Ezra's first trip to the ER!

Most of yesterday was spent at the Emergency Room with poor Ezra. I was at work and my mom was babysitting and she noticed that Ezra (whose fever still wouldn't go lower then 102.7) started shivering and chattering his teeth. Then he went limp and was non-responsive. She retook his temp and it was 104.8!!! So she startd to shake him to get him to respond and called me to say she was rushing him to the hospital.
YIKES! To be a mom with no control of what's going on in a different city waiting to meet her son at the emergency room is an absolute nightmare! I also felt terrible for my poor mom who was totally freaked out and worried as well. Once we got to Cooks Childrens they immediately took his vitals and gave him some more meds to help bring down the fever. Within minutes he became much more responsive and actually sat up and started to play with his Woody and Jessie dolls. PTL!! So after a 4.5 hour stay in the hospital for observation and after some of this:



and this:



They determined that there really wasn't anything they could do for him that we couldn't do at home so we were discharged and just every 3 hours have to dose him with fever meds. He's been much better today and hasn't had any super high temps but still stays around 102.0. He's never wanted his Mommy so much in his life so I am loving the cuddle time :)

We also heard that the same day Ezra was diagnosed with pneumonia his classmate in daycare died after drowning in a pool. This couple also live in our neighborhood and I can not imagine that loss. I know how much it hurt Michael and I to see Ezra cry every time they took his vitals or drew his blood so I can not begin to relate these parents' loss. Please keep them in your prayers.

Ezra has pneumonia...

Ezzy has been fine with no indications of illness then yesterday I got a phone call from daycare that he had fever (102.7). We gave Motrin and Tylenol and it wouldn't go down so Michael took him to Care Now since our pediatrician wouldn't see him unless 24 hours passed and the fever wasn't lower since he had no clinical signs of illness otherwise. Well they noticed his O2 level was low, did some chest rads and a blood test and diagnosed him with pneumonia! Poor little dude had to have shots and a breathing treatment and was miserable. So now we have a nebulizer and some meds but if the fever stays too high he may have to go to the hospital. Last night his fever was 103.5 and still hasn't dropped lower then 102.7 :(
Please keep Ezra in your prayers that he won't have to be hospitalized. He's still not coughing but he feels really crummy from the fever and is walking around like an old man.

My cute hubby...

So the other night I put on 'Beauty and the Beast' b/c Ezra hadn't seen it before. So Michael, Ezzy, and I all watched it together. Once the "Beast" character is introduced Michael leans over to me and says, "You know, the Beast really isn't bad looking, he's just scarey". Then a little later when Beast starts to have feeling for Belle, Michael says, "If he loves her then why doesn't he just let her go?"
I love that my hubby who can be rough and tumble still can get invested in the romance of fictional characters :) Love you babe!

A few new blogs designs to peek at!

For this one I just designed the header and button but I think it's just super cute and yummy!

First Day of Class!

So today was our first day of class for "Foster to Adopt" and it was really good! We got a binder with lots of info in it and lots of forms, etc. Luckily we've been through the adoption process b/c I think I would have felt totally overwhelmed. I have to say I was shocked that ALL the stuff you have to have to adopt internationally you have to have to adopt domestically. The TB tests, physicals, FBI fingerprint checks, proof of insurance, referrals, home inspections, evacuations plans, EVERYTHING AND MORE! We have to have a written plan for our family in case of different types of emergencies and written house plans with all exit routes marked as well as photo pages. I just really thought it would be easier this time around but it's all the same stuff. Luckily though you don't have to get things certified or apostilled (spelling?) so that's one less step :) Covenant Kids ROCKS! The speaker was great and I actually learned a lot about how to turn negatives into positives and how to communicate with a child who is escalating quickly. Most all of the stuff we learned is very applicable to any child so I really was excited to learn different ways to reinforce positive reward.
Some of you may not care about most of this but I hope to use my experiences on the blog to kind of blaze a trail for others who may be considering becoming foster parents. I know we knew no one that had adopted before and once I joined a yahoo group with fellow adoptive parents it was like the heavens opened up and I found people with answers and who could relate. I love the people from my adoption groups and call them friends even thought I've never met them. I care for their children like they're my nieces and nephews and since I don't have a "group" for this journey I will just use the blog as a sounding board and a place to share info.
So our next class is next Tuesday and I'm actually looking forward to it. By the way, today they taught us a proper restraint technique to be used on a child that is manic and only if they are going to harm themselves or someone else and I practiced it on my brother who is 8.... well let me just say that I would have gotten my butt kicked if he really was manic! hahahaha Luckily we're just going for an infant this time around :)

The start of a new journey...

