Day trip to reconnect

We made a day trip today to Milwaukee to visit some friends in town for the holidays. This family went to our church last year and then moved to TX a few months ago, so it was fun to reconnect.

Sometimes I get amazed at the great people that come into different seasons of life. Last year Jackie used to watch Liliana every other week so that Chris and I could have a date. Liliana loved playing with her friend Eliana, so it was a good set up for everyone.


That's something I love about the holidays is reconnecting. You usually call or visit relatives you haven't chatted with in awhile. You get lots of cards in the mail with photos or kind wishes. People are traveling to visit loved ones and reconnect. It's just a warm time of year relationally and I love it.

Relationships really are the best gift!

St. Louis Celebration

We went to St. Louis for a few days to spend with family. My cousin Mary is expecting twins, so we went down to celebrate at her baby shower.




Since it was the weekend before Christmas, we also had an early Christmas celebration with the family. It is so fun seeing all the cousins playing together and having fun.




Even though St. Louis is no longer my home, it is fun to visit and see our family and close friends. However, I must admit, I was quite happy to sleep in my own bed when we returned. We've had our fill of traveling this past month, so it is nice to be home.

10 Years

Chris and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary. It's funny because in your head you tend to build up year 10 as a "biggie". Something about multiples of 5 make for big anniversary celebrations.

For us, we wanted something simple this year. We've had some other "biggie" anniversary trips to Austria or Bahamas, but we didn't want to be away from our daughter for long this time. So we planned an overnight trip. We found some good food & wine, walked around, enjoyed nature and just enjoyed being together.

One of the things I appreciate most about my husband is our friendship. I know that life is good because I have Chris by my side. We can face any trial together and overcome. We can find any little thing to celebrate and make it fun. We work together, raise a family together, share our deepest dreams, share our hopes, help each other with our fears, pray for each other, and deeply and richly love.



I keep falling in love with my husband over and over.
Here's to 10 years!

Amazing Week in Texas- full of thanks

We spent Thanksgiving week in Texas visiting Chris' family. We made the most of our time there by having lots of celebrations.

First, we had an early birthday party for Liliana. Her actual birthday is Dec. 28, so it was nice for her to have an outdoor party with her cousins in warm TX weather.



Then, of course was Thanksgiving day. Chris' aunt and cousins traveled in for the weekend so we had a huge feast. Chris grilled a turkey and it was delicious as usual.





Chris' mom also arranged for us to have family photos done. We don't have the proofs yet, but these are pictures we took during the photo shoot. Family photos followed by family trip to the ice cream shop. Mmm





We also had an over night get away in a little town called Marble Falls. Chris and I have been married for 10 years. It is hard to believe. In all reality that deserves it's own post, but alas it is part of our Texas trip.




We also had a family day trip to a little town called Fredricksburg. There were 12 of us shopping, eating and hanging out. It was fun. We also had lots of family time playing games, watching movies, hanging out.



Then we ended the trip with a day in Ft. Worth, meeting with our social worker and all the people tied in with our adoption.

Whew.. what a trip.
We had so much fun.

Much to be thankful for..

My week

What a great week!

I spent the early part of the week in Boston for a few days of training. The days were jammed packed with meetings and information, but every time I go for training, I walk away so inspired and stirred up with expectancy for great things. This trip proved the same.

We had some friends over for dinner on Thursday night.. one of our topics was the movie Food Inc. I haven't seen it, but hearing about it made me sick to my stomach. We have slowly been adopting more organic foods into our diet and less meats. Our conversation made me think more and we may go ahead and make the switch over. We have a brand new co-op opening up a few minutes from our place, so we are going to check it out and look into joining. I am on board with supporting local farmers and butchers, so I am excited to see what the Willy St Co-op has to offer.

Today I had my mom's group and it is always a delight to get together with these women. Seriously, I know many moms struggle with finding other mom friends, due to the competitiveness between parents. Not the case at all here. These moms are real and honest and I love being around them.

Besides that, I have been playing with Liliana, cooking, catching up from being out of town and catching up with phone calls to some friends.
Now, off to bed.

Halloween Candy

I remember as a kid, the Post Halloween Swap.

I would dump out all my candy and separate into piles:

Pile 1- Items I would promptly throw away, like those plastic spider rings.

Pile 2- Good candy, like Snickers or Reeses Peanut Butter cups

Pile 3- Candy I didn't prefer, but could possibly be used to trade at school the next day

Last night when we were trick or treating with the girls, we noticed that they were passing up the good candy and going for Pile 1 or Pile 3 stuff. So, we decided to coach them.

At one house I went up with Liliana and Lily's uncle came with her up to the door. In the bowl were a variety of items.

ME: "Liliana, look at the Snickers! Should we pick that one?"
LILIANA: "Sure". (In goes the Snickers).

LILY's UNCLE: "Lily, how about a Reeses Peanut Butter cup?"
LILY: "No." (She grabbed one of those round white and red after dinner peppermints).

We were cracking up at the end of the driveway when we told everyone else. Then it became this game to see what kind of candy we could get the girls to pick. We were scheming how to get the good stuff. Hilarious.

So, all to say- this morning we have our 3 piles. Fortunately we stepped in with our "candy coaching" in the nick of time last night to make sure we had plenty Pile 2 candies!

Trick or Treat

We had such a FUN Halloween! We went trick or treating with Liliana's friend Lily. Lily's aunts and uncles came with us too, so we had quite a crowd going from house to house.





We also made a stop to see our neighbor Betty Lou. She had gift bags for the girls for Halloween with books, candy and home made treats.








