The End

Today I'm grateful that my adoption is coming to an end! It will be almost a year to the day between when we decided to adopt, and when I walk off the plane with our little miss! It's been a long, hard road but we're at the finish line now and I couldn't be more thankful!

Grateful Post Fail

Sorry I've been a blogging slacker!!! I've been pretty busy!! I'm going to play catch up:

Day Four: I'm thankful for hairbows, because they look adorable on my princess and because without the ability to make and sell them, I never could have gotten this close to bringing her home!!!

Day Five: I'm thankful for soup. Seriously, I love soup so much it deserves to make the list. My favorites are: Cream of Chicken w/ Rice, French Onion, and Chicken Pot Pie soup from Jason's Deli! I live off of soup all fall and winter. :)

Day Six: I'm thankful for matching grants. We've been extended quite a few of them during this process, some as high as $2,000, some as low as $200 but we've always hit them and they've helped us fund our adoption immensely! 

Day Seven: I'm thankful for Netflix. I know how bad that sounds, but you guys don't know how my toddler rolls. He's a wild man and the only time I can do basic things like a load a dishwasher, or take a shower, is when Barney is on. Thanks to Netflix, Barney can be on whenever I want!

Day Eight: I'm thankful that I was given another year on this earth. I just celebrated my 29th birthday, and I'm looking forward to hitting the big 3-0 next year!

Day Nine: I'm thankful for Christmas. That's so cheesy, I know...but I love Christmas, I love what it represents religiously, and I love what it represents for little kids with Santa, and leaving out cookies, and listening for reindeer hoofs on the rooftop. It's a magical time and the older I get, the more into it I am! I'm ready to put up the tree, bake cookies, and listen to Christmas carols!

So that catches me up on the thankful posts!!!!

****

One other thing I would like to mention, a Christmas sale! 50% of the sales will go to Beatrice on Reece's Rainbow. This sweet girl has been the topic of recent blog posts and I would like to shout for her again in this one! She's SO adorable and has so much potential! She just needs a Mama! Please check out her link here:

http://reecesrainbow.org/41025/beatrice

And here is the link the sale that I have going on. If you like Christmas hairbows, you'll love this sale! Half of all sales go directly to Beatrice's grant fund!

http://www.facebook.com/KenzisKraftKorner

I hope you'll check out the links, let's give Beatrice the gift of a family this Christmas!!

Thankful Day 3 - Ice

Yup, you read the title correctly! Today (well, yesterday since I'm a day late posting this....) I am thankful for ICE! I know that might sound nuts, who is THAT grateful for frozen water? How about a girl who LOVES it, and doesn't get much of it in Mother Russia! A guy I met on the train (yes, I spoke to strangers) told me that the reason Russian's don't use much ice is because they think being cold makes you sick, therefore they don't like their drinks too cold...and it's also why they over-bundle their children. Interesting stuff, but I'll take my chances because I drink everything cold, I even like my coffee iced.

So, what was the first thing I wanted when I got home from Russia?

Sonic Ice

I have a sick obsession with little pellets of chewy ice like Sonic serves with their drinks. Everytime I leave the house, even for something as simple as running to the post office, my car seems to find its way to Sonic for a Route 44 cup of water with extra ice. That is seriously the only thing I ever get at Sonic because their food looks and smells disgusting, but the ice...ooooh yeah!

If I have fellow ice lovers out there who are in my local area, you might want to check out the ice at Zaxby's and the Pilot gas station by exit 85 on I-40. They both have Sonic-like ice pellets too.

So, to the awesome person who decided one day to pour water into a tray and freeze it....may you move ever closer to sainthood, you are my hero. ;)

Matching Grant!

Did you notice the new widget on the left? We have a matching grant of $1,500!!! If we hit this goal, we will be fully funded and one step closer to having Kenzi home! I'm scheduled to leave in 15 days to pick our girl up! I can't believe it's so close!!! 

There are TONS of ways to help us hit this goal! I'll list them out for you here!

