Backpacking

When you think of the term backpacking many people would associate Europe or hiking through the mountains with it. My pal CJ has brought this word to a whole new level.  While visiting our house at the beginning of the month CJ told Zoey to stop "backbacking" him.  I should mention that Zoey is definitely a female dog; however, she has learned some good humping - for a lack of a better word - techniques from her cousins Nedward and the late Ernie.  So needless to say, she now thinks she is a male dog and likes to mount up on people, blankets, coats - I think you get the picture.  Anyway, there have been many laughs when visitors come - like when Molly was here this weekend - and Zoey starts "backpacking".  Of course when I tell her to stop backpacking it always gets our visitor's attention.  They inevitably ask what it means and then start to laugh when they get the answer.  Thanks, CJ, for coining a new, wonderful term for Zoey's bizarre behavior!  Backpacking will always have two meanings in our household.

"Make New Friends, But Keep the Old"

Today we had the honor of celebrating our godson's baptism with his parents, brother and other family members.  I suppose some might think the entire occasion isn't that big of a deal, but those who know me wouldn't be surprised to learn that I don't fall into that category. Standing up for Nicholas and his family is a great honor and we feel blessed to have even been asked.  

As I look at this picture tonight I'm filled with a lot of emotion.  (Again, you're probably not surprised!)  It really is worth a thousand words if not many more.  Erin and I started a friendship way back in elementary school and it's still going strong.  We were like twins growing up and always just enjoyed being in each other's company.  We shared bad hair-dos, the love of NKOTB music and BIG glasses that we thought were cool.  Our summers were spent camping and hoping that our dream men would finally move into small town Deer River that fall.  :)  We celebrated each other successes - Way to go Class of 95 salutatorian! - and were there for the bad moments as well - How could Joey not see me at his concert and want me to be his girlfriend? I'm sure we drove our parents crazy with constant long phone calls even when we had spent the whole day together as well as always needing to be dropped off/picked up at each other's houses.

  

How awesome that so many years have gone by and our friendship remains strong.  As I look at this picture I see where that original meeting in Girl Scouts has taken us.  We are now married, have children and continue to be a constant presence in each other's lives as well as our families.  Mark and Charlie started off as "Jack" buddies, but soon it blossomed into so much more.  They're good pals that enjoy sports and hanging out.  Then CJ came along!  It's been so much fun watching him grow into the cutie patootie that he is.  We love spending time with him and hearing his why questions endlessly!  Now Nicholas and Anthony have blessed us with their presence.  Even though they are 18 months apart they came into our lives within a month of one another.  

I look forward to the future and all it has to bring for Erin and I as well as our families.  Hopefully there will be more vacations in Mexico and time spent with a Leo; weekend getaways where we have a slumber party at each other's houses and outings to watch and cheer on the Minnesota Twins.  I'm looking forward to all of the birthday parties and other occasions when we celebrate our three boys and join our families together.

Thank you for your friendship, Erin, and the decision to make Mark and I Nicholas's godparents.  It's a role we will always treasure.  (Who could have known that a Girl Scout's song from our beginning would be the best song to describe our relationship?) 

The Crookston Clan Visits

On Saturday Dana, Molly and Ella Bella came to visit us and meet Anthony for the first time. Of course it was great to catch up with Mol and see how BIG Ella has gotten since our last visit in November.  She's talking like crazy and is such a cutie!  Of course Anthony and her got right to playing and having a good time.  (There were only a few timeouts for hitting, which was pretty darn good!)

The Cozy Coupe is a two seater!  (Or maybe it should be...) It was hard to resist the car and figure out who was going to have the first turn "driving".  

