life

these days are flying by.  so. very. fast.  might be time to post a few recent pictures of our daily happenings.  just regular life.  nothing super wild or riveting, but so satisfying still.  below are my three precious sons, before a movie night in the family room

AJ and Joelle, all studious and cute lookin' as they play around with the camera...

AJ's first cream puffs, on Daddy's birthday...he drifted off into a zone, determined to gobble as quickly as possible in case mommy changed her mind and decided he really shouldn't be consuming the sweet whipping cream.  well, he shouldn't have been, but it was a party, after all.  he loved it!!

apparently a fan, just like his dad...

more food shots.  this time porridge. way less exciting, but a meal he still really enjoys.  there is something about feeding this kid, as i think i mentioned before, that creates such joy for me as i observe him.  i guess it's because i wonder how often he ever felt full in his first few years of life.  he comes to me in the mornings, while we get ready or just prior to breakfast and looks up with longing eyes and says "mom, AJ hungry"  or "mom, AJ eat?"  makes me want to drop everything and get the kid fed...i'm convinced the regular provision of food does great things to forge a secure bond and build trust.  we're so blessed here in North America to never be left wanting.  to eat until our bodies are nourished and satiated.  what a gift...

our family is in the thick of wrestling season.  here, AJ posing with his strong brother Adam at a recent tournament. 

storytime.  and a rare moment where jeff caught me on camera.  i'm not often on this side of the lens, but i suppose it is good to be, once and a while.  so the little angels can look back someday and remember their much younger mother.  and no, i'm not supermom.  i don't read to them as often as i should or would like to.  even though it is one of my favourite things.  regardless, this was a special moment which is always worth recording.

milk chocolate and dark chocolate.  love these hands....

more soon...

ATV!!!!!

guess what the topic of choice has been around here this week.....

"Uncle Joe.....ATV.....fast!!!!"

"Uncle Joe....AJ.....coat on......ATV!!"

"Uncle Joe....ATV.....vrooooommmm......again??"

AJ he may not have fully formed complete sentences yet, but there's no missing what he's communicating around here these days....check out the complete amazement in those eyes.  it's like he's thinking "am i dreaming?  did that really just happen?!?"

march madness

yes....it's that time of year again.  march break and the ensuing march madness.  while we are a family that enjoys basketball, and while all eight of us have filled out our march madness brackets for the NCAA tournaments (well, as you can imagine, AJ needed a little help) for our own family competition, this isn't the madness i'm referring to. 
rather, the five days tucked in the middle of march that are wide open for creative possibilities (for a not-very-creative-mom~ don't act surprised by that!!).  five days with my six little peeps all home, under my care and basking in the glow of sibling harmony and unstructured play....ahem....sort of....
actually, in all honesty there are occasions of momentary panic for me leading up to the annual break from school and routine.  thankfully, it's one of those things that i've learned i tend to fear more than i need to.  this year, as in the most recent years, i start scheming and planning early.  best way to survive and enjoy it.  Monday was a perfect day for my oldest and i to escape stateside for some much needed shopping.  graduation is coming (how did that happen??)!!  it was awesome to have the time, just the two of us, to do some dress shopping.  i love my Joelle so much, and her personality shines through so clearly on days like Monday.  it was a success, and i hope she enjoyed it as much as i did.  Tuesday i'd been planning some playdates for three of the kids (why not?!) so there was added excitement here for sure.  lunch~ one big box of bagel bites, pb&j sandwiches, a few oranges and pears, yogurt and they were good to go, off and running,  in and out.  i looked at the nine sitting at my table (what did i ever do without those amazing benches, dad??) and had a moment of silence for the Duggar family.  how do they stay sane manage???  anyway, i digress....the weather has gotten progressively warmer this week, so the inside madness has reduced some as the energy has shifted outdoors.  so happy for sunny days and rain boots for puddles and trampolines and bikes.  (AJ has discovered the warmer world outside the walls of our home.  his new love affair with the outdoors will require an entire post of its own~ but it is super cute, except for the meltdown when he's brought back inside)  Wednesday was a trip to a local bookstore with a gift card (thanks Judy! :)) and the fun opportunity for the kids to choose a new book from the many shelves of enticing stories.  they really took it seriously and a few were so torn.  finally decisions were made, we left and all seemed pleased with their choices.  AJ was a little too friendly there, and it served as another reminder of the attachment that has yet to form.  Hannah and Adam finished their novels same day, and there's even been some book swapping.  there's also been much sorting of clothes this week as we switch closets and dressers over to spring/summer from fall/winter.  i need the little people here to check sizing, etc...so that's been productive.  today, a birthday party, sleepovers, games with grandma etc...Friday is coming, and the week has flown by.  we've survived eachother's presence, and even enjoyed it overall!  i love that spring is showing itself now, and that soon the heaping, endless, massive piles of snow from winter 2010/11 will be but a distant memory...
yes, march does include some madness, no denying it.  but i'll never forget what my pediatric nursing teacher used to tell me back in my early clinical days.  she was talking about having children, and referring to her own.  she always said "when the time comes, consciously enjoy it, always remember to enjoy it....it goes so fast"  i do try to remember this, yet definitely am not always successful at capturing the joy when i should.  it's a lot of juggling and a certain amount must get done to keep the ship afloat, however, i am thankful beyond words for this crew of mine.  no doubt the madness will extend beyond march.  i say "BRING IT!!!"

