Easter

Holidays always make for easy posts.

I absolutely loved holidays growing up. My parents did a great job of making it fun. I think that Easter was up with Christmas because of how creative my parents got.

Libby’s clues were along the lines of:

1. Go to the place that you like to hide during hide and seek.

2. got and look under the bed where …sleeps

3. Are you having fun yet? Look in the place where grandma hides her chocolate chips.

4. Look under the chair where grandpa sits.

5. Go find the food we give to the guinea pig.

At the end they had her little basket of goodies.

This year she has been into dressing like a princess. So she got a crown, bracelets, and high heeled shoes. She loved them. I had fun following her on the hunt.

At Marshall’s house his mom had eggs for the kids to find.

They had to follow the directions to find the eggs:

1. jump off the porch all at once

2. run around the big tree

3. give both your parents a hug ( didn't get a picture of that one sorry)

4. And put the puzzle together to find the prize.

They all got a cute bunny head made from a snowball with dollar bills as ears.

The kids loved the fun hunting for their eggs, and had a great time eating all the treats before dinner.

 

planner

Planner:


I am a planner; I like to have everything planned out as best as I can. For instance: I hate shopping unless I know exactly what it is I am shopping for. I have a set dollar amount and I know which stores I am going to look for said item. I am getting better at price shopping so I don’t have to go to many places but that is a learned art in which I am working on. We are planning our first FAMILY vacation and it is a big trip. And Last night I set us (me, Marshall and my dad who has done this trip many times before) down and decided where we wanted to go specifically and which days we were going to spend with what family. Let me tell you I can breathe again. I have been so excited about going that it’s the only thing I can think about and talk about and think about. I rented our hotel rooms, and have made sleeping arrangements for all but 1 night. I still need to decide which sites are the must see at the amusement park. I need to make sure we call and let everyone know we are coming. But I am glad that the big stuff has been planned. I have our budget all planned too.

I have not figured out yet which of the following Marshall best represents.

1. Impulse buyer

2. Quiet planner

Some days I think that he is an impulse buyer. Others he is the planner. I usually get the shock of “lets buy…(insert item)”and I don’t often say No, usually because, I would like the item. I know, Marshall has said. “If Brittany says Yes, I have to jump on the purchase”. I always have buyer’s remorse, Marshall it never bothers. So I am still working on the idea that he internalizes everything. So when a deal comes up he is all ready to go. I sometimes feel like I am just along for the ride.


So I’m the crazy, worrying, planner

And

Marshall is the quiet, planning, impulse buyer.

I think?

15 things about us

Marshall and I thought we would put a list together about

15 facts about you

&

Something that stresses you out

Here is our list 

Brittany

1. I hate exercising

2. I love to sing to music in the car, but would rather not do it in public.

3. I can’t dance to save my life. Even as a child I couldn’t be in a dance class because I have no coordination.

4. I read cookbooks like novels over and over and over again just because.

5. I have to touch everything when I am shopping, like pillows, blankets, shirts.

6. I love getting my picture taken.

7. I sit in most chairs cross legged.

8. I hate shoe shopping but love shopping for food.

9. I was born in the wrong time. I love all things old and nostalgic (1800-1900) music and interests better suit the 40’s-60’s

10. I hate going places alone; I would rather have someone to go with just not a toddler.

11. I am afraid of the dark. I know it’s crazy.

12. I love having my own house so I can get the mail everyday. (it has my name on it)

13. I can recite “7 brides for seven brothers” I know every line and all the songs.

14. I have to sit on the outside of the bench because it makes me claustrophobic to sit inside.

15. I have to have clean hands. Dirty ones make me panicky.

Something that stresses me out is when I something goes wrong, or wasn’t planned and I have to figure out how I am going to deal with it in that second.

