week of change

Transmission fixed. We are no longer stuck in reverse.Saturday Bam finally figured out forward motion. Since then we are off and moving. Monday we started pulling up on everything. We are no longer happy it seems unless we are standing. We have also attempted to crawl up the stairs several times now.

Sugar has been quite the challenge lately. Poor child always seems to be my challenge. Lately I think we've spent just as much time in time out as playing. Hitting, throwing, kicking, biting, hair pulling, yelling, etc all have become some of his favorite things. I'm not sure what is up. If it's teething, I'm thankful that he's working on his last tooth. If it's because the weather took a downward spiral so we haven't been out playing the last couple of days, I'm happy that summer's coming and dreading next fall all at the same time. Whatever it is, I hope it remedies itself soon.

Tomorrow is also our anniversary. We've been married 4 years now and together for 10. If someone had told that a blind date was going to turn into this in 10 years I would have said they were crazy. Now I think we're going crazy. We've decided not to do gifts this year. Chuck did stop and get us a strawberry casada cake from Rito's on his way home, but we've decided to try to get away for a night or two this summer. We'll see if it happens, it's a good goal, even though I'm not sure I can imagine a night without the kids, I might have a breakdown.

What you cost me

There was a post on adoption.com about a little girl asking her mom "how much did I cost?" It got me thinking.

Sweet and Sugar cost me (some of these are also from Bam)
Lots of sleepless nights praying for women thousands of miles away who were having to make the hardest decision of their lives
Lots of sleepless nights praying that you would be home soon
Lots and Lots of brain cells
Our spare money (I'm not sure what that was, but I know it was there before kids)
Our spare time (same as above)
My ability to do things last minute
My ability to pick up and leave the house quickly
My ability to go shopping with only one cart
My clean house

They have cost us this and thousands of other things, but I wouldn't trade them for the world. I wouldn't change anything, because they have given us a million more wonderful things.

Family Day!

One year ago today these two little ones were placed in our arms forever.A lot can change in one year.

It has been a hectic year, but I wouldn't change any of it. I get to wake up to having an incredible family every day. Watching them grow and learn is truly amazing.

Odds and Ends

This weekend was wonderful. Saturday night Chuck and I got to go out to the Brew Kettle. Grandma and Grandpa M took the kids to the mall and to Great Grandma G's. It is so nice to have a date night once in awhile. Sunday wasn't as exciting, taxes, but they're almost done and we're getting enough back to do our windows and doors. Yeah.

The weather has been nice enough that the kids have gotten to play outside a decent amount lately. Unfortunately it looks like Sugar has come down with a virus that causes hives, lovely. At first we thought that he was allergic to the sunscreen from Monday, but now it's weds and it's spreading.

Sweet's really starting to talk now. She's doing good at mimicking words you say, but isn't using any on her own yet.

Some cute pics to share.

My Mayan Princess in her Guatemala dress.

All dressed up and ready for church.

My thumb sucker.

pigtails

I called our social worker today to try to set up our 12 month visit. We've had these guys home for almost a year now. Sometimes it seems like we were in Guatemala yesterday, but it also seems like they've always been a part of our family. We were very lucky to have our adoption go fairly smoothly. We are also very lucky to get them home before all of the politicians decided to get involved with something that is way bigger than they realize. Maybe all of the slow downs will help adoptions in the future, but right now it's hurting the children waiting for their families. Too bad politicians don't think ahead enough to figure out what's best for them.
In the meantime here's some pics from today. Sweet should be able to sport pigtails this year, if she'll leave them in.

Not too sure about these pigtails.

I guess they are pretty cute.

Getting into mischief together.

Really he's not in this that much, it just seems to be where we get our pics taken. If you look close enough you can see his hair.

Something to think about

Adoption.com had a link to a great article the other day on racism. It's something that every parent of a child of a different race thinks about and hopefully addresses. I don't always think about it, you often forget that there's any difference. They are your children and you love them. Unfortunately not everyone will see it that way. It's incredibly sad to me that even in today's world racism is so prevalent.
We live in a rural area that is very predominately white and full of rednecks so I'm sure that it will be an issue at some point. Thus begins the train of thought of how do even begin to explain racism to a child and when. Think about having to tell your child that someone may say aweful hurtful things to them or do hurtful things to them because of the color of their skin. People may, no will judge them and decide that they don't like them because of the color of their skin before they ever talk to them let alone get to know them.
Think about it next time you hear someone make a racist comment and decide not to say anything. Not confronting the person only helps to reinforce that person's belief that it is ok. What would you do if they were using derogatory terms to describe your child? I hope that you would say something, point out how ignorant, uneducated, hurtful, hateful, and just plain stupid racism is. I hope that you'll say something when the comment is directed at a stranger too.