Another Youree Day

Original Birth Certificate--Check

2012-01-25T22:04:00.003-06:00

Hallelujah--we have good news!

This morning our case worker filed Anna's original birth certificate with no hiccups or hitches. Whew. While we are not yet to the end of the process, we feel relieved to make progress. We want to thank publicly Geraldine Harris, the state registrar with Texas Vital Statistics in the Department of State Health Services for taking a committed, thorough interest in our situation.

And thank you, dear reader, for supporting and praying for us! We've been comforted by your encouragement.

Birth Certificate Update

2012-01-24T14:59:00.000-06:00

Whew--what a weekend! The Youree clan has gone from frustrated and frantic to overwhelmed and grateful for the prayers and well-wishes of others. We've had officials tell us the one year mark is of no significance regarding the birth certificate, and we've had others reiterate the "significant" legal issues that will occur if the birth certificate is not filed before February 17. Who knows!?!?

After we left the Dallas County Clerk's office on Friday, Bryan immediately emailed every known federal/state/local representative. Thankfully, Geraldine Harris, the state registrar has been much help. As of right now, our case worker from Hope Cottage will meet with a City Hall official tomorrow morning to complete an original birth certificate. We pray for smooth sailing.

THANKS for your support!

Urgent Prayer Request: Birth Certificate

2012-01-20T17:07:00.001-06:00

Here’s the scoop:

As we were told by our adoption agency, Anna Zane was bornin the car en route to the hospital. The ambulance arrived roughly 10-15minutes after she was born. Anna, along with her birthparents, was taken to thehospital. Upon arriving, her birthparents informed the nurse they were choosingadoption for Anna. The hospital caseworker then phoned Hope Cottage. After 48hours, the birthparents relinquished their rights and Hope Cottage became theconservators/legal guardians for Anna.

Unbeknownst to Hope Cottage, the hospital gave Anna’sbirthmother paperwork for her to complete to file Anna’s birth certificate. Thehospital cannot file that paperwork because Anna was not technically born inthe hospital. Her birthmother never completed the paperwork. Hope Cottage neverfiled for the birth certificate because they assumed the hospital filed sincethat is usually what happens.

Fast-forward six months. Anna’s adoption in finalized onSeptember 30; we become Anna’s legal parents, her name is legally changed toAnna Zane Youree. At that point, we filed for an amended birth certificate. Ittook FOUR months for the state to notify us that no original birth certificatewas ever filed; and thus, we cannot receive an amended one.

We’ve called the state offices. The hospital. The adoptionagency. And everyone says someone else should take care of it. Today, afterspending more time than I cared to, at the vital statistics office of DallasCounty, we were told as far as they knew we, as adopted parents couldn’t filethe birth certificate. And if we did not have the information about the actualbirth, including the street on which Anna was born, a birth certificate couldnever be filed for her. But they have left messages with the “bosses” in Austinto figure out who has the legal right to file an original birth certificate forAnna now that the adoption has been finalized, if one can be filed at all.

Anna can’t secure a SS card, a bank account, virtually anythingwithout a birth certificate. It’s like she’s not even a citizen of thiscountry!

To top it off, if we do not get this resolved before herfirst birthday on February 17, extensive legal ramifications will occur. Notonly will the red tape increase, along with the cost, but—as we’ve beentold—Anna will never be allowed to obtain a passport. She could never leave thecountry.

As you might imagine we are experiencing a number ofemotions: anxiety, anger, frustration, and fear. Oh, how I wish my faith feltstronger.

Please, please join us in prayer for a timely resolution andthe ability to file Anna’s birth certificate.

Mulling over MLK Day

2012-01-16T14:59:00.002-06:00

Confession: In the past, I've barely celebrated the MLK holiday, much like Flag Day and Christopher Columbus Day to me. While I consider myself always respectful of the holiday and what it stands for, the third Monday of January rarely impacted me deeply.

This year I cried.

While no one person will never agree with another one person 100 percent, I am eternally, intensely grateful for the courageous men and women who challenged the status quo and championed the heart of God. Because of God's intervention in their bravery and commitment, I can call my daughter mine.

To me, MLK Day is more than celebrating the life of one influential man, but respecting and remembering the movement to bring people from a tangible and invisible slavery to freedom and acceptance. It is important to remember the ugliness of racism in our country and its effects. If we forget history, then we are only a breath away from repeating it. If we think we are too evolved, too good, too "moved on," to remember, then we are one step closer to landing where we began.

Yes, racism, prejudice, and hatred still fill the world in various masquerades and blatant attacks and always will; BUT, I am beyond thankful my Anna is growing up in a era where the color of her skin is less of an issue. When I think about explaining to her the shameful treatment of African-Americans in our country's history, my heart hurts. When she tells me she doesn't understand how this could happen, I will concur. I only pray it never happens again.

Christmas 2011

2012-01-15T22:28:00.001-06:00

Consider it a success that I am posting Christmas day pictures before Valentines.

We could hardly believe Santa Claus himself made a special stop to see Anna and the Thompson kiddos.

Christmas morning. Anna played and played with (and still does) her pink car.

Granny Youree: A Tribute

2012-01-09T17:41:00.000-06:00

I first met Berniece Ruth Youree, better known around here as Granny Youree, when I attended a family reunion/party with Bryan during our dating days. To be honest, I don't have particular memories from that day as I was overwhelmed with new names and faces all delighted to take a gander at the girl Bryan brought home.

But it wasn't long until I got to know her and she me.

She was all smiles on our wedding day. She and Papa Youree kept hugging us. So cute.

And then Bryan and I did our best to visit as often as we could.

I quickly learned that Granny and Papa Youree loved each other dearly--thick as thieves is, I believe, how the saying goes. In fact, Granny passed away only weeks before their 70th wedding anniversary. While Papa did most of the chatting while we visited, Granny always piped in with a correction, witty comment, or story of her own. Hilarious--the girl had a sense of humor.

As I've watched these two lovebirds over the last four years, what amazes me most is how intact their family remains. It seems their house is always abuzz with some great-grandchild, grandchild, child, or relative. It was a bit of a culture shock for me to realize this family doesn't just love each other; they like each other too. And that fact is a resounding testament to the genuine love, respect, and faith these two committed to, exemplified, and passed on to their family. Face it--your children's opinion of you is rarely off the mark. And all Granny's babies love and admire her dearly.

I know my four years knowing her does not compare with a lifetime of Granny love many of my Youree in-laws enjoyed. And I know I am not the most knowledgeable about Granny and cannot depict her properly, but I do want to let you know that I loved her too. And respect the woman who nurtured such a family, especially a son who then raised the greatest man I've ever known.

I'm glad she's whole now. No more wheelchair. No more memory lapses. No more broken bones. No more burden of sin and death. But I am sad she's gone, especially knowing my sweet Anna Zane won't remember how Granny Youree lit up when Anna entered the room. Granny loved my baby.

The last day I saw her, Granny gave me a kiss on the cheek. Not the usual, "See ya later" kiss; but the goodbye kiss. She looked me in the eye and said, "I love you."

Granny, this one's for you.

So Sleepy, but no Sleep

2012-01-07T17:19:00.003-06:00

As I type, a certain wee one is in her crib screaming. And I don't mean crying; she's literally screaming. My once-stellar-napper has evolved into more of a nightmare napper.

What am I doing wrong?

It all started at Thanksgiving when we were out of town for nine days and Anna got a cold and ear infection while we were gone. All bed time routines went out the window. When we got back, I felt like we were starting all over again with sleep training. Anyway, she still does great at night: put on lotions, zip up jammies, take a bottle, lay down, out for the night.

But nap time . . . . ayeayeaye.

I rock her 5-10 minutes with her paci just to transition her from playtime to sleepy time. We often read a book. Then I lay her down awake. Until 9 months, she did just fine going to sleep on her own. Now, it's party time in the crib for an hour and then screaming/crying for another hour. Today, she only napped one hour and that was after I caved and rerocked her. It's like she can't put herself to sleep anymore during nap time, but has no problem doing that at night.

My doc thinks I should stick with two naps until she's one.

Advice?

Baby's First Christmas

2012-01-03T14:59:00.001-06:00

Although it's January, I'd like to wish you a Merry Christmas. Ours was quite unique this year--as you might assume. It's for-sure mind-boggling what the presence of a wee one can add to an already joyous and anticipated holiday. The excitement of giving gifts and cherishing family was only trumped by the thought of teaching Anna about the meaning of the season. And what better example of God's gift of salvation than attending a funeral--celebrating a life lived well in dependence upon God. That's how we began our Christmas weekend.

Granny Youree passed away the Wednesday before Christmas. The Youree clan and many friends gathered that Friday to remember Granny and encourage each other in love and hope. I felt it was a really special time.

On Christmas Eve, we visited Grandma Deanna, Uncle Chris, and cousin Baylee, as depicted in the pictures below.

(Uncle Chris really loved Anna's new shirt. Ha. Ha.)

In a stunning surprise, Santa Claus in the flesh stopped by Mimi and Daddy-Pa's house on Christmas Eve. Hesitant is a good word to describe Anna's reaction. She soon warmed up though. In a mobility feat, she followed Santa up the staircase (with Mama following close behind, of course.) The pictures with Santa will find a spot in the blog soon.

Here is Anna hanging out with her good buddy, great-grandpop Buster.

Christmas morning, Anna was delighted to receive a doll, two sippy cups, shakers, and an ornament in her stocking. And even more happy to get a Little People pink jeep, complete with blocks and a girl to drive the car. So, a car and a doll. Which one do you think she played with the most?

The car. She loves the car.

And as much as I tried to downsize her Christmas loot, she got more toys than she needs. But hey--that's part of the fun of being the baby. :-)

This little scrunched nose, is her new silly face. She smiles after she makes it.

Loving on Papa Youree, her singing buddy.

Here Anna is meeting her new baby cousin, Sadie, who is 10 weeks old in the pic. Anna is 10 months old. Who thinks Anna looks like a giant here?

Our Christmas tree and decor are still in place. I'm hoping to clear it all by Valentine's. Or maybe I could leave it all up and let it be a Christmas theme for Anna's birthday. Hmm....

