Fed Up Friday!

Well, it's actually Saturday...wee hours of the morning but I had some writing to do for MomLogic.com - you can click and see all my articles! And then of course you can scroll down and read all the nasty comments people feel compelled to leave. Sad. Very sad. But those of you who have read My SoS for a while know darn well that my support of Kate Gosselin brought far worse...so, one could say I am hardened to trolls!

Anyway, I am starting a new regular Friday post called... I know, you can just look at the title and I don't need to re-type it but... I like to...

FED UP FRIDAY!

I am reserving Fridays as my day to go off on anything that is of particular bother that week and I invite you all to join in the fun and leave comments pertaining to my rant! Fun? I thought you'd like that! And if you find it especially insightful, I would love for you to shoot some of your readers this-a-way!

LYRICS, LYRICS, LYRICS are my gripe this week!

Many of you may remember my rant about Lady Gaga or my abhorrance of that Soulja Boy SUPERMAN song. Catch yourself up if you haven't had the pleasure...get your puke bucket ready!

As a mom of two tweens (and a 4 yr old, but he doesn't sing radio songs yet) I am always on high alert for the underlying meaning in the songs my kids want to listen to. MetroLyrics.com has become my best friend... and saved me a ton of money b/c after looking up a song I responded to their iTunes purchase request with a resounding, "NOFREAKINGWAY!"

My latest UNFAVORITE SONGS.... (click for lyrics)

CARRYOUT by Justin Timberlake and Timbaland

TIK TOK by Ke$ha

IMMA BE by Black Eyed Peas*

*I absolutely LOVED this song when it first came out... the beat ... Fergie... until my son said, "Mom, I just looked up those words...you aren't gonna believe what he says!"

My rant is done. You can do with this info what you wish... just my own version of a PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT!

Have a PEACELOVIN' weekend!

Sandra Bullock's adoption ... and ME!

I would love to tell you "Sandy" and I are BFFs... but the real story of how we are connected is through the beauty of domestic adoption! MomLogic.com asked me MY opinion of domestic adoption... CHECK IT OUT HERE!

And while you are brimming in feel good stories...

Here is OUR adoption story! Makes me tear up EVERYTIME I re-live it! :)

The attorney turned to me and said, “Please tell the judge why you want to adopt Izaiah.” How could I possibly sum up how the size of my heart had grown over the past two years to make room for one more set of first steps, one more first word and millions more hugs and kisses? We started our foster care journey almost four years ago. My husband couldn’t understand what made me think we needed to have another child. Matthew (8) and Emily (7) were finally at the age where we could take them anywhere and it was easy. No U-Haul of paraphernalia followed our minivan anymore. The only way I could put into words the ache in my heart for another child was a visual that had flashed through my head from time to time for over a year. I explained to him that when I thought of the proverbial “where do you see yourself in five years” question, I could clearly see Ken, myself, Matthew and Emily but there is one more joining. A small child on my lap; I just couldn’t see a face. God was saying, “I have one more.” When we were starting our journey with the Child Welfare system my friends would ask me, “How are you going to give the children back?” They knew that my love for all children is embedded in my fingerprints. It is a huge part of who I am. I had no answer. I didn’t want to think about it. I couldn’t explain it. But I had an unexplainable peace about it and I trusted God. During this time I had one of those dreams that stick with you for days. The ones you just can’t shake? There was a baby, a strawberry blonde, tiny little boy. The dream lasted only a few scenes before I awoke but for days I would get a jolt only a mother could get, “Gasp. Who’s got the baby?” It was almost as though I had been given a divine responsibility to that child. Recently I was looking through my journal when I came across an entry about that dream. I did the math. I had that dream right around the time Izaiah was conceived. April 25, 2006 our third child came into our lives as a scared, very tiny, strawberry blond 9 month old; a child that would nervously visit his birthparents at the courthouse weekly. A child who we were told would go back home soon. Because God works miracles, on April 9, 2008, twenty of his biggest fans filed into a courtroom and witnessed Izaiah’s adoption day. And then there were three. The past two years of first words, scraped knees and other childhood milestones was summed up in four words. The judge declared our adoption final and our five best friends held up an Izaiah-sized t-shirt with the words, “FINALLY A BROWNLOW.” Izaiah reached for the shirt and squealed, “ME!” And then there were five.

Peace. And love to all the children who will go to bed tonight without a Mommy and Daddy!

How well do you know your BLOGGER?

Alright, I thought this would be fun! Because I have been away so long working my fingers to the bone creating some really fun artwork for a couple picture books I will soon be shoppig around. So, I decided to RE-introduce myself to you - my faithful readers! The first person* to answer ALL of the following questions correctly will win an original illustration! * if you have known me since high school, you cannot play this game! LOL! Get ready...get set...GO! 1. What 3 states have I lived in? (a.) PA, LA, NY (b.) PA, CA, VA (c.) PA, MD, TX 2. What college did I attend? (a.) Virginia Tech (b.) Penn State (c.) didn't go to college 3. How many children do I have? (a.) 5 (b.) 4 (c.) 3 4. I have been blogging since... (a.) 2007 (b.) 2006 (c.) 2005 5. I met my husband how? (a.) he was my college boyfriend's roommate (b.) he worked at the local gas station (c.) he is my cousin 6. Before becoming a stay-at-home mom, I was a(n)... (a.) customer service rep (b.) sausage casing inspector (c.) art teacher 7. What is my only sibling's name? (a.) Tiffany (b.) Carlos (c.) Booger 8. What is the main character's name in my latest children's book? (a.) Tracy Poo (b.) Casey Shrew (c.) Macy Sue 9. My favorite color, without a doubt, is... (a.) purple (b.) blue (c.) puce 10. I have done all of the following, except: (a.) pierced my own bellybutton (b.) stole a road sign (c.) birthed both children with NO epidurals (d.) completed my Master's Degree with a 4.0 (e.) embarrassed my husband with the things that I blog about (f.) talked a cop out of citing my friends for public urination (g.) recently adopted (h.) got a tattoo on the nape of my neck (i.) watched FOOTLOOSE over 30 times (j.) met John Stamos, Kirk Cameron and Alan Thicke (k.) gave up soda 2 1/2 years ago (l.) was/am a vegetarian (m.) was a telemarketer (n.) pledged a sorority (0.) had a panic attack while driving thru a tunnel (p.) got detention for being late to school 3 x (q.) made a Michael Jackson scrapbook (r.) failed my drivers test the 1st time (s.) cut the tip of my thumb off (t.) owned my own craft shop (u.) had my own bath & body product business (v.) was a direct sales consultant for a company called HENN (w.) was a hot dog preparation specialist (x.) fake-cleaned for a party (y.) over-ate until I was dizzy (z.) wrote 24 truths that could incriminate me in front of the whole world! Have fun! Leave your answers in the comments section! REMEMBER, the FIRST one to get all the answers right wins a really cool illustration!