Archives for April 2013

April 30, 2013 By 8 Comments

Thoughts On A Tuesday

You guys are cracking me up.  So “glad” there are more parents out there who let their kids go days with unattended broken bones.  We should start a club.

And your words are too sweet.  I hope you know I don’t really think we’re like terrible, terrible parents.  I tell these real life stories of parenting because they’re too funny not to share and I know there has to be someone else out there who can relate.  I hope you know I’m not fishing for “you’re a good parent” comments, but they are too kind 🙂 …that’s for sure.

So Sol is not a fan of the boot.  His exact words this morning as we were leaving for school, “I hate this boot like I hate the devil.”  I love this kid.  There is never any wondering as to how he’s feeling…except when he breaks a bone.  He’s quite bummed about the no running and jumping.  It’s fair to say we can add “the boot” to Sol’s list of things he loathes…like having his hair picked out and bread crust.

Today happiness was walking through Target eating popcorn and not having to share.  Amon even slept through the first part of my happy Target time, but then woke up.  And I did give him a few teeny tiny morsels of popcorn, one of which just got stuck to his lip.

The Mother’s Day card section at Target may have almost sent me over the edge.  I did tear up as I looked through all the cards trying to find the perfect one for Mom.  Yes, I am the person who buys their dead mom cards and leaves them on her grave like in a sappy made-for-TV movie, only to really know that after a few weeks or even just days one of the cemetery grounds crew people are just going to throw it away.  I just can’t help myself.

Finished up my 50 miles for April, plus a bit of overage.  Still trying to decide what May’s goal will be…I’m thinking of going high to see if I can really push it.  I can’t decide if this is wise or just stupid.

Hobby Lobby fabrics + cute baby = cute overload.  Hobby Lobby is one of my happy places.

I’ve decided to make cheesecake for the weekend and mini red velvet cheesecakes.  Already have my baking shopping list ready to go.  And yes, it was just Monday when I came to this decision.  Breaking up with sweets during the week has taken a tole on my mental state.  THIS cheesecake recipe is the best.  Seriously.  Make it now.  Or this weekend.  It’s amazing.

He is the best lunch date.  Gobbles down food like nobody’s business.  He is turning into a food thrower though.  And he’s got quite the arm.  Geesh.

I’m trying to plan out some up and coming posts.  I’ve had a few requests to see quilts we have and lots of questions about how to support a newly adopting family.  I’m working on those and a few others.  Anything else you want to read about?  I always could use some ideas.

Hope your day is amazing.  Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Tuesday!

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April 29, 2013 By 16 Comments

Oh, Monday!

Today was one of those Mondays.  You know the one.  The one that just really sticks it to you.

Sol fell about a week ago and has been limping ever since.  In all fairness, he’s not a big pain complainer.  Now mess with his food or stuff and you’ll get some complaining, but he’s pretty tolerant of pain.  Josh noticed this morning that he was still limping when he was running through the house and so I finally called the doctor.

I decided that until our afternoon doctors appointment we’d have some fun since the weather was awesome.  The boys rode bikes at the park and played on the playground and we snagged lunch out.

We ran by our house before Sol’s appointment to grab a few things and play for a bit.  When we were just about to start getting ready to leave, Amon fell off Huddy’s bed and scraped his face on a plastic basket and a transformer hanging out of the basket cut his inner ear area.  It’s like road rash on his face or David Bowie’s makeup from the early 90s.

He was pitiful.  Cried so so hard.

We then headed out for Sol’s appointment.  Our amazingly wonderful pediatrician checked Amon out as well.  Two birds…one stone.

Amon was fine, just have to watch the cut in his ear to make sure it doesn’t get infected.  Sol on the other hand…well, we headed off to our children’s hospital for x-rays.  I dropped all the other wee Kelleys off with my MIL.  It was actually super sweet just being with Sol…alone…just me and him.  He’s a really cool kid.

As we were walking back to the waiting area after his xrays, I saw one of the head guys from Amon’s anesthesia team for his open heart surgery.  I went semi crazy on him and I could tell he didn’t know what to do with me.  I was all like…

Me:  Hey, I recognize you.  You do anesthesia right?

Anesthesia Dude:  Yes.

