The twins' 1st birthday

I miss my boys.

A strange feeling to miss someone you haven't met yet. Even weirder that they are my sons.

Celebrating their 1st birthday without them underscored all these feelings, and in a way also connected my to them a little more. It was so wonderful to have Nana and Grandad and Auntie S, Uncle M, the the 3 cousins here to celebrate this milestone for them and for our family.

It's cute - D keeps saying to the littlest baby as she shows him the twins' picture "Look at your baby brothers!" and I have to remind here that the twins are his BIG brothers, even though they came to us after the baby. A tricky concept for a 3 year old I guess!

I heard from one of the volunteers that our boys are "hilarious!" I love that. I think they will fit in to this quirky family of ours just fine. One of them is crawling across the floor "like a penguin or frog" I have been just trying hard to imagine that! I am told that they play together and it is not uncommon to see them holding hands. That, I can picture, and it melts my heart.

For their party last night, we had a Monster Truck cake (chosen by the girls), a candle wished on (intently) and blown out by mommy, then re-wished on and re-blown out and repeat by the family; presents, pictures and visiting. A good time had by all - maybe you'll be home by next year kiddos? I'll keep wishing and I'll definitely keep praying.







These 1st birthday presents will await your arrival. Thank you Auntie, Uncle and cousins!

armfarts and other useful things

I don't know what it is these lately, but for some reason our lives seem to be filled with crude jokes about bodily noises.

I would like to say that this is a new phenomena, but unfortunately, as I was reading back in prior entries, I see that I blogged about it around Sugarbear's 5th birthday. At the time it was Dee who was obsessed with the potty humour, but now it has spread to her big sis too.

I know that dad is to blame for these latest rounds, as he recently introduced them to the armpit fart. Since then, she has been heartily practicing at every spare moment. If only I could get her to practice piano this easily!

I honestly try to suppress my laughter each time and lecture her about how inappropriate this display would be at school, but to no avail. It is surely not the fart noise itself, but her steadfast determination mixed with her utter glee at having accomplished the toot sound.

The way she puts her hip into it.

She kind of tosses her whole body to the side and frantically wings her arm up and down.

Her upper lip curls as she furrows her brow.

I just can't keep a straight face, which certainly does not help to discourage the behaviour. In addition, the real thing has been popping up a lot lately.

Didn't I have girls??

So, when we were saying their bedtime prayers tonight and listing everything that we were thankful for, I mentioned (in resignation that this is and will be a perpetual part of my life - I also now have 3 younger boys...) that we should be thankful for farts because if we couldn't fart, then all that gas would build up inside and we would get a tummy ache; to which I get her astonished, slightly excited reply: "you mean farts are useful?!!"

Oh, yes and unfortunately, still, so funny.

careful what you pray for

Has someone ever told you "be careful what you pray for? You just might get it?" I don't think I ever really got that saying. That's the point of praying for something..because you do want it to happen! Right? Er, well....

I have spent the past, let's consult the the ticker here, um 2 years and 2 weeks today, praying for our adoption. Praying for a son, praying for our children. What a ride it has been.

In the process, we have attempted international adoption from two separate countries, failed at one, got sidelined by an earthquake in another, and considered pulling out completely on numerous occasions. We somehow ended up becoming foster parents, fostered 2 adorable little girls, but said goodbye to them too.

Around the time we let go of our little girls, our adoption from Haiti was stalled with no timeline of when we could proceed (years? months? never?). It did not look good(insert one of the numerous times we considered calling it quits here). And then something(s) amazing happened that brings us to now, with our heads spinning.

We accepted another foster placement for a brand new baby boy. This little miracle has been with us now for almost 5 months, with little to no sign of having to be returned (inhale). We have our sights on his adoption and he is a beautiful little blessing. My son.

Then on Aug.24 the phone rang. It was the stork calling (from Haiti)...it's twins! They are 7 months older than our baby boy. Um, so that will almost be like raising, ahem, triplets?! Now, when we began this journey of adoption, we initially envisioned adding a child to our family. A child. What began as a journey to one has twisted and turned unexpectedly in so many ways that it has brought us 3 more babies. Now this all seems too crazy, but crazy good. Insane good!

When we got married 10 years ago it was new and exciting and scary and fun. We knew each other for only 3 weeks. We met on June 2nd and got married on June 23rd. That is another story, but it feels the same. Wonderful and daunting. Daring and exhilarating. Frightening, in a good way. 5 kids! Who wouldn't be intimidated! That is why they say "life is full of surprises"..."be careful what you pray for"...."expect the unexpected"..."life's a journey, enjoy the ride" oh wait, no, that last one is a nissan ad.

Well, buckle up...here we go...!