This Is Why It's Hard To Go From 2 Kids To 3!

Three different personalities, three different moods, three different likes and dislikes. And only one of me. Some days are more freaky challenging than others. I think this photo sums up my fears of having any more kids.

Back and Rested
We had a wonderful time and I highly recommend San Antonio to anyone looking for a fun city to visit. Even though it has been pretty mild in Colorado, it was balmy in Texas--downright hot on one afternoon. I survived the dreaded plane ride. Our trip there was horrible. Even David--veteran traveler and easy, breezy flyer said, "That flight was awful!" Felt like we were flying through a tornado. The flight back was better. Did I miss the kids? Yep. Did I miss cooking and laundry and giving time-outs and reminders to flush the potty, etc... Not one bit. Here are a few pics from our trip.

We took a day to drive down to the Gulf of Mexico and see the water and sand. We no sooner stepped on the beach (just after high tide) and saw lots of blue "balloon like" items all over. It had just been spring break, so the first words out of my mouth were, "Look at all the condoms!" David, laughing politely, said, "Uh... those are jellyfish."


Windy and warm... but so lovely.


Part of the San Antonio river walk. Absolutely amazing. We ate very well and just relaxed. We waited quite a while for the woman in the yellow shirt to get out of the picture, but gave up.



He looks eager, doesn't he?



In the room of our bed and breakfast.



The exterioir of our bed and breakfast. We were staying a mile outside of downtown, so it wasn't as expensive as a hotel, but we were in this amazing old neighborhood full of mansions. Really swanky mansions that we desperately wanted to move into.



One night we actually went to a movie! We hardly do that anymore these days. We stopped at a candy store and loaded up bags and bags of sugar! With no kids around, it seemed perfectly sinful to have licorice and chocolate for dinner.



No photos allowed inside the Alamo, so we took this spy shot when no one was looking.



Here's me, attempting to show some Texas pride outside the Alamo, but really I think I was still loopy on my airplane drugs.


Me and my honey. Happy 12 year anniversary, babe!

*Disclaimer: These photos and vacation would not be possible without the great sacrifice of Nana, who watched our children for many, many hours. We are forever indebted to her.

All the chicks are asleep in their beds. I did a record 37,000 loads of laundry today. The house is sparkling clean (neurotic--I know, since I'm leaving them for 3 days with Nana!), the pantry is bursting with goodies (food therapy for them) and I am quite exhausted. I just need to pack--shorts, t-shirts and flip flops... my kind of trip--and I can crawl into bed and lie there nervously, anxiously glancing at the clock, counting down the hours till I board a death tube with wings and separate myself from my kids by hundreds and hundreds of miles. Jolly good fun!

Once I get there, I know I will be fine. I can't wait to take a nap and feel the warm air on my skin. Toodles.

BOO HOOOOO!


Pass the tissues, please. Nothing says weeping and crying like writing your will. Honestly, between the medication I need to take to calm myself enough to get on an airplane, and updating my will so that my children don't become wards of the state, going on a 3 day trip with my hubby is about as fun as a colonoscopy. I just finished leaving my three precious children to the written care of my mom should I die in a fiery plane crash or severe car wreck. So fabulous. I also had to declare should anything happen to my mom, that my brother take over responsibilities. It just gets more and more nightmarish.

Meanwhile, I look at my three beautiful kiddos and every wrong they have ever done, every bad choice or stupid behavior is suddenly forgotten. They're angels. Perfect angels. And yet every bad mothering moment I've ever had is suddenly in the forefront of my mind. I am convinced I'm the worst mother in the world--and while I'm gone my kids will only remember my bad moments. So even though we leave on our trip in two days, I am in utter agony here. What a fun traveling companion I'll be!

Darling Lily,

Who taught you how to look as if you're attending a heavy metal concert? Where is my sweet girl? And Zinabu, quit trying to stick your face in all the pictures.

Thank goodness only 3 days till I leave for San Antonio.

Our first year with Z is coming to a close. A year ago right now we were anxiously waiting to travel, and the end of April will mark our one year anniversary of his arrival in America. So Z has experienced just about all you can experience as a 4 year old in the United States. Summer, camping, birthdays, Christmas, Valentine's Day.... all have come and gone and left Zinabu with lots to talk about.

