All Treats

Charis and I gutted and carved pumpkins yesterday. She carved hers (with my help). But she really didn't like the pumpkin guts.



This morning, Charis and I met up with some friends from our MOPS group to trick-or-treat at the mall. There were TONS of people there — all in line waiting to vote early. The line literally queued the length of the mall.


Charis as Belle.

There were about 25 kids in our group. Imagine 25 kids age 5 and younger invading a store for candy!!!



I also made a cake for the occasion.



I then came home to find photo updates from Haiti. Oh, I wish I had news ...

Fondant First

I am in the middle of my Wilton Course 3 class and worked with fondant for the first time. We covered square cakes (because they are more difficult to cover). I marbled my fondant with copper coloring, making a darker bow, spirals, and buttercream bead border along the bottom.

I really like the look of fondant cakes and I hope I can get better at it.

I did the copper for fall, but the marbled effect would be cool for a older kid's or teen's birthday.

Pumpkin Patch

Charis and I joined some friends today at an area pumpkin patch that donates 10% of its proceeds to JDRF. For a flat fee, children get to feed the animals, have a pony ride, take a hay ride, and get a pumpkin (and they all were big pumpkins!)

The farm had chickens, cows (including a very shaggy Scottish one), horses, donkeys, a camel, llamas, sheep, goats, pigs, and rabbits. Charis wanted NOTHING to do with the animals, except the rabbits. It didn't help that this huge pig was walking around.


The demon llamas (or are they alpacas?). I think one of them spit at me as I turned my back.


One of the donkeys.


A couple of the very aggressive sheep. They wanted the feed NOW!


The terror-inducing side of bacon.


Charis at peace with the rabbits. She tried to feed them the animal feed, but they weren't interested.


The camel that ate my entire hand trying to get to the feed.


Rope 'em, Cowgirl Charis!


I love this picture ... she was having such fun on the ponies. I need to Photoshop out the dunnies in the background.


On the hay ride. Charis likes her headbands riding low ...


"I (grunt) want (grunt) this (grunt) one!"

Scare

I want to preface this post with "She's fine."

We have a "great room." One of our sofas backs up to the kitchen area, at the line where carpet meets vinyl. There is an island between the sofa and the cooking area. Charis apparently stood on the couch (and I'm thinking she stood on the cushions attached to the back). Not a second after I heard, "I want to see what you are doing," I heard a very loud "THUD." A pause. Then blood-curdling crying. I ran over to find her in a pose not unlike this:



But her face was flat on the floor.

I thought she broke her neck.

I know I shouldn't have moved her, but I couldn't leave her like that. I picked her up anyway, because I didn't think she could get out of that position.

Blood. Lots of blood.

I hollered for Mark to help me. He got a wet paper towel and I started to wipe away the blood coming from her face. It was all over the floor. All over her dress.

It was from her mouth. Check teeth. All there. None loose. No cuts in the mouth.

She busted her lower lip. But not nearly as bad as I thought she may have.

I checked her for concussion signs. Nothing. She was "fine" within five minutes.

Today at church, my friends said they wouldn't have known she hurt herself. You can hardly see it when her mouth is closed. And she has a little ulceration visible when she opens her mouth.

(next-day photo)

She has a follow-up tomorrow at the doctor for a UTI, so I'll have her check her out then.



Please, Angel, don't scare Mama like that.

AND DON'T STAND ON THE COUCH!

September Photos

After reading others' blogs, I checked to see if we, too had new photos of BOTH our girls (I haven't had one of Catiana since before I went to Haiti in July).

My beautiful girls ...


Yslande is growing up too fast.




Catiana looks like a little old lady in this photo. I wish they had taken another, but I'm grateful for whatever the orphanage sends. I also am grateful to see that most of the mollescum has disappeared from her face!

A-Tisket, A-Tasket, Baby's in the Basket

I made a cake for a baby shower tonight. It was an ambitious endeavor, and I say that because it was huge (at least compared to what I've ever done).

I was told to expect 60 people. The cake I wanted to make called for a 12"x2" pan, so I'd have to make two. I've never used anything that big. My first cake failed (part of it operator error). The second failed, and I blame the high altitude. But I was able to salvage it. The third try was beautiful.

I layered the cakes rather than making two separate cakes. So, with frosting in between, the cake stood about 5 inches tall and 12 inches across. (Man, it was heavy).

I employed techniques I learned in my last class -- royal icing flowers, color flow for the baby's head, and basketweave and rope techniques in buttercream icing.

It's not perfect (and I see all the things wrong), but everyone loved it, and it tasted good. Again, I was made to cut into my creation ...

Un-Happy Anniversary

I received my monthly update about the adoption. I knew what it would say, since I have not received that tear-inspiring "You're out!" phone call from my social worker.

We are not out.

Tuesday will be our un-happy anniversary of one year of notification of being in IBESR.

I have prayed over and over that I could give you good news. I fear that for you, reading my blog is like having a friend with a long illness. You don't know how to pray any more. You don't know how to deal with the situation. You see no improvement so you want to just stay away.

I encourage you to continue to pray for my girls. I encourage you to pray for my waiting heart. Please pray that something would grab the attention of the new IBESR director, Jeanne Bernard, and she would sign us off immediately (I'm not against praying that the file would fly up and do a little dance in front of her, you know?!?!).

Thank you for your love and support.