Time for some changes

I have noticed that some things on the blog need a little updating. I also think we are ready for a new look so keep checking back. I have lots of new people to add to my list of blogs that I watch and unfortunately need to delete the first blog I began to follow.


I met Rebecca, of "The Adventures of Adopting Owen", on our first trip to Guatemala, pretty much as soon as we stepped off the plane. We spent some fun times with Rebecca and Owen and I had hoped to stay in touch. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. At the time, I was new to blogging. I had heard about it but didn't really understand it. I found that after we got home I really enjoyed checking her blog everyday to see how things were going.


She stayed in Guatemala to foster Owen until he could come home. I was selfishly hoping that she would still be there for my second visit trip. I thought I would be going by myself and I thought I could hang out with her and the other Antigua moms. Luckily for Owen and Rebecca they were gone by the time I returned and luckily for me, my mom went with me which ended up being a true blessing.


One of Rebecca's last posts was that she was pregnant. I guess she is that person that causes everyone to say that annoying phrase "as soon as you adopt, you will get pregnant" =*) I was thrilled for her and her family but she stopped updating the blog and I miss seeing pictures of Owen and what his life is like now.




It is such a striking contrast between life in Antigua (Guatemala) and life back in the States.Sometimes, especially in bad economic times like this, I wish I could go back again and see that we all could live with so much less. I know that a lot of the reason that Antigua seems so magical is that it is the place where our life with Collin began. But, I also think that I really could enjoy living that very simple life. I'm not kidding myself, I realize everything is simple on vacation and the government there is a nightmare etc. etc., but I choose to keep Guatemala as a very special place in my heart. I learned a lot of lessons and a lot about myself there. I met a lot of very special people there, many of them are still there.


SO ANYWAY...by starting with Rebecca's blog I found lots and lots of other blogs of interesting people with interesting stories. These were people I had never met but most of us shared the love of a child and that was a common ground. I also learned about blogging by looking at other blogs and found that once you clicked on to another blog they had thier favorite blogs linked and on and on and on.


I am what is referred to as a serial "lurker". I will not be able to keep that status for long since meeting several of the people who's blogs I follow. Also, the fact that I have recently figured out how to subscribe to blogs so that I can read all of my favorites without surfing around aimlessly. Blogging is a learning process just like everything else. I hope that Collin will be able to look back at this blog someday as HIS story from his momma's perspective. We learn together about life and about eachother-it is our big adventure.


I hope Rebecca and Owen are doing well and maybe she will start blogging again some day.

We're Back!

We are home from Myrtle Beach finally-what a long drive!We had a great time and met lots of nice people. It was neat to actually see people you have never met in your life but you feel like you know them because you follow their blogs. It is even more interesting how we even find each other's blogs and then end up attending the same event. It is a small world.



I think this will be an annual event for us. Once Collin gets a little older he will understand the bond that all of these families share but for now he just has a great time playing with all the kids. I felt like we were back in the Marriott in Guatemala City. Everywhere you went there were families with their beautiful Guatemalan babies-now toddlers running wild!! Hopefully a lot of the families will keep going back as well. It will be fun to see all of the kids grow up.



The weather was not great but manageable. It was a little rainy but we still made it to the beach. They had several events planned for us. We went to the Aquarium, Barefoot Landing and the Outlet Mall. We should have stayed far, far away from the outlet mall! As if Collin needs one more piece of clothing-but who can resist The Children's Place Outlet,or Baby Gap, or Osh Kosh, or Gymboree...Heartstrings..Carters-you get the idea!! Obviously not me! We even planned it just right so Collin slept through the majority of the trip.




It seemed as if everyone had some sort of bad health drama during this trip and we were not to be left out. On the way home I received a text message from Wyatt stating that he at the hospital and that he was in too much pain to talk on the phone so that was why he hadn't answered my calls-but-not to worry! Yeah Right! Meanwhile we are only half way through North Carolina!! Wyatt is never sick, feels no pain and only goes to the doctor once a year to get a note so that he can take his work physical fitness test. He would NEVER go to the hospital probably even if he was dying!! All kinds of bad things were going through my head and we were still at least 10 hours away from home! But, there was nothing I could do but drive so that is what we did. He ended up getting released and the issue was pretty minor but very painful. Mr. I Never Get Sick is still in bed recovering and seems to be feeling better all the time.


It is always nice to go away but even better to come back home and sleep in your own bed. I have to say Collin thoroughly enjoyed the beds at the Marriott and is not very happy to be back at home in his crib. I think we spoiled him with the fluffy down comforters and pillows AND GETTING TO SLEEP WITH MOM EVERY NIGHT! Now maybe I can sleep a little better since I won't be pushed off the edge of the bed and kicked in the head all night. That kid is going to be a fighter!