Baby Expo coming up...

Getting ready for an upcoming show next weekend. Ugh, only thing is we will have to load
all the grids and products back in the van...in the snow !!!

iT'S A BABY, KIDS AND MORE EXPO Sat & Sun Jan 29 & 30
(over my daughter birthday) at Belle-Clair Fairgrounds in Belleville IL

A Moment of Silence...

Yes, a moment of silence..there was a death in the family, and even though she was 85 yrs of age it was still unexpected. My heart aches for my children, this was their grandmother on their fathers side, and even though theirs was a family of very little love and emotion that is not what my children knew. Their hearts are full of love, life and loyalty and no matter what, they stayed true to their up bringing...family is very important. So as a tear rolls down my cheek and my chest has a painful pressure I think of what Lil Orchid told her Mom Mom, "It's okay, she was tired and now she can see Grandpa Bill and Great Grandpa in heaven with Baby Jesus."

Southern Illinois Snow

This time the snow hit us hard, nearly 13 inches,

most of the time it's only 5-6 inches deep.

It was exhausting but I got the drive way shoveled,

even though it took me the entire day.

While I rested I took some photographs of my surroundings.

Yes, including my granddaughter.

Dance like no one is looking...

I don't mean to get heavy all the time, but I'll always try to leave you with something positive.

Decided to leave the TV on for background noise while on the computer tonight...I'm not really a Paula fan but I am a music and dance lover.

To kind of give a little more of my background, as a teen in the early 70's I danced with a local group called " Up with People", I was gifted enough to be in the front row. So this new show "Live to Dance" caught my attention. I love Gene Kelly and still cry when I see Patrick Swayze.

But the young lady who gave it a good try, the deaf girl stirred up old feelings.
She spoke of her parents not realizing she was deaf, just thinking she was a defiant little girl.
Here is a vision most busy Moms encounter - holding your little toddler on your hip, maybe getting dinner, maybe doing the laundry, hearing the little voice call out Mom, Mom, Mom, then those little pudgy hands grasping each side of your cheeks trying to get you to look into theirs.
They just wanted to know you were listening to them, right?

Not in my case my bright little boy was reading my lips, reading my facial expressions so he would know what was going on. How intuitive for a two year old.
What kind of mother was I? What was wrong with me that I didn't know my son was partially deaf in one ear and completely deaf in the other? Always wondering if I made the right choice, I refused to sign school papers putting him in special education classes. Agreeing with a Otologist saying that a hearing aide or cochlear implant would only hinder the progress he had already made. This allowed him to fine tune what little hearing he had. This was the right choice for him and for us. He did in fact fine tune his hearing, he did self teach himself to read lips (which helped him on the baseball field, reading the opposing coaches lips, LOL). He was never listed as handicapped, and most people still do not know, his choice. At a young age, he meet with a therapist to learn speech for those letters we pronounce inside our mouth, ie: d,g,c etc.

So, I never really forgave myself...I am however a very Proud mom of a successful son who is an amazing speaker, a Purdue U. graduate (community service scholarships), a Masters from the U of IL.

So I guess my belief, in you can do anything, kinda rubbed off on my Son. Do ya think?

So those friends, parents who are struggling with their little ones that have hearing problems...
don't give up, hang in there, believe in yourself as a parents, believe in the strength of your child, keep reading to them, keep playing with them and everything will be okay.
And a little prayer can't hurt.

Be Brave enough to accept Help from Others...

I have always prided myself on being Strong.
I feel that I can do things myself,
it may take me longer but I get it done.
I have always given of myself
and taught my children the same.
We have volunteered side by side...
I have comforted others into accepting help.
So I guess now I will accept help from all those
others like myself, who give of themselves.
This site is dedicated to fund raising
to help bring my granddaughter home,
home where she belongs-
We have been waiting close to 5 years
for a referral. And it is getting close.
My daughter & I have both lost good jobs
due to what the country is calling Down sizing.
Two words I despise.
I plan on giving prizes, some bought
but mainly Handmade by us.
Donations will give you chances
on some Great Gifts.
I am not a reviewer, so I do not get
products for free and I am not paid.
This site is written from my Heart.
I will use Chip in because other
sites charge a fee.
Reasonable shipping is needed to
be paid by the winner.

I am hoping followers will email and tell me
sizes and things they are interested in
so I can fill their wants and desires.
Please help bring our family together.

A Life Recipe...

Ingredients:

1 cup of knowing who you aren't

1 teaspoon of knowing what you want

1 quart of who you wish to be

1 tablespoon of what you already have

1 dash of loyalty and friendship

1 barrel of laughter

4 cups of love

5 tablespoons of hope and tenderness

2 cups of courtesy

3 cups of forgiveness (no substitutions)

1 pinch of thoughtfulness (not optional)

Instructions:

Combine and blend all ingredients together.

Sprinkle abundantly with vision.

Garnish with understanding.

Bake with Sunshine.

Yield:

Serve daily with generous helpings.

Believe...

Believe..a strong word in my mind.

believe, faith, hope, courage...

all amazing words to live by.

I would not say I am a religious fanatic.

But I do know I BELIEVE....

raised Catholic, went to a Catholic School

(sane enough to laugh at the skits & jokes)

We had Dominican Nuns & Priests,

but lucky enough they were open minded,

so "Believing" is what got me through ....

the deaths of my siblings,

my parents divorce,

the constant comparison to my sisters,

an abusive husband,

the death of my marriage,

the loss of my long time job......

BELIEVING is Strength !

believing gave me a loving daughter,

who wanted a sibling so bad

at age 7 she tried to convince me

to adopt because we had enough Love.

believing helped me give birth to my son

I was told by multiple doctors

I would never have.

believing gave me enough strength

to work multiple jobs to support my family.

believing gave me an incredibly strong

granddaughter through the miracle

of adoption.

believing is what is getting me through the

wait for another precious granddaughter.