Buenas Noches
Estoy en Puerto Rico…
And I’m loving it. The weather is nearly perfect (in my opinion, it’s a little warm for my husband and a tad humid for both of us). We ate dinner at a restaurant right on the beach tonight and ate amazing shrimp right as the sun went down.
Today we went exploring to the West of San Juan. The first stop we made was in Dorado, where we had a unique lunch (photos to follow).
From there we were headed to Arecibo, but we got sidetracked by an outlet mall. I helped Brian pick an anniversary gift for me (can you believe that it’s been 7 years?). And then I helped Brian pick out some new shoes (can that count as a gift for him?).
From there we made it to Arecibo… in Arecibo we visited a light house. They’d recreated some ships and had an aquarium. It was a pretty darn cool place.
Along our drive we also saw several Head Start locations, Brian spotted the coolest one and pulled over so I could get a photo.
The roads are a little crazy. The signs are pretty non-existent. I think that my life was shortened by at least a year or so with all of the close passing that went on. Oh, and at one point we took our little Mazda off-roading, and it wasn’t a planned trip off the road.
Lots of fun memories to start our 8th year of marriage!
Go Dave, Go!
I Love this Part!
So, V has told me that he wants an adoption shirt, just like his brothers. And I’m having fun searching for one. Although, I have to say that it’s kind of annoying that there are more shirts about dog adoption than people adoption, but that’s a whole other blog post!
I came across this shirt and it made me smile so I had to share. I don’t think it looks very clear. What it says is, “Make the Neighbors Wonder, Consider Trans-racial Adoption”.
I went to a foster event this weekend and it was so beautiful seeing all of the families. Most were *huge*, lots were a rainbow of colors, all were clearly in love!
Help! Give Away?
O.K. This really is one of my favorite parts of the process… we’re nearing adoption so it’s time to plan the party! But, this time around, I’m kind of at a loss. So, I need help!
Anyone have any ideas? Inspiration for me?
One of the things that I can work on right now is the announcement. As some of you know, I made the first two myself. For D & D I created a little crossword puzzle for the cover, and the inside was a fairly traditional announcement with their photo. For Ms. Bean I found magnets that I could print at home… they were duckies and butterflies and I think turned out great & were spot on for her age. But, I’m at a loss this time around. Should I do a photo card? Should I do just a very cool graphic? Any websites I should check out?
And what about the party…? Something fun for *everyone* is a must! It needs to be something that the adults will enjoy and the kids will dig, too.
I would really like to do a give away on here, but I have no clue what to give.. and I don’t know how I’d pick a winner. So, if anyone reads this (I’m hoping that one person does), give me some ideas!
Help a poor woman out here!
The Best Insult
For those of you on Facebook, this will be a repeat. But, I really think that this one bears repeating. I have a feeling, in fact, that this will be one of those V stories that lasts.
We’re driving in the car and the boys are fighting, as they pretty much always do. And I hear V tell David, “You’re acting like a teenager!”
Sometimes I feel like I cheated a little…
You know, there are things that are more difficult about being an adoptive mama. There are challenges that bio-moms never have to go through (you wimps!).
*But*, there are somethings that are way easier. I can honestly say that I didn’t stress even for a minute about what crib to buy. I just smiled and said “thank you” a bunch of times as I picked up hand-me-downs in our frantic attempt to get ready for two kids and the start of our insta-family. I didn’t give a second thought to what brand of formula. In fact, I had three kids before I even had to buy a can of formula (and then I bought what they told me to at the WIC office). I never had to debate between breast fed and formula fed.
One time, last summer, I was at our very cool local toy store (brilliantsky.com) chatting with some of the other moms and the topic of schools came up. Frankly, it really didn’t enter my mind that I should be worried about not sending our kids to our local public schools. We moved to this area because the schools are good. And I had no reason not to trust. (It’s worked out really well, too)
At the zoo this week I was very envious of the mom with one well behaved four year old. I looked at how easy it seemed. She wasn’t yelling or cajoling. She didn’t have to have her eyes pointed in different directions. She wasn’t being pulled on by kids. She had that tiny, little, one-kid stroller!
