My Beautiful Girls

From Our Family to Yours

Merry Christmas from Mississippi! Here we are on the beach in Ocean Springs during a visit with Wade's brother & family. We've been enjoying unbelievably warm temperatures this week. In fact, I'm wearing shorts and a t-shirt right now, and I've had to run the ceiling fans to cool the house. Is it really the end of December?! It feels like May!



Liliana and I have been tackling the heaping boxes that once covered our dining room floor, and I'm psyched to have only a few left! Finally, there's light at the end of the tunnel. It'll be so nice to have dinner at the dining room table for the first time.

Here are the girly-girls on our new sofa (thanks to Hudsons, my favorite store) in the living room. They're so cute together. Liliana dotes on Leila, and Leila smiles and laughs at Liliana like nobody's business!

Wade and I are absolutely stoked about being so close to the beach. There's no place we'd rather be than in the warm sand on a sunny day, and now we're just a short drive away. Liliana and Leila will be such beach bums this summer.


We are also enjoying more frequent date nights than we were able to have in STL, thanks to retired Grammy and Grandfather (Wade's parents). We attended a Christmas party last night, and we had so much fun that we were the last to leave!

Liliana seems to be adjusting a bit better the past few days, now that we've unearthed her favorite toys. She is on Christmas break until the first week of January, so we'll have plenty of time to play and enjoy the this crazy warm weather. Liliana is still falling pretty frequently, which is a major concern. I had to pick her up early on Monday after a serious faceplant on the classroom floor. And on Tuesday night, she fell against the corner of the coffee table and gashed the back of her head. Poor darling! We're praying it's just the stress of the move and nothing grave. Please pray for her!

Leila Bean (as we affectionately call her) now rolls over, sits up and is eating rice cereal, carrots and sweet potatoes. She likes to be in the middle of all the action, especially when there's a large group of people. The term "social butterfly" is a really an understatement for her. She would rather "talk" to and watch people than sleep!

We feel very blessed this holiday season, and we wish you every happiness. Merry Christmas and much love to one and all!

The Latest and Greatest

I can't believe we've been in Mississippi for six weeks. The time has flown by, especially with the holidays in full swing. We are loving it here, much to my surprise. I thought I might like it, but I certainly didn't expect to love it!

We've got a fabulous new church family, and we feel right at home. We're making new friends and getting connected to the community more quickly than I could have imagined. The people are so friendly and welcoming. Of course, it's also wonderful to be near Wade's family. We see them almost every day, and they've been a tremendous help during this time of adjustment. I'm so thankful that God has surrounded us with love and blessed us in this new adventure.

As for our home, it's coming right along. We have almost two acres of beautiful land, with a large number of giant pine trees in the yard and azalea bushes lining both sides of our long driveway. A small creek runs along the back of our property, and Liliana enjoys hunting around for acorns, pine cones, berries and other treasures. Our front yard is large enough for a respectable pick-up game of soccer or football. Although we haven't met many of our neighbors, we're planning to venture out with the stroller this week. Left: our family in the back yard on a warm December day.

We're especially psyched about the weather here. Today was sunny & 70 degrees, and tomorrow the forecast calls for 80-degree weather! On December 15th, no less!

Despite the warmth, we're decked out in Christmas spirit. We decorated our tree a couple weeks ago (here's Liliana in her "Santa's Little Helper" hat), and Santa visited last week. Liliana hid when the jolly man arrived, while Leila stared in wonder. At least there were no tears, which is a major improvement from last year. After St. Nick left our home and flew back to the North Pole, Liliana asked, "Mommy, does Santa have feet and toenails under those boots?" When I said, "Yes," she asserted, "Well, I think he's just a human being dressed up like Santa." Amazing. She's four stinkin' years old!

On a more serious note, please lift Liliana up in prayer. She's still having a difficult time adjusting to our new home, and her daily behavior reflects it. I know she'll eventually grow to love it, but it saddens me to see her struggle right now. She has such a tender heart, and I pray that it heals quickly.

As for Leila, she is still as sweet as ever. She's probably the most happy and social baby I've ever known. We are enjoying every moment with her, and so thankful that the Lord brought her to our family. She is now sitting up with support, eating rice cereal and sweet potatoes (like a good Southern girl) and rolling over. Leila "talks" and smiles all of the time, and she's the life of every party. She's such a blessing. We're thrilled to report that our adoption will be final on April 15th...just four short months away!