Fast as a Bullet

2011-12-16T23:11:00.002-06:00

Cool weather, the glow of the Christmas tree, a cozy blanket . . . all have me feeling sentimental. Oh, and the chocolate piroulines by my side aren't helping. For many, me included, the holidays stir up a mix bag of emotions. Satisfaction for the successes of the year. Hope for the days ahead, with a touch of anxiety for roads yet traveled. Sadness for the losses still yet redeemed, and joy for the unexpected and definitely undeserved blessings.

Tomorrow at 10:45 a.m. my little baby turns 10 months old. These days, she's looking and acting more toddler than baby. Whenever music of any sort reaches her ears, she immediately stops. And sways back and forth like Stevie Wonder. She's "dancing." Tonight, she pulled up to standing and let go for just a few seconds. Her eyes quickly looked at me, asking, "What in the world is going on?" And instead of wanting a bottle for lunch, she preferred mashed potatoes and green beans at Bryan's Christmas party today. I love that kid a million times infinity.

Did I mention she gave her daddy numerous kisses voluntarily while we were at the holiday lunch? Melt my heart.

Oh, and when you ask, "Who's so big?" she raised her arms as high as she can like a ref signaling a good field goal. We cheer and clap. And then she raises her arms like 45 times in a row. Hysterical. Superman has nothing on her. She's is growing and changing faster than a speeding bullet.

On the other side of the coin . . . Bryan and I are coming to terms with news that Granny Youree's health is declining, apparently at rates neither of us are happy about. She's such a jewel. What a blessing to me to watch Granny light up when Anna enters the room. We pray her last days--whether it be hours, days, or months from now--be peaceful, happy, and hopeful.

Ah, the realities of life and death . . . and the importance of knowing the difference between the two.

It's a "Later Date"

2011-12-13T17:43:00.002-06:00

I promised pictures at a later date, and today is that day. Grab a snack, pictures en masse is what you'll find here!

Sip-n-See photos from Nashville:

Visit to east Tennessee (Jim & Kristen, I don't have any photos from the surprise party. Could you send some my way?):

Thanksgiving at Aunt Tina's:

Baby dedication at Donelson Fellowship:

Meeting Santa for the first time:

The Christmas tree is up at the Yourees!

Getting ready for church in our fancy outfit:

Music Class

2011-12-07T17:34:00.001-06:00

Today was our last infant music class, sniff sniff. Anna loves it soooo much. We were allowed to bring cameras, but this mommy forgot; so the phone camera had to do.

Side note: Anna started saying "Da-da" today. If she's said it once, she's said it a thousand times.

Failed mommy-daughter pic number one.

Failed mommy-daughter pic number two.

Anna in her element. She loves shakers!

"I'm so sad this is my last infant music class."

Oooohhh, the gathering drum, Anna's favorite!

Playing with my friends.

Friday Funnies

2011-12-02T21:52:00.001-06:00

Today I encountered two humorous situations too good not to share.

The first chuckle I had was at the post office where I was waiting in line to purchase Christmas stamps. As my turn neared, I scanned the festive design options. The red and gold Christmas tree really caught my fancy.

"Next."

I approached the counter and said, "I'd like 100 of your Christmas tree stamps."

The lady behind the counter smirked, pulled out a stack of stamps, and showed me a closer peek. These are not Christmas trees, but stamps for the Islam holiday. The gold swirls were actually Islamic writings artistically woven together. However, it was in the shape of a triangle, very similar to a tree.

Well, I better not get those for CHRISTMAS cards, eh.

"In that case, I'll take those darling ornament stamps."

"Don't worry," she said. "You're not the first to ask."

In some ways, I wish I had accidentally purchased those beautiful red and gold stamps because it would have been hilarious . . . . Addressing all my Christian-themed cards and donning them with Muslim garb. You can't make up this stuff.

**Two hours later**

I'm getting gas at Sam's. At $2.94 per gallon, I was not the only one with this idea. Seven or eight other cars were stopped for fuel. Next to me a lady was being approached by a gentleman, who said something along the lines of:

"I'm an electrical engineer, but I've lost my job. Blah, blah, family, kids. I need cash. Can you take me to your ATM?"

Actually, I didn't catch everything he said because, poor fella, his speech was a bit slurred. Okay, it was really slurred.

The lady refused; and the gentleman continued to his right to the next car, away from my direction. Apparently, this man refused as well. So, the money-seeking, tipsy gentleman turned to his left to approach the remaining "gasers." He starts in my direction. And just before he passes my car he says:

"I'm not even going to ask you. You look like a bitch."

Ah, the holidays. I just love this time of year.

November Jet-setters

2011-12-01T21:43:00.001-06:00

To celebrate Anna's first Thanksgiving, we decided to fly east. It was a trip to remember and all that entails.

Let's start from the beginning.

I'm known for packing the night before; so you'll be shocked to learn I started packing on Monday for a Saturday flight. No, that wasn't a typo. I packed several days in advance. Taking enough clothes for five days--which translates into 10 outfits for Anna--for a nine-day stint in Tennessee. (My sister graciously allowed us to wash clothes not once, but twice during our stay.) And even with making a long list of diapers, formula, and toiletries to pick up once we landed, we still managed to lug four suitcases to the airport. We were a production--and a sight to behold.

Like a champ, Anna did wonderfully waiting until we boarded, and then slept through the flight to Nashville. Whew, what a relief.

We enjoyed the weekend in Nashville. Anna adjusted quickly to her Tennessee family, especially her cousin Kullen, who was by far her favorite (much to my sister's chagrin). And a little girl who was slowly, cautiously crawling when we arrived quickly turned into a speedy kneester . . . all thanks to a teeny doggie named Kloie at the Williams' house. Anna chased that dog endlessly, even learning how to play and shake the toys for the dog's attention.

The highlight of that weekend was the Sip-n-See in Anna's honor hosted by Lori, Emilee, and Tina. It was a delight to show off our girl and see friends we've not hugged in awhile. Also, I gorged on sausage balls; they were sooooo yummy.

Come Monday we drove to east Tennessee to visit extended family, stopping first at my aunt and uncle's house. And then there was Monday evening. Sigh. I cringe even typing about it.

Around midnight, we awoke to Anna's screaming. For the next several hours, she would only sleep in short interval of 20-30 minutes. She was congested and running a fever. It was the same symptoms of her sinus and ear infection just two weeks before. The next morning our family was so sweet to love on Anna while we tried to track down a physician to evaluate Anna. Unfortunately, we couldn't find any urgent care facility to take her except the emergency room. We opted to monitor her and take her in Nashville on Wednesday. Thankfully, her fever broke that afternoon.

Tuesday afternoon we drove north of Knoxville to visit my grandmother and other aunts and uncles. When my aunt walked in from work announcing we were eating soup and sandwiches with other family members at the nearby church fellowship hall, I was a bit suspicious. I thought, "Aw, my aunts have set up a little get together for Anna."

Boy, was I surprised.

We walked in to see nearly every cousin I have and all of my aunts and uncles AND my sister and niece and nephew. Shock.

My sweet sister planned a wonderful Alice in Wonderland "un-birthday" party for Anna to celebrate her joining our family. Too. sweet. You know, when people extend acts of kindness to you, it is touching and nice; but when they do so to your child, the feeling grows exponentially. We felt so humbled and honored to witness such love for our girl. The party will forever be a special memory for us.

Oh, and to whomever gave Anna a sweet pink card with a Visa giftcard, much thanks. The card wasn't signed, so we're not sure where to send the "thank you." Teehee.

The next day, we drove back to Nashville and quickly took a number at the urgent care medical center. With one look into that little right ear, the verdict was in: ear infection again. After three near sleepless night, I can't say that we were that surprised. A new round of antibiotics did the trick, thank God!

Anna enjoyed her first Thanksgiving by simply playing with family and munching, er sloshing around, some turkey and veggie baby food.

Like fools, my sis and I decided to venture to Kohl's for the midnight opening. OH. MY. WORD. The line was long . . . and the line to checkout was RIDICULOUS. We shopped for an hour and purchased nothing because we refused to wait for three hours. Now I remember why I no longer "do" Black Friday.

The last Sunday we were in NashVegas, we were so humbled to attend my old church, where my pastor officiated Anna's baby dedication. Such a sweet, special time.

The flight home was uneventful too--hallelujah. Our girl slept again. So, the next time she's not sleeping at night, we'll just hop a plane. Right?

Pictures of all these happenings will come at a later date. Stay tuned.

Achooooo!

2011-11-08T21:17:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow I'm whipping out the pressure washer and attacking our walls, as in the interior walls. Why? Because I feel like we're crawling with sickness.

Okay, mild dramatization. Sorry, but I've HAD it.

Poor, poor Anna has been sick since last Thursday, and maybe even last Wednesday when she only slept 15 minutes for one nap. She's had fever, severe congestion, coughing. It was a cold that turned into a sinus infection that turned into an ear infection. And she was so generous--sharing with her parents. Such a giver.

Did I mention Thursday night she only slept for 15-20 intervals?

But thanks to antibiotics and the ol' "running its course," I think we are all on the mend. Hallelujah! Now, if I could only get her to sleep in . . . .

What Happened on Halloween?

2011-11-03T17:32:00.001-05:00

A lot.

On the not-so-fun side, Anna received her first flu vaccine. Actually, she barely even fussed. One little cry; Bryan popped in the paci; and all was well. We get part two of that dosage at her nine-month visit this month. (Yes, she will be NINE months old in just two weeks. Alas!) At this visit, we learned her weight is now 20 pounds, 12 ounces.

After her afternoon nap, we discovered a tooth--her first one! I suppose she was dead-set on eating some Halloween candy and was determined to do whatever it took to make that happen. She didn't really have any "symptoms" to alert us one was coming through . . . . I mean she's been chewing on everything for five months now! I always thought the teething symptoms--sleep disruption, fussiness, feeding issues--happened BEFORE the tooth broke through. However, we've been experiencing them afterwards. And boy, have we been experiencing them. Yesterday, she slept 15 minutes for her morning nap. Ahem. Today she slept 45.

The Youree three assumed our station on the front porch with jumbo-sized bag of candy ready to go at 6ish. We were surprised, and a little disappointed, that the trick-or-treaters didn't hit the streets to closer to seven. We were curious to see Anna's reaction because she LOVES big kids. So, when the kiddos came up for candy, she would just stare at them, no yelling to get their attention and big leg kicks as she normally does. I guess these folks were not identifiable as big kids in their costumes. :-) She did commandeer three bags of Skittles she now uses as rattles. And speaking of candy, I estimate we had 137 candy vultures stop by.