Easter is approaching, and yesterday I was at the mall with Z when he spied the photo-op with the Easter Bunny. He smiled and watched, but I was looking at the scene through Zinabu's eyes. A grown person, dressed up as a bunny, plastic eggs, candy. What a crazy world we live in. I tried to explain the Easter Bunny, and that we're not so big on him at our house. Z was quiet for a minute, and then--with a big frown--asked, "But why don't people call him the Easter Rabbit?"

Exactly.

Calling all kids who like to dress up.... come play with me!

Recently Overheard

Zinabu: "Lily, I can't play with you today because you are a girl."

Lily: "So?"

Zinabu: "Well, boys need to play with boys--not girls."

Lily: "Zinabu, be quiet. Your're giving me a headache."


It must be Monday.

Just in case you had to do some shopping today... Consider a RED product.

This Just In!

Smearing Applying Cinderella make-up all over your face does make you feel better when you have an ear infection.

Dear Mrs. Baker and Chandra,

Just a note to let you know I am so excited for you BOTH! You are so close to your trips to Ethiopia and meeting your boys for the first time. I feel giddy every time I think of you. It brings back all the jittery excitement of our days and weeks leading up to Zinabu coming to us. How precious it is for me to be able to read your journeys. Congratulations.

Love,

Cathy

ps--Mrs. Baker, you astound me! I have no clue how to list 100 things about myself.

Deep Adoption Discussion

Obviously, our 3 kids have different backgrounds and different events that led them to us. We try to be sensitive to each child's questions, based on how old they are and how much they can actually process at any given time. We are easing into these talks with Z. He really can't remember Ethiopia at all, so it's important that we tread this ground with patience and consistency. I try to drop bits and pieces of Ethiopia into our everyday conversations, so that it's always there--always easy to talk about--always flowing. So tonight's conversation was especially funny. I tucked him into bed and read him the Bible story of Abraham and Sarah praying for a son.

Me: "They had to wait a long time for a son."

Z: "Yeah."

Me: "I prayed for you for a long time too. It was hard to wait, but I'm so glad you're in our family now."

Z: "Moooooooom (drawn out like duh, lady), I had to stay in Ethiopia because I was eating breakfast!"

Me: "It took a long time for you to come to America because you were eating breakfast?"

Z: "Yes!" (accompanied by dramatic eye roll)

Once again, it's all about the food with him.

Yee Haw!

David and I are planning a TRIP! By ourselves. For 3 nights. I can hardly stand it. It's been 2 years since we were able to sneak away for a night, so this is a much needed getaway. My beloved mother, queen of the universe, is going to take care of the kids so we can disappear. We're kickin' our feet up and heading to San Antonio, Texas. Neither one of us has cowboy boots, but the picture is appropriate, don't you think?

Why San Antonio? It's warm, it's not too far, and has lots to do. Other than the fact that I hate to fly (seriously, no exaggerations here) I can hardly wait. I usually need to be pretty drugged up to get on a plane, and then I spend the rest of the day trying to shake off the floaty, sleepy feeling in my brain. We've never left Zinabu before, but he probably won't even notice we're gone. Not with his beloved Set Ayat (Nana) around. I can hardly wait!

AAARRRRGH!

Zinabu: "Ahoy, meteors!"

Me: "What?"

Zinabu: "Ahoy, METEORS!"

Me: "It's mateys. Ahoy, mateys."

He's in dress-up mode today. We attacked the grocery store as a Power Ranger, and now he is trying to rip the stuffing out of my couch with a plastic hook. But he's deliriously happy.

Okay, in a perfect world this would be me. But, alas, it's not. We've had a full but lovely weekend, and here we are at Sunday night--facing the week ahead. I really hate Sunday nights. David's weeks are beyond busy, and the kids are always a little down about school tomorrow. Z, of course, is mad that his brother and sister won't be around to play with in the morning. And all I have to show for today is several loads of laundry washed and put away. Perhaps eating a huge slab of chocolate isn't something to "check off" your list of things accomplished over a weekend, but I think it would make me a tad happier.