I heart big families

Last night, we took the kids to see a stage production of the Sound of Music.  I love the Sound of Music so much that my husband, who has no interest in it on his own, has seen it so many times that he knows most of the words to all the songs.  And that is just the kind of guy he is.  As I watched Maria and her seven little ducklings dance across the stage, it occured to me that I am really smitten with large families.   I have a history with large t.v. families: the Bradys, the Bradfords, the Duggars.  And now I continue my love by following the blogs of large families.  I guess that is why infertility for me seemed like such a kick in the pants.  Really?  I can not conceive babies?  And then after three failed in vitros - Really?  I can not carry babies either?   Bart and I always said though that after three fabulous adoptions, we have laughed in the face of infertitiliy. Take that!  We will not be defeated!  We will fill up our mini van!   But lately, the longing is seeping back in.  Does infertility have the last laugh?  I wish that Bart and I came from large families - families who plan huge summer trip to their summer place (insert lake house, beach house or mountain cabin here), where lots and lots of cousins gather with multiple generations delighting in each other's company.  I wish at Christmas time, that we had so many siblings that we had to chose names for gift giving and the childen put on a nativity play.  In my dreams, this is who I am and when I wake up, this is who I want to be.  Watch out infertility, I might just have to laugh at you again.

Winner!

Since I could not find the "random comment selector thingy" to download, I used the next best thing to choose a winner of my first, but not the last, give-away.   The winner was chosen by putting the names in a bowl, handing the bowl to my 4-year old, having him drop the bowl and watching him scramble to choose the one that randomly fell under the couch.  And here is our winner!

Michelle, please e-mail me your address (juliecross@charter.net) and the fabric forest will be on its way to you and your Pre-K classroom!!!!  Thanks for entering everyone!

First Give-away!

To somewhat quote a very wise man (Mr. Rogers), "Won't you be, won't you be, please won't you be......my follower."  In a shameless effort to increase my number of followers from 14 to 15, I am offering my first give-away.  Alert the press!  Wear a sandwich board!  Drive around in one of those strange advertising trucks!   Here is what I have made with my own two hands for one of you lucky 14 followers:

What is it you wonder?  It is a summertime fabric forest of course.  All you need to do to enter to win this exciting prize is to leave me a comment before next Wednesday night, July 14th at 10:00 p.m. CST.  This week-long window will allow the droves of people to register and give me time to figure out how to randomly select the winner!  Be kind, don't cut in line.    And to you new visitors, I welcome you with a heartful of thanks.  Thanks for coming!

Hooray for the red, white and blue!

A flash of color beneath the sky:  Hats off!  The flag is passing by!
 -Henry Holcomb Bennett, The Flag Goes By

My favorite quote about our flag.  I love the 4th of July don't you?  I have always said it is my favorite holiday.  I love the patriotism, the pomp, the music and the simplicity of it all.  There are no presents to give, just fireworks to watch and hamburgers to grill.  It strikes me every year that on July 4th, Americans seem to unite, to push the pause button on our differences and reflect on the sacrifices that were made for the freedom to voice those divisions.   Most people can agree that we are the luckiest people on earth, to be born in this country of democracy and privilege.  Have you ever been overseas and have someone ask if you are an American?  To say "Yes, I am an American" is an awesome feeling.  I hope that you are with family and friends, enjoying those freedoms and some sort of food in the shape of the flag.