***Auction***

New stuff is being added everyday so check back often! A little birdie told me that some fabulous handbags are going to be added soon!

http://www.facebook.com/FromRussiaWithLoveKenzisGotchaAuction

***Mary Kay***

Who doesn't love makeup?! If you purchase through this link, you'll be helping Kenzi come home! Join the FB event here:

http://www.facebook.com/events/292996464151680

***Thirty-One***

I've heard about 31 for a while but never ordered. I finally bit the bullet and ordered a weekender bag for my upcoming trip and I can promise you that the quality is top notch! People rave about the utility totes too...Christmas is coming! Stock up guys! :)

http://www.facebook.com/events/302338613204608

***Scentsy***

I've never had a Scentsy candle, and I"m not going to lie...I'm jealous of those who have! I've smelled them and they are DIVINE...I'm obsessed with candles and I want one so bad! They make awesome gifts! (Mom, if you're reading this...they make AWESOME GIFTS..hint hint...) :)

http://www.facebook.com/events/423704881030167/

So, as you can see, there are LOTS of ways you can help Kenzi come home!!! If you plan on doing any holiday shopping with these companies, we would be so grateful if you chose to buy through the consultant's who are hosting these fundraisers for us. 

Also, I would like to thank our friend Alison who put together all of the company fundraisers for us. She knew we were strapped for time, and cash between trips and she took the ball and ran with it on our behalf. I'm so grateful for your help, friend!

I need to thank my adoption sisters too. Vanessa--thank you for all your help with the auction. Your hands are so full with your littles and you still made time to help my daughter, I'm so grateful. Katie, you've been through just as many horrific detours with your adoption as we have, yet you still are here helping ME bring Kenzi home. You're an awesome friend, thank you so much. Everyone else who has donated to our auction, thank you!!! It means so much to us.

Last but not least...N...I know for a fact that we wouldn't be at this point without you. Thank you will NEVER be enough. You're awesome. <3

***Other Ways To Help***

If you're not into auctions, or Mary Kay, or Scentsy, or Thirty-One...or if you're a guy and you're looking at this stuff like "um...yeah...not my cup of tea, lady..." there is still a way to help! Good old fashioned donations! We've tried very hard to always offer something in exchange for people's generosity during this process. I've have made more hairbows than I can count...the people at Hobby Lobby know my name, and my kids names...including Kenzi's...by heart! :) But, if nothing we offer suits you, and you would still like to help get this princess home, you can make a donation to our chipin on the right, or if you would like to make a tax deductible donation, you can follow this link and donate directly to Kenzi's through Reece's Rainbow:

http://reecesrainbow.org/29701/sponsormorse

Thank you!!!!

Thankful Post Day 2 - David

I would like to dedicate today's thankful post to my husband David. When I hear my single friends say that all the good guys are taken, when I see couples breaking up for various reasons...I send a silent prayer up and thank God that I was blessed enough to find such an awesome person to spend my life with. That's not to say that we have a perfect marriage, nothing is perfect, and this past year we have been pushed to the limits with all the stress from the adoption but thankfully we fought our way back from the edge and we're now stronger because of it. 

I hit the jackpot when it comes to selecting a father for my kids. There are things that I've just grown to expect of him that when I do a reality check, most men/fathers NEVER do. Sadly, I take him for granted sometimes and I've been working hard to change that. We're talking about a guy who did just as many up-all-nights as I did, who changed just as many diapers, made just as many bottles...and I'm a stay at home mom. He would take on half of the responsibility around the house and with the kids when they were demanding babies, then go to work! Who does that?! He loses his patience somethings and has to "tag me in" (as we call it) when he needs a break to just relax, but I do the same thing sometimes. He loves his kids, and one day they're going to be floored when they realize they had something that not everyone else gets, a loving dedicated father.

