So far behind..no time for computer

Oh, I am so far behind in my blogging. To be honest, I haven't had much time to be on the computer. Its sort of funny, but my 40 minute a day job sort of screw up my day. Crazy, I know. Since I am here, lets recap all that has been going on.

1. My babies turned 5 on Nov 15th.

2. My 7 yr olds are preparing to receive their First Reconciliation, so we have been studying, memorizing prayers, going to special classes, studying some more......

3. I was diagnosed with being pre diabetic.

4. I am on the school PTA and in charge of the Reflections program; Dec 14th.

5. Working noon supervision at one of Appleton's finest Jr. Highs

6. Found out I will be having bladder surgery on Dec 27th

7. Doing homework with kids.

8. Happy Thanksgiving!

9. Dieting and exercising so I can kick the "pre diabetic" thing to the curb - NO TIME to deal with that!

10. Making hats for all the kids in Carson and Cooper's class

11. Mentoring a mom who's daughter has craniosynostosis and will be having surgery on Dec 30th.

12. Dealing with sick kids

13. Christmas shopping

14. Trying to help Riley through a slump.

OK, So you get the picture......

Calgon, take me away!!!!

A hard week

Its been a hard week in the Cole house. This past Thursday, Riley and Keegan's teacher passed away from surgery complications. She had been fighting cancer for a few years and was scheduled for a hysterectomy. She came through surgery fine, but then had a brain aneurysm and passed away unexpectedly. I went to school with the kids on Friday, and oh what a sad place school was. I was totally amazed at all the support that was around for the kids and staff. I am so thankful for being in such a fantastic school district!!
Thank you for being such a fantstic Teacher, and a wonderful woman!

 

Rest in peace Andera Oppelt!

 

Riley and Keegan miss you!!

After 8 years...

 I am employed again!! I am not sure how I really feel about it, but its 1 hour a day working at one of the Middle schools in town. If anything, its a foot in the door for the future. That's a good start, right?

I know I promised to blog at least twice a week, and I am still trying to do that, but I started another blog that is private to chat about my life since I have been reunited with my birth family. I needed a place to vent with only a few of my closest friends. Its been great to get stuff off my chest without the "judgement".
Everyone hears about the biological family, but nobody ever hears how hard it is being the adoptee. I needed a place to call my own, and now I have one.

I know

Again, I know I start my entries with..." I know its been awhile since I have blogged", but gees, Its about time that I blogged!

I used to use my blog time as ME time, and for some funny reason my ME time has been slipping away from me, and I miss it. I have lost all focus of finding ME, and it has all turned to my hubby and the kids.

I hate inside who I have become, the wife, the mother, the person... I hate it all. I feel like I don't even know who I am anymore, and that scares me.

I am finding myself doing things that I wouldn't normally do.

I am finding that I haven't been in contact with the most of the people who I used to have daily contact with.

I am finding I am not in contact with the people I love most....

I HATE IT!

I need to turn my life clock back about 6 months and start over again.

As many of you know I have been in contact with my biological family. Most parts are great and some things are not so good. It was consuming my life for most of the summer and I think that is when I truly started slipping away from myself. I used to like who I was, the mother that I was, the wife I was, and now.... eh!.

Maybe if I start with baby steps...like getting my ME timeback, I will begin to "like" me again.

So, blogging world... I am back.

I vow to post at least twice a week!!

Lets see where this takes me!!

Anyone willing to help?

LOST A.....

Do you ever feel like you life is slipping away from you so fast that you have no idea which way to turn first?Have you ever felt like you've lost your best friend or that you are stuck in the middle of a corn field and cant find your way out?Ever feel like all the people who are important in your life are no longer just an arms reach away?Or that your scale is playing a nasty trick on you but you know deep down you need to do something about it?Ever feel like you are about to bungie jump and instead of stopping,you keep flying up and down?

I do.

Trip

Let me first start out by saying....It is so good to be home! What is it about vacations? Why are we always so excited to leave, but we are always more excited to be home afterwards?

Ummm.

My parents, the kids, and I drove out to New Jersey in July to see my mom's family. My gram is in a nursing home and is not very excited to be there, but let me tell you, her face lit up when she saw my kiddos. She was so proud to have her great grandchildren there with her! It was a beautiful thing!!

On top of visiting with family, we did a few fun things as well! My highlight from this trip was being able to get to a New York Yankee game! It was fantastic to say the least!!

It was HOT!

My "main" guy ~ Jorge Posada! If you guys dont know this man, you need too! He is not just a fantastic player, but a fantastic human being! Jorge and Laura also have a child with Craniosynostosis . Jorge jr. has been through 10 different surgeries to correct his skull.

