Me and My Llama

Ok. So it's not actually me. But it is a llama.

Happy 4th Birthday, My Littlest Girl

At this time four years ago, we had one baby who hadn't turned a year old yet. I was amazed that we had been entrusted to this little life, and was savoring every moment. After her finalization, we told our social worker that we were ready to be put on the list for another baby. We fully expected it to be a year wait. That was in September. On this day, four years ago, we were still waiting. But God had already brought this little life into the world. God, and her birthparents, to whom we are so grateful.

In some ways, it's hard to remember that today is her birthday. We didn't even know she existed until around the 22nd of February. And we picked her up on the 24th. So to me, the 24th seems more like her birthday. But by that time, she was 3 weeks old. A 3 week old, 4 1/2 lb, screaming little girl. She was 4 weeks early, so when we got her she was almost to her due date. (Which, by the way, is the week of my birthday.) She was tiny! At 4 1/2 lbs, I could put her in my sling and forget she was there! I can gain and lose 4 1/2 lbs in a day or two. She was very small. But she made a big impact.

All of a sudden, we were a family of four. Our oldest was a big sister. Some people have 9 months to absorb the news. We had 2 days. Granted, we had 9 years and 2 days if we count all the drama surrounding us trying to have children, but still. It was a time for major readjustments. The night feedings started again, the doctor visits, the sleep records, all of it. And she was so different from our first child.

I could record all the ways she has been different, all the funny things she has said, all the scary things we have been through. But that would be long and naptime is almost over. Instead I want to say thanks to God again for bringing her into our lives. For stretching me in ways I need to be stretched, for teaching me things I didn't know I needed to learn. I am amazed (and sometimes frustrated) at how different we are, and how precious she is. I am blessed beyond reason to be a part of her life. I am proud of the person that she is and will become.

Happy Birthday, Jo.

My Young One

I let the girls listen to some music on my phone today. They kept staring at the screen, even after it had gone dark. I said, "Girls, it's not TV, it's just music." To which my youngest said, "Mom, I'm letting my ears see the music." Can't really argue with that...

A Cold One

I performed a very unscientific experiment today. I took a can of Coke Zero that started at room temperature with me to Rapid City. The temperature outside was around -10 degrees F. Wind chills around-20 degrees F. I left Sturgis for Rapid at 1:50 p.m. I drove for 25 minutes. I stopped at five stores for a total of 2 hours 15 minutes. The other 30 minutes was spent driving to get to the stores. By the time I left Rapid at 5:00 to come home, my Coke Zero was more than sufficiently chilled.

By the way, the wind chills will top out at -50 degrees F tonight.

Kaleidescope

I very frequently admire the way God brought together two children and two adults that are so similar. I am amazed at all the ways the children we adopted are so like us. But today, I abruptly realized, there is no way I could pass them off as mine. You see, when I play with Play-Doh, all the colors have to be kept separate. Or at least, I have to be able to separate them back out and put them back in the right cans. My kids immediately mash multiple colors together in what I like to call the hue, "Mud Confetti." It used to drive me nuts. Now I just divide the big lump into smaller lumps, and put it back in all the cans marked, Pink, Yellow, Green, and Black. I guess I'm mellowing out.

Disturbing Words from the Backseat

We are driving home from Spearfish. Both of the girls are buckled in their carseats:

1. J says, "Mom, let's play hide-and-seek! You count, I'll hide!" Then she makes me count out loud. To her credit, she hides under a blanket.

2. We were all singing a fun chorus of "If You're Happy And You Know It Clap Your Hands!" After the first round we always make up new things to do if you're happy. E suggested, "If you're happy and you know it burn yourself!"

To both of my children I say, "Uh, WHAT?!"

Kiddo Quotes

E pretend reading a book, "In a far away land, that wasn't very far away..."

E was pretending to watch J's baby. J said as she was picking her up, "E, thanks for sitting my baby!"