Maggie Valley Trip & 25th Wedding Anniversary

Last weekend we went to Maggie Valley for our 25th Anniversary. Of course, we took Alex. He adapted well even though we didn't get him to bed until after 10:00pm! I didn't have a good night because I had Alex & Tim snoring. I looked at the clock at 2:30am - still wide awake!

3:30 am - Alex has to pee-pee. 4:30 am - still awake. We got up at 7:30am and went to Joey's Pancake House and had pancakes - what else would you have? Then, we did a bit of shopping and Alex just does not understand that he can't touch everything. I know he is three and was seeing lots of things he had never seen before, but I still strapped him in the stroller and that helped some.

Alex has been obsessed with horses since the church Easter Egg Hunt/Party at the Oasis Farm. Oasis Farm is on the campus of Connie Maxwell Children's Home and near our house. Every time he sees a fence of any kind, he yells, horsie (corshie!) We found him a stuffed horse that makes a galloping sound and neighs. He has a stick horse like this, but it spends most of its time in time-out because he tries to hit the dogs with it! He also got a lion because he loves them too and his daddy taught him to roar like a lion before we even left Ukraine.

Ready to explore Maggie Valley

Alex & the Big Bear

Daddy & Alex with the bear

Alex, Mama & the bear - I was beginning to crash here from lack of sleep!

Alex & Daddy in the pool - first time with us in a real pool!

After shopping, we returned to Jonathan Creek Inn (wonderful place to stay!) and went for a swim in the indoor pool. Alex did well with his swimmies and holding our hands. He was a little scared, but he did better after some time. At one point, he was only holding my two index fingers and kicking. He soon got cold and he and daddy changed and went to the playground while I went to the hot tub and took a much needed nap!

We walked next door to Arf's to have dinner and Alex was good until he was finished and then he was BAD. When we got back to the room, he got time out plus time added to it for kicking and hitting during time out. We finally got him to bed!

As I was getting ready on Sunday morning, I saw the ducks in the creek and hurried to get Alex out so he could feed them. Notice his PJs! He was hesitant to walk outside without shoes on, but I let him go out in his sock feet.

Daddy & Alex feeding the ducks

After the ducks ate all of the bread, they took a bath and Alex was really amused when they ducked their heads under the water! We loved this hotel. It is the last one before you go up the mountain towards Cherokee. It has an indoor pool (in a sun room type enclosure), Koi pond, hot tub, deck over the creek, hammocks and swings. Our room was on the first floor and had a screened-in porch overlooking the creek. Right outside our door, there was a porch swing on the creek.

On the way home, I told Tim this was not the way I imagined our 25th Anniversary. We had planned to renew our vows and go somewhere like Jamaica, Tahiti - somewhere tropical and romantic. But - I wouldn't have it any other way! Spending 42 days together in Ukraine & bringing our son home brought us closer than any 5 days in a tropical paradise ever could.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010 was our 25th anniversary. I got my mom to spend some time with Alex so I could run errands and pick up Tim's gift. She said that he was pretty good and only got timeout once for refusing to pick up some toys. We are struggling with NO! right now.

My anniversary present - earrings and necklace - beautiful.

Anniversary Flowers

My husband is so thoughtful! He researched the proper flowers for 25th Anniversary and it is Iris. So, he had an arrangement made with Iris! They are beautiful. He also got me a plaque with a 25th Anniversary poem and framed info sheet about "this day, 25 years ago."

I tried to replace Tim's white gold wedding ring that he lost twice. It had a cross engraved on it and he picked it out himself. My sister found it the first time and the second time, he lost it at work and it has never been found. I couldn't find one, so I got him a white gold one that has some little diamonds in it.

We had a candle light dinner of Chinese takeout after getting Alex to bed. That was better than our wedding night when we ate from McDonalds! LOL!

Alex goes to the International Adoption Pediatrician Specialist next Tuesday. It is in Greenville, but he rides well. The only problem I foresee is that his appointment is scheduled for his nap time. I think he will do fine though. Maybe he will nap on the ride.

Until next time,

Love,

R & T & A