Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Looking Back-2008-A Year in Review (the most time consuming post ever)

What a great year-2008 was the first full year that Collin was home so we can look back a full year and see what he was doing-lots of firsts. Here are some of my favorite pics from each month of 2008.

JANUARY

Collin's 1st Haircut



Collin's 1st Birthday






Collin's 1st Snow




FEBRUARY

This was the start of Collin really getting into things and making a mess!!







MARCH

Our Final Adoption Hearing-Just a formality but still a happy day!!







APRIL

Look at those teeth!



Spring has Sprung!




Breakfast with Meme



MAY

Collin would only take naps in his stroller.



Playing with Mallory-who we miss very much!!




Collin's favorite outside toy-the sand and water table. I had to knock an old man over to get it but it was worth it!




JUNE-Trip to New York to see Collin's foster father from Guatemala and fun at the pool.









JULY

Collin started walking, went to his first police picnic & enjoyed his first 4th of July.







AUGUST- Family vacation to Jamaica, 1st leaves of the season, Collin's love for the cowboy hat is born.







SEPTEMBER-We started working on the potty, enjoyed the zoo pretty often and we celebrated Collin's 1st Homecoming Anniversary at Chik-fil-A.







OCTOBER-Halloween,Guatoberfest in Myrtle Beach & Collin becomes a full fledged Buckeyes fan!!







NOVEMBER-Thanksgiving and we find the Dublin Play Gym for some warm indoor fun! Did I mention we miss Mallory!!







DECEMBER-Christmas Fun! You have seen all of that!
Posted by at 1 comment:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Guatoberfest Cruise 2009

My soapbox about the Advent Conspiracy

I came across this video on another blog. I have to admit I only looked at it for entertainment value. I assumed with a title like that, it had to be some wacko conspiracy theory and who doesn't need a good laugh. Suprisingly enough it really touched me and made me think. It didn't grab my interest because of it's religious value, because that's not really my thing. I am not the type of person that flaunts religion or believes in pushing your beliefs onto others. It touched me because of it's human value and because it shows me how quickly I forget.

When we were in Guatemala it was truly a life changing experience for a myriad of reasons, only one of which was bringing home a baby! We saw poverty that we could never imagine in this country. I remember thinking when I was there that despite all of the stress of the situation, I was more at peace than I had ever felt in my life. Among other things, there was no pressure to have more...there was nothing to have. People just lived their lives. Families worked together, lived together in cramped housing-if they had a roof over their heads at all-and they were happy! We were forced to enjoy eachother without our "creature comforts" and I loved it. I now remember hoping that once we got home, I would never lose that idea that we don't really need much at all. I realized our society makes us think we need more but we really don't. And after watching the video it makes me realize that I have failed miserably.


I had made up my mind that in order to honor my new found attitude and our sons heritage, we would sponsor a Guatemalan family every year so that they could have food and heat and their children could go to school-things we take for granted on a daily basis. For some reason I can never seem to find the money to do that- BUT- I can find the money to buy coffee every day, sometimes several times a day, Collin will see a room full of gifts on Christmas morning, I can go out to eat, I can do whatever I want for the most part. My priorities have gone right back to where they were before I experienced Guatemala and it makes me sad. That is the reason that I am posting the video in a permenant spot on the blog, so that I am constantly reminded, not only during Christmas but all year to give PRESENCE to my friends and family not PRESENTS and to give back to something that I feel very strongly about. I don't write this to push Guatemalan charity or any charity but to encourage anyone reading this to slow down and take a look at your life and see what means the most to you and see where it takes you.

Advent Conspiracy