I lost my mind!!

Ok not cause Jason's gone, although that hasn't helped. So I live in this little place called 'La La Land' where we can eat candy and our butts don't grow, where my children wake up saying, 'Mom what can I do for you today?', where mysteriously someone broke into my house, cleaned it, left mints on my pillow, stocked the fridge, and had homemade bread fresh out of the oven for me to indulge in. Ok so I want to live there, I don't actually, cause if I did you all wouldn't know about, I'd be hiddin that little treasure!! Anyway, I'm like the loftiest thinker, where even though I can be pessimistic, God gave me a wild, free imagination where I don't need details cause it will work out right? And I know my God is like huge, so that works out well. So I guess I never grew up cause that's the beauty and innocence of a child, anything and everything is possible because you haven't been tainted by negativity or the world or your friends or parents or the bullies at school. You can do and be whatever you want to be. That's where this little mind lives. So when I think about 'Gee what shall I do with my life?' I can't put my finger on it, I think teacher, tried that and NOPE, checked that off the list, I keep saying I'm going to nursing school but I don't know if that will ever happen. So anyway, I know I want to be with my kids, it feels right (and frustrating at times) but that's where I seem to click. I love kids. I love my kids, I love other people's kids. I'm a kid person. So the idea of adoption just clicks with me. I have a HUGE heart for kids, and whether I have more of my own or seek out the ones God lays on my heart, I'm open for the journey. Ok so back to loftiness for minute. When I felt God say "Adopt, you can do something for someone, go find your child' I was running for the nearest computer, praying to find the answers, and here we are today, waiting for our boy. But when God spoke, I acted. I didn't look at the price tag, which I know deters most people from adoption, I didn't flinch at any financial ramifications at all. I just went to work to find out how to come up with the money. It wasn't ever a deterrent. I believe God knows our financial situation, that whole heartedly we want to live debt free, make conscious choices to be money savvy and want to be freed up to live lives worthy of His approval. So I believe that He will help us get our boy home, and you know what it's ok if we still have a loan payment, which I have read on other blogs people who are against getting loans. Hey if you're one of them, that's great, I applaud you keeping it debt free but the timing of our adoption just so happened that we needed that money right then to get our boy and I do believe that it will be ok, maybe had we not gotten a loan it would've played out differently, I don't really care to debate, our family made a choice, it worked and we are happy all the more for having a face the to dream God gave us. Anyway, sorry for the tangent. I keep feeling like we need to be a catalyst. That our adoption isn't just about us and our son, that we have a chance to bring awareness, prayer, money, and dreams to other people whether they feel they can adopt and go for it, or they help someone else adopt. Whatever they feel God leading them to, may they be faithful and be a blessing. So we are lucky enough to have people in our lives that buy into adoption and are helping us find creative ways to raise the money. We did the yard sale, we have a family that sent out donation letters, and we have a family friend who is helping us put together a fundraiser/silent auction dinner. So here's where I start getting all La La Landish, I don't want all the money from the auction dinner. Granted I know we have to come up with money still,but I want to start an adoption grant through part of the money raised to help other local families feel empowered to not look at the bottom line but to follow the leading of God and through helping provide funding that may be more possible for more families. Anyway, for those of you who read this, please partner with me to lift high the dreams of one mommy who wants more kids and families than her own to see God move in mighty way and bring more babies and children home to their forever families. I feel like there's more here that Yakima needs an adoption ministry where we partner with families to get these kids home domestically or internationally. I just think we need to prepare for the rain, cause when we tap into what breaks God's heart, when we read all the scriptures that tell us to care for the widows and orphans, I think He is just waiting to produce greatness out of us. To help us to see the beauty that comes from investing in other people, in other children, and in other parts of our world. Down the street, or a million miles away. I feel like God is whispering "Take my hand, and I will show you the way to touch lives." I want to take His hand, don't you?

Coupon Complainer!