Oh, the ball pit.  What fun it is to throw balls and jump around destroying the end zone!  Their energy level is AMAZING!
Good problem solving, Ella!  The top made a great "seat" and they could both enjoy the car together.
Zoey's kennel is certainly irresistible!  What kid doesn't want to pretend they are a dog and hang out in a kennel panting?  Too fun!
At the end of a great day playing they topped it off with bath time together too! (ATTENTION WATER LOVERS: Yes, I'm already aware that several of you take issue with the lack of water I put in the bathtub. Don't feel the need to leave yet another comment...)  :)   
Thank you Dana, Molly, Ella and Baby #2 (Gunner???  Lucy???) for stopping in to visit us.  It was great to see all of you and catch up.  We love you and are thankful you are in our lives.   (Especially since I have calmed down a lot since my "wild" college days, Mol!)  By the way, great job channeling your inner horse whisperer/animal lover, Mol.  Zoey loved cuddling with you on the couch last night and is missing you already.  She wishes you were here so she could give you LOTS of kisses!  You would LOVE that, right?

They're G-R-E-A-T!

Last Wednesday Mark's co-workers had a shower for Anthony.  We had a great time being in the Securian Center for the first time, meeting all of the people he works with and having lunch together too.  I completely enjoyed the views from the office (what a different feel from the classroom!) and seeing where Mark spends his days as well as finally being able to put faces to the names of the co-workers he talks about at home.

Anthony was a bit quiet and shy that day, which isn't really like him.  However, he hasn't been timid at all when it comes to the fabulous new toy they got him.  The Cozy Coupe has been a major hit for him and he's played with it all weekend long!

Mark surprised him by putting it together Friday night so he could wake up to a new toy Saturday morning.  As you can see he definitely liked his new toy and was playing in it, but still needed to work on the waking up part! The box, which was still in the basement, was an additional bonus for Anthony!  How awesome to get a new car AND a big box to play in all on the same day!

Thank you to all of the GREAT people who took time out of their day to celebrate our new little one.  

The Hat Trick is BACK!

Yes, I realize I haven't posted anything new since Thursday.  I didn't think anyone would care; however, that hasn't been the case.  I was surprised to learn that I have a legion of fans who need to know what the Hansons are up to on a day-to-day basis.   Okay, maybe using the term "legion" is a bit far fetched. People definitely aren't holding their breath for a new posting and I don't have a fan club yet, but that could all come in time!

So this posting is dedicated to you, Manda aka little sister. Thank you for the multiple phone calls prodding, pleading, begging, DEMANDING me to finally post something new of your nephew.  ALSO, I learned I have a surprise reader today in my best friend's husband's mom - Pattie.  (I wish I could have had a longer title like my sister's co-worker's brother's friend's best friend's husband's mom - maybe next time!) Thanks for reading all about us, Pattie!

I'm sure there are other readers out there that haven't un-lurked themselves yet, but check in every once in awhile to see what we've been up to.  Be sure to leave a comment for us!  It really isn't that hard to do - just click under comments under a particular posting - and then type whatever it is you would like to tell us.  We would love to hear from you and see some advice or thoughts or some sort of random questions - ANYTHING!  (Come on grandmas Carol and Kathy!  I know you can leave a comment for your grandson! YOU CAN DO IT!)

Daycare Dilemma

I need help!  

Serious help!

Even though we won't need daycare until the fall we've already started to look.  I got several recommendations from fellow co-workers and friends, which was GREAT!  Mark, Anthony and I have visited two daycares in the last week. Here's the problem: THEY ARE BOTH WONDERFUL and would be a great fit for our family.  Several moms have already told me we'll just know who the right person is when we meet him/her.  REALLY?!?!  Right now I wish I could combine the two providers and homes.  I have no clue how we'll ever decide...

Any thoughts?  

Suggestions?

How did you decide? 

I need words of advice from those who have been there and done that. 

HELP!

No Tears or Fears for our Little Man!

After a messy breakfast of cheesy scrambled eggs and looking at Anthony's hair I thought it might be time for a hair cut. I love how his crazy hair sticks up when you play with it; however, it was getting a bit long...  So after a good afternoon nap and snack we headed out to the local Fantastic Sams.

