"...You're the Only Thing In Every Room You're Ever In..."

I've decided that the Pinewood Derby is a force of nature. I don't know what else could have put a smile THAT BIG on B's face, plus allowed Brent to use his propane torch AND his belt sander while helping B make his car. Good times, good times....

I haven't seen B for a couple of days. I'm starting to get worried about him. I'm sure it's just because it's colder outside so he's not out as much. How creepy is it if the 36 yr old goes over to see if the 8 yr old can play?

To be honest, B's basically a latchkey kid so no one would know if I went by to check on him anyway. I know - insane to leave an 8 year old home alone. Don't get me started. But it's unfortunately not illegal in this state. I've checked. Turns out most states don't have a minimum legal age kids must reach before they can be left home alone. In case you were wondering (which I'm sure you weren't) I also learned that in New Zealand a child must be FOURTEEN before they can be legally left home alone. Doesn't that seem a bit much?? I'm guessing that's exactly the reason most of our United States haven't "laid down the law" on that one. There's no way to make people happy, with or without a law like that. People can be so difficult.

We're down to single digits until our trip to see our kids again. 9 more days... This trip will make one year since we were reunited with our Nathan last October. Remember this:
Another year gone and no end in sight.

I hope my babies know that, for their momma and their poppa, they are the only thing. They're it. Our hearts, our lives, our souls... they're in an orphanage in Haiti with them. I feel like we'll get the "rest of us" back next weekend, when we see these little people again.


We're coming....

"...Cramming Commitments, Like Cats, In A Sack...."

It's been a week for the last month or so, if you know what I mean.

This last week, in particular, I have been ill, which is never much fun. The last time I mentioned something to my little friend, B, about being sick he said:

"Jews dus be a diddle tid. Diddle tids don't get tick." (translation: "You should just be a little kid. Little kids don't get sick.")

I love that in B's world, I can just make myself be a "diddle tid" and it would solve everything. I'm also very glad that "diddle tids" are all healthy in B's world. Not sure where he lives, exactly, but... I also love saying, "Diddle Tid". It makes me giggle every time.
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A few months ago, I was asked to serve as the Stake Relief Society President for one of the single student stakes at the university in Orem (a "stake" is an administrative grouping of several congregations or "wards") It's been an adventure already and I really love the opportunity to be with the young people (the people in these wards are all single college students between the ages of 18 and 30). We get to do a lot of training and instruction and we spend a lot of time visiting the wards and fellowshipping. I think Heavenly Father knew that I needed something to keep me busy while we go through the rest of this waiting to get these babies home.

Tonight we had a dinner for the single sisters before the broadcast. Fortunately, we were able to have a local grocery store deli do the food for us, so that made it immensely easier on my part. It's still always stressful to plan something for that many people and try to figure out how many are going to make it out of those who said they were coming, etc, etc. I'm very glad it's over and everything turned out well.

The broadcast was fabulous. It's always such a blessing to be able to be reminded of how blessed we are and how lucky we are to have the Gospel and Jesus Christ in our lives. We truly live in a remarkable time.

It's less than three weeks until we get to see our babies again. This time on Oct 17th, we'll be kissing cheeks and giving loves. It's kind of strange, but you do go through a little check list and re-count all their fingers and toes and have a moment of awe at the beauty of these children and wonder how you were ever blessed enough to have found each other. In those moments, the wait disappears and all that you can see is THEM and FAMILY and how someday this will all come together.

We're coming, Jess and Nate. We can't wait to see you.

You fill my dreams and my heart.

"...A Pocketful of Mumbles, Such Are Promises..."

I know... You thought I'd gone the way of all things.

You aren't that lucky.

We're still here - still kicking - we've just been sort of quiet about it which is unusual for us.

I've been afraid I'd exceed my lifetime quota of how many times I can blog about how much I miss my kids or how stinkin' sick I am of them still being stuck in an orphanage in Haiti. You have to pace yourself on these things, don't you know...Given that there isn't really an end in sight, I had to back off for a few weeks so that I could still blog between now and when they come home.

Or something like that.

We are going down to see them again on Oct 16th. This trip will be the longest we've had in duration - I think we have nearly 6 days there with them. It will also be our 6th trip in two very long years. Brent's mom is also going to go on this trip with us. We're very grateful she's willing to pay to see her grandkids and we're excited to have her with us.

So let's talk about something else, shall we?

We've recently been adopted by a little neighbor boy. Ironic, I know, but it's about time an adoption happened around here, I guess. B (as I'll call him) has decided we're his best friends - at least that's what he told me the other day. Sometime in August we were outside and B came by on his bike and said, "Will you be my friends?" The rest, as they say, is history. He comes over pretty much every day as soon as I come home from work and stays until we kick him out...I mean... walk him home. :)

B's a special little guy. He's 8, but he's got some learning disabilities and some severe speech issues. I'm learning how to speak his language pretty well and we usually understand each other. B's also very lonely. He doesn't really have friends his age and the school district has moved him to a different elementary school each of his 4 years thus far to shift the number of students in the special needs programs.

Because of B's speech issues he can't say a lot of letters so my name's pretty much shot. We were trying to practice saying it one night and B decided it was just too tough. With a big sigh he told me "I think I'll call you 'Mike.'"

So that's what he does. He calls me "Mike" or "Michael". Even my nickname has a nickname. He calls Brent "Bubba". So I'm sure his parents must be curious about who "Mike and Bubba" are, but what are you going to do.

I tell him he's an "old soul" because sometimes he just floors me with what he says. A few weeks ago he told me that he'd made a new friend that day so I asked him what his friend's name was. He said, "Hmm...Me can't memember. When me was six me could memember everything but now that me older...." (picture him shaking his head with that resigned expression you'd expect)

I asked him if that's what my problem was as well and he nodded and told me sincerely, "me thinks so".

Good to finally have that diagnosed.

The sad thing is that I think I needed something to mother as much as B needed a friend. We just kinda fit each other that way. I never guessed I'd have a little happy place where my name is "Mike" but that's how things have turned out for my little buddy, B and me.

So that's what's up at our house. We're busy with work, busy playing "put-pall" (football) catch with B, busy with church stuff, did I mention busy with work, and waiting.

Always waiting....