Roy G. Biv Disorder

The Pigs are Flyin'

I never thought this day would come.  The day that these two polar opposites would attract for the slightest moment and actually lay side by side in perfect harmony.

Don't sweet sigh for too long, though.  They only made it for the picture and then promptly left each other's side for high stepping romps from PandaDoggie all over PandaKitty's belly.

We are getting along great with these two and with having TWO BEAUTIFUL GIRLS in our house! I am LOVING have PJ around.  Still can't even believe she's actually here.  Here with us. With US! Today is going to be a rough one since we have to take her two hours away for her required visit with her birth parents.  It's such a sad, awful, yucky hour that she had to spend with them.  The story is quite sad, but I can't really go into the details here.  Just know that it would be better for her if she didn't have to go. : (

This PandaMom does NOT want to drop her off in that room and leave her.  We will make it through, but this is not something that is on my top fun things for the day.

Hey, I have a question.  Are you organized?  I so want to be organized.  There are sweet girls in my church who are, people from blogs who are and lots of resources on getting organized......and staying that way.

I think my problem is disorganization.

Yep.

I am thinking that many other things would "come together" for me if I could just master the art of organizational skills.  If you think about it, it really encompasses all of our aspects of life.  If something is in disarray then it's all wonky and seems to be out of balance.  (That was quite a redundant sentence.)

Like right now, I am looking at several piles of papers that NEED to be organized and put in proper homes.  Why can't I just get it where it should go and keep up the good work?!!!!  I am certainly going to be praying about and working on getting organized in some sort of order.

ARE YOU ORGANIZED?
HOW?
WHAT?
WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED HELP WITH IN THIS AREA?

Two Little Peas

Here are these two peas in a pod doing what they do many times during the day. PandaDoggie is so great with her!!! Still can't believe I was desperately trying to find a home for him when she visited before placement. Makes me sad to think about it. : (

Today I'm venturing out with the little miss to the library for Toddler Time. I am so excited! I loved doing this with PandaGirl when she was a tot. What I am going to miss however is my wonderful playgroup that I made so many memories with when PG was little. If you've followed this blog for several years then you know all about our Chinese little girls playgroup that met almost every Monday for two years. It was the biggest blessing!! Endless memories made with all those girls and their mommies. Now I am going to figure out how to do the same with PJ with new friends. Now I'll just be the old mom with all these young moms! Ack!

Right now as I type PJ is in my lap doodling on paper with a red pen while listening to Pandora playing Raffi, Laurie Berkner and The Wiggles.

I love kid music.

A Boy & His Dog

I cannot believe that I freaked out so much that I almost gave away THE BEST DOG IN THE WORLD weekend before last when I thought life could not co-exist with him and PandaJOY in the same house. Wait....yes I can. I'm a freaker-outer.

We could not ask for a better pet. He is sooooooooooooooo sweet. Was that lame to put so many /o/'s on so? I don't care. I just want to express how gentle and sweet natured he is. He gets really hyper the moment we let him out of his kennel after we've been gone awhile, but other than that he is just following us around like a baby puppy and always at our feet when we sit. He loves to jump on the bed and cuddle up with us in the morning. Never thought I'd say those words. He "hears" things every now and then and barks at the air looking out the side of his eyes while his snout is straight up in the air. His ridge is up and he is in full bore protection mode from whatever evil he "heard".....i.e., vibration he felt.

I wish you could see him in real life to understand how gorgeous he really is. His fur is like velvet. His muscle tone is amazing. His eyes are the color of a swimming pool and he stands at regal attention.

I already have pics of him and PandaJOY on the couch together....laying together....in perfect harmony. He is so gentle with her allowing hugs, pats and even kisses on his head since they ARE eye level to each other.

Have you ever seen the movie "The Kid" with Spencer Breslin and Bruce Willis? That is a GREAT movie and one of PP's favorites. The kid in the movie wants to grow up and have the best dog in the world named Chester. My boy has the best dog in the world named Rookie......aka...PandaDoggie.

