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)

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

And The Plot Thickens...

Great news! It looks like we're less than four weeks away from our big day in court. The TPR hearing has been tentatively set for the morning of October 14th. This waiting period has been long and emotionally challenging, and we look forward to the glorious day when we know that Leila is home to stay!

As our adoption drama unfolds, we find ourselves in the midst of another unexpected, life-changing situation. About three weeks ago, Wade received an impressive (and very unexpected) job offer. He was asked to become the Director of Business Operations for the behavioral health division of a major hospital in Mississippi--in the town where Wade grew up & his parents still reside.

Initially, we were stunned. Then, we protested. After that, excitement began to build. And after careful and prayerful consideration, we are now confident that God is calling us to accept this position and begin the next season of our lives.

This is a bittersweet time for us. We absolutely adore our lives in St. Louis—especially our church family, our neighborhood, Liliana’s school and our summer pool community. Yet, we are also thrilled to be with family and close to the beach! Most importantly, we desire to be faithful to God’s plan for our family. As we furiously prepare our home for the move, we are also preparing our hearts and minds for the changes ahead and grieving the impending separation from the people we love.

Although the timeline is still uncertain, we estimate that Wade will begin the job in late October. We want to maximize Liliana’s academic experience, honor prior commitments and spend more time with friends before we leave. Once in Mississippi, Wade will have a couple weeks to prepare our new home (the house that belonged to Wade’s paternal grandparents) before he starts the new job. We plan to keep our St. Louis home and transform it into a rental property...so, if you know a family in need of a good home, let us know!

Of course, we will visit St. Louis often and nurture our beloved relationships from afar (thank goodness for modern technology). Although we’ll be living elsewhere, our ties to St. Louis will always remain strong. We are so thankful for our years here and the lifelong friendships and memories we’ve made. We truly appreciate your support, encouragement and prayers as we make this transition.

Much love from our family to yours,
Wade, Ramona , Liliana and Leila

Liliana in the Hizouse!

You may not know this, but Liliana recently had some serious dental work. Living in da Lou, there's a great deal of pressure to display "the bling" in your teeth. Although we resisted for awhile, Wade and I decided that one is never too young to show off the goods. Here's what Mississippi Wade chose for our daughter...

Cousins

Liliana and her cousins spent two afternoons on the beach in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Family beach time was definitely a highlight of our trip. Wade and I wish we could transplant our community of friends to beachfront property somewhere. We love the water so much that we almost stayed in Hawaii after our honeymoon ended. Some people love the mountains, and some love the beach. Can you guess where we fall on that spectrum?

Family Fishin'

Here's the whole crew after our fishing trip. In the background, you can see our vessel, the Silver Dollar II, and a couple of fish from the day's catch. Wade caught both the huge shark and the large Cobia pictured. He had quite a day!

Mona's Catch

Proof of my fish story. We just returned from our 5th annual deep sea fishing adventure in Mississippi. This Jack Crevalle is my biggest catch ever! Boy did he put up a fight! My muscles are still sore from reeling him in. Thanks to my sis-in-law, Becky, for helping with this tough one. Jack fish are too bony to eat, so we released him in the ocean...but not before we captured him on film!

More fish photos to come...

Ocean Springs Beach

Liliana has been quite the North American traveler during her short life. Since she was just two weeks old, we've been enjoying family adventures around the country. From Missouri to Michigan and Mississippi to Maine, she's seen many places and faces. During the past week, our travels have taken us to see family in both the Midwest and the Bible Belt.

After visiting at least a dozen states, it appears that Liliana's favorites are those with beaches. Not surprisingly, she is as fearless in the ocean as she is in the swimming pool--jumping and diving with only her little arm floaties to help her stay above water. What a wild child! She definitely takes after her mommy in that arena.

Time to Make a Snowman

Snowflakes are falling furiously in our neck of the woods. Schools are closed and many activities are canceled for the day. How is your weather? Grandfather says it's in the 70's in Hattiesburg (yes, he likes to taunt us with the tropical temperatures in hopes that we'll pack our bags and move to Mississippi).

At about 9:30am, Liliana and I braved the wicked weather and went to Trader Joe's. She's been asking to go there for days (she likes to find the monkey and choose a treat from the Treasure Chest). The roads were bearable on the way there, but much worse as we traveled home. I hope the snow stops so the roads can be cleared for evening traffic. We don't need any more accidents! And I don't want to cancel my spa party tonight! Everyone say it with me, "No more snow! No more snow!"

I read a great quote last night. It's by Fay Hartzell Arnold in the collection of quotes Whispered Words of Encouragement. Allow me to share it with you:

See each morning a world made anew,
as if it were the morning of the very first day...
Treasure and use it, as if it were

the final hour of the very last day.

..

You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.

Psalm 16:11

.

May you really live today! God bless you, Ramona