Your Song & You and I

Your Song - Elton John. Classic. I love this song. It's a simple romantic song and has been covered many times. But again, the original is the best. I mean, it's Elton John. Having said that though, I do like the rendition from Moulin Rouge. But I like Baz Luhrmann and his movies. But I digress. This song. It's great. Makes me want to put on some oversized ostentatious glasses and relax. 

You and I - Lady Gaga. Yes. Her again. You know I love her, so she had to make this list several times. This is one of my all-time faves from her (I'm sure I've said that before) because it's tied to a special memory. A few years ago when Amy bought me tickets to go see her she played this song. But it was for her then upcoming, unreleased album and hadn't been fully tweaked and finished. She just sang it straight out at the piano.  No frills. No fuss. Just awesomeness. So, when the album came out and the finished song was present Amy and I reminisced and enjoyed it. So it makes me smile whenever I hear it. That and it's just awesome. So it was a natural for "Y". 

All is well, Y down, in Drosche Land. 

The Way I Am & Wrecking Ball

1.  The Way I Am - Ingrid Michaelson.  OMG.  I love this song.  It is so sweet and fun.  It makes me think of Amy every time I hear it.  I think it is the perfect little song for a couple to have.  Nothing sweeping or overly romantic about it.  Not a ballad.  No huge musical score.  Just something simple and easy to show love for someone, no matter what.  A personal fave of mine.  Plus, she works the word Rogaine into the song, kudos to her!

2.  Wrecking Ball - Miley Cyrus.  Yes.  I know.  It's Miley Cyrus.  On a wrecking ball.  Licking a sledgehammer.  There are so many things wrong with that.  But that's the video.  Taking the song away from the video I think it becomes something totally different.  A sad lament for love lost.  A double entrendre for the term wrecking ball.  I like it, aside from the video of course.  That's just crazy.  But listen to it and try, your best, not to picture the video.  The song in itself is pretty good.  At least I think so.

All is well, W down, in Drosche Land.  

Everybody Wants To Rule The World & Everything

1. Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Lorde.  I love me some Lorde.  I love me some Hunger Games. In this cover the two collide into something awesome. I'm sure there are plenty of purists out there that will have nothing to do with this version, stating that only the Tears for Fears original matters. But, as great as that is, this one is also. Something about her voice, the tone of her music. It just works. Jackson is actually a pretty big Lorde fan too and this happens to be one of his favorites. He seems to have inherited an eclectic love of music from both Amy and I. Who knows, maybe he'll have something to do with music later in life?  Maybe he will just love it. Either way, Lorde is in his repertoire. Mine too. 

2. Everything - Michael Bublé. I wish I had an accent mark on my name. Makes it look cool. Anywho. I love this song. I love Michael Bublé (yes, I just wanted to type the accent mark again). This is my favorite though becaus I associate it with Amy. It's one of the songs that sums up my feelings for her. Everything.  That's what she is to me. Mr. Bublé states it far more eloquently and melodic than I ever could though. I've heard he is pretty awesome to see in concert. Maybe we will get that pleasure someday. Until then though, this song is always available to me whenever I want to think of Amy. 

All is well, E down, in Drosche Land. 

Amie & Amarillo By Morning

1.  Amie - Pure Prairie League.  I love the fact that I am beginning with this song.  Despite the spelling being different, it should be abundantly clear why I love this song.  It is the ringtone for my Amy.  Whenever the kids hear this, they know she is calling me.  There have been times when I have been playing the actual song and they think she is calling, even if she is sitting right there!  Talk about a Pavlovian response!  Other than bringing to mind my dearest wife, I just enjoy this song and the folksy sound of it.  To be honest I couldn't name you any other song by Pure Prairie League if my life depended on it.  And that's just find by me since none could ever top this.

2.  Amarillo By Morning - George Strait.  Of course he had to make this list.  How could he not?  Love or hate country you know who he is, the King of Country.  This is probably my all-time favorite George Strait song.  Amy knows what I am about to say as she has heard it many times before.  This song reminds me of my childhood.  I distinctly remember hearing it as a small child, on a road trip, passing through Amarillo, in the morning.  Therefore, despite being an awesome song, it holds a special place in my heart for that very reason.  

All is well, A down, in Drosche Land.

Oily

So you know that here in Drosche Land we are always looking for ways to stay healthy and natural.  Eating, drinking, cooking, living, etc.  Jackson and Stella forever changed the way we live, for the better of course, with their diagnoses.  

We have seen so many positive benefits to the many changes we have made.  It's given us the motivation to continue to research, learn, and change.  We've cut out nearly all artificial colors and flavors, preservatives, chemicals, dyes, and are continuing to work on converting as much of our diet to organic and/or as possible.  It's an ongoing process and we are enjoying it and the rewards it has brought us.

For some time Amy has been intrigued by essential oils.  A friend of hers from her Handbell Choir introduced her to them via the company Young Living.  So, naturally, she began to research, read, and learn as much as she could about it.  Then she brought it to me.  I hadn't thought about it or heard to much about it so I listened and then began to look into it myself.  It was interesting, made sense, and sounded like something that was right up our alley and in line with our lifestyle.  So, last week, Amy talked to my Mom about it, who also was interested.  Amy then signed up to be a distributor for Young Living and they both placed their first orders.  

