worth the wait

...at least I think so. :)

I've been getting K's redhead pics uploaded & sized all evening. Of course, there were plenty of baby distractions, hungry kiddos & such that kept me from actually sitting here for very long until they all went to bed - hence the ridiculous timing of this post. These late nights have become a bad habit. :p This can't-fall-asleep-even-though-I'm-tired stuff is kind of crazy, although I must say I'm looking forward to some sleep right now - didn't even get through the last of K's pics 'cause I'm ready to find my pillow. Yeah, there are way too many shots. I never have claimed to be decisive about this sort of thing. I just think she's beautiful. Especially since we took these Saturday at sunset, after hours and hours of doing yard work. Yes, she's this pretty after playing with weeds & dirt all day. Crazy huh? I just grabbed the camera & we spent a few minutes. I'm loving the red on her. Might just be my favorite so far. :)

Anyway, now that she's been a redhead for over a week, there's the first of the pics. :)

Now to get some new pictures of Brandon. It's been entirely too long since he was last willing to smile for my camera. :p Soon! I promise. :)

Sweet dreams blog readers! Or good morning. Or something...

just a random sort of Friday

 ...I'm totally loving working out at the gym regularly again. It hurts some days, but it feels so awesome!

...still not sleeping much at night - even with sleep-aid meds in me. :(

...Kirsten's hair is RED. It has been for a week actually. I've just been slacking with the camera. I will have to remedy that soon. :)

...I love it when Maiah gets sleepy and wants her mommy. Baby cuddles are so beautiful!

...It's raining again tonight & I'm loving it. Cool, rainy nights used to mean I'd sleep really well, but that just doesn't happen anymore. :p

...I so love my digital picture frame that sits on my desk and flips through years worth of pics of my kiddos. It makes me smile all of the time. :)

...I played wow for a chunk of my afternoon. I don't get to play that game nearly enough anymore. I miss it! (Though the ddo distraction with Jason & Ian is fun!)

...I realize that it's been awhile since I last posted a picture of my B on here. It's not that I don't love him every bit as much as my other kiddos, it's that he doesn't allow me to take pictures of him. And he's way bigger than me & harder to bargain with. I'm on a mission to get some new shots of him though. Hopefully he'll approve some for my blog. :)

...I really need to go see Ashely again. It's Spring now - need more blonde!

...I'm looking for a lawyer who would be willing to listen to my story and maybe give me some advice on what I can be doing to change my situation. There has got to be something.  I've come to the realization that the people I've been trying to rely on for the last 14 years may not ever actually come through for me despite whatever promises have been made, and I'm not willing to wait another chunk of my life away hoping for the best. If there's something I can be doing to change Brandon's & my situation for the better I want to be doing it. He'll be 19 in August & just wants a normal life. You know - school, job... the kinds of choices that most people take for granted.  Of course, my other kiddos are obviously American, so leaving the country isn't a viable option. I'm looking for ways to make changes without having to leave the country. Not an easy thing without a sponsor on hand I know, but yeah. Anyway, if anyone has a kind lawyer friend who knows anything at all about immigration/family law I would love to speak with them!

...Little Vern is smiling at me from my digital frame. I love that boy's smile - he really should do it more often. :)

...It's 4:09 am right now and 3 of my kiddos are still awake. (B's gaming, K's watching tv while suffering from allergies, and Elijah's sleeping about as well as I am tonight.)

...I love it when fruit & berries are in season! I had the yummiest blueberries & grapes tonight. (Kirsten & Maiah ate all of the canteloupe & I had to fight Ej for the grapes, but yeah - the blueberries were all mine. Mmmmmm...)

...My kiddos somehow got a piece of  lego into our printer & now it's not working right. Sadness. :(

...Well, I should at least try again to get some sleep. I don't think I'm allowed to take any more of the sleepy meds, so wish me luck!

Hugs!

Sunday flippage

I decided that this little blog of mine is in need of a dose of pictures. I haven't been playing with my camera much though, so I grabbed a bunch (lots!) of stills from our most recent videos instead. I think the lack of quality from the video camera is made up for by the abilty to capture all the in-between moments and expressions. They just have that real-life feel to them, you know? Anyway, these are the most recent grabs from my little flip video camera. Yep, I'm still lovin' that thing. :)

Oh, and aren't my kiddos the cutest? Yeah, I think so. :)
I know the flip doesn't capture the sharpest or clearest shots, but it's us being us, so this stuff is precious to me. 
Hugs!