One year ago we fell in love with this face.......

Today we are in love with the girl-

Off you go........

So today I sent both of my boys off to school- Monkey man started preschool for the first time- he looked so little walking down the hall to go to his class- I'll admit, I had second thoughts "one more year at home and then I'll send him".....but he is ready. He had a fantastic first day and is exhausted! Jr. spaceman started 1st grade- he loves school and couldn't wait to get back- I think he was a little nervous as only 2 kids from his kindergarten class are in his new class- but he makes friends so easily. Princess E had a hard time saying goodbye- each time we dropped off one of her brothers she'd run back into the classroom- find her brother and sign "come with me"! she cried a little bit but settled right in when she realized she no longer had to share me! Why is it that last week I was at the end of my rope and ready for them to start school and today I miss them and can't wait for them to get home?

One month home.......

we've been home a bit over a month now and it still seems like a dream! She is smart, funny and stubborn! She loves music, her brothers and crayons. She came to me not knowing how to chew- she eats pizza now. She had no idea what to do with a ball- now she can shoot a basketball.......she is amazing. I think about what this little girl- this baby- has gone through in her little life- the loss, the change and I am in awe of her bravery. At one day old she survived the loss of her birth family. At just under 2 years old she survived the loss of the only home she had ever known. 2 weeks later she traveled half way around the world with a women who she did not know and did not understand- and survived. She is blossoming. She is full of life and clearly wants to experience every moment.........I'm having to remind myself to slow down...there is no rush......she is home.

Arthur and adoption

From another blog...(sorry, wish I could remember where.......)

ARTHUR and friends welcome a new character - a baby sister for Binky
Barnes - this fall when the Emmy-Award winning series tackles
adoption from a child's perspective. On Friday, September 7th (check
local listings) the series starring Marc Brown's beloved animated
aardvark captures a family's experience with adoption in a special 2-
part episode.

In 'Big Brother Binky', Arthur's friend Binky's family adopts a baby
girl from China and Binky learns not only the importance of being a
big brother but that families come in all different shapes in sizes.
Binky manages the joys, and sometimes difficulties, of understanding
his new sister with humor and imagination and becomes the proudest
big brother in Elwood City.

Expanding upon the series' well-established commitment to addressing
topics that children of all backgrounds can relate to, this episode
undertakes a topic that affects millions of people every day in all
parts of the world. By exploring the adoption process from Binky's
anticip ation of the baby's arrival, to the ups and downs of getting
to know one another, and finally to the joy of welcoming the baby
into Binky's heart and home, ARTHUR opens the doors for discussion
around adoption among parents, children, and educators. According to
ARTHUR creator Marc Brown, "What the series does best is reflect the
lives of kids in an authentic and fun way that resonates with both
viewers and their parents. Because adoption is so important to so
many families, we thought it was a great opportunity for ARTHUR to
explore this subject.

"Executive Producer Pierre Valette adds, "We put a lot of work into
this episode -- including extensive research and interviews with many
adoptive families. To tell this story thoroughly and well, we decided
to devote both 11 minute animated stories in the episode to it --
something that we rarely do. We hope that the millions of families
touched by adoption in this country, and around the world, will find
familiarity and accuracy in our portrayal of the experience of these
characters."

Mattel is recalling toys.......

Mattel is recalling 1 million toys because of high lead levels. Dora
toys, Elmo toys, shape sorters, stacking blocks, lots of toys a baby
would chew on.

here is the website to check and see if you have any of these....and only if you bought them AFTER May 1, 2007:

http://www.service. mattel.com/ us/recall/ 39054_IVR. asp?prod=