We are an ASL family

Greetings -

Teddy has been home 2.5 years and whenever we tell someone he is deaf they naturally say - oh so you guys sign.  I LAUGH at that comment - (cause let me be real here for a minute just like you and I  didn't learn how to speak fully in the first 2.5 years of our lives there is NO WAY NO HOW we sign)  Sure Kenneth, Tariku and I know some signs and possibly to the outside world we may even look like we know what we are doing but deep down we are 2 year olds learning a new language just like Teddy.

But yesterday something happened - something that makes me have to step out of the 2 year old babble and acknowledge we are a family that signs (and dear lord it is sooooo scary for me to say this) - Tariku has a friend that unfortunately broke her foot earlier this week and he really wanted to go check on her and take her something to cheer her up.  I checked with her mom and that was great!  When I asked what we could bring her mom said gum - so off to Publix we went for gum!!  When we were checking out Tariku noticed the cashier was hard of hearing (huge difference between that and Teddy who is deaf but that is for another post on another day!) and that she could probably sign.  So he asked if he could sign to her.  Ummmm heart now stops beating - see we have NEVER signed with anyone we don't know and who doesn't know our story - I'm scared to still sign with the people I know and here he wants to sign with a complete stranger?????

Well alright child sign away.  And sure enough he did - Hello my name Tariku - what your name?  Nice meet you (please note I did not type this incorrectly that is ASL grammar - see I told you a whole different language!!) The cashier did not miss a step and signed right back to him - my name Corrinne what your name and without missing a beat Tariku spelled his name and introduced me.  She asked me if he was deaf and I said no this is my hearing son but my deaf son was in the car with friends. (Yep I did it - not sure how correct I was) but for the first time Tariku and I both used our new language without Teddy.  I cannot tell you how proud I am of Tariku for feeling comfortable enough to step out and talk to her in that line.  Because at the end of the day we are an ASL family and it's not just to talk to Teddy! AND we are getting better every day!

Marilyn is Home from Ethiopia (Insert wild crazy screams)

Greetings -
If we are friends on facebook or if you were anywhere near me or the boys in the last 7 days than you know our most amazing and incredible nanny Marilyn has been in Ethiopia on a mission trip with the most an organization close to our hearts called Ordinary Hero.  Well RAISE THE ROOF my friends as this evening at 6:30pm our sweet Marilyn came home to Nashville. Honestly you would of thought it was an Ethiopian adoption homecoming at the airport - the boys in their shirts (their choosing!!) and their precious signs made ready to greet their sweet sweet Marilyn.

Here are a few photos from the boys homecoming of their sweet sweet Marilyn!

                                      WELCOME HOME MARILYN WELCOME HOME!

My why for Rodan and Fields -

Greetings -
So a few months ago it hit me - I am closer to 40 than 30 (okay way closer to 40 than 30 but who's counting!) and I have been pretty blessed with great skin - we won't go into the fact that I am allergic to the sun so I really spend most of my time indoors and away from make up most of the time!!! (what can I say in some ways I am low maintence!!!!) Anyways I digress so let's get back to my why - in the past I have done alot of  multi level marketing companies and never really been very good at them.  My parents on the other hand were amazing with one company growing up so I do believe in them.  But I always had my passion for weddings so whenever I joined one of these companies it always took a back seat to my first love - WEDDINGS.  But somehow I kept getting drawn back to them - enter Rodan and Fields.  I was first shown this company a few years ago by a wedding industry colleague and I looked it over and said yep another great company but I don't have time for it and I'm not gonna make that mistake again!!

Fast forward to April 2013 I am now a successful wedding planner, wife and mom. I've lived through a season that has rocked me personally and am now approached by another mom about Rodan and Fields.  This time I stop and take a look - but I look at it differently - you see I still LOVE LOVE LOVE weddings but I also LOVE my boys and my time with them and I see an opportunity with Rodan and Fields to spend quality time with my boys. And so in the middle of wedding season I do the ridiculous I jump into Rodan and Fields and try the product.  WOW!  I have always been the one with sensitive skin who breaks out in hives when the wind changes course so imagine my surprise when these products just allow me to be me!!  I send my mom a photo from a photo shoot I am doing and she asks who is that person and it takes her 3 days to believe it is me.

So finally I think I have found my why and it's ME!  It's my skin and my life.  It's my happiness and my boys as I approach 39 in 2 months.  I cordially invite you to give Rodan and Fields a try - it has done some most amazing things for not only myself but also my friends and I would love to have you join me on this wild ride cause you only get one chance at LIFE so you really should try and live it to the fullest don't you think????

Me and my boys!!

Hammons House Hunting Hyenas!

