DO NOT PASS GO...

...DO NOT COLLECT $200,
DO NOT TRY TO GO TO THE MOVIES WITH YOUR 2 YEAR OLD.
At least if his name is Cale.
All adoption stuff aside, I thought I'd share a little story about trying to see a theater movie with Cale.
A Tale about Mr. Cale, if you will.

You know, ever since I noticed the advertisement of $1 movies on the poster in the Charlestown theater (near our house), I've wanted to try it out. I figured $1 was okay to waste if for some reason Cale didn't cooroperate and stay entertained the whole time. And he didn't.
I invited my friend with her 3 kids, and they all sat nicely, but Cale was NOT carved out to sit and be still watching tv. Perhaps if they were REAL animals, he would be more interested, but he has never been a really big fan of TV. He watches an occasional show, but his attention span for it is about 20-30 minutes. And that's about all we stayed.
I personally thought his behavior wasn't too out of the realm of those there (it was mainly small children and busloads of day care kids)...but he wanted to say "hi" to everyone, and point out things he saw on the screen, and oh, he hated the seats because they didn't stay straight. At any rate, we had a whole isle marked off (there were 6 of us and then a bunch of our youth group kids), but a middle-aged women was sitting next to us, (by herself...weird, I know) when I got back from getting popcorn. She was NOT happy to be sitting next to Cale (and by way of him, me). I didn't allow him to get past me to her, and he didn't even try to talk to her, yet she continued to huff and sigh throughout the short time we were there. My friend Patty seemed very concerned with Cale holding on to the seats in front of him, but what was I suppose to do? I tried to get him to sit on my lap, I bribed him with popcorn/candy, but no...he didn't want to be tied down. OH WELL.
A good try I guess. I told Tim about it, and we agreed that Cale just has ALOT of energy. He really needs an outlet for it EVERY DAY! We recently bought a trampoline and it is an excellent choice. Cale can just jump and jump forever. It really helps wear him down. The trampoline is fun for me too! :) Good exercise.
So, note this with the rest of our kids to come - Cale was not ready for the movie experience at 2 years, 3 months. Maybe in a year or so, we'll see.
END OF TALE. ;)

crying over spilled milk

Ever heard the expression, "Don't cry over spilled milk"?
Of course you have...everyone has.
Well, today the phrase took on a whole new meaning!
My beloved 2 year old son, Cale, is going through a phase where he is very aware of his possessions, and the difference between a "whole" item, and one that is not.
Ie: A whole glass of milk (actually, for him it's half) a whole twizzler, a whole sandwich...you get the picture.
So, I guess because of the pride he feels in his "whole" item, he gets DEVASTATED when his item breaks, pulls apart, or in this case...spills.
Tonight I gave him a glass of milk with supper, and because he was very eager to have it, he started drinking it too fast and yes, it spilled. Tragic, right?
For him, it was. When he noticed it dripping down his chin he immediately yelled "OH NO!" and then proceeded to cry. As I noticed the milk dripping on the floor, I contemplated on why this was such a big deal for him, when I'm the one who would have to clean up the mess!! And what a big fuss over something so small! But then I realized that he probably feels like it WAS a big deal. He's not going to get that milk back, and there's nothing he can do about it. I shouldn't judge him.
Each month I check in with less enthusiam. I should be pumped, thinking we are that much closer, but I think I'm getting more and more lost in this process each time I call.
I await news of my new baby...but there is no news. At my 2 month check in I was told 1-3 more months. I remember thinking, "surely not 3 more!!" and now, checking in at month #5, I was told I still have MONTHS left. Yes, months!! It's very upsetting.
Other people have given me advice as they look at MY spilled-milk world...and I can tell that they think a few more months may not be a big deal. Good for them, but I still may "cry about it".
Boo-hoo. So, there. ;)

what now?

Well, obviously, July 15th has come and gone. We have no referral, so like many others, we will owe an extra $2000 as an increase to the Ethiopian fee. Please continue to pray for us as we raise/save money. With the extra amount due, we are set back a severe amount of our savings.
I'm not gonna say ALL of it, but yeah, pretty much all of it.
Total bummer. :(
We've also heard that because all healthy babies in care were referred, it'll still be months before we hear anything. Even though we're like number 5 in line.
Yes, MONTHS.
So, I feel as though, for the sake of my sanity, I must distance myself from all excitable things that would lead me to false hope; by this I mean checking my email 5 times a day in the hopes that someone announced a referral, moving us up on the list, or conspiring how to get "more information" on the 'goings-on' of the adoption front...maybe even blogging. Maybe.
I know now that getting your hopes up is fun, but the aftermath is, not so much.
So, I'm going to enjoy the rest of my summer, (without dwelling too much on how the process has changed since I first applied); and PRAYERFULLY by the time the fall rolls around I'll have a new, refreshing outlook on the wait. Maybe. :)
All joking aside, I know it will happen in God's timing. And if I've learned ANYTHING in this process, it's to trust God.
I read this somewhere: "If the door is shut, don't put your shoulder to it. Wait until God takes out the key and opens it." That should be the adoption motto.

the name of the game

Wanna play a game?
Yes? you do? Great!
What's it called?
"WAIT"
...It's the Waiting Game. Sound like fun?
NO? Well, I'll explain the rules to you, and perhaps it'll change your mind. ;)

Well, for starters, there are 5 different colored players, each with a significant meaning:
You can be -
Yellow for "Happiness"
Red for "Love"
Purple for "Anxiety"
Green for "Jealousy"
or
Gray for "the Unknown"
So, pick your piece. Got one? Good!

Now, the rules:
You start off by putting together a puzzle. It might take you awhile, but when you're done, hand it in.
Then wait.
Okay, now you can pick up ONE card at various intervals in the game, but you can't do anything with them until it is your turn again.
Just wait.
"When IS your turn?"
Well, it varies from person to person.
You must wait.
"How long did everyone else have to wait? Can you ask them, so you can figure out when it's your turn?"
Sure!!
But it won't really affect your wait.
What happens after the wait?
I'm not sure. I think someone will let us know it's your turn,
and then I think it's more waiting.
I can't be entirely certain though. You see, I, myself haven't gotten that far in the game...It's not my turn yet.
What?? You think this game is hard?
I agree completely, but I'm glad you're keeping me company. :)