LID 9/1/06--a strange day

LID 9/1/06---

What does that mean?

If we had waited in line for our non-special-needs referral from China we would be getting a referral right now for a baby girl.  China has just arrived at our "date" or our "position" in line for a referral -- IF we had waited and not gotten Lucas.

I know without a shadow of a doubt that we did the right thing in bringing Lucas into our family.  And several months ago I realized how long it would be before we would have gotten a referral.  The special needs program operates differently and has a different set of rules and wait time than non special needs and "girl as young as possible".  

But, today, I feel a little sad for some reason.  It's all about having a greedy heart or something. 

I wish I could have both! 

Now having Lucas for a year, it would have been so great to add that little girl.

My heart breaks, but at the same time, I know she was never meant for us--it's just weird to think about.  When we started the process and had such a heart for "her", it seemed so right.  Isn't that weird?  Now I waiver between thinking she is now someone else's little girl and she was never meant to be ours in the first place.

It would have been 5 1/2 years of waiting.  That's insane.  I know God's Sovereignty is all over this.  But, I'm still grieving a little bit.  I waited for that little girl...for a long time.  And it will never happen now.  

Yes I'm also 5 years older---not sure a "baby" was what we needed in our house right now.  I guess that is why God is in Control and I am not.  I'm not suppose to understand it all.

a tooth for a truck....

Sometimes the things that evolve over a day are just funny in our house.

I realized at the end of the day yesterday that this may not be normal yet it is such a brother thing to do.

Lucas told me early in the week about a loose tooth he had.  I wiggled it and it was a little loose but definitely not about to come out.  Yesterday, it was quite wiggly in the morning but not that dangling nastiness that usually happens before a tooth comes out.  Well, not yet at least....

Isaac found out about the tooth and jokingly said to Lucas..."I want that tooth"...
Lucas found out Isaac had a cool toy truck in his room and said ... "I want that truck"...

and thus the bargaining began.

It was so funny to hear them go back and forth.

Isaac started with ... "I'll let you borrow the truck if you give me your tooth today"
Lucas is beginning to understand the finer details of language now and heard all the qualifications in it and said..."no, I want to keep the truck if you want my tooth"

They went back and forth and back and forth.
Then I had a realization...Lucas knows about the tooth fairy, because we talked about it early in the week.  If they finish this bargain, Lucas won't have a tooth to use for the tooth fairy--that could be disasterous...(this is his first tooth loss since we got him over a year ago)
SO
I did intervene and say..."whatever the bargain ends up being, Isaac needs to write a note to the tooth fairy asking her for the tooth so she leaves it with him after she leaves money for Lucas"
(whew)

back and forth and back and forth.  But, Lucas was NOT letting Isaac get away with "borrow".  Isaac just chuckled the whole way through the exchange and kept saying "I want that tooth"  Lucas held strong to the "keeping" of the truck.
Finally, negotiations setttled.  Isaac said the tooth had to come out "today" and Lucas would get to keep the truck but he wanted it before Isaac left for work.  He felt such a victory when Isaac caved from borrow to keep...lol

Ah but alas...one small problem...the tooth really wasn't ready to come out yet.  So, Lucas boy...began ripping at it throughout the day.  I felt like he was torturing himself.  But, he didn't care. He never flinched.  He just worked and worked and worked at it.  Then by about 4:00 it was out!  That was some determination.

He put the note from Isaac along with the tooth under the pillow.
Here is what the note said:

"Dear Ms. Tooth Fairy,
I am sorry that I couldn't be there tonight.  Me and my brother Lucas made a deal today; a truck for a tooth.  It would be greatly appreciated if you would honor this agreement.  Love, Isaac"


So there ya go
The saga of A Tooth for a Truck or A Truck for a Tooth depending on perspective I suppose.

entertainment brought to you from Isaac (age almost 17) and Lucas (age 8)

P.S. You might ask "why does Isaac even want the tooth?"....his response..."I want to make a necklace out of it"  (ewwwwww)

PPSS...after he yanked the tooth, Lucas and I went out for Sushi...he tasted it last week, and fell in love with it.  He got a whole plateful all to himself and was in HEAVEN!!! (just to be clear, I don't do sushi--I ate fried pot stickers)

This is Lucas calling Isaac and basically saying..."pay up bud, I did it!"

SCORE!

And then there was Sushi!!!

 sheer bliss

And all that for this cool truck....

