Happenings

FCC held an Easter egg hunt on Sunday in Eden Prairie, Rose's first time to one.  It was pretty fun!  In the top picture there were 4 eggs in the corner of the platform, but she used restraint and only took one so others would have fun finding them.

Where in the world is "Cat" mandu?

Backseat driver on the information superhighway! Peaches likes to climb on my shoulders when I'm at the computer, and tonight she decided it was a good place to lay around.  

My grandmother was a poet

I know absolutely nothing about poetry, especially how to interpret it, but hope to learn more some day.  My father's mother Jessie Goddard Broman has a published book of her poetry called "Design for Words".  One thing I think I had in common with her is my love for nature and art.  So in honor of the first full day of Spring, I'm posting one of her poems:

"Spring in a Minor Key"

Night turns on a rusty hinge

To bring a dingy dawn,

Gray-faced and yawning;

Tall buildings hang rootless in fog,

Practicing their loneliness.

What is the keynote of the wind

In the hand-talking trees?

To what are the hard-lined houses tuned

Alone in the cold?

The people are asleep in their cocoons

Waiting for day and life...

Only death sits on the curb,

Waiting for the crash

That accompanies night;

Only the green bones of the tulip

Say, spring...

Only my longing

Curled within

Like a butterfly's tongue.

What would you do?

I got to thinking about Peaches and who her previous owners might have been.  She is a declawed, spayed cat, obviously very well cared for, friendly as can be.  I wondered what they did to try and find her.  I keep thinking someone must truly be missing her.  

So I perused Craigslist lost and found around the time she was brought in to the Humane Society.  I found a close match, from a family who desperately misses their cat.  I don't know if Peaches is their cat or not, they need to provide more information.  But the picture looks like her, and their description of her personality is spot on.

What would you do if upon further information you discovered it really is their cat?

***Updated***

I emailed the family on Craigslist asking for more information and got a response  Their cat was same age, weight, personality, eye color, fur color, etc. but was not spayed nor declawed.  So it wasn't a match.  I'm so sad for them though.  If Peaches was their cat, I would have given her back because I understand the bond with pets and how they become part of the family.  That would not have been easy, but I know whoever had Peaches before us loved her very much because of how sweet and well cared for she is.

Sweet Innocent Cat

Cute...

NOT cute...

These are the leaves from Rose's recently purchased tulips.  Peaches apparently has some extracurricular activities either at night or when we are away.

Unique iPod holder

This is Rose using daddy's iPod, playing a game and listening to music at the same time.  She is holding it between her toes so she has a hand free to touch the screen to play the game.  Pretty resourceful little girl.

Re-re-fingerprinting

Doug and I had to go to another fingerprinting appointment today at Citizens and Naturalization Services.  It's to make sure we didn't commit any crimes in the past 18 months...or alter our fingerprints...or whatever.  Your fingerprints are only good for 18 months. Bet you didn't know your fingerprints can "expire".  And we have to pay each time.  Hrmph.

Anyhow, it has to do with being pre-approved to bring a child from another country home.  

On that note, the wait for a non-special needs Chinese child for those of us who's paperwork has been over in China is now at 3 years.  People who's paperwork was logged into the Chinese system 3/3/06 - 3/6/06 just received their referrals on 3/2/09.

Our log in date is 4/27/06.  Sigh.  Which will put us at a total wait of anywhere from 3.5 - 4.0 years.   In comparison, we waited only 7.5 months from login date to referral for Rose.  One of the quickest.  To now one of the longest.  Ouch.

As we drove away from the appointment, Doug said "Last time we have to do that" and I replied "Don't be so sure".  Bah.

Meet Peaches!

We just went to the Humane Society for something to do after school today, not planning to come home with one.  We do this every few weeks just to pass the winter time.  

Today, no one was around for us to visit with a dog, so we picked a cat that was declawed to visit with.  Didn't want it scratching Rose or attacking the pom poms on her boots.  The cat was just soooo friendly and cuddly, not scared at all.  It purred and climbed into my arms, gave me lot's of headbutts.  After a while, we put her back in her cage, and then I looked at her name and it said "Peaches".  I knew this was the pet I was supposed to get.  I have always wanted an orange/buff cat to call Peaches, and here she was just waiting for me.  I also want a white cat to call Cream, but 2 cats right now are out of the question.  Or 2 more, and name them Apple, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie after the song.  

Boy, was I nervous though.  Afraid to spend money.  Worried about hair, people with allergies, keeping a litter box clean again, etc.  I was so sure my next pet would be a dog.  But this cat really was tugging at my heart.  Called sister M to talk out loud to.  

I decided to go for it (after, of course, discussing with Doug).  He said I could do what I felt I needed to do.  

Well, she fits right in, and has made herself right at home already.  Here she is hanging out in Rose's dresser drawer!

Thankful Thursday

I'm in a goofy mood today...so here goes:

I am thankful for:  

1.  Underwear that don't ride up

2.  McDonald McFlurries

3.  My neighbors doggie

4.  Warm comfy robes

5.  Did I mention McDonald McFlurries?

6.  Webkinz

7.  Singing in the car alone

8.  Three alarm clocks every morning (two are outside the bedroom)

9.  3.5 hour workdays

10.  Free lunch

Children's Hour

My child and my husband just had a noodle fight at the dinner table...

it was funny until the noodle landed in catsup and then got flung and hit the white dining room wall.   Sigh.  Now a child's purse just went zinging by my head, and it wasn't the 5 year old who threw it.  Geesh!

My mom always uses the phrase Children's Hour.  I'm not sure what it refers to, but she used it any time we were/are being juvenile.

***Just did a quick look in Google to see what it might mean, and I'm pretty sure it doesn't have to do with the play "Children's Hour".  We weren't THAT bad!

Guessing it has to do with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem:

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15639