June 27, 2008

AND THIS IS WHAT STARTED IT ALL..................... this was all discarded as garbage on the beach, or who knows where...... but that's the point...... do you know where your garbage goes???????????????

This was embedded in Henry's foot, this is what, in the end, cut his life short!
Henry..... we had such optimistic, high hopes for you........ but your life will not go unnoticed.

Two new Osprey Poles are going in, in your honor.........

I did love you !

Shelley
Rest in peace dear Henry......!


People have got to realize that everything that they discard goes someplace......... next time you need to lose something, think about where it might end up................

Many times a day, I look out through this door, where I have a telescope strategically positioned....... honed right in on the nest. For three Summers now I've witnessed the cycles of life, and for three Summers, I've watched in awe, as these same two glorious male and female Osprey's, have propagated their species.........







This is the view from our bedroom window.... off in the distance you can see the hint of an Osprey pole. We've got 3 baby's currently thriving. Two years ago, gosh or is it three.... ah yes, it was three summers ago, we had a horrific accident take place in the nest. A baby Osprey got tangled in some fishing line, hooks, etc., that the Mom and Pop Osprey used to line the next.







If you search my archives you will find my story.......... BUT, this post is about fulfilling a promise I made to honor poor little Henry's life......... yep, I named him........ anyway, we have the poles all ready to go..... we built them last Fall with the help of the illustrious Jim Jones..... google him and you'll find some things about him. He's singlehandedly been helping to rebuild the Osprey population on Long Island for years. Anyway, I've picked out the weekend of July 26th...... cross your fingers that I can FINALLY pull this off......... got my sights all picked out, and we will have an old fashioned barn raising...... and raise the roof upon completion........ Henry, this is for you......... hope for good weather, and strong eager dedicated people!

Almost 4th of July..... Almost our 5 year Wedding Anniversary

Wow, thinking back on the past five years.... it's a whirlwind. July 4th, 2003, was an incredible day and night. We can honestly say that we had a 14 hour long Wedding. We chartered 2 Coach busses to drive our troops, and spent the day on a boat in New York Harbor. After getting married at the pier in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, we set sail, for not a 3 hour tour, but over 14 by the time we got back to Northport........ it was INCREDIBLE !!!!! Perfect weather, that came after months of torrential downpours..... thank God it cleared as we had no backup plans..... We had perfect weather, great food, wonderful company, FIREWORKS, and incredible memories. BUT Time has certainly passed by in a flash. Can't say that it's been smooth sailing, but I can say that in as much as life has had it's twists and turns, and we've both had to "white knuckle" it on numerous occasions, inspite of it all, I wouldn't change a thing.

To look at the photos, you'd never have guessed that we'd had been given my Breast Cancer diagnosis the day before the wedding. We chose to keep this a secret till the day following the wedding, so as not to tarnish ANYONE'S memory of our Wedding, a day that was planned with the love, caring and the tendernous of hummingbird gathering nector from a flower. That crashing news was left for the following day..... AND, the day after that, we hopped a plane for Fisherman's Wharf in S.F., and then onto Alaska. There we spent time with our thoughts and nature, there we had time to get close and personal with the Universe, all that was, and all that would be.

We started our adoption the following year, after we had anticipated the "ALL CLEAR", but 2 weeks after we sent in our application, I was diagnosed with a Primary Recurrence of Breast Cancer. Then our nightmare began. My Cancer became a Stage IV, Mets to three places in my lung, and my bone marrow throughout my system was abnormal. Long story short, I sit here typing today, CANCER FREE, going on 4 years later. Our adoption well, years in the making, BUT, we are going to celebrate our 28 month lid in just 2 days, and our 5 year Wedding Anniversary on the 4th....... my latest CT Scan reveals NO CANCER, and my bones are back to normal, and all that remains of the lesions in my lung is some scar tissue.

So, I am perfectly healthy. I am loving life, and still have time to get caught up in lifes daily dramas.... you'd think that wouldn't happen, but I'm human, and life goes on.

I couldn't complete this entry without thanking those I love..... especially my husband, our daughter to be........ our family and friends, but mostly, my furry family, which if you've read my blog, you know it keeps me going.... oh, and my Cockatoo Timothy too.

I feel that a Miracle occured in my life........ not just on this occasion, but countless times since my birth.

I love you Dave....... more than you will ever realize. HAPPY ALMOST ANNIVERSARY !

watch your volume, I will end up yelling for them.

Well here's my guys at Coindre Hall, an old Gold Coast Estate that to date still has managed to evade getting a fenced in doggie run. We want to keep it an open dog run, but the surrounding neighbors seem to find fault with it.

Pirate is scheduled for his first dog show ever. He'll be at the Riverhead Dog Show in July, AND, if he manages to go around the ring without trying to tackle me, or rip my clothes off, we then get to the next hurdle, me not falling on my face.

We shall see..... :)

June 4, 2008

Sometimes, you just gotta kick back and ponder the moment. Reflect on the wonders of the World. If life were only that simple............... but ya know what???????????? It absolutely is!

