For credit...

When I'm dead and gone (parenting 3 year old and 12 year old girls simultaneously is sure to put me in an early grave) I would like it noted that I tried to be fun. It rarely worked, but I tried.

"We" made Christmas cookies this week. The kids did all the work on their own. They did an awesome job! I did help with the eating. I do what I can...

Sophie Bear

Julie brought this bear for Sophie at Thanksgiving. It is the softest, sweetest little bear. It has 2 different textures to it and has the China flag on it's foot! It is a great celebration of Sophie's Chinese heritage and is another way that we have been able to embrace the story of how Sophie came to be a part of our family! We are always looking for natural ways to talk about our journey to Sophie. This bear provides us another way. We can point to the flag and say this is China and Sophie

will tell us that is where she was born.

Please check out these awesome bears and other great items here!

I got this report from a woman with our agency, who went to visit her baby in Ethiopia. She sent a few pictures and this info. It is so great to have the smallest details about someone who has become such a huge part of our lives in a such a short while. I think this is what she is referring to by the eyebrows : )


Awate is delightful. He's tiny, tiny, tiny. Can on occasion be a little fussy. But usually only crying when he's hungry. He's like a little man complete with a HEAD just full of hair. When he's concentrating, cutest thing in the world ... he knits his eyebrows together you can just imagine how he will DO THE EXACT SAME thing when he's an adult. The nannies say he's very serious. He's got gorgeous soft skin and a KILLER smile. He loves the belly rub and and ear message. He gets the giggles. Very sweet little boy. Hope this helps.
Pictures DON'T BEGIN TO DO HIM JUSTICE!

Two Years!!

Two years ago today we met Sophie Mei for the first time! What a difference two years can make! We all fall more in love with her everyday...

Micah's room

Julie decorated Sophie and Micah's room this weekend. I'd like to say she helped me, but I was the assistant - I am clueless. She isn't a decorator, but she could play one on tv. It turned out so cute.

I've got a few more details to fill in on the changing table/dresser, but I love it so far! Thanks JuJu!!

Thanksgiving

Rob, Julie, Caleb, Josie, Rylie and Caden came to spend Thanksgiving with us. We were reminded daily (literally by Julie - that we have babies waiting for us in an orphanage in Ethiopia). Their absence was felt. We can't wait to spend next Thanksgiving with you Cruz and Micah. We had such a relaxing Thanksgiving. Most of us never even got out of our jammies! Dan and Rob got up early and ran the turkey trot. The race proved to be easier than locating the car after the race...those two are quite a pair.

The CALL!!!

We got the call yesterday!!! This was our first "call" really. With our first adoption, we choose Sophie from a list of children (weird and distasteful - I know), so WE called them. We would have had a "call" for our travel approval but I had a little problem at that time. If I'm honest, there was nothing little about my problem. I figured out (with the help of my enabling adoption friends) that I could call DHL and track packages from Beijing to our agency. I called pretty regularly. So, I knew that our travel approval was on it's way to our agency before our agency. I told you I had a problem. I went to therapy - I'm over it. Just kidding - about the therapy.

Back to yesterday. The kids and I were on our way home from running some errands. We have all been fighting nasty cold/sinus infection crud around here, so Dan was on his way home early. Keep in mind that early is a relative term. It was 4:45ish. My cell phone rang just as I was turning into our neighborhood. I noticed the 781 area code. My heart did a little jump, but I figured it was just a call about paperwork since it was late in the day. Maryanne asked how I was and then said that I was about to be even better. I did the customary "No!No!No!" Not sure what that is about - not like I've been waiting for this for 15 months or anything. To quote Makenzie "My mom then became the most patient person in the world". Overstatement, maybe. I told Maryanne that since Dan was home I would call her back when he could be on the call. She very graciously says that she won't get on the phone and will answer when I call back. A nicer person would have left it there. I had to throw in "Don't make me keep calling you - answer your phone". As if she didn't just say that. It was the crazy talking. We all went running in the house looking for Dan. NOT HERE! We tracked him down at a friends house and the rest is history.

Our baby boy was born on September 20, 2008. He is only 7 weeks old and is the most beautiful little thing.

I gave you a little glimpse up at the top - who am I kidding? Anyone reading this either has or will email me for a full picture. We are so happy and a little in shock! Bring on the travel!!!