** 100th Post **

At the site Grown in my Heart they are asking "What are my most treasured adoption photos?" Almost impossible to narrow it down but I thought these three tell the story best.

At the airport in 2004, leaving for China for our first daughter, Dahlia.

Arriving back with our darling Dahlia. Blissfully happy.
(excuse the techno-challenged author.)

Arriving back at the same airport (at 2 in the morning) in August 2009, as a family of four.

Need I say more!

Bring on the candy........

...gimme those little mouse ears.....hmm....how does this work?
....oh, I can't believe I really have a tail......

....what? I'm just doing my favorite thing - opening and closing doors (mother's addition - a million times).

OK....here I am.....I'm ready!

Where's the candy?

My Rant...or rambling....or

... I just feel like sharing something.

(Warning - this is adoption/blogging related so if you can't relate....you may leave.....or not.)

Hmmmm.....my ambiguity hints at my not wanting to step on any one's toes but I just feel like sharing something that's been on my mind. So I'll just plunge in....'k?

I think blogging is great. I think bloggers * are some of the most compassionate, generous, empathetic (or empathic....depending on your dictionary), resourceful and supportive folks there are. And because I am a part of this huge worldwide adoptive community, I have a deep appreciation for the adoption blogs that have come before me.

*Update: the "bloggers" I'm referring to are those who have posted and shared for several years, ones who have had support and feedback from other bloggers for a long time, not an occasional blogger for less than 2 months or those with an almost private blog.

During the wait for our second daughter, I clung to many of the adoption blogs who were in the waiting queue before us and fed off their journey as they received their children. And because we had our first daughter already, I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated those who were already home with their children. I learned so much from their sharing and was encouraged by the similarities in our experiences. (Comfort in numbers.)

Many of these blogs became very personal to me. I can feel what they are expressing, I can sense their frustrations, joys and sorrows. I feel/felt personally invested in them, as if we had a very personal (in person) relationship.

And then........they were gone!

......and I feel sad.

And they are gone - not because they moved to another city, where we can still get together once in awhile for a visit, talk on the phone or e-mail......

no

they're just gone....

they don't want to play anymore!

Now, ahem, I'm a big girl and can get some perspective here.....no really....I can. I know that life happens, our priorities change, we change, we can't be everything to everyone but I feel that if we have fed from the table, we should leave some food for the next person.

There....I said it.

Sorry!

That's why I feel sad when I hear someone is closing their blog, they're otta here, ciao, adios amigos, they're done. I've mourned when they've agonized over the long wait that dragged on forever, cheered and celebrated when they received their referral and cried tears of joy when they saw their children for the first time. And now they are gone.

I wanted to see how they're adapting to home life, what are their challenges and how have they solved them. I want to see their children as they grow up and settle into their forever family life.

I'm not talking about blogs who have closed and gone private for very legitimate reasons, but rather those who just don't seem to have the time or heart to continue to share in this community.

And I will miss them!

So.....am I alone here? I'm curious what others think.

Feel free to leave a rant or comment!

And have a great week-end.

Mostly Wordless Wednesday

Hey.....wait for me !!

Mont Tremblant in the Fall !!

Yes, Susie got it right. We were in Mt. Tremblant for the week-end. We hadn't been up since last March when it was still bitter cold.

And it was pretty cold - crazy weather for October, but pretty normal for this year of wacky weather.

Hey....follow us.......


Me and Dahlia coming up the Cabriolet which is only a few hundred feet from our condo. I/we could spend all day going up and down the hill. I/we just love that view and ride. Not really being a rollercoaster kind of gal (ummm...I'm talking about me now) this little thrill suits me just fine, thank you very much.

My friend Lisa posted this week about how everything is a milestone now that they are a family of four. Last March we stood in front like this as a family of three (and I remember so clearly, thinking, hmmm.....maybe next time Milana will be with us) and now, just look at us. Well, you have to squint a bit to see Dahlia hiding behind the stroller but four we are!

From fushia to orange. Ouch!

Lisa also mentioned how impossible challenging it is to get two kids in one picture. Well, I chased these two around so much I got dizzy and gave up.

It was like "ok, hold it...no, no, this way....ok, look at me....opps, one kid down......help her up, no, not by the hair.....ok, this way.......

oh......forget it.....let's get some ice-cream!"

Hmmm........co-operation comes with maturity (and whippings).

Kidding!

Ahhh....that's better!
Anybody notice that little thing on the ground to the left? (Click to enlarge.)

Uh-huh, a little lost shoe from guess who. Milana is constantly kicking off whatever she can get rid of. She really is a total nut-ball.
Note the extra sweet smile on Dahlia's face as she thinks Santa is looking up her name in the naughty or nice book.