Greetings -
A fantastic week last week with CAFO in town for the Orphan Summit - which I will be sure to share on super soon.  But today I want to share on hyenas.  Why you ask?  Well don't you know we are hunting hyenas here at the Hammons house!!
Tariku comes from the Kembata region of Ethiopia - located in the southern part of the country and yes there are hyenas there.  Hyenas have ALWAYS been a trigger point for him - a shall we say sticky widget of sorts.  Now our house here in Brentwood backs up to a hillside full of trees and so it took us quite a long time to convince Tariku that hyenas did not live in those trees and that in fact hyenas did not even live in America much less Brentwood Tn!  We do however have foxes and this spring we have a gorgeous red fox that calls our street home.  The boys have seen him almost every morning out the front window and we have talked about him to no end!
BUT Sunday evening as Tariku and I were coming home from His Little Feet concert in Murfreesboro we pulled onto our street and there were 3 men at the base of our street with flashlights and a very large stick.  Now we did not stop to talk to them but I could tell immediately where this was going and I knew it was not about to end well.  Tariku asked where the hyena was - I immediately reminded him there are no hyenas in America but those 3 men triggered a memory and so now for the last 2 days we have been on a mission for hyenas.  I know in his logical mind he knows there are no hyenas but when I look into his eyes I see a scared little ethiopian worried about himself and his brother and the hyena.  So tonight we will again make sure there are no hyenas in our yard and tomorrow morning I will take the boys to the bus via the car to ensure no hyenas.  Some may wonder why?  Well the answer is simple when your children were scared of the the monsters under the bed or had bad dreams you did what you needed to help them overcome their fears in the night and so I - I hunt hyenas in Brentwood.

                                                                    A red fox cub

                                                                 A hyena cub

Clearly not the same but apparently not all that different in the eyes of an Ethiopian child

999 Days or 2 years 8 months and 25 days

Greetings -
999 days WOW that is how long it has been since we took custody of Tariku in Ethiopia.  But the reason for the WOW is because tonight at dinner Tariku did something that to most parents would seem so common and "normal" and everyday and for me well it is something I have been waiting to see happen!

If it is one thing adoption has taught me - nothing works on my timetable!  It is all in the hands of God. If I am quiet and listen that is when I see everyday miracles.  I am so thankful that this evening I was not to busy with my phone or clients or outside life to miss this moment!

From the day Tariku has come home he has never really accepted food from anyone's plate.  He has always been worried that everyone eats all on their plate.  It didn't matter if you told him 1,000 times you were full and he could have it - he would always say no.  Over time he has gotten better and now accepts the leftovers a little easier.  But he has never eaten off my plate or shared my food.  I don't know why I have offered him items nightly and I always get a no.  He will eat from his dad and his papa and nana but me never.  As a mom it bothered me.  I wanted him to be safe and know what was mine was always his. But I also knew this had to come in his time.

As we sat at Zaxby's eating this evening I again offered some fries, or coleslaw and he declined.  We continued to talk about the weekend and the week ahead and the next thing I noticed he was taking and eating fries and chicken tenders off my plate!!!  For the first time in 999 days he was comfortable enough we me to be a kid who eats off their moms plate! What a moment for my heart - he is moving forward in his trust  - it's a slow process but I am so grateful that I get to see and capture these moments.

So thank you Lord for this evening.  For those moments together at dinner when a boy could just be a boy with his mom!

Unexpected sadness

Greetings -
Yesterday was a very sad day in the Hammons house as we said good - bye to our sweet Oliver.  Little did we know that a mere 12 hours later another precious baby in our house would cross over the Rainbow Bridge.
Pepsi joined our family 5 years ago as a foster that we were rehabbing back to health.  He had been tied to a tree by his previous owners for over a year and had scratched and chewed all his hair off of his back.  He had a horrible infection when we took custody of him and was ooozing this black mucus.  I remember picking him up from the shelter and driving him straight to Happy ReTales to give him a bath because I could not even make it home with him the smell was so bad.
Kenneth had come home from work and asked me what I had gotten us into this time.  The smell in our condo was awful but this little pup just wanted love.  He was sooo affectionate and so we would hold our nose and pet him and love him.  Little did we know that he soon would be a permanent fixture in the Hammons house!
Pepsi was the 4th and final puppy in our house!  Most would say that is 4 to many but for us he finished out or family perfectly.  He was an amazing companion to Touchet and got along with Oliver and Annie so well from day 1!
I do not know what happened in the wee hours that took his life but I do know that we will miss him like we miss Oliver.  We were blessed to call him part of our family for the past 5 years.
We love you Pepsi and we will see you again soon!!  You and Oliver take care and don't eat to many greenies!!

                  Our fab 4 with Oliver and Pepsi in the middle!  We will miss you boys!

Good Bye my sweet sweet Oliver I will see you again soon

There are some that will never understand this post and for those I am sorry.  I am writing this post as a mom to my 1st love who has left the world today.  I am writing to thank him for all he taught me about unconditional love.

My Dearest Oliver ~

I knew from the day you came into my life that today would come.  And yet GOD opened my heart to you in ways I could never have imagined.  You came to me as a puppy at a time when the odds of 2 legged children were NOT in my future.  We traveled the world together.  You were my best friend, my companion in sickness (even being snuck into hospitals to vist me) and so many happy moments.  You were a companion and best friend to Annie.  You moved with me so many times and saw me through so many changes.  The largest being that of becoming a mom to Tariku and Teddy.  You helped Tariku learn to love and accept me as a mom and for that I will be forever grateful.  You loved me on days when I didn't love me!  You made me laugh with your funny snores and your ridiculous barking.  You were a shining star in my life for the last 12 and a half years and now you have gone on to the rainbow bridge free of cancer, free of pain and free to be carefree and watch over us as you have for the last 12 and a half years.  Thank you for being a part of my journey I love you and will miss you but I know that you are safe and healthy and I could not ask for anything else as your mom.  So all I can do now is remember our time together and look back at the photos and remember your kisses.  I love you my sweet sweet bubba!  Until we meet again~

All my love 

 mommy

Many thanks to Jeb Wilson with Nashville Photography Group for capturing this photo for me!