So this weekend Michael and I will be attending our first day of training to become foster parents! We have decided to try the "foster to adopt" program with Covenant Kids based out of Arlington. The training includes 30 hours of classes with a mandatory CPR certification and then we do our homestudy and pray to be matched with a low risk (low risk of being placed back with his/her parents) child that will fit with in our small age range. Because of our jobs we won't be able to take on a newborn but the idea of have 2 toddlers in the house is daunting so we're asking for a child (preferably a girl) b/w the ages of 6-14 months. So since we're really limiting ourselves I have no idea how long we will wait for a placement. We'll just take it one step at a time and see what the Lord has planned!

New blog designs

Here are some of the latest blogs I've done. Take a peek!

We are in Arizona!

Yea! We have our first "A" state, Arizona. Much thanks to Stephanie Olson for purchasing on of our Adopt Africa magnets. Lets keep these babies moving across the U.S!

An anatomy lesson...

So you may remember that a few weeks ago Ezra (who loves nameing Jesus' body parts on the crucifix at our church) pointed at Jesus' loin cloth and said "his poo poo potty". Well this Sunday apparently Ezra had 'X-ray' vision b/c he started out in his normal way with "his hands, his feet, his legs"... and then "his booty, his pecker"!!! YIKES! I tried covering his mouth but then he said it again but a bit muffled of course through my hand on his mouth. I'm not sure how many people around us heard it but it was freaking hilarious. Not as embarrasing as when he farts in church really loudly and everyone else is quiet but close. :)

We're in Colorado!

Thanks to Jamie Jo Braner for purchasing one of our Adopt Africa magnets! We now can add Colorado to our list where our magnets can be found.

New Designs

Check out these 2 new blogs I've been working on. I think they're both really adorable :)

HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So my boys are in Shreveport vising family over Labor Day and I opted to stay home with some peace and quiet in order to knock out some more custom blogs. Well this afternoon I was just feeling totally stumped and uninspired so I decided to go and browse around Barnes and Noble to use a gift card that I got for my birthday (thanks Aunt Pam).
Going to B&N for me is like heaven. The only problem is that I'm already overly ambitious so seeing books like, "Learn to Sew", "Crocheting for Dummies", "HTML in a flash", "Handbook for the digital photographer", "French 101", "601 Great Scrapbooking Ideas"... just make me wish I had more time. There are soooooooooooooooooo many things I want to learn to do that seeing those books is like a slap in the face. I grabbed a few books that were one sale and headed to the check out counter feeling defeated and disappointed that I won't be making crocheted winter hats for Ezra, or conversing in French.

Then I saw IT... A little book relegated to one of the little carts that no one really bothers to sift through. I saw the word 'CAKE' and my eyes went wide! I love everything about cake-- cake shows, cake decorating, eating cake - yum. I started looking through this book and found myself laughing so hard I was crying right there in the entrance of Barnes and Noble. I swear to you that this book is HILARIOUS! Sure to make any and everyone chuckle. I highly recommend you buy it for yourself or for anyone that you know with an affinity for cake and the art of cake decoration :)

The book is called 'Cake Wrecks: When Professional Cakes Go Hilariously wrong' by Jen Yates.

Our trip to Cancun and down the Yucatan Peninsula

The streets of Isla Mujeres.

We LOVE the movie 'Nacho Libre' so I was very excited to see a cart like Nacho's on Isla Mujeres!!!!

On the ferry to Isla Mujeres:

Michael poseing like the European men we saw in their speedos down on the beach. They would stand next to the cliffs and pose just like this :) - A friend pointed out in my comments that this is also like a reference to Nacho Libre, where Nacho is showing Incarnation his "recreation clothes". Good catch Paula!



The beach at Tulum:

The ancient Mayan city of Tulum in Riviera Maya.

The private beach at our hotel had lots of these little beds and tiki type huts to lounge under. An outdoor chess board.
One of the lounges at the hotel.
Mixing a drink at our bar in our room :)
The day we arrived it was raining and these are the rain clouds rolling in. You can also see our view of the ocean from our room.
Michael on our outdoor bed. I took naps out here daily.

A Must Buy

A couple months ago my darling friend Meena sent me a trial sample of Clinique mascara. I have always been 100% loyal to Loreal Lash Out (with the straight brush). In my years wearing makeup the Loreal product was my favorite THEN I tried this new Clinique product. Though the "wand" looks a bit odd I LOVE IT! Just look at the results below. These are my lashes with no other makeup on. Just the mascara.





So for all you ladies out there that want to get some AMAZING length on your lashes please try this product. I don't think you'll be disappointed :)

We are in Virginia!

Thanks to Susan Wanderer for her purchase of one of our Adopt Africa magnets which can now be found in Virginia!!!
If you don't see your state mentioned to the right in the side bar please buy one today and show your support of adoption. Our goal is to get a magnet in all 50 states!