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JUNE 2006

Today is June 1st and summer is nearly here.

“We shall find peace.  We shall hear angels.  We shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds.”    ~Anton Chekov

Today is June 3rd and we worked in the yard like hired help.  We removed Pansies and weeded.  Mel mowed and edged and boy at the end of the day…we were bushed.

Today is June 4th and amazing I know…we ached all over from our marathon in the yard, but we managed to drag ourselves out of bed to attend First United  Methodist church for the first time.  We have wanted to attend for many months, but with the Chinese class on Sunday and an already hectic schedule; we just didn’t manage to do it until now.  We were surprised to see how many people we already knew besides the Bradney’s.  After church we had lunch at Panera with Robert, Jill and Lily.

Today is Thursday, June 8th and I attended my first Aerobics class at the YMCA in 2 or more years.  They started a new low impact class called “fit plus” designed for those trying to lose weight.  The good news is, it won’t be so hard on my “bad” knee.  The class actually started on Tuesday and I was not able to attend, but tonight I really got a workout and it was so energizing.  My workout had become a little boring so this will spruce up my routine.  It was kind of funny, the instructor Benita wanted us to line up and we were a bit like the “bad news bears” so she had us count off and put us in lines…I ended up on the front row.  I have never been on the front row and was nearly paralyzed by it, but hey don’t sweat the small stuff right.

Today is June 10th and I planted white Vinca, normally I plant a multi-color variety of Vinca, but this year I just could not get excited about any flowers for the yard and then I decided on all white, the white represents “hope” that this wait will be shorter verses longer.  I then mulched part of the front beds, but have about 40 bags of mulch to still put out.  Another long day in the yard.

Today is Sunday June 11th and Mel had to work, so we didn’t go to church and for some reason I was in a house cleaning frenzy.  I even washed the floors on my hands and knees. 

Finally I had enough cleaning and went to the pool.  When I arrived it was closed…why closed?  Well apparently some child (who was over tired) threw up in the pool.  So they spent an hour cleaning the pool, unfortunately I didn’t get in during the small time it re-opened and before I knew it they closed it again because of a small child with no swim diaper.  So my relaxing afternoon at the pool…was not.  I know I am one to even talk about what parents should and shouldn’t do, but the YMCA should enforce the swim diaper and they should have mandatory rest periods every hour because some children are left at the pool unattended and just over do it.  I submitted a suggestion with this very information.

Today is June 14th and I can’t believe it…I went to a “step aerobics” class.  It was pretty hard and a little risky on the knees but what a work out; I can’t believe I did it.

Today is June 17th and we have been officially waiting 6 months from our DTC date and 5 months from our LID date.  If referrals had not slowed down, we would be anticipating a referral next month.  I shouldn’t even think that way as it just makes it harder.  Hopefully this time next year we will be home and settled in.

Father’s Day 2006, June 18th!  We went to church and afterward we went to the Boat House and had lunch.  Mel opened all the cards from me, the cats and ladybug.  I also got him a book, “Why a daughter needs a father”.  I am not sure if this day was as tough for him as Mother’s Day was for me, but I am glad to have both of them behind us and hopefully next year…we will be a family.

Today is June 19th and Mel is in Pennsylvania and New York this week.  His flight from Buffalo to Newark was cancelled so he had to drive like 8 hours in order to get there in time for a meeting.

Today June 22nd, nothing like referrals to give you a “pick me up”.  the CCAA website says:

The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before October 31, 2005.

The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before June 28, 2005.

Our paperwork was logged in January 11, 2006 so they need to get thru 196 days before or LID comes up for referral.

Today is June 23rd.

“The possession of knowledge does not kill the sense of wonder and mystery.  There is always more mystery.”   ~Anais Nin

It seems this journey is full of mystery, but I guess if we knew everything, what would we have to look forward to.

Today is Saturday June 24th and I had a lazy day.  I went down to Chattanooga and looked at furniture for ladybug’s nursery.  I then went to the airport to wait for Mel to arrive and then we went to dinner and to the bookstore.