Save the date, St. Louis friends, because we'd love to spend time with you when we're in town! Hopefully we'll be there in Jan. for a wedding, too. We'll keep you posted!

Now, a little about Wade. My dear husband is working so hard these days. He's the executive business director for Pine Grove, a major residential treatment provider in the area. Not only is he thriving in the new company, he is also renovating the house and taking extra time to be with the girls. Both Liliana and Leila are so excited to see him when he returns home every day. It's absolutely precious to see their eyes light up (and Liliana run to the door) as soon as they hear him come in. If only every child loved Daddy so much!

Well, I certainly hope ya'll are rejoicing during this advent season. We sure are!

Many blessings to you,

Ramona the Southern Belle

Southern Thanksgiving

Christmas is just around the corner, and I'm lovin' every minute of the holiday season. This is my favorite time of year. It's magical, even without snow. Here is a sample of our Thanksgiving festivities...

This Thanksgiving was very special for us. Not only was it our first holiday in our new home, but we were also blessed to spend it with thirty family members. Much to my surprise, my mom even journeyed to Mississippi to enjoy a taste of Hattiesburg! It was a joy to have her with us for the week, and we are hopeful that she'll make it an annual trip!

Leila was the life of the party, smiling, laughing and "talking" nearly every waking moment. The entire family fell in love with her. Even though she wasn't feeling her best (fighting a cold), nobody would have known it. She is definitely a little social butterfly...and we love it!

Liliana had a ball with her grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins in town. Her favorite activities were Hungry Hippo (or, as she calls it: "Rhino Rampage") and creating crazy concoctions with spices, baking ingredients and food coloring. Her final project was a very strange-smelling "chocolate pudding" with meatballs in it. Yum!

After our Thanksgiving lunch and November birthday celebration, the guys played a serious football game on the front lawn. I couldn't resist capturing the style and sportsmanship of our fellas in this photo. Nice form, Wardy!

At the end of the day, we all cuddled up in our jammies and relaxed at our cozy casa. Here's Leila with her Blabla, Chloe (thanks, Aunt Marcia). She loves having her own toys and dolls to hug and, well, eat. Everything goes in her mouth now that she's teething!

Happy holidays, one and all!

Photos of Our Mississippi Adventure

Here's our new life in Mississippi! We're missing the midwest, but loving the south. The Lord has certainly blessed our family in our new community.

Liliana's second first day of school. Poor baby had to meet her classmates with cuts and bruises all over her face (from a nasty spill on Halloween). She now goes to school three days a week, rather than two. That's been an adjustment for both mommy and Liliana. She seems to love her teachers and new friends, and her teacher says she fit right in on her first day.

Leila started eating rice cereal about 10 days ago. She loves to blow raspberries when her mouth is full, so the food flies all over. As you can see here, she enjoys mealtime. As a matter of fact, she enjoys just about everything. Leila is the happiest baby I've ever encountered.
Less than a week after we arrived in Mississippi, we ventured to New Orleans with the church nursery group. And I'm so glad we did! Not only did we have a fabulous family outing, but we also met a bunch of young families who quickly became friends. We already feel very connected.

Liliana loves the zoo, but the animals couldn't compete with the playgrounds. She had such a ball climbing and sliding that she didn't even care to look at the exhibits. In fact, she and her little friend, Charlie, pretended to build a fire with sticks for over 30 minutes while the adults chatted.

Here are the primate girls. Of course, my faves were the monkeys, chimps and gorillas. Leila watched and smiled at the people walking by all day long. She is extraordinarily social. In fact, she often chooses social time over eating and sleeping.

Here we are at the Hattiesburg zoo. After having so many wonderful experiences at the St. Louis zoo, we found our H'burg outing to be rather anticlimactic. We took a "behind the scenes" tour that lasted exactly eight minutes. Okay, so what the community lacks in animal attractions, it more than compensates with friendly people.

Liliana and her pal, Vivian, pet a baby crocodile at the H'burg zoo.

Liliana dressed up like Daddy, who wears a suit to work almost every single day. His job is quite demanding, and we don't see him as much as we used to. Liliana has definitely noticed. Almost every day, she comments that she misses her daddy.

Liliana dressed up like Mommy, perfectly accessorized with STL hat and sleeping baby.


