MINE

At one point I was "mama". For the last few months, I'm just "MOM!". Judah isn't even two yet, shouldn't I get a few more years of the "mama" or "mommy" talk? Although, as if just to make up for it, Judah has the sweetest new "I love you" that I've ever heard.
Starting yesterday, the "MOM!" was replaced.
I am now "MINE."
Yes, like his blanket or car or stuffed animal duck. MINE. I think it's telling of how he views me in his life. He's right. I'm a taken woman. Owned.
I'm Judah's.
And I'm ridiculously proud that I am.

White. Black. Brown.

Include the next ring of our family circle and the diversity continues to flourish. We are Athiest, Agnotic, Bahai, Catholic, Christian, Wiccan. We are right and left and nonpartisan. We are materialistic and against materialism. We are vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters. Hippies and loyal trend followers.
But, we are ALL wordy. Discussions are had. Ideas are expressed. I'm proud to be in this group.
I've been asked why I love to travel. Why would I take a tot who is too young to "get anything" from the experience?

After one day in Germany, I am more set in my travel ways than ever before. Judah IS "getting something" from the experience. In some ways more than I am.

Tommy and I have traveled to a few dozen countries. We are comfortable traveling. It's our recess and our growth. We are completely awake and alive when we travel. It's when I can live more clearly because it is all I am doing. People watching. Learning. Eating every bite intentionally.
Judah is too. He's watching people. He's making friends. He's learning that the ways he's been shown are not the only ways. He's trying new foods. It's all going into his spongey brain that hasn't yet been hardened. It's the big things and the small ones. It was completely normal for him to sit in a Bavarian restaurant where we shared a table with former strangers. I want it to always be "normal."
It's now 2:50 AM. The time change is hard. So I heard my Judah wake up at 1:15. I pretended like I was sleeping, hoping he'd change his mind and go back to sleep. Judah watched me silently for about 40 minutes. I watched him out of the corner of my eye. I knew he wouldn't wake me. Judah is too polite for that. He would have waited for hours. After 40 minutes I had to give him a squeeze. He just goes with the flow while traveling. At home he would have been angry if I dared to give him milk in the morning out of a non-favorite cup. Here in Europe he's breezy. A straw out of any cup is great.
Jude is the best travel companion a girl could ever ask for. I believe he likes traveling. I believe it's good for him and enriches his life.
Celebrating diversity, people and life is important and Judah is good at it :)

We stopped in Philly on the way to Munich, here's Judah havin' a blast at the Liberty Bell.



and us.



Judah knows where he wants to go!



He loves people watching, too!

Every. Single. Time.

I'm ever upset emotionally, a bug gets me. I have a terrible cold :(
Worse news: Judah does also.
Better news: We got a new camera! Tommy has taken more pictures in the last week than we've taken during the last 10 years combined. When I'm less gross, I'm going to post a ton of them. There's some cute cuteness to share. A lot of it.
Last weekend we went to Flagstaff for my nephew's 4th birthday!
I'll post pictures of those cousin cuties too.
Fun news: Next week we are going to Europe.
Good news: I just got a new job that's only 2.3 feet away from Judah's amazing daycare. The awesome proximity makes me happy. Leaving my old job makes me VERY sad (which I think is another reason for my sniffles).

Since Judah and I are sick of hanging around the house, we are headed to the zoo. Don't worry, Judah has already placed tissues in the trunk of his stroller car.

Jealous of Germany

I'm one of those people that will tell you anything about myself. Freely. I don't understand guarded. I do understand that the guarded style works for some people. I respect that. It just doesn't work for me. I like to love big, cry big, and play big. It's who I am. It usually works for me. And I never. ever. protect my heart.

When I first opened up the envelope of the child we sponsor and saw her brilliant face, I was stunned. Tommy spoke first,
"She looks just like Jude."
"I know. My exact thought."

Within moments our decision had been made: 1. see if she could be our daughter, Jude's older sister, 2. start the process immediately

We've been waiting months to find out if this is a possibility. During which time I became more and more sure that she was going to be our daughter. It's what the universe led us to. It would work out. Free time was spent looking into schools, room decor, etc. We were ready. My heart was set.

Except. I was wrong. Completely wrong.
Germany just adopted her.

I am THRILLED for her. Seriously. Couldn't be happier. I am THRILLED for Germany. I do like Germany and know it's even more lovely now. With her in it.