Marshall

1 - I love food

2 - I am bald (partially natural but completely by choice to avoid embarrassment)

3 - I enjoy sports

4 - I cried when "Old Yeller" got shot at the end

5 - I love having money but also enjoy spending it (these two don't mix)

6 - I love taking Libby for bike rides

7 - I like doing yard work until about June, then it gets hot and the weeds just don't stop

8 - My favorite TV show is Modern Family

9 - I dream of one day having a nice truck and new camp trailer and 4 wheelers

10 - I am the proud owner and wearer of a Snuggie

11 - When I got in trouble as a kid I would tell my parents that "Harry" did it (from Harry and the Hendersons)

12 - I still bite my nails

13 - I am left handed when writing and eating, but throw and play sports right handed

14 - I am a morning person

15 - I can't stand 80's music



Something that stresses me out...... Having a project or a repair on my house that I don't know how to do.

6 years a bit early

So Marshall reminded me that I jumped the gun on a couple of dates and that things happened in our sixth year and not the fifth. Marshall graduated and started his masters in our sixth year of marriage not the fifth. Sorry.

In the past year we have been working hard together. We have a plan to add to our family and we are trying to do everything possible to make that happen. We have sent letters to all our family explaining our situation and why we are adopting. We include several pass along cards in each letter to help get the word out.

I have become an excellent blogger (at least better than I was before). I am working hard to make it easier for someone to get to know us better and have simple questions asked and answered. I have kept 2 blogs until this week I actually started a food/recipe related blog.

We are planning a nice family trip for the end of May and beginning of June. This will be our first Family Vacation. We are going to Canada to see my (Brittany’s) paternal grandmother and extended family. But I have wanted to take a trip for a while and have worked hard to save and plan for this Vacation.

Back in June we had a very large Yard Sale in hopes to help fund our adoption. We sold a bunch of things and took a ton more to the DI. But it did 2 things got the word out that we were adopting and helped us earn some money.

We took a couple of family pictures in this past year. One in March and the other in December, Marshall and I didn’t change much. That has been fun.

Marshall’s brother and his wife had a baby in the past year and Libby is just fascinated with him. She calls him “Buddy” she wants him to come play with her but doesn’t understand that he is not big enough to do that. I give it 3 more months and he will be running after the kids at grandma’s house.

This year on top of saving for adoption we wanted to be out of debt. We know it will take several years to pay off our house so this was all our other debt. We were able to pay off my car, buy Marshall a commuter car, sell Marshall’s truck and my car and buy an Envoy. We paid cash for the envoy and by downsizing and cutting back to two vehicles we were able to get rid of car debt all together. We don’t believe in using Credit Cards in our everyday purchasing so there was not CC debt to pay off. It does make me feel good to know that all we have left is our home and that is something we plan to work hard to pay off early.

I have come to the conclusion that my life just can’t have a five year plan. It can have a 20 year, and 30 year, a 1 year. I find it interesting that ever since I was a child even that if I tried to plan more than a year the Lord thinks my plans are not in his plan so they always get changed. Funny thing is I hate change! You would think by now I would have gotten used to it but… no. I guess its just one of those things that I need to learn. SO in my learning experience called life, I am trying to enjoy more, the time I have with my daughter. Children grow so quickly and I only have a few short years to spend this quality time with her and I am trying to make the most of that time.

I have spent the better part of a year Hoping and Praying that the lord will send me a baby. I somehow forgot that he already had. I am taking the opportunity to have special moments with just the two of us that is something that hopefully she will remember. Marshall is taking her on walks, on bike rides, to the park, to a ball game, we needed a reminder and somehow it came. I am just glad for the still small voice that whispered “take the moment and make it memorable”

So on that note I am grateful for the opportunity I have to be a mom! It may seem to be a crazy job; some days are full, some not so much. But there are those moments when you look at your child and thank God that he blessed you. Because I know how many hearts ache for that feeling, because I am one of them. But I know that the lord has a plan ahead and he sees the big picture where I cannot. I just have to put my faith I him. I have to close my eyes and open my heart.