family

family

Thursday, December 15, 2011

christmas is almost here

                                                                               

for a while it felt as if christmas would never get here.  i guess maybe having my christmas shopping almost completed while at the same time,  skeletons were staked in my front lawn might have something to do with it.  i can't help it.  i like to be prepared and waiting until after thanksgiving would make me feel rushed.
       my kids definitely take after their mother when it comes to the appreciation of festive lil do dads that transform your house into a home.  no matter what holiday approaches they are always up in my business when i get out the decorations.  they gotta touch everything, and if anyone comes over to visit they must take them on a quick little tour.  today at the store seany says with excitement " aww look at all the nutcrackers, aren't they cute?" he's absolutely right, they are cute and i think i just might have to start him his only little collection one day.
           that sweet little christmas elf is at it again this year.  we never know where we might find him but one things for certain, he's always sporting a smile!




st. nick came and went, but without doubt left some cool surprises!!




couple things left on my list to do:


  • finish wrapping presents
  • make tiny elf donuts
  • make santa hat snack mix
  • seany's christmas concert
  • last min touches for christmas eve which i am hosting!

seany makes the cutest stuff at preschool

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

happy birthday!!

just sharing a few photos from the boys birthday party.  while seany and vito are still little we are choosing to combine their birthday bashes into one.  i'm all to aware that before i know it, they will insist on having their own special party and ill be forced to morph into back to back party planner.  they both agreed on spiderman and to my delight  the red complimented nicely with all the existing holiday cheer.  pizza was the main course and dessert was needless to say....spiderman cake!!






seany and vito were thrilled to spend the evening with the ones they love the most!!!  the smiles i captured on their faces was enough satisfaction for me.





one party down, lots more to go!!!!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

adoption saturday

         saturday november 19th was national adoption day.  hank and i were so happy to be asked to help with this special event that hits a special note on our heart strings.  we arrived at the family court building around 8:30 to set up the yummy platters of donuts which were donated by quik trip.  while waiting to get on the elevator i stood behind the proudest looking family.  every family member was beaming with excitement as all eyes were fixated on their tiniest, newest, most beautiful, little angel that today would  become an official member of their family.  she was dressed in a darling red plaid dress with shiny black patten leather shoes. i noticed her hair was freshly braided, and anyone couldn't help to notice that she had her daddy wrapped around her lil finger.  i told her "you look so beautiful today", and she replied with the softest "thank you".  i didn't know this family from a set of strangers off the street, yet i knew exactly how they were feeling.  a memory of emotions ran through my body as hank and i were those parents one year ago to the date that were eagerly awaiting to stand before the judge and name us as the parents of jasean henry schwartz.
          we went upstairs and set out the food.  ronald mcdonald was there signing autographs and each child that was being adopted received a special gift inside the court room.  many familiar faces walked through my path and they all had the same question... "hows seany?"  i shared cute stories about the boys and of course flashed a couple of our newest family pictures.  with every family that passed by the donut table where i stood, i couldn't help but wonder what their own unique story was.  i overheard a young boy probably around  8 or 9 years of age say to a tall man " hi uncle roy, i'm going to be your nephew now", how stinkin sweet is that?  hank and i both agreed that alone made us a little teary eyed.
      many families were completed that morning and to be a small part of that was awesome.  november is probably the best time to have such an event.  what a great kick off to the holidays since spending time together as a family is the best part of all.
 

a·dopt

  [uh-dopt]  Show IPA
verb (used with object)
1.
to choose or take as one's own; make one's own byselection or assent: to adopt a nickname.
2.
to take and rear (the child of other parents) as one's ownchild, specifically by a formal legal act.

to many this word means exactly as stated, but to those that have survived the process, or those longing to adopt  a special little someone to call their own, it goes much deeper than whats written.  my obgyn has asked  me more than once if i love my adopted son as much as my birth son.  she must be kidding right?  not only is that a completely inappropriate question to ask, i take it very personal and am highly offended at the same time.  of course i love him the same.  i love that my children are so different, that is why they are so special to me.
        its quite mind blowing when you actually take the time to dissect every aspect of adoption.  i sometimes look at my adopted son through a different set of eyes at times.  its a feeling like no other, knowing i wasn't involved at all in the creation of his life.  i was just as any other stranger going about my day unknowing the day of his birth.  after nine months of living with his birth family, everything he had known spiraled out of control and landed him at my front door. my life was forever changed, and for this i thank God.   i have been blessed to be the one chosen to pick up all of his shattered little pieces and put them back together.  as a mother, this is a little scary.  i must do my best to make the pieces fit so snug that i just might be able to put a shiny glaze of modge podge over the finished product some day.
     
          my hat flies to the moon and back for any birth parent that has willingly given up a child, for the sake of wanting them to have more than what they had to offer.  i know many people who have adopted as well as a couple adult adoptees.  one friend  who is waiting anxiously to adopt says one of the most difficult tasks to be completed for her home study was the letter that was to be written to the birth parents.  when you do a private adoption it is to my understanding that you write these letters basically saying why you think you should be chosen to raise their child.  my friend said it actually made her sad.  i thought to myself, what an amazing woman she is.  not complaining about the amount of money to be dished to the agency, or the boring home visits that were to be made by the caseworker.  she obviously finds it tough to put her feelings in to words, knowing that the end result for the birth parent will ultimately be the loss of their baby.  i know she will make an amazing mother.

                everyone has their own opinion about adoption,and this is mine.

         

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

my weekend in vegas

we had a great time in vegas!!  it was our first time there and we had no idea what to expect...




soooo many cool things to see.....








met some new friends along the way...







frrrozen hot chocolate, or the chocolate cookie jar milk shake from sugar factory???? which do you prefer??? guess you will have to taste for yourself....











we did lots of shopping, eating, walking, shopping, eating, and did i mention walking.   thank god i chose some comfy kicks to wear cause your shoes can literally make or break your trip.  on friday night we decided to see holly madison in peep show.  it was one of my favorite highlights of the trip!!   we had a wonderful time, but i'd be lying if i said i didn't miss my boys.  2 evenings in vegas was the perfect amount of time, and i hope to return somewhere down the road.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

family photos....fall 2011


it was a beautiful fall day and it was also seany bear's birthday.   these memories were captured at tower grove park....



                                                              my beautiful family












                                                                              vito












                                                                        jasean henry














                                                                        mr kyluan