Leila absolutely adores her new exersaucer. She looks so proud when she creates sounds and music with the various toys. And she seems like such a big girl standing up in the seat. I can't believe she's already 20 weeks old!

Liliana's school held their annual Thanksgiving feast on Friday. Here she is as an Indian Princess. As I snapped this photo, she just finished saying, "Mama, hurry! My teeth are chattering!"

Here's Liliana at the feast. Notice the blonde braid in the back. It was the insurance policy, just in case she balked on the wig.

Connecting

After less than three weeks in Mississippi, I find that I am quickly embracing my inner Southern Belle. My tendency toward a fast-paced way of life is showing signs of a slowdown, and my Midwestern accent has adopted a slight drawl. And, of course, I've always appreciated a cleverly accessorized outfit and a perfectly coiffed mane!

The people I've met are so friendly and caring, and it seems that many folks are going out of their way to help us feel welcome. We also dived head-first into church and community activities, which has accelerated our ability to get connected. Apart from intermittent moments of sadness and longing, I'm starting to feel more at home. I still miss our St. Louis lives, but I also see great things ahead here.

I wish I could say the same for sweet Liliana. She has been having a very difficult time adjusting to the new environment. She asks to go "back home to Missouri" almost daily, and she frequently cries about missing her friends, school and our neighborhood. Her behavior has been extremely hard to manage, and her mood seems to swing by the minute. To make matters worse, it appears that poor Liliana is experiencing effects of a concussion sustained on Halloween eve. Her balance and coordination are so out of whack that she continually falls and/or has accidents involving her head & face. On top of all that, she has also been battling a viral infection for the past few days. So, please remember her in your prayers...and lift up her health and heart to the Great Healer!

As I close, I must express our heartfelt thanks to those who continue to support and encourage us along this journey. We are so grateful for family and friends, old and new!

Many blessings,
Ramona

Missing Home

Today it hit me. I don't live in St. Louis, Missouri. I live in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Until now, the move has felt more like a vacation. We hung out with family, went to a couple zoos, dined at restaurants and stayed with Wade's parents. Now that we're living in our new home, reality is beginning to set in.

I can no longer walk out of my front door and hang out with close friends. I can't catch up with pals at Sunday services and in the carpool line. I can't see our beloved small group friends every Wednesday night. There's no Trader Joe's, Houlihans, or Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi. I miss my friends. I miss my old life. I'm homesick...very homesick.

On the flip side, I'm keenly aware of the blessings in this new adventure. We're close to family, the beach and friendly people who say, "Yes, Ma'am." Wade has a fab new job, Liliana's new school is terrific, our new church family is wonderful and I've had the opportunity to decorate our new house. But everything is new and it's just not home...yet. Please pray for my heart as I seek to serve Him in this new place.

Blessings,
Ramona

Quick Update

We're still alive and up to our necks in boxes. Hopefully we'll be living in our new home very soon. Today we took a break from renovating and unpacking to go with our church group to the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. Not only was it a nice diversion, but it was also a terrific opportunity to make new friends. We need them, especially when we're missing our old friends so much!

Southern Greetings

We're in Mississippi, ya'll! And it has been a whirlwind. We arrived at 2:00am Sunday, slept for a few hours and then unloaded the moving trucks all day. After a short snooze, it was off to school for Liliana's first day (photo forthcoming) and a frenzy of unpacking & arranging.

The house is coming along, slowly but surely. All of the updates are beautiful (thanks to my hard-working hubby)...and we should be able to move in in about a week. Right now, we're shacked up with the in-laws and getting acquainted with our new hometown.

Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers during this time of transition. We miss you, St. Louis! Come visit soon!

Farewell, St. Louis!

Say it ain't so, Joe! Here we are on Halloween as the Palin family. Today we finish packing, load up the trucks and head to our new home in Mississippi. We are so sad to be leaving the people we love, but we look forward to this new adventure. Thank you for all the sweet memories, friends. We love you and we'll see you soon!

Every blessing,

Ramona (for the family of four)

Moving Time

I'm in it...last minute! I can't believe the moment is finally approaching. We move this weekend! Although I'm sad to be leaving, I'm ready to get the move out of the way. I feel like we've been living in limbo for a month. Our bags are packed, but the house isn't quite ready for the moving company (who arrives tomorrow morning to pack our stuff). So much to do, so little time! Please pray for strength, stamina, guidance and joy as we make this transition.

