We finally have a date to finalize Little Bug's adoption!!! YAY!!!! He will officially be ours on April 14th! Exactly 6 months and 3 days after he was born. I have already called my mom and gushed about how excited we are, and I can't wait to leave work and tell the little guy! :) I have a feeling he will be thrilled.
Even though I know that God determined that he would be ours before the creation of the world, I am so excited to have his birth certificate in hand and make it official that he is OUR SON FOREVER!!! Phew! What a long road...
I can't wait to be able to post pictures and be able to show the world a tangible picture of God's faithfulness in our lives. Thank you for your prayers so far. We appreciate them still!
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Holy Pot-Roast, Batman!!
Well, I tweaked up my pot roast recipe yesterday, and WOWZA!! It was AMAZING!!!
4lb Chuck Roast
LOTS of salt & pepper
About 2tbsp Rosemary
About 2tbsp Thyme
1 big bag of baby carrots
1onion chopped (they don't HAVE to be chopped, but we don't like onion texture, so we like 'em small just to add their flavor)
A whole bottle of Red Wine - I used a Pinot Noir for the richness of flavor
2 cups of Beef Broth
I cooked it in the slow cooker for 8 hours, and the roast fell apart and had an AMAZING flavor!!! SOOOOO GOOOOOD!!!! I wish I'd taken a picture before I devoured it! Instead of cooking the potatoes in the slow-cooker, I quartered them and covered them in olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary, then baked them for about 40 minutes at 350 (or until soft). DELICIOUS!!! The hubs RAVED about this!! Yay, me!
4lb Chuck Roast
LOTS of salt & pepper
About 2tbsp Rosemary
About 2tbsp Thyme
1 big bag of baby carrots
1onion chopped (they don't HAVE to be chopped, but we don't like onion texture, so we like 'em small just to add their flavor)
A whole bottle of Red Wine - I used a Pinot Noir for the richness of flavor
2 cups of Beef Broth
I cooked it in the slow cooker for 8 hours, and the roast fell apart and had an AMAZING flavor!!! SOOOOO GOOOOOD!!!! I wish I'd taken a picture before I devoured it! Instead of cooking the potatoes in the slow-cooker, I quartered them and covered them in olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary, then baked them for about 40 minutes at 350 (or until soft). DELICIOUS!!! The hubs RAVED about this!! Yay, me!
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Bulk Cooking with a 3-month old: A new test of endurance!
Yesterday, I attempted to stock my freezer full of delicious, healthy meals while at home alone with my 3 month old baby. Today, I have recovered enough to be able to talk about it without my eye twitching or tearing up. The blood has dried up from my finger, and my baby is now in infant counseling for PTSD.
Let me explain.
I had a day off of work, and I decided it was time to embrace mommy-hood completely and get some bulk cooking done! The baby is only 3 months, not walking or crawling, and takes naps - so, how hard could it be?! HA! Let me also preface by saying that I did everything... EVERYTHING... to try to calm the baby throughout this process. He was fed, dry, clean, had no fever, and I did all I could think of to get him to nap, but he just refused. Thus the chaos of the day ensued.
I spent my morning meal-planning and finding new recipes to post about on my blog. The babe slept and cooed while I made my lists and organized everything. The true test of will started when he screamed (I can only imagine, but I'm pretty sure he was screaming death threats and curse words) throughout Wal-Mart for 2 hours while I got my shopping done. People were ducking and swerving to get away from the crazy lady (me) who brought their infant to Wal-Mart. I just smiled and kept going at my own pace to make sure I got every ingredient necessary to complete my task! I was determined, and I am a firm believer that everything will work out if you keep smiling and stay on task! hahaha... oh, how I want to drop-kick my own thoughts now.
On my way out of Wal-Mart, as I congratulated myself on accomplishing the bulk shopping trip, an entire carton of 18 eggs dropped *SPLAT* in the parking lot and every single egg broke. ugh. "Oh well" I thought to myself. "I'll just get Austin to pick some up on his way home!" Cue baby screams.
Once I arrived home, I unloaded all of my groceries while the baby put on a performance of that scene in Texas Chainsaw Massacre where everyone was chopped to bits. I tried (to no avail) to calm the baby, tried to feed him more, tried to get him to sleep. Nothing worked. My nerves were a little frazzled at this point, but I held strong to my resolve to finish my task!
