Maggie was so excited about dressing up for Go Texan Day at school....so we ventured out this week in the sleet/snow and found her some pink cowboy boots. She has been wearing them EVERYWHERE. You can't really see the excitement in the picture above, but let's give the girl a break ~ her momma just woke her up from a deep sleep at 6:15 in the morning. :)
Maggie also has a pink cowboy hat and has been just waiting to wear it today. We get to school and I look inside her classroom and see a little girl wearing a pink cowboy hate. OH! CRAP! At about the same time, Maggie looked at me and said "Oh.No.Momma! My cowboy hat at home." (Again - OH! CRAP! - this is NOT going to be pretty!) and then she said, "Oh well. It's ok." Oh thank you Jesus! :)
We finally had some decent warmer weather, so I called up my friend, Jocelyn, on Friday to see if she wanted to join us at the zoo. Well, to be honest, I first asked if she just wanted to go to the park, because I wasn't sure that I had the energy to tackle the zoo. Then as we were talking, I mentioned that I had thought about going to the zoo and she said she had been too - so that was it. We were going....
We met up at the zoo Saturday morning. 3 mommas (friend Lindsey joined us too)...7 kiddos under the age of 3. Oh yes. We were bringing our own zoo to the zoo! Maggie was sooo excited to see Sariyah and Adrian and all the aminals (yes, I know it's misspelled but that's how she says it :). Maggie had never been to the zoo before so this was a great first for us.
I'm telling you - she's just about over that railing!
Watching the Momma orangutang and all the fish in the pond (plus a sweet moment between Jocelyn and her sweet Sariyah)
My take charge daughter - c'mon Adrian, let's go!
Maggie loves the petting zoo. She has NO fear!
Maggie loved riding on the carousel. It was a great way to end our special day.
And here are just a few of the many animals that we saw on our trip to the zoo
Daddy & I gave Momma the prettiest bouquet of pink tulips!
Daddy gave me my own little bouquet of carnations....I was so excited!
Look at my new owl Valentine's dress...don't you just love it?
Showing off her new dress
Momma had this dress made by a lady who is trying to raise money to adopt a baby. Isn't that neat?
I've discovered that I love to wash dishes and clean the sink. Momma seems pretty happy about it too!
I had a fun day at school today. Ms. Renee gave me a neat Valentine's Day balloon.
I follow a blog and she posted this a few weeks ago. I was seriously laughing out loud...and you will, too. (especially if you're the momma of a toddler)
a letter to nick jr.
Dear Nick Jr. (formerly known as Noggin but still really known as Noggin because I don't know of one single person who calls it Nick Jr because, let's face it, Noggin is just a cuter name, I'm just sayin'),
(inhales)
I am writing to inform you that very soon I will be putting in a call to Social Services to report the gross parental negligence I have observed by many of the residents of your Nickelodeon Neighborhood.
Let's take, for example, Max and Ruby. After 11 months of observation I have never, EVER seen their parents. As in I'm pretty sure they don't even exist. The children are constantly home alone, only being dropped in upon, every once in a while, by their grandmother. Max, obviously a child two or under seeing as how he can only speak one word at a time, is being cared for by his sister, Ruby, who can't possibly be more than six years old seeing as how she's an idiot. I do not feel this is a good environment for either child and thus will be reporting the Bunny Family to the proper authorities. I am glad that Ruby has her ever-true Bunny Scout Leader to guide her although I don't think the party-hosting skills she is being taught are going to prove very beneficial in the raising of her younger brother.
I am also very concerned about Dora the Abnormally Large Headed Exploradora. Although her parents, Sr. and Sra. Marquez, do appear every now and again, she is often seen out on her own, accompanied only by a whiny monkey. She has faced many a foe (a witch, a troll, a fox) with only her backpack to protect her. And I know she always uses her seatbelt "so she can be safe," but am I mistaken that Dora should still be in a car seat? I am fairly certain she does not meet the eight year / 80 pound requirement. Although I suppose this law may not apply when you are traveling to OUTER SPACE, you know, by yourself.
Lastly, I will be reporting ALL of the neglectful animal parents whose children have found themselves in such peril they've had to call on the Wonder Pets. I feel if you are relying on a guinea pig, a turtle, and a baby duck to rescue your children, you have reached a whole new level of inattention. I'm sorry but if you, as a goose, flew off and left your children to be led south by some classroom pets in a plastic boat, don't you think you should be reported? And don't even get me started on the ladybug's parents who let her play in the Venus Fly Trap or the Mama cow who barely reacted when her baby calf was rescued from a tree (that's right, a tree).
The parents of all the Backyardigans are still under observation, and at this point, there is no reason to suspect negligence on their part. So far, the children have stayed within the confines of their backyard, and at least one parent seems to be home during their playtime, offering a delightful yet nutritious snack at the end of their imaginary adventures.
