What can I say, the weekend before halloween

So this post is just a must:

pumpkin carving

She'd rather play with the insides

She wanted a happy face

My bee

pony ride at fall festival

Little petting zoo

A "Blonde moment"

So this is just a warning to all of you to make sure to absolutely KNOW what you put into a microwave even if you're spaced out due to minor illness.

Yes friends I almost caused a fire at work today.  The microwave looked something like this

after putting in what I thought was a safe item in the microwave....travel mugs with plastic and metal are never safe.....sigh (and I know this, but for some reason I was just not thinking today...I just wanted tea because I felt ill).  Oh well, it provided excitement and prolonged jokes at my expense for the rest of the day.  

Random link to a movie trailer....I really liked it!

Ok so tonight I'm going to be random and share a trailer of a movie I just saw this week.  It's not a blockbuster, while I do enjoy my "blockbuster men in suits with guns and fast cars" type of movies, I also can enjoy a good documentary or indi/small film.

The movie is called "The Namesake".  Apparently there is a book also and this movie is based off of it.  I've never read the book, but loved the movie.  While my parents and relatives are pretty much assimilated to America, I will say that it still is interesting growing up as a child of parents not born in America.  Almost as though we are between two worlds in which we don't "fit in" 100% but we do the best we can, succeeding yes, but often times still wondering where our place is.

This is why I love movies like "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" or any documentary that has to do with immigrants or first generation Americans living here.  Anyways I thought I'd share the trailer with you and just say that it's a great movie to see especially if one's parents were not born here but one is!  Also a good reminder to go easy on the folks even if there are differences that have to do with culture clash.

Tuesday Truisms: why 2 year old girls are fun

"I have no time for anything, cut my hair, do my nails, do every housework needing to be done, BLOG regularly, but in the end I know this age doesn't last and I need to live in the moment of magic"

"apparently when Mom doesn't oblige a request, a heart felt prayer and shout-out to Jesus is supposed to change that making for interesting moral dilemma on not squelching faith and not giving in to manipulation"

"apparently even if it is not introduced or encouraged, the mystery aura of "the diva" parades into the house and comes full force at times"

"modesty/humility is not present at all"

"The louder you cry, the more dramatic it sounds"

"I've never felt something more beautiful than a 2 year old hugging me.  There is something genuine and sincere about that"

"One day you wake up and are having short conversations with your child and you wonder how that came about!"

If I haven't said it enough, I will say it again.  I LOVE the 2 year old year.  This has been the.best.year.so.far.  Yes there is drama and at times some need for time-out....but I find nothing terrible about this age.  Tigger you are awesome and have your mami wrapped around your little finger (for love not for breaking rules or boundaries though...sorry girl!)

I looked around yesterday, I looked around today, and I'm sure I'll look around tomorrow

And I hope you will see someone who is content with life.  Before Tigger, I was content.  Sure I always wanted to be a mom, but really I was living the content life, enjoying my small house, work, and family.

I will not lie, I looked around and knew that I could provide a home and it's natural for individuals to be in constant communion with others and so I tried to provide a home and Tigger came into my life.  I am living the content life, enjoying my still small house, 2 year old, and family.

I think about the future.  An older child, maybe lots of ups and downs...maybe more relationships????, who knows....but I pray and hope that contentment is still a companion.  Why?  because life is not predictable.  If I don't enjoy my today's for all it's ups/downs and insecurities (yeah my state can't get it's budget together) there is never a promise of tomorrow.

My goal in life is to live each day content with my life.  I look around...my small house, the laughter I hear in the next room from Tigger, I smile and I know, I am living a life that even Kings and Queens would envy!

I hope that each of you that stop by and read here hug your families more and really just stop the madness and enjoy the life that is yours.  It may not be perfect or how you envisioned it, however, it is enough...and when you know you that you have enough, added blessings are like treasure!

Tigger and her cousin playing a game only 2 year olds would find amusing....run and fall into the grass

Bedtime fun

Random fun right before bedtime.  You never get these days back, may as well enjoy and play with them!

Hey fellow Christian....you may not want to adopt!

Well I'm not the only one directing traffic to this popular post of the week, however, I thought it was a decent and balanced view about adoption within Christian circles.  Go read Russell Moore's blog post here!

I for one have never bought into the Evangelical adoption movement, I believe it is a decision that is highly personal and different, for families that decide to pursue adoption.  While I do believe in the mandate from the Bible to care for the orphans and the widows, adoption has never been the ONE way to do that.  Anyways enjoy the article.  It will give you food for thought.

And as an example....I  read this blog frequently....not because it's happy happy joy joy, but because it highlights some of the real life day to day stuff that no one ever wants to think about.  This post moved me to tears...I encourage you to read it, especially if thinking about older child adoption

Nostalgic today

Found a write-up of a death from the University I attended in the late 90's.  This woman was one of the nicest women I encountered at the University.  She was an older woman with intellectual disabilities however, held a job at the University as a groundskeeper.  Always upbeat, always wanting to say a nice word, and it was neat to see how she truly enjoyed working by keeping the campus beautiful.

ACU will miss her spirit.

A moment of silence and thoughts of purple and white!

Oklahoma thinks about expanding adoptees right to OBC

Really...if OK is putting their foot out there...other states can too.  Even if it's just baby steps.

For your reading pleasure....a very short article.

Just in case you wanted to get to know me a wee bit more

It's no secret that I oogle men from TV dramas or movies.  Just for kicks I wanted to show you which ones have caught my attention over the years (please note that I do know the difference between reality and fantasy).  I guess I love men in suits or if they have that manly man look ha!  Introducing four of the fantasy TV loves of my life:

Well not really TV and it was a brainless movie in 2004 when it came out, but oh my, I loved Thomas Jane in this movie, he was hot I have to admit.  

First of all, he's Cuban....so he's automatically going to be good looking.  You wouldn't know it from this picture but he looks drop dead gorgeous in a black suit.  Previously was on CBS "Cold Case" and now is a new detective on "Law & Order SVU" on NBC

One of these days I will describe my X-files fettish when I was in college.  David Duchovny was oh how should I say, I loved him!  He looked hot in the movie 'Return to Me' as well

Oh yes another Cuban hottie here.  He was an FBI agent on the CBS series "Without a Trace"  I think I like men with guns....ha ha ha.  Maybe I should delve into my psyche for answers!

And that my friends is just a random blog post about guys that have held or actively captivated my interest when looking at TV.  In case you really wanted to know!  

We are in October already! Welcome Fall!

Summer is my favorite time of the year!  As we get into fall and especially now as where I live is hot until October or November, I get a wee bit nostalgic.  After all, fall is when the kids start school.  You are again reminded of the fact that a year has gone by and now they are bigger (since I work in the school district too, I get it from all angles), that it's a fun time of the year with decorations and harvest festivals and pumpkins, as well as hot cider or hot chocolate or anything from pumpkin spice lattes to whatever fall hot drink is available.  It's also a time of reflection as one starts receiving notices asking if one would be willing to send a Christmas gift to your sponsored child, foster children, the Angel tree, etc.

As I see summer go from fun filled to obvious a family centered season, I can't help but think and pray for those that do not have families to be with at the moment.  Maybe it's due to a foster situation, maybe it's due to an adult not having close family around him/her.

I hope we can all take some time out of our schedule and not only embrace our families and fun fall activities, but maybe embrace someone else into the family or activities or with our thoughts/actions as this time may be the starting point of loneliness for others.

To everything there is a season.  May we all be able to lend a hand or gain new friends and pass the nostalgia around!  Happy October everyone!