And seriously, how many guys would sign up to adopt a child with special needs? He's amazing. I love watching him with our kids. <3

***

Not only is Dave a great dad, he's an awesome husband. He is the kind of guy who will surprise you on your birthday with something you casually mentioned you liked 6 months earlier. I was using his phone once and needed to remember something so I opened the notepad on his iphone and found a list he has been keeping. When we're out with the kids, grocery shopping, whatever...If I say "oh that's awesome! I would like to have one of those!" he writes it down so he will have ideas for my birthday and Christmas. He's so sweet and thoughtful! My birthday is next week and we've agreed that with the cost of the adoption we aren't doing gifts for each other for Christmas, birthday, anniversary, etc. He said "I got you something for your birthday...it's not a 'present' because you need it." He got me boots, a jacket, scarf, gloves, and hat for my trip to Russia. It doesn't get that cold in Tennessee so I am usually fine in a hoodie, and he knew I wouldn't spend the money to get that stuff myself, so he bought it for me because he wanted me to be warm and because he knows me so well he says "and it's all from Target and I used the 5% off card you have". <3

Gratitude

Happy November everyone! I decided that for the month of November, I'm going to blog everyday about something I'm grateful for. They might be big serious things, or little silly things, but I have SO MUCH to be thankful for, so here goes!

Day 1 - My children

I know, I know...I can hear the boo's already "geez, Cil...could be you be a little more cliche?" but it's TRUE...and after spending 18 days without my boys and only spending 5 with my sweet girl before telling her goodbye, I'm an emotional wreck about these awesome little people! I'll try to post a pic that shows each of their personalities. <3

Dylan

My sweet child. He is so kindhearted, loves to help people, and just has a really tender spirit. If you hurt, he hurts, so I try to keep things in his little world happy and carefree. He's growing up so fast. It seems like he went from a little boy to a tween in a matter of months. I'm not quite ready to face the fact that he won't be my baby for  much longer. Aside from being a sweetie, he's also stinkin' cute...his future wife is going to hit the jackpot with this one. ;)

Meet Jack.

What can I say about this crazy ball of energy? He can most often be found lurking around the kitchen, naked, asking for string cheese. If he isn't lurking around naked, he's probably watching Barney...naked. The kid can't stand clothing! He's wild, into everything, never sits still, never stops talking, and right when you think you're going to straight up LOSE IT...he walks up to you, says "hold me mommy", lays his head on your shoulder and says "I loves you". For as independent at he thinks he is, he still has moments where he needs you, and the baby in him comes out. I love those moments. When he's going to sleep at night and he curls up around my arm to ensure that I can't leave the room without him noticing, when he gets tired at the park and just wants to snuggle for a few minutes before running off to play again. He has never been a snuggler the way his brother was, and still is, so I cherish those moments with him..who knows when the last time he lets me hold him will be!

Kenzi

This pic sums her up pretty well. Blurry, because she's so busy you can't get many good pics of her! Fingers coiled in my hair because the future hair stylist is OBSESSED with "fixing" (aka ripping out) hair, and last but not least...staring holes through your eyes. She stares at you so deeply, and for so long...what is she seeing? What is she thinking? I know there is SO MUCH going on in her little mind, it's going to be amazing to watch her learn and grow and start expressing herself more and more. She loves attention, undivided attention! In a room full of toys, the only toy she's interested in playing with is YOU. Hold her, rock her, tickle her, snuggle her, fly her through the air...it doesn't matter WHAT you're doing, as long as she has your full focus. My diva in training. :)

***

I never thought I would have three kids. That's a LOT of babies! Maybe not to some but to me, it's a really big family. Dylan was an only child for seven years, so that's proof of where my mentality was for a long time regarding family size. I guess as you get older, your opinions change, you shift your focus and redefine what matters. Material things used to rate very high in my book, and now they don't even make the list. I don't care if I have the latest version of a phone or computer, expensive clothes and jewelry, it just stopped mattering to me. I am far more content in my jeans, Wal-Mart hoodie, and wrapping up in my kids than I ever was in designer clothes. I have time for one more cliche: Love is all that matters. <3