Ok I should probably explain, I did the whole coupon thing and it was fun and nice and all but I come home and read on Money Saving Mom.com and she all like spendin 38 for a week of groceries. So I'm complainin', ya you heard right, I know you're all surprised that I of all people would complain' but alas, here we go! So NO stores that I have found in po-dunk Yakima double coupons which I am finding is the ticket to coupon savings. So I printed a LOT of coupons and hit Walmart, and yeah I got some deals like ziploc bags, 50 count for 23 cents, and toaster strudels (which I haven't bought EVER for my kids, simply cause it's never crossed my mind) for like 1.12. So good deals but I still spent like 68 bucks, partly for baby wipes ( I didn't have a coupon), partly for mascara(searched for a coupon, not go) and well cause it's Walmart, who only spends like $20 at walmart? And if you think you are that person, you are lying, it's like Costco which I renamed "The $100 minimum store" cause I think 1 time I got out without spending $100, and that was only cause somebody pooped and I had a headache. So unless Mikey wants to 'fill the ol drawers' EVERY time I enter a Walmart or Costco it's bye bye cash. Anyway, coupons rock, love the idea, love not paying full fare, i love making it almost a game, see how little to spend, but at the end of the day..... Yakima stores SUCK, none that I have found double coupons. If any one knows of a store that doubles in Yakima, hook a lady up, yeah?
On a completely different note but praise worthy none the less, I started at my new job, which is working at the child care area in the Yakima Athletic Club. I can take my kids, (no daycare,plus, and I can be with them, plus plus) I get a free membership, and I get paid. Yup, it's that good! :). I LOVE not getting up at 5:00am and seeing my kids all day. I am also hoping to do some online writing stuff for my friends brother in law, if we can connect on when I should start, so that will be cool.
We also had parent/teacher conference this week for Faithie. I don't know how it happened but we got a teacher's pet. I know right, my kids' the teachers pet? Yeah who knew but hey she's an AWESOME student, getting 100% on reading and spelling tests, helpful even to sub's when her teacher is gone. Just all around a good kid. I am so proud to be her mama.
Hope's teacher conference was good. Well especially cause it didn't start with " You guys are only responsible for the first $10,000 of damages!" Hehe. Seriously though, she can count ridiculously high, thanks to big sis teaching her how. She knows all her stuff like colors, numbers, etc. She plays well (not bossy, I did ask for clarification of what child we were talking about, and it was Hopie). She is just an amazingly funny little girl, who happens to be super smart, and sometimes willing to share with others, I guess she's one of those at school she's like "miss helping hands" and at home she's "miss I'm hittin ya when mom turns around" and she's smilin the WHOLE time! :).
If I can get the pics up I will post their school pics. I heard this thing about advertising companies using photos from people's blogs and facebook and myspace pages without consent so I'm hesitant to throw these wonderfully cute kids on here and have someone makin moola without my consent. You could sell snow to a snow man with Hope's smile! Alright enough braggin'- if anybody knows of a doubling coupon store - HOOK ME UP!
Peace out,
Kala

Tagged

Hehe, so I think this will be fun! Ok so I got 'tagged' so I'm supposed to give fun facts ..... here we go....

1) I'm dramatic. I know hard to believe right? Ok so example, I have personally diagnosed myself as Hypoglycemic which means I have really low blood sugar and if I don't eat I get all dizzy, clammy, tired feeling, shaky, and CRANKY. So we were in Sears this morning and I was too hungry and I got all the symptoms I just listed and Jason laughed at me cause he says I'm just hungry BUT I KNOW there's more too it than that. Anyway, on the way home he was trying to have a conversation with me but I literally like shut down and can't process info so I wasn't much for talking (even though I did have plenty to say oddly enough)and he thinks I'm just dramatic. Whatever!

2) I hate bananas. I do however like banana bread. But that's it for bananas. Here's my 'logical' reason for not liking bananas. So ya know that mushy sound people make while they eat a banana, kinda like a mini smacking of the lips but more mushy sounding? Yeah well my sister used to do that crap in my face all the time and one day I had enough and decided I'm not a banana person, thank you very much. I don't like the smell, the texture, or how it sounds when someone eats them. So bananas? You can have em!

3) I don't like eggs. Nasty nasty nasty. And here's my reasoning, you know that scene in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves when the witch breaks open the egg and blood comes out? Gross, I was done after that movie. And when I was prego with Hopie I even tried to eat a quiche for good measure, eggs can be good for you. And I took one bite, almost puked and decided "Yup, done with eggs too." Makes sense right?

4) I'm really self conscious. I don't like my body AT ALL. Pre kids it was ok, post kids, does the word Nightmare ring a bell? I have a hard time liking the way I look knowing I don't do a darn thing about it, even when I do work out I don't see much of a difference so I just give up. I tell myself that if my tummy wasn't ridiculously flabby then I would feel better about myself but let's face it, I'd find something else to be upset about.

5) I have a desire to live simplistically and I live with money spender. AGH! I wouldn't mind getting rid of the Tv, goin all granola, and living simple but that's a process and will take time to implement. Although Jason totally wants to do my little personal coupon challenge and see how much money we can save.

6) I used to want to be a professional singer, so I would stand in the bathroom with my moms candle sticks (they make the best pretend microphones) and practice singing for HOURS on end. Up until a few years ago, I was trying to figure out how to get into the music business, I recorded a demo for some gal sending her song to a music company, I recorded 2 cd's of funeral music for this guy in Spokane, and got professional pics taken to send a demo into a record company.I secretly want to be on T.V. like Jon and Kate plus 8, but I would lose my mind I think, with all those people peeking in on my life, but I get lots of attention since I'm sooooo small anyway, so I'm sure I'd get used to it.