Happy Anniversary . . . 7 years


Happy Father's Day to Mel


Lily in my shoes and teeshirt


Our Wedding Day Carriage Ride


Our Wedding Day - June 27, 1999


The neighborhood baby foxes
 
We were able to attend church today June 25th and it was such a nice service.  Afterward we had lunch with Robert, Jill and Lily at Panera.  Lily is just such a joy and amazes me each time we are with her.  Later in the day I went over and swam with Jill and Lily and what a treat that was.  She jumped off the diving board and swam around like a little fish with her wings on.

Well today June 26th begins my time off from work to vacation at home.  Since referrals have slowed down all this vacation time I had saved up needs to be used or I will lose it.  I didn’t really realize this, so at the last minute I had to take some time off.  My hope is to get a few things done around the house and maybe relax a little bit.  I got up bright and early today and began cleaning and organizing and I should have noticed something was not right, but I was just too busy until I opened the shutters in the Great Room and saw what I thought was a “dead” fox on our back deck.  I about lost it, you see this “fox family” has been in our neighborhood and the neighborhood across from us for about a month and when I saw this “Momma” fox I was not sure if it was one of her babies or what.

I called Mel and he came right home from work.  While I waited on him I called…animal control, several rid-a-pest type companies and finally connected with Tennessee wildlife.  Come to find out we live in a “rabies zone” and that requires that the fox be tested and disposed of correctly.  The more I learned the more I cried, finally Mel got home.  He called me on his cell to tell me the babies were in our front yard.  So now we have a “dead” Momma fox on our deck and her 2 babies playing in our front yard…this even made me cry more.

Then Mel had the “grand” idea of taking a picture of the “dead” Momma fox, I about lost it.  Fortunately he insisted on looking out on the deck, I had closed all the shutters and refused to look again.  Much to our surprise the “dead” Momma fox was GONE!  Yes I said gone.  So now I am crying because at first I think some other varmint has come and drug her off, then I realized she had been sunning herself and she had just gotten up and left.  So now I have to call Tennessee wildlife and cancel the guy who was coming out to pick up Momma fox and then they proceed to tell me that they can come and “kill” the fox family, yes I said kill.  They also tell me that most likely the foxes aren’t dangerous but if they are sick they could attack me, so I may want to alter my schedule to avoid them.  We have been following the foxes since Memorial Day so killing them off was not an option, no matter if they were sick or not.  If this wasn’t enough excitement for one day, I don’t know what is.

It gets better….I babysat Lily tonight!!!  I bought some markers and crayons and some special coloring books and paper.  We colored pretty pictures and drew with our special markers.  We read the “Three Little Pigs”, maybe 10 times and a few other books.  She decided she wanted to take a bath in the BIG TUB!  To a child her size the big tub is like a swimming pool.  She wanted to know what all the special lotions were and she wanted to use the foot pumice and the special back cleaner.  We used baby shampoo and filled the tub with bubbles.  After about an hour in the tub it was time to get out.  She did not have her overnight bag with her, and she didn’t want to put her clothes back on, so at first she wanted to wear one of Mel’s tank top like t-shirts.  Then she insisted that I put my “jamas” on too, when she saw they were pink she had to wear something pink.  So I found a pink t-shirt and used a rubberband to gather it up in the back so it would “somewhat” fit.  She then found my white heeled sandals and insisted on wearing them.  Well as you can see from the picture…it was a HOOT!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY BABY….GOT YOU ON MY MIND!!!!  Well 7 years ago today June 27th 1999, Mel and I were married in Mackinac Island, Michigan.  It is such a beautiful place and holds such dear memories for us as a couple.  We have been back twice; once in 2001 and again 2003 both for vacation.  While Mel and I were dating we talked of going to Mackinac.  Once we were engaged we begin to think of where we wanted to get married.  Since neither of us had a “home” church we weren’t sure if we wanted to include our families in our wedding plans or if wanted to travel to a destination and get married and also honeymoon there too.  Well as you can guess the destination wedding idea won out.  Mackinac Island is like no other place either of us had been and we planned the wedding from a distance.  Initially we had hoped to marry on June 26th the day we had met 6 years earlier, but there were already 14 weddings on the island that day, so we opted for the next day and we ended up being the only wedding that day.