But, today, when I found out. I cried. It was an odd cry. Not the ugly cry I'm so fond of. It was just random drops. No snot. No heavy breathing. No scrunched up face. Just quick and surprising cool drops. Probably the loveliest cry of my life. And it lasted all day. It's not that I'm not heartbroken. I am. I had a picture. I had plans. I guess I can't ugly cry because I'm so happy for her.
My brains not in it. But, oh, that selfish heart. I can't help it. It's humiliating to admit it. But it hurts. A lot.

Jocelyn's Cookbook

When we traveled to Ethiopia to be united with our Judah we met some truly great people. I've written about all of them and how they have inspired me and changed our lives.
Well, here's some fabulous news!
Jocelyn is adopting again!
She is working hard to bring home Pacey's big sister. She is currently working on creating a fabulous cookbook as an adoption fundraiser. You want it. I know you do. Everyone needs more good recipes. My family has a corn bread recipe that I'm not sharing EXCEPT via the cookbook. Yup. I'm playing like that. Stakes just got all high and crazy. Ok, seriously.
Just go buy one!
Click on my button. See it? All blue and homey feeling. Just a bit to the right. Yup, you just click right on it.
Thanks!

Guess what?

Nicole and Andy are getting married! I'm officially getting a new brother!

They are getting married in Thailand (where they live), so we HAVE to go island hopping next summer to celebrate...

Here's my baby sister and her love.


Good stuff, huh?
Congrats Nicole and Andy!

Please share...

What's your favorite charity? Why?

Where are you Danielle?

Oh, I'm a very busy, important person who cannot possibly find the time to blog.

OR

I'm reading the Twilight series.

(I'm half way through Breaking Dawn, so I should be back in about 250 pages)...

Blame Lori. I do.

The Most Boring Post Ever...

Although this has to be the Best Age Ever and we are having the Best Time Ever.
Judah is so much fun. Every day he learns a few more words. Today's words: cheetah, mochi (a delicious Japanese snack), trailer. I'm sure there were more, but these were the few that stood out today.

Judah had a rough week last week. We have now gotten all the tests back and everything came back normal. He has been acting his perfect Judah self for the last week. We probably won't ever know what was wrong, but he's all better now.

A new Judah feature. He no longer grabs desired items. Instead, he looks you in the eye and says "SORRY" in a very thoughtful and sweet manner.
Then takes the item.
This "sorry" is also used if you are touching something he doesn't want you to touch. For example, if you are touching the shopping cart in the same place he would like to race his car, he will do the "sorry" bit and gently move your arm.
The meaning of "sorry" has now evolved to mean, "You are going to have to move now" or "I'm going to take that now." It's so much better than the mean baby moves and it happens to be so cute I can't stop it (as manipulative as it seems).

I've mentioned that Judah is protective of his mama. Still is. Tommy took a board book from me tonight and the roar that came out of my babe was impressive. Tommy gave the book to him and he promptly gave it back to me with a lean hug and understanding nod. You don't mess with Judah's mama. He demands you treat his mama with R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
We have been busy people.
Just to prepare you, I am now going to list things we've been up to (I once promised myself that I would never do this. Hopefully this will be the last time.).
Here's the short version: Roof/Vacation/Sister/Sister/Change/Book/Summer Vacation
Feel free to stop reading now.
Here's the long version:
Yesterday our new roof was finished. We didn't do it ourselves. Two stories with a ridiculously dangerous pitch. I guess they needed special insurance due to the crazy pitch. Tommy thought he could do it. I said, "NO!"
We are planning a trip to Munich/Czech/Krakow/Slovakia. We are going this summer.
My little sister is visiting in 3 weeks from Thailand. We will have too much fun.
My older sister is visiting in 3 weeks (we will be celebrating her new PhD.). We will have too much fun.
We've been considering major life changes, which we are excited and nervous about.
We've been working on our book project, which is turning out way better than either of us hoped. Hopefully it will be done in a few short weeks.
I have four weeks left of work (before the summer), so I'm busy finishing up.
Oh, and I'm still busy holding my breath :(
Which I'm NOT happy about.

What's wrong with this picture?!

My parents were sweet and kind enough to put Judah to sleep last night so we could go out on a date (with Bryan, of course). When Jude woke up this morning, something was a little different. Can you figure out the mystery?



It should be noted that Jude usually goes right to bed. Last night he was yelling "Papa...Papa." I think he may have been asking for assistance.