Seasons are starting to change

I am starting to see the changes in seasons this weekend. And as I notice less crickets cherping or the faded green in the trees, I reflect on an amazing summer. It is something that was at times hard to see because I was so involved in it. You some times get drug down with the mundane actions such as doing laundry or rushing from one activity to another and later realize it is gone. But gone it is not. It is a memory I hope to always treasure. It started with my commitment to spend time with my family this summer, which I will never regret and will always love Joe for supporting me in doing, to completing our family with Nathaniel. An amazing trip to Korea, filled with fear, quickly turned into a love of the country, it's people and my son. A summer watching my children play and love as if they had always known one another, as if God had said it in a story and it was done. Why I couldn't see it before makes me wonder. A summer of tears for our dog Aussie who was told she had a short time to live due to cancer, has lead to a dog who faithfully carries on and wants to join in, bless you my sweet dog, who knew how much I would grow to love you. A summer filled with making pancakes, swimming at the Y (Aba swam for the first time without any type of saftey gear), playing at the park, playing with friends, blowing bubbles, riding bikes and yes doing housework. It was a summer of reconnecting. Abigail has reached out to her foster family and birth family through a translator in Guatemala who I consider a friend and hope to some day meet. I reached out to old friends, who I had thought about for years, and now can talk to anytime. It has also been difficult at times, teething and sleepless nights with Nate, my grandmother not knowing me, Abigail having 4 year old moments. But all of those seem small, fleeting. I will remember first tooth, pulling up, Abigail spelling her name, camping out, Joe's shows, kisses, tears of joy and most of all a completeness. Abigail asked me yesterday what I always wanted when I was a little girl. And the truth was, you could not have ever bought it in a store. I wanted 2 things, a happy family, the kind that dealt with challenges as a team and celebrated joy as one as well. I also wanted a neighborhood, where neighbors walked and waved. Where if you saw someone you knew, they reached out and gave you a hug. This summer I realized I got my wish. It may have been 27 years after I first wished it, but I have it. And it is not just because I wished it but because of all the love and support of the people who have reached into my life. Thank you all. For now, I am ready for fall, a new season lies ahead, filled with pumpkins, leaves, and the smell of wood burning. I can't wait!

Reconnecting

It has been a week of reconnecting. We sent Abigail's letters to Guatemala last week. I hope they arrive. No news yet. I am nervous. Some things she asked me to write made me smile but others broke my heart, for example when she asked me to write to her birth mother, "Do you miss me?". We will wait and see. I know mail is easily lost or slow there. Nate has been very connected to me this week. I hear Oma often as I here him crawling. All he wants is Oma and to stand. I can't help it I love it. We also put up a gate at the bottom of the stairs after he figured out how to climb under and over the blockaides we had made. I have kept the kids busy visiting friends. First friends in Shelby, today we went to the park, the rest of the week includes parade and the baseball game, all with friends. I also heard from old friends I had missed. It seems they come just at the right time. So thank you all for the phone calls and messages. I have decided it is important to stay connected. It is hard to admit some friendships were nourished or were left but it is good to reconnect. You remind yourself of the great parts of yourself, friends and life. Maybe regaining those. So I am continuing to stay connected, reconnect and make new friends (this is for a shy person when most people think you are an extravert). It is my new mission for me and my family.

So much to say

It has been a few weeks since I posted, but granted we have 2 kids, it is summer and we are busy. In the last few weeks Abigail went camping alone with daddy, which she loved. Joe had a show at the Furniture Mart and the Mast General Store and his students portfolio show. I had a week long stomach virus. Abigail had her gotcha day. And Nate, well he is cruising, saying words and getting into things (love it!). And all this is just a touch of things. Summer is quickly passing us by, so I try to play outside with the kids of do something fun daily. Soon Abigail will be back to Moms morning out and it will just be me and Nate. She is such a huge help. For her gotcha day she asked to spend time with friends and then a dinner with us. So she went to paint pottery with friends and then we took her out for Japanese (her choice) and gave her a charm bracelet. It had a heart on it. We plan on adding charms each year and during special events. She shared to things. She wants to write her birth mom and she likes being called Abbey. I started trying to get in touch with the agency but it has dissolved and no one returned calls. I emailed the attorney's assistant in Guatemala but no response (I found out she has left). Thank goodness a friend of ours had a friend with the translator's contact who I then emailed. He shared he would take it to another guy who could get it to them. She drew a picture of our family and told me what to write. As I am writing she asks the question: "Why did she give me away?" She says this with tears in her eyes. I try to explain she loved her and knew we needed a little girl and she wanted her to have a wonderful home. But as we talked I knew this was just a start. I need better answers til she gets older. I wonder if she will write back? Nate has been great. He has grown. Now 9 months old he weighs 21 pounds 14 ounces and is 27.75 inches tall. Short and chubby. I love it. The kids play and giggle. He has a great spirit. He loves being told ehn ehn, which means no it will hurt you. He squeals. He says Dada, Mama, Aba, Bye, Hi, dog and last night noooo. Joe was trying to feed him garden vegi baby food and he made a yuck face. Joe tried another bite and he yelled Nooooo! It stopped us all and we had a good laugh. He knows what he wants. Tonight we celebrate my grandfather's birthday and I realize each day with my family is precious. So laundry may not be put away or dishes wait a day but family moments are forever. Til next time.