Houston we have.............

A BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I actually tried to post this end of last week and I couldn't get things to arrange the way I wanted them to so I just shut it down and decided to attack it later. :-) I can't wait to kiss those little "cheeky-s"!!!!

OLIVER EMMANUEL DOSS

"Manny"

Isn't he a doll????????

We love him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Heeeey!!!
Well, as you know Daniel and Emily have been going through a grueling adoption process. It has been full of twists and turns - ups and downs. I haven't blogged about it because I have wanted to respect their privacy and allow them to grieve the loss in their own way. The time has come for a blog! *SMILE*

They are going tomorrow to pick up their baby boy. Today was supposed to be the day that they picked him up from the hospital, however the birth mom didn't want to sign the papers today. She wants to wait until she is discharged from the hospital tomorrow. Please pray for tomorrow. Emily is scared that the birth mom will change her mind about the adoption. She says "This of course makes me feel like she might be changing her mind, but we just don't know what is going on in her head/heart. We are praying for her!!!" Daniel and Em will be the best parents ever!!! They have sought and continue to seek the Lord in all aspects of their lives. I am proud to be their sister and sis-in-law!!!!!!!!!!!

They were also awarded a grant that will match donations made by friends and family of Daniel and Em DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR up to $10,000. This is such a blessing!!! They were not able to get back the money spent on the first adoption. I don't quite understand it and honestly it makes me a bit ill. Here is the information about the grant.

Hand in Hand Christian Adoption, Inc.
Daniel and Emily Doss
18524 Juniper Street
Gardner, KS 66030-9147

Please make donations payable to Hand in Hand Christian Adoption Agency before March 12, 2010. If donations are received after March 12, 2010 then the money will not be applied to Daniel and Emily's adoption. For tax purposes please include Daniel and Emily Doss on the outside of the envelope ONLY, please do not put their name on the check itself.

I love Daniel and Emily so much and wish that I could make this whole situation better. I'm a "fixer" - I want everyone around me to be happy and I want to fix them or the situation when they are hurting. Thank you all for your prayers!!!!

Dirty Little Secret

So I um have uhhhhh confession.............

It all started when I fell in love with Oka B's! They are the cutest shoes you ever did see! They come in all different styles and colors. And the best part of it all - - - you can interchange different ribbon for a cute bow on the top - *squeal*!!!!

Take a look.....

These are my Oka B's for Summer..........

And HERE is the culprit - my closed toe OB's...........

......
And you can get these adorable little shoe buttons with your initials on them - you know I LOVE anything monogrammed!!!!

The problem - the closed toe shoe makes my feet stink! And I don't mean like oh - that is a "not so great odor"kind of stink. I'm talking like - "nasty boy smell" stink - like "playground funk with kids who don't realize they need deodorant yet" stink - see? I told you it's bad! Well, here is the OTHER part of my dirty little secret.....not only do my feet stink I get this gunk in the toe that could basically be used as a science experiment. IIIII KNOOOOOOOOOW!!!! It's disgusting!!!

I guess all this happens because I choose to wear them without socks. I HATE socks - my feet need to breathe...they love the fresh air. Now this is how gross my feet have been - I would scrub them, pumice them, and put smelly lotion on them and they would STILL stink. So this week I have worn socks....and I'm sure ya'll will sleep better tonight knowing that my feet smell better! *SMILE*

Oh by the way - I added a counter onto my blog for a countdown to a cruise I just booked - I'll post more about that later!

Enjoy your weekend my lovelies!!!!!!

Pray, Pray, Pray!!!

Please pray for Daniel and Emily - the birthmom had a change of heart and they are returning Jeremiah to her today. They are just devastated! My heart is breaking for them. This is the 3rd baby to fall through - I just don't understand. It is SO frustrating and heartbreaking.

Monumental Day

So tomorrow I go to my Oncologist for my 5 year appointment. I am anticipating that after all the bloodwork and scans are done there will be an "Everything's just fine" report. In honor of the big day I was origianally going to get a tatoo that said survivor. To be honest I had mixed emotions about it. Mom and Dad would NOT have approved and I just wasn't 100% about it. Soooo, I decided to buy myself a nice piece of jewelry for the occassion. There were two items in the running. The first was a bracelet from Tiffany's........ The second was a charm bracelet from James Avery. The charm bracelet won out. (Maybe I'll buy the bracelet from Tiffany's for myself on Valentine's Day!!!!)

Okay back to the charm bracelet............ here is a picture of it...........

I would get my initials on the bracelet. My younger brother (Daniel) and sister-in-law (Emily) are adopting a baby and her name is going to be Darby Layne Doss. She will have the same initials as I do so everything I get that is monogrammed she can inherit one day, if she wants it. *smile*

Here are the charms that I am going to buy for it right now............

This charm will say - Survivor 12-21-09

I love this one - Jesus - our Ultimate Healer!!!!!!!!!!! This one is in honor of my precious Mother who is currently battling cancer. She has a charm bracelet and I always remember that she had a grand piano on it. I love her, she's the best!!

My funny little children....

There are times when my students make me chuckle inside or simply smile. And then there are those times when my kids make me double over in laughter!!! Such as this.......
Picture it -- Kids coming in my classroom fresh off of Thanksgiving Break: Oh Ms. Doss we love the tree! (As one child begins singing "O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree")
Ms. Doss: Well, I am glad that you all like it - what do you see that is missing from the tree?
Kids: Ornaments
Ms. Doss: Well - you all are going to help me decorate our class tree. After whoops and hollers I continue. If I catch you making good choices, coming in class and getting on task, helping a friend, then you may get to put an ornament on our tree. Suddenly, I see straighter backs, trying to show that THEY need to be picked. And then a hand shoots up.... I call on this student and he says in the most sincere and grown-up voice....Ms. Doss That is a wonderful idea. It just cracked me up. I thanked the student and he smiled.

It is funny how a children sometimes act like little adults. A few years ago there was a little boy that was walking through the hallway and looked at a coworker and myself - shook his head and said "kids these days".......

No internet.....

for a WHOLE week. Yes, my friends a WHOLE WEEK! I didn't realize until this morning just how much I love having access to the internet and unless I am laying beside a pool with a hunky waiter asking me if I need anything - while I am floating around in the ocean on a very large ship - I need internet access. Period. No questions asked. *SMILE*

How is it that a teacher who is not on Christmas Break or Summer Break is writing on her blog at 1:42 p.m. on a Friday afternoon???? Weeeeell we are out of school for the state tournament today! Whoohoo! Love football and that we have a great team this year! So today I woke up around 6:00 a.m. and promptly went right back to sleep! Aaaahhhh I LOVE sleeping late. I love it so much it's could almost be sinful.

I finally got the Christmas Tree decorated. I have NEVER had a Christmas Tree sit bare for about a week. It was looking very pitiful and bleak. But now, it is soooo lit up and beeeautiful!!!! I love hanging my ornaments on the tree. There are so many memories hanging on that tree and I enjoy looking at the ornaments and thinking about the person that gave the ornament to me.

Well, I am off to enjoy the Christmas movies I have been feverishly "DVR-ing" - or maybe a Christmas book I'm reading - decisions, decisions...... all I know is it WILL include some freshly popped popcorn and a ddp.