There are many reasons why we have become interested in essential oils, but I'll focus on Jackson for this post.  As you know from my past posts, his ADHD symptoms have worsened and we believe it is time for a tweak to his medication.  He also has been sleeping very poorly.  It is our hope that, through the use of essential oils, we can help Jackson manage his ADHD via a natural way.  Now, we are not taking him off of the medication, nor do we think we can "cure" him.  That's not at all what this is about.  It is just another way for us to equip him with as many tools as we can to lead a successful life and manage his ADHD.

In addition to the Young Living order, Amy also ordered some diffusing jewelry through Sacred Arrow for us all; leather necklaces for the boys and leather bracelets for Stella, Amy, and I.  As soon as we received the orders we began to use the Peace & Calming with Jackson, via a diffuser in the boys' bedroom at night and his necklace 24/7.  We began to notice results within the first day.  He has slept wonderfully, without waking, for 5 days now.  His behavior has also been a lot calmer; he has much better control over his actions and emotions.  Granted we have been on Spring Break so our schedule has been a lot more laid back and easy, but we have been quite pleased with the results thus far.  Once school resumes next week we will see how things continue to progress.  We pushed back his appointment with his doctor until April since we had enough of his medication to last until then.  This will also give us a chance to see how the inclusion of essential oils continues to impact everything.  

So, that's what is new here in Drosche Land; the next adventure we are partaking in.  So far we are excited about it and eager for what lies ahead.  Like I said earlier, this post was Jackson-centric.  I'll post more about our plans for essential oils for Stella and the rest of us in later writings.  So stay tuned.

All is well, oily and happy, here in Drosche Land.     

In A Pickle

Nope. This post isn't about any tough or awkward situation I've gotten myself into. Nope, I'm talking actual pickles here. 

I have always loved pickles. I mean, really. What's there not to love?  Tasty. Crunchy. Practically calorie-fee. And I'm not the only one here in Drosche Land with an affinity for the briney treat. Amy and Stella are both pickly addicts as well, especially Stella. It's a win-win. Until this past week that is. Until Amy read the back of a jar of pickles at the grocery store.  Turns out there's a lot of not-good-for-you ingredients on that list. A list that should really be relatively short. Cucumber and the ingredients for the brine. That's it. Well, turns out there are quite a few things, depending on brand of course, that are not exactly natural. So she turned to the all natural ones. But then the price on those is ridiculous. I mean we are just talking about pickles here. Not exactly a delicacy. 

So, in keeping with our new lifestyle of eating all natural, mostly organic, artificial and preservative ree, Amy took to Pinterest in search of a homemade pickle recipe. She found one for some made in the fridge, without having to be heated. This was right up our alley because we've tried pickles in the past and it was not a pleasant experience. Think soggy, chewy, bitter logs. Yep. That's what we got. So we decided to give this recipe a try. 

Super easy to make. Cucumbers, vinegar, garlic, sugar (but we used honey because we are trying to cut back on refined sugar), peppercorns, salt, and dill. See, not too many ingredients and, most importantly, they are all totally pronounceable. You're supposed to refigerate them overnight for best results. We were able to wait a few hours. Then we tried them. Then we finished the jar and I went back to the grocery store in search of more pickling cucumbers. They were that good. 

Stella and I ate a jar and a half. Just by ourselves. That's my girl!   So, our pickling adventure turned out to be a success. Amy even posted about it on Facebook and people went to town talking about it so Amy then posted the recipe. I did my job and posted a picture to Instagram!  #pickle 

So, one more thing to add to our list of homemade and healthy. And delicious of course. I'm very blessed to have such a wonderful wife who kills it in the kitchen and therefore helps us to eat healthy and deliciously. 

I'm starving for them now but it's late and the fridge is downstairs. Bummer. Guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow for a snack!  Maybe. 

All is well, pickling, in Drosche Land.

Movin' On Up

No, not to the East side. And I'm never going back to apartment living, regardless of how deluxe it may be. Nope, I'm talking about a different kind of moving up.  As in grade levels at school. 

Starting in January, once school resumes, Amy will be moving up (the title all makes sense now huh?) to teach 4th Grade instead of 2nd Grade. I know. It's still a bit of a shock to us as well.

It all began much earlier this school year, with a bit of sad news. The 4th Grade teacher at Epiphany suddenly passed away. It was very sad and emotional for Amy and her coworkers. Since then there have been 2 substitutes working together in the class. Amy, always willing to help and looking for a challenge began to contemplate moving up to take over. We talked about it. We prayed about it. We decided it seemed like what He was calling her to do. Everything was working out for it as well. Amy had a Student Teacher this fall who was also the daughter of a family friend. She graduated last week and obviously is looking for a job. The plan was to have her take over in 2nd Grade while Amy moved up to 4th as the permanent teacher. 

It was approved and everything was put into place. That was all a little over a month ago. It seemed so far off, but now the time is here. Yesterday was the last day of school before Christmas Break and today we spent the day moving Amy from her old classroom into her new classroom. We worked hard and made a lot of progress. We will go back on Monday to finish everything up. Meanwhile, over the course of the past month she's been working on lesson planning, reading through curriculum, and preparing herself to teach 4th Grade.  She's been super busy and, of course nervous, but all is coming together and working well. 

