Dear Brit

Dear Brit,

I vaguely remember last year at this time and how very difficult it was to celebrate Halloween without knowing anything about you and what you were doing that day.  Halloween is definitely a holiday for young children so it is a time when we naturally wish we could see you and see the joy you must have during such a fun holiday for kids.

Both last year and this year, as I stood at the door and watched other toddlers walk up and say "Trick or Treat" I wondered what Halloween was like for you.  I wondered what costume you were wearing and how you reacted when you realized you had a bag full of chocolate.  I bet you were delighted.

In our email response back to your parents a couple of days before Halloween I asked your dad  if he might send us a picture or two of you in your Halloween costume.  I kinda hoped he might send one on Halloween so we could enjoy seeing you all dressed up.  So far we haven't gotten one, but maybe he will include a picture with the November email update.

I want you to know how often we talk about you at our house.  I know I have told you before that we keep pictures of you up in the living room.  But we also say your name often.

A funny thing happened just this Sunday that brought a huge smile to my face.

A few weeks ago we put together gift bags for you and your brother and sister.  In them we put fall themed toys, coloring books, DVDs of your favorite show Oomi Zoomi, dress up clothes and masks, and even some snacks.  One of the gifts we put in the bag was a simple little jack o lantern cup.  We put a cup for each of you in your individual bags.  But the package of the cups had 4.  So we kept one cup at our house.

As I put the cup in our cupboard, I said to your brothers L and D that when they drank out of that cup they could remember you.  I said it in passing, and didn't make a big deal of it.  Honestly I wasn't even sure they heard me.

But on Sunday, L was getting water out of the refrigerator while I was in the laundry room getting clothes out of the dryer.  And out of no where he said your name.  Just your name.  Nothing else.  I stopped what I was doing and peeked my head around the corner and asked him what he just said.  He looked at me and held up the cup and said "Brit" and he smiled from ear to ear.

It made me smile too.

We all love you very much and miss you.  We can't wait until we have a personal relationship with you.  Each day that passes gets us closer to that day we hope.

Halloween

Not many more kiddo Halloweens for me.  Some moms would be sad about that.  I am delighted to think I will no longer have to spend money on a one time use costume.

L and D trick or treated with BF's kids.  They had a great time.  L and BF's oldest son conspired their costumes together a few weeks ago.  They looked adorable.

BF's son and L as Mario and Luigi

L and D - brotherly love

BF's youngest son, D and their friend Jack

Even little Princess was trick or treating last night.  Her momma used the costume I borrowed for her.  She was a hit.

Added 11/7/11

Just had to add Brit in her costume to my Halloween picture collection - even though we didn't see her that night.  We did get a follow up photo the week later.  She is so stinkin' cute!

Lunch with the boys at school

Over the past week I have had lunch with my two youngest boys at each of their schools.  Here are some fun pictures that show that I am not a sad melancholy momma.  I can be fun too!

Mom and D.  Really he does like me, just not in front of his friends.

D and his friends.

Mom eating LanMan's ice cream.

Lisa eating BF's son's pizza.  (He is the same age as LanMan and goes to the same school.)

My boys are pretty cool

I rarely talk about my boys here on this adoption themed blog.  But I think it is important to occasionally mention the kids that I am parenting.  The boys who are my entire world.  They consume 90% of my time and attention and to be quite honest, I think they are each pretty great kids.

My oldest just started his EMT classes at our local community college.  He seems to love the classes.  I know it is much easier to engage in classes when you can see the real life application.  I hope this is the beginning of a career path for him. 

Originally he wanted to be a paramedic, but lately has changed to criminal justice with the idea of being a police officer.  I think he is too tenderhearted to be a cop, but maybe that will be an asset to him.  I'm not too worried about it since his career ideas change from month to month. 

He also went on a mission trip this summer and came back and was convinced he was going into full time ministry.  I believe that there is plenty of time for him to really figure out what he wants to do.  He is an 18 year old boy.  I figure he will flail around for a few more years before he grows up.  Please Dear Lord, help me live with his lazy ways until that happens!

J and his friends in the Bahamas for their mission trip.  Must have been a church day since they are all dressed up.

J and a girl he met in the Bahamas when he was running VBS for kids there.

Here is a picture of J with one of his best friends.  They have gone to church together for about 15 years.  I hope they have a lifetime friendship.  She is a great girl!

Now my middle boy, sweet LanMan.  He had hernia surgery about a month ago and he is healing very well.  However, that means he can't play fall sports.  While it could have been tragedy for a child who is a sports superstar, it wasn't. He is loving the down time he now has in the evenings.  I am also happy to report that his adjustment to middle school has been fabulous.  He loves it and is ready to head to school every morning.  Which is an answer to prayer considering how last year started.

LanMan and our new puppy Grizzly



LanMan before hernia surgery



LanMan doing his favorite thing - fishing.

