Ode to Target

Oh Target...how I love thee
I could visit you every day
So I don't understand why you seem to bring
The worst out in my daughter with each new stay.

Could it be the "fun" shopping carts that start it all
You know...the ones that we want to avoid
When we put our little ones in the "other" carts
It's just the beginning of being annoyed.

Or could it be the Target Dollar Spot
You walk right into
full of all the knick-knacks & gadgets
Just beckoning to a little one that is 2.

Or maybe it's the bubbles, chalk, or candies
that lovingly wait in the aisles
just hoping to grab the attention
and start a little smile.

But alas, the 2 year old is with her Momma
and her Momma doesn't buy all the hype
And has to endure all the turmoil
and blog about it at night.

Target, my trip tonight was exhausting
everyone heard her cries
And watched her poor little Momma
try to finish gathering supplies.

So, in the future, when you decide
where you should place all those great buys
Try to put some in other places
away from little eyes.

In the end, my dear Target
should you take heed to my requests
This Momma will be happy, her baby will be quiet
and a big thank you will come from your guests.


*written once I got home from a trip to Target that included, but was not limited to, a 17 minute screaming temper tantrum with my usually loving, sweet, 2 year old daughter.*

The latest on Maggie herself :)

I have not done a very good job at documenting Maggie and all that she is doing and learning lately. Such a bad momma! So I'm going to try and jot a few things down tonight that are fresh on my brain :) Maggie sure is one funny girl. I'd like to take credit for her wonderful sense of timing & humor, but I'm not so sure that I can.

We have really been working on her vocabulary and verbal skills. She has finally started putting words together. She says "please, momma" "tank you, momma" and "wub you, momma". Funny thing is she hasn't quite figured it out that those words don't always go together. She'll say the same thing to Daddy too..."please momma!" Of course, I love it...Michael quickly informs her that he is Daddy, not Momma. So she'll say, "please momma daddy". :)

The other morning I went in to get Maggie and I hadn't dried my hair yet. She saw me and said: "momma...hair...wet...rain?" I laughed and said, No sweetpea, it's not raining in the house. And she said "oh...baf" (bath)? "Yes, Momma took a bath". I'm always amazed at when she puts things together like that out of the blue.

We finally got some new living room furniture (yay!). It was being delivered on Saturday (between the hours of 7am and 10pm...don't get me started on that!) so we moved the old couch out the garage after Maggie went to bed Friday night. When she woke up, Maggie went running into the living room and immediately stopped. "Momma...uh oh....uh oh....uh oh!" The room was empty and she was having a grand ol' time with all the room to run around.

The furniture didn't arrive until 9:30pm (again, don't get me started) & Maggie was already in bed. So when she woke up on Sunday morning. She came into the living room. Stopped and said, "WoooooooooooW! Momma! WOW!" She immediately tried (and tried and tried and tried) to get up on the new sectional...without much success. It's a bit higher than our other couch. It seriously was the funniest thing ever. I so wish that I had a video camera to record it. She has since learned to manuever her way up and has the bruises to show for it.

Maggie is really into movies now. She will go to the Xbox (what we watch movies on in the living room), turn it on, open it up, go into the movie drawer, pick out what she wants to watch, puts it in and then comes calling for either me or Michael to "hurry....hurry" Her favorites right now are Nemo Nemo (Finding Nemo), Elmphant (Horton Hears A Who) and Puppy (Bolt). She will stand up in front of the tv and just watch and not move....it cracks me up.

She's also really avoiding sleeping in her bed when she can. She knows I'm going to get her bottle and all of a sudden, she's gone. Just like that. Of course, I know where to find her...all snug in our bed (what she calls Momma's Big Bed) with her eyes closed...and she'll even give out a pretend snore (learned from Daddy of course). Too funny...and she knows it!

There is always something going on ~ new adventures, new words, new expressions...and I'm lovin' every minute of it!

60 days....

and we can file the adoption placement papers for Maggie to officially (in the eyes of the law) our daughter!

E, Maggie's new adoption caseworker, came by for a visit this morning. She was so nice and very sweet. She was very easy to talk to and was very excited to be able to help us with our adoption of Maggie. She asked a few questions about Maggie's progress and development and just observed Maggie. She said that we had a lovely home & said that Maggie was so cute (of course!)

The state requires a 90 day waiting period from termination, before adoption placement papers can be filed. 1 month has already passed, so we just have 60 days to go! There really isn't anything that will be done in the next 60 days, as they can't do anything on their end. We do have to get a psych/developmental evaluation done on Maggie and she suggested that we go ahead and get that scheduled as soon as possible, so that it doesn't hold us up. I have already made the phone call and just waiting for a call back. Our agency will need to do an addendum on our home study, since it's over a year old, but that shouldn't be any big deal. Our agency is fantastic & more than ready for us to be done with all of this :) Everything else that is needed has already been done and copies will just need to be forwarded to the CPS adoption division. Once the adoption placement papers are signed, our attorney will file for a court date. If all goes well....we are hopeful to have everything done in August!