It make me laugh though. This girl who, in college, was so sure she would only ever be an Early Childhood teacher. She disliked any fieldwork or experience in anything above Kindergarten. One of our dearest professors who taught several of our classes always refused to put her in lower grades, despite Amy's insistence that Early Childhood was the only thing for her.  Instead, Dr. Keiper insisted she be well-rounded and not closed off to anything. You'd never know what He has planned. Ha!  Turns out she was so right all along. If only she could see what was going on now!

4th Grade. They're tall. There's multiplication and essays. Cursive writing and hormones. Yikes!  I have to admire Amy because I would never be able to do this, nor would I want to. But not Amy. Nope. Not my Amy. She loves change. Loves a challenge. Thrives under pressure and strained circumstances. She's nervous and forever worried she's making the wrong decision, but I know she will be amazing!  I have such confidence in her, as do her coworkers, principal, and the current 3rd Grade parents who had her in 2nd Grade last year and are ecstatic to have her again next year!  Awesome. 

So, another adventure about to begin here for us. Well, for Amy really. But it's a good thing. A very good thing. And I can't  wait to see how it turns out.  I also now have a strong urge to watch The Jeffersons after writing this. Sadly I don't think it's on Netflix?  Hmmmmm. 

All is well, challenge accepted, in Drosche Land. 

Fitness

Yeah. So I am still surprised to find that I am writing about running and fitness. Much less the fact that I am actually running.  Craziness.

You might remember back in July when I posted about the fact that Amy and I had taken up running. Amy started the trend actually and encouraged me to try it. The 14 pounds I gained during the "waiting for the call" period of our adoption journey were also speaking to me. Granted their words were more along the lines of, "Have another donut!"  Regardless I decided to start. I mean, we are not getting any younger since we are 30ish. Plus, what good is all the healthy eating doing if we don't back it up with other healthy habits. 

I started slowly. Literally and figuratively. Not only did I move slowly, but I began with short distances. It wasn't long before I was moving more quickly and covering more ground. This motivated me to keep at it. That and the fact that Amy had also signed us up for our first 5K. 

The last time I blogged, I used the term rulking. You know, not fully walking but definitely not running. Well, I've moved past that now. I am actually running for the entire duration of my exercises. I know!  I'm just as shocked as you. Still. I started to enjoy it. I hadn't experienced the "runner's high" people spoke of, but I wasn't dying. 

Then came the 5K. Sadly Amy and I couldn't run it together. By then we had the placement of T & L and they could not be left alone with anyone but Amy and I. So I went with my sisterinlaw Amanda. It was a GlowFoam 5K. It was in the middle of August and it was hot. But it was fun. 

Prior to the race there was a concert. You were sprayed with colored foam. Multiple times.  You were drenched in foam residue. With several thousand of your closest fellow Houstonians. Then it got dark and the time for the run finally came. Black lights and more foam stations were set up along the    course so you could get further foamed and see yourself glow. It was pretty awesome. I'll admit too that it was fun. I enjoyed it. It definitely will not be the last 5K. Amy and I are already looking into some ones in the future that we can do together. Now, don't go jumping to conclusions. I'm not doing any half marathons or marathons. That's just crazy. But a 5K?  I can handle that.

So, there you have it. I run. Several times a week. Amy and I alternate days and times to fit our scheduled and we have gotten to the point where we make time for it. Not only has it helped health-wise (I've said goodbye to those 14 pesky pounds) but it is therapeutic. Calming in a way. It gives us some time to unwind and relax. Again. I never thought I would be referring to running as "relaxing" or "therapeutic". But it is and we are enjoying it. I still don't know if I have experienced any runner's high. I do feel good after a run, provided the heat isn't so oppressive that I feel as though I'm melting. Maybe that is a runner's high?  Who knows. Regardless, we run. I guess it is possible to teach a lazy dog healthy tricks and habits. Go figure.

My number!

                               Foamed up and ready to run!

All is well, step by step, in Drosche Land. 

Getting Schooled

Well, I've been gone for a few days as things have been super hectic here in Drosche Land as we prepped for another school year. You can imagine how busy we have been with both Amy and    being teachers and having the 5 kids. But all is well and we have survived the beginning of August which was filled with meetings, preparations, classroom setup, meetings for T & L, and just life in general. We survived!  Today was the first day of school for all of us. Amy lucked out with a 1/2 day while the kids and I jumped in fully with a whole day. All in all it went very well. There were no tears this morning when getting ready. No tears when taking pictures, which I love to do. No tears during drop offs. That in and of itself is a success!  Everyone came home excited and exhausted. They are all asleep now but I, for some reason cannot fall asleep. So here I sit, telling you about our day. 

