Maran's Comment

While we were making Daddy's birthday presents we were talking and China came up.  Maran said to me
"You and Daddy came to get me".  And I replied  "YES".   I asked her if she remembered it and she said "Yes.... it was nice".

A PROUD MOMENT....

OK so I get an e-mail from our company banker and I gasp.... "OH NO... did I do something wrong? What did I mess up?  I do everything "AUTO" so it gets done  and gets done "RIGHT" so I am just dying while opening the e-mail.  I open it and this is what she says:

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You are not going to believe this. Today I was at Mellow Mushroom for lunch and all of a sudden these 2 gorgeous kids come running in and it was Luke and Maran. I would recognize them anywhere. They are so beautiful and were so happy. Anyway, I thought it was funny that I recognized them.

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A PROUD moment for me --- after I caught my breath!

Here's hoping to the beauty of kids being noticed at any time and any place over the tantrums and unmatched clothes.

Mommy's Birthday Surprise

A few weeks back we hung the birthday flag in honor of Daddy and Mommy's March birthdays. I am always torn about the birthday flag because I LOVE ST PATRICK's Day and LOVE BIRTHDAYS all the same so the St. Pat's flag doesn't get it's fair share of time. Since my day is the 16th and David's is the 30th the St. Pat's flag will fly only on St Pat's day and then we go back to another birthday flag for the rest of the month.


I let Luke pick the flag for the first of the month. He chose MICKEY BIRTHDAY. I then told him that Mommy wanted something for her birthday and had to make sure that daddy knew about it but to not tell Daddy that I asked for it. He then listened to me carefully tell him that I wanted a carrot cake.

Not more than 20 minutes later we get in the car and Luke announces to daddy that he has a secret and he tells me not to listen. He says "Daddy, it's mommy's birthday and she wants a carrot". I start to laugh. I am picturing a CARROT for a bunny to eat and David immediately thinks of a KARAT for a diamond or some type stone. David was very confused as he knows that the rule is to "NEVER EVER" get me jewelry. For those of you who really know me you know why. So David looks at me in question and I explain that I want a 'carrot cake'. He was quite relieved. Big bucks saved for him on that karat I might add.

Maran is SO HAPPY about Mommy's Birthday

Lil' Miss Sassy was SO HAPPY last night about today being my birthday that she HAD to sleep with a birthday card that came in the mail for me. 

I was wondering WHEN she would wake this morning and finally she did.  I walked past her room and she was looking out of her canopy tent and she had the card in her hand.  She immediately jumped up and said "YOUR CARD, YOUR CARD... we can open it now.  I had fun getting it for you". 

I asked her when she got the card and she said that she went to the store and picked it out for me.  When I asked her about mailing it she couldn't explain that part (the card was actually from my sister-in-law Mary who by the way never misses any birthday or holiday card being sent which I think is a GREAT quality).  Here's to guessing that Daddy took Lil' missy to the card store.  How cute it is. 

Pre-K YIPPPEE We were Admitted!

Our long process of 'waiting' is finally over.  Actually compared to adoption it was not a 'long wait' but it felt like it.  Knowing that Mother's Morning out was not going to work for our two next year was quite sad for me.  I love that program and have loved every teacher that Luke has had and the one's that Maran now has. 

Maran is a "DOER".  She is an activity girl and gets bored very easily.  She completes her projects in class and looks at the teacher for more to do.  Her attention span is fine but she is so fast and catches on so quickly that it is often scarey.  She can almost write her entire name and Luke could care less about writing his name.  He is quite fine with just "recognizing his name".  Difference between night and day these two. 

So the process began as to 'what do we do'? There are not a lot of PRE-K options in our school system so we began to go to to open houses and then horrificly gasp at the prices.  NOT SAYING IT ISN'T WORTH IT BUT FOR PRE-K?  You have got to be kidding... only to find out "NOPE, NO KIDDING".  We searched and searched and soul searched and wallet searched and finally narrowed it down between some wonderful opportunities at the JCC (Jewish Community Center where we do belong even though we are not Jewish and we absolutley LOVE belonging there) and the Catholic School System.  Both offered so many things and were equally wonderful.  So David went to visit the school and we decided that both Luke and Maran will go to Catholic Pre-K next year.  We are excited, anxious, nervous and everything else.  Time is going by fast and we want to do all we can to make sure we give them the best education possible.  (I AM NOT SAYING THIS CAN ONLY BE DONE IN A PRIVATE SETTING so please don't get me wrong).  Sad thing is that we have a wonderful elementary school across the street from our house... but no Pre-K). 

So here's to growing up and paying tuition that feels like a college tuition bill... BUT WORTH EVERY PENNY I am sure.

Lukes Asks "Mommy why is my skin a Different Color and why does Maran speak like she does"......

Driving down the road we can get into some crazy conversations. I try to talk to Luke and Maran when we are in the car. At times we do have the video on or we listen to Thomas Music, Chinese Lullabies or the soundtrack from Toy Story (which is pretty good by the way).

Luke asked why Maran spoke differently. I told him that she was a girl and that she is still learning English (oh and you can hardly tell the child has not been speaking English for years -- 4 months and she is Not BEHIND).....but this is about Mr. Snickerdoodle so back to the story. He then said "Mommy why is my skin a different color?" I told him that his skin was a little darker because he is from Guatemala. He then said "Yes and Maran is from China and so her skin is different". I then said that my skin was a different color because I am from America. He then asked where Daddy was from. I said "America like mommy". I told him that it didn't matter what color his skin was or anyone else's because the color of your skin is not an issue. He said, "Yes mommy you are right and you and God loves me anyway". Wow................at a loss for words.... I guess some things you say do stay with them (at least for a while).