We ended the night with dinner and hanging out. Great Halloween!

My neck of the woods this week

This has been a good week. We had some friends stay the night with Liliana so that Chris and I could to go a bed-n- breakfast. Before she came along, we used to have a get away a few times a year. But since becoming parents, this is only our 2nd time to go anywhere for the night. It was so needed and we had a wonderful time together.

We had our family "Walt Disney night" watching the first half of Fantasia. Usually for family movie night we get in our pajamas and climb up in our bed and watch the movie together. I love being as a family and Fantasia was a great show to watch this week- it is basically classical music with animation, which we all enjoyed.



Last night we had 2 of our Chinese friends over for dinner. They cooked at our house and made some of the most delicious Chinese food I have ever eaten. We learned more about Chinese culture and history and it was such a fun time.

Today I have been doing laundry and getting some food ready for our Halloween dinner tomorrow. We are trick or treating with some other families and then having dinner together. I can't wait...

Fiesta Time!

Liliana goes to a Spanish immersion school one morning a week and one of her little friends invited the class to a birthday party. We went as a family yesterday.


I appreciate the Latin American community so much. The party was great. We met at a place called Pump It Up- they have huge inflatables for the kids to bounce and slide on. (They also let the parents join in and we had SO MUCH FUN!!)



Then all the parents and kids went to the party room afterwards for lunch and cake. Most of the kids who attended come from a bi-racial family and so we had a chance to meet several Hispanic parents yesterday. I would say in general this culture has such a gift of hospitality. They made us feel so welcome, fed us a ton and we left with such a warm feeling. It made us feel so good about the school community Liliana is part of and it was nice to have the chance to meet the other families and have fun together.

Now that Liliana is getting older, we are becoming more mindful of her community. I know this is just the beginning of a long journey of teaching Liliana to choose her friends wisely, yet also include people and show love to those who are not like her. So far, our daughter has many great role models and people in her life, so we hope it continues through the years.

Harvest Party

Yesterday we went to our annual Harvest Party. Here in WI they have FUN corn mazes. It is actually harder than you would think and takes at least an hour or more to get through them. We had so much fun finding our way through and dodging each other in "corn wars" from the kernels.



After that we had fun playing at the barn and then had a hay ride and bon fire. Perfect fall fun. I love this time of year and the fun traditions we have.

Uncle AJ's visit

My brother in law came to visit us for a few days. So much fun!

I am the youngest in my family, so it has been fun for me to have a brother and sister in law who are younger than me. AJ lived with us for awhile back in St. Louis, so I am particularly close to him and love him a lot.

I am not the only one.. my daughter is crazy about her Uncle AJ. She wanted to be next to him every waking moment. Uncle AJ is a big guy, but he the most tender person when it comes to kids, especially little girls. He had a princess purse and pony for her at the airport and spoiled her the entire time he was here.



I am so thankful for my family. I know often in laws don't get along, but I consider Chris' family is my family- 100%.

APPLE PICKING

Yesterday was a perfect fall day, so we took the afternoon and went apple picking.

It was the first time that Chris or Liliana have gone apple picking (I guess apple orchards aren't a common trait in TX). I haven't been since elementary school. It was so much fun!



We couldn't have asked for a prettier day and the apples were delicious. I am so amazed at the varieties that one fruit offers. Of course we sampled our way through the orchard and there's such distinct differences.
(SIDE NOTE- I was a little nervous as we sampled because several years ago Chris bit into an apple and his front tooth fell out. He looked like the biggest hill billy. After he had it fixed, the dentist told him he needed to cut apples in slices to eat, so that his cap would not fall out. It is a habit at home to always cut apples, but neither of us thought about it for our trip to the orchard. Fortunately, we left with all teeth in place)





I'm looking forward to some home made apple sauce and apple turn overs. Mmm .. Mmmm...

W-R-L

I've been reflecting on the triad of WORK, REST, and LEISURE.

If you know me well, you know that I am a big advocate for having one day a week that is a day of rest, or a sabbath if you want to use Biblical terms. I started the habit in high school and it has been a part of my life ever since then. I have seen it keep me from burning out, actually increase my productivity and also keeps me from going down the path of being a workaholic. (Which I am aware I could easily fall into given my upbringing and strong work ethic modeled for me as a kid.)

But what I am realizing is that I've just clumped rest and leisure together; in reality they are 2 different things. They certainly can feed off each other, but they are different.

Rest is doing "nothing". Sleeping in, maybe staying in your pajamas until 3 in the afternoon, ordering Chinese take out so you don't have to cook- just being physically and emotionally renewed by having a low energy kind of day.

Leisure is doing "something" -an activity, a family outing to the zoo, trying a new restaurant- getting out to experience life and do something fun.

We need both in varying proportions. I think realizing that they are 2 different things has been insightful and has been helping us live a more balanced life.

So, fellow blog readers... what are your thoughts on W-R-L? How do those 3 things balance in your life?

Motorcycle Mama

My daughter loves to play dress up- princess, ballerina, motorcycle mama- you name it. Usually she drags me into playing it with her and I love it! I am so glad she is my constant reminder to play and have fun.

She makes me laugh and brings me joy all the time.
But it is mutual..
I'll do silly things and she just giggles like it is the best and funniest thing in the world.

Thank God for kids that remind us life is to enjoy!

Rejoice

I wanted to write a special post for my little cousin.

There is a meaningful verse in the Bible that says we are to "rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn." My cousin and I have had our share of mourning in our lives. Through each trial my cousin has always been there to listen to me and show me support. I hope I have done the same for her. We have been to funerals of each other's parents, walked through infertility issues and all the emotions around that and just shared more mourning than someone our age should have to deal with, in my opinion.