Stella. This year she is in the Toddler 2s class. Little Miss. Look at her. She was so excited to meet her new teacher, she talked about her for the past few days. She is potty trained and ready to go. Full of sass as always but sweet on the inside. Right now she is I so fully into wearing dresses which she proudly proclaims as a "pretty dress" over and over. So we let her wear one for the first day. She also loves her new shoes that light up (thanks Mom!). They are adorable. Right now in life she loves to play with all things girly still. Dolls, stuffed animals, purses, anything pink, bows, etc. Barbies are just around the corner!  Favorite foods are noodles and rice, she's a carb loader. She also loves fruit and French fries (carbs again). Sophia the First and Doc McStuffins are her favorite shows and she is obsessed with any princess movie, The Princess and the Frog and Sleeping Beauty are in full rotation now. She's a firecracker and has us all wrapped around her little finger.  Again, I'll mention her sassiness, oh my!  

Jackson. First Grade this year!  As you know he has come to St. Mark with Braeden, Stella, and I and I am so excited. That means that he is in my class and is the second of our children that I will have taught. He is one of a kind. We have found a good balance of medicine for his ADHD and he is thriving and focused. He loves numbers and anything mathematical. Right now I think he may be heading toward something related to engineering, I could totally see that. He's obsessed with his Kindle and Minecraft. He loves superheroes and collecting feathers (he found a blue jay one on the way to the car this afternoon). He loves being an older brother and dotes on Stella and L. While cartoons of any kind are still loved, he is getting to the age where he loves the Disney tween shows. Jessie, Austin & Ally, and I Didn't Do That to name a few. He had a great first day of school today and is excited to have me in class. With him being at Epiphany last year with Amy I really haven't seen him in an educational setting until today so that was interesting. With as outgoing as people think him to be, he is actually very analytical, sensitive, and quiet. He spent the majority of today just taking in the new surroundings and watching, assessing, and learning. I know he will come out of his shell eventually, he just takes slowly to new situations. But he is a trooper and there isn't anything he can't do if he puts his mind to it. 

Braeden. Third Grade. Seriously?!  Where has the time gone?  Oh he loved today and came home full of talk about his binder, planner, and all the procedures he learned. He loves school and is always excited to start a new year. He proudly proclaimed that today was going to be easy because, "first days are always easy because yet you don't have any homework yet!"  Just wait little man, just wait. He has always been, and still is, our athletic one. There isn't a sport he won't watch or want to play.  He would have the TV tuned to ESPN all day everyday if we would let him. He also is obsessed with video games, sometimes glued to his Playstation 3 and Kindle. He loves to read and is always wanting to start a new book, if only we could get him to finish one!  Like Jackson he is fully into the Disney tween shows. I think he truly believes he is going to turn 16 any minute!  Help us when he does becaus we already are dealing with some of that preteen attitude!  Oh my!  But he is an excellent oldest child, always wiling to pull extra weight and help ell out when needed with the many younger children. He has a huge heart and is a compassionate person, never thinking the worst of anyone.

T & L. Obviously I can't share their photos here. But they started today as well. T in PreK and L in Waddlers. They have adjusted to school very well considering they have never been in a group care setting.  T's teacher said she had a great day and was very excited to be there. Possibly the highlight of her day was her new backpack that she has been dying to carry since we bought it about a week ago. Her teacher is amazing and knows of the situation. She has been nothing but supportive and helpful. No matter how short of a time T is in her class, I know she will do well.  L has the same teachers Stella had last year so that was a smooth transition for us. We know she will be well cared for and loved. Her report today came with a picture of her with a huge grin on her face. She enjoyed it. She also is doing so well and that is exciting. Her teachers also are so thoughtful and caring, which we already knew when dealing with Stella and her allergies last year. 

Amy and I also had great days today. Our classes are awesome and the kiddos great. We are off to a great start. Amy is happy to be teaching the same grade for a second year and the stability and familiarity that comes along with that. I am so blessed to be at St. Mark and am loving it as always. 

So, all in all it was a great first day. Sure there will be days when things are far worse, but maybe I'll come back and read this post during those times to remind me of the good. This year is going to be a great one. It started off a little crazy with the girls' placement and all that has come with that, but we are adjusting and adapting. I know we will have a great time this year, all of us. It's so exciting. Everything is new and fresh. Everyone is excited and eager. I love my job. Well, I think sleep may finally come so I will wrap this up for tonight. One great day down and just a 170ish more to go!  Ha!

All is well, getting educated, in Drosche Land. 

Making a Run for It

Ok. So if you know me at all you know that exercise and I are not good friends. We are barely acquaintances. However, this summer that has changed a bit. 

I've never been one for physical activity. When I was younger it was mainly due to being overweight. And lazy. When I lost all of my weight I just never got into it. I guess my laziness remained. That and I never saw the point. I'd much rather obsess over and control my eating to lose and maintain weight.

This summer though Amy started up a fitness plan with some friends of ours. They would run/walk every morning. At first I was all, "good for you!", and thought nothing more of it.   Then reality hit me. Hard. In the form of weight gain, the worst. I guess as I've gotten older, into my 30's my metabolism is not what it was before. It's still good I think, but I can no longer just drop weight as easily as I could before. Gasp!  Factor in all of the stress/anxiety from the adoption process and I had put on some weight. Not much, but it was above my flex range and I hated it. I eat my anxiety and being at home over the summer was not helping either. 

So, Amy suggested that I try running. Ugh!  Seriously?!  But nothing was chasing me!  No zombies or clowns, what was the point. But,alas, I decided to give in and try it out. How bad could it be?

