MSN has a pretty lengthy article about adoption on their home page. I haven't had a chance to read it through yet, but here is the link:
http://lifestyle.msn.com/familyandparenting/raisingkids/articlerb.aspx?cp-documentid=5686537>1=10619
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Advice for PAPs (that's pre-adoptive parents, not your yearly trip to the gyno)
Wondering what to do as you wait for that elusive "It's time to travel" phone call? WEIGHT TRAINING! If you are a 1st time mama, I highly recommend that you begin some specific weight training exercises to prepare your body for the shock of suddenly carrying around an extra 20 lbs day and night. Listed below are the exercises I recommend:
- The bag o' flour dead lift: A wise mama I know suggested buying a carrier early and then carrying around a 20lb bag of flour while you shop or do housework. I would also say that as you are holding the bag o' flour, you do some deep knee bends for building leg strength.
- The wrists of steel: The most painful thing for me was (and still is) the strain that picking up Matthew caused on my wrists...picking him up from his crib, from the floor, from his highchair, etc. Get some small free weights and hold them so that your thumbs are towards the ceiling. Then lift away using only your wrists. I think you should try doing about 3000 per day as I don't think you could ever do enough to prepare your wrists for the strain that will come.
- The flexi-toes: Begin now throwing things on the floor and picking them up with your toes. Practice with everything from a pacifier to a fuzzy blanket. I would suggest even carrying the bag o' flour while you do the "flexi-toes" in order to get the full effect.
- The crib crunch: Stand for hours by the side of the baby's crib with your back hunched and your neck crooked to the side. This is endurance training.
Happy Exercising!
Our Thanks-for-the-Day
Needing new pajamas and getting some in the mail from Aunt Pat and Uncle David Kiss-your-belly!!!!
- The bag o' flour dead lift: A wise mama I know suggested buying a carrier early and then carrying around a 20lb bag of flour while you shop or do housework. I would also say that as you are holding the bag o' flour, you do some deep knee bends for building leg strength.
- The wrists of steel: The most painful thing for me was (and still is) the strain that picking up Matthew caused on my wrists...picking him up from his crib, from the floor, from his highchair, etc. Get some small free weights and hold them so that your thumbs are towards the ceiling. Then lift away using only your wrists. I think you should try doing about 3000 per day as I don't think you could ever do enough to prepare your wrists for the strain that will come.
- The flexi-toes: Begin now throwing things on the floor and picking them up with your toes. Practice with everything from a pacifier to a fuzzy blanket. I would suggest even carrying the bag o' flour while you do the "flexi-toes" in order to get the full effect.
- The crib crunch: Stand for hours by the side of the baby's crib with your back hunched and your neck crooked to the side. This is endurance training.
Happy Exercising!
Our Thanks-for-the-Day
Needing new pajamas and getting some in the mail from Aunt Pat and Uncle David Kiss-your-belly!!!!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
New Post & Photos
New post & photo at www.youbelong.net/goff. More photos to come soon!
Our Thanks-for-the-Day
Thanks to everyone for your emails, phone calls, and kind comments on the passing of Scott's father and uncle. The past few days have been rough, but your encouragement and support have blessed us so much!
Our Thanks-for-the-Day
Thanks to everyone for your emails, phone calls, and kind comments on the passing of Scott's father and uncle. The past few days have been rough, but your encouragement and support have blessed us so much!
UPDATE: More photos just added to link above
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Stylin' Man
Outfit #1 (above)
Outfit #2 (above)
Outfit #3 (above)
I wanted to see how Matthew looked in this blazer...I actually think it wouldlook great if we ditched the tie & pants and wore the jacket with a black t-shirt
and some cool jeans....
I am trying to decide between these 3 outfits for Matthew's dedication, as well as any other holiday parties he is invited to. Let me know if you have a favorite!
Our Thanks-for-the-Day
When people leave such nice comments!!! Thanks you guys!!!!
Friday, November 9, 2007
Breaking up is hard to do...
Enjoying the evening sun!
Our neighbors brought home llamas!!! This one is a baby! So exciting! Matthew and I have decided that it is time to end our relationship with Genie. Diaper Genie, that is. We tried to give it a chance but, even from the beginning, this relationship stunk. We are just ready to move on with our lives. So, we bid farewell and say "Diaper Genie, you're outta here."