However, there is a beautiful flip side to that verse; when the good times comes, we are to rejoice.

My cousin is going to be a mom- after five years of trying, tears, confusion, lots of phone calls trying to process it all.. she is now carrying twins. I can't tell you what it was like to get that phone call from her with the news. Having walked on the mourning side with a person for a long season, it is wonderful to now dance on the rejoicing side for awhile.

I can't wait to hold my baby cousins and see my cousin as a mom. I'm excited to swap kid stories and talk about what kind of diaper cream works best and how to deal with our kids as they have their first crush.

It is a long awaited season and I am so happy!

My Week...

Highlights from the week..

FARMER'S MARKET- Finally went to the Dane Co. famer's market a week ago with friends. Super fun. They have their routine of where they go for coffee and bread, etc.. and it was so fun to tag along and enjoy the market.

FOOD CARTS- For our day off this week we headed downtown and grabbed lunch from one of the food carts. So great. The weather this week has been amazing, so we ate outside on the capital square, while Liliana chased squirrels and gathered acorns.

WEDNESDAYS WITH WALT- I already wrote a post about our weekly family tradition, but this Wed I have to say was the best calzone I have ever made.. I actually was a little short on flour, so I adjusted my recipe a bit and it was delicious. Chris talked about the calzone for days. We also watched the first half of Snow White. (we only make it through half a movie at a time since Liliana is still young for an entire movie)

STARBUCKS PARTY- The Starbucks down the street from us was hosting a party on behalf of a club in Madison that helps cancer patients. Liilana and I walked up there today and they had a huge tent outside with a band, free coffee and several cakes to choose from, and door prizes. Go Starbucks.

WEDDING #3- We went to an outdoor wedding of a couple from our church. She is from Sweden and he is from Colorado, so this was actually their third wedding ceremony. Their real wedding was in Sweden a month ago. But most of the groom's relatives could not make it, so they had a US wedding in his home town. Then they decided to have a third ceremony in Madison, where they both live and work. What bride gets to wear her dress 3 times? How great is that.
It was laid back with empanadas, Mexican sodas and having them share their vows again. I was super impressed to hear that for their first wedding, the groom practiced his vows in Swedish so he could say them at the wedding since the bride's family does not speak English. Very impressive. We really like this couple and it was so great to share in their ceremony locally.

Fun week! We'll see what adventures await us this following week.

It's Been a Year!!

Yesterday marked the official 1 year anniversary of our church. Wow, what a year!

All of our classes on church planting talked about how church planting is one of the most amazing things you could do, but also the toughest. They were totally right. We have worked harder this year than I have ever worked in my life. (And that is saying a lot consider I am Greek and we have a very strong work ethic)

Last weekend we heard from 2 different people who have been part of our church, but relocated due to job/school. One is a single guy and he just called to check in with Chris and let us know how things were going for him. I appreciated the phone call so much and realized how much he really did connect with God and our community this past year.

The other was from a family that came to our church last summer, while we were still doing our informal services. At that point we didn't have childcare and we were meeting in a small hotel room as a group just to figure out how to do our public services and work out logistics. They came and for some reason stuck around. They moved a few weeks ago and before they left we had them over for dinner. They shared some rather profound ways that our church impacted their lives and marriage this past year and I was so encouraged. Sometimes you are just doing what you do and you have no idea what a difference it is making in someone else.

Now, we start a brand new year. We have an engaged couple who talked to us yesterday about pre-marital counseling. I was thinking about the privilege it is to walk with a couple in that season of life and help them build a strong foundation for their future marriage. We have new faces; we have our committed friends who relocated to a new state to help us start this church; we have people branching out this fall to lead classes and help with groups and worship.

Our church is vibrant and growing and is FUN. I can't wait to go to church on Sunday and see our little community gathered. I feel like a mom in some ways- I am proud of the people in my church, I love them, I want to see God do good things in their lives, I get concerned for them, and I carry them in my heart.

I am so thankful for this past year. It has been a great journey and I wouldn't have traded it for anything!

LHOTP

I was at the library the other day and brought home the dvd from season 1 of.. Little House on the Prairie. Chris saw it on the counter and said, “Really?” (which is a clear indicator that I will be watching the dvd by myself, instead of in his company)

So, I admit that I have LHOTP. There you have it.

I’ve never really seen the show before. I probably caught a few mintues here or there but don’t think I’ve ever seen an entire episode.

I am now a fan.

I love seeing the family interact, enjoy simple pleasures of life, have time in the evenings to be creative, work hard when it's time to work and rest when it's time to rest. I have to say I even brought up one of the episodes yesterday in a conversation- I guess I am getting inspired by this pioneer family.

More encouragement...

Along the adoption front, we just received an unexpected card and inside was a check for $250. Inside was a note that they wanted to pass this along for our next adoption. Wow.

Last time, with Liliana, I kept a running log of all the encouraging words and gifts along the way. I wanted her to see God's hand in her life and I also wanted to be reminded of his hand in my life too.

So, my list is growing for adoption #2. I am excited!

Madison Culture

As we are in our 2nd year of living in Madison, we are branching out to experience more of the Wisconsin culture and sights.

This weekend we watched the Mad City Ski Team with some friends. I never knew that water skiing was a competitive sport, but it is. Each Sunday night the ski team does pyramids and tricks at Lake Monona and people can watch. I thought it was going to be totally cheezy, but we ended up having a fun time with the group of friends.