Sweet Days

We are one week into our time with PandaJOY as a family member. Whew!!! Having a two year old is soooooooo much work! I remember it being all-consuming, but the reality is.......well, it's REALITY! lol!! I love all of it and knew that some things (like photography as a business....sniff, sniff) would have to take a backseat until we all got into a routine of some sort. It's all good.

There have been some bumps along the way, but for the most part all in the PandaFamily household are doing well and getting along great in the new transition. The best part?....well, besides the wonderful cuddling and giggles......is that PandaDoggie is THE BEST with her! AHHHH! To think how badly I FAR-REAKED out on the overnight pre-placement visit makes me cringe. We could have given away the BEST DOG IN THE WORLD because of my fear. We couldn't have asked for a better pet. So sweet and always with her. He's huge and just gently walks along side her or lets her hug all over him. I even have a pic of those two cuddled up together on the couch. Who knew?

Of course, I can't keep up on this blog as much, but you know I LOVE to do my 365 posts so please keep on poppin' over there to see each day's pic.

Thanks for your continued prayers, love and support!!!!!!!!!!!!

Moving Along

PHOTO REMOVED AS PER NEW CORRECTIVE ACTIONS BEING TAKEN BY TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SERVICES.
Well, believe it or not PandaJOY is IN OUR HOME!!!!!!!! She came Tuesday as a legal risk placement meaning that the rights of the biological parents still need to be relinquished or terminated. March should bring us more info and details about that. For now we are completely, unashamedly, wonderfully, ecstatically, happily and joyfully squeezing the daylights out of PandaJOY! I cannot show her pics until all is said and done and that is in the fall. Terrible!!! How can a photographer and avid blogger NOT put up pics of her daughter?!!! I am trying to give as many teases as possible without over doing it. This photo is pretty safe.

The dog and PG are doing well. More than well. They both amaze me with how great they each are with PJ. PandaPop and I are in hog heaven. I won't lie.....there is sooooo much for me to do mentally to get back into the mindset of daily life with a 2 1/2 year old. I didn't forget what it was like with PG, but the all-consuming time it takes to raise a child this age can get to you if you're not on your knees praying for help. We are just getting started and have a learning curve with the transition that is inevitable with a child who has known one way of life and then is thrust into another. I fully expect to have melt-downs from her, PG & myself and have PJ wonder what happened to ...insert foster family names....

PJ is such a perfect fit for us!!!

Thank you a MILLION times over for your prayers, love and support. I still don't even know some of you who have chosen to take a moment from your day to remember us. For those of you who comment and I don't have a way of contacting you....please know this thank you is for you, too! I have prayed blessings BACK on all those who have prayed for us throughout this exhausting adoption journey. We aren't through yet, so if you feel led, we'd LOVE your continued prayers.

The Chemist & PJ

::click on collage to enlarge::

This is what we did on one of our ICE/SNOW days last week. The entire metroplex was literally paralyzed by the weather!!! The kids missed FOUR days of school. Unheard of!! Wonder when it will all be made up?

PandaGirl and I had a blast making this lip balm. More fun to make than to actually wear. Eeew. She is an absolute freak about mixing up concoctions! If she doesn't study chemistry I'll be surprised. I guess she can always fall back on her geology degree which is other love....for now. Love that she loves science!

Well......tomorrow is THE day that PandaJOY is to be placed with us as a "legal risk placement". At the VERY least we have 7-8 more months of waiting, but she will be WITH us!! Woohooo! A bit surreal at this point.

She spent the night on Saturday. First time since last August. She fell right into place, however now we have PandaDoggie. I have been dreading how that was going to work out with him and a two year old in the house. I am a FREAKER-OUTER and true to form....

I FREAKED OUT ON SATURDAY!

