One Step Closer

FINALLY!! We are moving forward in the adoption process. On Thursday we sent our home study packets to out social worker in St. Paul. We got the homework in October and are finally done with it. It was a lot of work. We each had to answer all of the questions separately and the questions we quite thought provoking. Everything from what it was like for us growing up to our adolescence and adulthood, our marital relationships, our children, our parenting, our friends, our community and a ton of questions about cultural awareness. WHEW, done. It was very interesting to have to sit down and think about these things and even more interesting to read my husband's when he was finished. I learned some really good things about how he sees this next phase for us. I am hoping that within a couple of weeks we will get a call from our SW and head to St. Paul to meet with her. I understand this is much like a job interview. After that she will come to our house and complete the home study process. Of course along with all of this a large check (the biggest so far) needs to be written. I am so thankful that God has provided up the money to do this, It is amazing how he has blessed us. I also have to give Ty a lot of credit because he is so good with money and works so hard for us!

That is the BIG news in the Ellis household. Ty escaped the two coldest days of the year by going on a business trip to Florida the past couple of days. We are looking forward to him coming home tomorrow. I really enjoyed having Carter home from school for the two "cold" days they got off. Also Ty turned 36 last week and we celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary! Big week!! In a couple of weeks is Carter's b-day, January is a busy month for us. We also booked our Spring trip to Myrtle Beach, I am very excited. It will be our last trip with just the 4 of us, I hope the next trip Ty and I take is to Korea to pick up our daughter!

Stay Warm!!

Welcome 2009!

What a whirlwind the past couple of weeks have been! Our Christmas was perfect, we did not have to travel so that makes things so much less stressful. My family came to our house for Christmas Eve. I have 5 siblings and several nieces and one nephew on my side. One of my brothers and one of my sisters and her 3 daughters were not able to come which was sad because it is so nice when we can all be together. But with such a large family, it was still a houseful. I would love to host all holidays at my house if I had the space. That will be one of my most important points when we start looking at new houses. So everybody was gone by 8:00, kiddos in bed by 8:30 and Santa was here by 10:00. These are the very best years, with the boys being 3 and 5 they really believe and get all of the Magic of Christmas! One of the photos I have attached is them staring out the window for the big S Clause! Ty and I really enjoyed sneaking around after they were sleeping. I was the only one in the house that had trouble sleeping that night, but that is not unusual around here. There is nothing like Christmas morning, the greatest time of the entire year! We spent the morning at home just the 4 of us relishing in all of the new stuff! Then we went to Grandma and Grandpa's house for Christmas lunch! It is always fun over there on Christmas Day, it is nice because it is very low key, just our family and Ty's brother's family. Of course Grandma goes nuts at Christmas just like my mom used to do. I cannot imagine how out of control she would be with Grandchildren at Christmas. My mother-in-law is the best. Her mother passed away a year ago, this year for Christmas she gave me and my sister-in-law, Julie each a beautiful necklace that she had made from a set of her mother's diamond earings. It was such a wonderful gift, many tears were shed. The poor men!! For our family it was another year of wonderful moments and memories to cherish.

I have really enjoyed having Carter home from school over break. We were very busy with many activities and a couple of low key days at home. OK just one of those, that is one of my resolutions, to stay home a little more and take the day as it comes. So the new year is upon us and as with every year, I cannot believe how fast time goes! We are so hopeful for so many wonderful things in 2009 the biggest of which is a wonderful addition to the family!

We took Carter downhill skiing today and he did great. He really seemed to enjoy it. Ty and I really enjoy skiing so we would love it to be something the kids like so we can enjoy it together.

Happy 2009 to you all!!

Merry Christmas to you all!!

What is Christmas?? "It is the tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with the blessings rich and eternal, and that every path lead to peace." Anges M. Pharo.

Hope you all have a great holiday filled with lots of laughter and love!!

The True Meaning of Christmas!

Here we are just a week until Christmas and still so much to do. I started really early this year but it always seems to sneak up on me and I was still shopping this morning. We have been busy still baking and attending holiday functions. Last night we went to Fanny Hill Dinner Theater for dinner with Santa and friends, we had a great time. If you live in EC or near here I suggest you check it our next year. It is a wonderful event and the kids really enjoyed it.

I have to share what Carter said last night, he is 5 years old (almost 6) he said, "I know the true meaning of Christmas, it is not the lights and the presents, it is about the birth of Jesus and what he did for us." My eyes got misty and I smiled in such delight. We continued to have a conversation about what is was that Jesus did for us and what that means to us today. I feel so blessed to live in a Country where 5 year olds feel free to talk about their spiritual beliefs and where there are schools that celebrate the "true meaning of Christmas." It is so much fun that my kindergartner is inspiring me!!

Attached are a couple of photos of what we have been up to and a picture of that Elf that I was talking about earlier. Carter is still so into it, the first thing he has to do when he gets up is find Kit Frisbee (that is what he named him).

