January

 I'm wrapping up our January birthdays by taking cup-cakes to Tori's class tomorrow. We then do not have a birthday until Ben's in March; there are only a few months that we get a birthday break and February is one of them. (Which is good because my budget hasn't recovered from Christmas in time for January birthdays.) 

I knew that having a two year old again was going to be a very short phase. I love two year olds and I was blessed to have one for three months before she turned three. Thankfully, she is still just as cute as before her birthday.

We finally got some information from the adoption agency in Ethiopia about Brooke. Since we had been home three months and still heard nothing, I thought I better check into it. Turns out that our info. was that there is still no info. Seven months after requesting to adopt her, the city court she is in still has not completed a "packet" making her available for adoption. There is nothing our agency can do before she is available for adoption. I feel so bad for her, it's been a long seven months already and her best friend just came to America last week. I hope she believes that it isn't because we aren't doing our part. We will as fast as we are able! As soon as there is a packet, the process should be quick since she has no living relatives and we already have her sister. We are about to run into paperwork that is going to expire, however, and that will be a major pain.

 Adoption isn't for the weak I tell you.

Selah's New Smile

 Here's a before shot of Selah's smile -

And here's a picture of the new smile. There is a lot of silver with a big smile, but we really only see the white when she talks. Hopefully, her permanent teeth will all come in pretty and white.

Selah feels great and went to Tori and Julia's first soccer game today. Tori played goalie half the game.

And Julia ran and ran. It was fun to watch them and listen to Selah and Bella yell, "Go, Tori" and "Go Julia".

Bella's First Birthday (3!) and First Snow

 Thank you, Blogger, for finally fixing the picture down load ability. Yesterday was Bella's 3rd birthday, but definately the first celebrated one. Since Tori's birthday was only three days before, she knew all too well that birthdays are worth getting excited about. So did Selah, who couldn't quite understand why Bella would get a birthday without her. Selah's English is amazing after less than three months home; several times during the day she would say, "Daddy, Selah's birthday tomorrow?" Dad would reply, "it's a little bit" and she would sigh, "Oh, Daddy...tomorrow!" In the end, she got a present too and all was well in the world until Bella opened a present from Geema and she didn't have one from Geema. She's a smart little girl.

We began birthday morning with do-nuts since Bella loves do-nuts!

Since I had to take James and Ben to Richmond in the afternoon, poor Bella had to wait all day for her "cuppy-cakes". I think the wait was a bit tough on her.

She liked everyone singing to her and knew right away that she was supposed to blow out the candles.

For a little girl that can take a full hour to eat a bowl of cereal or piece of bread, she ate TWO cup-cakes and a scoop of ice-cream in record time. She likes her sugar!

 Presents were simple. She loves puzzles and plastic jewelry!

 Today, the girls got to experience their first snow. They both loved it and had a great time.

We really need to clear a sledding path into the woods; the kids are currently flying down the hill dodging trees.

I'm thankful the snow hit today - I was in Richmond the last two days and tomorrow I'm back in Richmond for Selah's dental surgery. She is getting everything in her little mouth capped!

Happy Birthday Tori

We are happily celebrating Tori's 8th birthday today. She is going to have a party with Bella next Sunday, but we are having a family celebration today starting with a stop for donuts after church. Let me tell you, for some crazy reason I have noticed that people seem to just watch us when we are out in public; today was no exception. Maybe it's just due to the cute faces that I'm privileged to mother.

Happy Birthday, Tori 

Bella has decided that Tori is her big buddy. She is so happy when Tori comes home from school and she grants Tori the privilege of carrying her around to play. 

Saki Saki with Drums

I'm having a terrible time with Blogger, but I thought you might be missing Saki Saki, so here
is a version with drums. I think it's funny how Selah kind of grants Bella and Elijah a solo at the end.

Saki Saki with Drums

Since Playlist magically reappeared, you have to pause the music at the bottom first.

Day Trip

We took a last minute day trip to the mountains on Sunday. It was cold and rainy on the way up, but became clear and warmer like the weather promised. Selah and Bella both love to go bye-bye and since we left early, they both slept all the way home in the afternoon.

We stopped for a picnic at a park; Bella can pump her legs on the swing - that seems pretty brilliant to me for not quite three!

They did have two swings at the transition home in Ethiopia, so Selah is an old pro.

Elijah was the only one that wanted to stop for a quick picture.

I assure you that they were excited about a picnic, but from the looks of this picture, you would have thought we were in line for shots instead. I guess that's why you are supposed to tell kids to say cheese.

Decent picture or not, we had a nice "very mini vacation".

Now I'm on to cleaning out the school room and the office...those are pictures you wouldn't want to see!

 

                                               Jenny

                                                    

Computers, Blogger and Richmond

I appreciate the feedback about the Blogger issues. I have not "fixed" any issues, but tried to download this picture on the children's school computer and it worked like mine used to. Go figure. The problem is that I store my pictures on my computer and need Blogger to let me use them. 

Speaking of computers, our lap-top is in the repair shop for a stuck disk and our desk top repeatedly acts like it has a virus and won't load although we have run tests over and over that don't reveal anything. It may need a trip to Best Buy as well.  Since only one of our two school computers is working, we are operating at a quarter and there is serious demand for that computer.

The happy news is that I have moved forward in technology and replaced my cell phone that doesn't type "c's" with a smart phone. I am looking forward to the scheduling ability as well as being able to get online the many hours I spend sitting in doctor's offices. I stand a better change at intelligent blogger there than my climate at home!

Alyssa, Selah and I spent about four hours at the hospital yesterday for Selah's dental surgery pre-screening. It was my second medical trip to Richmond for the week - I then have two next week and three the week after. I postponed Tori's appointment in Baltimore for the same week.  While Richmond is really only an hour and 15 minutes away, once I park and wait for hours, it is typically an all day event. It will help to get past Selah's surgery in two weeks. 

My friend, Wendy, knit the girls these super cute owl hats. The other cool thing is that Selah's pink coat was once Julia's; Julia wears a matching green one that was Tori's. My friend gave me a coat for Bella and it happened to be the same Kohl's coat that matches the other two girls. I have a thing for them coordinating - I'd still coordinate James and Ben if they would go for it.