I wasn't sure how this new adventure would go for us, but I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised.  He was super curious right away and did lots of staring at the girl and then in the mirror.  It was a very non-Anthony moment because he didn't talk or smile once.  He just sat there very serious and extremely still.  (Being quiet and sitting is something he NEVER likes to do at home!  He's too busy being a little boy having LOTS of fun!)

The end result?  A much shorter do and somehow older looking little boy.  Of course the hair is already messed up because as soon as we got back into the car he put on his baseball hat.  (Hats are definitely something he couldn't live without.)  Overall, it was a fun afternoon excursion that was topped off with a nice walk around our neighborhood.

 

Too Sweet

We have a routine that we follow every night as a family - eat supper, play together on the floor, bath time, read some books and then bedtime.  The three of us pray together and give thanks for all of the good throughout the day and remember the people in our lives.  Then comes the kisses.  Typically we just give Anthony kisses (he now does his open mouth kisses that are so sweet) and then family kisses where Mark and I kiss him at the same time.  For two nights in a row he puts his hands behind both of our heads to push us together so that we can kiss.  If we stop kissing he pushes us back together.  The best part is that he giggles and loves that we are kissing.  

I know it's something small, but I have to admit I love every new thing he does.  

I can't wait for the day when he's a teenager and grossed out by mom and dad kissing.  I'll have to remind him that he used to WANT us to kiss!  (Actually, I can wait for him to become a teenager.  He turned 19 months today and I wish that I could just freeze this time.  I don't want him to get any bigger right now!)

Our First Road Trip!

Anthony and I took our first road trip up north this week.   I was super excited to meet the newest member of the Arlt family, Baby Samuel, and have Anthony meet a very  important family in our lives.  I'm looking forward to get togethers in the future as well as watching all of the kids grow up and have lots of FUN together.

Clara has a love for water and usually spends time on her stool playing in it when I'm there.  Here she's showing Anthony how to have fun too!  I'm thinking we might need to get him his own stool for the bathroom now.

Baby Samuel is BEYOND cute!  He's such a cuddler and has the cutest little nose that's made for Eskimo kisses.  It was great to finally meet him and have some time to love him up.  (He's only two weeks old, but it seems like I've waited FOREVER to meet him!)  

Anthony warmed up to Jeremy as soon as he got home from work.  They spent time reading books and then hanging out on the couch watching ESPN.  I know he's looking forward to seeing him again for some more guy time!

And what did Mark do while we were gone?  Of course he missed us a TON and couldn't stand the quietness in the house, but he also took the time to surprise us by organizing Anthony's closet.  YIPPEE!  He put in another shelf and then hung up clothes that were on the floor.  I'm looking forward to going through the rest of his clothes and completely organizing everything this week.  Thanks, Super Dad!  

Wish Upon a Star

Uncle Erik painted Anthony a star to hang in his room and gave it to him over the Easter weekend.  I keep looking at it amazed at the design and color and the overall WOW factor of the painting.  I'm still wishing that he hadn't taken all of the creative genes so that I was left with none.  The creativeness had to be refueled for Manda who has the "gift" too. (Don't worry, I won't go into some middle child rant...)

Future Bulldog Star?

I must say I was a bit worried when Auntie Manda called me to say Uncle Damon had gone shopping for a new toy for Anthony.  I should have known that bigger would be better in Damon's eyes! (They also want to get him his own snowmobile next winter...)  Not only did they buy the end zone ball pit, but 100 extra balls to put in it. 

Anthony absolutely loves it!  He spent the majority of the afternoon playing in it and throwing balls every which way.  

Good find, Team Tuttle!  (FYI: NO HE DOESN'T NEED THE SOCCER FIELD NOW AS WELL!)