On the horizon...

People have been asking what's on the horizon for us regarding Peter's work/job situation.

God is providing what we need each month.  For now that is good.  He is Sovereign an in control of all things.

Peter has been selling health and life insurance in addition to supplemental policies for several months.  It is a tough road to learn, but he is so stinkin' smart, and such a positive thinking person, that even when there is rejection in it, he moves on. I couldn't do it.  He amazes me.

God has supplied a few more contacts and sales in that arena over the past few weeks.  So that is good.

There are a few construction jobs as well.

Can I just give huge kudos to my husband?

He continues to work out, eat well and move forward even though things are challenging.  He sees things on the horizon that I cannot always see.

I love this man.
And I thank God for providing him for our family.

"will you tickle my back mom?"

I know some people love to be touched and others don't.
My momma raised me on "back tickling" and she was THE BEST in the whole world.  I've never met anyone as good at it as she.

Then I got Isaac---the "don't touch me" kid.
Jacob liked it ok, but it wasn't a huge deal to him.

Then came Lucas boy.
Ever since day ONE, he has LOVED it.

So, sometimes, like tonight as he is going to bed he says...
"mom, I'm scared, will you tickle my back?"
Totally melts my heart.
I COMPLETELY get that!
I LOVED it as a kid and still love it today!  ---Although I have yet to find someone in my old age that actually will do that on a regular basis.  My husband...not so good at it---I love you dear, but he is just not patient enough nor does he pay attention to what he is doing....usually he rubs a numb spot on one place on my back.
I'm telling you this is a skill, and very few people in the world "get it"...When I say I LOVE IT!
I'm telling you it is a very happy place for me.

So, again, when Lucas requests it, I totally cave.  And I'm so happy we have this bond.  I understand it's peacefulness and tenderness. I understand the sheer bliss of some well done back tickling.
...it's a beautiful thing...

...And that is how the boy fell asleep tonight.

"Dear Jesus...."

Lucas often leads our prayers at dinner time.  Sometimes those prayers get quite lengthy as he will confess sins, name everyone at the table and thank Jesus for them, or randomly pick a topic from the day and start talking to Jesus about it.  So, not all of his prayers are short and sweet.  But, most of them are very poingant.

Tonight it was short and to the point....

"Dear Jesus, Please Help Us. Amen"

that's it.
Nothing about the food or anything else throughout the day.

Just "Please help us. Amen!"

Peter and I looked at eachother and thought the same thing...."that was just right for today".

LOVE how Jesus speaks through children.

The Year of Winnie the Pooh

Our niece's daughter, Katja, is visiting this week. She is 15 and Lucas is eating up all the time he can with her.  He loves having her here.  And since she has 2 crazy little brothers at home she fits right in.

Today we were sitting and having dinner and somehow got talking about rabbits.  And we mentioned that last year, when we went to get Lucas, was the Year of the Rabbit in China.

Then Katja asked Lucas what year he was born in?

Lucas responded...

"The Year of Winnie the Pooh"!


(not sure if this is coming across as funny as it was at the dinner table, but we thought it was funny and cute.)

More couponing--God's Provision--Publix

God continues to provide in wonderful ways...

couponing at Publix tonight was quite profitable.

This trip was $56.15.  That may sound like a lot, BUT....

it includes a $50 gas card, and $7 in rebates I'm mailing in.  So the actual total is $49.15 for all of it ..I think that is good for 

2 boxes of cereal, 2 bags of Starbucks coffee, 1 bag of MnM's, 3 yogurts, and a toilet bowl kit plus refill, and $50 gas card.  Makes everything FREE and a little off the gas card.

Then I did a 2nd transaction and this was what was purchased....

This one was not quite as good but still good..$67.07 (minus $2 rebate)= $65.07 total...
for 2 boxes of cereal, 2 gallons of milk, 2 toilet bowl cleaners, 1 (100oz) Tide, 2 packages of Pita bread, 1 package of dill, 1 package of Feta cheese, 2 packs of gum, 1 bag MnMs', 1 bag of Starbucks coffee, and a $50 gas card.  That makes everything $15.07 plus gas card.

I like doing this because it reminds me that God is indeed providing and rewarding us for dilegence in desiring to save as much money as we can on the necessities.  If anyone says couponing is not worth it...they are wrong!  And God uses many ways to bless us.  Thank you Jesus for your Provision!