Morning becomes her..........

This is what I have been doing every morning for the past 1 year, 1 month and 23 days - getting the Empress dressed and ready to face the day! Only now we have the added fun of a baby girl who realizes her position (center of the universe) in this family and has decided "Mommy! CHEEEEEEZZZE!!" Or "Take my picture Mommy!" So I have been taking her picture every morning after her toillette and she very carefully poses for me... I have stop myself from cracking up (I don't usually make it!) because then she starts cracking up and it gets extremely silly! I just thought you guys have been very patient.... here is your reward!! And there is more to come - so stay tuned! These are from Monday, April 23, 2007.

Let me not to the marriage of true minds....

.....Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
-- William Shakespeare

With these moving words, even prettier music, all our friends and family in the most beautiful of settings my love and I were married this day nine years ago! In that time- time's fool has wrought some definite changes and yet, my love is not shaken. I suppose having been through as much as we have together and separately - we will not be shaken nor removed nor bent! I may not say it enough - though I think it constantly - my life would not be what it is without my partner, my friend and the love of my life. It is easy to love - but hard to be married, harder still when there are children, jobs, families all wanting time and attention. It can be hard to remember all the little things - like I still smile broadly when my LH (Loving Husband) sends flowers to my office!! (I think HE knows this cuz look what he sent today!!) or remembers some silly thing and makes sure it happens.

We may be parents - and tired alot of the time, but we are still best of friends and there is no one else I could imagine having shared this much of my life with so happily. In marrying my LH I got the best of the bargain for sure - for I married into a family of amazing people who I love and who love us back! I married someone who will always make sure my coffee is waiting and my lunch made.. even if the only thing in the house is a chicken wing - I will have a sandwich!

I married someone who when I said I needed to be a mother and I thought our child was in China - said "How soon do we travel" in spite of what it cost us and all the uncertainty. This is also the person who, not so long ago, responded to my teary-eyed observation that the new rules would mean no going back to China for another amazing child - with "We better get the paperwork in before that happens then!" Can you understand why I love my big clumsy guy?

This guy puts his family first before anything or anyone and that is why nine years ago - the day I said "I DO!" I meant it and I have not regretted it for a second anytime since.

Happy 9th Anniversary Me Honey!

Ribbit Ribbit

The Empress at play in the fields of the living room.

Yes, that is a frog voice - that is, that is what I sound like!! Somehow it started Friday and has only gotten worse since. I have no voice whatsoever... now before anyone starts jumping for joy - or alerting the media.. I am fairly certain this is temporary and related to a whopper of another bout with chronic sinusitis. REALLY annoying. I have not been able to speak much more than a whisper. EFP thinks it is funny - but has been sad that I can not manage her special song... she sings it for me though - which is actually better. Only a child could think I sing well anyway!

So as I croak along.. it remains to be seen how long this bout will last!!

Lingering on sadness....

I was trying so hard not to do this. Not to have to pour out the grief here. It has been a sad week for all of us - but especially for students. I can hardly believe it has happened. All across college and university campuses everywhere = administrators are trying to figure out how to prevent this horror, students are trying NOT to picture themselves in the same situation and parents are sleeping less. There is something that may not be 100% evident to those not lucky enough to work with college students - it is easy to love them. I love teaching my students... having them traipse in and out of my office with their problems, dilemmas and other queries more mundane (will that be on the final?). I love them though - how can one not? They are adults in the making full of suppositions and opinions and eagerly looking forward to the day we constantly tell them to put off for as long as possible. College is the last good time, right? Only not this week. Not for those Virginia kids or any of us who can comprehend that yet another space has been violated. 32 Innocent souls and one poor troubled young man. How do we account for that?

I have been inexplicably mired in sadness - more so than I would normally be. Ah, just another one of the perks of being a mom. In those kids - I see my own child. Do I start praying now - that I will continue to feel that I can allow her the freedom to go "away" to college if she wishes? Will this be one of the reasons I provide for why that is not a good idea? Will I think on the tears of the parents who can never argue with or see their baby again when I schedule our college tours? Can I overcome the fear to let her go where she feels she should go... or will these hours color my decision.

It is all so sad. I feel somehow we are responsible for this crazy world we have forced our young people to deal with. That some great oversight on our part has led to this horribly altered world where something as simple as taking a class can be ended tragically. So many will think they understand or can blame - but just like all parents colleges also have to balance protection with freedoms, concern with safety. Our students are adults - and deserve the respect and autonomy that they have earned - but they are still our children and they deserve our caring.

I do hope that the families and friends of those who are effected by this terrible ordeal will know that there are people all over the world who are thinking of them, praying for them and wishing them some solace in this cruel event. Hokies - you have my deepest sympathies.

Find out how you can help!