Easter Morning Fun

Anthony had lots of fun searching for his basket this morning with daddy.  He quickly found it behind the chair in the living room and got right to looking at what the Easter Bunny had brought him.  He loved his new vacuum cleaner (I wish it were a real one with all of the vacuuming he's been doing today!), Scooby Doo ball and finding treats in the eggs in his basket. It turns out, though, that he really loved his Easter pail.  I found it at Pottery Barn Kids and thought it would be a cute alternative to the tradition basket.  (It's obviously a lot sturdier...)  I think he would agree with me. Overall it has been a great weekend of visitors and celebrating our first holiday together.

Hoppy Easter!

Hi everyone!  

I just wanted to wish all of you a wonderful Easter Sunday!  Thank you Grandma Kathy and Uncle Erik for my festive bunny ears.  I had a great time celebrating and playing with everyone who came to my house yesterday.  I can't wait to see you all again!

Hugs and Kisses,

Anthony :)

A WHAT?!?!

Every time Mark and I make a bed he always insists that he doesn't know what a hospital corner is, which is just shocking to me.  I keep thinking he's just saying that so he can get out of his portion of making the bed.  How couldn't he know?!?! Isn't this just common knowledge?

I guess it could be possible that not everyone knows including my husband...  

But SERIOUSLY!

So I have to ask: Who out there knows how to make a proper hospital corner?  Who has no clue what I'm talking about? (Don't you dare cheat and check out my hospital corner link first!)  

Perhaps I should just thank my summers of working at Cut Foot Sioux Inn for my vast knowledge when it comes to making beds properly.  

This bath's for you, Erin!

In response to your comment posted under Crazy Zoey Dog! I decided I would do my best to please my oldest and dearest friend.  :)  So tonight we REALLY did bath time in a BIG way. Not only did we put all of his bath toys in there I also grabbed a bunch of Tupperware to make it super exciting.   Mark kept the water running as I continued to look for exciting "toys" to fill up the tub.  

The result you may be wondering?

Toys were everywhere and the water was up to his chest.  Was he happy?  NO!  He started crying and freaking out with all of that water.  IT'S JUST TOO MUCH FOR A LITTLE PEANUT TO DEAL WITH! Seriously.
Mark promptly started to drain the water and his demeanor changed dramatically. (The proof is in the picture!)  He turned back into the boy who loves bath time and was having a good time.

SO... I can't say I agree with the whole water level; HOWEVER, we will get him some more toys to play with.  Sound good, oh Wise One?!  :)

I'm not thumbing around

I was just starting to tell Mark that Anthony's thumb went amazingly far up my nose when the dripping started...

I rushed to the kitchen sink and then told Mark to get the camera. (That's when you know you are addicted to blogging and your bloody nose becomes a post-worth item.)

Maybe subconsciously I didn't want Mara to be the only one posting some blood on her blog.  Who knows?

I think we'll stick to dancing tomorrow night after dinner...

Move over Dancing with the Stars!

After supper tonight I popped in the 80s cd that Tracy made for my fabulous 80s prom party awhile back.  I decided to go with #9 - MC Hammer - U Can't Touch This.  Anthony immediately starts dancing around so I decide to crank up the tunes, forget about the dishes and join him. He's got some SERIOUS dance moves!  After MC finishes up with the Hammer Time we switched to track #7 - New Kids on The Block (Oh yeah - I'm not joking!) - Hangin' Tough.  We brought out all of the moves and were jumping, running, and dancing around like crazy.  (Speaking of crazy, I'm sure the neighbors had quite a show since I still need to buy curtains for the living room.)  

I'm super excited about all of this because I now FINALLY have a dance partner when it comes to weddings.  I won't have to beg Mark or the rest of you to get up and join me on the dance floor!  The next family wedding is Joey and Steph's in January.  Anthony and I will have plenty of time to practice and come up with some good moves that will leave everyone in aaahhhh. We'll be like Monica and Ross on Friends and have a whole routine all planned out. 

 

Serious training will start tomorrow so we can impress everyone!  

PS: John - I know you thought you got some good footage of me dancing at Brian and Tiff's wedding; however, it's about to get even better with my new dance partner.  Make sure to have your batteries charged and ready to go in your camera!

