Seriously! Those who know what the Munchkin looks like know that she would look absolutely stunning in it. I know a lot of people suggested imagination play and dress up as gift ideas. This would be just on the chance of not fitting as it says it fits up to 5T but I think I’ll chance it. Who cares if it is a little short on the tall Munchkin? IT IS STUNNING!

I should mention that you could win, too. But I won’t. Shh.

If you’re doing ANYthing at all that feels like *hard work* you’re doing the wrong thing.

-Roger Hamilton

I get the idea behind the quote. I do. But the generalities proposed by this quote make me laugh. Here’s the facts: life is hard work. Sure, it’s fun. Sure, it should also be full of love and laughter. But if you’re not putting in some hard work in various parts of your life, well, my guess is that you’re not amounting to a whole lot.

Parenting is hard work. It’s also very (super!) rewarding work. It’s not all hard and it’s not all easy. But it’s also not the easiest job on the planet as everyone knows. Building a career in any field, even the one that you were “destined” for is hard work. What makes me the most confused is that the quote came from the twitter of a fellow Christian. Here’s a newsflash: the Bible doesn’t promise Christians an easy life. In fact, we’re told that we will face persecution. Nothing about persecution seems like easy work to me.

And this, of course, is the attitude behind so many failed open adoptions (and other things that fail). People assume that everything should come easily. People assume that the moment thing seem tough, something is wrong and you should just throw up your hands and stop.

Wrong answer.

When stuff seems hard, it’s just because life is life. Communication problems crop up. Misunderstandings happen. Feelings are hurt. And sometimes it is hard to deal with grief, loss, emotions and sadness all at once. But you keep on. If every parent (birth, adoptive, biological, foster, step, etc) gave up every time they had a communication problem with their own child, well, you can see where that would lead us. I have communication problems with my almost-three-year-old. In fact, I made the sign for bath when I meant to make the sign for more the other day, and my ten month old got mad when we didn’t immediately get in the bath tub. Misunderstandings happen.

I don’t know where this idea of life should be easy came from but I can tell you that my mostly happy, very rewarding and semi-successful life has been full of hard work. Hard work, itself, is not a bad thing. Hard work is the result of an attitude that says the impossible IS possible and that no mountain is too high. I’m a determined individual and obstacles aren’t going to stop me. So don’t tell me that I’m on the wrong path just because something takes more than one try or tests my patience or generally is hard.

I would still be pregnant with my firstborn if I didn’t do anything that was hard because, boy howdy, childbirth is hard work. If everyone had that attitude, the human population would die off. (And don’t jump up and say, “C-SECTION! WOO!” Ask a mother who has endured the recovery of one and let her tell you if that was hard work or not.) I also would not have taken any of the advanced classes in high school or pushed myself to take a new fitness class. There are so many things that I would miss out on if I adopted this attitude.

And so I’ll just keep putting in hard work, okay?

If you know me more than in just the blogosphere and/or have been to lunch or supper with me, you probably just had to read that sentence again. I was an avid sweet tea hater. Prior to this summer, I have been a staunch supporter of plain old ice tea with lemon. Unsweetened, please. Of course, if you live in the North, you don’t have to say “unsweetened” when you order. It just comes that way. If you want sweet tea in the North, you have to specifically ask for sweet tea. I’m now finding myself specifically asking for sweet tea.

What happened to me?

To be honest, I still find myself ordering regular tea at times. Because I just like tea. I do. I’ve spent my entire life drinking it and it’s just a “comfort” drink for me. But my Husband and I are blaming this switch from “regular” tea to “high octane” tea on McDonald’s advertising. Haven’t you seen all the big billboards? SWEET TEA! $1.00! And every time we see a sign, we say, “Mmm, sweet tea.” And, oh, the horror, the past three pitchers of iced tea that have been brewed and made and chilled in this house have been, oh, oh, the horror, sweet tea.

Maybe I was just tired of being bitter?

See that? I just snarked myself.

Anyway, the Husband and I were talking about that change that we’ve both been through this summer. And I got to thinking about other things that have changed over the years. And I’ve decided that change, whether the world puts it in the box of “good” or “bad”, is necessary to continue on life’s journey. If I wouldn’t have changed anything about my parenting, for example, I wouldn’t be the parent I am today. Not that I was a bad parent as BigBrother indoctrinated us into the parenting world. I just learned my way and changed things as I went. Such is life in adoption as well, I suppose.

The trick is finding the peace with changes as you go. I’ve found my peace with sweet tea. Now, onto bigger and trickier subjects at large.

Obviously, I printed a bagillion of the boys. But I also printed two pictures of the Munchkin. And I’m wondering what the printer person was thinking. Because I had about 40 pictures of these two boys. And then two of a girl. In a different house. With different people. Do they think she’s just a random girl? Do they think she’s a cousin? Or a friend’s daughter? Do they even care?

When I pick them up, I want to say, “Ah, yes, pictures of my three kids.” Chances are that the cashier won’t be the same person that stuffed the pictures into an envelope. But I want to brag, really. All of my children are absolutely beautiful.

This rambly post was brought to you by the Blizzard of 2008 which has made me unable to get to the store to pick up the said pictures… and has left me thinking about them non-stop! I threw in two pictures of the Munchkin specifically to update the picture on my fridge and the frame in our bedroom. And now I can’t update them because of the eight inches (and falling) of snow outside. I’m impatient! Want to update! Now!

We’re totally addicted to One Tree Hill. And have been for awhile. There, I said it. Last night’s episode delivered a few funny lines. I thought my readers would appreciate this one.

The only thing people use the internet for is complaining and p0rn.

My Husband looked at me, smirked and I threatened to throw a pillow about him and follow it up with a complaint about him on teh intrawebz!

That said, I’m tired of Lindsey but I can’t bring myself to read the spoiler blogs. Why? Because, what if Lucas doesn’t call off the wedding? What if he DOES marry her? Doesn’t he know that he’s supposed to marry PEYTON! ZOMG! Yeah. I told you. I get all teen-angst-emo about the show. I feel very much the same way as I did when I was trying to see if Ross and Rachel would get together in the end. Then again, that time frame was emotionally skewed since the Friends writers were busy writing crappy stereotypes about the birth mother that gave birth to Chandler and Monica’s twins. Oh, adoption. Why must you be in all of my shows? (That said, yes, adoption has marred OTH from very early on as Peyton had a “mom” and a “birth mom.” And an absentee dad. In fact, everyone has/had absentee parents. That’s what teen shows are about! WEE!)

Of course, I initially wanted Dawson and JD to be together but then switched it to JD and Pacey. (Though I just wrote Dawson and Pacey and that made me laugh out loud.) So, technically I’m winning in my wishes for people to be together. But I don’t want to wait until the show ends for Peyton and Lucas to be together. I need immediate gratification. NOW! NOW!

How’s this post for a departure from my normal angst since people have been complaining to be about being to complain-y? Ah, but, dontcha see? That’s what the internet is for. Ah yes.

Anyway. Get back to your complaining. Because there ain’t no p0rn here! *smirk*

(I think the line goes along well with the light-bulb moment presented in Judy’s recent post, no?)