YOU KNOW WHEN YOU KNOW!!!!

The task of finding the right day care....... one never knew how daunting it could be.  I had in mind the alternatives I would consider when the time came, but they just did not seem to work for me, taking into consideration time, travel, and schedules.

I am pretty new in my area, and there are not many kids on the block, those that do live in the area are all in grade school, so getting recommendations for day care centers drew a blank for many.  So momma had to roll up the sleeves and dive straight in.

Yesterday, I visited four centers in the pouring rain.  I was determined! 

 There was one I visited way before the girls came home, but they had no room. I really liked everything a/b this center, not to mention the distance from my house to the center would take me a good 10-15 mins to walk if I really wanted to get some exercise, the cost was right up my alley, the program/curriculum was set and being worked by the teacher, their school calendar was not the same as the district school's calendar, meaning when the district school is out, they are in still in session, which is a plus for me right now, it is always better to look for someone to care for one child for a day or two as oppose to two children!!! So if Lina is out I know Shaddi is in!!! it was just a perfect fit for me and my family! There are so many other things I can list that I liked a/b this school, just to sum it up.... I liked everything!!!!!!  see for yourself...  www.differentandwonderful.com

The other four I visited all had something I liked but I just did not get that feeling when I hit the door!  There was one center where the teacher was so set on telling me  how well she kept the kids quiet and in line, how Mrs. P don't play, listen do u hear any noise?  I wanted to say, listen lady I want to hear noise I want to see a kid jumping and not listening, b/c what u are really telling me is when momma and poppa ain't hear they "gets" it!!!!!!!  the center was dark and I just did not get the feeling.  Don't get me wrong I want a teacher who can handle the class, but at the same time, you should hear healthy type noise when you enter a center.  You should know kids are there.

The next one was very very lright, the kids were engaged, but I just did not get the feeling!!!!!!!!!

Then there were two more I also visited, but I just did not get the feeling.

It was around noon yesterday and I got the call, the center I really really really wanted to send Shaddi to had room!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't be any happier knowing that she will be attending this center.  Yesterday we visited, she met her teacher, and toured the center!!! At the other centers I would not allow her to get out the car until I went and checked it out for myself.  

So I am one happy momma right now!!!!!!!

Water Park

Didn't get as many pics I would have liked! next time I am taking a water camera!


All last night the girls told me they could swim and use to swim in ET! They had no fear of the water! None at all, even when they went under!  They would just pop back up and try it again!  It was such a wonderful family outing that I can't wait to do it again!!!

The girls enjoyed the water park today until we had to leave!!!!!

I even enjoyed it myself!  

Helina's First Day of School!!!!!!

oppps!!!!! somebody who reads my blog, knows her teacher!!!!!

In the Car looking her work over at the end of her school day

A bit nervous, not knowing what to expect

OK, I feel a bit more comfortable, there Mrs. Harmon!
And we are off to start my first day of school

Some Pics to go with the girls visit to see grandma!!!!Thelfe

Love from Grandma!! I was asked not to put her full face on FB b/c so the other pics have to go into their at home photo books!!!  Grandma was caught off guard b/c we did not tell her we were coming!!!




hugs from uncle
the weeds they picked!  I mean pretty purple flowers 




Grandma did their hair that day and as you can see all the baby hair was slicked down!!!  


She looks mad!!! but I love this pic of Helina!!!



Eating Popcorn!!!



Some of the cousins! there are like 20 something more left to meet! 
I love this Pic of Helina, one of the few times I can get her to smile for the camera!


Doing what she does best!!! Eating!!! Popcorn w/her cousins
Helina loves to rough house play!!! 

The girls were excited about their trip! Did very well on the road, and pretty much did not sleep the entire way there or back!!! So our plan for Disney, is not going to work!!! We thought for sure they would sleep a good portion of the ride!!!!! Helina and El Shaday seemed to be right in their element, the free run of nothing but backyard, backyard, and more backyard!!! The loved meeting all the cousins, who just adored both of them!!! here are a few pics of our weekend.  The girls got their ears pierced  also.

I think one of the most breath taking moments was when Helina saw the angles in my moms yard, removed them and placed them on the front porch, picked the flowers from the yard that were really weeds, made a shrine and prayed!!!!! Night and day!!!!!! I taped it and all that visited the house had to stop get on their knees and pray!!! Wow! is all I can say! My mom had two dogs and they girls would not turn them loose!!! They held onto them like they were baby dolls.  I got the constant well I guess you will be getting a dog next comment, and I would say, not yet!!! In two years!!! I hope in two years they will be much to busy to even think about having a dog.  I love dogs, grew up w/them, but they are lots of work.

I love this Picture of Shaddi!!!!
I am a Dallas Cowgirl For life!!!!!!
A picture of her new earrings!!! Helina was not happy at all w/her experience!!! So you will see some pics of her looking pissed off!!!!

Easter

Easter!!!!!!!!!!!! how sweet it will be this year!!!

Not only do I have my girls home, but my birthday falls on this day, and also the Ethiopian Easter falls on the same day !!!!!

I can recall the post from last year where I dyed easter eggs in honor of the girls and the months I had waited for a court date!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Or was that court dates number 65 by then!!! lol

I am happy that I started a blog, b/c I get pure joy when I look back on all the old post of uncertain times, painful moments, and the joy leading up to my girls coming home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I grew up in a family where we dyed eggs, had a easter dinner, the traditional, cabbage, corn beef and some kind of starch, got Easter baskets, and watched the Ten Commandments. We were not big church goers, however, we knew the word. It was not until I got a phone call early one AM when I found out that Easter is the next big holiday, next to x-mas, and the bar had been lifted and momma C needed to get w/the program!

