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Rider Down

The other night, on my way to bed, I tripped over Mark's dirt bike gear bag that was laying in the middle of the dark dining room. As I fell to the ground, I was {rudely} reminded of all the joys my husband has added to my life.

I fell in love with the smell of race gas the same year that I fell in love with Mark and spent much of my first years of dating him experiencing the excitement of the race track. It's been 13 years since I was introduced to the sport and I still love it.

Last weekend, Mark and I were thrilled to receive tickets to the Motocross race in Lakewood, CO. Well, Mark was thrilled and I was just plain giddy.

We baked in the sun for six hours and completely enjoyed our day.
Unfortunately, Mark was reminded several times how much patience it requires to take your wife to a Motocross race. You see, while I love the sport, I still just can't quite keep up. My dialogue throughout each 35 min race was a variation of, "Who's in first? Who fell? Who's in first? Who fell? Who's that? Where's Andrew? Who's in first?"

Once I quit flappin' my jab and started concentrating on taking photos, I think we both had a better time.

My marriage to Mark has expanded my horizons in a million ways - many of which are much more significant and sentimental than motorcycles.

But gosh I sure am glad that my life now includes motorcycles.
However, I could certainly do without the gear-death-traps in the dining room.

Gotta watch out for those.

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Little Party People

Yesterday was the first day that our file could possibly be submitted to the US Embassy for review. But it didn't happen and I was bummed.

Thank goodness for these girls. They were the perfect distraction - and so much fun!

Nothing will keep you busy like a seven-year-old sleep-over.

We started our slumber party by selecting cereal for the next morning.

Picking out just one box that everyone could agree on was nearly impossible.
Then it was time for American Girl Dolls. Hours and hours of American Girl Dolls.
Katey and Arlee took a million pictures of their dolls. It was dress them, pose them, dress them pose them, dress them, pose them......

I always let the girls use my camera. My good camera. Is that dumb? Probably. But they love it.
After dinner, they wanted to play outside.

They wanted to play outside in my parking space. Weird.
I made them go to the park instead. I'm so mean.

After we had our feet fully exfoliated at the sandy park, it was time for pedicures. I clipped another person's toenails for the first time in my life. That was also weird.

But seriously, is there anything cuter than little girls and nail polish?
After a little "Nanny McPhee" and sleepy-time, we enjoyed a morning full of bed-head and banana bread mixed with a little Taylor Swift sing-a-long.

I sure do love these girls.

Like really love them alot alot.
And I hope they had fun.

Because if our paperwork doesn't make it to the Embassy next Thursday (paperwork can only be submitted on Thursdays), I might need them to come hang out again.

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Coupons make me cry

It's true. Sometimes when I have to clip coupons,

or spend coupons,

or make a shopping list based on coupons,

I end up in tears.

I.hate.them.

But Shellie doesn't.

In fact, she's somewhat of a coupon genius, and she's offering to spread the love and share her knowledge.

All for a small fee that will support her family's adoption fund.

And while coupons make me want to barf, getting children into families makes me very, very happy.

If you live in the Colorado Springs area, you're going to want to sign up for her class. I have a feeling that what you learn will help you save MORE than what you'll spend to register.

It's a good deal all around.

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Officially Official

Of all the good-news-calls I've received over the last two years,

this morning's was by-far the best.

While we slept last night,

our file was completed,

our case was approved,

and our boy officially, officially, officially became our son.

Today we are proud to introduce

the amazing

Briggs Sofinias Kyle

What's next, you ask.

Well just a tiny bit more waiting that should* go a little something like this;

1) Briggs is issued a new birth certificate and passport (2-4 weeks)

2) Our file is submitted to and reviewed by the US Embassy (1-2 weeks)

3) We are invited to appear at the US Embassy in Ethiopia

4) We book the first flight out of town and arrive in Addis as quickly as possible in order to appear at the Embassy, collect Briggs's Visa, and BRING.HIM.HOME.

(*Seeing as how nothing yet has gone quite as it "should" have, I'm using this term in the loosest sense possible. Let's call the above a "vague outline of our hopes and expectations.")

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