Then for Labor day we attended a Brewers vs. Cardinals baseball game. I have not converted to a Brewers fan after all those years living in St. Louis- don't think it will happen. However, this was my first experience tail gating- what a blast! All of our parking garages in St. Louis are either covered or are street parking, but in Milwaukee they have a huge open lot and everyone goes early to grill and tail gate before the game. Super fun. It was also Liliana's first baseball game and she loved it. One of the couples that went to the game are grandparent figures to Liliana and she adores them. They made it so fun for her and we made a big deal every time Bernie the Brewer came out in his costume or when music would be played. It was one of my most memorable and fun games I have been to.

Next weekend more Madison adventures await. We have plans to go to the Farmer's Market with some folks for the first time. I am excited to finally experience that.

Wednesdays with Walt

We started this family tradition several weeks ago.
On Wednesday nights we make home made pizza. Liliana has her own mini rolling pin and pizza pan so she can help. Then we watch a Walt Disney movie together. I realized that there are several classics I have never seen or have completely forgotten about the story line. Plus, there are some fun new ones out there.


Week 1- PRINCESS and the FROG


First of all, I loved how they tied in the culture of New Orleans and Louisiana into this movie. The music was fun and dynamic. I also like the fact that the princess was African American and loved to cook!




Also, even though I don't promote voodoo, every movie has evil portrayed in one sense or another. I thought it was clever using that to portray the evil, again reinforcing the culture of the movie. (Although we had to fast forward part of that so Liliana wouldn't be scared) All in all I was totally impressed with how the culture came through this film. I love anything diverse and cultural, so it was easy for me to like it.

And.. after all that New Orleans has been through in the past few years, it was great to see a movie that celebrates the city and culture there.

I know this has nothing to do with the plot or characters. But I was impressed with the setting in this film and enjoyed it.

God's encouragement as we wait...

We are in the middle of trying to adopt our second child and have run into some complications, thus we are playing the waiting game.

Today, I checked e-mail and there was a a message from a friend back in the St. Louis area. This friend was so involved in our first adoption as far as encouraging me, praying for our family, and even fasting once a week on behalf of our child.

I haven't talked to her in awhile, so she has no idea what is going on with our adoption process. Anyway, she had a dream about our family last night, as it relates to our 2nd adoption, and wrote me about it to let me know she is praying for us.

When I read her e-mail, I was so encouraged and felt such a sense that God is near us and working on our behalf. I am amazed at God's love and the way He gives us signs of his presence all the time. He has always done special things for me in my life and He never stops.

I am also thankful that my friend took time to e-mail me. She has 5 small kids and a very busy life. It would have been so easy for her to dismiss that dream or not bother to tell me about it. But she is a devoted person when it comes to her walk with God and anytime she has a sense to pray for someone or share an encouraging word, she is prompt to do so. I think that is why God uses her so often to be a source of encouragement and blessing to others.

Even though we are sitting here in WI and our baby is somewhere in TX, I have such a peace today that God is hearing our prayers and working for the good of our family. What a great gift to have this morning!

random thoughts

- i'm reading a book about parenting in a post modern world that is completely challenging me. good stuff. i have so much to learn as a mom and it is the best journey ever!

- tonight had dinner with a friend in the mba program and completed an internship marketing ice cream. learned so much about ice cream and my next ice cream purchase i am heading for hagen daz.... except in november when i am headed to buy a pint of dreyers touchdown sundae ice cream. this is the ice cream my friend is getting on the market to sell for super bowl season. i am so proud of her getting this product on the market and can't wait to try it!

- went to the park today with my good friend to talk about life. i tell her that she is my zen. i know that sounds weird, but she seriously gives off this peaceful presence and energy whenever i am around her. it is such a good presence to be around. she helps me process what is in my heart and encourages me. very thankful for our friendship!

- can't wait to sleep in tomorrow. chris is taking liliana for their date and it is my morning to sleep in. one of my favorite things!

Hidden treasures

Our last day of StayCation 2010, we decided to spend the day in Milwaukee.

The only time we travel to Milwaukee is for the airport (they have cheaper flights when our family from Texas visits) and to go to the Brewers baseball game. So, my concept of Milwaukee was that it's just another city with liter and nothing much to boast about.

I was wrong.

First of all, we went to the lakefront and it was beautiful and clean. We spent time playing in the sand and on the playground near the beach. Now that I know we are only 1.5 hours away from a beautiful beach on the Great Lakes, this will be a family destination many times next summer. The lake is blue and gorgeous and feels like the ocean because you can't see the other side. It was a perfect day to walk and play on the beach!

Then, we ate at the most amazing Italian restaurant down town. Again, weather was awesome, so we ate outside and people watched. Chris decided that he offically ate his favorite Italian dish to date for lunch that day.

Next, we headed to Sprechers brewery for a tour and tasting.





Sprechers is a micro brew that makes great beer and also gourmet sodas. After the tour we were able to sample 4 beers of choice and unlimited sodas. Chris was excited about the beer and I was excited about the soda. This was the most delicious soda I have ever had in my life. I usually don't drink cream soda, but I have to say it was amazing. Same with cherry cola- this soda had no caffeine and you could taste the quality of ingredients compared to a regular coke. So yummy.

We brought along Liliana's princess tea cup so she could drink her milk in it while we tasted our samples. (Although I do admit I let her try a little ginger ale in her tea cup as well)





Milwaukee ended up being a city with hidden treasures. Can't wait to go back and explore some more.

Stay-cation

I used to think the idea of stay-cation was kind of cheezy, but I am now a huge fan. Our family had our first stay-cation this past week. We decided to take day trips around Madison so that Liliana could sleep in her own bed at night. It seems that lately whenever we travel it literally takes 2 weeks to get her back in her rhythm of going to bed at night. Let me say, it's not worth it.

