Thursday, October 30, 2008

SUMMER FUN!

I love the idea of getting our children together and celebrating our fabulous families! Mark your calendars and get ready for two very special events this summer.

June Fun: Blog Reunion 09 in Tulsa!

http://re-union09.blogspot.com/

August Fun: Blog Union 09 in Chicago!

http://www.meetup.com/blogunion/


On a different note, I have a bunch of half written posts that I'm planning on publishing soon. Just a warning, some of them are political in nature. I just can't help myself.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Soul Sisters



Yesterday one of my girlfriends sent me this silly picture, circa 1993. The special part is that we are all still great friends today. FIFTEEN years later, I still think about them and their sparkling children every day. I hope Jude has friends like mine. They are a special group.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Pumpkin Patch Fun!

Running to the patch with Daddy...

Here Jude walked right up to a BIG kid (a 2 year old) and cheerfully yelled a very important unintelligible utterance. I love his friend making skills and confidence.

Planning his next move...
Deciding what these pumpkins are for...
Pleased with his moves ... and rightly congratulating himself.
Looking around to make sure there are witnesses...
Mommy.
Yes, he decided that pumpkins are very good things. Mommy (who is a great fan of the pumpkin) is very proud and happy with his decision.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Because I still do what Lori says...

Tagged...7 weird things about me...

1. I used to subscribe to People. I knew I needed to quit. So I finally did.
Ok, I'm kind of lying. Although I quit subscribing to People, I still scan people.com and occasionally peruse usmagazine.com ... sometimes, when I'm just not satisfied and feel like I need an additional resource, I will go to tmz.com. I'm never proud. This is one of my darkest secrets. Now that the secret is out, I will stop trying to figure out how to erase my history. People, I just can't quit you. Although I swear I haven't voted on anyone's best hair color for months. That's progress, right?
2. I love pumpkin pie more than any one else on earth. Seriously. Just try to find me a competitor.
3. I love to sit around with good friends and/or family and drink wine and be silly. If you don't like to do this, I don't understand anything about you and I'm rightly suspicious.
4. I have been planning on exercising tomorrow for the past year or so. Right now I'm sick (seriously - fever, cold, cough, the whole shabang - it's a sad story). The only thing I like about being sick is that it takes away the guilt I feel for not exercising. You must be healthy to exercise, people!
5. I bit my nails for a very, very long time. I did a good job too. No halfway bitten look here. I stopped. Now I actually CUT my nails (to stop from accidentally injuring my child - I'm not the most coordinated of people). I feel pride with each snip.
6. I can't watch cartoons. I can have the best intentions for dedicated viewing, but 3 minutes in, I realize I haven't paid any attention. Tommy likes cartoons. This irritates him.
7. The same is for books on tape. Can't do it. LOVE to read. I tried to listen to a book on tape every single day for months during my commute to work. It was like Groundhog's Day. Couldn't do it. 3 minutes in I realized I hadn't paid attention yet. My theory is that I'm extremely visual (I realize this theory doesn't work for cartoons). Maybe that's why I tuned out High School. All of it.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Someone cute is 15 months old!

and as we all know, Jude LOVES to accessorize. NO ONE would dare take those "cool" sunglasses off of him.


As you can see, Judah loves to show me important things. I know I see the world differently than I did a year ago. I'm so lucky I have him to help me learn and grow. He's a very good and patient teacher. ..and I have a lot to learn.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Oromia


This video was so very difficult to watch.

http://www.smh.com.au/interactive/2008/world/ethiopia/index.html


Judah is from the Oromia region in Ethiopia.

A powerful post:

http://theeyesofmyeyesareopened.blogspot.com/2008/10/would-you-take-children-from-this.html

Please take time to read through it, as she said it better than I ever could.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

One Year

A year is such an interesting quantity of time to me, a quantity that I can never completely wrap my head around. Or maybe that's the concept of time in general. Regardless, thinking about one revolution around the sun together makes me emotionally charged.

I remember so vividly my thoughts and feelings a year ago. I would like to tell you only about the part of me that felt so full of love that I thought I might burst. I know I felt that. Too full of love. But, the inability to really act on it was difficult. A feeling of helplessness. I had to keep telling myself, that all of the positive energy (love) I put out (as energy cannot be created nor destroyed) mattered. That somehow my scrumptious angel would feel the love. That somehow it would matter. That was tough.

When I first saw Jude's picture, I did love him. But, it was a panicky love, one that persisted for the next four months. One where I felt like I needed to instantly fly over to him and hold him. A panicky love where I feared that at any moment he could be taken away. That he wasn't ours yet, but he was. He was ours as much as we were his. He had my heart and obsessive brain from the moment we started the process. We were born and raised and loved and taught for no other reason than to be Judah's parents. This is really the only thing I know.

I can't believe it's been 8 months since I first held him. I also can't believe it's been ONLY 8 months. One year ago is when I became a mom. I think about his birth mom often. You know how your brain can't think about certain inevitable things TOO much? Well, that's how it is for me regarding Jude's birth mom. The pain she must have felt a year ago- the pain she feels today. The joy and privilege of becoming his parents is matched with the pain and loss she experienced. I know that so much of his sparkling personality is because of her. I now feel that same helpless love for her. I hope she feels it, I hope it matters. I wish she could just see him for a minute, know that he was ok. Know that he was warm and chunky and loved more that he can take. Know how brilliant and perfect we think he is.

We are planning on going back to Africa next summer. Although Judah won't be able to see his birth mom, I want him to see Ethiopia. I want him to be proud of his beautiful country. I'm still trying to figure out our itinerary, but I'm thrilled about the possibilities.

Since pictures are worth a thousand words, I'm working on a montage of him over the past year. Wow, has he changed!

Jude is now basically running. He is very proud of himself and this accomplishment. Judah has recently upped his love expression quotient. He now walks over and hugs people he loves no less than 425099 times a day. His facial expression when he is about to go in for the hug is serious and romantic. During the hug he has a big smile. The hugs feel so good they actually hurt. Our little dude is so good it's hard to take.
He is now wearing either 18 month or 2T clothing. Jude is stretching out. I'm not sure I'm a fan of the big stretch out. He still has a nice round tummy and thigh rolls, so I'm not too upset.

He still only has his two bottom teeth. The top ones are barely-visible-sand-grain-sized-morsels. I even love them.

Tommy says "I just love him so much!" at least 2958473 times a day. It's funny, I think we are both shocked at just how much the heart is capable of loving.


Saturday, October 4, 2008

Day with Cousins...

My beautiful niece Saoirse

My boys- my nephew Darrigan and Jude
and moments ago we got the coolest shirt in the mail- THANK YOU Auntie Heather!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Walking on Sunshine!



So much can be learned from this video:
1. Always remember to take a moment to congratulate yourself on a job well done.
2. No matter how many times you tumble, get up and try again.
3. Certain facial expressions really do help concentration (see the last strut).
4. Take time to show special people in your life that you love them, even when working on very important, life-changing business.
5. Sometimes the first step is the hardest.

My Jude is so wise...

I'm working on a long post because today marks such a special day in our lives...I want it to be right (which it never will be) so it might take a couple of days.

One Year Ago Today...

we experienced one of the most emotional experiences I think a person can have. Expect a very long, very emotional post later. Just a warning. I have a lot to say.