My first time out I did 2 miles. I'm pretty sure I almost died. I may have blacked out somewhere along the way but I can't be sure. But I survived. Sure I was out of breath and my legs were killing me and I was drenched in sweat; but I was alive. So I decided to continue. That was about 2ish weeks ago and all is going well. It's not horrible. I won't say I love it, but I definitely don't hate it anymore. It is somewhat enjoyable, mostly when it's over and I've recovered, but enjoyable nonetheless. I still have yet to experience this "runner's high" people talk about. I'm pretty sure I have the runner's low down pat, but a high?  Nope. Not yet at least. But I've lost a few pounds and I feel better. 

Well, in keeping with the way Amy and I dive head first into adventures we have also signed up for our first 5K. Seriously. It's a GlowFoam run late next month and I am actually excited about it. It was Amy's idea and she talked me into it.  So, we are in prep mode now and I have stepped up my game to get ready for the 5K. Apparently it is like 3.1 miles so yesterday I upped my daily run to 3.5 miles. Again, I didn't die so all is well with that. 

Amy and I also got Fitbits yesterday to boost our fitness adventure. We are in love. You know I love me some technology and wearable technology is taking over. So now my Pebble I have the Fitbit on, I'm always connected!

Now, I'll quickly clear some things up for you. I do not run the entire time, not in the least. I am not that good. Yet. But I don't walk slowly the entire time either. I do a combo of briskly walking and running. Alternating between the two during my time. I'll call is rulking since it's neither full-on running but also not walking. That makes it sound better. Rulking. That's more my speed!

So, that's it. If you would have said, even a month ago, that we would be into fitness, rulking, and prepping for a 5K I would have said you were crazy!  But here we are fully into a new adventure and loving it. Life can be surprising I guess. Always. 

All is well, working on our fitness, here in Drosche Land. 

5 for Friday

Yes.  I know it's Sunday.  But Friday was busy, as always, and then there was the situation with Lucy.  Then yesterday was Lucy's post.  That brings me to today.  I really want to do these 5 for Friday posts.  They're fun.  Hopefully I'll get one done on a Friday.  Maybe.  One day.  Until then it's Sunday and here's a look back at last week!

Last Sunday was Dr. Seuss' birthday.  But you just can't celebrate that man in one day, especially when it falls on a weekend.  So this past week I broke from the reading curriculum and did a week-long author study on Dr. Seuss.  The first day we learned about him and what got him started with The Cat in the Hat.  It wouldn't be a celebration, or day in my classroom, without a fun themed hat right?  Of course I shamelessly wore mine around school all day and to carline at the end of the day.  You can't teach 1st Grade and not celebrate Dr. Seuss!

This also happened on Monday.  It's a green tea cupcake with ginger frosting.  Yes, you read that right and yes, it was amazing.  It came from Gigi's Cupcakes.  We have a little good behavior deal going with the boys.  After a certain number of good days they get a reward.  Jackson's is always frozen yogurt from Menchi's.  Braeden's is cupcakes.  Monday marked his completion of his days.  I'm glad I remembered to take a picture of this because it wasn't there for long.  Mmmmmm.

Tuesday was Mardi Gras!  Our time in New Orleans is still a highlight in life for Amy and I so every year this makes us smile.  I also celebrate in the classroom with my students.  Again, another fun headpiece.  We don't go all out but we do talk about what it means, tie it in to Lent, eat king cake, and I throw beads at them.  All in all, it's a great time!

I promise this is the last selfie for this post.  Guess last week was full of them (Amy rolls her eyes at this point).  It's Lent again.  This year I again chose to give up sweets.  Before the day was out I had been offered chocolate-covered strawberries and cookies by students.  But I stayed strong.  40 days is a long time and I'm missing sweets something fierce.  But Amy and I are in it together.  Accountability partners you might say.  She took an extra step and gave up flour in addition to sugar.  Yikes!  She's stronger than I am definitely.  My sweet tooth is aching.

Friday brought an end to our Dr. Seuss studies.  Of course, as with any Dr. Seuss unit, we enjoyed green eggs and ham.  It was a hoot watching my students crack their eggs.  It's amazing what mental suggestion a little green food coloring can make.  Some kids just can't get past it to realize that it is just eggs!  HA!  We didn't get to make our oobleck, but I'll squeeze it in next week.  Another fun favorite.

So, there you have it.  My 5 for last week.  Even if it's Sunday!  Hope your week was awesome!

All is well, Friday or Sunday, in Drosche Land.

Enough Lemons Already

You know the saying. 

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. 

Well. Sometimes life just gives you lemons. And before you can make said lemonade, there's a knock at your door. Surprise. More lemons. Suddenly you're waist-deep in lemons and it seems impossible to find the juicer, much less the sugar. 

Have I stretched that metaphor thing enough. Catch my drift?

Well, I'll back track a bit for you dear readers.  See, about 2 weeks ago I was planning on posting. What?  I can't remember, but I obviously never got around to it as you can clearly tell from the silence on this blog over the past two weeks.  Things here hit the fan, and the fan was turned up full speed. But there I go again with another metaphor. 

Long story short our house was burglarized. Yep. Luckily it was while we were all at work. I beat Amy home that day and found out when I arrived. Needless to say, life has been pretty chaotic here in Drosche Land since.