Blessings to you!

That's Random

Good thing God is in control when life seems out of control. I'm definitely feelin' the chaos these days. Today I'm fighting a migraine...so it looks like we're going to worship from home and miss our last Sunday at Covenant. I was looking forward to one last day with our church family. Bummer.

Liliana is a riot. She just called to me from her Noggin (TV) time and said, "Mama. I'm watching a new show about Halloween. It doesn't have any bad guys in it, and it is propiate for kids." I laughed out loud.

Here's one of my new faves, Francesca Battistelli...especially "Time in Between," "I'm Letting Go" and "Beautiful, Beautiful." A powerful voice and even more powerful message...

Leila's Big Day

Sunday was very special for us. We celebrated Leila Madeline's baptism and adoption placement ceremonies, and it was such a delight to share the blessed day with our moms, Leila's birth family and a few of our closest friends. (A magnifying glass may be required to locate individuals on the group shot.) Thank you to each and every one who joined us, and especially those who helped behind the scenes to make the event a success. With the exception of poor little Leila's sleep deprivation, the day was absolutely perfect! Thanks be to God!

Finally!

It's official! Leila Madeline is home to stay!! We are thrilled and oh-so-thankful for this precious blessing. The hearing went beautifully, and the entire courtroom rejoiced at its conclusion. The judge even gave Leila a little gift...a not-so-infant-friendly cherry Tootsie Pop. I told him that I'd save it for her--it'll be her very first sweet treat. For those interested in the legal mumbo jumbo, we now have six months of post-placement supervision until finalization (and a new birth certificate), but it's all a formality. The legal risk is over. Praise God! Let's all celebrate!

Counting Down!

Tomorrow is the big day! In less than 12 hours Leila Madeline will be our adoptive daughter. She is already much more than that in our hearts, but it will be a wonderful relief to make it legal! I feel giddy, nervous and exhausted, all at the same time...kind of like a bride-to-be. I'm going to try to sleep. Try.

Thank you for your support, encouragement and prayers! Thank you, Lord, for this child!

Neighborhood Night Out

Wade and I had an opportunity to go out with neighbors on Friday night--just the big kids. It was only our 2nd evening apart from the girls in over three months...and it was wonderful to be reminded of how much fun we have together! After hanging out with our friends at O'Charley's for a couple hours, we ventured out to Brunswick for some side-splitting bowling antics.

Left: here we are in classic bowling attire.

Below is a pic of the whole gang. The lighting wasn't fantastic, but I think each person is recognizable (with a magnifying glass). Thanks for a super send-off! We are going to miss our neighborhood family like it's nobody's business!

Family Portrait

Here we are--one big happy family! Below is the photo I mentioned a few weeks ago. It didn't scan so well, but you get the picture (pun intended) of our love for Leila Madeline!

Less than one business day 'til we break free from the ranks of foster care and becomes an adoptive family! Our hearing is Tuesday morning--and, since Monday is a holiday--this is the last day that the adoption could be disrupted. We hope and pray for an uneventful afternoon!

This weekend is an exciting one for us. Tonight, we will be "celebrating" our new adventure by going out with neighbors. And Sunday afternoon is our big celebration (notice I have decided to celebrate instead of saying "good-bye"). We are so grateful to those hosting and all who plan to partay with us! We are going to miss our STL friends so much!

Three Months Down, Six Business Days to Go!

Leila Madeline is three months old today! The time has gone by so fast--and so slow--at the same time. Our court hearing is October 14th, first thing in the morning. Only six business days to go! That's how we measure it, by the number of business days, because the courts are only open for business Mon-Fri. We heart weekends!

This is one time I'm thankful for crazy busy lives. Hopefully the days will cruise right along. This Friday, our sweet neighbors are gathering to send us off in style. And Sunday is a big farewell party (thanks, Dave & Kate!) where we'll have the opportunity to see most of our STL friends in one place. We're really looking forward to it!

Leila's baptism and placement ceremony are scheduled for the 19th, and I couldn't be more stoked! We are thrilled to share this blessed day with Leila's birth family, our family and our dear friends. It's going to be such an amazing testimony of God's grace and provision. We know that this adoption is something very rare & special, and everyone will get to see just how beautiful it can be!