Our "Marley" Wannabe

I'm in love with the thought of SPRING even though it snowed earlier this week and more snow is expected tomorrow. Spring time means longer days, nice weather and FAMILY WALKS! Family walks typically are a nightly occurrence in the Hanson household.  I must admit, though, they aren't always that enjoyable.  I had envisioned getting a dog and going for leisurely walks. WRONG!  Zoey loves to pull (she thinks she is a sled dog in the Iditarod and tries to mush us to the finish line) and as an added bonus she loves to try and "attack" every car that drives by. Needless to say, family walks have always been interesting since her arrival and walks with myself and her are non-existent.  (I would like to have my shoulder intact to my arm the rest of my life...)

Mark's great idea was that I could walk Anthony in his new WONDERFUL stroller and attach Zoey to the front so all three of us could go during the day.  (What?!?!? I hope you are thinking the same thing right now or at least laughing out loud!)  Zoey would be out in traffic causing major accidents while Anthony and I would be dragging behind her.  All of us would end up in the ER and be traumatized for life.  Mark didn't see it that way...  

So just for fun on our first walk together I got out the camera and asked Mark to push the stroller and hold onto Zoey while I ran up ahead to snap a photo.  He soon realized it wouldn't be that easy to manage both and Zoey wasn't even attached to the front!  Zoey, as you can see, wanted to go out where potential cars would be because it's fun to live on the edge!  While Mark was yanking her back into line the stroller was going all kiddywampus.  (Is that even a word?!)  It was quite the scene.  

Needless to say, just the little man and myself will be walking during the day.  Zoey, the musher, will need to stay home and wait for her dad.  Unless we wanted to go back for some more doggie training for the Wonder Dog to whip her into shape. HHhmm... Maybe she wouldn't fail and get kicked out this time around???

PS - If you haven't read about Marley you really ought to!  You'll laugh, you'll cry and through it all you won't want to put the book down.  Check it out.

The Tale of Two Mommies

When Mark and I first learned that we would have an OPEN adoption we were really nervous, scared and unsure whether this would be right for us.  What would that look like and wouldn't it just confuse our son/daughter?  Would that mean there were multiple people parenting? What would the birth parent(s) be like?  (You don't even want to know my original thoughts!) What if they were nothing like us and we didn't get along?  We would be stuck with them the rest of our lives...

It's amazing what only one month can do to completely erase any lingering fears that may have existed.  Anthony's birth mom, Cynthia, is truly a wonderful individual and we are so happy she is in our lives too.  She's beautiful, has a beaming smile, knows how to hold a great conversation, is trying her very best in life and LOVES the Minnesota Twins too.  (What a bonus!)  She really is a perfect fit for our family and we're excited that she'll always be in our lives.  

On Tuesday we visited together at our house and it just seemed so natural.  I honestly was happy to see her and kept giving her hugs.  (Not that any of you are surprised by that!)  It was nice to be able to talk again and show her our home and where Anthony lives.  It was also good to hear what she's been up to and how everything has been going for her since our placement day.  I'm thankful that he will always have a relationship with her and know his birth mommy. I'm also thankful that God knew what was best and had a plan for the right people to be joined together.  It's so clear that THIS is so RIGHT.

Obviously we are still new at all of this and learning what an open adoption looks like.  There will be ups and downs as there is in everything in life.  I'm so thankful that Mark will be by my side as we parent Anthony and that Cynthia will be a constant in our lives.  

Life is good....Open adoptions are a beautiful thing.

Always the Godmother...

You know the old saying, "Always the bridesmaid and never the bride"?  I started to make up my own a while back, "Always the godmother and never the mother".  I thought it was pretty funny; however, very few of my friends or family would laugh along at that one...

I really have been blessed to become a godmother to three beautiful children.  I think of them everyday and say prayers for their lives now and who there are to become in the future.  I hope no matter how close or far they may be from me that we can always have a bond and a love for one another.  