There was the immediate drama you'd expect: shock, fear, the need to clean a totally trashed house. Then things sank in a bit more: the losses, trying to regain a sense of safety in your own house, the police and insurance reports, getting an alarm system installed, changing the locks. Now we are dealing with the long term: insurance, replacement of valuables, mourning the sentimental things that are irreplaceable.  Suddenly, a bushel of lemons right in front of us. 

But it didn't stop there. Nope. More lemons were delivered. Bank issues related to a charging error when the locks were changed.  Daily phone calls to the bank and locksmith. And the lemons kept rolling in. I was in an accident on the way home. Minor damage to our car and everyone is ok, but more lemons to deal with in the form of a second insurance claim opened. 

So that's where I've been. Obviously I haven't had a device to blog from due to the burglary  I love my iPhone, but it's just not feasible. Plus by the time I would even have time, I'm mentally and physically exhausted from sorting through the lemons.  I'm here tonight because my dear wife surprised me on Valentine's Day with a new iPad Air to replace my stolen iPad.

Before I get too deep into woe here I will stop to say that we have been thoroughly blessed these past 2 weeks. Yes. It's true. Sure, there were tons of lemons, but maybe the other saying is true. Maybe He doesn't give you more than you can bear.  Even though it may seem like it, truth be told we're ok. We have been blessed with amazing family and friends who have helped to clear out some of the lemons. I have an incredible wife who is an expert lemon juggler. Oh, and there's those 3 little blessings that I get to kiss good morning and good night each and every day. They make things better too. 

So, has it been hard?  OMG, yes!  Has it seemed insurmountable?  Um, yep!  But I think we are, slowly, making sense out of everything and coming through it. Sure, we still have a good sized lemon collection to deal with, but it is getting more manageable everyday. Soon, the pile will be gone and we can look back and be relieved that we made it through.  Our faith will be stronger and we will be wiser. Oh, and there will still be a refreshing lemony scent hanging in the air.

All is well, lemons included, in Drosche Land. 

Top Photos of 2013: 20

Here we are.  The final day of the blog hop.  A few days into this I realized that I wasn't counting down, I was actually counting up.  So, while this is supposed to by my #1 favorite photo of 2013, it is numbered #20.  Oh well.  You get the point.  It also confused me even more when I decided to go month-by-month for the first 12 photos. 

But, I have had a blast these past 20 days posting these pictures here.  Not every post has been done on-time and it's been difficult to determine the order, but I have enjoyed it.  I love looking back at pictures and this gave me a reason do do so, several times.  I feel as though I have relived nearly every moment of 2013 these past 20 days which, I suppose, is part of the point of this blog hop.  If not, that's what I am getting from it.

I have also enjoyed visiting the other blogs that are participating and enjoying their photos and their year.  It is amazing how one simple topic like a blog hop can bring people from all over the globe together.  I have followed new blogs and look forward to continuing to read along once this is all over.  It has been so much fun.

But I digress.  I know what you are waiting for.  My #1 (or #20 as it were) picture.  Which photo made the cut?  Which photo came out on top?  Better than the rest?  The cream of the crop?

Well, I'll be honest.  It is nothing groundbreaking or astonishing.  It is nothing super artistic.  However, I believe it captures 2013, or a major part of it, perfectly.  So here goes.

#20

I know what you're thinking.  Another family shot.  And you're right.  But it is so much more than that.  See, this family portrait is the one we sent off with our initial adoption paperwork.  It is the shot that our agency will review.  That our caseworker will present when our file is discussed.  It is one of the many shots that our future daughter will see before we even meet.  Therefore, it is so special to me.  As I have mentioned before, and will discuss so much more in the coming months, adoption is the focus of 2014 here in Drosche Land.  It's busy, it's time-consuming, it's nerve-wracking, it's exciting.  This is the picture that started a whole new adventure.

Well, there you have it.  20 photos from 2013.  Sort of presented in a order of favoritism.  Sort of.  What a great blog hop!  I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have!  

All is well, picture perfect, in Drosche Land.

I Wish You A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year

Merry Christmas.

Happy Holidays.

Happy New Year.

I hope that the holiday season has been awesome for you and yours dear readers.  It certainly has been great here in Drosche Land.  December has been busy here, as life seems to be lately, but I wanted to make sure and close out the year here with you.  Plus I haven't posted any pictures of Christmas yet!  Yikes!  Luckily I think I'm still in the acceptable time frame for holiday pictures.  For a few more hours at least.  I'll do my New Years recap post tomorrow and focus on Christmas today. 

We are a little over a week into our Christmas Break here and it has been great.  Restful.  Relaxing.  Fun.  Joyous.  Just what we needed this holiday season.  Last year was Stella's 1st Christmas, but being just 6 months old she didn't get much out of it.  18 months though is a fun age for Christmas.  She knows who Santa is and will, on cue, say, "Ho, Ho, Ho" when she sees his picture.  Super cute.  So it has been a blast to watch her this year as she experiences everything about Christmas.  The only thing we didn't do was actually make it to see Santa this year.  Best laid plans and all.  Oh well, maybe next year?