We honestly have had a wonderful experience with everyone involved in our case - from our agency caseworker, to our CPS foster care caseworker and now our new adoption caseworker, to our CASA worker...it hasn't been the easiest of journeys but honestly, when I look at my sweet little girl, I don't even think about all those tough days. I just look at the beautiful child that the Lord chose for us to parent....and I am overwhelmed by the love and blessing of Maggie Joy.

Meeting tomorrow

Just a quick post to ask that you be praying with us as we meet with Maggie's new adoption caseworker tomorrow (Tuesday) morning @ 10am. Please pray that we start a great line of communication & feel at ease with her, and vice versa. We are hopeful that we will learn more about what the next steps are to get Maggie's adoption finalized. I'll be sure to update you tomorrow.

Love,

Adoption Update

I called Maggie's CPS caseworker yesterday to get an update on the status of her case. He told me that he closed the case on his end and transferred it to the adoption unit at the end of last week. He said that Maggie's new adoption caseworker would be in touch with us soon. I was a bit disappointed that Maggie's first caseworker wasn't assigned, but she's going on maternity leave in July, so we knew that it wasn't likely. Oh well!

Soon....hmmm....wonder what that means? You never know when it comes to CPS. However, I shouldn't have been so negative, as we received a phone call a few hours later from Elizabeth, Maggie's new caseworker. She seemed very nice on the phone, so I'm hopeful that she's that way in person :)

Elizabeth will be coming out next Tuesday morning for a home visit and to give us the details on where we are and what we need to do, etc. I was encouraged!

Please pray that we'll have a positive first meeting...even though we have nothing to worry about, it's very easy to get over anxious with these things.

1st Mother's Day

Dear Maggie Joy,

Today is a very special day. It is my first Mother's Day...and it's all because of YOU! I always wondered what the day would be like...and it exceeded all that I thought it would be. I knew what it was like to celebrate Mother's Day with Nana (since she's my momma) but what would it be like when I had a child of my own?

You slept in late (wow...you really know how to give your momma a treat!!!) ~ You helped Daddy make breakfast for me ~ one of your favorites, pancakes & bacon. You even helped clean up a bit. You gave me some pretty flowers and every time I look at them, I think of you. You were very proud of yourself!

When Jesus brought you home to live with me and Daddy, he knew what a special little girl you were and how much love and joy you would bring to our lives. Being your momma has been the most wonderful gift I've ever received. Because of you, I have learned patience, grace, forgiveness, flexibility, understanding and the ability to love more deeply that I ever thought was possible. I loved you before I even knew you...and my love for you grows deeper with each passing day.

Thank you for making me a Momma, Maggie Joy. I can't think of a better way to have made it happen.

I love you so much....to the moon & back.
Momma

Child of My Heart

I have always loved the Willow Tree Angels and started collecting them when I received my first one as a wedding gift. My collection has grown through the years but there were always the ones with babies and/or families that I longed to add to my collection. This year, that wish came true when I received the "Child of My Heart" figurine from Michael for Mother's Day. Each angel is given a name and a "story line". How appropriate that on this, my first Mother's Day, that Michael would give me this special Willow Tree Angel.

"Child of My Heart"

Child of the world, into my heart you came --
Bringing sun into my life, Making family our name.

It is with great joy and awe that I celebrate my first Mother's Day as Maggie's momma. Last year, as we waited to be matched with our child, I honestly didn't know if I would see another Mother's Day childless. I so prayed that 2008 would be the time that the Lord would choose to bless us with our child and bless us, He did! My journey to motherhood has been long. hard. frustrating. But it's also been sweet. happy. joyful and most of all, well worth it all.

This Mother's Day is special because I am now a momma of a sweet little girl. Only the Lord could have brought us together as momma & daughter. Her daddy & I are so filled to the brim with love, joy and thankfulness for God's blessing of Maggie Joy.

However, as special as this Mother's Day is for me this year, I also remember how it feels to not have a child to celebrate. So, on this Mother's Day, I just want to ask you to remember those women in your lives that are longing, just like I was last year, to be a momma, whose arms are aching from the emptiness of not having a child (or possibly even from the emptiness of losing a child)- and longing to celebrate their first Mother's Day with their son or daughter. This can be a very hard day for those sweet mommas-to-be. Pray for them! It's important to just let them know that you're thinking of them. It really does mean so much.

Happy Mother's Day to all my friends who are mommas, especially those celebrating for the first time this year. And my love and hugs out to my dear friends, who are still waiting. I am praying for you ~ for peace, comfort and much love on this day.

Love,
Maggie's Momma