Spring Time in the Rockies

We finally got some much needed precip. On Thursday we got 12" of the white stuff. Of course, Dennis enjoyed teaching Francine about snow and Jeeps. 

Big Day

Another day done with activities and visits.  A visit from our case worker, all good there- we completed our legal petition paperwork too.  Neighbors and friends stopping in, while we transformed the basement mid-remodel zone into something pleasant for family members to inhabit over the weekend.

Cold weather blew in over the last couple of days, but we went for a walk anyway- Francine seems to like "the weather" just as much as me (and what Shannon has learned to appreciate, a little reluctantly at first).

Thanks to everyone for their well wishes across the variety of communication and social networks!

She's Getting Chubby : )

No photo today. Soon. 

But we went to the Dr. today and she said Francine is looking great! She has gained a bunch of weight and is up to 6 pounds and 11 ounces! She is packing it on! She is super healthy.  

She also went to the grocery store for her first time.  Napping well, eating well, getting stronger. Being generally cute and sweet : ) 

  

Little family photo! 

  

Everyone keeps asking how the cats are doing....they seem to enjoy the Gymini love. 

   

We took Francine to the plant nursery on her second outing! Didn't buy too much, this time.  

   

Nolan and Joanna came over for a visit. Nolan and Dennis went out did a little skate boarding, without Francine!! 

2nd Day at Home

Today was another good day. Dennis surfed while holding his daughter --hmm does that count as kiddo's screen time? We visited with friend Bob, then neighbors Betty and Karen and two of her sons.  We took an outing to the post office and Target. We opened presents from both of our sisters!!! We watched the amazing Dunstan baby video - fascinating, Neh, eh and Owh. 

And we had a BATH!  She is a clean Francine!!! She's a good eater, good sleeper and she likes imitating me by sticking out her tongue after I stick out mine.  Tooooo cute!

First Full Day at Home

So to backtrack a little, Monday morning around 10am, we got "the call." Our agency had a little one who was looking for a forever family.  So we got more details and we were excited to meet the agency at 9:30 the next morning.  We left work (work?? at a time like this?) went home and made last minute preparations. For me, that was a little laundry, gathering baby gear. For Dennis, that meant finishing the guest room renovation!!

At the meeting, we heard more about the little girl and her amazing birthmom who made a really tough choice in the best interest of this little kiddo. We said YEP she's for us! Then we went to meet the little munchkin at 1:00. The little video is from right before we met her for the very first time.  Cradle care folks Jane and Kevin and their kids Lauren and Jackson had been doing a great job keeping this little sweetie happy and healthy for almost three weeks.  What an amazing thing they do. This is me and Jane and Francine!

 She's home now and doing great! Eating like a champ, cute as a button. More later!

Francine is home!

Our little one is home and settling in- fed, changed and hanging with
Shannon in a sunbeam.

Hey Kid!

We hung up your cute wall-hanging today. So it's ready for ya. 

Right now, Jackson thinks the changing table is his special kitty bed.  

You'd better show up and set him straight.

Letting go

Do we plan a family vacation for July that has us all sleeping in tents? Or, will we have a newborn then and therefore we should try for a rental house? Or will we need to call the whole thing off at the last minute? 

Do I go to a museum conference in May?

Do we start a front yard garden project? (Of course!!, after the basement is more done). 

Was a fortune cookie that said "Daughter, July" a prophecy?  We would be thrilled with "Boy, May" too!

Ugh, that leads to me to think about August, which would be our second anniversary of waiting. August would be another bill and probably having to re-do our video and letters. Please God, not August, not two years of waiting.  Please before August.  Ok, I will be banishing that horrifying thought now. Good bye negative thought....... bye, bye. 

Back to a more upbeat and reflective tone. Sometimes it is liberating, having no clue, truly feeling like WTF, we'll just see, letting go. Oh, how my old meditation teacher would love to hear me say that.  Yes, adoption is a huge exercise in letting go -  we let go of all privacy, some cash, our notions of what our family would be like, etc. 

Darn. Letting go. Is this a lesson I am supposed to learn?? 

Probably.  

How do you, dear readers, let go? 

SV