Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Can you help?



Thankfully our Maverick is no longer an orphan...but there are so many children in orphanages that need our help! This weekend, I'm running a 5K - An Orphan's Hope. Two Hearts for Hope is an amazing organization that helps orphans in Kazakhstan & Russia. Before we met Maverick, Two Hearts for Hope helped his orphanage. We're forever grateful for them..they helped take care of our baby when we couldn't! (Because of the Two Hearts for Hope Mission trip in September 2009- we have a picture of our Maverick at 3 months old!)  If you are inclined to donate on behalf of our team we would greatly appreciate it! (Follow the link below, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click donate..once you are on the payment page make a note in the comment/special instructions line  "Team Stone")

Thank you!!


http://www.anorphanshope.com/html/sponsorshipinfo2.html

Monday, September 17, 2012

Castaway Bay.....

Greg had a PGA type week of golf planned, so on Friday we decided to stay in Sandusky and take the kids to an indoor water park. The kids and I arrived first, checked in and headed to dinner. On the way to dinner...we saw Snoopy. Maverick high fived him, and was in awe. Greg arrived and we had dinner. Then it was water time. Now if you know me, you know I HATE bathing suits. I mean..why can't the 40's style suits come back? I mean..I could rock those. Big time. I got on my suit..got the kids ready and we headed down. Maverick was a little timid at first, but he warmed up quickly and became the fish we know and love. Madison was a fish as soon as we walked through the door! Madison and I went on a raft ride, that I have to admit was pretty fun. We swam, bounced around from the pool area, to the wave pool, and to the spa. Maddye asked if we could go on the tube sides. I, being the super cool mom I am...said yes. I'm claustrophobic. The tubes were kinda small and dark. I wasn't sure I could breathe. It was the longest 10 seconds of my life..then it happened. I saw light...and uncrossed my legs. Stupid mistake. My bathing suit was forced so far up where the sun don't shine..that I literally had to stop moving to yank it out. At that moment...I realized that the poor young lifeguard saw the V. I'm pretty sure I've scarred him for life. I did the eye closed, head shake as I was doing the walk of shame out of the pool. The young lifeguard then informed me..."it's ok..it happens all the time" OMG. He did see the V. Poor kid..he will never be the same. I told Maddye I would wait at the bottom for her and watch her come down. I'm a raft tube slide kind of gal..no more V shots for this girl.  I had to inform Greg of the unfortunate V incident...just in case it ended up on youtube. Because that would be my luck. Greg thought it was hilarious and was sorry he missed it. Jerk! We decided to try to get Maverick over his fear of the giant bucket that dumps water, so Maddye and I were squatting down by him watching the bucket. Just as it was dumping Greg grabs me, and trys his hardest to push me under. Well this girl works out. I fought him..ya know because I wasn't already soaking wet or anything..well...I ended up with a pulled groin muscle. Really WTF. First a V shot...now a sore V!?!?! Seriously.
The kids had fun..and thankfully my V has recovered. I'm just hoping the security cameras are not zoomed in on the turquoise tube slide.

Who he'd be today...

     If he wasn't adopted. It's one of those questions that really makes me stumble for words. The answer..very simply..I. Don't. Know.
    What I do know is our adoption specialist doctor said in the condition Maverick was brought home in..he wouldn't have survived the baby house. Those words were the most heartbreaking words I have ever heard, and still to this day they make me cry. Thankfully, God had other plans for our son.
    What I do know is the scared little boy who didn't know how to be a little boy is now a crazy, loud, lovable, talkative, funny ball of energy. His little body can't contain his huge personality. ..which I have to say I love. Speaking of love..when Maverick says "Mommy...I love you" or when he calls out "Maddye Bee" I fall in love with him all over again. 
     When you adopt there is always the huge "unknown" and the "what ifs"...the very things that kept me up at night when we first brought him home. The truth is Maverick has taught me what unconditional love really is. With Madison, it was easy. A tiny six pound baby was put in my arms, and she trusted me and knew me from minute one. With Maverick, we met a scared 7 month old who wasn't loved. Who didn't know how to be held. Who didn't know there was a Mommy and Daddy out there to comfort him. He had to learn all of that...at 16 months. He did. He learned Mommy comforts him..and Daddy tells him "it's ok". He learned to trust and love us. I don't know the moment it happened but I do know the miracle of life isn't just when a baby is born...it's every single day of your life. 
        So I don't know who he'd be today if he wasn't adopted by us. What I do know is he is loved like crazy..every second of every day.