Simply Sara

I have heard it said the little things in life can be more important not to miss than the big things.

Today was a wonderful Mother’s Day.  Alicia let us sleep until almost 6:00 am.  (To put this into perspective, a couple of mornings ago we were up before 3:00 am!)  Dan unloaded the dishwasher for me.  I got a wonderful card and picture frame from the two of them.  The three of us went to church together, then to my parents for lunch.  This afternoon, the two of them napped while I had time to read the paper online and just relax.  Since school is done for the semester, I do not have anything hanging over my head that needs to be completed right now.  (By the way, I received a grade of ‘AB’ for the class!  Yea me!!!)  It was especially nice that Alicia slept almost 4 hours today - she has not slept that long in over a month.  I made a frozen pizza for dinner and clean up was a breeze.  Alicia went to bed without too much trouble and now it is almost time for me to hit the hay.

All in all, it was a fabulous day full of little moments that I can think back to and smile.  Sure, there were a few temper tantrums, but Dan can’t get his way all the time!     Seriously, though, Alicia is two and a half and lately temper tantrums are a bit of a daily occurrence.  We will get through this stage and move on to the next one soon enough, I am certain.  Then we most likely will want the temper tantrums back!

Until next time…

:) Sara

For the first time since Alicia’s adoption, Dan and I spent a weekend without her. We had a fabulous and relaxing time here, in Door County, WI. Needing this weekend, he and I have not been able to spend much alone time awake. Even when we do, it is usually accomplishing household chores or doing renovation or remodeling work on the house. There is also the little part of this tiny human that comes into your home. She invades just about every minute part of your being and before you realize it, virtually all your conversations revolve around her. So just being awake and alone together does not mean you will not discuss her or dote upon her or think about her or plan her future.

I love being a mom. There have been some trying moments as of late, though, when I have questioned my abilities. Oh, and my patience! Or maybe it has just been Alicia testing my patience…but I digress. Alicia is two and a half, but she is not talking as much as some eighteen-month-olds we know and it frustrates all of us. She knows some sign language, which helps at times, but there are moments when she does not want to use it and she just wants us to automatically KNOW what she wants or needs NOW!

We all needed a break. Alicia went to play with her cousins for the weekend under the watchful eye of her Aunt Nikki and Uncle Scott. Dan and I went to an adults only hotel in Door County.

We went to Peninsula State Park and climbed this; fearing heights as I do it was an awesome accomplishment. We also stopped at a few shops and got some presents for our nieces and nephew, and Alicia. Beautiful weather stayed with us the entire weekend, and from the deck of our hotel room at night we were able to gaze at stars not visible within the city limits.

Alicia did not sleep too well over the weekend and is still catching up. I just heard one of her dolls fall out of bed and hit the floor in her room; scared the heck out of me. It did not even wake her. Hopefully we will be able to get away again before another two and a half years goes by. If not, maybe the men in the white coats will be extra nice to me…

Until next time…

:) Sara

There is a meme going around that sounded fun, so I decided to join in. Just Google your name with needs after it in quotes and see what you get. I found the idea here, but I have seen it on many others as I did my search. I Googled “sara needs” and here is my list…

Sara needs a loving, playful home. (Well, obviously!)

Sara needs to see Michael. (One of my boyfriends from high school just got divorced and I was hoping he was ok…)

Sara needs a lawyer. (Hmmm, is there something I should know?)

Sara needs your support!

Sara needs assessment projects. (I’m not so sure about this one…I have enough going on already, thankyouverymuch!)

Sara needs to create her Fall Biology 200 course site. (I was sort of pondering taking biology this fall…)

Sara needs to do a bit a saber rattling and get a grip on communications. (Huh?)

Sara needs Nick’s emotional generosity. (That was the last boyfriend I had before DH.)

Sara needs for the animals.

I think that is enough!

Until next time…

:) Sara

The past week has been a flurry of excitement around here. We had new windows installed on the first floor of our home, and decided with the windows should come new trim…and maybe some paint too. Hmm, who knew there was this much work involved with having someone else start work on your home?