Me:  You did my son’s open heart surgery in September.

Anesthesia Dude:  Is this him?  (looking at Sol)

Me:  Oh no, he’s at home.  We’re here for xrays today.

Anesthesia Dude:  And you are…?

Me:  Oh, I’m Laura Kelley.  My little boy is Amon, well on his insurance his name is Teklehaymanot.  Surely you remember that name.

Anesthesia Dude:  {Insert awkward stare because A) I’ve followed him this whole time to wherever he was headed dragging my limpy little boy with me…he clearly couldn’t shake me and B)  He has no idea who this Amon/Teklehaymanot baby is I speak of.}

Me:  Well, Amon was adorable and had crazy good hair and I know you do all kinds of surgeries, but…{Insert crazy mother now starting to cry} I just wanted you to know you did a great job.

Anesthesia Dude:  Well thank you.  He’s doing good now?

Me:  Yes, he’s doing amazing.

Anesthesia Dude:  (really wanting to break free of me at this point) Well, good to see you.

Me:  You too.

I immediately walked back to the waiting area with Sol and text Josh.  Lots of really crazy emotions came rearing up in me.  I just wasn’t sure what to do with them, so I apparently just decided to be creepy.

So back to Sol…turns out, dude broke his foot.  I felt horrible.  #parentsoftheyear  Kid had been walking and running and jumping and biking on a broken foot for a week.  I asked the doctor if she thought I was a horrible mom 🙂 She smiled and told me no.  Good lady doctor.  She knew what was good for her.

She said she was shocked at how much it had healed without anything on it for so long.  She said he must be a really strong healthy kid.  Keep em’ coming lady doctor…Keep.Them.Coming.  She said if we had brought him in right when it happened they would have put a cast on it, but since it had actually done quite a bit of healing on it’s own, he just gets a boot.  A boot with very strict “you must wear it all the time” rules and no running or jumping, but none the less, a boot.  Soooooo, our poor parenting was actually of some service to Sol thank you very much.

So he’s out for the rest of soccer season and will go back in 2 1/2 weeks for more xrays to see how the healing is progressing and until then he’ll be rockin’ his boot.

I hope you feel like a good parent today.  I hope I make you feel like an incredibly awesome, observant parent.  It’s what I’m here for.  Enjoy our lameness and let it build you up or confirm you as a “just making it, so what if I let my 4-year-old walk around with a broken foot for 8 days” kind of parent.  It’s a hard job.  That is fo sho.

Happy “Road Rash Face, Broken Foot For Days” Monday.

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April 26, 2013 By 3 Comments

Holla…It’s Friday

I’m pretty pumped it’s Friday.  No soccer tonight.  We’re probably going to do our ritual of pizza and a movie.  It’s just what we do…and it’s pretty darn glorious.  The weekend is pretty low key too which is always a plus.

So here’s my instagram from the week.  If you want to follow along I’m pitterpatterart.

Haircuts.  They were far overdue.  Both boys hit up the barber shop and we’re looking crazy good when they left.  And if you cannot tell, Sol loathes having his hair picked out…kind of like I loathe cooking and laundry and ants.  We’re loathers…together.

Amon still only has two teeth, but that PB & Jelly sandwich stuck to the roof of his mouth makes him looks like he has way more.  Wishful thinking.

I’m almost at my 50 miles for this month and may, just may go a little over.  Some of my running/crossfit people are considering doing a Tough Mudder.  Anyone done one?  If so, how was it?  Any tips for race day you would like to pass along would be awesome.

I like him.  A lot.  A lot, a lot, a lot.

I cheated this week.  I sent Ashley the picture along with my confession.  She then used my cheat to make eating a piece of cookie cake okay.  We have issues.  What’s one to do when eating yummy frozen yogurt will result in raising money for your kids beloved school?  Well, I took one for the team and obliged.

I expected the worse from this situation and it actually turned out okay.  I was shocked.

They’re crazy and blurry and totally messes, but my heart is full to the tippy top.  They’re good kiddos.

He’s mine.  Try and not be too jealous.  Josh Kelley, I married you for all the right reasons.  The bow tie is one of them.

