I've been TAGGED!

Ok, a friend of mine tagged me with this so I'm up next...

Q. What were you doing ten years ago?
A. Let's see... January 1996.... I was beginning to plan my wedding! I was a Jr. at the University of Georgia and just starting to plan my wedding to Clyde. We were wantin' a *real* fancy shin dig with possum dip and french fries! My dad even sprung for a kegger!

Q. What were you doing one year ago?
A. Thanking God that I was close enough to turning 30 to begin the adoption process!

Q. What are 5 snacks you enjoy?
A. 1. Cheese cubes & olives, 2. Chocolate, 3. Oreos, 4. Chocolate, 5. Potato chips

Q. What are 5 things you would do if you were a millionaire?
A. 1. Pave my gol' durn driveway.
2. Help out some family members.
3. Consider a job closer to home, (the pay would be less.... they don't pay much in my part of Hazzzard County)
4. Sod my back yard.
5. Donate a chunk to my church so they can finally build our Parish Hall.

Q. What are 5 bad habits. (They ask the questions... not me. I only have one bad habit. The other four are made up)
A. 1. Talking loud
2. Picking my skin
3. Reading when I should be cleaning
4. Slouching
5. Being one of those people who drive the speed limit in the fast lane

Q. What are five things you like doing?
A. 1. Playing games with my kids
2. Watching American Idol (is that retarded or what? See I didn't say I made any of these up!)
3. Reading
4. Cooking
5. Not washing dishes

Q. What are five things you would never wear, buy or get new again:
A. 1. Pinch rolled jeans
2. A Nascar T-shirt for myself (kinda goes against my redneck image, but I prefer my halter top and jeans shorts missing the button)
3. Do it yourself leg waxing junk
4. Self tanner
5. A ring on every finger

Q. What are your five favorite toys or games?
A. 1. Hand & Foot (family card game)
2. Wig Out!
3. Polly Pockets (Bubba Jr. loves him some Polly pockets too!) (I'm not worried about his masculinity though... he recently saw a picture of Beyonce and remarked that she had "Really Big XXXX" You can just fill that word in on your own.) (And Clyde is GROUNDED for that one)
4. My MP3 player
5. I forgot the name, but it's this game where you have to fit all your puzzle pieces into their spots before the timer goes off and shoots all your pieces into the air!

OK. So click on one of the four links below and if it leads to YOUR blog.... You've been TAGGED!!

Mystery Link #1
Mystery Link #2
Mystery Link #3
Mystery Link #4
Mystery Link #5

And if it doesn't lead to your blog, well go anyway and make a new friend!

B

Certificate of Citizenship

This week we received the prized "Certificate of Citenship." Enclosed with the long-awaited certificate is a letter from the President. I think it's something all Americans should read, so along with the picture I'm including the text here:

THE WHITE HOUSE

WASHINGTON

Dear Fellow American:

I am pleased to congratulate you on becoming a United States citizen. You are now a part of a great and blessed Nation. I know your family and friends are proud of you on this special day.

Americans are united across the generations by grand and enduring ideals. The grandest of these ideals is an unfolding promise that everyone belongs, that everyone deserves a chance, and that no insignigicant person was ever born. Our country has never been united by blood or birth or soil. We are bound by principles that move us beyond our backgrounds, lift us above our interests, and teach us what it means to be citizens. Every citizen must uphold these principles. And every new citizen, by embraving these ideals, makes our country more, not less, American.

As you begin to participate fully in our democracy, remember that what you do is as important as anything the government does. I ask you to serve your new Nation, beginning with your neighbor. I ask you to be citizens building communities of service and a Nation of character. Americans are generous and strong and decent not because we believe it ourselves, but because we hold beliefs beyond ourselves. When this spirit of citizenship is missing, no government program can replace it. When this spirit is present, no wrong can stand against it.

Welcome to the joy, responsibility, and freedom of American citizenship. God bless you, and God bless America.

Sincerely,

George W. Bush

Just Cooking!

I thought this picture was too cute not to post. Charleigh got this apron from the Publix Kids Club.

More pictures!

Here's a picture of Charleigh in her birthday present from her Auntie M. Her doll is an American Girl Itty Bitty. They have matching pajamas, as you can see! It was a little tough to take these pictures because she went to the doctor this morning and had blood drawn and was given three more shots :( The blood was drawn in her arm, which, until she saw the band-aid when I changed her into her pajamas, she had forgotten entirely. However, once reminded of her "boo-boo OW!" she wanted to talk about rather than smile for the camera. I also wanted to post these pictures to let the cyber world know I do (occasionally) refrain from dolling her hair up in one of her 3 dozen choices of hairbows...

Too cute for words!

At long last....

A post!

I know, I know... I'm a shmo and I should have posted something, anything, oh about 4 weeks ago.

On December 1st Charleigh celebrated her third birthday. Since we hadn't been home very long, and just got over the hoopala of Thanksgiving we celebrated her birthday in fairly low-key style. She had a "Bear in the Big Blue House" birthday cake. Not very girly, I know... but at that point it's about all she recognized in the Evil*Mart Birthday cake book. She scored a lot of booty on her birthday including an American girl doll and matching dress for her (from her favorite Auntie M), puzzles and a BIKE! I promise I'll get pictures of that posted sometime this year ;)

Here are two pictures of Charleigh teaching Mama how to smile. She says first you use your two pointer fingers and draw a smiley on your face. Then you say the magic words "Xiao Ru"

and wah lah! A perfect smile every time!

Finally, here are a few pictures from Christmas. Charleigh was thrilled to receive her very own Hummer, as my "girly girl" prefers trains, trucks, cars, remotes and cordless drills to Barbie and her gang...

As far as Charleigh's foot is concerned, we've consulted with a highly regarded Pediatric Orthopedist in the Atlanta area whose first course of action is going to be a brace that will align her foot with her ankle and her knee. We actually have a brace now, but it only aligns her foot to her ankle. It does nothing to correct the fact that often when she walks her feet almost make a letter "T," with her right toes pointing in toward her left foot. We're in the process of having another brace made that will help with that problem. She doesn't mind the brace very much at all, at least not the one she has now. Although twice she's taken it off and put it away on her own recognizance... (Even though if you ask her about her "special shoe" she pats it and says "Only Mama!" meaning only Mama can take it off.... unless her spicy temper/stubbornness is kicking in and then she does what she d@mn well pleases!) Charleigh is growing 'round the middle :) The pants I took to China that fell off her now fit. I think she's gained about 3 pounds. Considering that's 10% of her total body weight, it makes a difference. She talks a lot! Chatters all day in a hodge-podge of English and Mandarin. I just know that some of the words she's trying to say are English but I'm just not getting it... It took her 4 tries this morning to ask me for some cereal... I just couldn't figure out what she was saying! I've thought about trying to record all the things she says and all the things she understands, but it is so numerous to post it all would be insane. Suffice it to say she's catching on most things very well. I'll be heading back to work in about 3 weeks. I find it hard to believe it's been 9 weeks since I left work! Starting next week I'll be easing Charleigh into daycare. OH, excuse me, "KOOL." That's how Charleigh says "School," which she seems to be excited about. OK! So there's an update and I'll try to post again before March ;)

B