What are we up to?

Well, I'm so glad you asked!
**We have been bugging friends to write letters of recommendation (thank you so so much those that said yes! We greatly appreciate it!)
**We have been finishing the nursery. And yet it still has paint cans in it...
**We have been planning our trip/vacation to Utah. We are driving out. Yes, Driving. After taking into consideration the unknowns (actual birth date, Interstate Compact, airline rules regarding infant travel, what to do with the dog) we decided driving will be easiest. And, hey, if nothing else, we'll have a grand story to tell right?
**We have been finding places to stop on our drive. While this does fall into the above, it also involves checking out Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. After all, if we are going to drive across the country (well, almost) we might as well hit a couple of highly recommended places! (Speaking of which, we are taking 80 over, and 70 back, so if you have suggestions, we are open to them.)
**We have been working. A necessary evil.
**We have been getting excited. Very excited!!!!
**We had the actual home study part of the adoption process. Which was easy, and a lot less intimidating than I expected it to be.

Some Songs Touch Your Heart Forever

I'm sure you have all had them, those songs that touch your life, even if you don't know why. As I was listening to my iPod today, I heard these two, and was instantly back with my cousin in Utah. I was about 15 and she had just bought his CD. We listened to it every night at bedtime.

This first song, my cousin absolutely loved. It was one of her favorites on the CD. Interestingly, this same cousin ended up in the situation described by the song. She also chose adoption, and every time I hear this song, I think of her. I also wonder if her spirit recognized the song from another time, or if it was just one of those connections.

From God's Arms to My Arms to Yours
Words and Music by Michael McLean
So many wrong decisions in my past, I'm not quite sure
If I can ever hope to trust my judgment anymore.
But lately I've been thinking,
Cause it's all I've had to do.
And in my heart I feel that I
Should give this child to you.
And maybe, you could tell your baby,
When you love him so, that he's been loved before, By someone, who delivered your son,
From God's arms, to my arms, to yours.

If you choose to tell him,
If he wants to know,
How the one who gave him life
Could bear to let him go.
Just tell him there were sleepless nights,
I prayed and paced the floors,
And knew the only peace I'd find,
Was if this child was yours.

And maybe, you could tell your baby,
When you love him so, that he's been loved before,
By someone, who delivered your son,
From God's arms, to my arms, to yours.
This may not be the answer,
For another girl like me.
But I'm not on a soapbox,
Saying how we all should be.
I'm just trusting in my feelings,
And I'm trusting God above,
And I'm trusting you can give this baby
Both his mothers' love.
And maybe, you could tell your baby,
When you love him so, that he's been loved before,
By someone, who delivered your son,
From God's arms, to my arms, to yours.

(This song was based on the writings of a young birth mother who shared them with songwriter Michael McClean. )

© Michael McLean

The same cousin introduced me to the companion song, which I thought I'd share as well. If you have a chance to listen to the CD, it's absolutely touching. I was told once upon a time that this song is sung by a mother who adopted, and the previous song by a birth mother. I don't know if it's true, but I like to think so.

The Gift We Could Not Give Each Other
Words and Music by Michael McLean

When she was a little girl she held her dolls like children.
Dreaming of the day when she'd have babies of her own.
Now those dolls lie on a shelf as lifeless as the dreams she dreamed.
It's become the deepest ache her heart has ever known.
There's a man who's trying his best to comfort her with roses.
Telling her he'll find a way to make their dreams come true.
He's been saying this for years, but now his tears reveal the truth.
In his heart he fears there's nothing else that they can do.
Then a gift is given, a phone call straight from heaven.
There's a child that's nearly due that a young girl's giving you.
She gave more than just one life when she makes of this man and wife
a father and a mother. She gives the gift they could not give each other.
More than we could ever know this couple thanks the heavens.
Every time they hold their child, they feel they hold the world.
Words will never be enough to share the way the family feels.
From deep inside their hearts they want to tell that girl:
Not a day is ever through till we've thanked the Lord for you.
Your sweetness lingers near in our hearts and thoughts and prayers.
You gave more than just one life when you made of this man and wife,
a Father and a Mother. When you gave the gift we could not give each other.
You have changed our lives forever. Only you and God above could give this gift of love we could not give each other.

© Michael McLean

And now that you are all teary, another favorite of mine. My mom has sung this song around the house as long as I can remember. I remember her dancing around the kitchen with some of my siblings to this song. Every time we go to karaoke, she sings it-usually with my Aunt Bev.

Tennessee Flat Top Box
As sung by Rosanne Cash, Lyrics by Johnny Cash

In a little cabaret in a South Texas border town,
Sat a boy and his guitar, and the people came from all around.
And all the girls from there to Austin,
Were slippin' away from home and puttin' jewelery in hock.
To take the trip, to go and listen,
To the little dark-haired boy who played the Tennessee flat top box

And he would play: (Instrumental.)

Well, he couldn't ride or wrangle, and he never cared to make a dime.
But give him his guitar, and he'd be happy all the time.
And all the girls from nine to ninety,
Were snapping fingers, tapping toes, and begging him: "Don't stop."
And hypnotized and fascinated,
By the little dark-haired boy who played the Tennessee flat top box.

And he would play: (Instrumental.)

Then one day he was gone, and no one ever saw him 'round,
He'd vanished like the breeze, they forgot him in the little town.
But all the girls still dreamed about him.
And hung around the cabaret until the doors were locked.
And then one day on the Hit Parade,
Was a little dark-haired boy who played the Tennessee flat top box.

And he would play: (Instrumental.)
© Johnny Cash

One of those Days

First, every 15 min travel time became 30 minutes today. Where did the traffic come from?
Make bread was on my list for today. But it was raining. I don't know about you, but I find my bread doesn't rise quite as nicely when it rains. So I will do that Friday. And change my dinner plan from tuna melts to tostada casserole.
Next on my list was vacuuming. Well, my vacuum is acting funny. It is insisting on hiding the dirt somewhere I can't find it. This wouldn't be a problem, but it's throwing the suction off. Silly vacuum. So Nick said he'd look at it while I finish work.
Then, I took the time to make dinner, pack it nicely to bring to work with me. It's sitting at home on the kitchen counter right next to the vacuum cleaner.

At least work has been okay. Only one upset guest.

One of my favorite features

It's a Quirky thing, but I love this:



Why? Because that is my bathroom light switch on the INSIDE of the bathroom! It's not a common thing in Massachusetts. This is actually the only house we saw with the light on the inside.

Cleaning and Clutter

I have been spending the rainy days cleaning and decluttering. I read a great book my Don Aslett called "Clutter's Last Stand". It really helped me to see how to free myself of things. For example, a couple of years ago my dad collected shot glasses from the different places he visited to add to the small collection I had. Now I have outgrown the idea of collecting shotglasses. But I didn't want to just throw them away. However, with Don's idea of taking a picture, and tossing the glasses, I can record the collection, and even add a page to my scrapbook about the experience of collecting with my dad, but I don't have to use up precious space to hold something that doesn't make me smile.

Using his principles, I've been cleaning out all the clutter I (emotionally) can. There is something very freeing about clearing it out from where it was stored. The rooms have a more productive, liveable, and comfortable feel to them. Probably the definitiion of feng shui. But as I keep moving it all to the office, the office feels all too cluttered which defeats the purpose.

Now to find a Goodwill/Salvation Army to get rid of it! But not until the rain stops...