so...i really, really want to tell you a very long story about how i met J and her husband K. but i won't. because it's long. like longer than normal. i know...as if that were possible.
just know that i ADORE J. you can't help it. first of all, she's about the most darling person i've ever met. and i'm sorry...even though she's *roughly* my age, i have to use the word darling. because she's just that. not to mention she loves Jesus with all that she has. she adores her family. and she and her husband are so much fun to be with. oh, and buz is friends with her husband K. and he thinks he pretty much rocks the house.
anyway.
long ago, J told me they would be adopting internationally and asked me if i would help document "her" arrival and their new family of four. seriously...i could hardly wait. i had seen pictures of her but had NO IDEA how breathtakingly beautiful she would be.
i met her at the airport, along with about four hundred of their "closest family members and friends." :) it was wonderful. i loved being there. but even more so, i loved looking at the faces of those welcoming this beautiful girl home. there were tears. there was laughter. there were PLENTY of smiles. there was an ABUNDANCE of hugs. i loved every minute. what an honor.


Monday, June 22, 2009
welcome home, ellie
Posted by life with the wisners at 12:28 PM 4 comments
Monday, June 08, 2009
nothing new
these pictures are in reverse order. and i didn't have it in me to reverse them. sorry.
you like my daughter's tat? yeah, it's classy.
always serious about shoe change. always. and please do NOT mess with her when this is occurring.
um, hello handsome?
my delicate flower showing off her new tat.
honestly, i don't even know what to say. a white g*ngsta gone wrong?
this is how much my daughter sweats. it's sad. (apple SO doesn't fall far from the tree.)
goo getting ready to fetch big h's baseballs.
hey goo. he's going to hit it to the right. i'd move if i were you.
getting ready for the hit of his life.
that would be a STRIKE. bless his heart.
and goo's method is a bit unorthodox.
our very own white trash punk 80s girl in her jammies.
it seems my over-the-top summer extravaganza wore big h out. mind you, the boy hasn't napped at home since he was 3.5.
day 1. see all the hard work?
again...day 1. so impressed with her.
so summer is in full swing.
(hold on. i need a minute.)
last monday was day one. and i was hopping. jumped (literally) on the treadmill and watched the today show while big h watched spectacular spiderman (or as he calls is "spentacular spiderman"). i jumped (literally) off the treadmill after about thirty minutes. big h and i went in and got goo out of bed. she was in a good mood. i was in a good mood. big h was in a good mood.
summertime was here, and we couldn't be any more excited.
we headed to the education store and got all sorts of school supplies and fun things to "organize" our summer. we got new washable markers, a new box of crayons, some bells and triangles for the music class i'm sure to have, charts, stickers, calendars, white boards, etc. i was in hog heaven. my children were in hog heaven.
monday was fabulous. monday night, i walked the mall and had a luxurious dinner with my bff (who is due in about three weeks). such a fun evening. until i realized at 10 that i had missed two calls from buz at...9.
please tell me YOU hate that feeling as much as i do...
i called. he and big h had been looking for something and wanted to know where it was. buz was *less than thrilled* with me that i hadn't heard my phone. and...let's just leave it at that.
and so, tuesday morning began. do any of you have bad days when you and your husband are not experiencing marital bliss? you don't. well, this won't apply to you then.
because tuesday was NOT. GOOD. and i mean that in the nicest way. because if i were to be honest, i might have to put some colorful words on this blog. and i'm not accustomed to doing so. tuesday was bad, people. i was not a nice mommy. i was mad at buz because we hadn't resolved our issue. i was mad at big h because he talked ALL. DAY. LONG. i was mad at goo because she said NO the entire day. i was mad at me because i couldn't muster enough energy to shower. and i do NOT do well without a shower. (mental note: take a shower whenever i can.)
tuesday night, we had community group. and at prayer request time, i simply said, "i'm not equipped for this. i feel very unqualified. and i feel defeated." and the girls and i all did knuckle fives. not really. they just said they'd be praying for better days.