Now I start to wonder about my own son and who would be the best godparents for him.  Who would pray for him and have his best interest in mind?  Who would be a positive example in his life?  Who would always love him and be a constant support through all of the ups and downs in life?  When I think of Anthony and what's best for him I see it's a serious decision and one that isn't taken lightly.  Knowing that three families chose me to be their child's godmother becomes an even bigger blessing.                                                                                                          

    Ella Mabel - 23 months in this photo

    Camden Joseph - Just turned one last Friday!

  Nicholas Duane - 62 days old today

God bless all three of you and know that your godmother loves and thinks of you often...

Let It Be

Yesterday after getting home from another lab appointment (they're constantly taking my blood!) I grabbed the Star Tribune, the mail and a piece of Swedish Almond Cake. (You really ought to try the recipe if you like almond flavor and sweet goodness.  It's amazingly delicious and "non fat" or at least I try to tell myself that...)

Focus, Tonja!  Back to the story...

I was approaching the second set of stairs down to the basement while reading the Have You Heard? section of the Star Tribune.  The first item of the day was the following:

Paul McCartney's divorce from Heather Mills was settled for 48.6 million.

But that's not nearly the most expensive celebrity divorce.

I was just beginning to think "Holy CRAP" when I fell down the rest of stairs and landed sprawled out at the bottom. Great.  Immediately my elbows are throbbing and I'm having a laugh, but I want to cry a bit moment.  Of course Mark has to come over and check out the commotion.  Lovely.  Zoey also came to my "rescue" from upstairs.  I quickly found out she wasn't as interested in me as she was in the half eaten Swedish Almond Cake.  (I know I linked it again.  I'm trying to stress its deliciousness to you!)  Luckily, I grabbed what was left of my little treat right before she finished sniffing and gobbled it up.  Whew!  It was a close one.

I have since recovered from the whole embarrassing episode; however, my mind is still on this crazy publicized divorce and absurd amount of money.  How can this not be an expensive divorce?  And what would I seriously do with that much money?  When we settled our contract back in January I was jumping for joy and excited about how much money I would be making now after seven years of teaching.  The average celebrity divorcee would be laughing at those pennies...

Just in case you were wondering here's some of the "costliest splits" according to the Star Tribune:

• Michael Jordan and Juanita Jordan, December 2007, more than $150 million
  
• Neil Diamond and Marcia Murphey, 1995, $100 million
  
• Steven Spielberg and Amy Irving, 1989, $100 million
  

And the list goes on and on and on...

Oh, well.  At least I've got a great recipe for some Swedish Almond Cake!  (Sorry!  I had to do it!)

The Oracle?

Meet Rylan.  He may look like your normal cutie pie; however, there is so much more to this little man.  Maybe it is just natural talent or perhaps powers coming from his funky blue shades from last summer, but this two year old has a gift.  

In January while praying before bedtime he prayed for our baby.  When Jenn, his wonderful mommy, asked him when we would get our baby he said March.  She thought maybe he had said Mark accidentally; when asked again he clearly said March.

Upon hearing word of this I started to bank all of my hopes, desires and wishes on Ry's statement, which turned out to be very prophetic.  It reconfirms my belief that children ARE amazing and God does work through them.  We may have brought Anthony home on February 27th; however, we were out of the legal risk period on March 12th.  He's our son.

I truly have to thank a two year old for filling me up with hope and taking some of my sadness away for things that didn't come to pass.  Your prayer and statement were heard, Ry.

SHAMELESS PLUG: Be sure to check out Ry and the rest of his family by clicking on the last link under "Check out these sites".   His little brother is quite handsome and very loved by me - he's got to be the cutest one year old EVER!   

ACDC Rocks!

Thank you ACDC (Amy, Chloee, Donny and Cole) Family for my crib!  I love sleeping in it and I especially love jumping in it when I should be sleeping!  I really had fun watching daddy and Grandpa Willie put it together in the living room and then be unable to fit it into my room!  I was a big helper that day holding onto nuts, wrenches and other do-hickeys while they took it apart and then reassembled it in my room.  

Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  

Crazy Zoey Dog!

Before Anthony: Zoey was scared to death of baths.  She would coward, run away from you and try to escape the WHOLE time while being in the tub.  It was like torture for her.

Post Anthony: She now tries to catapult herself into the bath tub so she can have more time by her new best friend.  I actually had to carry her out of the bathroom last night and shut the door. Meanwhile she whined the whole time like it was the worst punishment EVER. 

What's with this dog?

Oh the joys of being a child!

Who could have ever guessed that lunch with mom could be this much fun?  

Carpe Diem!

Seize the day and this moment and leave the Hanson family a comment or two!  Don't be shy! Maybe you just want to say hi or complain about the snow or invite yourself over to meet the little man!  SERIOUSLY!  Let's hear what's on your mind!

Parenting 101

To read or not to read?  That's my big question and dilemma.

Is there one book that is the gospel truth to parenting?  Is there a must have that gives great tips on discipline, eating and what a child should be doing at each milestone?  Etc, etc, etc...

I keep thinking I need to purchase something and then read it like crazy.  My friends - Erin, Rachel and Molly in particular - keep telling me that parenting is all instinct.  REALLY!?!?!  I'm still waiting for my instinct to kick in.  

It's NOT that I don't know what to do.  I feel extremely comfortable and I love being around him.  I do.  However, there are some lingering questions/concerns in my mind:

1. He keeps spitting/yakking up.  (Not full fledge throwing up - just coughing and then puking a bit.)  Yesterday he did this for the fifth time in about a week.  Is he sick?  Is he allergic to something?  Are the foods we feeding him too rich? Should I immediately take him to the doctor?  Or is all of this completely normal?

2. Soft and gentle is the phrase we like to use in our house. Why?  Every once in awhile he'll scratch, hit or pull hair.  Is this typical of his age?  Am I creating a monster because we like to play a lot and be goofy? Should I be more subdued with him?  I certainly don't want him to be mean to others while playing.

3. Timeouts - This is in conjunction with question/concern #3 - Are they effective?  What is a good form of discipline besides spanking? (GASP!  I definitely don't want to be a spanker.  I keep thinking I discipline my students at school without hitting and they get the message.  Can't he?  Of course they are 12 and 13 year olds and he's not even two...But still.  I know there is a better way.  Right?)

This week will be our third week of becoming parents.  I know all parents get thrown into the world of parenting when having a child - this isn't a new "thing" for Mark and I.  I think I would be a better, more effective mom if I became more educated, though.  Should I run to Barnes and Noble and purchase What to Expect the Toddler Years? Or do you have a better solution?

Help!

Introducing Anthony James

Before I can write about anything else I need to introduce you to Anthony - "AJ" -  and share his story. The past three weeks have been filled full of fun and quick learning with having an 18 month old in the Hanson household. We wouldn't want it any other way!

Here's the timeline of how all of this came to be:

• April 24, 2007 - We attended an informational meeting in St. Cloud with Lutheran Social Service.  That night we turned in our application and officially started the process of adopting a child.
• April to July - We worked on paperwork, paperwork and more paperwork...
• July 20th - The paperwork is done!  We attended a one day training at LSS in Minneapolis.  
• End of July through the beginning of September - We completed our home study (it took weeks instead of months) and worked on writing/finalizing our four page profile before the school year started up again. (Thanks Auntie Manda for all of your wonderful help!)
• Early August - We attended a one day cross cultural training at LSS in Minneapolis.
• September 10th - Our profile is in the book and we begin the waiting process.
• October 2nd - On this day we found out a birthmom wanted to have a match meeting with us only 23 days after sending in our profile.
• October 3rd - We meet the birthmom and her baby at LSS in Minneapolis for about two hours.  In the end it turned out she wanted to try parenting instead of adoption...

