Do you remember?

What do you remember? People are always amazed when I start to recall my earliest memories. Like this picture of me I was just a little bit older then Tamara is now. I can remember being on the balcony in Rijeka Croatia .. finding tiny little round pebbles in Mom's rose plant behind me and putting them in my pocket. In fact I was frustrated in this picture because I decided it wasn't the best place for them and I couldn't get them out again.

An email I received from our agency got me thinking today. What will Tamara remember? I was told the facilitator stopped by her foster home to see how she was doing and she found Tamara outside playing with her friends. Chatting away? That was great news as we arranged to have their best speech therapist work with her the last few months. It worked ;o) now if she could only speak English. lol. The weather in Georgia has been wonderful lately so I was happy to hear she was able to enjoy it. And thrilled that she was having a good time and I may regret saying this in 6 months or so but yes happy she is chatting away.

Will she remember playing with her friends? Will she remember pebbles in her pocket? Will she always wonder what happen to her friends? When I was her age I had a best friend Desi who lived across the street. Desi's dog had puppies. I can remember playing with them. I can remember Desi's Grandmother... she was nice to me. I can remember not wanting to go home when Mom called me cause we were having so much fun. I often wonder what happen to Desi? Mom thinks she moved to Switzerland? I wonder? I wonder if Desi remembers me?

OH Ducky...

Happy Easter Every One

This would have been our 15th Annual Easter Dinner..

which I decided not to host this year. As we really didn't know for sure if we would be traveling soon. Those of you who have attended our annual Easter dinner I'm sure can understand why I stepped down this year. Weeks of preparation usually go into it. From decorating the house both inside and out to preparing the perfect 8 course meal.

Hosting the annual Easter Egg hunt for the nieces and nephews and setting a unique table theme every year. Yes it is a sit down. From 13 to ... I believe the largest table was in 2000 when we had 26 people. That was the year I decided to take espresso and cappuccino off the menu. lol. Did you ever make 26 cups in a row? Eeek... not a good idea. Especially once our guests started asking for refills.

Fresh flowers every where. It takes time... a lot of it.

In some ways it was sad to break the tradition. When I think back over the years the good times we had. The friends and relatives that had attended. And when I think of the themes I picked. LOL... Anyone remember the LIVE Pom Pom ducks I bought? Yes... I had the brilliant idea that I would buy a small flock of Pom Pom ducklings as an Easter prop. So I called around and found out Jersey law I have to buy 6 ducklings and pick them up the day after they hatch. Why 6 you wonder? Well I was told that they're social birds and needed friends.

So anyway... My thinking was that I would display them in the house in a pearl encrusted bridal bird cage. After all they were so cute and tiny .. surely they would fit. So I brought them home stopped off at Walmart and purchased a small animal cage, heat lamp and some baby duck food. They were to live in our guest bath until the big day. Little did I know these little ones would grow rapidly in the two weeks before Easter. A daily swim in the bath tub, a quick blow dry and back in the cage under a heat lamp. Within a week they tripled in size. Under protest Bruce agreed to go with me and pick up a bigger cage as they were rapidly out growing the small animal cage. So we bought a bunny hutch. The hutch was placed in the basement by the door so they could enjoy the view. Still under a heat lamp. Bathing at this point was not possible in the tub but they had their own tub which needed fresh water after each of the six took a bath. Did I mention how messy ducks are? Anyway... my thinking and I use that term loosely when telling this story was that they would be a cute Easter decoration and that surely my little nieces and nephews would want one when they saw them. Well Easter came and the kids were thrilled with our Pom Poms for a whopping 5 minutes. Yes... they all remained with us.

So after Easter .. Bruce.. good sport that he is build them a duck coop out side. A 4 X 8 screened home with a sheltered area so they wouldn't get wet when it rained.