Betsy is running the Country Music 1/2 tomorrow.  They are expecting cold weather and thunderstorms.  Betsy, you should probably just meet me at Starbucks and call it a day.  I kid.  She going to totally rock it.

My goods from the Strawberry Patch barn sale.  Minus the most amazing old green chippy paint box that is going to be our new coffee table.  It’s so lovely.

And I’m working on a 1st birthday gift today.  My small group always ropes me into signature gifts…like Jess and her darn sleep sheep 🙂  Name pillows have become my signature 1st birthday gift now too.  Makes shopping easy.

Hope you have a grand grand weekend.  Pretty excited the weekend is finally here.

Happy Friday!

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April 25, 2013 By 7 Comments

A Better Day

Thank you!  You guys are really way too kind and sweet and loving and encouraging…and hey, I’m just glad to know I’m not the only one who has a bad day and pitches a fit and is kind of a hot mess sometimes.  Good to know I’m not alone.  And thank you for reading.  I honestly am just floored that anyone would read all the randomness I type about, but I so appreciate that some of you do.  Really and truly.  Thank you!

So today was such a good day.  I’m sitting here now with a smile on my face and talking Josh’s ear off about the day and dreams and aspirations.  Tonight the impossible things, seem totally possible.

I got to spend the day with Amon.  He just blows me away.  I wish every one could meet him…Harper, Huddy and Sol too.  Amon is extra squishy though and is definitely the most cuddleable.

He slept while I did some work…like making map copies and getting my art on.  I just want to squeeze him.

 

I finished up two orders today.  These are headed to Cheryl and Stephanie here in Tennessee.  I like you local Tennesseans.  Thank you so much ladies.

12×12 Jeremiah 29:11 Tennessee canvas

16×16 Psalm 118:24 canvas

And tonight I went to The Strawberry Patch sale.  I actually won tickets today for the pre-sale tonight and it was amazing.  I was in this wonderment mood.  I just walked around and dreamed about everything I want to do and be as I get older.  It sounds totally weird that a barn sale did that for me, but it did.  It was swoony.

There was handmade stuff and old stuff and stuff with chippy paint and vintage sheets and bunting everywhere.  It was a total delight.  I came home with quite a few goodies.

Brea tried to take a picture of me with my big 6 on her phone.  They were all terrible and blurry because clearly Brea has no idea how to work the camera on her phone.  Consider evidence A-F…

A)

B)

C)

D)

E)

F)

They are all so funny.  They make me laugh.  Brea was all like, “Will you tag me in these when you put them on Facebook?”  Ummm…yeah, all of those pictures just scream “Facebook profile pic”.  Nope.  Brea also asked me to make a flip book out of them.  That, I could maybe swing.

I did run into a reader tonight at the sale.  Nita.  So, I was a total big dork and cried because she was so crazy nice.  We hugged…twice.  I’m a hugger.  If you hug me, just know you are speaking my love language.  She also told me she hoped I was having a better day.  I had to wipe the tears away like an even bigger dork.  Thank you Nita…you made my night with your kind, kind words.

And just so I make you uber jealous before I end this late night post…those barn pendant lights you see there…yep, they went home with me.  I won’t tell you how much I paid either…I’m trying not to be a stumbling block for those around me.  #greatdeal

I’m looking pretty boss with my shades and stance and dolla, dolla bills ya’ll.  It was totally a much better day.

Happy Thursday night!

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April 24, 2013 By 25 Comments

How To Punch A Bad Morning In The Face

I had another post about adoption ready for today and then…I woke up.

I am totally one of those people who gets completely overwhelmed by the stupidest stuff…this morning I would have easily used another word in place of “stuff” 🙂 When I walked in the house after taking Harper to school, the anxiety and worry and the overwhelmingness just started to pour in.  Satan was really loving it and I just let him have his way.  There was a sink full of dishes, piles and piles of dirty clothes, someone had tracked dirty little foot prints all over the kitchen floor, Amon was eating leftover Mexican food that was covering the floor under our kitchen table, orders were staring me in the face, dinner needed to be planned, etc, etc, etc.  On top of that, parts of our life right now are just worrisome for me…so throw in a mind full of worry too.  Then it began to rain.  It was a nasty little storm and a small leak in our roof we’ve had, got worse and that leak is what pushed me over the “do the big ugly cry in your bedroom floor” edge.  I was done.  I was too overwhelmed and the worry was too much.