• February 18th - On President's Day, Monday, around noon our social worker called to tell us about Anthony, his birthmom and our match meeting for Wednesday.
• February 20th - This was the day we had been waiting for!  Even thinking back on it now it all seems a bit surreal and truly God's gift of joining us all together.  We met in Minneapolis at 10:00 and the meeting goes really well.  The conversation flows and we truly enjoy the birthmom, Cynthia.   At 11:20 while we are letting the car warm up we get a call from Cynthia and her social worker.  She lets us know that she's selected us and is hoping we are willing to be Anthony's parents.  From that point on it was quite the whirlwind of a day - we chatted some more, met Anthony for the first time and set up a plan to have him transition into our home.  We were beyond elated and already in love with the little guy!  (We also called and told our parents when we got home!  It was fun to finally share the news with them and hear their shock/excitement!)
• February 23rd - We spent Saturday morning with Anthony at Ed and Sally's house - the foster home he was staying at.  He played with us on the floor and was very comfortable by our presence.  It felt awesome to just be by him and know that he was getting to know who we were.
• February 24th - On Sunday we picked him up at 1:00 and brought him to his new home for the day.  We spent the whole day playing and helping him adjust to his new doggy.  He was definitely interested right away with Zoey, but a bit skiddish.  That quickly changed. By supper time there were good pals and Zoey was enjoying all of the extra yummy treats he was feeding her.  We brought him back a little after 7:00, which was hard to do.  We didn't want to part with him, but knew he was in good hands and that our time would come soon.
• February 27th - PLACEMENT DAY!  We met again at Sally and Ed's house with Cynthia and her social worker to work on some paperwork - placement day "stuff".  It was an emotional afternoon, but an extremely beautiful one.  We truly love Anthony as a son and are so happy to have Cynthia in our lives too.  She is our hero and will always be...

At times it seemed like it took FOREVER to become parents, but when I look back on the timeline I realize it only took ten months.  How amazing!  We've had friends who have tried even longer to get pregnant.  We definitely are blessed!

So where do we go from here?  As of 4:30 on March 12th we were officially out of the legal risk period.  Cynthia has made up her mind that this is what's best for him.  On Tuesday she will be visiting Anthony's new home and we'll work out a plan for our open adoption.  Then we'll just need to work on legally making him Anthony Hanson, which means more paperwork and some court dates.  

I've never been more happy to fill out paperwork...

Welcome family and friends!

I thought it was time the Hansons hopped on the blogging train and used this medium as a tool to keep in contact with all of our loved ones.  There are several reasons behind all of this.

• One -  I've been involved with the Technology Co-hort at work and have been learning about how to...BLOG on blogger.  I really should put this new technology to good use.
  
• Two - The former Bergeron ladies (Bain and Lefebvre now) have blogs, which I have quickly become addicted to. Everyday I have to check out what is happening with their families and I find myself disappointed if they dare to take a day off of posting!
• Three - and the most important reason of all - is our new love, Anthony. We have been so blessed by becoming his parents and want to share all of this love and happiness with everyone.  
• Four - which is connected to point number three - I took a twelve week adoption leave to stay at home with Anthony and help him transition into his new life. I thought blogging would be the perfect use of time during his naps... (I'm not sure I'll have the time or energy once I go back to work and try juggling being a teacher and mommy - we'll see.)

That being said I had to come up with a good and catchy name. That turned out to be the hardest part.  Mark really wanted The Haywire Hansons, which was quickly vetoed by me, though.  Hat trick just seemed to fit for us; we love sports and with Anthony joining our family it makes three PLUS it included alliteration!  (Mark quickly pointed out that I omitted our Wonder Dog, Zoey.  I'm sure she'll understand...  Her whole world has been turned upside down since the arrival of the little man.  She can't even take her daily naps now or eat without him watching every single bite.)

So here goes my attempt in the world of blogging... I hope you understand the name, Zoey Dog!