I began by making a slew (like the use of the word "slew"?) of healthy breakfast burritos. They actually turned out AMAZING, and I couldn't wait until the morning to try one, so I scarfed one down immediately! Next, I began the prep for a couple of pot roasts to freeze. This is when all hades was unleashed. The babe was still reciting his monologue of screams, but I was all in to finish at least one more meal before I went to try to soothe him again. I was chopping the onion to the sound-track of tortured baby noises, my eyes were tearing up from the onion gas, when the knife slipped and sliced my finger. It was a pretty deep cut, and blood went EVERYWHERE. I washed and wrapped my finger tightly, went to pick up the baby, and held him while he cried on my shoulder as I cried on his. I called Austin and refused to hold back on the hysteria. Here's a taste of the conversation:
A: "Hello?"
Me: "SCREW IT. SCREW IT ALL!"
A: "What are we screwing?"
Me: "I can't do anything! The baby keeps crying, there's blood EVERYWHERE, and the onions hate me!!"
A: ummm... what?!
Me: "BLOOD. EVERYWHERE!"
A: I'll pick up a rotisserie chicken on my way home...
Me: click.
Poor Austin.
Finally, I picked up the baby, walked outside, cried a little, fed the baby again, watched an episode of New Girl on Netflix, and decided to try again! I found the Moby wrap, strapped the baby to my body, and he immediately started giggling. seriously? Is that all he needed? Maybe I'll figure him out eventually. Silly baby. :) I was able to finished 6 more meals and freeze them for later. Yay!
The meals:
1. Breakfast burritos
2. Salsa Chicken - from a previous post - two bags of this one
3. Taco beef - from previous post
4. Beef Burghundy - previous post
5. Chicken Enchiladas - I made two batches of these and we ate one last night - SO GOOD!!!
6. Honey Chicken - previous post
7. Chili - Didn't prepare it, but I froze the meat and assembled the necessary ingredients into a basket for later
8. Turkey Spaghetti - Didn't prepare it, but I froze the meat and assembled the necessary ingredients into a basket for later
I would say, all in all, it turned out to be a successful day. It just started ROUGH!!! I might call a babysitter next time :)
Let me explain.
I had a day off of work, and I decided it was time to embrace mommy-hood completely and get some bulk cooking done! The baby is only 3 months, not walking or crawling, and takes naps - so, how hard could it be?! HA! Let me also preface by saying that I did everything... EVERYTHING... to try to calm the baby throughout this process. He was fed, dry, clean, had no fever, and I did all I could think of to get him to nap, but he just refused. Thus the chaos of the day ensued.
I spent my morning meal-planning and finding new recipes to post about on my blog. The babe slept and cooed while I made my lists and organized everything. The true test of will started when he screamed (I can only imagine, but I'm pretty sure he was screaming death threats and curse words) throughout Wal-Mart for 2 hours while I got my shopping done. People were ducking and swerving to get away from the crazy lady (me) who brought their infant to Wal-Mart. I just smiled and kept going at my own pace to make sure I got every ingredient necessary to complete my task! I was determined, and I am a firm believer that everything will work out if you keep smiling and stay on task! hahaha... oh, how I want to drop-kick my own thoughts now.
On my way out of Wal-Mart, as I congratulated myself on accomplishing the bulk shopping trip, an entire carton of 18 eggs dropped *SPLAT* in the parking lot and every single egg broke. ugh. "Oh well" I thought to myself. "I'll just get Austin to pick some up on his way home!" Cue baby screams.
Once I arrived home, I unloaded all of my groceries while the baby put on a performance of that scene in Texas Chainsaw Massacre where everyone was chopped to bits. I tried (to no avail) to calm the baby, tried to feed him more, tried to get him to sleep. Nothing worked. My nerves were a little frazzled at this point, but I held strong to my resolve to finish my task!
I began by making a slew (like the use of the word "slew"?) of healthy breakfast burritos. They actually turned out AMAZING, and I couldn't wait until the morning to try one, so I scarfed one down immediately! Next, I began the prep for a couple of pot roasts to freeze. This is when all hades was unleashed. The babe was still reciting his monologue of screams, but I was all in to finish at least one more meal before I went to try to soothe him again. I was chopping the onion to the sound-track of tortured baby noises, my eyes were tearing up from the onion gas, when the knife slipped and sliced my finger. It was a pretty deep cut, and blood went EVERYWHERE. I washed and wrapped my finger tightly, went to pick up the baby, and held him while he cried on my shoulder as I cried on his. I called Austin and refused to hold back on the hysteria. Here's a taste of the conversation:
A: "Hello?"
Me: "SCREW IT. SCREW IT ALL!"
A: "What are we screwing?"
Me: "I can't do anything! The baby keeps crying, there's blood EVERYWHERE, and the onions hate me!!"
A: ummm... what?!
Me: "BLOOD. EVERYWHERE!"
A: I'll pick up a rotisserie chicken on my way home...
Me: click.