This person went on and on (Robbin) :) about the girls needing this and the girls needing that, and all the things I could do w/them for Easter. I do have to admit after our conversation I did feel the need to plan some things!!! LOL

I just never really gave the holiday that much thought as far as gifts and activities. I guess it is true, your parenting style is not to far off from the way you were raised. As kids we were just so happy for the candy and eggs!!!

I do plan to teach them the meaning of Easter! and also incorporate the ET Easter into it also. But I have been bitten by the Easter Bunny Bug!!! I was doing ok, until that phone call, so damn u Robbin!! LOL

Today the girls went thru the months on the calendar and when we got to the month of July I told them we were doing to Florida to see Dora, Diego, Sponge Bob, and they got so excited, now every 5 mins, Helina points to the month of July and says, mom where do we go? I should have waited a few months before I let the cat out of the bag!!! LOL And she(Lina) never forgets!!!

Helina starts school this week!!! she is so excited!! she has to be voted into school!!! yes! u read it right!!!!, being grade K is not mandatory, the board has to vote her into school! I will attend the board meeting tomorrow!!!!

Well that is it for now!!!! TTYL

Grandma here we come!!!!!

Decided at the last second to jump in the car, drive to NC so the girls cld visit their grandma!!!!!!!!


Will post pictures soon!!!

The girls are having a ball!

The Things That Kids Do That Causes Great Big Belly Washes

The girls are learning so much from the cartoon Dora.

  I know of Dora, I have seen all the merchandise associated w/Dora, but never have I sat down to watch the cartoon.  Well as soon as the girls came home from ET they knew to ask for Dora, and with mommy not feeling 100% I was happy to grant them their wish........

If you know the plot of each episode, you know there is a sneaky fox always trying to swipe something!!!!

Well to make a long story short, last night sitting on the couch,  watching TV w/Shaddi on my lap, momma got a little kiss from her prince charming on the cheek, out of no where, Shaddi looks up w/a serious look on her face, slaps him in the head and says Swiper NO Swiping!!!!!!

I laughed so hard that my stomach was in knots when I got up off the floor!  She was so serious! and wld not crack a smile until she saw me on the floor laughing. 

I know I am a bad momma! but I did tell her no, that was not nice(eventually), after I laughed my butt off.

What a good belly wash of laughter I had yesterday!!!!!!!

A Glimpse!

Yes, I got a bit misty eyed as I walked up my stairs and heard the girls in the yard playing.  I fully can't explain my emotion at that moment but I know it is one of the few times I have been able to take a quiet moment and say to myself, My God, they are FINALLY here!  You get so caught up in the routine of daily schedules, that in the beginning you rarely have a moment to stop and take in those moments that you have waited so long for. 

Today my glimpse and anticipation of spring starting in a few days, has me really giddy!!!  A start of new beginnings! The laughter of children, the endless outside activities, planned vacations, family visits in different states, the anticipation of friends who are in the process of bringing their children home this spring/summer,  and most of all the quiet evenings after a full day of family fun........

I am so happy after the storm to have such days w/60 degree weather approaching that today we visited target to get some balls, bubbles, and side walk chalk, prepared and ready for that sun shine.

The girls are doing well:

The eating is going really really well, hmmm, let me give the right impression here......so no one is fooled, there are still only select things the girls will eat, however, each week they are adding foods that they enjoy, yesterday, we had turkey wings, mac and cheese, and mixed veggies and they at it all......(that was a first), the other night we had baked chicken wings, they ate one and said mommy no more!!!!!!!  lol, they are eating yogurt like it is going out of style, and pudding! 

So the eating is good, but they are not eating everything I put on the plate, but I have found a few favorites and I keep them in the rotation.  

Helina must know the night before"where are we go"  yes that is her way of asking "where are we going"  She loves to go out but also loves being home

I have to give her the run down:  She is my little negotiator:  she is also the mediator b/t me and Shaddi......

for example, they want the night stand light left on at night, b/c the night light is not bright enough, usually when they fall asleep I cut it off.  I had stopped them from sleeping in the same bed, b/c one night Helina woke w/a big old bruise on her head, she must have hit her head in her sleep.  So on this night, El Shaday was doing her usual fake cry to get her way and I said ok, u cry no light, so Helina says mom, mom, wait, wait, she says something to Shaddi in Ahmaric, as if she was her attorney, then says, ok, mom, light off she cry, light on she no cry!!!!!!  I wanted to laugh so much when she told me her counter claims, but I decided to hold firm and restate my counter claim, so she then says, ok, mom,( in a u will be sorry voice if u turn that light off) then she cry, she pulled the covers over her head and went to sleep..... 

Eventually at some point in the night, they both got in the bed together, but as u can see they are to funny!!!!!!!!!!!

Rain Rain Go Away!!!!! We Wanna Play

The girls wanna play but the rain just won't stop!!!

Happy Birthday and Random Pics from Todays Outing

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Thank you Aunty Emme for all the dress up clothes and shoes!




the 52 Fake out!!!!! Mommy gave me a big girl up do today! and she was so happy her hair was out and not in pig tails or twist!

I am trying to upload the video, its taking forever

Today the girls sung happy birthday in their language, went clothes shopping for a few pairs of jeans for Helina! being she can no longer button her size 5 pants.  Took a ride w/their divas on! Shaddi has a little fever from all her shots yesterday, but they seem to be doing well in spite of! They are having company on Saturday, so the girls have been really busy!!!! It is much better when we get out and do something, even if it is just for a walk!