it's a bird, it's a plane, no it's a bald eagle

while DH and I were driving back from Illinois this afternoon over the Jefferson Barracks Bridge, I happened to look north along the east side of the Mississippi river and said to DH.. WOW.. I see a Bald Eagle.. WOW.. Just then a Semi blocked my view. I then turned around and looked back at the river bank along the Illinois side and saw the majestic creature beautifully coasting in the breezes over the riverbank looking for prey swimming in the murkey waters of one of the great rivers in the USA. This is only the second time I have ever seen a bald eagle soaring in our area of St. Louis in the winter months. I know, I have never been to Alton, IL to go eagle watching.. shame on me. BUT I can say without a doubt that I have a fondness for birds of prey like this. I am lucky enough to be able to spot several red-tailed hawks in my neighborhood and along the route of hwy 40/64 west to Mason. These creatures love to hunt small prey like rabbits, squirrels, mice, rats, etc... I see them purched upon light polls in front of my house and along hwy 40/64. They tend to be out there early morning around 8:15 or so and then I am lucky to see one flying over the highway in the afternoon around Lindbergh and 40/64. I always say a prayer to keep these birdies safe and strong hunters. We have run them out of our towns many times and yet they strive to survive in the cities and local counties. I love it. We are blessed to be able to see such simple wonders of nature. Oh.. one more sighting of a beautiful creature was that of a white large winged owl in my neighborhood about 2 weeks ago. I had been outside in the backyard with the doggies and heard the hoot of the owl many time around 9 pm. I then went back out with the dogs about 2 hours later and heard the hoot and then saw the large owl fly over my house to a huge tree about 2 blocks north of my house. I love seeing this in the City. I live between Wilmore park and Carondelet Park so we see a few birds and a few gournd creatures roaming our area. Heck, on year we had a female and male duck land in our pool while we had the cover on. LOL

Spending time

Time: it can be something that either drags along or goes in a whirlwind so fast that if you blink you miss the fun in it all.

For now, time is passing slow. Time tends to bring me to a point of way too much thinking, too many minutes to say "What if". I am staying positive that we will be parents sooner or later. Hopefully sooner than later.

I am mailing off a check Monday for The ABC's of Adoption seminar in March. DH and I are both going. I just ordered this book from Amazon this past week to read and then pass to family members (DH included). The book was recommended to me from the adoption support group leader.

I need to call the agency and ask them about what we need to do to prep to renew our homestudy. We were Homestudy approved on March 22nd, 2006. We must renew our homestudy each year while waiting. I can't believe so much time has passed since we were approved, honestly it does not seem like it has been that long. Thankfully! I am excited to think that 2007 really can bring us our dreams come true, a blessing of a baby in arms. A new dynamic to our family.

Are you ready for some winter weather? Hopefully we will get the lesser of 4-6 inches of snow predicted..LOL

Have I mentioned that I suffer from really bad chapped lips? I pick and pick at them when they are chapped that I end up with sores on them, so raw. Well I think I have found a near cure. Neosporin LT. My co-worker gave me one of this little sample packets, you know, the kind you find in a sample box at the local workout gym etc... well after just 2 days of use I swear my lips have healed about 95% of the way. I went to the local corner (BIG) drug store and found an applicator/stick to use and I have it with me everywhere I go. I will probably become a person that has to create an online support group of NLT(neosporin Lip Treatment) addicts. Bah... I was an addict with burts bees wax lip balm.

The weather did not spoil my Birthday

although the weather is nasty outside, freezing rain and sleet, we still managed to spend my birthday today attending the Blues hockey game(dh's gift to me) and then going to the RV show at Americas Center downtown. Yeah, the BLUEs won and the RV show helped us decide what to look for in another camper. I know DH will be browsing the internet for another camper now. LOL

So Thankful also for Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby having been returned to their families alive. MIRACLE DO HAPPEN. They both have a long trial ahead of them, but I hope and pray they will always know they are loved. Let this FREAK that did this kidnapping pay for what he has done. I know we might not know every detail of what he has done or did, I just know he will pay for his crimes. I visited Shawn Hornbecks web page last night and reading the "Welcome Back" posts from everyone really were heart warming. Thankful for those police officers that figured out the truck was possibly the one that was associated with Ben's abduction. It is crazy though to know this was so close to our area. The apartment was only about 4 miles down the highway from my neighborhood. I have been to the business (pizza place) that the Freak worked at and it is hard to believe he had access to so many young teens there too. Sick. I just can't believe he lived a somewhat normal life like he had never done anything. So many thoughts, so many questions, so many prayers for both boys families.

Cheers

The ABC's of Adoption seminar coming up..

The ABC's of Adoption
March 10, 2007
8:00am - 3:30 pm
(Registration begins at 7:30am)
Holiday Inn Southwest/
Viking Conference Center
10709 Watson Rd. St. Louis MO 63127

Presented by Adoption Haven
215 South Kirkwood rd Suite 202
Kirkwood MO 63122
314-822-5708 fax 314-821-0068
www.adoptionhaven.com

PRESENTERS:

Tamara Schaefer Beidle, MSW, LCSW
-executive Director of Adoption Haven, LLC.
-she has been providing adoption services since 1997

Cynthia Smith, Atorney at Law
-practices in the area of adoption and is an adoptive parent

Charles Grbcich, MBA
-financial consultant with A.G.Edwards and Sons, Inc and is an adoptive father

David Smith, CPA
-is an accountant with EWS CPA PC and an adoptive father

Roldofo Rivera, Attorney at Law
-whose practiceincludes adoption, and is the CEO of Children of the World, Inc

Kim Cowherd, MSW, LCSW
-is a social worker providing counseling and related services to birthparents and is an adoptive mother

Allen Stewart, Attorney at Law
-is a partner with Beach, Stewart, Heggie and Mittleman. He practices in Family Law, including the area of adoption.

Michelle Crain, MSW, LCSW
-is a social worker and an adoptive mother.

the schedule includes:

adoption basics:
-adoption overview
-Beginning the process
-Financing adoption
-adoptive parent panel
-Q&A with Presenters

legal program
-International Adoption
-Domestic Adoption
-Surrogacy
-Q&A with Presenters

Call 314-822-5708 for a registration form to be mailed to you. or email tamara@adoptionhaven.com

$25.00 per individual
$40.00 per couple

(conference registration is not refundable)


SEE YOU THERE

hello? Can you hear me?

if not, then you are not the only one. I am voiceless right now. I came down with a nasty sinus infection and it has turned into a very bad sore throat and now the doc said bronchitis. I went yesterday afternoon and he checked me over. I am coughing like a barking dog so he prescribed me a nice cough medicine with vicodin for the pain I am getting in my chest/ lungs and now ribs and back from coughing so much. Then he prescribed me bioxen for an anti-biotic to help clear up this infections I have. Between all that I have managed to lose my voice. My friend called me last night to check on me and could not believe I sounded so different, well 2 hours later my voice was gone. Now I make noise, but it sounds like I am straining so hard to even make a word come out. I hate being sick. I have not gotten sick like this in over 6 years. I take lots of vitamins, but they won't stop a sinus infection like this that almost always turned into bronchial problems. I have not lost my voice since high school like this either.

I had to cancel with babysitting last night and today, but both of them understood. I hope they were able to get out an enjoy anyway. Mae, I am praying that you got to go up and see new baby A today. I feel bad I could not help out, but I did not want to expose you to any of this crap I have and then not be able to go be with A. Thanks for understanding.

Me and 3 doggies are cough potatoes today. It looks like a great day outside, but my butt is not going anywhere. DH is at the bowling alley getting instuctions so he can bowl better. Good luck on that. I think he actually went there to get his bowling ball redrilled.

DH bought a new dvd to watch tonight. Taladega Nights. I hope it is good and funny. I watched The Chronicals of Narnia last weekend and loved it. I am going to try and watch more movies this year. I use to make a list of movies that would come out on tape(you know VHS tapes, don't you remember when those were popular) or dvd now and try to watch them but never got around to more than 1/2 of the list. Well I am keeping my list simple and payperview busy with recent releases. What better to do when you are sick? Watching a good movie sure helps pass the time. WHat is your favorite movie that just came out on DVD or ppv?

Gotta put the Christmas decor way tomorrow. Just not up for doing it today.

Thank goodness it is the weekend and I can work on getting better physically before I go back to work Monday. I don't want to use any vacation this early in the year plus I need to save as much vacation time for WHEN WE GET A MATCH in the adoption front.

This year rings in with a fun filled work

week. Crammed full of exciting things to do and fix and create for those that need my help. I am, after all, the jack of all trades. I do a little of it all. Name it, I bet I do it. Go ahead and name something in the office and ask if I do it or something closely related to it. I Got A much appreciated back up from the boss today when I was working on a nearly 4 hour error fixing problem for another department. My bosses actions were not harsh to me as he knows the person the request for fix was coming from. Kinda diffused the problem or Mounting tension, know what I mean. Thanks boxx.

I went to bedbath&beyond tonight to buy some of those sheet straps .. they hold the corners of the sheet to the bed not allowing them to slid off ever move you make on the bed... AND NO not that kinda moving .. Bah
One of the packets did not have the advertised 4 straps in it so I called the company and this VERY PEPPY lady we will call J got on the phone to tell me it was really ok and that all I needed to bring back in was the package (to show proof that the package had been taped up by the store employee incorectly(most likely a returned item)) and my receipt back and I can get 2 replacement straps for my sheets. THANK GOODNESS becase last night DH and I both had problems with our corners of the sheets and matterss pas popping off the corners all night long. Felt funny to have all of it bunched up around the edge of the pillow and feet.

I have book 3 babysitting days in the next 2 weeks and possibly more coming up at the end of the month. I can't wait to be reintroduced to Ms.BOO via Mae Saturday. Mae and the Rev want to go spend some time with baby Av in the NICU so I am looking forward to spending a few FUN FILLED hours with Ms Boo. I am sure she will entertain us both and I can't wait to here how her world of growing up is. MAE Call me!

Ebay is doing well stil. Hard work making these baby bottle holders, but good reviews and feedback on them so far. Nice. My mommy should be very proud.. she put hard work into helping me set this all up.

Ok, going to bed a little early tonight due to challenging myself to NO CAFFEINE today and I did it. Ummm, can you now say FREAKIN' CAFFEINE HEADACHES? DH has one also. Hopefully sleep will bring a lighter pain or no pain.

Blessings and prayers to all my friends, family, etc.. I love you all.

Ok, I better go, this sleeping pill is really making me sappy. bah