You just have to love the poser.
Can you find Aidan in the ball pit??

Ariana was dancing around like a monkey.

Then it was silly face time!

A year ago today I stood in Russia in a courtroom and said, "I support my husband in HIS decision to adopt." Hmmm. The first of many sacrafices for my darling daughter. Fortunately for us, the judge did proclaim us new parents and we began the 11 day wait for it to really be official. The day the appeal period was over and we actually went to pick up our daughter (well my mother and I did) was August 22nd.

This time last year Russia was defending a neighboring country that had been invaded and President Bush was speaking very negatively about Russia's role in the event. Talk about a challenging time to be adopting!

Who knew how much our lives would change over the following year. Not me for sure. I had plans to be back in the classroom by October and resume the juggle of my life. In the end, I didn't go back until January and even then we were plagued by random illness that took us out. (chicken pox and hep A) And to top it off Ian changed jobs and we moved to Ft. Lauderdale- leaving behind the only home my kids had ever really known.

Yesterday my team went back to school to prepare for a new school year. A chunk of my heart is definately with them. I really do find my bliss teaching and the only perk of my kids getting older will be my return to teaching. In the mean time, I am learning to adjust to being an at home mommy again. This would be so much more fun if I were Mrs. Brady and Alice was in my kitchen all day long. (or in my house she would be in the laundry room all day long!) Playing with the kids is the fun part- but cleaning up the same floor (counter..table...window...) for the tenth time that day lacks any sense of fulfillment doesn't it.

Hats off to all the mommies out there.