Plus, we are still fairly new to the area and there's lots we haven't yet explored. So it was a good occasion to try some new places and just enjoy some days off.

It was absolutely refreshing.



On one day of our stay-cation we visited the WI Dells and took the Duck Boat Ride. They have army surplus amphibian boats from WWII that can travel on land and water. The Lake Delton and Wisconsin River are both beautiful areas and it was fun to travel on land and water in one trip. We traveled near some sand rocks that were beautiful. Our driver showed us an area had these 2 rocks that met with a small opening. It is naturally colder in this pocket and so Native Americans used this area to store their food. I love seeing how the Native Americans lived off the land and how nature sort of provided what was needed. Super cool.

Happy Wednesday

Tonight I was working after I put Liliana to bed and all of a sudden I heard this sound I couldn't discern. I checked the windows and doors to see if someone was pounding on them and when I went to the back patio I saw fireworks going off right outside my back window. I have no idea what they were celebrating on August 11th, but the fireworks were what you'd see at a 4th of July celebration. It was such a fun surprise.

Liliana woke up scared from the sound, so I took her outside and we sat and watched the fireworks together.
What a random way to celebrate a Wednesday!

Quinceanera

Last night we went to It's a Mexican party for girls who turn 15 called Quinceanera. It is aparty that is celebrating a girl and passing into adulthood. I loved it! It was actually like a mini wedding- her dress was amazing, decorations, catered meal, dancing, decorations, flowers.

Beyond that though, I love seeing cultures that celebrate passing from childhood into adulthood. Jewish culture has bar mitzva and bat mitzva; many African tribes have a call to manhood when the boys come out to hunt with the men of the village. I think there is importance of celebrating that passage. Even though our American culture does not celebrate this passage, I consider doing something for our family.

I remember an episode of the Cosby Show when Claire was taking Vanessa out to New York City to celebrate becoming a woman. It was a tradition she did with each of her girls. When I watched even that tv show I remember thinking how great that would be to do one day with my daughter.

Right now we are celebrating the passage from crib to bed; diapers to potty chair. ... One passage at a time!

Happy Adoption Day

It's been 2 years! Woo Hoo!

Chris and I decided last year that we want to celebrate Liliana's adoption day each year for two reasons:

1. Her birthday is on December 28. It is a bummer having your birthday in between Christmas and New year's Eve, so we love the idea of having time in the summer to celebrate Liliana.

2. We are so thankful for the day our daughter became ours officially and we want to remember and CELEBRATE her coming into our family.

We have been starting to talk to Liliana about adoption lately. I know she doesn't really understand what we are talking about, but she knows that she was adopted because Mommy and Daddy love her. She knows adoption is positive and good, so that works for now.



We have a book about adoption that I got out to read to her, but I can't get through it without crying. I read it three times and each time I come to tears as I recall holding my daughter for the first time and the wave of joy and love that swept over me. I actually put the book away because Liliana doesn't understand the concept of "tears of joy". To her tears mean you are sad or you fell down and have an ouchy. I don't want her to think I am sad about the adoption book, so I am going to read it when she gets a little older and I am not quite so emotional. (Although, I may always tear up when I read the book, who knows?)



To celebrate Adoption Day this year we went to the zoo and then we went to Target to pick out a new play-doh toy for her craft time. We had so much fun as a family!


Happy Adoption Day Liliana!

Boston

Chris and I went to Boston this week on a business trip and his mom came up from Texas to watch Liliana.

It was great to have time together with just the two of us. We had a layover on the way to Boston and we were both so excited to have down time to read, journal and eat lunch at leisure. (I know, it must a sign of old age when you appreciate layovers at the airport.)

We attended the Blue Ocean Summit with pastors and church leaders from all over the country.
Thought provoking. Challenging. Exciting. Relationship building. Encouraging.

For those interested, there should be online talks posted soon to notreligious.org

Children's Illlustrations

I've been in some conversations lately about the subject of art, so it may be that it is on my mind.
Or it may be that Liliana is now past books that show photos of a banana with the word yellow underneath it.

Whatever it is, I find myself struck and impressed with children's book illustrators.

I am naturally in tune with the alliteration and rhyming patterns in kid's stories, which are fun. (Although I have run across the occassional lame book and wonder, Really, you are actually published and showcased in our library??)

However, I have no real artistic ability when it comes to drawing or painting, so maybe that is why I have much more appreciation for the graphics in these kids books. Yesterday, I was reading a new book about this girl's aunt who traveled from Budapest and Montreal. When I saw the Aunt, she was portrayed in such a fun way. I immediately wanted to sit down with this fictional woman and talk about her travels.

Then there's the classics that show such detail on each page. You can read the book dozens of times and still notice new details.

I have always liked going to the art museum or art shows to look at people's creativity. But now a whole new world of children's illustrations have been added to my appreciation.

Monday Date

We have "date afternoon" every other Monday. I have a sweet friend who watches Liliana for 2 hours every other week so we can have a date.

This past Monday was beautiful so Chris and I went for a walk in a wooded area near the lake. It was perfect. There is something about being in nature and taking a stroll that is good for the soul. After our walk we went to Whole Foods before picking up Liliana. Whenever I go to Whole Foods, I like to get my creative juices flowing. I bought agave nectar and coconut flour, so I am going to try to make a berry crisp with these new ingredients. I have never used these 2 things before, so I am officially expanding my food repertoire.