That leaves my adorable little D.  He is the one child that demands 90% of my parenting energy.  And yet he is the child who has the most life in him.  He lives life without limits.  Which will make him a great adult.  If we can just get him there.  He is small for his age, but cuter than cute.  He is a natural born leader.  He is 10 going on 17.  And if you were to watch him in action with the ladies, you would find he is often working the 14-16 year old girls crowd at any event we attend.  He definitely has mojo and knows how to use it.  Evidenced by the middle school cheerleader loving on him at a Jr Football game.  :Sigh:  Love that kid.  But he wears me out!

D getting a little cheerleader lovin'

First day of 5th grade - marching to the beat of his own drummer

D being the cool kid on the first day of class

Yes, my days are filled with fun and excitement.  And unlike how it comes across here on my blog, I don't miss out on the joy of parenting the boys (most of the time).  They demand my attention, and that's not a bad thing.

Love these kiddos!

Summer is tough on mommy

L pitching

I am uploading a huge artwork file to my billboard company so I have a minute to spare before I have to head out to D's baseball game.

Man is this a busy time of year for the mother of boys.

L and D both play baseball.  Lots and lots of it.  Every night we have a game or practice.  That alone is exhausting.

Both boys bowl on a league.  I shuttle them back and forth to the bowling alley on my lunch hour.

D has started football workouts and skills camp.   This is mornings and evenings.

L will start middle school basketball camps next week.

J is working at our local water park as a lifeguard. When he is not working he simply eats me out of house and home.  And oh yeah, he brought home a guinea pig last week that is 'our' new pet.  Before I went to bed last night, I was cutting matted hair from the new friend's backside.  Yes, it is a long haired critter of all things.

Work is over the top busy.  I work in the recreation field and as one would guess, summer is crazy busy season.  As I type this I have been at my desk for almost 10 hours today.

I am the director of operations for a college baseball team that plays about 50 games throughout a two month period.  Thank heavens I have a very capable intern helping this year.  Otherwise I would be certifiably crazy.

We eat meals in the car.  Sometimes meals include chips and salsa, Popsicles and Gatorade.

My house has not been vacuumed in two weeks.

I do keep up with the laundry, simply because I am constantly washing uniforms. And wet towels.  So many wet towels.

The Princess baby has to run around with us all weekend long as we go to tournaments, run errands, attend bday parties and spend time at church.

D qualified for Hershey Track and Field State Games in all 3 events he participated in.  That will take us out of town next weekend for two days. 

Just typing all of this makes me tired.

But I am off to the ball field.  In high heel sandals and dress clothes.  Running late - of course.

At least I will be able to sit in a chair and watch the game.  That will be my one hour of rest.

Who are you LisaAnne?

I really am a multi-dimensional person.  I promise I am.

In real life, I don't talk about adoption or being a birth mom most days.  It is only here in my blog that I am THAT Lisa. 

Otherwise, I am the everyday mom of three crazy boys.  I yell at them.  I ignore them when they are driving me crazy.  I tell them I love them.  I scratch their backs and look at their ouchies.  I go to ball games (lots and lots of them).  I feed my kids dinner in the car.  I make dinner for them.  I call them to find out where they are.  I bug them. My boys hate me and love me, sometimes at the same time.

I have friends who do not have adopted children nor are they birth mothers to children being raised by another family.  I do not announce I am a birthmother to new people, not because I am ashamed, but because it is too complicated to explain.

I am a Christian, a sister, a babysitter, a friend, a daughter, a girlfriend and an employee.  I am a committee member, on the board of directors for a couple of organizations, and a children's church teacher. 

I forgive others easily.  I have attention deficit issues.  I love deeply, but I also love quickly.  I was a good student, but liked my social life even more than that.

I am happy most of the time.

I have a Diet Coke/Coke Zero addiction.  Really bad.

I love people.  The people I know today, and the people I will meet today.

I believe that most people are good.  And I believe that people try to do the right thing almost all the time.  I have been accused of being naive in this area.  That's OK, I like it like that.  It makes it easier to wake up in the morning.

But here in the blog-o-sphere, I read my posts and I realize that I come off as a pitiful, whiny, unhappy mother. 

I wanted to tell you I am more than that.  I have to remind myself that I am more than that.

But enough talking already, I need to head off to a ball game.  LanMan is in the semi-finals in a baseball tournament and I have the Princess with me so we need to pack up the baby stuff and get out the door!

The zoo

Getting ready for a very busy weekend.  But before I get started I wanted to share some pictures from the school trip to the zoo that I chaperoned yesterday for L's 6th grade class.

I blog about Brit, and my crazy youngest son D, but rarely my sweet son L.  So here are some pictures of my precious boy who still likes his momma even though he is quickly approaching his teenage years.