Finally got to the lake road (the beach was closed, grrrrrr) as the sun was getting low to capture some sweet pics of my little model.


(Look how huge that maple leaf is. Dahlia collects and presses them - she has a whole book of them, all sizes and colours.)

Now we're at a little man-made lake near the new casino on the other side of the peak. The sun was getting really low but I had to keep shooting. I just can't get enough of that face.

See what I mean!

She just takes my breath away!

Indulge me.....just one more.

I have to remember where this rock is so we can return each year for a picture. Maybe next year littler munchkin will stand still and sweet for me too.

We got away!

Come on! Take your best shot.

I'll be back with a whole lot more pictures later.

Love Story

This is my Dahlia with her BFF - Angel.

And theirs is a beautiful love story!

They met as babies in China, from the same orphanage. When the nannies handed them to us they eagerly shared that "these two were good friends....very good friends".

We had met Angel's parents at the courthouse, during the paperchase, about 8 months prior and travelled together to receive our daughters. (Subsequently, we recently got back from China after receiving our second daughters with this same family - another love story for another time.)

Angel's and Dahlia's relationship has blossomed like a beautiful flower over these past, almost five years. (We're fast approaching our 5 year "Gotcha Day"anniversary.) When they are together - no one else is around - just the two of them in their own little world.

This picture (taken at Angel's 6th birthday party) captures the two expressions that describes their friendship. Serenity and joy. Just utter JOY!

As they are to their parents as well!

This months theme at the Mamarazzi site is - love story. Hop over to see more stories.

It does the heart good!

" Not just stunning Mom...stu - unn - ing !! "

So.....it's fall, which means it's time to decorate some pumpkins and gourds. Let me say that word again - gourds. What a neat word that is - gourds....especially when you over-pronounce the r.

Dahlia and I went to pick our pumpkins at this most glorious pumpkin patch the grocery store several weeks ago and she was very excited about covering them with every imaginable colored bauble and stick-ons and more stuff than you can imagine. Well, Mama overruled her this year. Normally I would have kept to my silver/black/white theme but I opted for pink, knowing this would please my princess daughter even more than the multi-colored concoction she was dreaming of. We painted up these babies and threw on the glitter and stuff.

When it was all dried and arranged on the table, Dahlia came in and gave a little gasp and half said one of her favorite words ..."stu" to which I finished it and asked "stunning?". Dahlia replied with "No Mom, not just stunning......STU - UNN - NING !!

Kid approved. What more could you want!

Update: Oct 22, 2009

I just linked this post to Kelly's Korner site where she has a McLinky for "Show us your life" and the theme is Fall Decorations. Thought I'd enter and I tried to paste her button but it's not working so........for great decor ideas, don't forget to go to http://www.kellyskorner.com/

Last week-end was our Canadian Thanksgiving (eh!) so for several weeks the theme at school has been on Thanksgiving. This was Dahlia's drawing of what she is thankful for. She had to read the poem and got a 9 out of 10. What blows my mind is how fast she has learned to read. From only a few tiny words in Sept. to full sentences a month later (and she missed almost 2 and half weeks in there....but...ahem....she was home-schooled....'k!)

Dahlia was dying to add gems to the pumpkins (in every color). I agreed to just pink on the little one atop the Daddy pumpkin.
With a little tea set I picked up in China.
I love my dining room. Sorry if that sounds braggy but I do. It's the one room that, for me, is almost perfect. (Except for the 2 bare walls on either side of the armoire which are crying out for 2 paintings, which will be done one of these years months.)

A few years ago I completely re-did our living room and dining room - the way I always wanted to. Went to one fabulous store and had everything made to order. If you're from here or ever come to Montreal, check out Maison Epipla on LaBelle Boul. in Laval. They have beautiful furnishings and great service.

And finally, two shots of the decor again (are you sick of it yet?) but with a method to my madness. The first below is with a flash, the second without - just with the chandelier lighting. To me the flash is over pink, the without flash turns it peach. Why can't I have a happy medium.

I may soon have an answer to this little conundrum. In a few weeks I'll be taking an on-line photography course with PFP (Pixel Fairy Photography) and I'm hoping to have all my lighting problems solved.

Happy Fall y'all !

Can't get enough of that pink !

For those who just need more - and that may only be me....

...more pinkalicious girlie fun on our

anniversary.

....and yup, I'm wearing a bit of pink too.

Anniversary - Oct 6, 2009

These videos are dark (and sideways for a bit.....not sure why) but they show a bit of the fun we seem to have most of the time. Milana is just a nut, so she fits...ahem....right in!