I went to our home improvement store and got paint chips for color selection. They were not exactly what we wanted, so I went back again - this time armed with the pillow from the couch. Certainly I would be able to find a good match that way. Obviously, my eye for color and Dan’s eye for color did not meet at the same party! I picked a shade called “Bronze Statue.” Absolutely stunning - for a sweater or maybe a pair of pants, but according to my wonderful husband, not our family room walls. He wanted the next color over on the swatch, “Range Brown.” (Where do they come up with these names?) I went back to the store and got the better shade of paint.

At any rate, we have not completed painting as of yet. I forgot to mention that we needed to get the layers of paint off the wood surrounding the windows and that took a very long time. Dan did that with a heat gun - it was really neat to watch! All the years of paint just scraped away in a tidy layer! (Actually, kind of chunks and layers, but it is my story. It was not really all that tidy either!)

We are hoping to complete the painting of the family room and get the trim up on the windows sometime before the end of April. If not, well, I guess we know what we will be doing with the extra time off for Memorial Day weekend!

Until next time…

:) Sara

It has been a little over six months since I have blogged. Time seems to rush by me at amazing speeds sometimes.  There were many days I meant to check in and post a few words but just ran out of hours in my day.

At any rate, today is a new day and here I am.  To those who are checking in, thank you for waiting!  To those who just happen to stumble upon this page, welcome!

Alicia is going to be 2 1/2 next week already!  She is starting to talk a little bit and beginning to form the sounds she needs for most words.  It is very exciting and we have been waiting a long time for this.  I am sure once she really gets going we will be regretting the amount she will talk, but for now it is great to hear the new sounds!

Dan received a promotion at work and is now working “normal” hours instead of shift work.  It has been wonderful to have him home for dinner every night.  We also love having him home to play and go to church with us every weekend.  He seems to be fitting into his new role quite well and I think he likes his job, even with the new responsibilities and all the meetings.

I finished my speech class last semester and this semester am in English 101.  So far, I have a solid “A” and there are about six weeks left.  Recently, I began writing for our local newspaper.  That has been a fabulous outlet for me.  I have also become more involved with our church, giving my time and energy, and that has done wonders for my soul.

Other than that, there is not a whole lot going on around here.  Spring is beginning to arrive in Wisconsin.  The grass is getting greener and the trees are budding.  The day-lilies are pushing out of the ground.  We are trying to plan what trees and bushes we want to order from the Boys and Girls Club annual tree sale.

I hope you all have a fantastic day!

Until next time…

:) Sara

They say every now and again we need to stop and smell the roses.  I forget to do that.  A lot.

Saturday, we were invited to Dan’s aunt and uncle’s cottage for the day.  I didn’t want to go.  I could think of hundreds of reasons not to go.  But, I kept all of them to myself, got into the shower and got myself all prettied up.  Or at least as prettied up as the Wisconsin woods and a day spent with family requires.

The ride there was rather uneventful.  Dan and I didn’t talk about anything overly exciting.  Alicia slept most of the way.  We arrived and had lunch.  Well, Dan and I had lunch.  Alicia, having been strapped in a car seat for a little under two hours, was tired of sitting and wanted to be FREE.  She would have nothing to do with sitting, nor eating.  So, she and grandma played and had fun while Dan and I ate.  We cleaned up lunch and Dan, his dad and his uncle went downstairs to look at a plumbing project.

Alicia, Dan’s mom, his aunt and I went for a walk to a nearby park so she could swing.  It was not exactly cold out, but there was a brisk wind that made the insides of my ears hurt.  We didn’t stay at the park too long.  On our return walk, we saw a doe and her two fawns cross about 25 feet in front of us.  Alicia missed the first two, but the second fawn hesitated about 30 seconds before crossing.  It then went quite slowly, as if it knew I wanted Alicia to see it, before joining its family.