Then God was all like, “Who do you think you are pitching this ginormous fit?  And who do you think I am?”  My mind immediately raced back to a question someone had posted on my instagram feed this morning on a picture from last week.  I have a sparrow tattooed on one of my forearms and someone asked if there was a significance to it.  My mom was the queen of worry.  I always told her I wanted to be just like her, but I did not want any part of her worriness.  That sounds a bit bad, but she worried hard.  She loved the places in the Bible that talk about God caring for the birds of the air.  The last art piece I made her was a “His eye is on the Sparrow” canvas.  She worked really hard on letting God have her worries.

As I’m sitting there full of worry and crying my eyes out over very small and trivial things, God brought that verse racing back to my mind.  And I felt like a fool…a big, sinful fool.  I have a choice each day.  I can let Satan have his way and enjoy stressing me out and pushing me over all kinds of edges and pitching a fit or I can let all the worry go and let all those small things go and remember I am not made to carry any of that crap.  Do not worry…God cares even for the birds of the air…And how much more valuable I am than birds!  I love the exclamation mark at the end of the verse.  God’s all like…boom…I really mean this.

So I got up and made some choices.  First off, I wrote the scripture on our chalkboard because I wanted to visually see it.  Then I picked two things from the list of overwhelming things, I thought would make me feel a bit better.  I chose to sweep the floors and to start some laundry in the washing machine.  The boys separated the clothes for me, while I swept in the kitchen and dining room and spot cleaned the crazy foot prints off the kitchen floor.

Laura Kelley Fun Fact #231:  I only divide clothes in to two piles…adult clothes and kid clothes 🙂 I wash my colors and whites together.  Everything gets washed on cold.  And sometimes If I’m feeling extra snazzy I’ll wash all the towels together on hot.  My mom would be hanging her head in disappointment right now.

SIDE NOTE:  We should never be allowed a big house…ever.  It will be dirty and gross.  1300 sq. ft. is puh-lenty.

I also decided we would do breakfast for dinner.  Zero prep, easy and quick.

Then I sat down and thought of some people in my life who could use a little encouraging note.  One of the greatest things I learned from Mom’s death was even when you don’t know what to do for yourself, you can always do for others.  So I wrote a few encouraging notes, addressed and stamped them and placed them in our mailbox.  I was feeling so much better already.

Then I did something really good for me.  I put Amon down for a nap and got me and the boys a snack.

SIDE NOTE:  Please tell me someone out there knows if these snacks are really “good for you” snacks.  Please say they are because they are both highly delicious.

This might be the moment when some of you are thinking I sat down and played and enjoyed Huddy and Sol and soaked up their little boyness and reveled in being a mom.  Well, you would be wrong.  People tell me all the time, enjoy these days because they will be gone before you know it.  I know they will.  I pretty much hate Time all the time.  He is stealing all of my babies, but I have to keep myself sane sometimes too…can I get an amen?!?!  So after the snacks were dumped into bowls, I put on a movie and I made some art.

SIDE NOTE and Laura Kelley Fun Fact #67:  Hoodwinked is hilarious.  So so so funny and cute.  I did an entire study in college on different children’s books that delivered a twist on a classic kids story…like Cinderalla and The Big Bad Wolf and The Three Little Pigs.  I lived on the edge in my college years…really, I was kind of lame.  I so wish Hoodwinked had been out at this time.

Creating is my escape.  It is like a full therapy session, but for free.  It clears my head and puts my hands to work.  It is just good for me and at that point in the day, I needed something that was just good for me.  It probably sounds corny and stupid, but God totally speaks to my heart when I create.  It’s usually a really special time for me and Him.  So I created and let my boys watch a movie.

Now I’m just sitting here feeling much, much better.  And I still have loads and loads of laundry to do, the sink is still piled high with dishes, the leak in our roof is still leaking and so on and so on, but I’m good.  I’m loved by the Creator of the world and I’m blessed beyond my wildest dreams.  Worry and anxiety have no place with me today.  I totally punched my bad morning in the face.