Here are the pics to commemorate Anna's first Halloween. I'm sure future October 31 posts will include much more glitter and sparkle . . . and yes, even a crown or two.

She wouldn't be still long enough for Bryan to get a good shot!

See? She's clapping her hands and singing here.

Taken just after she donned her Halloween attire.

The First Family Vacation--Fredericksburg

2011-10-20T21:51:00.002-05:00

And when I say family, I mean five Yourees instead of the three. We've learned if we mention babysitting to the grandparents, they take the bait. So, the Youree crew crammed into our new vehicle and drove south to Fredericksburg, Texas.

To celebrate our fourth anniversary, we stayed at the same wonderful bed and breakfast we visited for our first anniversary--Palo Alto Creek Farm. Since our party was a bit larger this go around, we nestled into the Itz House and not the Barn this time. It was superb. The breakfast is always stellar--and abundant. The space was comfortable and cozy (love the period decor). And my favorite part is being on a working farm with the livestock and the wild animals, especially the deer. Anna was fond of watching the kitties.

Kisses by the huge tree! Anna was so well-behaved, but thoroughly spoiled by her grandparents. (We're home now mending her ways--ha!)

Daddy was being silly and put Anna's pants on her head. And then it was time for a shoulder ride, which, as you can see, she loves just about better than anything.

Bath time with Mimi and Daddy-Pa while we celebrated our anniversary on a special date. We ate a yummo meal at Navajo Grill. Those snazzy shades are a Mimi purchase. Of course, Anna is a fan . . . and a cutie!

Here, Anna is bonding with nature.

Mimi and Anna enjoying time outside. (Don't you just LOVE Mimi's new haircut, thanks to Aunt Andrea?)

It's Super Anna . . . dun da dun . . . . She really likes "light" rough housing now. The old tricks I used--kissing her neck and cheek really fast--don't get the same giggles anymore. She's like, "Mom, please, I'm so over that. Toss me around on your shoulders, please."

What a fun vacation! When do we go again???

Baby Goodies: The Top 10

2011-10-09T14:25:00.003-05:00

My dear friend just gave birth to the sweet, super-good-sleeper Oliver Blake. We've been chatting about baby items and schedules--what we like, what we hate. So, here's my top 10. Love it or lump it, these are the baby goodies that have hit a homebrun in the Youree household.

10. Dr. Smith's Diaper Ointment. By far, this is the BEST diaper rash cream. A little goes a long way, and it is super effective. Three cheers for Dr. Smith's.

9. The Soothie Pacifier is the only one Anna will allow in her mouth; it's her drug of choice. They are great to clean . . . no spit or goo collecting near a plastic handle, ect.

8. Shout out a big "yay" for the Bright Starts "Start Your Senses" Giraffe. In the car, in the walker, on the floor, this is a great toy that Anna never tires of. The variety of rings, mirrors, and such help Anna's motor skills.

7. Gas drops are our best friend. They remedy common tummy pain for baby.

6. After using our regular stroller for walks around the neighborhood for a few weeks, it was obvious that stroller wasn't made for the "off road," i.e. anything except store floors. :-) So, we brought home this stroller. It has turned out to be a perfect vehicle for our fun trips around the block.

5. Jesus . . . not our God, but the stuffed lamb that plays "Jesus Loves You." For whatever reason, it has always soothed Anna quickly. And we just started calling it Jesus because it plays that song. She also hugs it now--too cute.

4. To tackle Anna's dry skin, Aquaphor is our best weapon. We cake it on before she snuggles up for bedtime. Because this lotion doesn't have much of a smell, we use Aveeno Calming lotion during the daytime.

3. As far as name brand goes, Pampers are the best fit for us. However, we use the Target Up & Up brand the most. When Anna is home, we are big fans of the BumGenius 4.0 (with snaps). And if you use cloth diapers, the BumGenius sprayer is a must.

2. For hair care, we've discovered California Baby Calendula conditioner and shampoo. Her hair immediately looks healthier when we use it--so soft and shiny.

1. SOPHIE is our #1 toy. Anna loooooves it. She gnaws it. She makes it squeak. She shakes it. She loves it.

Adoption Day in Pictures

2011-10-02T20:53:00.006-05:00

While this pic below isn't of the adoption day, it is her photo shoot from the day before . . . thanks to Daddypa. Mimi informed us that Anna was not a fan of sitting on the grass.

Bath time the night before the big day!

Lotions with Daddy!

Good morning--I'm ready to meet the judge!

Mimi and Anna just before we left before court.

Um, Anna decided to do a little trick in her diaper while we were on the way to the courthouse. Thankfully, we arrived with enough time to changer-roo.

Standing before the judge!

The adoption is final!!!!

The "official" Youree clan.

With our caseworker, Amy.

Yay--she's our baby!

Finally, Forever Family

2011-10-01T11:26:00.004-05:00

September 30, 2011--Adoption Day!

Yesterday we woke up two hours earlier than usual; well, I should say, I woke up two hours earlier. Anna woke up one hour earlier, and Bryan slept in nearly two hours. :-) But we were all getting ready for a very important day.

At 7:30 a.m. we caravan-ed to Dallas with grandparents in tow. (I warned Anna this better be the ONLY time we go to juvenile/family court with her--ha.) Up to the third floor to find a hallway full of people. Apparently, we were not the only one on the docket. :-) Our lawyer informed us we were #20 on the list--yikes. Thankfully, though, for whatever reason, we were moved to #2.

We all waited in the galley until our name was called. "Youree, please come forward." The whole gang--me, Bryan, Anna, Mimi, Daddypa, the lawyer, and Amy, our caseworker--came forward to stand before the judge.

After permission from the judge, the lawyer began his "presentation," and then asked Bryan some questions under oath. I was doing great the whole time--all smiles and hugs--until the lawyer asked Bryan something to the effect of "Do you love this little girl and want to take care of her?" Lawd, lawd, I started to sniffle. Mimi was crying. Bryan's voice cracked when he answered, "yes."

And then it was my turn. Praise God, I was only asked if I would answer the same as Bryan. But I wasn't out of the woods. The lawyer ended by asking, "Do you love this girl and want to provide for her education and well-being?" Tears. Tears. Tears. But "YES!" And then there was no stopping the stream. I cried when the caseworker stated Hope Cottage deemed us acceptable parents and supported the adoption. And then, the words I will NEVER forget:

"The Court finds that all prerequisites and requirements for adoption have been met and that the adoption is in the best interest of this child.

"It is further decreed that the child, the subject of this suit, shall henceforth have the legal name of Anna Zane Youree.

"It is decreed that the adoption of the above described child, the subject of this suit, by Petitioners, be and is hereby granted and that the parent-child relationship shall henceforth exist between the child and the Petitioners."

Hallelujah!

The judge gave Anna a little stuffed teddy-bear. Cute.

In retrospect, the whole event--from how I felt in the morning to the giddiness that followed me the rest of the day--can only be compared in emotion and excitement to my wedding day. The morning of I was nervous and focused, trying to be patient until the time of the event. Standing in the courtroom before an official, stating our desire to love and care for Anna . . . and the pure joy that cascaded once those wonderful words were said . . . . The judge might as well said, "I now pronounce you parents and child." Family. Forever. Amen.

Yay! Happy Adoption Day!

This Week's a Wash

2011-09-24T22:06:00.003-05:00

It's only Saturday night, and I'm already dreaming of Friday. This time it's not because of the lure of another weekend. Bright and early on Friday morning, the Youree three will gather at a court house in Dallas for Anna Zane's finalization hearing; and the adoption process will be final and complete. Our sweet, sweet girl will be legally ours forever and ever.

So, Sunday-Thursday, who cares? Friday, come quick!

She May Be 7 Months . . .

2011-09-17T20:54:00.019-05:00

But these are her six-month pictures:

Talents and Tricks of a Five-Month-Old

2011-08-14T20:51:00.013-05:00

While it sounds so cliche, I'll still say it: Anna is changing fast. It is twilight-zone-amazing how quickly she is growing up. These last four weeks have been full of "firsts." This mama can hardly keep up.

Most every time she sneezes, she smiles now. I think it's funny that she thinks it funny.

Just this weekend, Anna started screaming. Oh no, not to be upset or throw a fit. Just screaming like talking. It's startling, and I cannot believe she hasn't lost her voice yet.

A not-so-fun favorite was the fever situation. Just a couple weeks back, she ran a temperature for three days. The doc wanted to see her to rule out an ear infection. Thankfully, she was clear of that. Who knows? The doc said it was, wait for it . . . . "viral unspecified."

But my favorite is just to watch her growing in happiness and contentment. Now, that's not to say she was once unhappy and content. It's just that as she gets older, she's more demonstrative with her emotions, etc. And it is a blessing to me to see her completely relaxed and happy playing at home. There's no other place she'd rather be or anything she'd rather do than play with mama and daddy.

Look who can roll over BOTH ways now!

Playing in her walker is a new fun activity. Just over the weekend, she started scooting around. Watch out, she'll be jetting around the family room before long!

But her FAVORITE place to play is the excersaucer. And she still loves the mirror. :-)

Her first fashion pig tails moment. It's a good look for her; don't you think?

In other Youree news, poor Bryan has been working, working, working. Thankfully, this is the last week of the awful stretch. He'll actually get two weekends off in a row--a miracle!

And praise the Lord, we got rain!!!! While my plants are beyond saving, I am soooo happy for the rain. Now, only 15 more inches to go and we'll be outta this drought.

Hodge Podge: Kicks, Laughs, and Cousins

2011-08-13T17:48:00.011-05:00

You'll be happy to know we've been doing lots of filming these last 30 days; however, as you'd expect, we haven't been very good at posting to the blog. Er, I should say, that I haven't been very prompt at posting. Bryan is innocent of all charges.

A la a few Anna videos to whet your appetite. Fair warning: She's changing at fast rates.

Just last week, Anna started turbo kicking. She can't get enough of it, especially when dangling toys are around. She had been sitting up (yes, she can do that now), but tumbled backward. And this is what ensued. Bryan took a could clips trying get the full fury on tape.

Baby laughter is more often heard in this house now. Nothing gets Anna's giggle box going like some good old fashioned "rough housing." Notice in this clip, though, how she keeps turning to the camera. I can already hear it now, "Watch me. Watch me." Teehee.