Craigslist ad: Diaper Genie for sale, $5.
I am going to put a new post on Matthew's site soon...hopefully this weekend....of all the new cool stuff he is doing. Nine months is a fun age!
Yesterday I got dressed while he took his morning nap. I put on a shirt he had never seen...that has a colorful print. It's the first shirt with a print I think he has seen me in. It's not exactly a shirt I love, but it was only $3.99 at the Gap. Anyway, when he woke up and saw my shirt, he was TOTALLY disgusted! He just stared me up and down with his forehead wrinkled and his mouth agape. Seriously! This went on for what seemed like a lifetime! I started getting self-conscious and finally asked, "What???? You don't like mama's shirt?" He looked me in the eyes, then proceeded to play with the buttons.
Our Thanks-for-the-Day
The love of family and friends!
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Awwww, thanks
I've had a few emails, phone calls and comments of people saying that my blog is funny. That is a nice compliment but, to be honest, I have a ghost writer. Just kidding...no bloggy ghost writer, but in all actuality I am not funny. In fact as proof I have transcribed below a recent phone conversation with my mother:
Mom: I love your blog. It's so funny.
Me: It's strange how the blog is funny, but I'm not funny in real life.
Mom: Yeah.
Well, better go finish reading that book about the influence of a mother on a daughter's self-esteem....
(That's sure to get a phone call from home!)
Our Thanks-for-the-Day
The early morning sunshine dancing on the fall leaves...and when you buy your husband a pack of peanut butter m&ms and he doesn't want them.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
The Adoption Community
I recently listened to a message on "Community" by David Jeremiah, and it made me think a lot about the Adoption Community. Over the past almost two years I have seen God use the community of adoptive and pre-adoptive parents as an amazing vessel of His love for us. The encouraging, the listening, the sharing, the weeping, and the rejoicing that go on for one another is the essence of community.
It is so easy to go through our days and not really get close to other people. Not really know them...or what's going on in their lives...or their hearts. Afterall, it's enough work just keeping our own lives on track. Then God allows pain in our life and suddenly our eyes are opened to the pain that others are experiencing. Suddenly we seem to care more because we understand better. A verse from a song by Kendall Payne says "May your heart break enough that compassion enters in." When God's compassion enters our hearts, it is with such abundance that it also flows back out to others...leading us to lift them on our shoulders when they can't walk themselves. Unfortunately, it can often take going through a trial of our own before this happens.
Perhaps today you had yet another negative read on a pregnancy test, or yet another delay in your adoption homestudy, or yet another month going by without the referral of your baby. Your heart may ache for peace. Your arms may ache for your child. Or maybe your pain today is not related to your child but is borne from a broken relationship, financial difficulties, or, like us, the illnesses of two very dear family members. Be encouraged that there are others who understand from experience the brokenness of your heart. They are people through whom God wants to show you His love for you.
And if you are reading this as one who has previously experienced brokenness yourself, be reminded that the compassion you received is not yours to keep but to share with a hurting world. Know that your story may be just the encouragement that another person needs to hear.
"Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." Philippians 2:4
It is so easy to go through our days and not really get close to other people. Not really know them...or what's going on in their lives...or their hearts. Afterall, it's enough work just keeping our own lives on track. Then God allows pain in our life and suddenly our eyes are opened to the pain that others are experiencing. Suddenly we seem to care more because we understand better. A verse from a song by Kendall Payne says "May your heart break enough that compassion enters in." When God's compassion enters our hearts, it is with such abundance that it also flows back out to others...leading us to lift them on our shoulders when they can't walk themselves. Unfortunately, it can often take going through a trial of our own before this happens.
Perhaps today you had yet another negative read on a pregnancy test, or yet another delay in your adoption homestudy, or yet another month going by without the referral of your baby. Your heart may ache for peace. Your arms may ache for your child. Or maybe your pain today is not related to your child but is borne from a broken relationship, financial difficulties, or, like us, the illnesses of two very dear family members. Be encouraged that there are others who understand from experience the brokenness of your heart. They are people through whom God wants to show you His love for you.
And if you are reading this as one who has previously experienced brokenness yourself, be reminded that the compassion you received is not yours to keep but to share with a hurting world. Know that your story may be just the encouragement that another person needs to hear.
"Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." Philippians 2:4
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