Happy Wednesday.

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April 23, 2013 By 7 Comments

The Fit

Adoption is one of those things that it seems like the journey is over when the family is finally united with their kiddo.  It’s like everyone does the big sigh of relief, but, at least for me, this is when the journey really begins.  This is when the real gets real and you begin to walk on this journey together.  You work hard on bonding and attachment and all the other adoption related things you have to work on.  There is a lot.

I can remember with Solomon, we knew we were going to be matched with a baby, so most of our training was more directed at baby adoption stuff, but I still remember so much information telling us that even when a child is an infant there can still be a grieving process.  I remember that information hitting me hard and it was just so heavy for me to think about…even a baby can still grieve the loss of their natural family…it made my heart so sad for our future child.

With Amon…I almost dropped the phone when our director told me we had been matched with a 6-week-old baby boy.  What?  Everyone and their mother…Josh, me, our director…everyone, just knew since we were open to an older child, that we would be matched with an older child.  So we geared up for an older kid.  We donated or gave away all baby items…I mean E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.  Gone.  We just weren’t going to need them…clearly.  And I remember researching and reading all about adopting older children and again, the grief and the attachment and the bonding and the hard backgrounds and coping techniques…and just everything.  And then, with a phone call, I wasn’t going to need that information to start off with after all.  We were back in baby land.

Since Amon had his special little heart, we bonded pretty quickly.  He couldn’t go out in public and we were seriously home bound with limited visitors and then we were in the hospital together for almost a full month.  We became tight.  He’s been home 9 months now and has been a dream.  In the hospital, the nurses, techs, doctors…everyone, could not get over how easy and laid back and just smiley this kid was…especially after open heart surgery and then all the weeks with no food.  He was a true dream.

He’s the happiest baby we’ve ever had and honestly, not to brag, but we’ve been blessed with some easy babies.  None of them gave us a super hard time.  They’ve all been good eaters and sleepers and very content.  Huddy kept us on our toes the most with all his allergies and then Amon hit the home run of stressful parenting with his open heart surgery.  But they have all been pretty laid back and happy, but Amon takes the cake.  Josh and I say multiple times a week…He is ridiculous.  Because he is.  He smiles all the time.  He laughs.  He eats like crazy and sleeps good.  He plays so well alone or just watching Harper, Hud and Sol run around like lunatics.  He just goes with the flow.

And with a single word yesterday I found my heart enthralled over the strangest thing.  We usually barricade the steps off with kid chairs, but yesterday afternoon they weren’t blocked off.  With a firm “No Amon, don’t go up the steps” our happiest child to date, flipped his lid and threw an all out fit on the steps.  It was hilariously amazing.  Josh and I totally cracked up.  And the minute he would stop and even make a tiny motion up the stairs, we would say again, “No Amon” and he would lose it all over again.  So as any good parent does, we continued to say it just as soon as he would stop crying because it was so funny and we have never seen him do anything even remotely close to this.

As an adoptive parent I tend to dissect everything even more than normal.  So when Sol goes through some sort of change or phase and we are parent evaluating it, we always have to throw in the adoption aspect…is he feeling a sense of loss or other ideas.  Not to make excuses for him, but to make sure we are parenting him the way he deserves and needs to be parented.  All our kids are different and need to be parented in very different ways.  But with this fit Amon threw my mind didn’t go to grief…it didn’t do the adoption dissecting I normally do.  It seemed too out of place for this incident and honestly, I loved it.

I loved seeing him be a typical baby who was pitching a fit because he didn’t get his way.  He understood what “no” meant and it rocked his little self-centered world.  And I sat there and soaked it up.  His shrill little cry and those big alligator tears and the snot…oh, the snot.  I felt like it was a small victory.  He was being a baby and in his own baby way felt comfortable enough to absolutely flip out because we told him “No”.  This may change.  If he keeps it up, then maybe my mind with go to that “grieving” place, but for today, I feel it was just him being our kid…our boy, pitching a regular old fit because he didn’t get his way.  And today I am, oddly enough, completely thankful for that fit…I am thankful I get to parent this sweet boy…and I get to be right along side him, no matter what he does and no matter what he goes through…adoption related or not.  It’s a blessing and an honor.