Win the fight against Lupus. Join me and other concerned families as we participate in the Walk to Cure Lupus We hope to raise awareness and the funds to aid in the research for an end to this debilitating disease. One of our own FCC LI families is dealing with this right now and so we come together to do what we can to help! Please consider helping in some way - no matter how small. Thanks a bunch!

MY Amazing Sister!

Made this amazing Irish Step Dancing Solo Dress for an American Girl doll to be raffled off to support the Drumcliffe School of Irish Dance - Binghamton Travel Fund where my exceptionally talented niece is in training. The raffle will raise money to send the dancers who qualify to the world competition in Ireland.

Can you believe that this is a on-of-a-kind handmade? I think it is gorgeous makes me want to strap on some gillies and get hoofing! So I am giving you a link to my sister if you want more information, would like to place an order for your AG doll loving girl or whatever! My sister is also making solo dresses for real girls! A while ago I posted a picture of the dress she made for my neice - it is truly beautiful a real work of art. As is my niece - who is also a work of art homemade by my sister (well and her DH) and even prettier than the dress! I would love for any of my Irish Dance enthusiasts to give a shout out to my sister and compliment her hard work! I love ya sis!

Post Rabbit Bliss

Welcome Caroline Grace - 8 lbs 14 oz 4/5/07 at 9:54 AM!! Our newest family member and EFP's Cousin.

We had a very quiet holiday weekend. EFP and I were both recovering from the mysterious illness that had us both coughing and choking and in general being miserable. She is still coughing and I am still sick - but we are both on the mend on some level. Since no one was available due in part to aforementioned welcome arrival we decided to skip Easter entirely. It was actually not so bad, though at the last minute I was missing roasted Lamb and Potatos I did not miss the mess or anything else. I also missed our family company - but again we were so under the weather that I really didn't mind being home all day. I started work on another blanket at EFP's request since she was rather upset that the one I have just completed was not for her. :-(

EFP also decided she wanted a purple one - which is ironic since my very first blanket was purple and was originally for her but went to a different baby since our wait was so long and unpredictable. An identical blanket actually got misdirected/taken by the postal service on route to China for a friend. I still have to replace that blanket but as usual I am behind in maki g blankets so I don't know when I will finish up and get back to that one. Too bad it is impossible to knit two at the same time...

I am back at work after travel and sick time... still feel kinda yucky but I have so much to do I really needed to get back into the office. Feeling bad also for the waiting families out there - the news never seems to be good these days. Apparently - only two days of LIDs recieved referrals in this latest batch. At that rate it really will be three years for us. I am REALLY ok with it.. but I know there are some broken hearted and despairing parents. I wish they could know what I know... I was SO one of them while we were waiting and our wait lengthened. I was angry, disbelieving, anxious, afraid and despairing of ever becoming a mother - on this side of things I still can remember how it felt but the fact is that just as all those who went before me had said it really does become a faded memory after you are home and living life with a child. I know that the benefit of adopting again after the first is the feeling of (somewhat) certainlity that this road will end with a child and that the happiness will allow us to separate the bad feelings from the good. I feel this journey in such a different way than it was the first time. I still feel bad for those waiting families and wish they could believe it will all be ok in time. Perhaps the most valuable lesson for me was that patience really is it's own reward. Perhaps I am able to be more patient this time... for EFP's sake and that of our second child, I sincerely hope so!!

WAAAAHHH!!!

I am writing tonight from my hotel room in Austin Texas. I miss my little one so much it is a physical ache. Who knew this would happen? She and her daddy are doing great - so far she asks for me but is able to be distracted. Daycare says she is doing great - had a little melt down when another Mommy arrived and I guess she realized that I had not dropped her off.. it is so hard to be so far away!

I heard a speaker today who introduced herself by saying she had 7 children!! And oddly everyone clapped for her.. me loudest of all because I have one and it is hard to manage being a professional and Mom. She has a successful career and apparently 7 wonderful children and 2 granchildren. Mom is definitely the harder job. In some ways my feminist side says... why do they have to mention the children when presenting a professional women do they routinely do that when introducing impressive men? No - but then I realize that it is a major accomplishment to have both and we all know that many Moms who work do the lion's share of the child and home care so it takes a really amazing woman to do it well and succeed at either. Someday I hope someone introduces me and remembers that I am a Mom... as well as a professional.

But I can't write more - I miss my baby too much. Can not wait to get home and see her little face - give her big hugs. I hope she is not like the cats who prefer to just ignore me when I get home from a trip of this length. Tomorrow I will have a break so I can get a little shopping in.. the shop here at the Hyatt has a ton of Hello K*tty things so I may dive into that. I am trying not to succumb to whatever it is that is kicking me - I skipped the entertainment this evening so I could rest up a bit. What a whimp. But I do not want to get home to just collaps in a heap!!
So that is all the news.. continue to enjoy the pics til I can post some more - I am hoping for some first real haircut pics soon!!