EP HAS BEEN APPROVED!!!

We got the call today at at 9:23am from our agency that Cy's EP has been approved! We are on our way to Korea in 2 to 3 weeks!

Clean and Toxic Free

My friend who is a fellow blogger TreeHuggerBarbie highlighted this baby product/service. I loved it so much I wanted to give her blog props and show remember it too!  This is a delivery service for diapers and products that are toxic and chemical free! Plus the diapers come in really cool patterns.

The Honest Company

Healthy Child Healthy World -- Join the Movement

My husband and I started years ago changing how we lived our life. Grass Fed meats, little processed food, organic, healthy and simple. It can be expensive but it is important. We eat less, we consume less and we re-use. We will soon be bringing our son home from Korea and it is even more important to protect him from toxic chemicals and everything bad. I came upon this movement recently and wanted to share it. It is motivating and true.

Healthy Child Healthy World

Here is a link to what you can do: Mission

Be a friend. I have always said that change happens with each of us. It is how we shop, what we do and how we do it that makes the difference.

Be the change you want to see in the world -- Ghandi

Productive Parenting

Being sick sucks but it does give me a lot of time to sit around and search stuff. While I feel very fortunate to have a job where I can work from home, I think I over did it a little today.; 10 hours clocked in on the stomach flu! I am exhausted. While I wait for Jeremy to bring me some new cartoons to watch (that is what I like to do when I am sick) I have been Pinteresting. I found this great website:

Productive Parenting

Coping.

Each day is a struggle and we are coping as we wait for our EP's to be approved!  I found this article recently as I am searching for something..anything...but I have no idea what that something is and my heart aches so bad. I have to say it is really rough this portion.

The Weight of the Wait
This is a great exert on how I feel from the article - Many potential adoptive parents reach the lowest levels of despair, according to Carole LieberWilkins, a marriage and family therapist in Los Angeles who counsels people in all stages of the adoption process. Unmet expectations and lack of structure are the hardest parts of the wait, according to LieberWilkins. “Not knowing when something will happen leaves us feeling like it never will.” It can be hard on couples, too: Both men and women experience fear, anger, and frustration, LieberWilkins explains, but they experience it differently. “Women are ready and they just need a baby in their arms,” she says of the clients she’s seen. Because men and women do not experience the wait in the same way, LieberWilkins emphasizes the importance of respecting each other’s feelings. - by Stefani Moon

I found the blog to have really good stories for reference - My Crazy Adoption

Peace and Love

EP Submitted!

We are actually on the train and headed for an EP Approval.  Waiting for the EP Approval can take up to 12 weeks and then another 2 to 3 weeks after that before we leave.  I swear I thought I would of been happier with this news but now I just feel more anxious. I personally think I should lock myself in my house until we leave for Korea, I am an emotional wreck! This has been such a long and difficult journey. I know once he is home we will forget all about this, however while one is in it...it feel like eternity.

The email came in early Monday, March 5th. So needless to say I was pretty worthless at work after that email. I am thankful for my work environment as the ladies I work with have literally been with me through all the ups and downs, the tears, phone calls to my agency, etc...Since we have an open environment, all of your conversations are open for everyone to hear. Especially when I was calling my agency twice a week for any news. Also when you are bummed out and everyone can see that you are having a rough day (because we all sit facing each other for 8+ hours a day) and they are open to taking a break and having a chat to help cheer me up. When I got this news I screamed and everyone hugged me! I felt so supported by my work team, which will make it more comfortable coming back to work as I am nervous about taking 6 weeks off. Then it was chatting with friends and family. I know this sounds weird but I posted it right away on Facebook and it felt so good to hear all the cheerful comments from everyone!

Now we have Friday, March 23 to look forward too. Our travel meeting and all six December families will be getting together, meeting and bonding. I do hope to forge more close connections with other adoptive parents as I am sure I will need some phone call support once bringing Cy home.

This journey is continuing and we are still going. Sometimes I feel like a broken down train but there is still some gas even though it gets clogged occasionally.

Day Trip to Estes

Jeremy and I recently took a day trip to Estes Park, CO. We drove up to Rocky Mountain National Park to head up to Bear Lake to do some snowshoeing.

 

We were greeted by the friendly ranger where we purchased our park pass for the season. I have always felt it is just a great donation even if you go to the park just once. I am hoping with our son coming home soon we will head up there more often and plan camping trips with friends.  Our goal was to hike toward Emerald Lake. Since there was seriously hardly any snow it was a quick and totally painless trip.

 After this easy trek we headed to one of the best Nepalese/Indian restaurants in Northern Colorado! Nepals in Estes Park, CO. This place is fantastic!

Then finish your day driving down beautiful Big Thompson Canyon! It is a perfect day trip!

Pink Slime??? What is this, Nickelodean!

Maybe instead of buying a ton of unnecessary products, buy less or you could be eating the pink monster.


70% of Beef in Supermarkets Contain Pink Slime

Juicing Revolution!

I will start juicing one meal a day starting this week. My goal is to do it everyday...but I also want to be careful. I am not doing a juice fast but using it as a supplement to my normal diet. Why start juicing now, Sarah? Well my mom #2 (Kathy) got me very much interested in it about 2 years ago or so and I have just been lazy and not wanting to spend the money. The more I read and listened to friends talk, the more I felt the desire to get going and buy this juicer already!


I decided to get the Omega 8006 juicer. Since I am not on a Raw Diet or Vegan I want to utilize all that it has to offer! One thing is making yummy organic and all natural frozen treats for when Cy comes home!  I have been doing research and about a year ago discovered the below blogger, Bonzai Aphrodite (seriously how can you not love a blog with that name). 

Here are the Top 5 Mistakes and Misconceptions of a Newbie Juicer. Her blog is fun to follow and I like that she had this posted.

Those of us who are busy with our careers, kids, and activities ask ourselves, "When do I have time to juice and cleaning that juicer is a bitch." I have done a ton of research and while having fresh juice is optimal, let's face it: it isn't always practical. It is okay to juice the night before and do one of two things:

• Freeze it in ice cube trays
• Seal it in an air tight container 

You will probably lose a few enzymes in both situations but it is still better to drink than no drink at all.

First Juice:

• About a cup or so of fresh spinach
• 1 apple
• 1/2 a cucumber 
• 3 carrots