wednesday. not good.
thursday. not good.
i was seeing a pattern that i didn't care for and was NOT going to settle for this summer.
thursday night brought date night for buz and me. well, can i get a hallelujah! first, i showered. then, i put on a cute and comfy outfit. then, we went to a country "bar" and had some drinks and tried really hard to talk over the LOUD music.
i'm old. i'm putting it out there. you know what? buz? older.
to try to talk OVER loud country music doesn't lend itself to heart-to-heart talks. so we went and saw a movie. which ALSO does not lend itself to heart-to-heart talks. but it lends itself to hand-holding. and i like me some hand-holding. we went to sleep feeling better.
friday was bound to be a better day. nana had slept over thursday night, and so she went to donut friday with us. oh...who knew that friday was NATIONAL DONUT DAY? hello? how do i not know these things? well, except that my friend aimee told me. there were *several* people at dunkin donuts.
we got home and decided to take an outing to ikea. now that goo can play there, fun is had by all. so we dropped them off, and nance went and browsed the store at a very leisurely pace. then, we had lunch at a very leisurely pace. all was magnificent.
by the time we got in the car, i knew they would both fall asleep. so we cranked up the a/c and drove around for a bit and decided to let nana run into bath and body works for a minute. her "minute" always turns into longer because she knows someone everywhere she goes. this was the case at bath and body works. so i sat in the car with two sleeping children and my mom chatting it up with someone inside a store. i could not get enough of all the quiet.
perfection.
so we had movie night on friday night, which was great.
and so...today is monday again. and i am determined to make this a great summer. for me. and for my kiddos. and buz, too.
Posted by life with the wisners at 11:55 AM 7 comments
Saturday, May 30, 2009
andrew and his mom and dad
so...big h's namesakes?
they're having a baby GIRL in august. and us wisners are OVER THE MOON excited about her arrival.
so we played together a couple of weeks ago and had the best time, hopefully capturing life as a family of three.
andrew is into rodeos and bronco bucking. wait. let me rephrase. andrew is WAY INTO rodeos and bronco bucking. so we managed to snag a few in all of his official gear while we were at it. SO MUCH FUN.
love you guys and absolutely CANNOT wait until august.
Posted by life with the wisners at 9:14 PM 6 comments
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
hi, my name is janet...
...and this is my blog. apparently.
i have to be honest. i don't want to blog lately. i don't really want to update FB. i don't really want to update my twitter. even though, i laugh at that statement in the first place.
but i'm keeping up with most of you. not that i'm commenting on your blogs either.
blasé.
this is probably going to be a decent-sized post. with plenty of random thoughts going through my head. so feel free to head on over to some fabulous other sites.
today? big h's last day of preschool. and my emotional state was rocky. i mean, goo is going back to the same school next year. but when i hugged her teachers today? boo hoo'd like a baby. and held on to them. and just cried. like i wouldn't see them three months from now. hugged big h's teachers tightly. and then, watched each and every one of his friends exit the building.
i really was anxious about this morning. remember that "almost cry" that happens a lot at church? it was ever present all morning this morning. before we even left the house. today was donut friday, and so, of course, we headed to dunkin donuts. then, we got to school, and the almost cry began as we pulled into the parking lot.
in my hands, i had:
my camera
big h's rest mat
goo's rest mat
goo's vinyl mat
goo's bag
1 bag for each teacher + 2 teachers/kid = 4 bags
1 book for each teacher made from photographs of each student
once we got in, i dropped off both mats for goo in the bin and let her run to her teachers. who were already misty-eyed. SO did not help my case. dropped off the books for goo's teachers. at this point, big h had already headed into his class. i gave goo's teachers their gifts. headed to big h's class and gave his teachers their gifts. went to the car to get the music and movement teachers their gifts.
i had done well up to this point. i give the music teacher (whom i ADORE and so do my children) her gift, and she hugs me and has tears in her eyes.
rats.
