we're still here

It's been a month since I've written anything, but we're still here. I had the cast on my ankle for three and a half weeks. When the cast came off (after what felt like FOREVER), my ankle started to swell. And swell. And swell. Then came the pain...x-rays show that the break has healed, so it looks like something else is going on. Boo. I have a CT scan Monday morning, so hopefully it shows what is wrong with my ankle. I would like to wear cute shoes again, not just comfortable shoes!!

All our paperwork has been sent to Moldova! It is being translated, then the real fun begins - or not. Reminds me of the song "the waiting is the hardest part, every day you get one more yard, you take it on faith, you take it to the heart, the waiting is the hardest part." (Bet you didn't expect me bust out Tom Petty this morning did you?) Now I'll have that chorus stuck in my head all day.

Damon still loves his new job. Wesley is ready for summer. He desperately needs to get out of the house to wear himself out!! He and Damon have gone out a few evenings and played golf in the backyard, even though it was cold. I watched from inside.

I haven't been taking too many photos. It isn't easy to take pictures when you're hobbling around on crutches. We also didn't do much because I couldn't walk very far.

here's Katie Katherine snuggling with me

Katie loves Damon the most though!

the one time it snowed when I was on crutches

(thankfully it wasn't too much snow)

We went to breakfast at the Golden Nugget in Dayton. I haven't been to this restaurant in YEARS, but it was a great breakfast (or lunch as I had, see below).

one word...genius!!

Once I got my cast off, I've been crazy-domestic. I've cleaned like a crazy person, made crafts, cooked dinner A LOT. Here's a wreath I made from book pages. I've made more than one of these, but I haven't taken a picture of the second one.

here's a fun birthday balloon wreath

homemade cheeseburger macaroni - YUM!

Is anyone else ready for warm weather? I can't stand being stuck in the house much longer!!

facebook wedding invite? I think not

Now Damon and I are both on facebook, so I frequently scrutinize how differently we approach facebook.  For instance, we have differing criteria for accepting friend requests. My main criteria is that I have some idea who you are, Damon on the other hand will accept pretty much all friend requests. {I think he is trying to get as many "friends" as me} I am not so strict as to only accept close friends and family, I have high school friends, college friends, adoption friends, church friends, esophageal atresia friends, etc. I don't want you to get the impression I am too discriminating in my facebook friend acceptance, just that I have some standard.

Unlike Damon, I am not afraid to "unfriend" people, even though I've only done it about ten times. The main ways to be unfriended by me are to frequently curse in your posts or to rant and rave about how horrible republicans are. One more thing, I unfriended someone from high school because she posted what I consider vulgar pictures of herself. She requested me again, and so as not to appear rude, I accepted, then deleted a few days later. So I was still rude, but maybe she didn't notice...

I also feel the need to comment or "like" people's posts. I want people to feel like someone is paying attention to them, so if you post cute pictures of your kids, I am going to at least acknowledge that I saw them. Damon won't comment unless he really has something to say, and I don't know that he has ever "liked" a post.

The point I am laboriously getting to is this...Damon got invited to a wedding on facebook. *seriously* Not only that, but he has NO idea who the guy is!! This would not have happened to me due to my stringent screening process. {who am I kidding? It absolutely could happen to me, but it hasn't yet which is why I can post this} I am all for using modern communication methods, but some things are just too modern. I shudder to think that one day you won't get a beautiful wedding invitation in the mail. I love getting the thick envelope with the gorgeous invitation inside and all the tiny pieces of paper with information related to the big day, in which I inevitably lose the one important tiny paper we end up needing.

Not only is the invite through facebook, it is for a medieval wedding! Let us not forget our foray to the Renaissance Festival last fall. Good times...

Am I the only one who thinks the facebook wedding invite is totally out of line? If you want a present from me, you'll need to send me that paper invite that I so adore. Otherwise, no dice - you'll be celebrating the day without me.

P.S. We are NOT attending the medieval facebook-invite wedding...in case you didn't catch that from my post. Subtlety is not my strong suit.

a cast on my foot...boo

So, I have a cast on my ankle now instead of the good ol' walking boot. In the interest of looking at the positive side of things, I had my first good night of sleep in weeks (I didn't wake up due to the pain as I have been). I go back in three weeks for an x-ray, and if its healed (God-willing), then the cast will come off. Unfortunately, I won't be able to run the Flying Pig half marathon on May 1st. On Saturday (when the cast was put on), I signed up for the USAF half marathon on September 17th in an effort to show my ankle that it isn't going to keep me down. I have to be healed by then.

 

Getting around is a bit tricky, but I'm getting the hang of it...slowly. I CANNOT go down the stairs on the crutches though, I have to get down and scoot :) Going up is much easier. Please pray that I don't break any more bones with these crazy crutches :)

Wright State basketball & Rod's Capricorn Inn

Happy President's Day weekend! We decided to take in a Wright State University basketball game, a little shopping and a fun dinner out. Now today its gross and rainy, and I prefer to  stay home, blog and catch up on DVR'd "What Not to Wear."