The Thompsons came for a visit in July. It was super watching the cousins play together. Garison, Gunnar, and Gracyn were great entertainment for Anna. They can babysit anytime!

Hotter than . . . .

2011-08-10T11:51:00.002-05:00

When you turn on the local news, what's the top story? This horribly hot summer we are having. Today marks the 40th straight day of triple digit weather. On Saturday, we will break the record for the longest streak of consecutive triple digit temps. And the 7-day forecast is showing no relief. And did I mention the drought? I can't remember when we last had rain, but I know it was at least 60 days ago. At least. The garden is fried. Most of our plants are looking rough, if not already crispy. If it wasn't for the sprinkler system, we'd be up in flames.

In other--and more pleasant--news . . . .

Monday marked our last post-placement visit, meaning we are only a court hearing away from Anna Zane becoming "officially" ours. Whoo-hoo. Come on, September 8th!

We also had the pleasure of hosting our niece Baylee for a week. I'm proud to report I tested her shopping stamina. She's 14, which is saying a lot. Good to know I've still got it. (Teehee.)

Rangers game with Baylee! (I'm not quite sure why this photo is so small.) We lost 3-0, but it was fun nonetheless. We got the bright idea to eat ice cream in 100-degree weather. Can we say "melted-by-the-time-we-got-to-our-seats"?

Ah yes, the cousins in a photo shoot. Such pretty girls, right?

And just a side note: Baby clothes with ruffles look really cute on the hanger at the store. But when you wash, and then have to iron . . . ugh, no.

The Epitome of Cuteness

2011-07-28T21:25:00.008-05:00

July = busy Youree bees. Thus, the lack of blog posts. Please forgive me. I will make up for it with this mega, super, duper update. Hold onto your chairs . . . .

This is what a five-month-old looks like. And she's sporting her new separates. We are becoming fans of the whole shirt/pant option. It is a life-saver when poop and/or vomit enters the picture. It is also interesting to note, this outfit falls in the 6-9 month range. So, for those of you who cannot resist buying clothes for Anna Zane, we are golden when it comes to summer clothes. However, in the winter 9-12 months area, we are lacking.

Maybe she should be Minnie Pearl for Halloween . . . a cuter Minnie Pearl for sure.

She's talking here. Her range of sounds and expressions has expanded so much in the recent weeks.

What can I say? ADORABLE.

As you can tell, the mama and the daddy thought Anna's hat-wearing was exceptionally cute.

The Youree Three!

Daddy Pa took this picture while Anna was in the crib. Love those fingers in her mouth. She drools and drools and chews and chews, but still no teeth!

Four generations of Yourees.

Mama loves those toes.

She is still a super, super good sleeper, averaging 11-12 hours a night. She wakes up sometime between 8-9 in the morning. And of course, she usually starts off the day right with a poopie diaper. Next, comes the bottle, but what a battle that’s been recently! She is so energetic in the mornings; she will hardly take her bottle. It takes nearly 30-40 minutes to get the whole thing eaten. We have to stop to play with the burp cloth, the bottle, her toes, my hair, and on and on. When we lotion up and get dressed. Most often she plays on her back for a few minutes to help with digestion and spitting up. But she LOVES her excersaucer and can now touch the floor. So that added umph makes it extra fun. She can play for around two hours before she’s ready for a nap. I'm so proud to report she loves books. We read three or four before her afternoon nap. Anna is starting to help me turn the pages—too cute. Of course, there are new tricks! Anna’s hand-eye coordination gets better every day. She’s really able to grasp and hold toys well. Her favorite toy is Sophie the Giraffe. When she gnaws on that, she talks and talks and talks. She is also really close to sitting up by herself. Even now she doesn’t fall to one side of the other. Her issue is she wants to lean forward to grab those toes; and then she doesn’t know how to lift back up. Aside from her morning bottle, she eats 7-8 ounces at every feeding. And at those feedings she does just fine. Also, she seems to be cutting two teeth. As you can imagine, drool. Drool. Drool. I call her Niagara Falls. Anna likes riding in the car. More often than not, she ends up drifting off to sleep--which is what I am about to do now! Goodnight!

Video-rama

2011-07-06T15:44:00.011-05:00

I've been videoing, but I haven't been posting. Enjoy this mega-video post!

Swimming in Uncle Lanny's pool:

Anna is a big girl now in her excersaucer. I tried to sneak up on her because if she spies any electronics she immediately stops what she's doing.

Luci's birthday party was the bash of the year, complete with a petting zoo for the kiddos. I was all about Anna's first experience with cute critters. What's funny is that Bryan wasn't so keen on the idea of her touching them. Notice how he jerks back after she pets the bird. Hysterical. I quickly learned how many infectious diseases these animals can carry. :-)

Oh the bunny . . . .

Anna and her Granny Youree!

And her Papa Youree!

She can't decide if she wants to play or sleep:

Leeland and Sanctus Real

2011-07-05T09:39:00.001-05:00

I know the organizers for this concert; so I'm helping them with a wee bit of promo . . . .

Two popular Christian bands will be playing in Frisco, TX in September as a part of the Out of the Ordinary Concert. Sanctus Real and Leeland are two of today’s hottest CCM acts. Sanctus Real is most noted for their runaway hit song Lead Me while Leeland is highly recognized for popular songs like Sound of Melodies and Tears of the Saints.

The concert will take place on Wednesday evening September 21, 2011 at 7:00 PM at the Frisco Convention Center and Embassy Suites near the Dr. Pepper Arena. Popular student and family ministry experts Mark Matlock and Hayley DiMarco will lead this exciting night of praise in the Metroplex. Event promoters anticipate that many churches will bring their youth groups.

For ticketing information and pricing go to http://www.OutOfTheOrdinaryConcert.com.

For more information on the bands, updates, or other social media sources check out:

· The concert Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Out-of-the-Ordinary-Concert/169308523126680

· Concert Twitter page: https://twitter.com/friscoconcert

· Sanctus Real’s website and videos: http://www.sanctusreal.com/

· Leeland’s website and videos: http://www.leelandonline.com/

For more information go to http://www.OutOfTheOrdinaryConcert.com. For media interviews call 615.804.8784 to speak with Matt Markins or email him at matt.markins@randallhouse.com.

Anna's New Obsession--Her Daddy

2011-07-04T12:04:00.004-05:00

Anna has always reacted well to Bryan, but in the last week, she has become a big fan of daddy. When he's home, she wants him to hold her, play with her, rock her, feed her. A few days ago after she blessed mommy with the poopie of the century, I placed her in the walker so I could clean up the mess (I'll spare you the details). It took me a good 10-15 minutes to get everything poop free. And she cried the entire time. She was so mad it was almost funny. About that time Bryan came home from work, she reached for him . . . and leaned on his chest. So funny and sweet. She was so "telling" on mama.

The Father's Day photo shoot

This sketch was Bryan's Father's Day gift. My good friend, Mary Ann Martin, created this for us from a photo I gave her. She is a superb artist not only creating wonderful sketches, but paintings as well. If you are interested in commissioning her for a project (which I'd highly recommend), you can contact her at marycassatti@gmail.com.

Anna loves to sit her daddy's lap. She will just lay back and relax. Of course, she'd NEVER do that with mama. :-)

Create a Monster

2011-06-28T13:45:00.005-05:00

No, I'm not talking about Anna, silly. She is as far away from a monster as anyone I know.

But I AM talking about a super fun new app created by none other than my own cousin! (Gushing with pride.) The Create A Monster HD app recently launched and is already generating buzz. This oh-so-fun app allows kids of all ages (meaning kids my age too) to create silly monsters all their own, promoting creativity, trial-and-error problem-solving, and ingenuity.

The Create A Monster app is now nominated as one of the 2011 best apps for kids. And they need votes to boost them to the top spot. You can read Babble.com's review and vote for the Create A Monster HD app here.

My cousin and her husband started a new company called "justfun." In a nutshell, they are passionate about championing creativity--in kids and adults alike. Their website, justfun.com says, "Our goal is to provide high quality educational and entertainment apps that kids and adults will enjoy engaging with again and again." Check out the website; it has more info, tutorials, and even a monster idea gallery.

So visit. Vote. And cheer "yay" for my fam!

Hodge Podge

2011-06-24T22:57:00.004-05:00

(I love her toes in this pic!)

June had nearly come and gone. My how time flies when . . . .

Anna celebrated her fourth month of life on the planet just last week. We are proud to report her doctor's visit went well. She's still top-of-the-class when it comes to weight and height. Our girl is now 25.75 inches tall and 16 pounds even. She's just changing every day, discovering so many new things like the television remote, Daddy's glasses, wet wash cloths, her toes, giggles, how fun it is to pee when mom takes off the diaper, the smiley face of her flower toy, the chew-ability of Sophie, and the wonder of watching clothes swish in the washing machine.

The following pics sum up what we've been doing the last few weeks.

Practicing sitting up AND helping mom with a photo shoot.

I call this her "Gap" picture.

She's so intrigued by the camera, I can hardly ever catch a smile. Finally--the Anna grin!

Getting dressed . . . .

Daddy Pa and Mimi came to visit!

We visited with Papa Youree.

Anna was interested in his watch.

Aunt Lori stealing Anna kisses--the best kisses around.

Aunt Lori flew all the way from Nashville to take this picture. :-)

'Grace in the Empty Spaces' video

2011-06-23T15:14:00.002-05:00

First of all, please allow me to express my displeasure that I could not italicize the Bible study's title in the blog title. Ah, the annoyances of an editor. Teehee . . . .

I'd be dee-lighted if you watched this video created especially for our Bible study, Grace in the Empty Spaces. I'd be even happier if you posted it to your blog, Facebook, Twitter, or email it to everyone you know (okay, "everyone" may be asking too much). Please help me spread the word!

Water Baby

2011-06-19T22:19:00.006-05:00

Bath time is usually a relaxing moment in the day for Anna Zane; so we thought it's time for the swimming pool experience. Uncle Lanny volunteered his pool for the experiment. While we only splashed about for 15 minutes, it was a hit. She was curious about the whole ordeal, but kicked those legs. Oh, and her bathing suit was to-die-for.

Cousin Colton was a big help.

Anna wishes she could move around like Colton.

Um, putting on the bathing suit was touch-and-go.

Colton showed Uncle Bryan all his pool tricks!

Not only did we enjoy the pool at Uncle Lan's, more important we also celebrated the Pfahl's exciting news with a baby shower! It was a fun time to visit with family. Cousin Alyssa toted Anna around.

