not just any meal, mind you. our most favorite meal...and no one else knew what was being brought. there were no guidelines...it could be anything. appetizer. main dish. side. dessert...anything...the only guideline was to keep it a secret.
it ended up being the best. meal. ever.
spiral honey baked ham.
pulled pork bbq sandwiches.
sausage egg and cheese casserole.
6 cheese mac and cheese with bacon.
homemade sticky buns.
corn mush (henricks family tradition...not delicious, but traditional).
not a veggie in sight. perhaps for the first time ever, we ignored the unhealthy factor and went with the spirit of new traditions. we left the table stuffed to the brim and laughing at how much fun it had been.
next, we each brought a top secret handmade gift. we didn't know who it would be for...but it had to be handmade. the exchange was ruled by a gift exchange dice game my hubby invented. it was hilarious. tearfilled with sentiment. the most fun christmas ever.
the other rule? no gifts. nada. other than our handmade exchange, we didn't purchase anything for each other.
stress level ZERO.
the way i would love for Christmas to remain for years to come.
and now.
winter is looming. snow everywhere and not a flower in sight.
i've been enjoying a week of being sewing machine free. i've snuggled up by the woodstove a night or two, chatting it up while watching old movies with my mom. last night it was "funny girl" with a young barbra streisand- awesome! how have i never seen it before?
and i've finally had time to feed my internet obsession. i've been scouring the internet for adoption laden information and packing lists and parents of chinese children groups, and hospital programs...
and searching for photos of Emery's orphanage. which i have found. a bit regretfully. some are not so bad...little old ladies, crowded in a courtyard, holding babies. i love the holding part. it looks cold and dirty and old outside. the inside looks a bit more colorful with some murals in the background of animals. but there are children everywhere. sitting. standing. flopping. there is a photo of a large room with no less than 25 cribs all packed together (not sure how anyone gets to the babies in the middle of the crib pack??). a few cribs were empty, but at least half of the cribs has 2 or 3 babies in them. oh, and they don't have mattresses in china. they use bamboo mats. i forgot about that until i saw the photo. i'm praying for a sweet old lady to love by baby. to snuggle her and hold her. hold her and hold her and hold her. i'm already scouting gifts for this sweet old lady i am praying for. please be holding her, sweet old lady. she is so precious.
on the bright side, we got an emery update photo today! she looks a lot older than her first photo, and has crazy hair! we love crazy hair around here :) they put so many layers of clothing on babies in china...her arms are practically horizontal to the ground!!
all of the sudden, i've entered a new community. and i'm finding it's a community of amazing.
out of sincere kindness, other moms who have adopted from our Agency, have reached out with their stories. their encouragement. their gritty, awesome, wholesome, need-to-know-because-i-love-you information. women who, i'm sure, have 1,005 other things to be doing other than emailing me their adoption stories. women who run photography businesses, and adoption websites and assist chinese m's to raise funds and raise busy, amazing families and advocate for orphans all over the world...and yet here they are...graciously sending a sweet, encouraging, heartfelt email to someone they don't know.
if there is a community i want to be a part of, this is it.
oh, and just for kicks, i cut my son's mullet this evening :)
mr. blonde locks of gold is now a dusty blonde in back and party blonde in the front. he's quite fetching. although tomorrow will tell how crooked my slice job is!
when i have time, i'll post a few shots...they are hilariously cute :)
yum! the modgepodge of food sounds yummy, yummy. And oh, I love your crazy hair comment and your welcoming into a new community, this is all so exciting, truly. She is so lucky that you are waiting for her so patiently.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet post about your soon to be daughter. I can picture the little old ladies now...your writing is so descriptive. I can't wait to hear more about her and this whole process. I still can't believe it's really happening, I'm so happy for you.
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