Here a recap of yesterday:

Wesley has started *loving* to take pictures. They are all blurry, but I posted one below.

Wesley couldn't take his eyes off the wolf mascot.

I mean he LITERALLY couldn't look away.

the object of his affection

making sure I saw the mascot

kicked back watching the game

(oh no, I mean watching the wolf)

For sitting quietly through the whole game, I chased the wolf down for a picture.

Wesley had the camera...

We went shopping after the basketball game (Damon needed a navy suit for work). After leaving the outlet mall, we went in search for this restaurant...I haven't been here in YEARS. We're talking probably since college. My high school boyfriend took me to this place a few times, and I just remember how amazing the hamburgers were. (I wasn't disappointed this time either)

Let's be honest...if you passed this restaurant, it is not likely you would ever stop. At least I wouldn't!! It looks a bit like a trailer or a small house that someone haphazardly added on.

Of course, I had to take pictures of us outside on the car seat benches 

Now onto the menu...do you see how cheap a cheeseburger is? $2.35! Where can you get an amazing cheeseburger for that price? Not too many places...

 Damon's "Rod burger" and onion rings (total $6.50)

my cheeseburger and mushrooms  (total cost $4.50)

Wesley had chicken fingers and french fries, but my picture didn't turn out too well...and you shouldn't get that when you go to Rod's. The total for our three dinners was less than $17.00!!

a stained glass window in the dining room 

(makes me think of the 70s)

I had to have my picture taken with Rod

Damon had his taken too

Rod still sings oldies loudly as he cooks, but he doesn't have a cigarette hanging out of his mouth while he is cooking anymore (thank goodness!). The restaurant was PACKED!

So if you are anywhere near Wilmington, Ohio, stop at Rod's Capricorn Inn. (I would even say its worth a trip there!) You will need to call first because he closes the restaurant whenever he feels like it and bring cash to pay for your dinner. (That's something you can do when your food is that good and that cheap)

Enjoy a Rod burger for us!! I am already ready to go back...

Rod's Capricorn Inn

937-382-4357

6660 State Route 730 # 1
Wilmington, OH 45177

(you know a place like this doesn't have a website)

P.S.  I post a lot about eating, don't I?

we're still here (& some good news)

We survived the ice storm here in Ohio. It wasn't nearly as bad as the forecasters made it sound, but I was unable to get up our hill of a driveway in my car. I parked on the street though and stomped through the yard (I had to stomp to break through the ice on the snow). I was glad the next day though when my car was outside because our power went out, so I didn't have to worry about how I would get my car out of the garage. Here are a few shots of the ice taken the night of the storm:

This picture has nothing to do with the storm, but I  took it the same night.

And here's some good news...we got our I-800A approval in the mail!!!! It took less than four weeks from our fingerprint appointment. Truthfully, closer to three weeks. Our dossier has been sent to our agency, save this last paper. I am going to head on up to Columbus next week and get it apostilled.

Now for some most unpleasant news (at least for me it is)....I fractured a small bone in my ankle, and I have to wear the walking boot for what will seem like an eternity. I was lucky enough to "get the boot" (HA HA) two years ago when I had a stress fracture in the same foot!! I am praying that this time I don't have to wear the boot for eight weeks.

Now for Wesley's 4th birthday!!

I bought this awesome cake pan to make a train cake. The first two times I made the cake, it fell right out of the pan. What do you know...the one time it matters I cannot scrape the cake out of the pan!!

Damon saved the day by running to Sam's Club and picking up a cake!

A kitty cat from Doda and Pawpaw!

blowing out candles

Can't you see the excitement as Wes is about to enjoy cake?

ANOTHER kitty cat!! What a great birthday! Almost made eating cake worth it...

Wesley with Doda and Pawpaw

Wesley with Grandma

now with Mommy and Daddy

Happy 4th birthday, sweet Wesley! Time sure does fly...

"adopted for life" free dowload

Have you read the book "Adopted for Life" by Russell Moore? AWESOME book! It isn't so much about adopting children (like I first thought), but it's about how God has adopted us into His family and the part that ALL Christian families are to play in adopting children.

This book is available as a free download right now at http://christianaudio.com/adopted-for-life-russell-moore  I realize that you may not be personally interested in adopting children, but this book speaks to everyone and the role that they are to play in adoption. Enjoy!

P.S. Oh yeah - there is some ice, but the main roads are just wet. So far, not bad weather at all!! I'll get out and take a few pictures. I will say though that I couldn't get up the hill that is our driveway, so I did have to park on the street and walk through the yard. A little salt will fix that.