The boys are still in the prime age for Christmas, especially Jackson.  He just loves opening presents.  He genuinely gets excited about any gift he receives and genuinely loves watching people open presents.  One of his best traits.  Braeden is on the cusp though.  You know what I mean.  He sort of has things figured out about the big man in red.  But I think his childhood will just not let go of it yet.  He knows something is up, but still believes.  So, the magic is still much alive here in Drosche Land, as I am sure it will always be.

This Christmas was also a special one for Amy and I as it is the last one we will celebrate as a family of 5.  With the adoption moving briskly along we will have our daughter with us next year!  Crazy to think, but so exciting as well.  We did take some time to talk, just the 2 of us, about what she might be doing this year.  How she might be celebrating.  Its bittersweet of course, but knowing that it was the last one we will all celebrate apart did bring some comfort.

So, celebrating the birth of our Savior was a pleasant experience here in Drosche Land this year and I pray it was for you as well.  We still have a few days left of break and, thankfully, have no big plans for them!  Just more rest, relaxation, and family.  Sounds great!  So, Merry Christmas.  Happy Holidays.  Happy New Year from Drosche Land to you. On with the pictures!

All is well, merry, in Drosche Land.

Stella's 2013 Christmas Picture

Jackson's 2013 Christmas Picture

Braeden's 2013 Christmas Picture

My 3

Annual Christmas family picture!

The boys opening presents

Stella and one of her 2 Cabbage Patch babies

A stroller!

Jackson loved his Minion goggles!

The boys opening their Kindle Fires

Stella loved opening presents!

Amy opening Braeden's gift for her that he made at school

Bows!

KINDLE FIRE!

Feeding her baby

Minion goggles and a fart gun!

Her new princess nightgown

He's getting so big!

Happy Thanksgiving

The flu.

That's how I spent my Thanksgiving.  How about you?

Yep, that's right.  The flu.  That blows huh?  See Amy went out of town on Sunday to a conference.  The kids and I were doing just fine.  Until Tuesday morning when I woke up.  I knew around 4 am that something was very wrong.  Very very wrong.  After texting Amy and other family members it was clear that I was going nowhere that day.  Amy's Mom came and got the kids to take them to school.  My Mom came and got me to take me to the urgent care clinic where I was, unsurprisingly for anyone, diagnosed with the flu.  Back home and in to bed I went.  Meanwhile Amy was back on the way home from Dallas and would pick the kids up.  

Behind all of this, orchestrating it all, was my wonderful wife.  Amy.  After picking up the kids she headed to the grocery with them all to pick up supplies for Thanksgiving dinner since we had now been uninvited to any family event, understandably.  I was banished to the bedroom and put into quarantine.  Where I have remained.  I only began to feel better earlier today so Thanksgiving dinner was put off until tomorrow.  My sister-in-law brought over leftovers for us so we could have something.

Do I need to go on about what I am thankful for?  I think my last 3 days summed up above do just that.

Amy.  Could I ask for a better wife?  No.  And to be honest I don't know what I have done to deserve her.  She has taken care of all of the kids (oh by the way Braeden is also flirting with flu-like symptoms in all of this), the house, and me.  She has recorded all of my medicine and has monitored by temperature religiously, tracking it all.  Brought me food and drink.  Sat with me, at a far distance, to keep me company while I have been in isolation.  Nope, I don't think it gets any better than this when it comes to a soulmate.  I am so thankful for Amy.  She is an amazing wife and mother, God has truly blessed me with her.  I cannot wait to enter into this next adoption adventure with her as I have, once again, seen first hand everything she has to offer to a child of ours, be they natural or adopted.

My kids.  They are amazing.  Helping Amy out, mostly, when she needs it.  Waving to me and blowing kisses from a distance.  Just being little laughter-inducing distractions when life desperately calls for a distraction.  I look at them and see the amazing people they will grow up to be and it is awesome.  And then there is the next addition we are pursuing.  Who knows when it will be, how long it will take, or what they will look like.  None of that matters though because in the end He has it planned out and has an adventure for all all set.  Now we just travel it.    

Family.  Taking care of the kids.  Taking me to the doctor.  Bringing us food.  Calling and checking in, while lovingly reminding us to keep a distance :).  Crazy though they may all be, we all seem to pull through for each other whenever it is needed.  But that's what family is right?  I hope that your family is the same.  That they make you feel the way mine makes me feel.  That they love and care for you as well.  Even the family you couldn't be with because the flu kept you from your previous plans of traveling to visit them for Thanksgiving.

Friends.  Texts and Facebook messages to wish me well.  Just little things.  New and old, near and far.  They are there and let you know it.  Hopefully you have friends that are the same, I am sure you do.  Just as family can do, they make like a lot more fun and enjoyable.

So, Happy Thanksgiving.  I hope that yours was filled with family, fun, laughter, and turkey.  Hopefully yours was not spent confined to a bedroom while you battled the flu.  But, if you were, I can only hope that you had someone half as amazing as my wife to help care for you.  Hopefully tomorrow brings a return to health and normalcy here in Drosche Land.  That was the end of the holiday break, at least, can be enjoyable.  As usual, this holiday has been far from what we'd expected, definitely an adventure.  Just not one that we would like to repeat.  Ever.

All is well, feeling better and thankful, in Drosche Land.    

