Friday, December 16, 2011

Coffee Talk 12.16.11

Good morning!

How can it possibly be Friday already?  By the same logic, how can it almost be Christmas already!

It has been a busy week at the Tigerden, as I'm sure it has been at everyone's house!  If you stopped by last Friday, you know Science Fair is over!!!  Sort of.  FB's project took second place, so we are going to Regionals.  I have mixed feelings about this.  It will look great on college applications to have gone to a Regional Science Fair as a high schooler.  However, it also means more work...which I will have to coerce out of him...again!  Ugh!

In other news, while we are pretty well finished with our Christmas shopping for everyone else.  I have NOTHING for Tigerfan except a wallet and some cologne that he was with me when I purchased.  Nothing, nada, zip.  In fact, I don't even have an IDEA for him.  Early on in our relationship, I LOVED shopping for him.  I loved trying to surprise him and get him something he didn't even know he wanted.  I soon realized that he didn't know he wanted it...because he didn't want it.  After a couple of years of getting my feelings hurt because my hard searched gifts were returned or unused, I learned it is just better to get specifics...like really specific (sweet OCD man)!  These days, it is tell me the exact shirt at the exact store and the exact size, or better yet go pick out the exact item and I will wrap it up for you.  I know this sounds a little harsh but it is the only way I know he will be happy.  The problem, this year he can't think of a single thing he wants or needs and he doesn't want me to spend much needed money just to have something.  Which is totally logical, but I am full of pride.  I know that he has been out and about ordering, shopping and he has a stockpile of little somethings for me and I don't want to be outdone...isn't that so American!  So I am struggling to come up with little things to make him happy so I can be happy!  How crazy is that!  I have already told him that I want next year to be different.  I don't want to buy a thousand gifts for rich spoiled Americans that don't know what it means to be in need.  (That is us, by the way).  I at least want to scale back...a lot and buy gifts that will support others who are truly in need...anyway, this year, I've got nothin' and I am running out of time!

Anyway, this week has been full.  We had a Christmas party for the kids at our apartment ministry, we did LOADS of laundry when Tigerfan finally got our new washing machine installed, after searching all over this city for a Christmassy dress for Dancer, I gave up and sewed her a dress very last minute, we have filled out MOUNTAINS of paperwork (and have mountains more to work on), we had Children's Choir Share time at church and Christmas parties at Tutorial.  But now, we are winding down.  We are done with Tutorial until next year and hopefully I can be a nice mom and take it easy on the schooling at home (except math, we MUST do math).  FB has three service projects this weekend so he is racking up his service hours and we have basketball practice and last minute shopping but HOPEFULLY next week will be filled with friends in our home, late nights of playing games and laughing and enjoying the simple things.

"The dress"

In adoption news, we are ALMOST finished filling out the Home Study book, er, I mean application.  We have pretty much laid our entire life out for the free world to examine and judge.  We have mailed off requests, paid out ridiculous amounts of money, and are just steps away from celebrating the end so we can begin the orphanage application!  Oy Vey!  It will be totally worth it, though.  This weeks stress out moment is stemming from a great opportunity.  A friend of mine is hosting an adoption open house in her home on January 3.  It is an opportunity for several families in the area who are in the process of adoption to bring their "stuff" to sell and help raise funds for their adoptions.  The problem, we are so deep in paperwork, that we haven't really taken that step, so this week I realized...I have NOTHING to sell and very little talent to "craft" with.  Yesterday, I purchased a few Ugandan paper bead necklaces to sell (love this idea because it supports the people of Uganda), that is all I've got.  Today, I am going to call a lady I've been emailing from a site called Ladybug Blessings about trying to get some of their products.  I am also considering purchasing some Ugandan vanilla beans and making/selling homemade vanilla extract (again, it supports Ugandan economy) which I like.  That is all I have.  The thing is...it is scary spending a lot of money HOPING people will want to buy the products, especially because we just do not have a lot to spend right now...you have to spend money to make money...but geez!  So, any ideas?  My husband says I could sew some of the outfits I make for Dancer and they would probably sell...but I am no professional, I'm not really an expert seamstress and I hate to sell something that isn't top quality.  I've also considered preparing meals (maybe frozen) for people or making baked goods for them.  What do you think?  Any amazing ideas out there?

