What makes me a good mom, according to Anna

Anna is home today with "the diarrhea's". I'm busy with something else and I hear a faint cry from the bathroom. This is what takes place next:

Anna: Mommy! Moooommmyyy!! Mom? Mommy? Momma! Motherrrrrr!!!
Me: Yes? Are you ok? What's wrong? (As I come running from the other room!!)
Anna: I need help wiping my butt.
Me: You do? You sure you can't do it?
Anna: Mommy, I'm sick with the diarrhea's remember?
Me: How could I forget? (I get the toilet paper, start the terrible task at hand)
Anna: Momma, I love you for taking care of me when I'm sick. You're a good mom.
Me: I love you too. This is what moms do...we take care of our kids when they need us.
Anna: Mom, you're the best. I hope I can be a mom like you.
Me: I'm sure you will, kiddo. :-)

This is where we exchange hugs and wash our hands together. She then tells me that she likes the lemon scented soap that I got. It's from the Pass Christian Soap Company for Katrina relief. We dry our hands and she skips out of the bathroom and out to the couch.

2008 CNY dinner with the Brooks family

For Julia...

It's Mulan and Kai-Lan day on TV here...so for Julia, here's 2 pictures of her favorites!

The Storm: Part 2 and Happy Chinese New Year!

So I posted those pictures of the snow yesterday that most of my friends further south said looked pretty. Well. Last night around 11:00pm when I went to let the dogs out, imagine my surprise to find snow drifts that were 2ft tall in some spot in the driveway. I was really shocked. I grabbed the camera and took some more pictures. Needless to say there is NO SCHOOL again today.

On the bright side...it's the beginning of the Chinese New Year celebration! YAY! We are headed to Holland (funny place to celebrate CNY!) to eat at a resturaunt that has an amazing spread of food, dancers and music. My kids are soooooooooo excited!! I will have pictures tomorrow.

Ok...here's the small video clips that I took last night when I let the dogs out :-)

Welcome to Siberia...I mean, Ludington?

I can't tell you how much I'm really beginning to hate...HATE winter. I know Wayne loves it, but I've grown tired of being cold, having cold toes and fingers, wearing jeans and sweaters everyday and not going where I want because the roads are crappy. I joked with Tonni that I live in Siberia, just with less vodka and no big fur hats. LOL! Here are a few pictures I took just now of the snow. Oh, and then there are the 2 pictures that Julia and I took of each other. She's been into pictures lately. Especially ones that are SUPER CLOSE.

Julia on China, Adoption, and The New Year celebration

Julia and I often have deep converations about her adoption, living in China and celebrating holidays. She knows we are meeting up with the Brooks family (they adopted their son at the same time we did) and so we had a long talk about China tonight.

Julia: Mom, why you come to China to adopt me? (Her exact words, I swear!)

Me: Because we wanted another daughter and you needed a Momma and Daddy

Julia: Baba Lu (orphanage director) he helped you find me?

Me: Yep, he sent your paperwork to a place that put your picture on the internet and we saw you and knew that you were our baby girl

Julia: My foster mom loved me?

Me: YES!! Of course she did, but Baba Lu knew you needed parents that could take care of you forever

Julia: Baba Lu, he a good guy?

Me: (Ok, I don't know the answer to this, but from what I've been told, yes...he's very nice!) Yes, Baba Lu is a nice man.

Julia: I like to see him again, with my foster mom

Me: I hope we can see them too

Julia: What about my 1st mommy (birth mom)?

Me: Well, we don't know who she is, I don't know how to find her

Julia: Moooom, she look like ME! Like Anna look like you

Me: Yeah, you're right. :-)

Some of this is heavy! She's 4 and I want her to know that it's ok to talk about how she feels. I truly think a very open heart is the way to approach this. I don't want her to ever think that she can't talk to me about China or her life there before us.

Julia: Mom, will you put some pictures of China on your 'puter (meaning website)

Me: Sure, anything you want!

Julia: Will you put the pictures of when you and Daddy came to get me?

Me: Of course! I like looking at those

Julia: Your hair was long and you were fat then. (Thanks, kid!)

Ok...so here are some pictures of our trip to China in celebration of the upcoming Chinese New Year. Remember these were taken in November/December 2005. Julia was just 25 months and just a tiny peanut!!

This picture was taken as we got ready to leave the hotel in Beijing and fly to Wuhan to get the babies. We would be proud parents for the 3rd time in a few short hours from then!

Need a new blog design?

Apparently more of my friends are getting into blog design than I realized!! My friend and fellow adoptive mom Sharon has started a new blog design business, Spiffy Blogs! How lucky am I to know all these creative moms? ;-) Just as a reminder here's a list of my friends and their websites:

1. Sharon's Spiffy Blogs (Blog designs)
2. 4 Princess Bows (Tonni's bows, my bracelets and Dawn's tutus)
3. Karen's Soaps (The BEST SOAP EVER!!)
4. Anyone else that wants to be on my list, just let me know!

Camnanna?

Julia has taken to sleeping in Cameron and Anna's room (they share the bunk bed). So tonight this is the coversation we had tonight:

Julia: Mom, is today Friday?
Me: Nope, it's Monday.
Julia: Do we have school tomorrow?
Me: Yes!
Julia: Mom, can I sleep with Camnanna
Me: Who?
Julia: Camnanna
Me: You mean Cam AND Anna?
Julia: Mom...you know what I saying. I want to sleep with Camnanna, in their bed.
Me: We have to wait to the weekend.
Julia: Oh darn!

...then she saulks away...mumbling..."stupid school" :-)

Not that I cared, but...Giants WIN!

I'm not a big football fan (give me rugby any day!), but the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots 17-14. YAY! I was tired of hearing all about Tom Brady, so I kinda started liking the Giants. Either way, I figured that the Super Bowl was blog worthy. :-)

On a greener side...there a great player for the Giants who is a former Michigan State'r. Plaxico Burress is an amazing receiver. Go Green!

BLoggy Giveway WINNERS!!

First, let me say THANK YOU to everyone that enter the giveaway for my earrings. It was really exciting to see people interested in my creations. :-) I will be sending out emails to the winners. So...on with with the announcement!!

THE GRAND PRIZE WINNER OF THE 2 PAIRS SHOWN IS:

PAM (afriend@netcommander.com)

Here are the 3 other winners picked for one pair of earrings made by me!

JENNY (j_hoesli@yahoo.com)

Linda (lholland78@comcast.net)

Faerie Mom (xenabich28@yahoo.com)

Thanks again to all that entered. I would have loved to sent each one of you a pair of earrings, but hubby wasn't going to go for that one! Take care! ~Melissa~

I WON! I WON!! I WON!!! I WON!!!!

Won what??? Well, remember that Exceptional Parent thing I got nominated for?

Welllll..... I WON!!! I freakin' WON!!

I am now the Michigan Council for Exceptional Children, Exceptional Parent of the year for 2008!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There's a small reception the day after I get home from New Orleans. Wow. I am soooo excited and in shock. In the words of Sally Fields...They like me, they really really like me!! ;-)

The day after the storm

Picture of the trees in the north part of the yard.

Another view of tree covered in snow.

Mom's picture of Julia while waiting for the bus.

Julia's picture of mom while waiting for the bus. :-)

Julia's feet.

A classic Mom and Julia goofy picture.

Last but not least is a new picture of Oliver. Who happened to get caught eating Riley poo today. He's now in doggie jail for that offense. UGH! It's not like he's starving, he's eat good! What a maroon!