iPad Giveaway for my new cousin, Kareen

My dear cousin, Kecia, is just one month, yet worlds more mature and awesome, than me. As little ones, both with long brown hair and a close cousin bond, strangers would ask if she and I were twins. I thought that was cool, I mean, who doesn't want a twin?

I have always looked up to, admired, and envied everything about her. She's a gorgeous brunette with pretty green eyes and a smokin'-hot model bod. More importantly though, she's super nice, funny, creative, tender-hearted, smiles through it all, and sings like an angel. When I grow up, I want to be like her.

Although they have three adorable daughters, throughout the years, they've battled miscarriages, an ectopic pregnancy, infertility meds, and a roller coaster of emotions. For years, they have felt they were to have more children, but could not understand why it just wasn't happening.

Well, they figured it out. Kareen, who is just one month older than Bree (their youngest), has been waiting four long years to come home to her sweet new family. Bree has Down Syndrome and has been such a beloved, bright, shining burst of joy and pure overflowing love! Kareen also has Down Syndrome. I am so excited that these two sweethearts will have each other, to bond, as twin sisters. I can only imagine the exponentially greater joy, love, and blessings that Kecia and her family will get to experience by having Kareen in their family, forever!

In a nutshell, Kareen is a four year-old little girl with Down Syndrome who was given up at birth and has lived in an orphanage in Eastern Europe ever since. In her country a child with special needs is only held in an orphanage until the age of four or five and is then transferred to an institution where conditions are bleak and offer little hope for living a fulfilling life. Kareen's story has touched their family (and me!). Check out here and here for some touching, precious, amazing details on their story (oh, and try not to cry, I dare ya). They are committed to bring her home. The cost of international adoption is very high, and they could use our help.

To kick off their fund-raising efforts, there is an iPad drawing for donations received by February 5 ($10 per entry) at http://www.kareensjourneyhome.blogspot.com/ Someone's gotta win, right? And no, this is not a scam.

Even if you cannot donate, or don't want to win an iPad for a measly $10, please take a few minutes to read their story here (it is truly beautiful and touching) and consider passing it on, or at least praying for this dear family. I am.

Fleeting Moments

Mo, Porter, & Baby Beetle

In my head, I have songs associated with many of life's memories. To name a few... Almost Paradise (the love theme from the movie, Footloose) was playing on B98.7 when I first said "I love you" to Ryan. Jack Johnson's album On and on will always remind me of remodeling our basement apartment while dealing with the regrets and emotions of the death of Alisa, my best girlfriend since junior high. I remember Keith Urban's Better Life playing on the radio while driving our red truck - I was four month's pregnant with Morgan and was about to hear that Ryan got into PA school...literally, he called me minutes later. I thought the chorus of the song was so fitting:

Someday baby,
You and I are gonna be the ones, good luck's gonna shine
Someday baby,
You and I are gonna be the ones, so hold on, we're headed for a better life.

I also have a number of songs that I associate with our infertility struggles - some that helped me through, others that just happened to be playing in the background while our hearts were breaking. I will always think of our first miscarriage when I hear Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo'ole's version of Somewhere over the Rainbow. It came on my Pandora radio station today, and of course, many of the emotions came back to me.

Instead of pain though, I was grateful...Grateful we got through those trying times, grateful for my beautiful miracles, grateful to be a mommy. Already holding Porter at the computer desk, I wanted to share a special moment with both my kids. I pulled Mo close so I could tell her why this song is special and meaningful, but instead, she wanted to enjoy the music and dance. I contentedly smiled, inside and out, as I watched her float and twirl in her pink-ruffled play dress. To make things better, I even enjoyed a slobbery suck-kiss on the cheek from a happy Porter. It was precious and priceless. "Is this not the best moment ever?" I thought, "Sooo rewarding."

And then, as fast as the moment began, it was gone. Before the end of the song, Mo was up on the computer desk, getting into and knocking stuff off the desk, asking me to hold her baby doll (who today, is a baby beetle). I'm fighting her to get down, trying to explain she cannot have the candy-shaped lip gloss she just found amidst the desk clutter...the lip gloss that Daddy bought for her birthday in two weeks. Porter must've been on Mo's side. He now had a very stinky diaper and was biting me with his 3.25 sharp teeth.

These are my joys of mommyhood. Awesome, rewarding, always changing, smelly, painful, but oh so worth it. And to Keith Urban, I'm livin' that better life, good luck is shining on me. Forget almost paradise. I'm there!