In other news, we finally got furniture for Anna's nursery. (The nursery decor is almost complete.) Anna wasn't fond of the changing table at first, but she loves it now. (I'm realizing there's a lot of pics of her crying in this post. Really--she's a happy baby.)

Sleep Struggles

2011-06-16T10:15:00.003-05:00

It happened again. Little Anna Zane woke up at 4:00 a.m. crying. This is the second time this week, and the second week in a row that she does this. The sleep irregularities started three weeks ago when she started waking 30-45 minutes into her nap. That is not everyday, but at least three times a week. When she wakes up at night now, we give her a "half" bottle, thinking maybe she's hungry. And then, she does seem to be cutting two teeth on the bottom. So, we wondered is this teething???

If only Anna could talk . . . . .

We, of course, worry we are doing something wrong, especially since these sleep problems come from a little gal who slept like clockwork, and a lot! Next week is Anna's doctor visit, so hopefully, we'll get some troubleshooting options.

If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Hope Cottage

2011-06-08T11:41:00.003-05:00

Three months ago today, we walked into Hope Cottage Pregnancy and Adoption Center at 2:00 p.m. We walked out over an hour later with a sweet little girl in our arms.

This past Sunday we visited Hope Cottage again for its annual summer picnic. It was really fun to see Anna's case workers again and to meet new adoptive families. We treasure events like this. (Notice Anna Zane is completely zonked out in the Hope Babies picture.)

Anna's pic has also graced the Hope Cottage blog. Click here to see her place in the Mother's Day tribute.

Of course, Hope Cottage means the world to us. I'm really excited too that Kroger, Albertsons, and other Randalls stores have chosen Hope Cottage as a charity to sponsor. You can link your shopping cards at these grocers; when you make a purchase, the store will make a donation to Hope Cottage. And this option is available nationally, not just in Texas. If you'd like to link your grocery shopping cards to Hope Cottage, just email mosborne@hopecottage.org.

Passionate About Playtime

2011-06-03T17:30:00.001-05:00

Click here to watch someone who is very passionate about her daily chore--playtime. If everyone only had this kind of enthusiasm. :-)

May Recap

2011-06-01T16:06:00.010-05:00

Let's see in May, Anna hit the three month mark and I celebrated my first Mother's Day. Here is Anna in her pretty dress for Mother's Day:

She is now a kicker and arm-mover when she's on her back. She's loves to move! I tried to catch this in action (notice how "healthy" she looks).

Daddy and Anna like to cuddle when he gets home from work.

Anna Zane's favorite past time these days is the the play yard Aunt Tina gave her.

Reading My Mind

2011-05-23T16:36:00.004-05:00

A juggling act--that's my new profession. Wife. Mama. Sister. Friend. Church member. Gardener. Writer. Editor. Author. Cook. Family calendar administrator. Taxi. Bell-hop.

And all the veteran mamas, nod their heads (and probably roll their eyes) . . . you know what I mean.

With so much on the ol' plate, a lot has been shuffling through my mind. So here, now you can read my mind:

Some days (like yesterday) Anna is fussy for no apparent reason; well, except teething. And that is a major reason. I'm just trying to pretend it's not true. :-)
On Saturday, I saw an elderly woman who suffered from a severe arched/humped back. She seemed homeless, since she was carrying several tattered bags loaded down with goods. She was dressed in several layers, one of which was a winter coat. (Did I mention it was nearly ninety degrees on Saturday?) And this lady was trying to cross a busy street. My heart was blessed when I witnessed a van stop to help. Three ladies from the van helped put the struggling woman's items inside, took off her coat, and offered her a ride.
Addressing the recent end-of-the-world predictions, I read a marquee this weekend that said: "You can be a good person without a belief in God." Strange. It's as if the person thought the goal of a relationship with God was to be a good person. Clearly, he or she does not know much about God.
What is the difference between the hand wash and delicate cycle? Really, the washer seems to be doing the same thing.
How in the world do mothers across the globe clean their homes?
Cloth diapers will make me crazy. Whose bright idea . . . .
Anna is growing faster than I can keep up. I'd like to relish each milestone, but at this rate, her baby book will soon turn into a novel.

Here's a picture of Anna because no blog post is complete without one. :-)

Home Movies Galore

2011-05-20T16:57:00.011-05:00

A few of our Anna movies are too long for the ol' blog to load; so I've (I hope) uploaded them to YouTube.

Click here to see our gal talking up a storm.

Click here to see Anna when she first started becoming more mobile and interactive.

(If these links don't work, I have uploaded them to Facebook too.)

People told me babies grow and change fast. They weren't lying. It bumfuzzles me everyday how Anna just wakes up with a new skill, a new trick up her sleeve. :-) One day it's rolling over; the next she's clasping her hands. Tomorrow, I'll walk into the nursery to find her standing in her crib, saying, "Good morning, Mother. I would enjoy some milk, please."

And it's been refreshing to me to watch her become amazed. She stares at her fingers as they move. She's enthralled by the feel of a blankie. Just today, we sat on the back deck as a storm approached. The trees were whipping around. She was absolutely entranced by the moving limbs and leaves; the best mobile around. Watching her little face glued upward prompted me to look up as well and enjoy the show. Oh, how fun it is going to be as we watch her grow and discover all the wonders in life, giving us a happier, more appreciative perspective all the while.

Here are a few more--shorter--snipits of Anna Zane's wonderful world.

In this one, I was soooo hoping to catch her rolling over. She'd just accomplished that feat moments before. At this point last week, rolling over was still more of an accident than intentional.

Last week, Anna laughed for the first time. Her daddy was making funny sounds, and she let out three giggles. I ran for the camera; but of course, no laughs on film. Still, she's cute.

Finally--captured on camera! See, I wasn't lying!

Grace in the Empty Spaces . . . Is on Bookstore Shelves!!!

2011-05-11T12:48:00.005-05:00

Grace in the Empty Spaces: Transformed by the One-Another Passages, a Bible study I co-authored with Mark McPeak, is RELEASED!

Last Friday, I received copies in the mail, making that moment the first time I'd see the final hard copy. And I'm so excited about the final product!

So, what's the study about? Here's how the publisher put it:

If you could improve—even remedy—the dysfunction in your local congregation, would you? Of course, we all strive for unity in various settings, but we often ignore direct instruction given in Scripture on how to treat others. This is an excellent small group study that will teach those principles and give practical instruction on how those should impact every life. Imagine the significant turnaround in today’s society if such principles were practiced.

FEATURES

God’s design for close relationships is intentional. He means for our closeness with each other to be a benefit and a blessing. This is a six-week small group study that is centered on the instructions in Scripture on how to treat one another. The following subjects are covered:

Love One Another
Pray for One Another
Forgive One Another
Fellowship With One Another
Submit to One Another
Minister to One Another

Visit your local Christian bookstore to pick up copies. If it's not yet on the shelves, ask to order it. The study retails for $10.99. You can also find the study on Amazon.com; or you can go straight to the source and order from the publisher--randallhouse.com or 1-800-877-7030. If you order by the case, you get a discount price of $8.99 per book--a great deal for use in small group settings.

Mark and I also wrote a Leader's Guide to aid study group facilitators in leading discussion for church groups, etc. The Leader's Guide is FREE and can be downloaded at randallhouse.com/page.asp?pg=downloads.

Please feel free to ask me any questions about the study! I'm dee-lighted to talk about it. :-)

Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On

2011-05-10T17:55:00.002-05:00

Just last week, Anna Zane wore blue jeans for the first time. She loved it . . . . What am I talking about? She didn't even know. But Mama loved it. :-)

I attempted a photo shoot, which did not turn out very well thanks to a little gal who now loves to throw around her arms and feet. These are the best of the crop.

I laugh at the stunned look on her face.

Such a pretty face!

Her feet crack me up in this one!

Yeah, the photo shoot wasn't all fun and games.

Daddy's favorite!

"Uh, Mom, what are you doing?"

Blockbusters, Starring Anna Zane

2011-05-09T16:00:00.011-05:00

Meeting Grandmama: In Honor of Mother's Day

2011-05-08T22:21:00.003-05:00

A few weeks back on our first out-of-town trip, we were able to visit Grandma Deanna for the first time . . . well, Anna's first time. :-)

A DeAnn, a Deanna, and an Anna.

Cousin Baylee and Anna were fast friends.

Uncle Chris has the knack for getting Anna to sleep!

All About Anna

2011-05-05T09:43:00.004-05:00

Have you ever seen anything so sweet? Sigh.

I love those lips and those chubby cheeks. We often joke she's gonna keep bruises on her cheeks because we kiss them so much!

Anna Zane is now in the double digits--10 weeks old. So crazy to believe . . . . it's nearly two months since we brought her home.

Here are a few facts about life in Youree house:

Playtime is more and more fun with her now squealing and talking. She's also become very fond of "chewing" on her left fist. Bryan and I are impressed by how much of the fist she can actually get in her mouth!
When we lay her down to change her diaper, she starts marching in place--every time. Those arms and legs swing just as if she's in army. If she starts saluting, I"ll be worried . . .
Size 0-3 months is getting tight. I'm predicting two more weeks in those clothes and then we're moving up! We've already purchased size 2 diapers. Oh, our growing girl.
Anna still loves to eat. She's downing 6-7 ounces every four hours.
And the most glorious of all . . . . (bragging drum roll, please) she is sleeping 10-11 hours straight per night!!!!!! Thank the LORD!
When I hold Anna up on my shoulder, she's now wrapping her arms around my neck--voluntarily. Talk about melting a mama's heart.
For whatever reason, she likes looking at bears, especially polar bears.
Taking a walk (er, ride in her stroller) is one of the top five activities Anna enjoys. When we go under a tree, her face lights up.
Riding in the car puts her to sleep.
Anna still cries when we put lotion on her. But she loves bath time (except when you wash her face). She's just beginning to kick her leg a bit in the water.
When she's playing on her back, I walk by periodically just so she can see me and hear me. After a few minutes of not seeing me, she'll grin from ear to ear when I talk to her just like she's been waiting for me to say something. So cute.
If I'm holding her and Bryan is walking around the room (or vice versa), she trails him with her eyes. "What's my daddy doing?" She needs to be "in the know."