AJ, carrots, airplane and "makeenah" interview, by Joelle

i gave Joelle the task of interviewing her brother to attempt to display his vast vocabulary.  this is no easy task.  i know, i've tried.  AJ is very into watching the recording playback on the video camera, so it's difficult to get him to sit and converse.  she did a pretty great job.  he's so into "things that go", still, so she tried the airplane and car approach (and yes, daddy's car was broken, but isn't any more.  for now at least :) apparently the trip to the garage made a large impact).  his favourite topics, for sure.  i love the close up, the glasses, the sounds of him crunching carrots, and his obvious interest in the ceiling fan overhead.  too cute...

blog apologies and point form style

i love that i now have a record of the many events and feelings that marked our journey to AJ (formerly known by us as Zake).  as i've mentioned before, my memory has become sketchy, at best, so to have these early days recorded to some extent will prove to be such a gift as time passes and details become blurred.  so glad i did this for AJ's sake. 
as any remaining readers have noticed, however, my blogging is slowing down some as life has picked up speed.  so understandable and expected.  i apologize for my blogging neglect.  but hey, it's just a blog, right?  better to keep my family clothed and fed than obsessing over my lack of regular posts.  i know, i know...
as you probably can surmise, my lack of blog material is not due to a true lack of blog material.  you following this?  i mean, on any given day there are three possible blog topics whirling in my brain that may be worth typing out.  but time simply doesn't permit.  and i'm not sacrificing my sleep, thank-you-very-much....it's not like this is a paid venture for me (still waiting :) ).
there are so many humourous or frustrating or endearing or crazy things to share~ sometimes within the span of two hours.  at any rate, this is why i appear this evening with my first ever blog post in point form.  i'll try not to make a habit of it.
~ first and foremost, my heart is heavy tonight for the entire adoption programme in Ethiopia.  to put it simply, the latest word is that international adoptions from Eth. are going to be drastically reduced starting tomorrow.  I ache, literally ache, when i consider the implications this MOWA (Ministry of Women's Affairs) decision will have on the many kids there in country.  those already in the initial phases of the adoption process that will see their wait for a family be dramatically increased, as well as their time institutionalized. and those not yet in an orphanage, but needing family nonetheless. even more, i ache for families i know of that have endured years of this adoption rollercoaster and are facing yet another bump in the road, that quite honestly must feel impassable some days.  you know who you are, and all i can offer is that i am praying.  this latest ruling hasn't surprised God.  not one bit.  i'm with you and will continue to dream of the day that your hope is realized...
~ok, that last "point" was long.  i'll work on that. 
~today was AJ's first trip to the dentist.  hopefully someday i'll get over the guilt of leaving the camera behind at home.  the very camera that was sitting out, by my purse, for the purpose of bringing to the appointment.  yep.  it's true.  anyway, AJ was a champ.  enthralled by the chair, the massive sunglasses the hygienist put on him, and the new toothbrush with an actual picture of a "makeenah" on it.  his teeth look really good we're told, which came as a bit of a surprise and brought welcomed relief.  some of the children are coming home to North America with lots of dental issues.  she also noted that he has space between his baby teeth, which might actually mean that child #6 is the first one to not present with massive spacing issues anticipated once adult teeth move in!  one for six is our record.  not great, but we're thankful still.
~AJ's spleen is also reportedly a centimetre smaller than on previous assessment.  this is good.  we will, however, be seeing a specialist to get some further advice around this topic.  the doctor was pleased this week with AJ's overall health and development since being home.  he has gained a bit more than two pounds in two months, and his language is growing a startling amount every week. 
~Jeff was commenting on the funny things AJ already knows.  he can look at all five of his sibling's lunch bags and tell you who they belong to, without hesitation.  just odd, random facts that he's retaining simply by living in this house.  he hears the garage door open at suppertime and says "dad's home" like all the other kids do.  they race to be the first one to say it.  he hears the doorbell ring and without even looking says "Nick's here".  Nick is our dear neighbour friend that comes over often to play with the kids.  it's quite adorable to see how his mind works and how real the "sponge theory" actually is.
~AJ is more eager than ever to wrestle.  last week the kids were rumbling on the family room floor.  coffee table pushed aside, cushions blocking the brick hearth, and there's AJ~ just so eager to be in the mix.  he had on a swimsuit we'd been given by friends who passed it down to us when their son outgrew it.  it's a full wet-suit style design with a zipper up the front.  just regular fabric, but the style really does resemble a bit of a wrestling singlet/wet-suit combination.  well, this delighted AJ...he was zipping around in that suit with such joy.  it looks adorable on him with his big round belly protruding.
~the update on Jonas is that we have no official update yet.  i did learn today that Eyob is out of town and we will hear more when he returns. 
there's the latest.  more pictures soon! :)

to my grandma and grandpa in the sunny south

hey grandma and grandpa!  seen any flowers like this yet?

are you nearly as brown as me??  get home quick so my brother and i don't look like the only ones with a pulse around here....

can't wait to see you again soon...me and my dimples will be waiting!  hugs and kisses too!

AJ