Poor Austin.
Finally, I picked up the baby, walked outside, cried a little, fed the baby again, watched an episode of New Girl on Netflix, and decided to try again! I found the Moby wrap, strapped the baby to my body, and he immediately started giggling. seriously? Is that all he needed? Maybe I'll figure him out eventually. Silly baby. :) I was able to finished 6 more meals and freeze them for later. Yay!
The meals:
1. Breakfast burritos
2. Salsa Chicken - from a previous post - two bags of this one
3. Taco beef - from previous post
4. Beef Burghundy - previous post
5. Chicken Enchiladas - I made two batches of these and we ate one last night - SO GOOD!!!
6. Honey Chicken - previous post
7. Chili - Didn't prepare it, but I froze the meat and assembled the necessary ingredients into a basket for later
8. Turkey Spaghetti - Didn't prepare it, but I froze the meat and assembled the necessary ingredients into a basket for later
I would say, all in all, it turned out to be a successful day. It just started ROUGH!!! I might call a babysitter next time :)
Monday, January 13, 2014
Quarter of a year already?!
We have now had our little guy - we have been calling him "Little Bug", so that is what I will refer to him as here - for 3 months now! I can't believe it has flown by so quickly!!! I have to say, he is probably the cutest baby I've ever seen in my life, and his personality makes him even more lovable. He is such a smiley guy, and he gives cheesy grins to everyone he meets. *soap box: most people call this "flirting". I REFUSE to call it flirting when a baby smiles at someone. I think this is just creepy to think of a tiny human flirting with grown adults... I mean, seriously!! Ok, soap box over*
He is so strong, and his favorite thing is to stand up while holding on to our fingers. I can't wait to post pictures of this tiny baby standing and smiling. SO cute!!!
So far, he has already traveled to Lubbock, Atlanta, and Phoenix. Soon he will also travel to Denver, Red River, and Dallas. He is a nationwide traveler and has the best attitude about it! At the risk of sounding braggy He didn't cry or make a peep on any of the flights - even though we were delayed, re-routed, had flights canceled, and ran out of formula and had to make a late night, out of town, wal-mart run. Good baby! Needless to say, the travel experience could have been MUCH worse if he had been a grumpy-gus traveler!
I will write more at a later date about all that God has been teaching us and how He has been working in our marriage and in our relationships with Him through having this baby and developing a bond with him and his birth mother... There is so much to say on this topic, but I don't think I have the right words at this point. I promise to do it when the words come. :)
For now, I am back to work, praying through God's plan for our lives, and just enjoying the moments as they come. Thank you all for your encouragement and prayers. They mean the WORLD to me!
As we begin 2014, I can't help but look back on all The Lord has done in our lives over the last year. He brought us from a place of hopelessness in infertility to a place of joy and fulfillment of His promises through adoption. He established deep, meaningful friendships with brothers and sisters in Christ who encourage and uplift us. He weeded out many things in our lives that were meaningless and unfruitful - this was, at times, very painful, but it yielded so much reward in the end. He has guided us into a sweet relationship with Himself, and for that, I am eternally changed and grateful. Praise God for His Faithfulness.
He is so strong, and his favorite thing is to stand up while holding on to our fingers. I can't wait to post pictures of this tiny baby standing and smiling. SO cute!!!
So far, he has already traveled to Lubbock, Atlanta, and Phoenix. Soon he will also travel to Denver, Red River, and Dallas. He is a nationwide traveler and has the best attitude about it! At the risk of sounding braggy He didn't cry or make a peep on any of the flights - even though we were delayed, re-routed, had flights canceled, and ran out of formula and had to make a late night, out of town, wal-mart run. Good baby! Needless to say, the travel experience could have been MUCH worse if he had been a grumpy-gus traveler!
I will write more at a later date about all that God has been teaching us and how He has been working in our marriage and in our relationships with Him through having this baby and developing a bond with him and his birth mother... There is so much to say on this topic, but I don't think I have the right words at this point. I promise to do it when the words come. :)
For now, I am back to work, praying through God's plan for our lives, and just enjoying the moments as they come. Thank you all for your encouragement and prayers. They mean the WORLD to me!
As we begin 2014, I can't help but look back on all The Lord has done in our lives over the last year. He brought us from a place of hopelessness in infertility to a place of joy and fulfillment of His promises through adoption. He established deep, meaningful friendships with brothers and sisters in Christ who encourage and uplift us. He weeded out many things in our lives that were meaningless and unfruitful - this was, at times, very painful, but it yielded so much reward in the end. He has guided us into a sweet relationship with Himself, and for that, I am eternally changed and grateful. Praise God for His Faithfulness.
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