Property Tax Joke, i.e. not Practical

2011-05-03T21:16:00.003-05:00

Horror crossed his face. With an emphatic smack, Bryan set the envelope's contents on the counter. The bad news? Our property tax assessment came in 10 percent higher than last year--a year in which it increased 6 percent from 2009.

Oh the drama.

Bryan spent the next 30 minutes surfing tax records online only to find that most of our neighbors' property taxes actually went down, not up. A few simply stayed the same. Yeah, we did replace a rotting chimney last year, and we've remodeled one bathroom . . . . but folks on our block have added a master bedroom suite, extra square footage, and so forth. And our house is probably one in more need of improvements compared to the rest of the block. So, how in the world does our house cost so much more per square foot????

We've heard horrible stories of those who've gone before us to protest the property tax assessment . . . . in essence, "don't waste your time." Thus, Bryan collected a lot of information, well-organized and succinct.

He called on Monday. After briefly explaining the situation, Bryan was hoping for some explanation as to how the assessor's office came to such a conclusion on our property. What he received was a casual, "Yeah, that looks like a problem. So, what would you like your tax to be?"

Really?

Really.

While we did negotiate lower property taxes with little resistance from the city, this is not a comforting response from the assessor's office. We are not trying to evade paying any reasonable taxes; we'd really like to know HOW our property taxes are determined.

We shall see what next year holds . . . . .

On the Road Again . . .

2011-05-01T21:41:00.004-05:00

The week after the family reunion we headed north to celebrate Pop's 80th birthday! And what a party it was . . . so. much. food.

Of course, we were also able to show off our sweet girl. :-)

Anna was a dream traveling via car too. She is still really little; so it's mostly sleepy time when she feels that car moving. The real trick/test will be when she's like 8 months old. I have a feeling that travel blog post will be a bit different . . . .

The birthday boy (I was so worried the cake was going to hit the floor!)

Gunnar loves his cousin!

Pop & Anna

Anna loves Aunt Christi and Uncle John!

Gracyn playing "baby doll" again :-)

Reunion Recap

2011-04-28T18:00:00.007-05:00

For our first car trip--albeit a day trip--was to Bryan's family reunion in Sherman, Texas. And I am so proud to report she was a trooper, handling everyone handling her so well. With minimal napping that day, she slept through the night for the first time! Thank you, reunion!

Gracyn was on a baby-holding frenzy.

Anna showing her new trick--raising up while on her belly

Granny and Anna!

Multiple generations

Papa and Anna, buds

Three of the Youree grandgirls

Most of the Youree grandkids

Anna and her BFF, Gunnar

Gracyn and Anna

Garrison and Anna Zane

My Other Child

2011-04-27T12:45:00.002-05:00

Friday is--fingers crossed--the DAY Grace in the Empty Spaces is RELEASED! However, you can already take a peek on Amazon. This project has been life-changing for me. My co-author, Mark McPeak, totally humbled me when he asked me to join the writing process. Looking at the finished product I cannot believe we produced something so great. Although it sounds loopy, it almost feels like an out-of-body experience! Ha!

I certainly pray as it hits the shelves that it will challenge others as it has me to be more intentional with relationships within the Church.

The Many Faces of . . .

2011-04-21T21:11:00.008-05:00

Feel free to insert your own caption.

Meeting Mimi and Daddy-Pa

2011-04-20T16:17:00.015-05:00

Miss Anna Zane was super excited to meet her paternal grandparents, Mimi and Daddy-Pa. They came for a visit during the end of March, beginning of April. And what fun did she have!

Anna was a fan of napping with Daddy-Pa.

The Youree gals!

When Mimi walked into the nursery, this is how she found our daughter and Daddy-Pa. They were napping together!

Poor Mimi seemed to always get stuck with this chore!

Meeting my family!

Two-month Update

2011-04-19T15:59:00.002-05:00

Anna Zane "enjoyed" her two-month doctor's appointment today. We are delighted to report that she is now 12 pounds and 5 ounces and a staggering 23.75 inches in length. She's still hanging strong in that 90th percentile for height!

In less happy news, she received three vaccines; thankfully, one of those was via the mouth! And we learned she has a mild case of thrush (spelling?). The good doc gave us some meds, which Dr. Youree will be administering. :-)

Daddy-Pa's First--and certainly not last--Photo Shoot

2011-04-14T14:25:00.009-05:00

Right off the bat, I'll apologize! I'm waaaaaay behind on blogging. So, fingers crossed, I'll catch you up on our growing girl.

At the beginning of the month, Mimi and Daddy-Pa came for a visit. And the picture snapping started. Here are some of her mama's favorites.

Sip 'N See Anna Zane

2011-04-11T14:55:00.007-05:00

Tuesday, March 8 we brought baby Anna home. On that Sunday our sweet church family hosted a Sip 'N See for Anna Zane. We were so blessed by how many people stopped by--on such short notice AND it was spring break weekend!

With just 24-hour advance notification, we did not have much of a chance to get nursery items before Anna arrived on the scene. Thus, it was such a blessing that so many brought gifts to celebrate Anna's arrival! Our car was packed--what a treat!

Anna told a joke . . . we all laughed. :-)

A family of THREE!

Sweet Nadia . . . so cute!

She's changed so much since this pic was taken!

Thank you to the Dentons for opening up their home! And thank you to Sherry, Kaye, and Brittany for making the Sip 'N See so special for us.

Big Muscles

2011-04-08T12:34:00.002-05:00

Anna surprises us with her strength. She is such a strong girl! These days she can really hold her head up for a minute or two; we think that's impressive for a six-week old. Then again, she is ours! And we think everything is impressive!

Anna's Photos by Haley Owens

2011-04-02T10:30:00.006-05:00

Bryan and I have been so excited to share these wonderful pics of our beautiful Anna Zane. These were taken by Fort Worth photographer Haley Owens when Anna was three weeks and two days. We couldn't be more pleased with them!

This chair belonged to Bryan's grandmother, Betty Zane, and now sits in our living room. Anna is named after this sweet lady.

This quilt was made by my Grandmother Ruth. On the other side is a patchwork of my mother's old clothes.

If you'd like to know more about Haley Owens' photography, just post a question or send me an email!

Visitors!

2011-03-28T16:41:00.004-05:00

These two weeks many important people traveled near and far to see our sweet Anna Zane. And those wonderful visitors were too kind to help mommy sleep, clean, and cook.

Mia did an EXCELLENT job holding Anna and helping me feed her. However, she was a bit disappointed that it took so long for Anna to eat her "white milk" and that the baby wasn't interested in watching a movie.

Jackson holding Anna here. I was amused by his horror when Anna passed a little gas during her feeding--hysterical!

"I like to sit up."

Aunt Jennifer and Anna. The baby was a fan of Jen's bright shirt.

Cousin Kullen and Anna--fast friends from the get-go.

Cousin Kristen and Anna . . . . already good babysitting material, this gal here! Come stay the summer!!!!

Aunt Natalie and big girl Anna! Thanks for helping us sort the loot from her baby shower!

Our Girl's Growing!

2011-03-23T21:56:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we had the pleasure of meeting Anna's pediatrician for the first time at her one-month appointment. I must say, we were both really impressed . . . and thankful he shares similar parenting philosophies as we do.

She is very healthy and growing, growing quickly. We were shocked, but happy, to discover she is nearly 10 pounds now! Anna is in the 50-75 percentile for her weight and in the 85 percentile for her length. She's grown 2.5 inches since birth. How blessed we are that she is so healthy--music to a mama's ear.

Bryan was a trooper at the doctor's office, standing by Anna's side while she got her shot. Um, the mama bear bailed to the waiting room. She did well, though. Anna only screamed for about three seconds until Bryan picked her up. Then, it was business as usual. She's a star. :-)

Tomorrow we will also start giving her more ounces in that bottle. We've been doing so at her nighttime feeding, but she's seeming more and more hungry as the day goes. Six ounces--here we come!

Anna Zane Videos!

2011-03-17T17:18:00.005-05:00

This I Know

2011-03-13T21:38:00.002-05:00

Here's what I've learned this week:

Anna Zane looks so cute in light shades of green and blue, especially aqua tones.
I can survive and function quite nicely on a handful of hours of sleep.
Bryan will win the Father of the Year Award. He's so wonderful.
Rectal thermometers double as life savers. Not the candy.
A church family is really a family. We were blown away by the kindness and generosity of a sip-'n-see thrown in honor of Anna . . . put together in only five days!
Two a.m. is becoming a favorite of mine.
I'm becoming more of a mother every day.
"Sure, that tile looks good."
Normalcy and routine will again come my way.
I love brownies . . . a lot.
Poop happens. Ahem.
It's easier to sacrifice when it's for someone you love.
I'm addicted to hovering . . . a.k.a. watching Anna every moment of the day.
We can do this.

Back by Popular Demand

2011-03-11T20:01:00.004-06:00

Family and friends say we can't post pictures fast enough. I'm trying! I'm trying!

Anna fell asleep during her playtime.

Meeting her friends for playtime.

Um, she was a little fussy today. :-)

Morning cuddle time with daddy.

Mmm . . . prune juice and formula. Surprisingly, she gobbled it up!

Checking for poop. She mostly likes to have her diaper changes. Sometimes when she's really hungry, it doesn't go so well.

Her first day home.

Oh yeah, we are remodeling a bathroom this week too! The tile's been laid, and is looking so good. We are beyond blessed that our contractors are working so hard to get it wrapped up.

What's in a Name?

2011-03-10T21:24:00.003-06:00

Many folks are asking what we need and what not. So, tonight I wrapped up our registries at Babies 'R Us and Target. Tomorrow, if our sweet Anna is cooperative, we will visit Zoe and Jack to register there.

Also, lots of people are asking about her name--Anna Zane. Anna means "grace, favor, merciful." My mother's name is Deanna, and my middle name is DeAnn. Also, my sister's name is Tina, so she shares the same ending with Anna. Zane means "God is gracious." Bryan's maternal grandmother is named Betty Zane. She was very influential in his life. And ta-dah, we have our Anna Zane.

More Pictures of Our Sweet Girl

2011-03-10T15:29:00.005-06:00

Anna Zane LOVES to eat. This was the bit of bottle I got to feed her when we first met. Precious.

These are the Rutledges, who cared for her the first two weeks. They did a wonderful job, and I am eternally grateful to them.

The Rutledges gave us a CD of pics. This was taken at their house the morning she was to meet us. They bought this outfit as a gift to her.