i had to leave in a hurry because the ugly cry was coming quickly.
so i head out to my car. i pulled over in the parking lot and started crying. when one of my friends pulls up beside me asking if everything's ok. i couldn't hold it in. bless her heart. she had no idea what a loaded question that was. we talked for a minute. then, i headed to sonic and got a dr. pepper. because i can't think of anything better than a dr. pepper at 925 in the morning. i headed to old navy to get big h and goo swimsuits. honestly, i just walked around and looked at everything. just strolling. they didn't have goo's size in a swimsuit, so i decided to head over to the old navy across town. then, i sat in the parking lot and talked to my mom on the phone for a minute. then, i ate lunch by myself at a great deli. and cleaned out my purse. and it was only 1130. and i don't pick up my kiddos until 2. seriously? never in the course of the 08-09 school year have i ever been bored while my kids are at school. i needed to run two more errands. i wanted to head home to take a nap. but i didn't have enough time to go all the way home, take a good nap and get them. so seriously. what to do? i returned some things. i parked under a tree and listened to music in the car. i mean, it was almost comical. i wanted to go to school and watch my kids through the two-way mirrors. but really? their last day, and i simply couldn't occupy all of my time? crazy.
when i picked them up, i picked up goo first and took pictures with her teachers, who were very teary-eyed. because i'm all-business, i told them i would talk to them once i got big h. i went to big h's room, and he was FAST asleep on his mat. as usual. the kid who never naps at home naps EVERYDAY at school. goo and i woke him up. we took pictures of him with his teachers. i hugged one of his teachers who cried and said kind words. i regrouped and headed across the hall to goo's teachers. i hugged them and let go. that good cry? that makes you shake? yep. did it. in public. and i didn't care. because these are the women who love on my punkin. who helped goo learn to use the toilet. who point her to jesus.
i got outside, and goo pitched a fit.
and ahhh...all was right with the world again. regroup. :)
we headed to the ice cream store with two of big h's best friends. i felt bad because there was a swim party after school, but i just couldn't make it work. knowing big h isn't totally confident in the water yet. and goo? not so much. i was too nervous about having both children at a pool and not being able to make sure they were both safe at the safe time.
tonight was movie night. pizza for kiddos. subway for mom and dad.
and so. preschool for my big man is over. and i'll be honest. i'm sad. i wrote in my journal about it this morning. but for now, i'm just going to focus on having a ROCKIN' summer with kiddos. (because i can't handle the thought of kindergarten right now. you just wait until september.)
other thoughts. last week, went back to my hometown with my parents for a close friend's mom's funeral. do i dare say it was a special time? special to go and support my friend and her family. special to honor an AMAZING woman. special to experience an incredibly moving memorial service. special to have time in the car with my parents. special to be back in my hometown where i grew up. special to hang out at an old friend's house for a sleepover.
nothing really planned for this summer. other than a vacation to virginia with my family, including my parents. and hopefully a vacation to see my in-laws at their place.
big h and goo are both in very memorable stages right now.
goo? she says no ALL. THE. TIME. and when i tell her no, she says, "YES MA'AM!!" and in a not-very-cute tone of voice. and i want to be firm with her. but i have to turn my back so i don't laugh and have her see me buckle. she's not so kind with big h. but she loves him to the moon and back. but when he asks her cute things or wants to hug her, she is mean to him and turns him off. bless his heart. but then, out of the blue, she wants to love on him and play with him and hug him. we're working on this.
she consistently puts her shoes on the wrong feet. oh, it kills me. not her, apparently.
she wears a pull up at night right now (don't tell her MDO teachers), just in case. but right when we put on the pull up, she wants dora (pronounced doh-ruh) panties on over the pull up. every night. underwear on top of the pull up. i love this kid.
home girl is still in a crib. and i love it. she sleeps so well. she goes to sleep so well at night, and she loves sleeping in her little cozy spot. and i love that, too. :) she sleeps with "muh," a pottery barn kids pink elephant, a pink piggy, a little stuffed doll that she calls "baby guhl," and "mermaid." it's an ariel dive toy that was originally a bathtub toy. and now, it's basically muh's best friend. mermaid has climbed the goo popularity ladder VERY FAST.