And near the end, he did let a little smile slip…a hot mess of a smile, but still a smile.

Happy Tuesday!

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April 22, 2013 By 3 Comments

Babies, Bikes & Baked Goods

The weekend could easily be summed up in three words:  Babies, Bikes & Baked Goods.  The end.

I was at the hospital a grand total of 4 times this weekend to hang with baby Delaney and my niece baby Hollis.  It was pretty great and I sooooo forgot how tiny a newborn is.  They were just so little.

Then there were the bikes.  Our kids have been needing bigger bikes and we decided this weekend it was time to hook everyone up.  Josh loves to mountain bike and I know he really wants, at least our boys to ride with him one day…sooner than later.  As soon as they are riding well with no training wheels, I know he will take the boys.  Josh Kelley has no fear when it comes to things like that.  I’ll just turn my head and pretend not to notice.

They literally rode their bikes through the store, to the register, out of the store and to the car.  It was quite adorable.  And have been riding them ever since.

And lastly…baked goods.  You know how I feel about baked goods…they can totally change the world.  Since my no-sweets-during-the-week started, I haven’t been baking as much, but I recently found this Salted Caramel Snickers Rice Krispie Bars recipe.  I grew up on rice krispy treats.  They were one of my mom’s favorite and she rarely smashed them into a 9×13 pan.  Instead she divided them right out of the bowl into smaller bowls and we ate them with a spoon.  I adore memories like that.  So when I saw that this recipe was several things I so loved smashing into one, I was game.

These are crazy good.  You know I would tell you if they sucked, but it’s true…I wanted to eat the entire pan.  I actually doubled the recipe and used a 9×13 pan.  So so good.  I’m actually sad they are all gone.

I wanted to share with some sweet people in my life…some people that needed to know I like them and appreciate them.  In the words of Beth Moore, I have been missing the feeling and the knowing in my heart of “natural family” and belonging…outside our little family of 6.  With the loss of Mom, that regular, real sense of family left too…it’s just not easy.  And then certain crazy kind people in my life make me feel as if I belong and give me that “natural family” feeling all over again and it takes my breath away.  And to those people, well they totally deserve Salted Caramel Snickers Rice Krispie Bars.

photo source

You should probably make some baked goods today and share.  It’s little and easy and it’s a way to say, “Hey, I think you’re pretty rad.”  Baked goods can change the world…and start someone’s Monday off much better.

So how was your weekend…did yours have a letter B theme too?  Ha.  Well I hope it was really grand whatever it contained.  Happy Monday!

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April 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment

A Great Insta Friday

Insta Fridaying it up late tonight.  I’m pitterpatterart if you want to follow along.  This week was a good one, but today was the best.

Things I love about this picture:  A)  That there were Combos in Harper’s class treasure box, B)  That Harper picked Combos out of her class treasure box and C)  Harper was thrilled with her choice and could not wait to eat the Combos from her class treasure box 🙂

He can be so incredibly serious…studying and dissecting everything and with a flip of a switch he becomes the silliest boy in the house.

Target shopping, Mom/Anchor tattoo wearing, smiley boy.  I’m lucky.  He’s mine.

Their brotherness is the best.

Huddy so sweetly left flowers for me in the car…they were just for me.

Who wouldn’t dig him creepin’ on you in the car rider line?!?!

They are going to be really good old men together.  I can’t tell you how hard I pray for their brotherhood and bond…that they would always remain thick as thieves and best friends.  That they would always love each other fiercely.

Noonday Collection arm party.  It was a good day.

Boston running love with Jami and Betsy.  Jesus just has to be enough.

Baby sweat pants are the bomb.

Josh had to work last night, so he got to go into work late.  We pulled a double run day.  I especially like that it was so bright I cut Josh and Amon out of the picture.  I’m clearly very vain.

And the best part of this Insta Friday…hands down…Baby Delaney.  Courtney rocked child birth and Delaney arrived today.  She’s beautiful and incredible.  I am so proud of Courtney.  One day I’ll tell Delaney about the joy and hope she brought with her.

So here’s to a super grand weekend.  I hope you have a great one.

Happy Friday night!

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