This is the first picture I ever saw of Anna. It is the most precious to me. I cry when I see it. Happy sigh.

These two are pics Bryan took on his phone.

The 24-Hour Review

2011-03-09T19:10:00.001-06:00

As I type this update, our sweet, wonderful treasure is nestled on a pillow beside me snoozing away. What a beauty she is!

Of course, you know these last 24 hours have been a doozie! Here's a bit of a recap . . . .

Tuesday morning Bryan bravely worked to see his clinic patients. I scurried around the house trying to get two articles submitted, and trying to get a diaper bag packed, baby laundry finished, and answering multiple phone calls. Oh, did I mention the TILE guy showed up? :-) Right . . . the bathroom remodel. . . . oh yeah.

We made it to the adoption agency 30 minutes early--the easiest Dallas traffic I've ever seen. We spent 30 minutes or so completing paperwork with a case worker. We learned some more about Anna's birth parents and family.

Then, the big moment came! We were going to be ushered into see her. Jennifer, the case worker was gone for an eternity. When she came back, we learned that Anna needed to eat. So they wanted her to finish before we came in. She's a little piggy and doesn't like to be interrupted when she's munching on her lunch. :-)

Just a few more minutes and we followed Jennifer into the room where she was waiting, along with three case workers and the couple whose been caring for her these two weeks. I can't really describe to you what it was like--surreal, emotionally choking, paralyzing, exciting . . . . . Amazingly, Bryan and I stayed really calm and was able to hold her. I got to finish feeding the last fourth of her bottle. We stayed and visited for about 45 minutes with the Rutledges, her caregivers. They explained her schedule--feeding 5 oz every four hours, and napping a lot.

When we placed her in the car seat she fell asleep and remained asleep all the way home and for over an hour when we arrived. When she woke up, she was in a good mood, even smiled a couple times. (Of course, we LOVED that.) We feed her around six, and everything was all good for an hour. And then . . . . it went downhill.

What's that they say--baptism by fire? Right.

Anna would not lay down at all until two in the morning. She was very fitful and restless, dozing some when you'd hold her, and then screaming the second you laid her down. I rested from eleven-ish to nearly two, when I relieved Bryan, who was snoozing in the chair with Miss Anna. :-) I turned on our lamp so she could see me. We made eye contact; and I told her that we promised to take care of her, never to leave her, and that we were nice people. And that her bed was nice to. She'd like it if she gave it a try. :-) Praise God, within 20 minutes she was sleeping much easier in my arms and did not stir when I laid her in the crib. She slept until six on the dot, when it was exactly time for her bottle. She then slept until 8:30.

Today has gone SO MUCH BETTER. We are praying the night goes as well. She's stuck to her schedule perfectly. We are planning--fingers crossed--to give her a bath right before her ten o'clock feeding. No matter, we are delighted and fell more in love with her today.

I'd just like to say, though, for the record that I did have a minor breakdown during the night, thinking God had made a mistake choosing me for this role, and how in the world was I going to get her to sleep. But, with the morning and such a good day, He's reminding me to trust His good gifts and His sweet faithfulness to provide just what we need. And who could ask for more than that?

And I know that everyone is going to real upset that there are no pictures attached to this blog. Please, have grace, I'm a new mom. Teehee . . . .

Anna Zane's First Home Movies!

2011-03-08T18:00:00.006-06:00

Please Meet Our Baby Girl . . .

2011-03-08T16:42:00.003-06:00

The very beautiful and very sweet Anna Zane Youree!

We made it home!

The photos are from the adoption agency. We'd just met her. I will post a more thorough blog in a bit, complete with video, I hope!

Getting Ready for Baby

2011-03-08T11:28:00.002-06:00

The last 24 hours have--by far--been the craziest, most wonderful we have ever experienced. Bryan valiantly worked through the day, keeping focused on the prize. And I hurried around trying to get organized--not very successfully. We've so blessed and excited by everyone's kind congratulations, prayers, and best wishes. I do believe my Facebook and e-mail will explode!

Last night, we started off attempting to register, but soon realized that was not going to happen. We will hopefully be able to wrap that up within a few days. Bryan found his "man" diaper bag, and that's what we'll be taking with us today.

One load of laundry is washed, and another is swishing now. We were so blown away when we arrived at the house at like ten o'clock to find several bags of baby clothes and goodies waiting on our doorstep! And this morning a dear friend brought by beautiful tulips! We are so loved!

On our bathroom counter sets a Bible-verse-of-the-day calendar. Today's verse is 2 Corinthians 9:15--"Thank God for his Son--a gift too wonderful for words!" Amen!

I've been humming all morning . . . .

"Yet saints their watch are keeping,

Their cry goes up 'How long?'

And soon the night of weeping,

Shall be the morn of song."

Only 45 minutes until we leave . . . .

It's a Girl!

2011-03-07T15:12:00.003-06:00

It is with great excitement and overwhelming joy that I announce . . . . WE MATCHED WITH A BABY!

We will be bringing home our baby girl tomorrow afternoon!!!!! She was born on February 17, 2011, weighing in at a stellar 7lb and 1oz and 20 inches long. We are OVER the moon with happiness and praise to our Father, who gives all good gifts. How wonderful that we will bring her home on March 8, which will be the five-year anniversary of our first date!

After nine "almost" babies, we decided to start keeping potential baby info to ourselves. It had just become emotionally draining telling everyone when it didn't work out.

So, we found out about this baby--lucky number 10--on March 1st. It was the standard email informing us of the hospital referral. We had one day to respond if we wanted our profile shown. We agreed this was an ideal situation for us, and promptly informed our case worker that we did want our profile book shown. Due to the birth parents' schedules they could not review profiles until this morning.

When the phone rang, I knew we'd be chosen because it was only 30 minutes after they'd been shown our books. The case worker said, "Congratulations, mommy, you've been chosen!" I cried for five minutes; Logan, our case worker, was so kind to just let me weep on the phone with her. I asked her if she could call Bryan because I was so emotional. She was able to conference him in, and I got to hear her tell him! What fun!

The day has been filled with a flurry of activity. I had several articles due this week and next. Thankfully, all my employers have been so gracious to relieve me of those duties. And we have been able to get an appointment scheduled with a ped doc. Both of us have been so blessed with phone calls, texts, and emails of those sharing the joy of our news. Our church family has brought me to tears with their kindness and calls, volunteering baby items, help getting ready, bringing meals so quickly. Ah, "How deep the Father's love for us . . . ."

Since we are a bit bare when it comes to baby items, we are making a dash to Babies R' Us tonight to get a few necessities and to register for a few items. And heaven help us, we've GOT to figure out how to install the car seat.

Tomorrow we will post our sweet gal's name and pictures.

Lost in a whirlwind of joy and blessings,

The Yourees!

Let There Be Light!

2011-03-03T18:12:00.004-06:00

Here's today's remodel recap . . . .

We now have lights in the bathroom. I should clarify--we've had lights for a few days now, but they weren't live. The electrician came this morning to set up the switches. So it turns on like a charm! Oh, and notice . . . no more holes in the floor! Yay!

New plumbing WITH the infamous scald guard!

Switches!

On a side note, our neighbors to the back are wanting their new fence to be on the official property lines. Thus, we must move two sprinkler heads, and at least one tree. They also took an ax to this tree, really sunning up my garden. My plants better enjoy this.

Here's the trail that fixed our water bib problem in the back yard. We now have access for our water hoses. Thank the Lord!

Construction

2011-02-25T18:02:00.003-06:00

With our "rain delay" yesterday, the boys started their work again today. The plumbers laid the water lines outside the house today. Now, if our grass will just grow back quickly . . . .

The electrician also started his work today. You can see where our new LED lights will be, and our beautiful, new-looking heater/vent! YAY!

Our kitchen sink bit the dust too while we've been working on the bathroom. Below is the new one that works like a charm. We aren't going to know what to do with strong water pressure and immediate hot water!

The only problem yet to be resolved is our now dead water bib in the backyard. Seems like our only water source in the back was connected directly to the galvanized pipes in the front of the house. Hopefully, next week all involved can find a create, inexpensive way to remedy this!

'Plumb Craziness'

2011-02-23T17:48:00.004-06:00

Today is plumbing day! Everything has gone fairly well. The only mishaps include a new hole in our utility closet . . . made necessary to get to shower/tub pipes and the broken pipe at the end of day, which means we now have a temporary red water line from the main to the house resting on top the yard.

Demo-licious

2011-02-22T18:36:00.003-06:00

Bathroom remodel day 1 was a "wee bit" dusty. Underneath the cream tile in the bathroom was some lovely pepto pink tiles with true blue tile accents. The floor underneath the cream/white tiles turned out to be pink hexagon tiles. But now, all that is left in the bathroom are the walls and the tub! Plumber comes tomorrow!

The dust traveled near and far.

Ah, the studs.

Don't you recognize the sink and toilet?

Oh, and did I mention we had a guest tonight for dinner. She's having fun here with the basket of toys she always requests upon entering the house. When she saw the demo'd bathroom, she said, "Uh-oh." Too cute!

Let the Remodel Begin!

2011-02-20T20:34:00.003-06:00

Tuesday is THE day! Demolition will begin, and the remodel will commence. After a couple weeks of searching for bids, we'd decided on a new contractor this go around--Glendarroch Homes. One of the owners actually attends our church. They are a fairly new company, but do exceptional work from what we've seen.

We spent about 4o minutes tonight removing everything from the bathroom and on the hall walls.

Let's pray these four weeks go by quickly! :-)

The before pics . . . .

Parenting Advice?

2011-02-11T12:19:00.003-06:00

As we think about becoming parents, so many situations, choices, and opportunities flood our minds. So, for some issues, we've decided to get others' perspectives . . . just cause we're curious.

What do you think:

1. Should an infant be held every time he or she cries? Why?

2. At what age does discipline enter the picture?

3. How much money is appropriate to spend on a child at Christmas?

4. Should we throw a birthday party every year? Why?

5. What is "too" scheduled or active when it comes to a child's participation in activities?

New Year Starts and Ice, Ice Baby

2011-02-09T15:14:00.003-06:00

What have the Yourees been up to thus far in 2011? Well, here goes . . . .