Our Gorgeous Nieces

Special thanks to the lovely Calliwag (below, isn't she gorgeous?) for motivating me to come out of my nearly five-month non-blogging slump! (and special thanks to Kenz for posting pix on FB that I stole)

We've been lucky enough to have these three hotties visit us in Longview twice this year.

Our nieces are awesome and we love that they're willing to grace us with their presence.

Along with these rockin' teens came our (and I say "our" because Ryan always corrects me when I say they're "mine") three oldest sisters, and an additional eight more nieces and nephews. So, if you're doing the math, that's 18 excited people in our home (sorry landlords... hope you never find out). Yes, that's a whole lotta people in one kinda small house, but that's for another post I have swirling around in my head.

Last Sunday we made a grand entrance at church. In true Richmond tradition, which I honor and follow, we were late to church. During the last line of the sacrament song, all eighteen of us come walking up (down?) the aisle in a semi-single file line to squeeze in some rows near the front of the chapel. And in case someone hadn't seen or heard us, there was an awkward pause after the song ended so we could get settled before the Sacrament prayer began. It was slightly embarrassing, but I was delighted and proud to have a big chunk of family here to sample a bit of our life and for the congregation to sample a bit of our familia.

Many ward members commented and asked about our visiting family throughout church and later on in the week. It was fun and still makes me smile to think about it.

I think the three older nieces doubled the size of our entire young women's group. Today at church, I was told the teenage boys in the ward were wishing my nieces weren't just visiting and that they would have loved to have these new cute and fun girls in the ward. I can't blame them, they are absolutely beautiful and super funny and entertaining. But, sorry boys, they're not on the market 'til they're 35. And even then, no boy or man will ever be good enough.

Thanks for coming to see us ladies. I will always remember, smile and giggle over these memories...your "40-year-old party pooper moms", you guys singing Tracy's "is that your breath or did you just fart" song in unison, Tina Tina Shanuz's doorbell commercials, and the Starbucks turned into Burger King into a laughing wet mess! I think I would have been delightfully entertained to hear what went on in the tent. And Livi, I'm thinkin' of you too in all of this crazy silliness.

Please come back soon. Maybe next time you'll see Taco rockin' out in all his Michael Jackson wannabe glory. And maybe we'll make it to the squirrel bridge too. Love you guys!

Little Guy Laughing/Squealing

Per your request, Papa. The best laughs are at the changing table or with big sis, but this will work for now. :)

Blackmail

What You Missed Today

Scene 1 on Thursday afternoon:

While riding in her stroller, through a field of weeds with the sun shining down (en route to the park), Morgan exclaims, "It's beautiful!"

Not really sure I heard her correctly, I ask, "What?"

Her response, "It's beautiful! It's magic."

Yes, it was beautiful and magic. The scenery and the precious two-year-old to point it out.

Scene 2 also on Thursday afternoon:

Background: In an effort to sway Morgan's distaste for pull-ups, I talk about how much I like pull-ups, how Grandpa, Grandma, and other cool people wear pull-ups (hey, you have to "pull up" underwear, right?). None of this changes her opinion. Every time we use the potty or do a diaper change, I ask her if she wants the Dora or the Diego pull-ups (which she chose at the store). She replies, "No, just a diaper" in a pleasant little sing-song voice.

"Why don't you like pull-ups, Mo?"

"No, just a diaper." The way she says it isn't angry or fierce. It's just very matter of fact, it is what it is.

So back to the scene of the day:

Morgan is off playing, happily talking/singing to herself somewhere in the house. I am changing Porter's diaper in the bathroom and start to sing (to the tune of "We are a Happy Family"):

"I love pull-ups, they love me. Porter loves pull-ups, yes-sir-eee!"

Before I can finish my lovely song, Mo chimes in with her own version..."I yuv diapers, dey yuv me!"

She got me. Again.

So happy I get to spend my days and nights with these cuties!

Baby Porter

Baby Porter arrived in somewhat dramatic fashion on his due date, Friday, October 2, 2009 at 2:48 PM, weighing 7 lbs. 12.5 oz. and supposedly measuring 22 inches long. Mom & baby are doing great and get to go home Sunday morning. We are so happy he's here and are loving every new minute with him! We can't believe how fast he's already changing. Here are some quick pictures - hope to post more later.

Porter & his proud (& relieved) parents - 40 minutes old














Catching some Z's or contemplating the universe...4 hours old


















Excited & Delighted Big Sister...5 hours old



















"Give me that binky back!"...1 day old














Welcome, Little Man...We Love You!!!