Yes I know they're ducks. ;o)

So anyway... now they had a house they needed a place to swim so we bought them a kiddie pool complete with ramp. It was late Spring Summer and I'd let the ducks out every morning and call them back at sun down. Yes they were trainable. But why weren't they flying? Surely they would fly south for the winter? So we had flying lessons.. to no avail. They couldn't stay up for more then 15-20 feet before a crash landing. A very humorous site especially watching Bruce flap his arms running full throttle down hill with all six chasing after him.

Like I said a very good sport. lol . I think he would have done anything to make these guys fly away.

It wasn't until late Fall that I ran into the young man who sold me the ducks and it was his Dad that told me that our ducks would never fly. Their wings were clipped at birth? Grrrr.

What happen to our flock of special needs ducks? I found a local farmer that wanted them for eggs and swore that they would never be eaten.

So that's just an example of what can happen when you think too far out of the box.

To this day I can't get myself to eat duck :o(

OK.. back to reality... Mom & Dad hosted Easter Dinner this year.

Thanks Mom for getting me off the hook. Dinner was of course wonderful and fun was had by all.

Hopefully Tamara will like socializing and once she's adjusted we can resume our entertaining schedule. I know many of you have expressed an interest in our Easter Dinner as well as our Holiday House Warming.

~~~

Paper work ... Still Waiting

A Baby Tea...

Special Thanks to Lorraine for the bound picture book I found in our mailbox Wednesday from Saturday's Baby Tea Party. Very nicely done and very much appreciated.

Here are a few pictures as promised.

Today we had an unexpected surprise.

The ladies in our neighborhood got together and threw me a

Surprise Baby Tea Shower at the Tea Hive in Newton.

It was the perfect setting for such an event. Ultra feminine and ever so yummy.

It was especially nice to see their daughters in attendance.

I must say we have some of the nicest young ladies on our block.

In fact if it wasn't for them turning out so well I might not have had the courage to get one of my own ;o).

So I Thank You ALL my fellow tea drinkers, friends and neighbors.

Your generous spirit and open arms are very much appreciated and will not be forgotten anytime soon.

Tamara .. my dear... you have a whole collection of tiaras waiting for you.

LOL

Did you know there's even a Rub a Dub Dub... Tiara in the Tub kit?

I didn't know that? I don't have a water proof tiara... but Tamara does. ;o)

So Kisses to Denise, Ali, Lorraine, Sarah, Jane, Jessie and Barbara

I had a wonderful time... you all have excellent taste..of course ;o)

I'm sure Tamara will enjoy your gifts for years to come.

And yes Lorraine when Tamara has a party at Build A Bear you'll be invited.

You're too funny!!!

Hopefully I'll have a picture or two from the event to share in a day or two?

HINT...HINT

~~~

Sometimes I'd like to...

OK.. I thought I was finished posting for today and then this came through via email.

Had to share.

"Sometimes I'd like to ask God why he allows poverty, famine and injustice in the world when he could do something about it but I am afraid he might ask me the same thing."

