I am home, unpacked, mostly cleaned up, catching up, and getting in touch with all now about our trip to California this past week. The schools here have fall break so we had a week to go do some visiting. We haven't taken the girls to see Marce's family in four years, and we've had our new addition since the last visit, of course, so it was high time to take everyone to northern California.
One of my sisters-in-law works for US Airways so we were able to get very cheap standby tickets at the beginning of the year. It wasn't the ideal way to fly, but it went pretty smoothly, all things considered. We flew out on a light travel day, last Tuesday, and planned to come home Sunday. The flight out was incredibly smooth and easy, except that we had to leave home before 4 a.m. to get to the airport. But Sunday wasn't as simple. Flights got full and we couldn't get on the first one we had planned, so we waited six hours to get on the next one that had space. Then we couldn't get on the last flight from Charlotte, NC (the hub), to home, so we ended up getting a hotel in Charlotte and hanging out until almost noon, when the next open flight left. We finally made it home mid-afternoon on Monday. The girls were wonderful travelers and the crew and staffers with US Airways were terrific and most helpful. We were very pleased. Now, we probably won't be doing a big trip like that again any too soon, and not on standby, but perhaps Marce and I or just me could do a standby thing again sometime in the future. But it was MOST welcome for our limited budget this year.
So that was the flight situation. In terms of the actual trip, it went well except for us all getting colds right before we left home or right after we arrived in Cali. So we were popping Zicams and hoping for the best. It was surprisingly cold last week, apparently both here and in California, so we ended up buying the girls little jackets and some long pants. Charlotte also got a tooth while we were out there! Her first one. At only 5 1/2 months old. She did pretty well. We didn't really realize she was teething; the traveling and different sleeping arrangements had us all a bit unrested anyway, so we had no idea she was at all uncomfortable thanks to teeth. But she has been chewing and chomping on our fingers or anything else she can get her gums on!
We went into San Francisco, of course, and drove the girls all around. It was a GORGEOUS day for it. We went to Macy's at Union Square and let Brianna see some REAL shopping. The 8 floors impressed and delighted her. We all made some very nice purchases and got some good deals, as it turned out.
We also went to Ghirardelli Square, so we could eat at the soda fountain. We got the "Earthquake," the 8-scoop, 8-topping sundae that we love and had four years ago. We polished it off in about 5 minutes. Not a drop left. When the server brought it out, all the tourists and fellow eaters around us turned and stared, smiled, laughed, eyes popping wide open, amazed. We had a number of people stand and take pictures of our ice cream! It was great. Also purchased a few bits of chocolate to take home, natch.
Marce and I went to the Oakland Temple while we were there, where we were married. It was a nice visit and so great to be back somewhere familiar and very special/sentimental to us. We were exhausted and barely able to stay awake because of sleep deprivation, time zone difference, colds, etc., but it was nice.
Marce's brother and family came up to see us from Visalia, where they now live. We were SO glad they were able to do that. We enjoyed visiting with them and all the girls (and boy). The kids all had a great time together, playing like crazy all day Saturday in Marce's dad's backyard. Marce's sister came to hang out with us all too, and some friends, and it was just wonderful to all be together.
We ate the foods we enjoy out there -- big, cheap, yummy burritos; Fresh Choice and Black Angus. Had a fair amount of Chinese food... :)
Marce and I were able to go to the opera on Saturday night right before we flew out (we only got three hours sleep once we got back from it and before we headed to the airport). We saw the opening night of "The Magic Flute" by Mozart put on by the San Francisco Opera at the grand War Memorial Opera House. WOW! It was stunning. The house is beautiful, stately, ornate, amazing. The opera was really fun and the performances stellar. It was really an amazing experience. Marce was just sad he wasn't all there for it -- he was still exhausted, though I had managed to adjust and feel awake to enjoy it. It was really a great experience. We had gotten to see the SF Opera before, right before we moved to Anniston 9 1/2 years ago, but the opera house was being renovated at the time so we only saw the opera in a temporary location. Madama Butterfly was still amazing and absolutely heartbreakingly beautiful, and I loved it, but being at the opera house was an experience I didn't want to miss. Wow! again.
Let's see... that pretty much wraps things up. We're all home safe and sound again and I'm just getting caught up. Enjoy the photos of the trip on my SmugMug site.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Ohhhh, it's been an embarrassingly long time ...
Well, life has been busy. That's my answer for everything lately. But how to make it less so? That is the question for the ages. My ages, at least.