Mel proposed to me on December 26th, 1998.  We were driving to Morristown to check on his house and then visit with his family and have dinner.  I was not feeling well, (too much after Christmas shopping) so I laid down on the couch and almost dozed off.  The next think I knew Mel was down on one knee by the couch proposing to me.  Well I really never expected that.  You see we had looked at rings forever as in many years and he had hinted he had even purchased the ring the previous February.  So from February 1998 every time we traveled out of town or even went on a date, I thought this will be it, tonight will be the night he proposes.  Well by December I wasn’t sure if maybe he had other plans or if we were maybe on the “extended” plan and I didn’t know.  Anyway I was sooooooooo happy and or course I said yes.

Mel was so funny he was like I was going to propose when we went on our trip to NC (which we had to cancel because he was so busy with work) and when we had to cancel the trip he didn’t want to wait any longer, but wanted it to be more special.  Well it was pretty special!  Mel proposed to me on the same couch where we basically had “the talk”.  We had been friends for so long I wasn’t sure I really wanted us to date and we had a long talk on “the couch”.  We now refer to the couch as the “commitment couch”; it is in our TV room.

The day we were married was just beautiful.  We started the day with church at Saint Anne’s Catholic church on the island.  We then had a quick breakfast and then I went to have my nails done at the Grand Hotel.  While I was getting my nails done Mel checked into the Grand Hotel and began getting ready for our wedding.  I returned to the Chippewa Hotel and began getting ready.  Little did I know that Mel was not able to check into his room on time, more on that later.  The florist showed up with my flowers and then the photographer showed up to take some pictures.  The carriage arrived to take me to the church and the trip was well documented with photos and video.  Everyone was at the church, but Mel.  When it was 10 past the hour we should have gotten married we all became a little worried.  There are no cars on Mackinac and no quick way to locate Mel, so we waited.  Finally we see him running up the street amongst bicycles, carriages and people.  He arrived a bit hot, so after he had a moment to catch his breath and cool off, it was time.  We exchanged vows, kissed and then took a carriage ride around the island that was videoed and well photographed.  Our carriage ride ended at the Grand Hotel where we had a special dinner and a mini wedding cake and then danced in the ballroom.  A perfect ending to a perfect day!

Since that special day 7 years ago, we have celebrated many joys together and we have wiped each others tears, we have seen distant lands and we have stayed close to home, but most of all we grown as individuals and we have grown as a couple.  Life’s journey does not always take us down the roads we know, but together we can make the most of the journey.

Well that was a little journey down “memory lane”.  Tonight we celebrated with dinner at Cafe’ Roma, and Pam and Cary surprised us with desert.

Today is June 28th and I got up early and went to work out.  Then I went to the Bradney’s and laid out at the pool.  Oh my word, nothing like being the only one at the pool on a nice hot summer day.  For a few hours I felt like I was in the Caribbean.

Today is June 29th and we had planned to take Rachael and Hunter to Cincinnati to visit Aunt Betsy this weekend, but Mel has a huge project at work so we are going to stick around home.  I thought about driving them up by myself, but it would not have been the same.  I worked around the house and then went to work out.  In the afternoon I went to the pool and relaxed.  I have been reading several good “summer reads” just to pass the time.

Today is June 30th and I got up bright and early to drive to Monteagle Mountain to pick up Hunter and Rachael.  We had a nice drive home and then we did a quick “tidy” up and left for the pool.  We had a great day at the pool and both the kids are swimming so much better than last summer.

After the pool we went to Kmart to get some extra noodles and some “bullfrog”.  We made hamburgers and hotdogs and then watched movies on Mel’s “BIG” TV.

 

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