7) I'm fickle, I hate working outside the home but when I'm home too long I feel worthless. Although now that I've worked full time outside the home I appreciate the days when I can just be with my kids. I wish we made enough money I didn't have to work and could simply volunteer my time instead of always squeaking by trying to make ends meet, only focused on my little area of influence instead of going outside my world to impact others. My heart's desire is to be the person that when they see a need they meet it, no matter what. But I feel like I'm just trying to keep my head above water (financially) I can't give the time to others - I don't take the time to see it. That's something I'm really working on.

Ok, well that's random, and quite the scope of my little life.
Let's see how I can tag!

Kala

Warm Fuzzies

Ok so I'm still recovering from the flu, holy cow, it seriously kicked my tail this year, wow, anyway, Saturday come heck or high water we were heading to North Bend. And what did I find? Oh yeah baby, .99 sale racks at The Children's Place Outlet, and Carters had 1.99 with an additional 20% off. The most I paid for an item of clothing was 3.19. hehehe, warm fuzzies. I just love a good actually in this case GREAT deal. It was worth the gas to get there cause I talked my dad into driving so I didn't even pay for gas, can it get much better? Uh NO! Anyway, Jason went to an event called Super 7 which is a sleep deprived 7 hours from 11pm-6am where they play sports or swim, and to all of that I give a loud "NO THANK YOU." My sleep and I have a delicate relationship that can't be compromised by ridiculous events like Super 7. Leave it to those dumb I mean PAID youth pastors to do that stuff.
We haven't gotten to wrap up our adoption home study cause I think our social worker is sick, and man I sure hope we didn't give it to her. If that's the case she better buckle up for a nasty few days. Man, it's been 6 days since the pukes and I still can't eat without a gut ache, lousy lousy lousy! I do need to take a moment to brag though, the last few night Jason and I have been having Guitar Hero showdowns and oh yeah I am seriously kickin his tail, never mind the fact that he is playing on hard and I'm on medium at the end of the song I have a higher score so another warm fuzzy for me. Woohoo!!
I gotta go to work tomorrow and I'm dreading it, I haven't been in for 8 days due to sickness and scheduled days off so tomorrow kicks off 3 days one day off and then 2 more days. AGH. I'm dreading not being here to get Faithie ready and hang with the kids, so that's a bummer.
Ooo, oooo, one more warm fuzzy, we found out we have like 900 bucks left in our flexible spending account used for medical related expenses and we have 2 weeks to use it or it just literally floats away. So I went to Costco and picked out a new pair of glasses that are ultra hot AND a pair of some seriously rockin prescription sunglasses. Oh man I am stoked- both pairs are just rad, which is so 80's but the only word to describe the coolness level.
Well I better scoot, Mikey is dragging around a kite he found, Hope and him are aimlessly wandering the house looking for trouble I'm sure.
But before I part, I was watching Oprah and I record them and watch them later like during nap time and the other day she had this gal on who is like the Ultimate Coupon Shopper. Now here's confession time, I don't use coupons, I use card discounts like Safeway and Albertson's but nothing extra like cutting coupons. Now I now some of you are like " What are coupons?" And others may be thinking I'm some sort of weirdo who pays full fare for things. And honestly I'm somewhere in the middle of those two - I like deals but let's face it I'm too lazy to use coupons. So I decided to challenge myself to shop as smart as I can for the next month and keep track of savings to see how much we can really save using coupons. If any of you are in the coupon lane who know good coupon resources or have an extra paper I can cut coupons out of give me a holler and I'll stop by.
Ok now seriously I'm hearing " I see London I see underpants" This can't be good.
Peace out,
Kala

It hit

The horrible flu my family endured finally hit me Wed afternoon. It started with the stomach cramps and trips to the bathroom if you know what I mean. I honestly just wanted to puke already thinking everyone else only threw up like 2 times this should be over quickly. Um... so finally started puking around 9pm, didn't stop til 3:30 am, have continued frequent trips to the bathroom all day long, and am now on the achy I don't want to move, gosh I hate being sick, completely unprodcutive phase. So I'm miserable and missing Bunco which I'm totally bummed about, the one time I month I get to hang with girlfriends and I'm stuck on the couch wishing this crap will end soon. Mikey however has been taking 3.5hr naps with me the last 2 days which is heavenly, no joke. And I had to call in sick for tomorrow cause I'm done puking but 12hrs of running around and trying to keep going while I am still achy I'm sure, well that just sounds like tons of fun eh? Uh yeah not so much. So me and my hopefuly shrinking butt due to sickness is just layin low. Well it's a short post today bummer eh? I think if Sat we're all healthy we're goin to North Bend to hit a few sales at the outlet mall and call it a day. Jason is gone to Idaho for a youth all nighter, not my cuppa tea , me and no sleep, yeah we don't mix well. So I hope everyone else steers clear of the sickness!
Blessings.
Kala