BOTH!

Today is my first day without the two greatest things since sliced bread. Mary Beth and Anna. In a moment of what I now know was total stupidity I said they could go on vacation to see their Aunt Paige. What was I thinking! They will be gone 10 days and I miss them like crazy already.

It is a good time to admit that if I didn't have the two most amazing daughters ever this adoption thing would never have happened. From the day they caught me looking at adoption sites on line to the moment we asked them if we could adopt the twins to the day they told me they didn't need extra allowance for watching their siblings, these two young ladies have been nothing short of amazing.

So for 10 days the eccentric genius and I will have to make do. It is brave to let go of your children but truly through the course of parenthood it is a recurrent theme. They deserve this break and will enjoy it completely and I will have new appreciation for them.

10 days and counting.

A Leap of Faith is always a brave thing!

I can't tell you how many Sundays I have spent over the last 4 years kneeling in a church and praying that God would bring myHaiti baby home. Often if the sermon got long or I was feeling particularly hopeful I would day dream about the coming day when I would plan and celebrate the baptism of my darling Vialancia. The twins weren't often in these daydreams because quite honestly that just all happened too fast.

Well, Sunday was the day for the long dreamed of baptism a

nd it

didn't disappoint. Personally I feel that a place of worship and a sense of faith is necessary. I completely agree that it seems at best abstract and at worst, well crazy, but there it is. I was raised Catholic and I guess maybe I am just lazy to get out there and choose my own church, but this one works for me. I like having a religion that allows me to pray to a fellow mother. (Brave or Stupid, think about the leap Mary took!) I digress, and in my life there isn't time for digressing.

So we walked to St. John the Baptist Church with the Hogans. All 15 of us. Me secretly praying intensely that the twins make it through mass. (This is the stupid part! Mass for an hour and then their baptism. I wouldn't need to hit the gym for a week)

But what do you know? The twins were good!

Father Bob did a great job of dealing with 18 kids and 9 adults in attendance at the font! And 90 minutes later, 3 new Catholics. It was a wonderful moment. This is the brave part of the day. Signing your children up for YOUR leap of faith is rather a big step. I hope that it is one that all 5 of my lovelies will find peace with as they grow up.

On to the stupid part: the open house. My dearest husband, shall we call him 'the eccentric genius', and I decided to use the occasion to thank our friends and family. A large open house that served desserts and asked guests NOT to bring gifts. The guest list grew and grew and grew. Food was added to the menu. The grocery list grew and grew and grew. The Hogans came to stay. The list of things to do grew and grew and grew. The time to get things done well, that didn't grow and grow and grow. How does one prepare a house and yard for a major event when 15 people are present at all times?

Nevertheless, the party happened and it was just as lovely as the baptism.

At the end of the day child #3 and I were snuggling down for the night and I asked her what her favorite parts of the day were. She responded: my baptism because it was a really really good baptism. And also having Jodi, Carmen and Mrs Mayo in my house.

While I agree with her assessment, it was a really really good baptism, my favorite part was probably the red wine after it was all over!

15 folks in one house...

The title alone sounds stupid right?

Chaos descended on the bungalow today in the form of our dear friends from Michigan, all 8 of them. I never thought my family would approach the size of theirs, but well, it has. They were the first family we told about our adoption plans, Thomas has been there the morning after the birth of 3 of their children and no one has seen us at our best or worst more.

The fact that they have 4 cleat wearing, couch jumping, weapon making boys is just par for the course.

Adding 2 toddlers and a 5 year old to my world seems to have made me handle the addition of their family to my humble abode a bit better.

Lessons of the day:

1. You know craziness is coming when before 8 in the morning you hear, 'Hey dad, I need a weapon!'

2. There is a real sweetness when your 5 year old daughter asks your best friend's 5 year old son to dance and he pretends to be really interested in the movie.

3. 11 kids in one small house smell.

There is beauty and bravery and most of all love in my house tonight. And I am happy.

Diaper Changing 101

As the mother of girls for 13 years diaper changing has always been pretty uneventful. Adding a boy to the mix, well that changed things. (Jean Jean will be glad to know that photos don't exist of the worst issues) Boys it seems have unlimited interest in all body parts, but most especially their own. If you are hurrying this kind of 'interest' can really slow things up.

So, why not give the poor boy something to play with that doesn't involve the area you are currently working on...why indeed? Brave or Stupid? Well, this first entry totally illustrates stupid. Cute kid, but stupid move Mom!