I was thinking back to my childhood grocery store- Buy Rite. The produce section had iceberg lettuce- never would you see arugula or romaine. The baking section had all purpose flour- no Better for Bread or Spelt flour. I am all for the Mom and Pop shops, but I am glad that Buy Rite was replaced with the bigger grocery stores and specialty shops. There is so much to choose from and iceberg can get pretty boring.

Tonight we are having our family fun night. Games, a video and that berry crisp. We'll see if the new ingredients become a regular at our household.

Circus Star

Chris and I are in the habit of saying prayers together each night before we go to bed. We have done it for almost 10 years now and it is one of my favorite parts of the day. Tonight we were thanking God for the incredible joy Liliana brings us.

Playing "Circus" is her new favorite thing to do. She stands on my step stool, waves her arms like she is performing for a crowd, and belts out songs at the top of her lungs. Yesterday Chris was learning a new song about God's love never failing us. Liliana caught the words Jesus and Never, so today's song was " Jesus, He Never, He Never". She sang with such passion and ferver.
It is the best.

I have a feeling I am going to be attending lots of school plays or dance recitals in the coming years. Give that girl a stage and let her shine, since there is not a shy bone in her body.

Aunt Kara's in Town

Chris' sister Kara had last weekend off, so she decided to fly in from Texas to visit us. We had a great time. She has 2 kids who were with their dad, so it was just her. This is the first time in probably 10 years that Chris and Kara have had any quality brother sister time as adults, without kids around.

Kara had been thinking of getting tattoo, so her first day here we were on State St. eating lunch and saw some girl with a nice looking tattoo on her back. We asked her where she got it and she told us the place to go in Madison. I took Kara there to see if she could get an appointment. Neither of us had ever been to a tattoo shop before and it was quite an experience. Some guy could tell we were clueless, so he helped us figure out a style and told us what to do. So Kara left with a souvenir of Madison on her back.

We also went on lots of walks, visited an art fair in Mt. Horeb, brewery in New Glarus, the Capital and had some good talks. It was a fun weekend!

Nana and Papa

Nana and Papa came to town- woo hoo.

I love my in laws and Liliana loves her grand parents!

We had loads of fun going to the circus, eating ice cream at the lake, walking around the capital, eating yummy food, playing at the mall. It was a week of being spoiled and having lots of fun!





(We also moved the last day they were here. Chris' mom watched Liliana all day and his dad helped moved boxes with our friends. They made the move go so smoothly and I'm so thankful for their willingness to pitch in like that.)

My sister in law comes next weekend. I am super excited for all the visitors we are having!

summer thoughts

i am sitting listening to the summer rain outside my window while my daughter is playing picnic with her baby doll.
i am appreciative of summer. i have been eating lots of ice cold watermelon the past two weeks, walking to do many of my errands, sleeping in, and just enjoying a slower pace of life that summer brings.

i was thinking back to when i was in jr high. on summer vacation i would sleep in until noon, get up to make a sandwich and then watch my soap opera, days of our lives, from 12:30-1:30. my younger cousin also watched dool, so we would talk about the show and who we had a crush on. (if my memory serves me right, it was bo.)
i remember swimming at my neighbor's house and working on my tan, which was a high priority back then. a few years i had a seasons pass to six flags, so we would go almost every weekend to hang out with friends. summer time also meant a later curfew.

summer in madison is amazing and i am looking forward to raising my family in such an active town and building memories and traditions here. (minus dool of course)

Memorial Weekend

What a fun weekend. We went to Brat Fest and I felt like a true Sconie. (That's what the locals from Wisconsin call themselves).




We also went to the botanical gardens as a family. Liliana loved playing in the fountain and Chris loved looking at the detail of flowers and trees and taking pictures of nature. I loved walking along the paths with my family and seeing what delights them.




We had some friends over to grill, which is always fun.

I also started watching the Gilmore Girls a few weeks ago. I never thought I would like this show, but I was at the library and thought I'd check it out. There is something endearing about their small town life and I actually like it. One night I had a Gilmore Girls marathon and watched my dvd until 2 am. Somehow that was so relaxing. I just got back from the library renting the next dvd. We'll see what tonight holds.

Nephew

I have a new nephew -Ayden John Natsis.

I'm not sure when I will have the chance to meet him, since he lives in Kentucky, but I am happy knowing he is here and healthy. My brother has loved being a dad and I know having son #2 will continue to bring out this side of him that is so fun to see.

Pictures soon to come...

Some thoughts on LOST

There's mixed emotions about the season finale of Lost last night. Yes, there's details left unknown and as viewers we now have more questions than answers. (Did Jack actually have a son? Why was baby Aaron in the church- did he die as an infant? Why was Ben outside? On and on...)

However, in it's simplest form, I am reminded that in the end, all that matters is our relationships with people. I think we will realize that some of our questions in life are actually the wrong questions and they won't matter. At the end of the day, (or the end of life) who are my "loved ones"?

Tonight I went on a walk with Liliana and thought about this. I want everyday to be about people. Seriously, if a day goes by and it is not about people, it is a waste of a day.

Last week was an extremely busy week, yet we still made sure to linger at meals and invite friends into our home. We were joking with one of the guys we had for lunch. We ate and he was ready to get right back to work with a remodeling project he was doing for our church. We told him to relax and let me start the kettle for a cup of tea. We tend to be more European in our approach to lunch. We like to linger and enjoy our meal together. That's what life is about.

I'm still interested to find out more insights to LOST because it has been a brilliant show and we have enjoyed watching it. But in the meantime, I just want to love and enjoy people.