Kind of hits home doesn't it?

~~~

OH.. FYI.. We're in the WAIT phase again. Documents are on a plane.

Terrible Two's?

I spent a good part of today shopping... yes I know.. what a surprise.

Anyway.. let me tell you about my day.

I set out to buy a few gifts, some Easter treats for my nieces and nephews and of course something cute for Tamara ;o)

First let me say I totally forgot that since it was Good Friday that the men were out shopping with their wives. WHY? Now don't get me wrong they do come in handy.. but if you must take the man along you really owe it to the rest of us to train him before he leaves the house.

For some reason there are men who don't follow the rules in stores and in parking lots.

So lets review... shall we?

Gentlemen if you're going to shop please do so. I've had to go around more men that found a "buddy" today and insisted on chatting in the center of the aisle or right in front of the display that interested me.

When I say "excuse me" It's a polite way of saying "move please".

It is NOT a code word for "hey baby pinch my butt" or "come closer".

Yeah.. it's been one of those days.

Next those shopping carts are just that.. shopping carts. They are not go carts. If you can reach the handle bar you are too big to ride in one or on one. And no that is no longer considered cute.

Stores have a flow... please do not go against traffic. Speaking of traffic there is such a thing as parking lot etiquette. If I got there first, had my blinker on.. don't even think you can intimidate me with your huge SUV.

Oh yes.. the children... guys when you tell your wife you have them... she thinks you're serious.

OK.. Thanks for letting me vent.. I feel much better now. ;o)

So anyway.. I did manage to find everything I was looking for and of course a few cute thing for Tamara. Like two bikinis (someone might as well wear one around here..lol) So cute!!!

A really beautiful ballerina style dress. A growth chart for her room. Very pretty hand painted canvas... looks like a piece of artwork. Really cool.

And I ran into three Mothers with young children. One had a two year old, one had a three year old and the last was a four year old. All three Mom's said their child was going through a terrible two stage. So my question to all the seasoned parents out there is ...when do the terrible two's actually occur? Just trying to brace myself. lol

Have you had your Kiva today?

If you see this cute little girl on Kiva.org it's me.

I'm happy to report that Kiva has made it to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

I've been a member of Kiva since April 2007 and this is the first time I noticed loans within the former Yugoslavia. Woohoo.. finally.

Kiva is a micro lending organization. It's not a hand out but a hand up. In the past year I've added small business owners to my portfolio from all over the world. From a Ana Rosa in Mexico that needed a small loan to start her at home cosmetic sales business to Sayaad Ahamad in Afghanistan who needed help with his grocery store in Kabul, Afghanistan. They both already repaid their loans. When they did it made my day! Not that I lent them a great deal of money but that it worked. I was able to help someone who really needed a boost.

Now we have people in Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Pakistan, and Alma in Bosnia and Herzegovina. So exciting.

If you've been to our house in the last year you may have noticed an 8 X 10 glossy of all my Kiva people on the frig. I keep it there as a reminder that yes I can make a difference.

Remember

"To the world you might be just one person. But to one person you might mean the world."

One of the many values I'd like to instill in our daughter is be charitable.

I've read that children who are adopted from an orphanage setting may suffer from survivors guilt. It can be hard to cope if they know other children were left behind.

That is one of the reasons for the orphanage fund raiser. I want Tamara to know that we will not forget her little friends. Nor will we forget that there are millions of children world wide that need help. Some are truly orphans and others like many of the Kiva families have parents that are trying but due to their circumstances struggle to feed, clothe and can not afford to send their children to school. Remember in most 3rd world countries schools are not free.

It is considered a luxury to attend school.

I want our daughter to be proactive not just reactive.

I want her to appreciate what we have and not take things for granted.

I want her to understand that the more you give ..the more comes back to you. Not really sure how that works but it does. I've been testing this theory for years. It's truly amazing.

While Tamara is young she will play a role in my fund raising. Whether she helps me bake cookies for homeless children, helps me tie a bow for a tricky tray basket or helps deliver Christmas gifts to a needy family my hope is that she will learn at a very early age what it feels like to help someone who truly needs it.

After all learning to share is important at any age.

~~~

Paper chase update... Documents were picked up by DHL today..

they're on their way to Georgia. ;o)

Another Big Push...

I think my friend Mary said it best. In January when I told her we had excepted a child referral for adoption she said "you must be so excited"

"I am" I replied "I'm excited and a little bit nervous" She then said "of course you're a little nervous. You've been pregnant for almost 3 years"

Hurry up and wait... hurry up and wait. I've been hearing this from other adoptive Moms for years never really understanding how intense the "hurry ups" and "waits" really are.

When you have a biological child you always know where you're child is and you have a pretty good idea of when they will arrive. For the most part you're in full control. Then the big day comes. Your water breaks and you go into labor. If I had to compare the two methods of becoming a Mom... I must say "hurry up and wait" would be the contractions. Except when you adopt your contractions can be a week or more apart.

~~~

So we had another big push today. Our Home Studies have arrived signed and sealed from Trenton and tomorrow it will be on it's way to Georgia via DHL. In the mean time I had several conversations with Immigration today. So far so good. Now we WAIT. Again.