Alicia took a short nap after we returned from our outing.  Dan took me to a gas station/store.  This place had virtually everything.  Fishing poles and live bait, plumbing supplies and hardware, food and toilet paper; everything you could need in the middle of nowhere.  There was a woman who was amazed I’d never seen anything like it before.  She jokingly informed me it was a “convenience store.”  When Dan and I returned to the car, I told him our convenience stores didn’t have shopping carts!

We had dinner, packed up and it was time to go.  Of course, we decided to leave right about dusk, so the deer were out in full force.  We saw the momma and babies from our walk again; I couldn’t even count how many others we saw.  They were, actually, quite beautiful.  Surprisingly enough, I wasn’t even scared that we were going to hit one.  I just had a very calm and serene feeling about them.

After a short time, I turned to look at Dan and told him how happy I was we went there for the day.  We left all the problems and cares of our “life” at home and were just able to enjoy the day for once.  He agreed, and I was so very glad I hadn’t mentioned not wanting to go that morning.

Until next time…

:) Sara

Well, today was the big day. Officially, I have been 30 for just over 4 hours now. Hmm. I don’t feel too different. I have decided to compile a list of things I have learned over the years. Maybe I will even get to 30. *grin*

1. Be nice to everyone - or at least polite. Especially to cashiers. Thank them profusely because you never know what kind of day they have had, or what jerk is standing in line behind you.

2. Brush and floss your teeth every day. You only get one set. Not taking care of your teeth can lead to a myriad of other health problems as well, and really, what is 10 – 15 minutes out of your day?

3. Feed the animals. We have taken a lot of their homes and space with our houses, roads, and buildings. It’s the least we can do.

4. Drive the speed limit. Even in emergencies, staying safe and alive is better than the alternative. (There are very few exceptions to this – Atlanta, GA is one I can think of where it is best to keep up with traffic so as not to cause an accident.) As a rule, I try to obey all traffic signs and rules.

5. If you come upon a yellow traffic light, slow down and stop. Do not speed up and go through (weather permitting).

6. Do not live to eat, but eat to live. I have seen dire consequences from both sides of the spectrum on this one, even mortality. Everything in moderation.

7. Trust your gut. If something does not feel right, or someone does not give you a good feeling, go with it. You will probably be right.

8. Be grateful for what you have. Getting more will not make you feel better, you will just have more stuff.

9. At least once or twice a year, do an anonymous good deed for someone who deserves or needs it. There is quite a bit of joy to be had in doing things for others unasked, and unknowing.

10. At restaurants, over-tip the server, unless the service is terrible. Then, at least tip a small amount.

11. Love with your entire heart and as if you will die tomorrow.

12. Leave for your destination five minutes earlier than you think you need to.

13. Eating a banana once a week will give you the right amount of potassium for a balanced diet.

14. When you are unsure what course to choose, sleep on it. Things always seem to have a different perspective in the sunlight of morning.

15. Have a hobby or two. Watching television gets old when you have to.

16. Play outside everyday when the weather is nice. Soon enough there will be days when it won’t be conducive for outside fun and you will be stuck inside for a long time, whining about how much you’d like to be out there.

17. If you are not happy with the service, ask to speak with a supervisor or manager. State your complaint in a calm and rational manner. If you don’t let them know, maybe no one ever will. Do the same with compliments.

18. When someone does something nice for you, send a handwritten thank you note.

19. Proper fitting, lace-up tennis shoes make all the difference in the world. I wear mine virtually every day, almost everywhere I go.

20. Don’t stop learning. There are lots of new things being discovered every day.

21. Having a dinner menu planned out in advance makes life run more smoothly.

22. Going grocery shopping at off peak times is much easier. There are less people to deal with, and it can take a lot less time to get that task accomplished. I usually go later at night or very early in the morning.

23. Paying for items with cash is always a better option than using a credit card. First, you have to save the money, to determine if you really need the item rather than just want it. Second, you don’t have the interest charges of the credit card. Third, while saving, if your money is in the bank, you may earn interest on the money you have invested. Fourth, if another emergency comes up and you find you need that money you already have it at hand.