goo loves doh-ruh and anything that has to do with her (swiper, diego, alicia, baby "daa-dahr" or baby jaguar, boots, and our personal favorite...tapir). she loves dora saves the mermaids and diego saves the mermaids (yes, there's a theme). she also watching boz.
big h is........SUPER HEROES. period. batman, spiderman, superman, robin, indiana jones (?). big h has worn the same pair of shoes EVERYDAY since the beginning of the school year. he's a committed little guy. they are worn down. i want to keep them and do something with them. any suggestions? he's had four other pairs-EXACT SAME PAIR since he started mothers' day out in 2005. he's ready to take swimming lessons again. and he's informed me that his "tumbling" class that he's taken for two or three years is actually called "gymnaxtix." hopefully we'll be able to do that again this summer.
wanted to spred some cheer. i have a "friend" from my hometown who is a card designer. go look her up. she is amazing. simple. elegant. classy.
also. i ordered a bow for goo for Easter. (no, we STILL haven't taken Easter pictures.) she sent me an email the same day with a picture of the bow, asking me if it was what i was hoping for. and i kid you not -- two days later, it was in my mailbox. crazy. order some.
surprisingly, that's all i got tonight. earlier today, i said to myself, "ok, i've gotta blog everything swirling around in my head." luckily for you, i did. and apparently there wasn't much. :)
leaving you with recent pictures. and then i'm off to bed.
i love these two.
Posted by life with the wisners at 8:50 AM 12 comments
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
yet another hospital update
Posted by life with the wisners at 8:10 PM 12 comments
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
8 years
prepare yourself. this is a *bit* long. caffeinated beverage? perhaps a snack?
Posted by life with the wisners at 2:30 PM 10 comments
tomorrow
it's like we're addicted to medicine. or those who practice it, really. or financing lake houses for those who practice it, to be more exact.
oh, i kid.
but tomorrow? goo is having eye surgery. again.
*BIG SIGH*
her surgery isn't until noon. which is a beating. because she can't have anything to eat or drink after six in the morning. home girl doesn't get up until eight.
so sadly enough, my biggest prayer right now is that she forgets all about food or drink.
also, a big prayer request for us is that she won't require any versed. both of my kids respond really poorly to this drug. i understand that it's supposed to relax you. but the wake up and rest of the day is a bear. so i'm praying that the Lord just relaxes goo on her own without the need for this.
praying for the surgeon. that he would have steady hands. that the procedure would go extra smoothly. and the results would stick. that there would be no need for further operations. goo has had enough. (this being her fifth time to go "under.")
tomorrow night, we have a meal being brought, which is such a huge blessing. tomorrow afternoon, big h is going to be playing at a friend's house, which will be fun for him and great for goo to get to have the house to herself.
anyway, just pray for my baby tomorrow, if you think of it.
Posted by life with the wisners at 1:50 PM 3 comments
Saturday, May 02, 2009
school pictures
so i may have mentioned that i got big h and goo's school pictures back a while ago. now i haven't scanned the pictures from years past. i did go ahead and scan this year's pictures. hopefully for your enjoyment.
would it surprise us if big h did anything other than this? i mean, look at this kid. he exudes joy.
and of course, the class picture. there it is again. joy. written all over the kid's face.
and to my surprise? goo? this at this punkin. it's ok. you want to take her home, don't you? i love her. the hair is a little lopsided. but honestly, home girl's hair is in need of some professional attention. but that's neither here nor there.
however, NOT to my surprise? this. :)
word has it she would NOT have it any other way unless she was beside at least one teacher.
goo.
Posted by life with the wisners at 7:16 PM 5 comments















