Culture of Kindness

Chris came home from Panera with a card for our family. Inside we found a $50 gift card to Target from one of his customers.
How kind is that?

It made me think of the customers at our family restaurant growing up. Every year for Christmas, our house would be full of gifts and baked goods from our regular customers. Right around the second week of December, I would get so excited for my dad to come home each night bearing gifts. ( Of course the night he showed up with the fruit cake was a bit of a let down.)

Also this week I received a post card. In the age of technology, anything hand written screams of thoughtfulness. Taking time to buy a post card, write it out, get a stamp and mail it. Huge deal to me.

I wonder if this culture of kindness is dying off, but then something like this happens and it revives my hope. I for one am a huge fan of the c of k. It makes life special and reminds us of goodness.

Love 146

My friend is working on a canvas display for Love 146 so we can raise more awareness about this organization through our networks. So I thought I would mention it on my blog today since it is on my mind.

A guy I used to work with co-founded this organization after a trip to Asia and being exposed to the human trafficking and slave trade kids are caught up in there. It ripped his heart out to see kids exploited, so he wanted to do something about it.



I've watched the awareness, support and effectiveness of this non profit grow over the years and I love supporting what they do and getting others on board. It is so easy to look away from these issues since most of us are probably not directly exposed and also because it is just hard to handle. When I read stories from their safe houses of kids who have escaped from the brothels, it makes me angry at the injustice happening.

I pray this work and others like it continue to grow until we can see the abolition of slavery.
LOVE146.org

A Year Ago Today...

we were driving to Madison from St. Louis to start a brand new chapter of life. It is hard to believe it has been a year!

Yesterday Chris and I were talking about what we have learned and how we have grown over this past year. It has been incredible for us. Starting something from scratch is kind of like having a new baby. It takes so much attention and energy. (more than we could have known until we did it). But then, these growth spurts happen and you look and think, "Wow, look where we are at now. This is amazing."

One major area of growth for me has simply been trying. I am not as afraid to fail or look stupid or experiment with new ideas. I remember reading once stats about the top baseball players with records for stolen bases. The #1 guy has held the record simply because he tried more. He was willing to have be called out and thus tried more than any other baseball player. There is a lot to be said about trying.

I have learned lots more, but I'll save it for another day. Just wanted a quick little post to acknowledge 1 year in my new city!

mom's day 2010

We had a very fun mom's day today!

Chris makes me the BEST home made cards ever- he has done that ever since we have been in a relationship. So he made a fun card from "Liliana and Daddy " and had banners hanging up for me.

We went out to eat Italian food and then Chris took us to a park he found on one of his motorcycle rides. It is on the edge of town, overlooking the beautiful countryside. We walked around, jumped off rocks and had so much fun. (I have no idea how my hair managed to get like this, but there you have it.)



After Liliana went to bed Chris had some bath salts so I could soak my feet and then gave me a foot rub with lotion. Very relaxing. (This happens to be another one of my favorite things Chris does for me).

It kind of seemed more like "Wife Day" rather than "Mom's Day", since Liliana is too small to understand this holiday. But I'll take it!

My daughter is fascinated with wearing winter hats. Today it was sunny and warm in the 70's. Liliana insisted on wearing her summer dress and a blue winter tuke.

Usually she just wears her winter hats when she plays outside, but today she wanted to wear it when we ran errands and went to her library class. (Oh, and did I mention they aren't her hats? They are hats that Chris or I wear. So they are way too big for her and half the time they cover her eyes and she can't see where she is going)



I had a decision to make today. Will I be one of those moms that lets her kid pick out clothes, even if it is a purple shirt, blue pants and red tights? Or am I more concerned with Liliana's image and making sure she matches when she goes out in public?

As I was waking down the aisle at Kohl's and Office Max, many people smiled at Liliana. She did look cute, even though she had to be sweating in her hat. She ended up taking her hat off at the beginning of library class, but even if she hadn't I still would have been proud to be seen next to her. I hope she always feels confident and beautiful, no matter what she is wearing!

Elkanah

Elkanah.
You probably don't know off the top of your head who he is. He is Hannah's husband and he is mentioned in the book of the BIble 1 Samuel.

A few years ago when Chris and I were facing infertility and our desire to have a family, I would often go to Hannah's story and find comfort in her journey of barrenness. However, as I have re-read this story last week, I am particularly drawn to her husband's journey.

Hannah cried out for a son and she made a vow to God that if she conceived that she would dedicate her child to him. She even went so far to say that she would allow him grow up in the temple to be trained and raised by the priest.
Sure enough- she had a son.

So, here is Elkanah. He didn't make any vows to God. He wasn't so desperate for a child that he promised to devote him to grow up in the temple. But his wife did. So this put him in an interesting situation. He could have told Hannah, "No way, this is my son too and he is not going anywhere". But he didn't. In fact he prayed that Hannah would be able to fulfill her commitment to God after their son was weaned. He took Hannah to the temple to give their son, Samuel, to the priest. He left empty handed with her.

It's one thing to have your own faith and commitments, but it is another thing to walk along side someone else who has a strong faith and conviction and to back them up in their decisions. This was the kind of husband Elkanah was to Hannah.

We are planning to adopt again in the next few months. The lady who gave birth to Liliana is pregnant again and decided she wants to place this baby in our family- to grow up with us as parents and Liliana as a big sister. I have such respect for any birth mom who faces these tough decisions and out of love chooses what she thinks best for the child.