Please be under advisement that the entire Nickelodeon Junior (if that's your real name) populace is being watched.
Yours Truly,
P.S. - And as far as DJ Lance is concerned, the whole Gabba Family is currently under investigation for recreational drug use. Second letter to follow.
We are brothers and sisters on the journey...
Mark 3:31-35
The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house.
Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him.
A crowd seated around him told him,
“Your mother and your brothers and your sisters
are outside asking for you.”
But he said to them in reply,
“Who are my mother and my brothers?”
And looking around at those seated in the circle he said,
“Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of God
is my brother and sister and mother.”
When we make the commitment to walk in the will of God, we are making a choice that changes our lives. We are given an entirely new family... others who have made the same choice... and have joined us as brothers and sisters in the family of God.
Answering the call to be involved with children who are temporary orphans, either by being in foster care or in preparation for adoption, is a life changing event. It takes us places that we may not have anticipated. It gives us children whose needs seem overwhelming at times. It brings us into conflict with 'the system' and the holes through which children can fall. It invites us to have our hearts shredded by being unable to meet the needs of specific children or unable to find resources to meet those needs. It can exhaust us so that we are no longer able to muster the energy for the journey...
Answering the call to be involved with children who are permanent orphans because their parents were unable to care for them adequately and no one every came forward to adopt can break your heart. These children, as they emancipate from foster care, may have no resources to support them and to launch them into adult hood. They may lack basic life skills to be able to manage independent living, but not have any adults who can help them. Their needs are often overwhelming for all involved in the effort to help. The resources for them are so slim. The needs are so great.
Answering the call gives us new sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, cousins, grandparents... who can help and support... Answering the call gives us a new family... Please answer the call in whatever way you can experience it...
Maggie has had yet another bout of junk...congestion, snotty nose, cough...and it wasn't getting much better, so I took her in yesterday. Just a virus. More antihistamine/decongestant combo given. Hope it works.
While there, they did her 3 year annual exam. Maggie is now 37 1/2 inches tall and weighs 32 pounds. Such a big girl! Every time I look at her, I just see such a little girl...not a baby anymore! Boy do I think she's cute :)
We really didn't start talking about the new school, until after Maggie finished up at her other school. We thought it might be too confusing. So we started talking it up all weekend and she was really excited about her new school....until.....it was time for Momma to leave.
I decided to drop Maggie off at 8am (when school starts) versus 6:30, when the before school care starts. I wanted to bring her to her new classroom and introduce her to her new teacher, Ms. Renee. We got to the room before anyone else was there, including the teacher. A few minutes later, the door opened and Maggie went running in. She immediately started playing with the puppies & puzzles and investigating everything. I introduced her to Miss Renee and she wasn't too excited about that, but she gave her "normal" greeting. I chatted with her teacher for a few minutes and then I needed to leave. Maggie came running up to me, grabbing my legs, climbing up me and into my arms, screaming...MOMMA DON'T LEAVE ME!
Oh how my heart broke at that moment. My poor sweet little girl. I could see the terror in her eyes. She still has such deep separation issues. She was fine at her other school, but that's because she eventually felt safe there and she knew that whenever Momma dropped her off there, that Momma would come back. This was a new place and new people and she didn't know what to think. Of course, we all know that Momma was coming back but she didn't.
I have never heard Maggie scream like before...ever...and she's had plenty of screaming moments. I told her that I loved her, that she was going to have so much fun at her new school, meeting new friends and that Momma would be back to get her at the end of the day. I'm pretty sure she didn't hear a word of what I said. She was basically clinging on to me for dear life. I gently removed her from my body and handed her over to her teacher and I walked out the door....all the while hearing her scream - Momma don't leave me...Momma don't leave me...all the way down one hall, down another hall and into the gym. I could still hear her. Oh be still this Momma's heart.
It's so sad really. To know that she has such deep anxiety on being left behind, because of her past...that even though she knows that Momma and Daddy are here, there is still that insecure security (does that make sense?)
I emailed the director before lunch and asked if she would please go and check on Maggie. I figured that she was ok (otherwise I'm sure they would've called me) but I just needed some reassurance. They emailed me back and said that Maggie was doing great! That was medicine to my soul.
When I went to pick Maggie up, I walked to the door and waited for her to turn and see me. She did and her face lit up, a huge smile covered her face and she came running to the door. "Momma came back! Momma came back!" I scooped her up and gave her a big hug and kiss. I told her, "See, Momma came back. Momma always comes back. I was so sad when you were crying this morning." She looked at me and said, "Look at me smiley face now, Momma. Maggie happy. Momma back."
A sweet babe back in the arms of her Momma....and all was right with the world again.