After suffering sticker shock from our first bid for the bathroom remodel, we opted for a "second opinion." This week the second contractor came for a look. Hopefully, we will have the bid by the beginning of next. Then, it's decision time! The pic below shows the wall and floor tile we've chosen, even the grout color. :-)

Bryan's parents also came for a visit in January. We always enjoy them so much. We took these pics before a great dinner at Ellerbe. It's one of my favorite FW restaurants. Mmmm . . . let's go now!

And then, there's been the weather. Certainly, we haven't forgotten it's winter! Last week, we were doused with ice and snow. It essentially crippled the metroplex for four days. . . . and just in time for that little thing called the Super Bowl. We do have some winter weather today, but mostly just a dusting. Nothing like the precip or temps of last week. (Notice the water barrel hit the dust because it froze through and through. I'm waiting for the deluge when it thaws.)

The Nursery, Phase 2

2011-01-13T18:58:00.003-06:00

The much beloved rocking chair is in its place in the nursery now. We've roughly set up the room as how it best fits . . . . at least until the crib and changing table land in the room. The first pic is a close-up of the rocking chair fabric.

It's very comfortable, and it swivels!

We purchased the chair through Jolie Petite Boutique, who happens to be the nearest carrier of this Little Castle chair. I first found the Little Castle website, fell in love with their products and fabrics, and then located the store. I was also happy to discover this chair and fabric, along with the ottoman was similar in price to other shops like Lonestar Baby, but provided much more selection. (And doesn't our Dash & Albert rug look darling next to the chair???)

Finally, this is Bryan's baby bassinet, which we hope to use for just the first few weeks of our little one's life. Thankfully, we found cradle sheets to fit since bassinets these days are much smaller! But this is the spot where we will put the crib when it arrives.

Remembering Kirk

2011-01-11T12:55:00.003-06:00

This week is especially tough for my family. One year ago this week, my aunt and uncle, my cousins, and many of my family members were absorbing the shock of my cousin, Kirk Jordan's murder. This week also marks the anniversary of the funeral arrangements and totally changed lives.

With 12 months behind, there is still no arrest.

Please continue to pray.

(To read the original blog entry of Kirk's passing, click here.)

Which Tile Do YOU Choose?

2011-01-10T14:29:00.007-06:00

Tile for the bathroom? Check . . . . well, almost.

A quick, lunchtime trip to local tile stores proved fruitful. We picked out the floor tile from Daltile: 1.25 x 1.25 inch hexagon in arctic white. And we are debating the wall tiles; for sure, we want subway tile. The color choices are either architectural gray or urban putty.

Which do you prefer? Give us your vote, please. (The top is architectural gray and the bottom is urban putty.)

Now, on to sinks, vanities, and toilets!

A Tale of a Leaky Valve

2011-01-09T19:24:00.003-06:00

The story begins with a drip from the tub faucet in our hall bath.

And the drip wouldn't stop. In fact, sometimes the drip was more like a small stream. So, we called the plumber, naturally.

Because our hall bath is original to our 1940s house, the plumbing and fixtures associated with our so deep cast iron tub are . . . let's just say, in the twilight years of life. The plumber from Rescue Rooters revealed the problem was in a leaky valve, circa 1940-something. But to correct the problem, the plumber must cut through the dry wall in our pantry to access the pipes.

The food removal began onto my kitchen counters. The hole was cut. The valve replaced. And the call made for the inspector to visit.

Five days and one trip to Nashville later, the inspector arrives to post a red tag; we failed inspection. Long story short . . . Fort Worth requires tub/shower faucets to have a balanced pressure scald guard attached to the valve/pipes. This means two things: 1) The plumber must cut through the tile to access the pipes to replace them and 2) the plumber must replace our two-knob control to a one control, meaning more tile destruction around the bath. Did I mention the bathroom is old, and we do not have any matching tile to patch the holes?

The moral of the story? A leaky valve has now turned into a full on bathroom remodel. We planned to remodel this bathroom anyway once we finalized an adoption; but looks like we are tackling that project earlier than expected. Our contractor comes one week from tomorrow to begin.

If you can't find me, I'll be at Home Depot.

Our pantry was in the kitchen and the hall for nearly a week! We decided to patch it up best we could until the contractor fully dives in.

Waiting for a Reason

2011-01-06T16:28:00.003-06:00

This week we welcomed a new arrival to the house--a rocking chair and ottoman for the nursery. We ordered it at the end of November, and it just arrived on Tuesday. Apparently, the holiday season isn't a high-demand time for the rocking chair industry. Thus, the manufacturer worked at half staff, making it a longer process. But that's neither here nor there.

I'll post pics of our addition once I get everything sorted.

The arrival of the rocking chair was exciting and a reminder that we are still waiting for adoption news. But we were so encouraged recently when we read a devotion together on the topic of waiting. Ben Patterson, the author, wrote: "Waiting isn't just the thing we do until we get what we're hoping for; it's a critical part of the process of becoming what we hope for." Such good news! While we are waiting to be parents, God is using the "in between time" to prepare us as people and parents. It's so freeing to think of this process as preparation with a purpose than just twirling my thumbs waiting for the call. Oh, to keep the perspective of trusting an all-wise, ever-loving God!

Happy Nashville New Year

2011-01-04T17:23:00.002-06:00

While I’m typing this, we are several thousand feet in the air on our way home from Nashville. To ring in the New Year, we crashed Music City to visit family and friends—and the holiday did not disappoint. Our niece and nephew, as kiddos tend to do, are growing and growing, looking more like “young adults” all the time. (What does that make us? Just adults?) The activities included eating, watching Gulliver’s Travels, eating, visiting the newly opened Opryland Hotel (it was closed for nearly 8 months after the disastrous flood), shopping the Dillards’ sale, eating with friends, getting coffee with friends, celebrating Brad’s birthday by eating, and hugging my sweet Lytles who are in the USA for their first stint in Indonesia. Whew—it was fun.

I also dragged Bryan through Bellevue showing him where I was residing when the flood took over back in May. It was wild to be back, remembering the last time I saw those places they were under several feet of yucky, muddy water.

The vacation verdict? Spending the New Year with old friends and “old” family (ha, ha) is the way to go! Now, back to work tomorrow . . . .

Youree Christmas Adventures!

2010-12-27T14:09:00.002-06:00

There's just something about Christmas . . . . that's so wonderful, comforting, peaceful, and fun. All those things and more rolled into one day. Sigh . . . .

And the 2010 Youree Christmas spectacular didn't disappoint in those regards. It was wonderful to visit with family in Sherman on Christmas Eve. A big breakfast started the day off right where we munched and gabbed with Papa and Granny Youree, Bryan's parents, Aunt Becky, Aunt Paula, Andrea, Alyssa, Tyler, and too-cute Colton. Later in the day, we were able to spend some much-needed time with the Wilson crew. We were so proud of ourselves, too, that we made to our church's Christmas Eve service, which was so worshipful and great.

Comforting and peaceful hit the scene on Christmas day--we slept in and enjoyed a quiet day. (Given our adoption aspirations, this may be our last Christmas to enjoy such--ha!) Santa was again too kind to us. Bryan fixed a stellar breakfast: English muffins, eggs, and bacon, yuuum.

In the fun category, comes the Narnia movie we watched on Christmas Eve Eve and the other Christmas DVDs we crammed into our weekend. But perhaps, the funniest moments were gazing at the Christmas tree with one strand of lights out, and our Christmas dinner debacle.

So . . . we forgot to buy heavy cream for the fantastic, out-of-this-world chowder Bryan makes. I called every grocer and convenient store nearby. Each was either closed or did not carry heavy cream. Then we tried to call pizza places--nothing. Finally, we found good grub at the Movie Tavern bar, where we landed one pizza and a sandwich to go. THANK GOD for Movie Tavern.

Hope you had a very Merry Christmas too!

Adoption Update: Three Strikes You're Out?

2010-12-10T10:08:00.003-06:00

Three seems to be the number of the month. We've been signed up with our adoption agency for three months. And in that short time span, we've had three "almost" matches--two which fell apart early in the matching process and one that was more significant. Actually, we just found out today the third potential birthmother decided to parent. So, it's looking like Baby Youree Watch 2010 will turn into Baby Youree Watch 2011.

Stay tuned . . . we can't wait to share good news when it comes!

Back to Jr. High

2010-12-08T11:01:00.003-06:00

I'm reverting back to jr. high with my new bangs and glasses. If you see me wearing jeans with zippers near the ankle or shirts with puffy paint, stage an intervention.

Nursery, Phase 1

2010-12-06T18:29:00.004-06:00

What a great treat to read: "You are officially approved to adopt." That's the letter we received this week. Of course, we've been "unofficially" accepted for weeks now. It just takes a bit for the paperwork to make its way through the process.

In the meantime, we've had gender neutral visions of nursery decor dancing through our heads . . . . okay, perhaps, more in my head than Mr. Youree, but WE'VE been excited to work on our baby's room.

First up, was cleaning out the packed room. (Heaven's, how DID we accumulate so much stuff in the closets!) And then, we painted the room a creamy "Sand" by Laura Ashley.

This closet below will be the baby's closet. (You'll notice the car seat/stroller combo and a few clothes already residing there.)

The doorway to the left in the picture below is a door directly to the master bedroom, which will be handy for late night feedings and snuggles. You can see more of the wall color here too. The closed door is the second bedroom closet that we are using for storage. The open door on the right leads to the hallway. The dresser is from Bryan's original bedroom suite when he was a kiddo--that was actually his mother's first cousin's bedroom suite.

We've picked out floor rugs too! This two-tone brown jewel is the perfect fit for our space. It's a Dash & Albert pick from Simple Things--one of my favorite shops in Fort Worth. If you're ever in the market for quality floor rugs, I HIGHLY recommend Dash & Albert. The craftsmanship is super, and the price is reasonable.

Thanksgiving in Review

2010-12-01T09:00:00.005-06:00

As my last post informed, this Thanksgiving I tackled the culinary apex of roasting a turkey. It did, thankfully (no pun intended), turn out a-okay! But my roasted fowl paled in comparison to the yummies Ms. Alexis "cooked." What a feast it was! And a bit of explanation about the tea picture. We'd placed it in a snazzy glass container, but then realized that was not wise for travel--too heavy and leaky. So, I came up with a great solution. :-)

The Thanksgiving weekend also brought our first below-freezing temps here in North Texas. I bundled up my garden as best I could, but most of my plants fell victim to the freeze. The next day, I was picking tomatoes and peppers until my hands grew numb. This is my loot: