Creative Folks

I wanted to say thank you to both Lisa and Mrs. Jeanne for the creative gifts that you gave Seth. They look so good in his room and tie things together perfectly.

May Flowers

We have been so busy this month. I told someone yesterday that I feel like I am being pulled in 5 different directions. When I have a minute to post something on here I am usually too tired to do it.

Seth is just doing super! He is your typical 15 month old. He loves to babble, babble, babble. He also loves to SCREAM! Not for any particular reason except to hear himself. He especially lets out a wail when Will is aggravating him. I asked Will yesterday "Do you like hearing him scream?". Will said "yes!". That came as somewhat of a surprise to me as it makes me feel the same as when fingernails go down a chalk board. Boys, I just don't understand them sometimes (OK, most of the time).

I have questioned myself lately about Seth's progress. I have followed another family that recently traveled to Thailand. They have really had it rough. We just did not experience a tremendous amount of difficulty. I guess it is because Seth was younger. I also attribute Seth's transition success to Mrs. Ting. He had already bonded with a great family that he just adjusted fairly easy to ours. We have had some bumpy spots and sleepless nights. The first four weeks were really rough. It was like having a newborn. He was getting used to us and us to him. I think that everyone has done better than me. It has been hard getting used to 3 kids and all of the responsibilities that go with it. I think it is true about having "post adoption blues." Each days is better and Seth is just a little ball of sunshine.

I'm Gonna Miss This

I have been wanting to post this song for a while now. I saw Trace Adkins sing it on the last episode of "The Celebrity Apprentice". One big reason that I didn't post it immediately is because, truthfully, I don't like country music. Yes, I know I live in Mississippi. Each stage of this song rang true for me. I couldn't wait to grow up and move out. I couldn't wait to start my family. And now there are some days that I wish my kids were a little older. I admit it. I look back at pictures of Kara and Will as babies and I think "where has the time gone"? Today I will enjoy my new crew of 3 and thank the Lord for all that he has blessed me with.



She was starin out the window of their SUV
Complainin sayin I can't wait to turn 18
She said I'll make my own money
And I'll make my own rules
Momma put the car in park out there in front of the school
And she kissed her head, and said
'I was just like you'
You're gonna' miss this
You're gonna' want this back
You're gonna' wish these days
Hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna' miss this
Before she knows it she's a brand new bride
In her one bedroom apartment
And her daddy stops by
He tells her it's a nice place
She says, 'It'll do for now'
Starts talkin' about babies, and buyin a house
Daddy shakes his head
And says baby just slow down
Cuz' you're gonna' miss this
You're gonna' want this back
You're gonna' wish these days
Hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna' miss this
Five years later there's a plumber
Workin' on the water heater
Dog's barkin', phone's ringin'
One kid's cryin' one kid's screamin'
And she keeps apologizin'
He says they don't bother me
I've got two babies of my own
One's thirty- six, one's twenty- three
Huh, it's hard to believe
But you're gonna' miss this
You're gonna' want this back
You're gonna' wish these days
Hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna' miss this
You're gonna' miss this
Yeaahhhh... you're gonna' miss this...

Start of a New Week

Well, as many of you can probably guess, I have been super busy lately. Adding a fifth wonderful member to our family has been a big adjustment. Seth is doing great and gets better every day. He had a cold last week that turned into a double ear infection. I took him to the doctor on Friday and started antibiotics. He felt better by Saturday afternoon.

It is exciting to finally see his little personality. Seth is curious, sweet, and GENTLE. Can you imagine a gentle child in our family? Kara and Will are still doing great with him and he loves them too. Will didn't want Seth playing with his new toy this morning so instead of snatching it from him he went and got another toy to distract Seth. I just thought that was so big of Will. Kara is an enormous help.

Seth can say a few words. He says:
Momma
Dadda
Dog
Kara (which actually sounds like "rarra")
no,no,no (he says it three times in a row)
Uhh ohh
He has started trying to say "Genghis"
He calls Will something that is hard to understand

Seth also plays "peek-a-boo", gives kisses, waves bye-bye, and obeys some commands. He does these things by voice commands. He also obeys when told "no-no". We think he's a genius!

He will be home 6 weeks tomorrow. In some ways it seems like yesterday but in other ways it seems like forever ago.

Seth weighs 20 lbs 13 oz. He wears a size 12 months in clothes and a size 5 to 6 in shoes. He has the longest feet and toes! We were told Friday that we can start weaning him from formula to whole milk. I am so happy as a can of formula costs $20.18 and doesn't quite last a week.

He is curious and has learned how to unroll toilet paper from the roll. He also broke a glass candle holder. Even with this he is so much better than Kara and Will about getting into things.

We are so glad that he is here and love him to pieces.

Still Proud of My Tigers

Even though we didn't receive our furniture for free it was certainly an exciting weekend watching the Tigers play. The city of Memphis was PUMPED. It was nice to see the city come together. Everywhere you went you saw lots of blue and gray. Even the past couple of days most chit chat being discussed in stores is about the big game. Dad and Mom didn't make it to the games but maybe next year.

Go Tigers Go

My alma mater, The University of Memphis, is going to the final four basketball playoffs Saturday night. I am so so so proud of the Tigers! This has been a fun season watching them win. My entire family are big fans. My dad went out yesterday morning first thing and bought a "final four" t-shirt. Dad, Joel, and my brother, Greg, have season tickets to both basketball and football. Dad is trying his best to find a way to San Antonio this weekend. I hope he and mom can go. He said that it has been 25years since we last played in the final four and at that rate this might be his last chance to see them play. I was 10 years old in the spring of 1983, Dad and I drove to Baton Rouge, LA to watch the game. It is a great memory of mine.

We bought Will's bedroom suite during a promotional that Ashley Furniture had in February. If the Tigers win the NCAA tournament then our furniture is FREE!!! Let me say it again "Go Tigers Go"!!!!

Tiger Fight Song

Go Tigers Go, Go On To Victory,
Be A Winner Thru And Thru;
Fight Tigers, Fight Cause We're Going All The Way...
Fight, Fight For The Blue And Gray And Say...
Let's Go Tigers Go,
Go On To Victory.
See Our Colors Bright And True;
It's Fight Now Without A Fear,
Fight Now Let's Shout A Cheer,
Shout For Dear Old Memphis U.
(Yell)
Go Tigers Go!
Go Tigers Go!
Yeeeaaa...Tigers......GO!!!

A Video from Seth's Last Day

This is a little video of Mrs. Ting saying goodbye to Seth. Her two great gradchildren who lived in the home are with her. It is the saddest thing. You can also put "tracymcgal" in the YouTube search and get all 19 little parts of the 20 minute video. We sent a one time use video camera to Thailand for Seth's first birthday. We received these priceless videos. We bought our camera from someone on the Holt board but it is from CVS pharmacy. You turn it in like a camera and they give you a disk. The price is very reasonable. I think I only paid like $25. We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Seth was loved. We can't put into words our appreciation...