funny face photos

our children

I just got off the phone with a friend of mine ... and our conversation reminded me of how our children become tangled in our hearts and souls.  Joys and sorrows can be so close and we realize that each joyful beginning means the ending of something.  It's just SO MUCH ... I believe that's why children come with such wonderful things as "diaper blow-outs", fitful slumbers, teething, tantrums etc ... it helps us disengage for the moment from the intense emotional side of parenting.   Just this morning, Lucy, without struggle climbed right onto Mr Hippo ... I mean you would have thing the child just climbed Mt. Everest, the amount of laughing and cheering that resounded in our house.  OH she has quite the life story to share one day, and I hope that she feels every bit of joy and sorrow that is hers to feel as she starts understanding her story.  

new photos

1. her favorite book:  brown bear

2. climbing UP the slide

3. resting on the big girl bed

4. cute smile

5. her leapfrog table

6. yeah Lucy

7. riding mr hippo

totoddlers

Lucy had a visit to the Mall of America this evening.  She was so engaged.  I could see her really seeing things, interesting things, and most importantly connecting with people, especially children.  Anytime we were near any sort of music, her head would start bopping.  It was fun to just watch her noticing things.  When she was much smaller, I saw her eyes light up for some mardi gras beads at Claire's ... I couldn't resist getting them for her ... they have for months now been far and away her favorite toy.  The child knows what she wants.  She is beginning to get much more resistant to food.  She'll accept it into her mouth, but push it out right away, even the old tried and true foods. She's really growing up. I love how she nods her head when I ask her a question, complete serious look on her face ... "Lucy do you want a banana?"  (head nods like, yes mother I would just love to have a banana, thank you very much). Sometimes she shakes her head no.    This Saturday is the Ethiopian day picnic with Children's Home Society.  Families are travelling from all over, and some of the officials from MOLSA (part of the Ethiopian government that governs adoptions ... Ministers of Labor and Social Affairs) will be there, as well as Asnake (the director of the orphanage).  Last year I was at the picnic with a photo of Lucy ... chasing Asnake down ... "how is Eskedar?" Asnake's response "beautiful" ...  I met families at that picnic who were also waiting to travel,  we are all still connected and travelled within weeks of each other.  I can't wait to see everyone again.  Today again I am reminded of how emotional adoption is ...what a resposibility we carry as parents to these amazing children, to their birth families, their birth country and to each other.  

Photos anyone?

Photo descriptions:

1. Thinking about her food

2. Thinking about eating grass

3. Resting

4. Here, she thinks she's so hilarious ...

and still more photos

What's happening in the photos?

1. getting her hair done

2. Getting steadier on those feet

3.  Watching the clouds in Erin's backyard

4. "Soooo big"

photos are fun

photos descriptions:  

1. In her Thing 2 outfit

2. Her pretty pink outfit from friend Bennett Nigatu

3. Hanging in the pool with da boys

4. Post 4th of July parade crash

5. Wading in Minnehaha Creek

One year ago ...

One year ago on Saturday (July 9)… 

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I was sitting in a restaurant with two coworkers, celebrating the fact that 45 minutes earlier I had turned in the last of my paperwork and was now officially waiting for a referral when my phone rang with an unidentified number.  It was my social worker, and quite unbelievably she was calling me with a referral.  One year ago I raced back to the office to open an e-mail with an attachment.  One year ago, up popped the photo of the most beautiful baby girl I had ever seen in my life,  my baby girl!   My head has been spinning ever since.  My life continues to change in the most wonderful and unpredictable ways.  It has only been one calendar year, but it might as well be a lifetime.  We are celebrating on Saturday by going to the zoo and to a state park for “camping”.   Thank you all so much for being a part of this amazing adventure.   Stacy

photos

Don't you love photo updates????  These are actually from Ethiopia, a little glimpse into the past!

Photo descriptions:

1. Lucy (Eskedar) with Tesfaye the very helpful man who worked at the care center. Just found out today that Tesfaye is now engaged!

2. Lucy and Viviane, she went home with her mom and dad the same day Lucy did!

3. Lucy and 4 yr old Tarique, who now lives in New Brighton

4. Lucy in the bjorn on an outing in Addis Ababa

5. Lucy and her favorite nurse.

6. Lucy moments after I first met her

that really bites!

My child is a biter!  I know it's nothing to be proud of or excited about, but she uses those teeth so appropriately.  Let me clarify ...  I am glad she gets mad and feels like she can express herself, and I let her know that biting momma is NOT OK, but deep inside, I feel relief that she'll fight for her right, fight for her right to stay in the pool, fight for her right to eat sand etc.   We went to the doctor today to get her ears/nose/throat checked out, and she weighs 19#6oz.  Not quite enough to face forward in the carseat. I wish I had something deeply profound to say, but when I am "blogging" it's either after 9pm and I have no brain or I am at work and trying to be quick about things.