3 AM

It's 3:00 am.  I should be sleeping.  But, instead I scan blogs I love while in my insomnia-tic stooper.  I just finished reading my favorite adoption blog, Babe Of My Heart.  My friend Andrea is so inspiring.  She and I knew each other before the adoption process (they just adopted from Ethiopia in June), and even Africa loving days.  We go back to when we were both children and family photographers....and now she is a step ahead of us in the adoption process and is such a HUGE inspiration to our family.

Mind you, this blog will NEVER have as many pictures as hers does, or as many crafts for that matter...but I hope it does someone some good, besides being my own therapy.  :)  Andrea posted THIS blog about Drew and I yesterday...such a sweetheart!

I'm the all or nothing girl.  My head is in the process of finishing up the Sole Hope shoes and doing everything in between.  I am helping organize this first Sole Hope trip to Africa in December and WOW are there a lot of details.  Good thing I like details and I like the people I am working with even MORE!  :)  By the way, you can sign up for our newsletter now at www.solehope.com!  It only took me a million hours to figure out how to put the sign up on my web page...so go sign up!  :)  One thing I had to do during my late night was buy one of these beautiful necklaces!  You should see what the money goes towards.  I know we are on our adoption budget, but this is ministry...and how can I ask people to give to Sole Hope if I am not willing to give.  These necklaces are made by ladies in Uganda!  You can buy one HERE!

One thing I have decided to take on is sewing.  My mom taught me how to sew when I was...oh, maybe seven and I had a love/hate relationship with the craft ever since.  I think I somewhat took it for granted because I had a mom that could make me anything and it seemed like no big deal.  And I hated it because I had sensitive issues and the seams in my homemade clothes seemed to bother me more than in store bought clothes.  I was a weird child, I know.

I ran across some patterns today that I am absolutely going to try to make, as soon as I get a machine!  :)  (That will be tomorrow...or really today since its so late/early)  Since we are on the "adoption budget" it does not allow for a nice new sewing machine so I will be borrowing one from a friend I am sending to Africa with Sole Hope.  See, that's how you do it...you find a friend who has something you want-you send them to another country and then tell them you will kindly care for their item while they are gone.  :)  Just kiddin!

Back to my mom.  She used to teach sewing classes in our living room every Saturday.  I would roll my eyes as my peers came over with their fabric triangles they had cut out at home-ready to sew their quilt together.  I begrudgingly made a quilt when I was seven.  Then, (I guess I forgot how much I hated to sew) I asked mom if I could make a doll dress.  Of course she said YES...and I think it is still half done in her sewing room to this day.  One Saturday my sister and I were SO excited to stay inside and sew our own denim skorts (ew!) until about 2 O'clock, when they were half done and we decided we had enough.  Mom made us finish, and that was the last time I remember sewing.  All that to say, a miracle has taken place because I really want to do it this time.  10 years later-I think I am going to stick with it.  :)

For now I will go get some rest.  I have a beautiful little boy with the biggest blue eyes who will come wake me up before the sun rises, with no words...just sucking his thumb banging his head against mine (in love).  He's a boy, what can I say?

**Please excuse my typos...its late!  :)