Here's to the high points!

Here Am I, Send Me

Whew--it's been a wild week! We've been preparing to move, planning a birthday party (which was wonderful, by the way) and getting ready for Leila's baptism & placement ceremony. In the midst of this controlled chaos, we received word that a spot opened up for Liliana at the PCA school in Mississippi. As a result, we will be moving three weeks earlier than originally thought (we were going to stick around St. Louis so that she could stay in school). So, our crazy lives just got a little crazier. In less than a month--we'll be 600 miles away. I can't believe it!

I have a peace about relocating, but it's more bitter than sweet right now. I'm so sad to be leaving our treasured friends and twelve years of connections to the St. Louis area. We have created a lovely little nest here--in a neighborhood with many of our best friends, and our church has become like family to us. It's hard to leave that behind.

Then again, I know that God is leading us to Mississippi...and I look forward to seeing what he has planned for us. I was driving home from the hospital today (more health concerns--I'll elaborate later), I heard a song that perfectly articulated the way I feel about this time in our lives. Here are the touching lyrics and a link:



Downhere - "Here I Am"
From the album Ending Is Beginning

Sometimes Your calling, comes in dream
Sometimes in comes in the Spirit's breeze
You reach for the deepest hope in me
And call out for the things of eternity
But I'm a man, of dust and stains,
You move in me, so I can say

Here I am, Lord send me
All of my life, I make an offering,
Here I am, Lord send me
Somehow my story is a part of Your plan,
Here I am.

When setbacks and failures, and upset plans
Test my faith and leave me with empty hands
Are You not the closest when it's hardest to stand
I know that You will finish what You began
And these broken parts You will redeem
Become the song that I can sing

Overwhelmed by the thought of my weakness
And the fear that I'll fail You in the end
In this mess, I'm just one of the pieces,
I can't put this together, but You can

Here I Am, all my life an offering to You,
Somehow my story is a part of Your plan--
Here I am.


"...here am I, send me." Isaiah 6:8

Important Dates

Four years ago today, our miracle child was born and we held her in our arms for the very first time. What a thrilling memory, the first of countless precious moments with our angel. Happy Birthday, Liliana! We adore you!

I'm happy to announce that another important date is finally on the books! Less than three weeks from today--October 14th--is Leila's TPR hearing, after which she will officially be a part of our family. Although the adoption won't be final until April (yes, three months longer than originally expected--long story), the wait is mostly a formality. More hoops to jump through, thanks to Missouri law. And it'll be worth every moment.

God willing, everything will go smoothly between now and then. If so, Leila's baptism will take place on October 19th. We are really looking forward to celebrating her life and our faith with our friends, church family, her birth family and our extended family...all of the people who love Leila and have prayed for this adoption.

All in all, lots of good things going on. We are exceedingly blessed!

Two Blessings

I'm in love with my girls. Here are some highlights of this week. Above, Liliana recites a Bible verse and sings "Amazing Grace." She is such an independent, loving 3.99 year old...and I'm proud to be her mommy!

Below, Leila displays her growing repertoire of expressions and vocalizations. She's such a sweet, happy girl...and I feel blessed by her presence in our family.

Tribute to Liliana

This is Liliana's birthday week (we celebrate for a full week in our family). Last night, we went to Dave and Buster's to kick off the celebration. Here's Liliana with the prize pony she chose at the end of game time. Big surprise--it's pink--perfect for her new bedroom in Mississippi.

As soon as we got home, she jumped on Bubble Gum (it's new name) as started riding around. All of the sudden, she jumped off, grabbed her yellow hard hat from the toy basket and put it on her head. She climbed back on the pony and started swinging the hat around, yelling, "Yeeeee-haw! Yeeee-haw!"



























Not only does Liliana have serious equestrian skills, but she has also become quite the little artist. Above is a drawing of "Miss Shelly," our Parents As Teachers specialist, who came to visit earlier that morning. Notice the curly hair and earrings. Miss Shelly will be so proud! Even at almost four years old, Liliana is still ambidextrous. She writes and plays equally well with both hands. It's actually very cool to see. I hope she will continue down this road. The opponents won't know what hit 'em when she bats or dribbles with her south paw! And, she so active that she's bound to break a hand at some point!



Speaking of which, watch our little monkey in action on the elliptical machine. She uses it for exercise, climbing and gymnastics!