long! In another week or so our social worker (SW) will be coming out to camp to evaluate whether the spiders are a real issue for adoptive parents. After that, we get our dossier paperwork done and then we wait. And the next thing to come to us will be news of our children. AHHHHH. So excited!

This Saturday we went to Iowa City and met up with some friends we met at our PAC. One couple lives in Johnston, the other in Iowa City. It was great to see them again. It would be so neat to travel to Ethiopia with them.

My friend from our online forum, Erica, is official waiting. Follow her story at http://www.sweetpeasandsunshine.blogspot.com it is so exciting for them!

Other than that, we continue to hammer on. I’m picking up more and more clients. My boot camp class out at camp is supposed to start next week as well so that’s also exciting.

In sad news, my tonsils are again swelling. Looks like I might go under the knife again soon. 😦 Boo. We’ll see

Anyway, hope all is well. I will report again after our HS!!! We’re coming babies, we’re coming!

Not much new to report, but had to make mention that we (the family) are sitting in our favorite coffee shop in Downtown Davenport. Trysten says, “Dad, will you play tic-tac-toe with me?” “Sure, Trysten” Zach says. 2 Seconds later “I WON I WON I WON”. Now, keep in mind, Trysten’s favorite game is “I won” and he says it wheter that’s true or not. So I look at Zach and he says, “Wow, he actually genuinely beat me.” I felt both excited for Trysten and embarrased for Zach. And the man calls himself a competitor.

Trysten also starts soccer tomorrow. One might ask who the coaches are. Well, I’ll tell you, Zach and myself. Parenthood has officially started when we are coaching our children in sports. In just a few years I will also join the PTA. My 10 year plan now consists of PTAs, coaching, escorting and mini vans. Well maybe not the latter but certainly everything else.

Relaxing weekend ahead of us. Sunday will find us at the circus and the ladies heading out to see Nanny Diaries. Shall be fun. Happy Labor Day Weekend everyone!

So it’s been a long time coming, this blog. Unfortunately I have lots to say and limited amounts of time. I’m hoping one day in the VERY NEAR FUTURE we will be coming of age out at Camp Abe Lincoln and getting what some folks call “the intranet” until then, I’m down in my mom-in-laws sewing room for the zillionth day in a row with a 1 yr old talking on my phone and pulling at my pantleg. Ah the joys of motherhood.

So life has been great, really. This past weekend we spent a long 4 days at the lake with friends. It was so awesome and we made some fantastic memories, and I took some pretty great pictures, if I do say so myself.

The kids are wonderful. Miss Dailah is building her word library and can now talk and grunt with surpising clarity, she must get that from me. She is also FINALLY standing on her own (for a short while) so perhaps it’s not too soon to say she MIGHT be walking by Christmas?

Trysten continues to love life and make me smile constantly. He starts preschool next week so that will be good for him as he just can’t get enough interaction with his old mom it seems.

I have started personal training officially. It’s going well and I’m enjoying just having a few hours of “work” a week. Still love hanging with the kids more often than not though.

AND THE ADOPTION!!! Looks like we might have our first homestudy appointment this Tuesday. Woohoo! So obviously my goal of being on the waiting list by September is not happening but can we hope October? We shall see!

Life is flying by and I couldn’t be more in love with my life, my loves, my family and friends. I’m even getting used to the spiders in my house, though that does not hold me back from going medieval on their asses from time to time.

That’s all for now me thinks, I promise (mom) I’ll have pictures soon!

The kids and I took off to Altoona yesterday to go to the famous Iowa State Fair (quite the perk when you’re a SAHM, you can come and go as you please) with my parents and brother. It was a wonderful time of food, people watching, biggest-you-name-its and fun. The kids enjoyed the food, though Dailah enjoyed it too much as shown by her vomitting in the car on the ride home, and I enjoyed showing them all the cool things the fair has to offer; including the butter cow and butter Harry Potter!

On our way to the car after the fair my dad’s phone rang. It was late, about 9:30ish so my mom said it was weird someone was calling that late. As noticed in an earlier post, my Grandma Dawson is 95 and her health has been steadily declining for some time. So before my dad even took his phone out of his pocket he said, “I bet it’s Uncle Larry (his brother) calling to say mom died.” Sure enough, it was. My Grandma Mary Dawson passed away last night. She was old, no doubt, suffering from Alzheimers and various other things. Doctors have been saying she was dying for about 5 years so last night put us in a weird state of consciousness. I felt like I had been there before, but I hadn’t. I think the hardest part was seeing my dad. Of course he had known it was coming, but he still lost his mom. I don’t want to put myself in his shoes. Plus, we found out she died alone, which is ultimately one of the worst things we can hear of a loved one.

I love finding comfort knowing she’s restored to the old Grandma D (maybe a teensy bit nicer?). I love picturing her ascend into heaven and have an awesome reunion with my Grandpa, who died 20 years ago. These are all beautiful things, that she gets her reward for her lifetime of service to Him. These are all reasons to be happy, and I really truly am. Just a bit sad maybe.

On a lighter note, it is my favorite hubby and my 5 year anniversary today. I’ll hopefully post on this soon but I must make a note and say that these past 5 years have been the absolute happiest I’ve ever been. Thank you, dearest Zachary, for being the absolute best person in the world and for loving me despite myself. Can’t wait for the next 75! Love you hons.