NIU

On last Thursday Feb. 14th, I ran an errand by myself while our son Nick was home and watched Grace. In the car I heard on the radio the events at Northern Illinois University unfolding. When I came home I told Nick about the shootings and what had apparently happened on NIU's campus. I was already very emotional about it and Nick, who is 22 became teary and quite upset. 2 years ago we lived just 20 minutes away from DeKalb, Illinois where NIU is located. DeKalb is a sleepy college town of about 40,000 people. Nick's high school has many students that attend NIU after graduation, and he has 6-7 close friends that still are students there. Fortunately, later on we found out that his good friends were safe.

As a former resident of the northern Illinois area, I am saddened by these events. As a parent, I am horrified and heartbroken. Our son is a student at a large university. Where are our children safe? I don't know the answer anymore to that question. Since Columbine and multiple similar incidents like it have occured at schools, something very tragic has happened in our country. It has changed so much and it breaks my heart.

Please pray for the families and friends of the victims of this tragedy and also for the NIU community. May God grant them all strength through this tragic time.

2 Things (on a Tuesday)

I saw this on another blog...play along if you like!

2 names you go by...Gail and Mommy or Mom

2 things you are wearing now...jeans and a sweater

2 things you would want (or have) in a relationship...trust and humor

2 things you want very badly at the moment...travel to China and get my daughter

2 pets you have or have had...Molly (black lab) and Max (dachshund)

2 things you did last night...played a game with Grace and took Grace's temp

2 people you think will fill this out...I have no idea

2 things you ate today...a banana and Life cereal

2 people you last talked to...Dan and my friend Carla

2 things you are doing tomorrow...taking Grace to swimming lessons and cleaning my house

2 longest car rides...our move from CA to Illinois and Indiana to Florida trip

2 people no long alive who you'd like to talk to...my friend DeeAnne from high school and my Grandparents

I won't tag 2 other people but if you decide to play along be sure and let me know. :)

Renewing some of our paperwork

Our I-171H expires in early April, so I'm sending in the paperwork to USCIS to renew it this week. We get one free renewal. Our homestudy will be updated too this month. I really don't mind and it will be nice to meet with our SW again. It makes me feel like we are doing something proactive and moving forward. We all do whatever we have to get our children home with us. The homestudy renewal process in WI isn't a big deal, we just update if there have been any changes, with employment or income or a significant change in health status.

Now to update on the sickies here in this house: Dan is greatly improved, so is Miss Grace and now I'm getting something. I don't think I have whatever Dan had fortunately. I've had a wicked bad headache today and felt kind of "flu-y." Motrin and a nap helped tremendously this afternoon. :)

Guess what?

Yesterday afternoon I found out from our small to medium sized agency that we are out of the Review Room!!! What that means is that China has gone through our dossier with a fine tooth comb, checked to be sure everything was okay... and has approved us to adopt a child! We've been waiting to hear this for a while, and it is a milestone. Now comes more waiting. Not sure how much celebrating will be going on this weekend with Dan recovering from the flu still and now Miss Grace seems to have it too. She slept for 3 hours this afternoon and has a fever. We can celebrate later. For now nurse Gail is on duty this weekend, taking care of her 2 patients. :)

Finally Friday!

Miss Grace on Valentine's Day before preschool--she's holding Jack.


Grace playing a game on Mom's computer.

Lots of snow here, and since this pic it's snowed even more.

It's been a long week here, with more snowstorms (that's all it's done here this Winter), and additional snow on the way this weekend. I think we're supposed to get 9-10" more. We don't even go outside much to play because it's been so bitter cold. Grace had a busy week at school and lots of fun with a Valentine's Day party. I taught a class to a Mother's of Preschoolers group that I belong to, and Dan returned from a business trip to Salt Lake City. Dan is sick as a dog, and I mean sick. He's got an upper respiratory flu with a high fever, dry cough and aches and pains. All he does is sleep. I've kept him "isolated" from the rest of us because I so do not want Grace or myself to get this thing. The hard part is keeping Grace away from him. It is Friday though and that's always great in my world. Please stay warm and safe! :)

Love=Family

These three remain:

faith, hope and love.

But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13

Wordless Wednesday

Aging with Grace

What's Your True Color?

My Result: Blue

You're blue — the most soothing shade of the spectrum. The color of a clear summer sky or a deep, reflective ocean, blue has traditionally symbolized trust, solitude, and loyalty. Most likely a thoughtful person who values spending some time on your own, you'd rather connect deeply with a few people than have a bunch of slight acquaintances. Luckily, making close friends isn't that hard, since people are naturally attracted to you — they're soothed by your calming presence. Cool and collected, you rarely overreact. Instead, you think things through before coming to a decision. That level-headed, thoughtful approach to life is patently blue — and patently you!

What are you?
http://web.tickle.com/rd/50651/color/index.jsp?testname=colorogt&resultid=E