It's All Going To The Dogs 5/21/08

Took our Pirate to a couple of dog shows this weekend. Saturday, was the Planting Fields, and it was a beautiful day. This is a shot from Roslyn, I believe that we were at the Roslyn Museum.
It was so cute, and I'm so sorry that we didn't take a picture, but, the parking was a bit of a distance from the show, and they had yellow school buses to take us to the destination...... well, Pirate just jumped up into the window seat, and I really should have had Dave take his picture from outside looking out the window. I've never known the World of dog shows...... but am loving every minute of getting Pirate ready for his debut in a couple of Months. Today was his first handling class, and he did great......... call name Pirate, but welcome Pennylane Classique Corsair's Booty, A Pirate Tail.....................

Looking Ahead / Taking One Day At A Time 5/16/08

Well, it's Friday night nearly 7 PM e.s.t., and I've just watched the World News and scouted out info on China.......... they focused on a woman that lost her son in the collapsed school....... and how many of the families that lost children, lost their only child, due to China's one child policy.
How awful....... so we sit here, and are thankful for our tiny circle here remaining intact........ and wondering how it will all unfold.

The newscaster just mentioned the Bejiing Olympics........ how can they even continue to talk about who gets to compete, and even think about the Olympics......... am I wrong? Maybe, perhaps life needs to go on in the face of any and all disparaging times...........

I sit here and can not help but feel a bit selfish, as I wonder how all of this will play out in terms of our adoption, and that is extremely dissatisfying....... I feel very shallow...... I want, what I want....... we've waited 27 months thus far....... that's right, we're 27 months dtc today...... I need to take a step back and remember, peoples lives are at stake..... I pray for the people of China tonight. Their futures have all changed........ has ours?

Earthquakes, Cyclones and Tornadoes 5/15/08

I'm greatly saddened by the enormity of the losses, and pain, that people are suffering all around the World. I feel a sense of closeness to the Chinese people, as our hearts have been so engrossed in this adoption. To think that our child is injured, scared or hungry is beyond my comprehension. Not knowing our child at this point (no referral as of yet), seems easier to me, than those that have just received their referral, or are waiting with baited breath to travel. To live here and witness the devastation halfway around the world, AND, know that your child is just beyond your grasp..... before when it was resonably safe was one thing, but now, with the travesties, loss of life, and uncertainties......... it's completely incomprehensible to me.

My heart bleeds for everyone waiting to pick up their child.......... my mind reels with painful frightening possibilities for the safety of everyone..........

Then there's the cyclone ravaged Myanmar. These people not only suffered Mother Natures indignations...... now they are at the mercy of their closeminded paranoid Government. How many will die from pure neglect, lack of supplies, basic necessities of food and water?

Our own fellow citizens here in the U.S. too are suffering from all of the storms in the midwest as of late, it's so very sad. Very, VERY sad................ makes me want to hug and squeeze my family even more, right this very minute.

Sorry for the spelling errors........... just too darn lazy to look things up, is there a spell check attached to this blogger site??????????????????

If you're reading this, and if you're safe, and resonably happy, even if you're unhappy.......... please be thankful.......... things can always get worse. Your World as you know it right this very minute, could be ripped out from under you, and we all need to be thankful. Okay........ off my soapbox.

May 8th, 2008

Not much happening on this end. These pics were taken yesterday or the day before, it's been so busy around here lately, I can't remember :>)

Referrals have arrived, and log in dates have grown to include the 12th of January '06 I believe. CONGRATS TO ALL, wish it was us.......... hehe, but I suppose we'll get there in time.

Some thoughts regarding when we will get our referrals are leaning towards Christmas, which sounds mighty fine to me.

In the meantime, we're here, coasting along. Haven't begun the nursery even to this date......... what are we in our 26th month of paper pregnancy?

We are concentrating on the house, business, and puppies..... still much to be done since our reconstruction.

So, that's it for now.......... my thoughts and prayers are sent out to all the little babies waiting for their Mommy's and Daddy's to hold them and heal their pains.........

Happy upcoming Mother's Day to all, especially those first time Mom's..........

Shelley

Just gotta keep on keepin' on I suppose 4/23/08

Well, today was a big day at our agency. A new batch of children (SN's), had come in last week, and today was the day they were to decide who would be blessed with new arrivals or not.

Dave and I had never requested a match to a special needs child, but when I saw the two little faces of these twin girls, my heart melted, and I just had to ask Dave his feelings too.

I was completely taken back when Dave expressed interest, and together we dove right in. We shared our news with family and friends, which perhaps wasn't the best idea in town.

Today, I sat by the phone, trying to remain optimistic, though my fears were mounting. When the call finally came in, and my S.W. stated it's not good news, it was all I could do to remain calm and get through the conversation. "I did everything in my power", she said, or something to that effect.

Now, I'm just left with such a sense of loss. I know Dave, who's NEVER phased in these types of situations, is devastated in his own way.

I feel especially sad for his Mom, who got sooooo excited about these two babies. So, what do you do in this situation. We've been waiting for nearly 26 months. I feel as though my heart was ripped out. I feel such a sense of loss. This process is endless.

When I think back to the initial application, in '04, when we had to pull out of the process. The wait time back then was a mere 6 months. Now, it's tripled from that time, no end in site.

I feel truly sad for the people that have put in and requested a match with a child before, this, and got refused. How many times can you go through this type of rejection.

All any of us want to be are parents. All we want to hear is laughter in our homes......... wipe away tears, and love and nurture.

So, that's about it. We understood that requesting a match to these twins was such a long shot, but still the pain is no less. I wish them a wonderful life, with their new family, and may they have speedy travel...

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo's your almost Mom :). I'll think of you for the rest of my life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bless you all.