HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Have you ever wondered why is it that Thanksgiving just gets thrown to the side? This year in particular I have noticed all around me that department stores and people as well were decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving arrived. One in particular is the radio station out of Birmingham that I love Magic 96.5 has been playing Chrstimas music since Halloween. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas, but I just feel that we are all going to be tired of it before it gets here. I think that we as a country do not stop to think about what Thanksgiving is all about anymore so I wanted to share mine.

This year I have so much to be thankful for. I am so thankful to have a wonderful, healthy baby girl who loves me as much as I love her. I am thankful for my wonderful husband who I know loves me unconditionally and for my wonderful family who is always there for me no matter what. I am thankful for my beautiful, healthy niece who is alive today and doing great. Because of her I have witnessed a miracle this year. I am so thankful for my awesome sister that has all the answers to my silly questions. With me being a first time mom and her being a nurse, I always call her for answers and she never seems to be bothered by my calling. I am thankful for each and every family member that I have for so many different reasons. I have one of the best families in the world. I am also thankful for the great work family that I have. They are so good to me and they to are always their for me. We all love, laugh and cry together. And I am thankful for my wonderful friends. Liz, for pushing me to aerobics and walking, Amanda, for talking on the phone all the time, Mandy for just being Mandy, Andi, for making me laugh and our long friendship.

I am sure that I am leaving something out, but it has gotten past my bedtime and my brain is a little tired. Thank you to all of those who are in my life. I hope that we will all have many more Thanksgivings together.

It's just me.

Well there hasn't been much going on at the Hynniman house except teething and runny noses. We keep thinking any day that Halle is going to wake up with a tooth, but it hasn't happened yet. She is putting everything in site in her mouth. We have found that she is going to be just like her mommy and cousin Aidan with the tags. She has sucked on the tag on her favorite frog to the tag on her leapfrog mirror (yes, that it is quite funny). Thanks to Elizabeth she now has her taggy blanket with her at all times. Why didn't I think of that? Thank you Liz. We are getting ready for Thanksgiving and all of our family that we will see along with our new baby cousin Hunter and his mommy and daddy that will be coming home for the weekend. Oh, and how could I forget the "big" game this weekend. Let's go Bama. Roll Tide!! I guess that is really about all. I am posting some random pictures of Halle that I am posting. I hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving and enjoy being with your families.

Does it EVER go away??

Well for those of you who know us know that Halle has been sick AGAIN. I know that everyone says it's daycare, but crap, mommy only has so many sick days and they are gone. How do all of you "working" moms do it I ask? Halle was sick last week with an ear infection and has been on meds and started Wed night again with the fever, so I again stayed at home with her yesterday morning and took her to the doctor with me since I have been sick. Darrin was gracious enough to take a half a day so that I could come to work. Gosh, between teething and runny noses and fever, I need a vacation. Is there such a thing when you become a mom? I have been looking forward all week to Saturday night because Halle will be spending the night with her Bo and Nana while mommy and daddy go to a dance. I have seriously contemplated not going to the dance and just hiding under the covers all night and sleeping. Ha Ha. Well let's just all pray that Halle is better today since she is a daycare. Just keep us in your prayers that her sickness might go away for a while at least so mommy can get some more sick time added up.

Pics for Liz!!

If any of you ready the Trotter Times, these pics go along with her post from the weekend. We had the Trotter's over (like that is anything unusual) to watch the wonderful Alabama LSU game that I know my Granny was up in heaven jumping up and down about. We did as Elizabeth said have wonderful food, thanks to my wonderful husband who prepared it all, but here are the pics that we took.

My day out!!

I decided last week since I would be off on Veterans Day that I would take a drive to Calera to visit our newest family member(Hunter Bowen Howell) that was welcomed to this world last Tuesday, November 4th to our wonderful cousins Michael and Susan. I took Halle to daycare and off I went. Of course I left my camera at home, so I stole some pictures from Dana's blog(thanks). It was a nice day for a peaceful drive. I really wish I would have remembered my camera seeing that there were many things along the way to take pictures of and Hunter too of course. Hunter was so sweet and precious. He slept the majority of the time I was there, but it didn't stop me from holding him anyway. Hopefully I will be going back soon, since I know my way and it is not far(sorry Michael and Susan) and I will remember the camera next time.

Please Help By Passing Along to Friends

Just wanted to pass this on because you never know who it might reach. Lisa Story has been in the adoption process for about 2 years now, and this is heartbreaking. If any of you know someone who might be looking to adopt a special needs child, please pass this along. Like Lisa said, when God closes a door, he opens a window. This is the only way I know to help.

