Life marches on....

Things around here at Chaos Central are revolving around the end of the school year, spending time having fun with family, and planning for the summer.

Bogey found the perfect spot to grab a nap. I don't know how comfortable that can be, but he was sacked out.

Here in Texas, we believe very strongly in the right to Bear Arms. 

Levi and his great friend Adam on Field Day. 

Adam looks a little scary......LOL!

Rio (on the right) snuggling with his best friend Peppy one foggy wet morning.

Run Ahren, Run! 

Me, 35+ pounds lighter and in a size 8 pants. Still a little tummy bulge to go. No secret, just hard work and consistency and a lot of little changes in my habits.

I treated the boys and their friends to cupcakes one day. Whoever thought blue frosting was a good idea? It certainly wasn't a Mother! You should have seen their mouths afterwards. A Smurf Gang!

Levi and his 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Vecera. He has always gotten the best teachers and this year was no different. We LOVED Mrs. Vecera and Ms. Hanus, his switch teacher. I really hope Ahren and Jonathan get them, too.

Jump, Jonathan, Jump!

 (Still struggling to call him Jonathan and not Seth, but he still loves me!)

When he read this he looked and me and said, "Well Duh!". 

Blaine 1992-2013

In Kaytee's Junior year of high school, she met a young man who had recently transferred to her school. He was completely different than her usual type. He liked to shave his head, he had tattoos, he rode a motorcycle and he belonged to a boxing club. Kaytee, being the total goody-goody, was immediately drawn to bad boy Blaine. But...Blaine was not really bad. Instead we got to know the total sweetheart that he was. He would sit with our little boys and play, he would give me big bear hugs, and he had the most gentle nature. He was just a pretend bad boy. 

Kaytee and Blaine at the Cheer Banquet

He chose his clothes to match Kaytee's dress. Awww....

Prom their Senior year. Blaine asked Kaytee to prom by writing the invitation on a $20 bill. She still has it, framed with a group of pictures of the two of them. They dated until the middle of their freshman year in college, when they split up. They stayed friends and Kaytee was always the first one Blaine called when he had a problem. She always told him she would be there for him, no matter what.

Last weekend Blaine did a stupid thing. He popped a wheelie on his motorcycle at night, hit a curb and landed on his head. On the outside, since he was wearing a helmet, everything looks normal. On the inside of  his head it was horrible. The force of the impact sheared much of his brain. On Monday they removed life support, and he passed peacefully on to better things.

Today we lay him to rest. It is a dreary, rainy day, fitting for this occasion. Kaytee is hurting badly and I am hurting for her. Please keep Blaine's family and Kaytee in your prayers today. It is going to be a rough one...

Weighing on my mind

  Six years, six months and two weeks ago I met my daughter for the first time. She was 6 days old. Teeny tiny and perfect in every way. Much like the Grinch, my heart grew three sizes that day.

  A couple of months ago a story began showing up in magazines and papers around the country. You can read it here: Guatemala Boy Comes Home . In case the link doesn't work, here is the URL
                            http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20686047,00.html

    I wanted to be happy. I wanted to feel like it gave me hope. Instead I was angry. Beyond angry. One. One small child. In six years, only one. Why? Heh, you would think that there was a huge complicated reason why almost one hundred innocent children are not allowed to go to the loving homes waiting for them. Nope, it's simple. Greed. The entities in Guatemala that govern adoptions will not cooperate because they all want the power and the money. They are unwilling to share, so the children and the families continue to suffer.

  Ever since I first saw this story I have not been able to stop thinking about my girl. Undoubtedly she does not remember me. The last time I saw her was when we were bringing Ahren home. That was over 4 years ago. Soon after that they took her form her foster family and placed her in an orphanage. It took me almost a year just to find out where she was living. The orphanage does not allow visits. Heck, they just are not very nice people and they won't even promise me that if I send gifts for her she would get them. Whatever I send they will use in whatever way they see fit, I have no say.

  The magazine article claims that the family spent $80K to bring their son home. Sheesh, we have spent way more than that. If I thought money could buy her freedom I would be forking it out. Ethical? Nope. But if it could bring these precious kids home, then many of us would be willing to push our ethics aside for the greater good. Maybe that family found out who to pay to get their son? If so, they need to share that information with the rest of us and our government's Guat 900 task force. (Did you know our government has been fighting to get our kids home? Yep, they have!)

  Mad. Just plain mad. Pissed. Angry. Mad. No more sad, depressed, patient. MAD!