I posted all over Face**book begging for someone to give the dog a home because it just wasn't going to work out with PJ. I had been clicking his collar and he was. not. responding. TOO CRAZY!!! Come to find out...it had lost its charge and just need a reboot. Once that happened he was soooo good with her. There was crying, crying and more crying when PG MELTED down like never before. As much as she has been looking forward to getting a sister, reality set in when there was talk of getting rid of the dog (that she doesn't even take care of.....but that's digressing). For the first time since we had her she truly purged and grieved over something. So sad to see and experience, but glad that she has those emotions in her and she feels safe enough to express them with us. I sometimes forget that she, too is adopted and comes with a past of loss and abandonment in her little subconscious. All of a sudden she thought our family was "perfect" the way it was and she did NOT want a sibling!! We prayed and made it through, but it was quite rough.

Several things jolted a kick of panic in me: having to watch the dog, a very busy two year old on the stairs constantly and a new big sister who has had to share with no one for seven years, transitions galore and a freaker-outer momma. Whoa. By the grace of God and lots of prayers from others....Sunday was MUCH better....even delightful. We had to take PJ back to the foster home and that was hard, but the excitement of her coming on Tuesday kept me from crying.

I am praying that NOTHING thwarts the plan of getting her tomorrow.

Can't post pics until the whole thing is finalized in the fall, but I can keep teasing with ones like below.
PHOTO REMOVED AS PER NEW CORRECTIVE ACTIONS BEING TAKEN BY TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SERVICES.

A JOYFul Visit

We have been COVERED in ICE for four days now. Nothing horrible, but it keeps us all at home....unless you count us three going out on adventures.....since driving on ice doesn't really work. (On PG's Gotcha Day we ventured out in the awful ice to Tar*get for some Star*bucks and a few new clothes for PJ!!!)

Today is the FOURTH day of no school. I just have one kid and I'm ready for her jolly-self to get on back to the school house. (Remember my homeschool days? LOL!!!)I can't imagine all my friends with several kids at home, stuck inside and whiny. Bleh.

The first day is exciting. The second is like winning the lottery. The third day off is irritating and the fourth day.....it's just downright gross.

We are all just so accustomed to doing things OUR way and being able to flit here and there without a thought in the world. Makes one thankful for electricity, vehicles, gas, food, friends, stoplights, streets, stores, outside air that doesn't freeze your breath, walks in the park with the dog, access to anything you want to do. You get the picture. Be thankful for what we have when we have it!!!

The funny thing around here is all the hooplah surrounding the Super**Bowl. We live about 30 minutes from the brand new Dallas Cowboys football stadium that is state of the art, wonderful, expensive, very futuristic looking and quite the conversation piece. I have learned quite a bit about what goes on around the happenings of the super bowl. Never, ever thought about it before it was in my backyard, but did you know that the percentage of prostitution rises DRAMATICALLY around these events? Duh. Makes sense now that I think about it. Along with that comes more drugs, crime and plain old debauchery at its best. The hotels are sold out for SEVERAL cities around. This shindig is HUGE. HUGE, I tell ya. All the news and radio stations have it covered more than enough, but all the horrible weather has taken center stage sort of overshadowing the super bowl activities. Well, I say overshadow as if no one knows about the game. No, no. Just so much of the MASSIVE metroplex has literally been shut down because of the ice that the activities that were supposed to happen during super bowl week.....have been minimal at best.

Yesterday we braved the ice, kept our tires in the grooves made from cars before us and made short visit with PandaJOY and her caseworker. We were supposed to see her today in our home, but it's a no-go because on top of the ice.....it snowed all night long. At least today we can play in it as opposed to slipping on our booty or walking around like Miss-ah-Wiggins trying NOT to fall on the ice. She is to spend the night with us tomorrow....yay!!....and be placed with us for good on Tuesday. Big yay! The sad thing is that I am not allowed to post pictures of her until we officially adopt her and that is more than six months away. So as much as I want to show her precious little face to you......I just can't. Sniff. : ( The pic below is of PandaGirl and one of the adopted daughters of my friend who is the foster mom to PJ. PandaJOY is sitting right beside PG so just try to imagine her cuteness. With the ice so bad we had to eat at a Japanese restaurant to celebrate Chinese New Year. LOL!!

***BTW: Funderstorm......I know you are going to steal this pic of me and PP.....so have fun. ; )

Can't Believe It's Been 7 Years!