10 yrs ago, Jorge and Laura Posada started the Jorge Posada Foundation to help support families who had been touched with craniosynostosis. Last year Carson and Cooper were invited to the Jorge Posada foundation Gala in New York City and and we had blast. We chatted with Jorge, Laura, and many other families who has been touched with this condition. It was a very nice evening. Something I will always remember.

Derek (clap, clap, clap), Jetter (clap, clap,clap)

A -Rod hit 599 while we were out in NY, but decided to wait a bit longer on 600!

Congrats Alex!

For you that may not know, Alex started his career right here in my home town with the Appleton Foxes!

We took the kids (Joe too) to the Statue of Liberty

And it was HOT!

We took them to the Empire State Building

We walked around NYC - you just never know who you will meet on the street!

And we had a bit a play time too! Did I mention it was HOT?

We had a fantastic time and we can wait to get back out there again soon!

Away

Oh, I have so much to blog about and so little time right now! The kids and I are away in New Jersey with my parents visiting my granny in the nursing home.

We've left my poor hubby at home to fend off all the dangerous storms that have come through our home town. What a mess that has been!! Matt, we miss you!!

Anyhow.... I cant wait to get home to blog about our journey out East. Its been a fantastic trip!

See you when I get home!

"Adopting one child will not change the world, but for that one child, the world will change"

Congrats to my friend Michelle and her husband, Brian!! They have now officially ADOPTED Lilya!! We can not wait to meet her!! Safe travels my friend!!
http://ahomeforlily.blogspot.com/2010/06/few-more-pics-from-adoption-day.html

Life lately

A little taste of our life lately.....

The Lake

New Family

Devil's Lake



Wisconsin Dells

Donald Driver Softball game

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!!

We had a great time at the local pool this afternoon and then a fantastic steak dinner from the grill!!

Thanks Daddy for all that you do!!

We LOVE you!!

Lifephoto.com review and FREE giveaway

A few of my favorite things........

A few weeks ago I decided that I was in need of a new day planner. I wasn't looking for just any day planner, but one that I could design all on my own. I wanted to add my own personal dates, my own personal pictures, and I wanted the option to add my own comments, borders, backgrounds, and such. After a little bit of searching I found Lifephoto.com. It is a fantastic site which is surprisingly very easy to use. I was able to browse through a bunch of different items and I finally found the Day Planner items.

There are 2 sizes to choose from - (mini) 4.4 x 6 or 8 x 11. You may also add the number of picture pages you would like.

I chose the 8 x 11 with 54 picture pages.

After I had selected my item and size, I was able to uploaded pictures very easily by taking the pictures I have saved on my computer and uploading them to the day planner site. I was also able to arrange them as I wanted which was a huge bonus for me because I wanted certain pictures on certain weeks of the year.

I was able to add my own birth dates, special appointments, things I needed to remember to do.

I was able to make my pictures full paged, or if I wanted portrait style, and add words, I could have it that way too.

I have to say I was extremely happy with the whole process of making this planner! I could not believe how easy it was!! Thanks Lifephoto.com for a fantastic product!!

Now, the exciting part!! Want to WIN your own personalized DAY PLANNER from Lifephoto?

Go to Simplephotogifts.com and sign up to follow Tish's blog (blog for Lifephoto) via e-mail notification or by RSS feed. Tish will be selecting the winner!!

The link to sign up is in the upper right hand side of my blog. Dont miss out on this great giveaway!

This would make a fantastic gift, or if you are a busy mother like I am, you can use it for yourself!!

Good luck and have fun!!

Measurement Monday

Good Monday Morning! I have so much exciting news to share! First, my weigh in...

Last week I hit a wall and lost practically nothing. I was hoping that this week wasnt going to be the same.

This weeks loss - 4 lbs

Total loss: 16 lbs and another 2 inches from my waist! WAHOO!

This coming week is going to be a bit harder, because I have of alot going on! I guess I can only do the best that I can!

The other exciting news - I have been reconnected with my birth mother! Its been an overwhelming situation, but none the less, FUN!

I have an uncle who had been activly searching for me, and an aunt who has been my uncles biggest cheerleader and many other family memebers who remember me. My mother is the oldest of 3 girls and she has 2 - 1/2 brothers. I also found out that I have a 1/2 sister!! I have always wanted a sister!! She is 29 and married.

This coming weekend will be the moment of truth! I will be getting to meet my birth mother, her father, and a bunch of other "new' family members! I am so excited and I just cant wait!!

Stay tuned....I will post as things progress!

Measurement Monday

Well folks, we've all watch Biggest Loser, and we all know what happens by the 2nd and or 3rd week, RIGHT? You hit a BRICK wall! Week 3 was my wall.

Weight loss: .03 lbs

I also lost another 1/2 inch off my waist. So even though it was a tough weight loss week, I am happy that another 1/2 inch is gone!

No news on the adoption front yet this week. Hoping for good news!