Brianna, Marissa, and Cami started school at the beginning of August. Brianna is attending a private Catholic school in the area because the city's middle school is absolutely out of the question for her to attend. It would take far too long for me to write about the whole schooling situation in this city, so suffice it to say it's a huge issue here in this area, and as much as I want to support the public schools (which I do), I simply cannot subject Brianna to the city system's middle school. Thus, the private school. In brief, though, she loves it. She feels absolutely comfortable there and is having a great time. She's just been trying to adjust to the changes that sixth grade has brought. She has a locker, switches classes, etc.
Marissa and Cami are going to the elementary school that's closest to us. It's not as nice as the school that M and B were going to the past few years but we were forced to put them over at the other school because of zoning and Cami just getting into the system. Long story, trust me. Looooonnnnggg. It gave me fits for some weeks. At any rate, they are loved by the staff and they are enjoying school, whatever the situation. But in the long run, they will end up either in the private school (ouch! $) or we will move. And Marissa's needing extra services complicates that. So it's an interesting dynamic. I have been involved in the system pretty heavily this year trying to see what I can do from the top down to make things better. One hurrah is that the school board finally fired the superintendent I was not at all pleased with and put in an interim who has been excellent. So that's a step in the right direction. And we wonder why I'm busy... I'm crusading mommy. I can't stand by and watch something happen if I can do something to help change it.
SOOOO, I had hoped things would calm down when it was just Charlotte and me at home. They did not. It's taken two months for it to slow down a bit for me to "catch up." I'm getting there.
The other big thing has been the adoption situation with Charlotte. All along, I have been dogged by huge frustrations with the system and our lawyer here, in particular. I will not recommend her to anyone else. However, she's really the only lawyer here in town who handles adoptions. I'm thinking out of town.... She has given me fits too. But just when we thought we could just sit back and wait for our court date, which had been set for Sept. 4, our 14th anniversary, the rug got pulled out. Just a few days beforehand, the lawyer emailed me and told me the judge had decided since the birth father had sent back a denial of paternity, that we should publish. Now that the birth father was legally "unknown," she wanted to publish a legal notice in the paper notifying any possible fathers about the adoption. What that means is the notice has to run for four weeks and then there must be 30 days before the adoption hearing so any father can respond. What's hilarious is since we live here in Alabama, we publish here. Charlotte's birth father is undoubtedly in North Carolina. The law. What can I say? So our hearing is now set for December 9.
That affected our trip to California. We wanted to have Charlotte sealed to us in the Oakland temple, where we were married. But we had planned our trip for this coming week, during the girls' fall break. So as it happens now, we'll just go to California, visit, introduce her to Marce's family and friends there, and have her sealed to us in Birmingham. It was disappointing, but at that point, whatever fight is in me can do nothing about it. But at the same time, a whole lot of friends from here can be with us in the temple. So that will be delightful.
Those have been the big issues in my life. At the same time, we've actually had a baby and three older daughters to raise, do our callings in church, live, breathe, eat, shop for food and clothing, pay bills, etc. No wonder I've got a few extra pounds on me. Arrrgggggh.
But good things are happening too. We do get to go to California on Tuesday, and we plan to do some fun things. Going to take the girls to Marine World, eat great food, see old friends, enjoy San Francisco, and go to the OPERA! Marce and I are going to see Mozart's The Magic Flute on opening night at the SF opera house. Can't wait! It should be an amazing experience.
I've also helped a friend edit and submit a terrific novel for publication; he just secured an agent this week who loves the book and thinks it has bestselling potential, which I've thought all along. I'm just thrilled to have been a part of this. It's very exciting. Now we'll see what kind of publishing offers he might get.
With that, I hope to start writing on my own again. I'm still busy with home life and my part-time work at the newspaper, which is terrific. I love my job! Fun at the paper and lots of great free books. Best job ever! But I do long to do some writing. I've got a number of books in me that could have potential.
That's the long and the short of it. I'm trying to keep our SmugMug photo site updated with pictures of Charlotte, who is now 5 months old and still an absolute doll and wonderful baby. She really is a delight and I love her to pieces. We all do. She's so happy and fun and easygoing. Anyway, I've got pictures of her on the site and try to put new ones on every week or every other week. The link is
http://limfamily.smugmug.com/
So, I do hope to update more often now. (sure, I SAY that now....) I've also got to get caught up in journaling. Ha! Have a wonderful week and hope to see or talk to you all or email, etc.
