Welcome UBP Bloggers! ~ It's a Party!

While it's not much, my blog, it's a place where I let my hair down, where I can be myself without any façade. I can express my true emotions, say things I would never say in person to someone... When my mother died, I shared my grief. When my daughter got new leg braces, or yet another diagnosis, I was able to share my tears. When I am angry at my husband I am able to share my anger. I am thankful for my little spot on the net.

Parties around here are a 'come as you are, help yourself to the food and enjoy yourself'!

So, just who is Quixotically Chaotic anyway and why the name? Well, when I was trying to come up with a name for my website, I wanted it to be different, something readers would remember...something to make you go hmmmmmmm. I have always loved big words like quixotic, loquacious, and the like. I love the various definitions of quixotic- wild eyed, romantic, unrealistic, an impulsive person, idealism without regards to practicality...all describe me. Chaotic, well, that's easy, my life is chaotic. lacking a visible order or organization, completely unordered and unpredictable and confusing, extremely disorganized or in disarray...it all describes me, my home and my life. Yet, I wouldn't have it any other way.

My name is Maggie, I'm 38, married for 20 years to a man I love always and adore most days, tolerate on others. Together we created 3 children. Jennifer, our oldest, has a twin brother who died prior to their birth. His name is Ryan. They are 17 years old. While Ryan isn't with us in person, he is with all of us in our hearts. I don't think a day has gone by in the last 17 years that one of us hasn't mentioned him or thought of him. While we don't dwell on what we can not change, we are reminded that he is not here, with us. After several years of infertility, two miscarriages and many tears, we had Jonathan. Five years, one month and two days are between our two birth-children. They have quite a bond with one another, for being so far apart.

After the realization we would not be able to conceive more children, without costly infertility treatments that may not work, we revisited an idea that came to us before we even met one another. We decided to adopt. Our first adoption was a special needs adoption. We had to start out as foster parents and foster our daughter for 9 months, before we were permitted to finalize. Why? She had been in more than 10 placements in 7 years and the powers that be wanted to make sure we were seriously committed to this child. The reasoning was that it was easier, legally, to disrupt a foster placement than it was to disrupt an adoption. While it makes sense, it's sad that it came down to legalities that prevented us from making this child ours right away. At any rate, after 9 months, we joyously finalized our adoption. Our daughter became known as "Jessica" and a new identity and new permanent family was now her's. She was 11 when she moved in with us. She weighed 43 lbs and was 4'2" tall. (Now, at 15, she is 5' tall and almost 100 lbs. :-))

Not long after her finalization, we let our agency know we wished to adopt again. The search for another child was on. This time we thought perhaps a boy, between the ages of birth and 9, would be nice. Each time we had a child in mind, he was already spoken for. While this was a blessing to the child, we felt more and more discouraged. We finally decided to take a break. I felt at peace with that decision. It was time to get on with our lives. We spent the better part of two years on the adoption rollercoaster. Not even a month later the phone rang. It was our adoption caseworker. They had a BABY GIRL for us. You could have knocked me over with a feather. Hope was a domestic open adoption, not a special needs adoption. However, Hope does have special needs. She was born prematurely due to her birthmother having pre-eclampsia. She was only 29 weeks, give or take a week. She was 2 lbs 9 oz, born with an apgar of zero. The doctor said he just had a feeling and gave Hope some oxygen and did some chest compressions. Hope began to breathe. She was intubated. She had cardiac issues for the first two days, was on a ventilator for several days, but soon was switched to room air. She was fed by a feeding tube. She made progress daily and was released from the hospital at just a month old. Hope moved in with us when she was a month old and her adoption was finalized when she was 8 months old. We have a very open adoption with her birth family. Hope is going to be 3 in June. She has very mild cerebral palsy. She receives therapy weekly. Over all? She is doing fantastic. She has accomplished more in her almost 3 years than her first doctors ever thought possible. A child who was supposed to be wheelchair bound can run. Vent dependant? No, she can breathe just fine. Feeding tube? Nope. She can eat anything age appropriate for her. She is a tough cookie, for sure.

Just to prove that it is chaotic around here, we also have two greyhounds and a crazy house cat. Oh, and we homeschool Jenna, Jonathan and plan to homeschool Hope.

Oh goodness, this has become much longer than I intended! What a lengthy welcome to my home! Well, I am chatty, so I guess it fits.

At any rate, while visiting, be sure to wash down all of those yummy treats you've found along the way to here, with a yummy Mommy drink:

Bahama Mamas

INGREDIENTS
1/2 fluid ounce rum
1/2 fluid ounce coconut-flavored rum
1/2 fluid ounce grenadine syrup
1 fluid ounce orange juice
1 fluid ounce pineapple juice
1 cup crushed ice


DIRECTIONS
Combine regular rum, rum with coconut flavoring, grenadine, orange juice, pineapple juice and crushed ice in an electric blender. Blend until the drink's consistency is slushy. Enjoy.

Or for those who prefer not to partake in the alcohol or for the children:

the yummy Non-Alcoholic Bahama Mamas!

Ingredients
1 jug Orange Juice
1 jug Pineapple Juice
1 jug Grapefruit Juice
1 bottle Grenadine Syrup
1 jar cherries
1 2 lt. Sprite


Directions:
Mix all ingredients, except for cherries ( The more Grapefruit juice you add the more sour the punch will be. We like less Grapefruit juice), in large punch bowl.
When you place the punch into the cups place a cherry or two into the cup also.

Yummy!!!!!

Take care and I hope you visit again soon!

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Here is my wish list for the UBP prizes!

All of the prizes are awesome. AS a busy, homeschooling mama, I picked out a couple of things I like (just for me) and also something that would be just for the kids. ;-)

USC 16 — $50 gift certificate to my shop Kristen’s Custom Creations
Provided by: Kristen of Kristen’s Custom Creations
Prize details:Kristen’s Custom Creations is offering a $50 gift certificate to her shop www.klacustomcreations.etsy.com specializing in hand stamped sterling silver keepsake jewelry, from Mommy jewelry to inspirational and much much more!

USC 8 — 3 complimentary 1 year subscriptions to Mom Writers Literary Magazine
Provided by: Mom Writers Productions, LLC
Prize details: Mom Writers Lit Mag. Because Motherhood is Literary. MWLM would like to donate 1 year print magazine subscriptions to three winners!

INTL 41 — $35 gift certificate to the vintage pearl
Provided by: The Vintage Pearl
Prize details: Pick out your own custom hand stamped piece, perfect for an early Mother’s Day gift!

104 — $25.00 gift certificate to Glitterful Felt Stories
Provided by: Glitterful Felt Stories Blog
Prize Details: An Interactive Introduction to Literacy!! Custom handmade felt board stories to make storytime with your children more interactive and fun! Glitterful Felt Stories would like to donate one $25.00 Gift Certificate to be used on their main website! They are also offering a coupon for 10% off your next purchase using the coupon code 5minute! Have a Glitterful Day!!

68 – $30 gift certificate to Christian Book Distributors
Provided by: A High And Noble Calling
Prize details: A High And Noble Callingwould like to encourage you in your role as a wife, mother, and homemaker by donating one $30 Gift Certificate to Christian Book Distributors for you to enjoy.


If these are all spoken for, then any gift would be greatly appreciated!