I can't believe that I am going out of town tomorrow with NO children. If you are a mom then you get my excitement. If you are a mom with little children then you really get my excitement! One thing I know to be true is that a mom's job is never ending and you are always on call and you are always giving and giving and giving. It is hard. Adding a third child (that's 2) has about worn me out! We'll probably just have this parenting-three-kids thing down by the time Amos shows up and messes up our whole groove! Isn't that how God works. He keeps us on our toes and dependent of him.

Anyhow …. back to tomorrow! I'm flying to Orlando to meet up with lots of fun moms. Some I've met, and some I only know via the world wide web! I think all of us are adoptive moms and all have kids at home from Haiti or in Haiti waiting to come home. What a fun group we will be! I hope we don't all break out in a weeping session from the wear and tear on our hearts for waiting for our babies to come home.

One thing I've learned about adoption is that it is a hard road to walk. It is especially hard if you have no one around you that really gets what you are walking through. It is impossible to understand unless you have walked that road. The same way I don't truly understand what it means to have a husband overseas serving in the military. Yes I feel awful for those wives and hate it for them, and it breaks my heart, but b/c I've never walked in their shoes I don't truly get the level and depth of their pain. This weekend all these ladies will get it. We may never even talk about our wait (which I think we might), but none the less I KNOW that they GET IT and that is nice to be around.

All these ladies EXCEPT ME are running the Disney half or full marathon. Yeap I'm coming along to be a cheerleader. Makes me feel a tad bit lame, but I do have to get in a 7 mile run this weekend, so that will hopefully redeem myself. At least until I go cheer them on in a 13 & 26 mile run!!!! They are all doing this for a great cause and I'm happy to announce that they met and exceeded their goal. So happy for them! They will have MUCH to be proud of as they cross that finish line.

So, between now and 11 tomorrow I have much to do. Good thing is that I don't have to worry about my children eating while I'm gone b/c their daddy is much better in the kitchen than their mommy! I do need to do laundry and fix Story's hair, because let's be honest here, Aaron just doesn't do either one of those! One thing that is true in our house is that when one of us is gone the other becomes very grateful for the partner in crime that they have in raising kids. When Aaron's on the road I am reminded of what a great daddy he is and how much he does around here. We really do co-parent these kids and for that I'm eternally grateful!

So to my Orlando friends I can't wait to see/meet you! Aaron, I'm grateful that you see the need in these get-away trips for me and how much it will help me be a better mom/wife when I return. I am a little bummed at the weather for this weekend in FL. I mean seriously a high of 47, what the heck I'm going to Florida.

BCP033-04

*** Laura M. is the purse winner! Yippe! Thanks to all of you that donated. Laura send me your address and I'll send you your purse!

Jamie Ivey