Brianna, Marissa, and Cami started school at the beginning of August. Brianna is attending a private Catholic school in the area because the city's middle school is absolutely out of the question for her to attend. It would take far too long for me to write about the whole schooling situation in this city, so suffice it to say it's a huge issue here in this area, and as much as I want to support the public schools (which I do), I simply cannot subject Brianna to the city system's middle school. Thus, the private school. In brief, though, she loves it. She feels absolutely comfortable there and is having a great time. She's just been trying to adjust to the changes that sixth grade has brought. She has a locker, switches classes, etc.
Marissa and Cami are going to the elementary school that's closest to us. It's not as nice as the school that M and B were going to the past few years but we were forced to put them over at the other school because of zoning and Cami just getting into the system. Long story, trust me. Looooonnnnggg. It gave me fits for some weeks. At any rate, they are loved by the staff and they are enjoying school, whatever the situation. But in the long run, they will end up either in the private school (ouch! $) or we will move. And Marissa's needing extra services complicates that. So it's an interesting dynamic. I have been involved in the system pretty heavily this year trying to see what I can do from the top down to make things better. One hurrah is that the school board finally fired the superintendent I was not at all pleased with and put in an interim who has been excellent. So that's a step in the right direction. And we wonder why I'm busy... I'm crusading mommy. I can't stand by and watch something happen if I can do something to help change it.
SOOOO, I had hoped things would calm down when it was just Charlotte and me at home. They did not. It's taken two months for it to slow down a bit for me to "catch up." I'm getting there.
The other big thing has been the adoption situation with Charlotte. All along, I have been dogged by huge frustrations with the system and our lawyer here, in particular. I will not recommend her to anyone else. However, she's really the only lawyer here in town who handles adoptions. I'm thinking out of town.... She has given me fits too. But just when we thought we could just sit back and wait for our court date, which had been set for Sept. 4, our 14th anniversary, the rug got pulled out. Just a few days beforehand, the lawyer emailed me and told me the judge had decided since the birth father had sent back a denial of paternity, that we should publish. Now that the birth father was legally "unknown," she wanted to publish a legal notice in the paper notifying any possible fathers about the adoption. What that means is the notice has to run for four weeks and then there must be 30 days before the adoption hearing so any father can respond. What's hilarious is since we live here in Alabama, we publish here. Charlotte's birth father is undoubtedly in North Carolina. The law. What can I say? So our hearing is now set for December 9.
That affected our trip to California. We wanted to have Charlotte sealed to us in the Oakland temple, where we were married. But we had planned our trip for this coming week, during the girls' fall break. So as it happens now, we'll just go to California, visit, introduce her to Marce's family and friends there, and have her sealed to us in Birmingham. It was disappointing, but at that point, whatever fight is in me can do nothing about it. But at the same time, a whole lot of friends from here can be with us in the temple. So that will be delightful.
Those have been the big issues in my life. At the same time, we've actually had a baby and three older daughters to raise, do our callings in church, live, breathe, eat, shop for food and clothing, pay bills, etc. No wonder I've got a few extra pounds on me. Arrrgggggh.
But good things are happening too. We do get to go to California on Tuesday, and we plan to do some fun things. Going to take the girls to Marine World, eat great food, see old friends, enjoy San Francisco, and go to the OPERA! Marce and I are going to see Mozart's The Magic Flute on opening night at the SF opera house. Can't wait! It should be an amazing experience.
I've also helped a friend edit and submit a terrific novel for publication; he just secured an agent this week who loves the book and thinks it has bestselling potential, which I've thought all along. I'm just thrilled to have been a part of this. It's very exciting. Now we'll see what kind of publishing offers he might get.
With that, I hope to start writing on my own again. I'm still busy with home life and my part-time work at the newspaper, which is terrific. I love my job! Fun at the paper and lots of great free books. Best job ever! But I do long to do some writing. I've got a number of books in me that could have potential.
That's the long and the short of it. I'm trying to keep our SmugMug photo site updated with pictures of Charlotte, who is now 5 months old and still an absolute doll and wonderful baby. She really is a delight and I love her to pieces. We all do. She's so happy and fun and easygoing. Anyway, I've got pictures of her on the site and try to put new ones on every week or every other week. The link is
http://limfamily.smugmug.com/
So, I do hope to update more often now. (sure, I SAY that now....) I've also got to get caught up in journaling. Ha! Have a wonderful week and hope to see or talk to you all or email, etc.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)