Adoption info

Today I was told that there is legal paternity established. My Social worker found my birth father and left him a voice mail. He has to agree to a reunion before I can get my birth mothers info. IF he says "NO", I wont be able to have any contact with my birth Mother, but will still get the updated family history. If he says YES, there is a possiblity that I will get to meet BOTH of my biological parents! It may be another couple weeks (if it goes my way) before I have any contact with them.

Also found out that when (or IF) the social worker gets a hold of my birth father she will give him the OPTION - If he doesnt want anything to do with me, he can say "NO", but if he agrees to my birth mother and I meeting- he can agree to that too. So, NO on his part, can also mean YES for my birth mom and I. Does that make any sense? I also found ... See Moreout something interesting...HE requested 2 paternity test. He did NOT want to believe he was my birth father so they went to court twice for paternity. Im hoping he doesnt still have a "sour" taste in his mouth over my birth mother getting pregnant!!

AND, the social worker mentioned to my birth mom that we have 2 sets of twins....Maybe that moved her? Maybe it will touch my birth father???

Measurement Monday and more info

Well, week 2 of being on WW went almost as well as week 1!

Todays weight loss: -5lbs!!

Toal weight lost: 12 lbs!!

Plus, 2 inches gone from my waist!! Not to shabby!!


Birth mom info: My social worker from the state found and contacted my birth Mother last week. She still live in Wisconsin and is "THRILLED" that they found her and "would love to be in touch with me!"
They contacted her on Wed, and the consent form( to share info) was sent out that same day. Now we wait for her to return the consent form which will hopefully be sometime this week!!! I am hoping by Friday, at the latest, that I will have more info about her!!
I will keep you posted!

Measurement Monday!

Ok, I totally forgot to post yesterday about my loss!

My first week on - 7lbs!! WAHOO!!!

It feels so good to be back on. I just cant believe how much easier it is to do when you are ready to diet and not forcing yourself to do it.

I also have some adoption info -

INFO: MOTHER - oldest of 3 siblings, 16 yrs old, finished 10th grade, parents divorced and remarried, 5'7 / 160 lbs. FATHER: oldest of 2 sons, 18/19 yrs old, HS graduate, blond hair, blue eyes, 5'9 / 180 stocky build.

I will post more when I have it!

Measurement Monday's

Hey everyone~

After battling another surgery this past March, I decided that it is FINALLY time for me to take a step back and work on "me". So, I have hit the weight loss road AGAIN with my old and dear friend, Becky.

I started back on my Weight watchers and this week has been fantastic. I cant believe how easy it was this time to get started. I guess when you know you are ready, YOU'RE READY!

So, besides being honest with Becky every Monday (and every other week day that ends in "Y") I've decided to share my progress with you all. I think the more people that ride my tail, the better I will do.

So, watch for an update this coming Monday morning, and everyone after that.

Happy weight loss!

Keegan

Here is the video of Keegan's Chiari surgery.

http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=ad025c614b437b83ae0dc3&skin_id=701&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

Happy Birthday to me!!

Is no news GOOD news? Humm

I am still waiting on the results of Keegan's holter monitor. It's been almost a week and a half since he had it removed. I guess I should just go with "No news is Good news", or until I hear otherwise.

Other news....

I sent in my adoption papers to the State of Wisconsin on Monday. I am in the midst of finding my biological parents. There has got to be some connection between me, my biological family, Craniosynostosis and Chiari Malformation. I have my "questions" about Matts grandma (on his dad's side) and her passing of MS, but I am just hoping it will be much more clear cut on my side.

So, as I get news, I will share it with you all. It's very exciting, but nervewracking at the same time. I just hope I am not to late - meaning I hope that she is still alive and in good health.

When I was born, in '74, she was 16 yrs old - so if my math is right, she should only be 49 or 50 yrs old. Kind of funny.... she was only 34 yrs old when I graduated high school. I could NOT imagine having a child 2 yrs into college already at 36. WOW!

I know that my mom tried hard to keep me. I did a lot of flip flopping between her and the foster home. When I was born, she kept me for 1 yr. At that point, her monther (my bio gram) would not help her out anymore, so she placed me up for adoption. Serveral months later, she returned to get me and tried to raise me on her own. Again, she couldnt do it, so she placed me back up for adoption. That's when I was adopted by the most wonderful, loving, caring parents out there.

It still haunts me today, to know who I am and where I come from. I am not sure I would of had the nerves to search for my biological family if it weren't for the kids conditions. So, now, the kids come first and I need to get to the bottom of where it came from. If I find out who my parents are in the midst of it all, so be it.

So, If you are out there, and you gave birth to a little girl at St. Agnes hospital in Fond du lac, WI in '74 - Please leave a comment - you just might be my Mother.

Chiari Decompression - Take 3 (pics)

To be continued.......