Oh, one last thing.  I got the TWO most precious gifts I have ever received from students yesterday.  The first...a check for our adoption fund.  Our first contribution...tearing up right now!  The second, a student purchased a chick in my name for a person in a needy country...how completely precious is that?  THAT is what next year's Christmas is going to look like in the Tigerden!

Okay, I have rambled enough!  Can't wait to visit with all of you, hope you have an amazing weekend and don't forget to go to Home Sanctuary for more Coffee Talk (not everyone will be as long winded as me)!

8 comments:

Katharine said...

wow-you are busy! That dress is so sweet, how in the world do you do that and everything else? So exciting that your adoption process is beginning! What about making cookie mix or soup mix in jars(google gifts in a jar) that way id they don't sell, you could use them, or give them as gifts to others throughout the year?
Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
Blessings!

secondofwett said...

I remember when we went thru our adoption process that I said to the worker that I thot that becoming a foster parent was bad...they wanted to know everything but our underwear size...she replied...with a straight face...well, for adoption we need your sizes too..then grinned. It is a tedious process! Hubby and I usually don't buy each other anything, we stopped years ago as the number of children mounted...no money...so it makes that part of shopping easy anyways. Sounds like my hubby is as difficult as yours for buying! Have a wonderful week.

Anonymous said...

Yay on going to regionals! That is great! But I totally understand about the mixed feelings.

Guys are so hard to shop for. I'm stuck this year too. I do have an idea but I really don't want to go out to the stores, so I'm hoping that if I order it online, it will come in time. Hubby's family never did the gift-opening thing growing up, so at least, it's not a big deal if I didn't give him anything. =p

Hustle and bustle, right? =p Love that dress. I can't sew for anything which is sad because my mom used to be a seamstress.

What a blessing to receive those gifts from your students.

I think Katherine's idea for the jars is great!! Buy the stuff in bulk, set up an assembly line, fill the jars up, add a ribbon, voila! Wish I could be there to help you....and bring you some of that food from Cafe Rumi. It was super yummy Mediterranean food.

mholgate said...

That's great news about the adoption progress! So exciting!

I love the dress...it's beautiful! I wish that I could sew.

I hope you find the perfect gift for Tigerfan. I never have a problem finding a gift for my DH, but then, he always knows exactly what he wants. I do have one surprise up my sleeve for him this year though!

Blessings, Peace, and Joy to you this Christmas!

Melissa

Lea @ CiCis Corner said...

Look at you, sewing! I'm sure impressed and the dress is so cute and I know Dancer was cute in it.

Sounds like you are on the right track with the fund raising ideas.

Men are just difficult to buy for but this year I think I've done good. We shall see. :o)

Blessings for a wonderful week as we prepare to celebrate our Savior's birth.

Jennibell said...

I've missed having the time to catch up regularly with all the Company Girls...I've just spent the better part of the last half-hour catching up with you and your amazing news!!!! Wow!!! What a blessing your family will be to that child the Lord has already picked out for your family :)
"I finally just whipped up a dress" -- ha! What talent! That is amazing that you can do that. I'm sure Dancer looked beautiful in it. And I know I would purchase one (if I had a little girl who would wear it -- ha!) so I think you should definitely "whip up" a few more for your auction -- they are so cute.
We've been trying, over the years, to move away from the more commercial Christmas and focus on the TIME with FAMILY. . .this year we asked the kids if we could not do gifts but rather go to the Wilderness Lodge (Knoxville) as a family for a couple of days. They said "yes" so except for $20 each to buy stockings (they didn't want to give that up) we are heading to the WL on Wednesday and will have memories and not "stuff". Just a thought for you too. Our kids are 8, 9, 11, & 13. As for your husband, what about a coupon book? Soup-of-the-month, cookie-of-the-month, etc.?
I should just e-mail you, huh? Have a very, very blessed Christmas!!! So glad I was able to catch up with you again :)

Kathleen T. Jaeger said...

WHew! And I thought I was busy. I guess I have not been good about keeping up with the company girls because I didn't realize you were adopting!! How exciting.

I'm glad to hear the swirling thoughts of another homeschooling mom of 4 at Christmas time. It makes me feel more normal.

Peace to you & yours.

Anonymous said...

I've been hearing about this ministry...thought of you guys.
http://www.pcmstore.org/