Then I remembered that my kids have friends with them at all times. Even though they’re high energy, they always have someone to soothe them, someone to play with, someone to just be with…
I’ve never been a mom to a singleton. I skipped that whole phase.
And I think that I might be the lucky one.
Some things are worth sharing…
This was on a message board that I frequent this morning and I really liked it…
Hanna, my seven year old from China, was in the tub. I was helping her rinse the shampoo out of her hair when she asked,
“Am I a little bit Irish?”
My mind swept over some of our recent conversations about our family heritage, and I answered, “Well, ethnically you are Chinese. But since I’m a little bit Irish, then culturally, you are a little bit Irish, too.”
“When did it happen?” Hanna wanted to know.
“When did WHAT happen?” I asked, concentrating on her soapy head.
“When did I become a little bit Irish,” she explained patiently. “Was it when you kissed me for the very first time?”
I paused, shower wand in hand, and watched my daughter squeeze water out of her hair. I thought about the tiny, bundled baby that had been handed to me at the Anhui Hotel seven years earlier, and I remembered how her head felt against my cheek. I hadn’t wanted to scare her; my baby-kiss was soft and swift as I cradled her upon my shoulder. Unremarkable, it was the first kiss of many thousands, yet now, through Hanna, I see it with fairytale eyes:
My first kiss to my adopted daughter infused her with my love, my world, and the generations of my unknown ancestors! Like Sleeping Beauty wakening with a kiss from her Prince, the mother-daughter kiss called forth a magical intermingling– a covenant leaping past genetics, it bestowed Hanna and me upon each other…
My pragmatic daughter had chosen to make sense of the vast, familial complexities of international adoption with a powerfully simple symbol of promise and connection.
“Yes” I said finally. “I think that’s when it happened.”
We were SWAK.
~ Jean MacLeod
Copyright 2006, MacLeod, All Rights Reserved
Just Keep Swimming
If you had little ones when Finding Nemo came out, you likely have heard Dorie’s mantra, “Just keep swimming.” Or, if you’re a bit older, you surely know the Little Engine Who Could, “I think I can, I think I can.”
That’s where I am. I’m swimming through a sea of toys and clothes and dirty laundry and clean laundry and somewhere in the middle laundry. There are dirty dishes and clean dishes and dishes that are *supposed* to be clean, but didn’t get checked before they were put up. There are clothes that are too big, clothes that are too small. There are the favorite shoes and the least favorite shoes. And then, there’s the trash.. the little bits and pieces that are always on the ground, the cans that are always full.
I asked my mom awhile ago why she never told me how disgusting kids are, “I didn’t want to discourage you” was her response.
I have to admit, today I am a little discouraged. I’ve really been working hard to just get all of the junk out of my house. I’ve been listing stuff on Craigslist. I’ve been donating to Goodwill. I’ve been pawning stuff off on friends and neighbors :)… But, my house seems to still be full to the gills. And I need to spend as much time getting the dirt out as I have been on all of the stuff.
So, this was my break. My chance to share with the world (or my one blog reader) what it’s like at our house today. It’s a full day. Full of kids and stuff and “to do’s”.
And now I’ll dive back in… Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming.
Happy Birthday Big D!
Dan all done up at Farm-a-palloosa.
When you have lottsa kids, you get to celebrate lots!
And I love a good party (as if you didn’t know that already).
Yesterday I met a new friend who is soon to adopt her first foster placements.. they are the same age that D & d were when they were first placed with us. And I think that her oldest even has the same smile that our D used to have. Maybe his smile is still the same? I don’t know. He’s changed *so* very much. He used to be pretty fearful. And he was way out of control. Now he’s so big and strong and tough. And he’s so smart. He’s always been a great big brother and he’s been that same great big brother to all of the kids who’ve come and gone through our home. He still gets a little uncomfortable if you’re too mushy. And now he blushes and turns away if you dote on him too much. But, he’s fun to dote on and easy to love. And a lot of fun to play with.
****
Well, I started this *before* the big day, but my D has been 8 for a couple weeks now. And we’re all still surviving..
Let me round this out with a couple photos before I post.
Look at how tiny he was!
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