  

Deja Vu All Over Again

Adoption.

It's never truly left our hearts or minds.  It's been nearly 2 1/2 years since we had to stop the process with Margaux.  It was sad.  It was hard.  But we do believe that it was part of God's plan for us.  We have Stella.  

However, Amy and I have never stopped feeling a pull toward adoption.  

It's hard to explain.  We've tried.  To family.  To friends.  But honestly, it's hard.  We feel that God has placed adoption on our hearts.  That He has called us to do something.  We have spent the last 2 1/2 years trying to figure out what that something is.  Should we adopt?  Should we advocate for orphans?  Should we raise money?  Awareness?  We didn't know.  We discussed it at length and prayed continuously.  We waited.  And waited.  And you know how little I enjoy that!

About a month though it came up again.  As usual, just working its way back into our lives.  Adoption.  What to do?  So we talked about it once again and found that DePelchin, an agency here, was having an informational meeting.  So we decided to go.  We hadn't told anyone yet.  We thought, and hoped, that attending the meeting would help to guide us where He needs us.  So we went.  It was eye-opening.  Enlightening.  And it provided us with an answer and a direction.

Yes, Amy and I have once again begun the process of adoption.  Its quite different this time around though.  We are not seeking international adoption, for many reasons.  Instead, we are staying local.  We will be adopting from CPS.  The one similarity will be the fact that our child will likely be of an ethnicity different than our own.  No big news there.  I mean, we were in the process of an international adoption once upon a time.

So, the orientation meeting confirmed in us the calling to adopt.  We told our parents.  They were surprised, and understandably so seeing as how this came out of nowhere really.  But they will warm up.  Again.

Yesterday we began work on the application and have it nearly completed already.  Again, not our first rodeo.  Also, much of the legwork with gathering all of the documentation is already done and we will be able to use it all this time around.  So in that sense this adventure will be slightly easier.  Having said that though, we have a long road ahead of us.  We know that.  Again, nothing new.

The boys are both very supportive of an adopted sister.  Oh, yeah, we are looking to adopt a girl, between the ages of 2-7.  Again, much like before.  Braeden and Jackson both understand that she may look different (race) than us and they do not care.  They are excited.  They find it cool that Stella will have a sister.  

I guess that's about it.  It's getting late here and I'm fading fast, but I wanted to get this post out.  I've been mentally writing it all day.  Here we are again.  This blog started with the news of our adventures into adoption.  It then followed us as we planned for Margaux and eventually had to say goodbye.  It has seen the birth of Stella.  Job changes.  Life.  It's all been here over the past 3 (wow, almost 4) years.  And now we are back to adoption.  Another adventure.  Hope you're ready for the ride.  We are.

All is well, haven't we been here before?, in Drosche Land.                 

Not What I Expected

So, last week was my birthday.  I turned 30+3.  Nope, still not ready to type the number. Oh well.  

It was a good birthday.  Nice and easy.  But it made me think a lot.  I mean, here I am in my (thankfully still) early 30s.  I guess I am now fully an adult.  No denying that.  Marriage.  Career.  3 kids.  2 dogs.  House in the suburbs.  Doesn't get much more adult than that does it?

But it got me thinking about how much life has changed in just the past few years, much less the last 10.  Is this what I expected 30+3 to be like?  I don't know.  Did I ever really think about being 30+3?  Probably not.  But I can guarantee you it was nothing like this.

Now, don't get all shocked and judgmental.  This post isn't necessarily heading in the direction you may think it is.  It won't be what you're expecting (ha, pun on the post's title).

No, this isn't what I expected my life to be like.  I never thought I'd be a teacher.  But here I am in my 10th year teaching 1st Grade and not a day goes by that I am not thrilled with my job.

I knew I would be married, I mean I am pretty co-dependent so it was a given.  But I could never have expected to have a wife like Amy.  One who supports me in everything I do.  Encourages me to be everything that I am and want to be.  Does the bills.  Cooks amazing foods.  Is an awesome mother.  Nope, I didn't expect any of that.

I wanted kids.  But these 3?  They far exceed anything I could have dreamed about.  Braeden, Jackson, and Stella all daily make me smile.  My heart swells and often I can't imagine loving them any more than I do.  Sure they test my patience (also a daily occurrence) but lying down to sleep at night I thank Him for these 3 blessings that I never could have expected.

Teaching at the same school I attended, and loving every minute of it?  Nope, didn't see that one coming.

To have met and made some of the friendships I have?  Again, I'm codependent, but these people are great.

I could go on, but I think I have made my point.  

Nope, I never expected 30+3 to be this.  To be everything that it is.  To be here where I am.  To have the blessings that I have.  To be as thankful as I am.  Nope, I'm still surprised.  God has given me so much to be thankful for that I am in awe.  Daily.  Sure, getting to 30+3 has been an adventure.  The road as had many twists and turns in it and has often been bumpy.  Hurricanes.  Adoption adventures.  Job changes.  So much more.  But it has led me here and here is good.  It's exciting to continue down this road and to see what comes next.

So, maybe this post is a bit sappy and sentimental, but it was a very contemplative birthday this year.  Guess that's what happens when you turn 30+3.  Didn't see that coming either.

All is well, but that's to be expected, in Drosche Land.