Love,
Dana

Anicee: adoption update and plea
Posted by: "ellekayes" http://us.mc363.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=ellekayes@yahoo.com&Subject=ellekayes
Thu Nov 6, 2008 11:11 am (PST)

Hi all,In the last month I've come up against the hard reality that my financial situation disqualifies me from adopting Anicee. I've known this was a possibility, even a probability, but had been optimistic (perhaps naively so) about figuring out a way to work around it. I'm self-employed, and with three years of financials required, including two during which I took extensive time off to do volunteer work, my net income just doesn't satisfy the requirements, especially for a child with long-term special needs. And the options I've explored for additional financial assistance now seem to have been exhausted, fruitlessly.Needless to say, it's heartbreaking to come to this place, and yet I also have to acknowledge that I've been very concerned about how I would manage to navigate single parenting, traveling for medical care, and somehow still working enough to provide for us. Sometimes prayers are answered in unexpected ways, and my primary prayer for Anicee, long before I thought of adopting, has always been for a loving home and family. So I'm trying to trust that, as the saying goes, if the Lord closes a door, He opens a window somewhere; and am hoping that if she's not meant for me, I can at least help her find the family that I know must be out there waiting for her. I can't post her information on the OIF site because of the orphanage's privacy rules, but I know this group reaches many in the OI community, and I hope you'll help me spread word that she needs a loving family in a forever home. If anyone reading this is thinking of adopting, please, consider whether my beautiful, bright, bubbly girl might be your daughter. For those of you who don't know about Anicee, she's five years old and probably has Type III/IV, moderate/severe OI. She lives at a children's home in Belize where she's well cared for and loved but will soon outgrow the facility (which was designed for children ages 0-5), and I can tell potential adoptive families much, much more about her personality, medical and family background, circumstances since birth, culture, education--almost anything about her, really--as well as everything I've learned about the Belize adoption process. I also have contact info for the orphanage director, Anicee's social worker, the woman in charge of adoptions at the Belize department of family services, and a solicitor in Belize for the court process there. There are pictures of her on the OI Family site (the album is named Anicee) and I have several more I can email as well. If you know of someone who's thinking of adopting but isn't on the list, please pass along my contact info. And please let me know, too, if you have any ideas about other ways to connect with potential adoptive families without breaking privacy rules (i.e., no information can be made publicly available).Thank you, mama lions. It's truly a privilege to have encountered you in this journey, and the strength you demonstrate every day gives me strength also. Please pray for my precious girl to find the right home.with sadness and hope, and always with love,Lisa

my contact info:
Lisa Storytel. 806-252-7724
http://us.mc363.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=ellekayes%40yahoo.com

Who Are You and Where Are You From??

Okay, so I am stealing a blog idea off of one of the blogs that I stalk regularly. So, Caroline, even though I don't know you, if you are reading this, thanks for the idea.

Anyway, I have decided that there are lots of people that are keeping up with our blog and I don't know who you all are. So, if you want to post your name and where you are from, we would love to know you!

Hope to hear from you all soon.

By the way, please check out Cousin Rhae's new website. We are so happy to have her on blogspot with us.

Election Day!!

For those of you who read my blog today I am posting a prayer for John McCain, whom I voted for. If this message or prayer in anyway offends you, I am sorry, but it is my blog and these are things that I believe in. If you don't like it, don't read it.

Thank you for your understanding.

Please pass this prayer on right now on behalf of John McCain. Please start prayer chains immediately for the election. This election can be turned around for the glory of God if we will stop worrying and get on our knees !!! How many people can you pass this on to ???

Let us pray. Father, in the name of Jesus, we come to You right now asking for a miracle in this election. Lord, we lift up to You right now Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin. Lord, we ask that You would just wrap Your arms around them and their families at this critical time. Father, we ask for miracle upon miracle in this election. We know that only You can turn the tide of evil in this election. Father, as we await the final days of the election, we ask in complete faith that You would allow the truth to be known across this land.
Lord, we ask for forgiveness for putting You last...Father, please heal our land and homes, allow us to have another chance to love You the way you should be loved. Lord, we ask specifically for John and Sarah's health, wisdom, words, actions and their campaign staff. Lord, we lift them all up to You now. Father, we also specifically ask for the voters in many states who are battleground states. Lord, please convict the hearts of voters in Florida, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, North Dakota, Virginia, Nevada and Colorado .
Father we beg for every electoral vote. Lord, we lift all of our needs up to You now. In the name of Jesus we claim victory in Your name. Lord, we pray for Your will to be done in a mighty way...we know that this election can and will glorify You! Father, place the man you would have to lead our country in a Christian way on November 4. We love You, Lord. We await Your holy miracles...

The Devil with the Blue Dress On

Sorry the pic is not any bigger,

but this is how it came!!

Okay, since my wonderful sister was the only one nice enough to throw a suggestion out there for a Halloween costume for myself, I decided to dress as the devil with my blue dress on, thanks to my co-worker Angie for the great idea. Thanks again Angie!! So I am even getting brave and I am going to share a pic with everyone.

Happy Halloween

Halle with Bo & Nana

Halle with Nana

Halle and Nana again

Halle and Mommy having a hair moment

Halle and her sucker again

Aidan dresses as Wolverine

Rhae Rhae the Ladybug

Okay, so I am a bad parent and have not downloaded the few pics we took Friday night of Halle. I am posting the pics that my dad sent to us and will post the rest later. We ended up only going to 3 family members houses because me being me didn't think about having to strap Halle into her car seat with her costume on. Didn't work so Darrin and I worked like a team everytime we got in and out of the car (thank God it was only 3 times) he would get her out of the car seat and hand her to me while I would put her in her costume. The saying live and learn, well this lesson will go down in that book for us. Note to self, next year buy Halle a costume that will not have to be taken off or put on more than once. As you can see from the pics Halle had her first sucker!! Her Nana was so wonderful to give her one. She loved every bit of it until we made her leave it and go home. I am also including the only two pics we have of Rhae and Aidan. I hope everyone else had a great Halloween. By the way Bo & Nana, that is a great picture of the three of you.