Yet, as I have been reflecting on Elkanah, I know that there is a boyfriend tied in to the story, that also has to make the same tough choices about this baby. Our particular adoption story is unique, in that Liilana's new sibling -to -be is a full blooded sibling. Two years ago a very selfless, tough choice was made to place Liliana in our home; one that was initiated and driven by her birth mom. It took her boyfriend several months to get on the same page, but he came to the spot where he knew that was the best decision. Now another tough choice must be made. I can hardly imagine what that is like to do once in a lifetime, much less twice.

Granted the situations and circumstances are different, but I am praying that he has the same strength that Elkanah had.

Randomness

I haven't been inspired lately in the blogging area, but I am making myself write entries until my writer's block is cured.

So today will be about randomness...

1. Earlier today a storm was heading in. I had a random notion to see if I could run to the library to get a book and beat the storm. I actually hate running- the worse days in school were the days we had to run the mile in PE class. But I had a random inkling to run/jog today. As I was jogging home there was a sprinkling just starting and it felt so refreshing. I don't plan to become a runner anytime soon, but it was a fun little jaunt.

2. I am in love with the word "special". I know I can't over use it or it will lose it's meaning, but it is amazing how this little adjective brings such joy to my daughter. Once something is labeled as "special" her excitement escalates. (I must say it has worked wonders with potty training. Her "special" princess pull ups have motivated her to use the potty all the time now.)

3. I am also fascinated with kitchen tables. We bought a new kitchen table we have been storing for a few months and planned to set it up when we move. Last week Chris decided he didn't want to wait any longer and set it up. It is huge and takes up our entire dining area in our apartment, but we love it. We talked about how much time in life is spent around a table. In our case, a lot. We have people over all the time and we are at the table for hours sometimes. So we wanted a large table with comfy chairs to better facilitate that. I have to say sitting at our big table promotes that well.

4. It is time to go get ready for an international party we are attending tonight. We are bringing iced Vietnamese coffee. They are always a hit at parties and are fairly simple to make. I guess they are just a "special" coffee treat to people.

Spring Ride

Today was my first spring motorcycle ride with Chris. We drove around the lake and explored some country roads. That is one thing I love about Madison- you go just a few miles outside the city and you are surrounded by beautiful rural countryside. Cruising around today made me so happy I live here. It is a beautiful place and has so much to offer.

Books

What books am I reading this week? Well, since you asked...

Difficult Conversations- A book by some Harvard researchers about communication.

Grace Based Parenting- It is only hold and I will pick it up tomorrow at the library. Recommended by a good friend, so I am excited.

Just ordered NT Wright's latest book from Amazon called After You Believe- he is one of my favorite theologians, so I am excited to read this new book.

Also ordered Between Two Worlds- a British book about preaching

Then of course there is Goofy and The Big Storm and Dora Goes to the Dentist- classics I tell ya.

moving

this sunday we are moving our church to a new building- so excited! it is closer to campus and the location will work so well for our next phase of church life.

in our complex of buildings there is a yoga studio and a chiropractor. i can tell already i am going to challenged to healthier eating and exercise. once we get settled chris and i are talking about hosting a lunch to get to know the businesses. we were joking today about having to serve super healthy food- no chips for these folks!

we've been so encouraged by all the people in our church volunteering time, talents, vehicles, etc.. to get us ready for sunday. it feels like such a community effort and i love that. it's fun seeing everyone be a part and get excited.

we're celebrating after church with pizza and floats.
a root beer float sounds good right about now...

Spring Session at the Library

Liliana started her spring session of Toddler Time at the library today and it was so sweet.

First of all, we are in a new class and there is a precious little deaf boy in this class. I loved watching him interact with his mama. She would sign the books to him as we read and he got so excited. I had to catch myself from staring at them too much. I think parents of kids with any sort of special needs are just amazing. I know all parents love their kids, but it seems like there is a beautiful aura of grace and patience with parents of special needs kids.

Secondly, our librarian just adopted a little boy from Texas. I stayed after class for about a half hour talking to her, hearing her story, sharing my story. It was so encouraging to see her story play out like it has and I am so happy for her. She is a fantastic children's librarian and I am so happy to see her as a mommy now.

Yay for our library time and sharing life with these other parents!

Random Events of Last week

1. We checked the mail and our sweet mail lady had a little Easter treat in our mail box for Liliana. How many mail carriers do that? It made our day!

2. Went on a walk with a friend, without Liliana. This is actually the second time in 2 weeks I have hung out with this friend sans children. The week before she took me to this place called Manna Cafe. It is run by a Jewish family and the food is delicious. I am really liking having some girl time without the kids. I might just get used to it.

3. Tried to replicate a tilapia sandwich from the Manna Cafe with my own twist. Chris thought it was delicious. There's something rewarding about trying a new recipe idea and having success.

4. Watched how something as simple as stickers in a plastic egg can bring joy to a child. :-)

5. Also watched how something as simple as a new bookshelf can bring joy to a child. Now whenever we read books, Liliana notices pictures of bookshelves and makes sure to point them out in rooms.



6. Talked to almost all of my family members in one day- this is a rare feat since we have so many.

7. Visited our friend's new bike shop they are opening up. I am so proud of them for taking a risk to venture out in this new business. We had a great time seeing their place and praying for their success and impact in the community.

8. Watched LOST. I figured this had to make my blog at least once. I like this show and can't wait to see how it all ties together.

Sidewalk Chalk

I love sidewalk chalk!

The weather is beautiful now that spring is here, so last night Liilana shared her sidewalk chalk with the neighbor kids. They drew their works of art all over our sidewalk. Today when I pulled up from work, I saw all the art and it made me so happy. It communicates that there is life. There are fun kids who enjoy playing outside with their friends and expressing creativity.