Enjoy this last week and try to relax and remember the true meaning of Christmas!!

These are a couple of simple holiday decoratins I put together, I am
trying to be more creative.

This picture is great because Griffin is Obsessed with Hello Kitty!

Sweet Delight!!

My Boys!!

Since my last post my computer nearly crashed (luckily we caught it in time), Christmas is in full swing, we have a strange little elf visiting our house daily, and God revealed some really important things to me.

First off being without a computer for a few days was strange. I am sure most of you can relate to this, I have no idea what we did before them. I know that I made more phone calls during those days than I usually do. So now my goal is to try and connect with people in ways other than e-mail, at least once in a while. I am thankful that I did not lose anything and it was fixed quickly.

We are getting more and more ready for Christmas each day. The house is decorated, most of the gifts are bought and wrapped, the cards are ready to be mailed and the boys and I are baking almost daily. I decided this year I was going to bake some different things than my usual and it has been fun. We have already enjoyed a couple of Christmas celebrations with a couple others coming up. For me, Christmas and summer are a lot alike; I try to get it all in because it goes by WAY too fast! The best part about this year is that this strange looking elf appeared on our door step on Saturday and watches us all the time. If you have not heard about the "Elf on the Shelf" check into it. Carter is having so much fun with him. The story is that he is sent by Santa to watch over the good little boys and girls and every night he flies to the North Pole to report to Santa and flies back to your house. In the morning he is in a different location in the house. Carter is so into the "Christmas Magic" this year that it has been a blast. I will take a picture of the Elf and post it tomorrow.

Now for the most important thing that is going on in my life, God is really working on me. He has me doing some things that I have always feared, like really listening to him and obeying. I struggle with this all day, every day (obeying that is) but I am becoming more aware of what he wants from me and am trying to obey. Last week I met with my pastor. This may sound like no big deal to some of you but to me it was the most intimidating thing I have done in years. See I have gone to my church for 12 years ( I love it there so much) and I have never met the pastor. We got a new pastor 3 years ago and I never met him but I had never met that past one either. I never gave it much thought until a few weeks ago when I realized that I avoid him at all costs and get very nervous when I am close to him. This feeling made me so uncomfortable and felt wrong to me. Well a few days later, I was in my Bible study revealing this to the women I had just met a couple of months ago. The next thing you know I tell them I am going to set up a meeting with him. Where did that come from?? Not me, I did not have the courage for that. After re-writing the e-mail several times I pushed send and had a meeting set up for the next week. I was so nervous going there and when I got into his office I could not even form a sentence. He was patient with me and within 15 minutes I was weeping and we were discussing why I was REALLY there. God has given me so much to think about and I am so excited to see how he continues to work to change my heart and my life!! He is so good!! I finally understand that He wants to have a personal relationship with me, little ol me!! This is going to be the best relationship I have ever had and I cannot wait!!

Attached are a few photos of what we have been up to this past week, hope you enjoy!

Tis The Season!!

Everywhere I look it is all of the sudden Christmas! I think this season goes way too fast so I like to see things sooner rather than later! Griffin is LOVING all of the decorations that he sees all around. This past weekend I went on an annual scrapbooking retreat to White's Wildwood Retreat in Chippewa Falls, check it out at www.wwretreat.com. It is such a beautiful and peaceful place. I have to say this was most most successful retreat so far, I got more done than any other time. I suppose that had something to do with the fact that I could not sleep. It is such a great time to just forget about other responsibilities and just work on your hobby, enjoy a little wine, good friends and food and a lot of laughter. The best part is that it is so close to home.

Today I am all about making lists; the Christmas card list, the gift list, the baking list, the holiday activities list. I am thankful that I have the time to truly enjoy the season and not get too stressed out!! Tonight we are going on a horse-drawn wagon ride through the Christmas Village in Irvine Park! Should be a great night for it.
Happy Holiday Season to you All!!

So much to be Thankful for!

There is so much to be thankful for. I am so blessed to have married the man that God created for me. It is such a blessing to have a good, solid marriage. My boys are my most prized possession and my love for them is indescribable. I am truly blessed to have many wonderful friends, each one a special gift inm y life. Although my parents have both passed I still feel that my family is blessed because we made it through those hard times and have still managed to stay a family and truly love one another. I am so lucky to have married into such a great family. I am blessed that God gave me some unique qualities and even if I do not realize what they all are today, someday he will reveal them to me when the time is right.

On a different note, we had our first lost tooth this week. And I mean LOST, Carter has been waiting for his tooth to fall out for a couple of weeks and Monday at recess it fell out and was lost. He did not seem to care that he did not have his tooth, he simply used his brain and decided we should take a picture of him and put it under his pillow for the tooth fairy, and it worked, she came!! He woke up in the middle of the night and ran into our room all excited and said the tooth fairy had left him a dollar. If the tooth fairy would have known he could not tell a $1 bill from a $5 dollar bill she may have only left him a $1 bill! Oh well, she will learn for next time!

Have a great Thanksgiving!