Welcome to the World!

The Richmond side of our family is undergoing a population boom. Welcome to these new little cuties!

New niece, Kalia Richmond Webb, born September 20, 2008













New niece, Mia Lorraine Marzo, born April 6, 2009














Brand spankin' new nephew, Ethan Jack Marzo, born July 24, 2009


















Soon to be born niece or nephew, Baby (Tenley or Ian?) Haws, born on or before August 7, 2009














Soon to be born son, Porter Noah? Wehmann, hopefully born by October 2, 2009














Soon to be born nephew, Jack Kimball Longson, due mid-October, 2009














Kinda soon to be born niece or nephew, Baby Richmond, due early 2010

Life

This post is long overdue, about things I've been thinking about for a long time. I know we tend to get sarcastic on many of these posts, but this time I'm keepin' it real. This is more of a pour out your soul journal entry.

If you've seen me lately, you know that we are excitedly expecting a baby boy, due October 2nd! We are psyched to be adding a new little one to the family and couldn't be happier, really! I am 30+ weeks along and it definitely shows. I was dropping some things off at the Salvation Army the other day. As soon as the worker, who was taking donations, saw me (my belly and chubbed out face) he exclaimed, "Whoa! Stop right there! Don't you lift a thing, I'll take care of it all!" It made me laugh thinking nothing I was even dropping off weighed more than two pounds. I know he was just saying it to tease because the rest of our interaction he was cracking jokes and just being the funny guy that he is. Little did he know that I still have over two months left of growing to go.

So, my last post about not blogging because I was trying to be a good wife was not completely true. I was just trying to survive life. I am thankfully feeling much better now, but the first four or so months of this pregnancy were absolutely miserable. There were times of uncontrollable vomiting that were so violent and forceful that I literally thought an alien or some other possessed being had invaded my body, leaving me weak, tired, depressed, splotchy-faced from petechial hemorrhaging (tiny blood vessels popping, leaving red dots on my face), and a burning throat. Thank goodness that is over for the most part. Every now and then I have to be humbled and reconnect with the nasty porcelain bowl, but it is rare. I just have to stick to my regimine of regular eating, lots of sleep, low stress, Unisom & Vitamin B6, and Flintstones vitamins instead of regular prenatals.

I'm not going to lie, being sick like that sucked and there were times that I would have rather been dead than feel that way. I can take pain any day, but nausea is not my cup of tea. Knowing, or at least hoping, that there will be a great reward at the end (our baby!) was what kept me going. I have to wonder though, had we not had our many years of infertility and miscarriages, would we have been ready for months of my unusually miserable self? I say "we" because I know how Ryan got the brunt of my whining, definitely had to pick up my slack, and hated my puking sessions.

We were so excited when we were expecting Morgan, but also extremely cautious and nervous - worried that it was too good to be true, and that something bad could easily happen at any minute. When she was born, I remember feeling overjoyed, but also in shock and disbelief that we actually had a live baby. This time around, we are a bit more relaxed, but just as hopeful and prayerful that everything will turn out fine. Unfortunately, we've had some recent tender reminders that everything doesn't always turn out "fine" or the way it should. In early June we had some dear family friends lose their precious boy, Chase Patrick, on his delivery day. My sister, Kim, and her family are expecting a little boy, Jack Kimball, a few weeks after us in October. He has some health problems and the doctors have said that he will most likely not make it. They are trying to make the best of it and are enjoying the time that they do have with him while he is still in utero. Our next door neighbors have an adorable eight-month-old girl, Alex, with SMA (Spinal Musclular Atrophy) that probably won't live past 18 months. My heart aches for these families and I just wish there was something I could do to magically fix these terrible situations. My heart also aches for those that have to struggle with years or even a lifetime of infertility, or those that feel abortion of an unwanted or unplanned life is their best solution. Thank goodness there are good things in this world - like miracles, adoption, and eternal life.

So, I know this post started out happy and then went downhill from there, but these things are dear to my heart and I want to remember them. I'm going to end with a music video I first saw over a year ago. It has touched me many times and makes me bawl like a baby because I am so grateful for the blessings in my life. It's mostly about wanting a child, that I think just about any woman or man can relate to, but is also a great reminder with some powerful messages about the preciousness of life and the miracle of adoption. Please take the time to watch it, I think you'll find it valuable.

Why I haven't blogged in so long...

I'm too busy being a good wife.  If you click on the article below, you'll see what I've been striving to achieve.