Needs or wants?

Sometimes my line between needs and wants becomes rather fuzzy.  I know that I don't NEED for anything in my life that I don't already have.  We have a home, health, food and eternity in heaven.  Anything else is just gravy I suppose.  But, we live in a  world  country where bigger is always better, and more seems to be the go-to way of life.  I so try to avoid that, but it's hard.  I try to live a fairly minimalist life.  You could take one look at my closet and realize that I don't have a need to always have the latest fashions.  You can also laugh at the fact that Doug and I share one cell phone that only makes calls and sends texts.  We also have basic cable in our home that allows us to watch about 8  channels.  However, there is always the little voice in my head saying how happy I would be if I just had a little more.  We are choosing at this time in our life to make some decisions about moving, building, or buying a home.  Trying to convince myself that staying where we live now is a wise, financial decision is being trumped by the desire for a big, fancy new house in a better neighborhood.  Adding to this the fact that we are a single income family makes the decision a little more tricky.  Do I want to go back to work to help pay a mortgage, or continue on the path of being home with my children?  Sometimes it's hard to look way down deep and realize that you're a little more materialistic and selfish that you care to admit.  That's where I am right now....it stinks to be a grown-up!

Life is good!

Happy Valentine's Day, Happy President's Day, Happy St. Patrick's Day, Happy Lent.... Happy everything!  Things are going so well here at the Perry casa!  Our friends & family have been so wonderful the past 2 months while we adjust  survive this new season.  Marlee is doing better every day.  It's amazing to see through pictures how she's grown and changed.   These pictures are about 7-8 weeks apart.
                                     

December 2012

January 2013

 

It's nothing short of a miracle that she's doing so well and accepting of us. She still wants Momma all the time, but so many folks have reminded me that their children were the same way at this age. That may be her personality, not the fact that she was adopted. She is very different from the 2 oldest and I find myself pinning all the differences on adoption. That's not fair of me and I need to realize that all children are just...different. Different personalities, different desires, different temperaments, just different! She is funny, gorgeous, growing and stubborn. She's absolutely perfect and I feel so blessed to be given this gift of being her mom. We are dealing with the issue of the older 2 still being very jealous. They fight like crazy trying to get Marlee's attention and it usually ends up in tempers flaring and someone feeling left out. We're still working through this and I'm sure we always will. Does this make me want to just have an even 4...no way! I think our quiver is full!

 

2 steps forward, 1 step back

I'm starting to see such a pattern in Marlee and our family as a whole.  The weekends are fantastic.  Everyone seems to get along, Marlee seems more relaxed and I'm able to enjoy my family more.  You know what the main ingredient is that makes weekends better?  Daddy is HOME!  Although it's unavoidable that Daddy must go to work each Monday morning (we do enjoy having food and clothing) Friday can't some soon enough.  We are blessed that Doug doesn't have to travel for his job so he's home each night, but it's still wonderful on the weekends when he's with us.  Marlee has had a really difficult week with him so far.  When he's been gone all day she can't relax and enjoy him in the evenings.  But, weekends are great for the two of them.  She's used to having him around and will play without being on my hip.  During the week, she cries the minute he walks in the door and won't stop unless I'm holding her.  It makes for a very stressful evening.  I can't imagine how he must feel driving home from work knowing this is what waits for him when he walks in.  From Fri-Sunday she does great, but it starts all over again on Monday.  She actually cries when ANYONE comes to our house and I'm not holding her.  I'm guessing it's a little fear of the other person taking her away.  I can understand her fear because the woman that cared for her the first year of her life was instantly gone when these "white people" walked in the room.   I know she has to remember that.  Please continue to pray for our transition.  It's great between the two of us, but things really need work in the daddy-daughter department.