long memory

Nicole has always amazed me (and those who hang out with her on a regular basis) with her long memory. She uses the phrase "last night" to loosely mean any time before around two hours ago. She will come in and say, "Remember when we went fishing at the lake last night and I lost my fishing pole and we had to buy a new one?" (This conversation happened a couple of days ago and said fishing trip happened last summer.) I am just always in awe of how far back her memory will go, even though she seems to believe that everything in the past happened just a night ago.

Yesterday she really freaked me out, though. She is going to be one of those people that tell you they can remember experiences in the cradle and you may be skeptical, but I am telling you right now - believe it. :-) Yesterday Joe went out to the garage and pulled out the Graco traveling playpen / bassinet / changing table thingy that I used with Nicole. We are going to use it in our room for the new baby to sleep in when he/she arrives in a couple of weeks. It's a great thing to have around (but I digress into another blog post.) Anyway, he pulled it out and set it in the living room for inspection and cleanup. Keep in mind that this thing has been in storage since Nicole was probably 7 to 8 months old. She looked at it, picked up the Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet spinning mobile that attaches to it and told Joe, "My mom used to spin this for me when I was a little baby." Whoa! What?!? She remembers that! We have not had this thing around in the house. No one has told her what the mobile is or how it was used. It wasn't even attached to the thing so that she could see it in motion. SHE REMEMBERS IT! So, here is my word of warning to all of you that know her - be careful of what you say and do around her. If it's something you don't want her repeating that you said or did in 10 or 12 years, don't do it! :-)

She's A Schulte!!!

Today was adoption day and it is official! She's a Schulte! Nicole woke up this morning at 4:30 and there was no getting her back to sleep. I think some of the excitement that we have been feeling must have been rubbing off on her. She was just wide awake and wanted to know where we were going today and when were we leaving. Here are some pictures of the occasion:

Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is the big day! We have the official adoption hearing at 1:30. Nicole will be an official Schulte. We had a party Saturday with immediate family. It was a great day and celebration of this really momentous event. We are so blessed!

I've been in a sentimental mood this week - which is only to be expected what with all the special occasions in the works around here. This week we had a new neighbor over to dinner to get to know him better and we have the adoption, a final ultrasound, my wonderful long-time friend Lyn coming to visit and a neighborhood get-together to paint the home of a dear friend who is an older woman and whose house desperately needed a paint job. All of these things just serve to underscore my mood of feeling so completely blessed to be just totally surrounded by wonderful, caring people whom I love dearly. Thanks to all of you for being a part of our lives!

Life Goes On

There has been so much going on lately around here. Here are some of the highlights:

ADOPTION UPDATE: This coming Wednesday evening we will have our social worker visit. The following Tuesday is our meeting with the county attorney to finalize everything and then the Tuesday after that - April 21 - is our court hearing at which Nicole will become an official Schulte!

Around that same time, Joe and I are looking forward to spending some time with my little brother Sam when he comes to visit us on his Spring Break. And in June we'll have Nicole's recital and maybe a baby shower, too. So, the old adage is true in our case...there really is no rest for the wicked. Hmmmm...

We're only about 5 weeks away from the arrival of our next little Schulte! Can't wait to find out if we get to use the name Lucas or the name Ruth. :-)

I've been doing more writing as well. I am participating in the Poem-A-Day Challenge at Robert Lee Brewer's blog Poetic Asides in honor of National Poetry Month. If you would like to keep track of my daily poems, you can follow my postings of them at my other blog - http://tonyaroot.blogspot.com

I am also still trying to build up some freelance writing work. Because of the work I have been doing on the newsletter for Bear Camp Cabins in Tennessee, I recently was offered some work doing newsletter writing for at least one and maybe three more cabin rental companies as well. Hopefully that will lead to even more opportunity in that area.