24. Read every day. Even if only for five minutes.

25. Clean up the dishes from each meal immediately following the meal. If you need to let something soak, let it soak for ten minutes or so and then scrub it out. Set a timer if you need to. Leaving it overnight will only start your day out with work.

26. Return items to the library on time. Librarians work hard to bring a vast selection of materials for everyone. Late items create more work for them.

27. Donate unwanted books to your local library. Ours has a used book sale six times a year for the books they receive that they are not going to catalogue, and those which are being taken off of their shelves. It is also tax deductible.

28. Save your receipts. I know there have been many times when I have needed a receipt for something I wanted to return and I couldn’t find it. Now I save them for at least 30 days.

29. If it can be recycled, recycle it. If it still has life in it, donate it. Try not to fill up the landfills any more than need be.

30. Remember to love yourself. If you cannot love yourself, you will not be able to love others.

Until next time…

:) Sara

Almost every day, I feed the animals in our backyard. I go out the back door with honey roasted peanuts and put them in a couple spots for their enjoyment. Some mornings, I have time to sit and watch the war at home.

The chipmunks and cardinals usually show up in tandem. (They will also chirp incessantly at me if I have not come outside by the time they are ready.) Depending on the circumstances, the chipmunks will eat one or two peanuts and start filling their cheeks with the rest. The cardinals try to jump in as they can, and fly away with their gains. I have taken to putting out two separate piles to eliminate them from berating each other. The chipmunks still feel as though all the nuts are theirs, and will run from pile to pile, trying to keep the birds away.

The squirrels usually show up last.  I have yet to determine if they are scared of me, or just busy doing other things.  They are on “clean-up.” They rarely pack their cheeks, but eat as they go.  Since they are much larger, very few of the other animals try to challenge them for the goods.  The chipmunks will sometimes try to sneak a peanut away.  As soon as the squirrel turns toward them, off scampers the chipmunk.  Once in awhile, a bigger squirrel will come down and chase the current eater away.  If I come outside and a smaller squirrel is braver, he is the one who gets to eat.

Until next time…

:) Sara

Today was a good day.  And I don’t mean that in a sarcastic way, by any means.  Something amazing happened in our little tribe today that was unexpected, beautiful, and downright sappy.  I cried.

Alicia had her bath and was ready for bed – pajamas were on and we went to say, “Goodnight,” to daddy who was in bed reading.  She was tired; not even enough energy to achieve her nightly second wind.  We got onto the bed by Dan and she cuddled up to give him a hug.  When I approached, she pushed me away.  She lay down upon his chest, with her head on his shoulder, and just snuggled with him.  I was sitting - Indian-style - in the middle of the bed, just watching.  My eyes welled with tears.  For the first time since Alicia’s arrival into our lives, she chose him over me.

Until next time…

:) Sara

I have been listening to one of my favorite CD’s in the car the last week or so. It is a compilation CD from Walt Disney World (WDW). Dan bought it on our honeymoon back in 1999. I am slowly allowing myself to get excited for our upcoming trip there in October.

If I try, I can usually picture parts of WDW when I shut my eyes. This music is helping me to see it with my eyes open as well. I honestly cannot think of a place that we like to vacation more. If we had to move somewhere else, I believe Orlando would be our first choice - well, probably one of the suburbs surrounding it. Dan and I have looked at houses online a couple of times in that area. There are a lot of very nice houses that I think would be in our price range, but it is hard to distinguish what kind of shape a house is in by pictures on the monitor. At any rate, I think any type of move like that is a few years off…mostly just dreaming, really.

This will be Alicia’s first trip to WDW. I know she won’t remember much about it, if anything at all. I think Dan and I are more excited to go for this trip than we were for our honeymoon. We have done a ton of research as to what areas of the park are good for little ones and what rides she will be able to go on. We have found out where the characters she likes are located and what times they will be available. We even found this.

We have turned into those parents! Let’s just hope we don’t crumble to her every whim once we’re there. I’m not too worried about Dan. Okay, I’m not AS worried about Dan.

Wish us luck!

Until next time…

:) Sara