5 Years Later

I cannot believe it has been 5 years since I visited this blog.  I had forgotten my password and even my gmail address.  I guess I decided that posting such personal information about my children wasn't safe or in vogue anymore, because really who reads this?  However, the other day Simret found this blog on her iPad (which warmly I recall in earlier days she called he lilypad) and asked why I have not updated it.  That being said, the other day she was mad at me for telling one of my good friends something silly she did (mistaken a wooden book/wine holder for the bathtub for a washboard and tried to play it)...she told me instead of telling Laniece about this I should "start a blog".  Also, my mother whom just recently acquired a smartphone as a hand-me-down from my sister can only access a few websites from her computer and this is one of them.  For the reasons mentioned about, here I am restarting my blog.  In the last 5 years the girls have grown from baby girls into preteens.  Makeda is 5'3" and wears a size 9 in women's shoes...try finding cute little girl heals in that size!  Simret is still in love with Hannah and has an affinity for yoga and soccer.  Makeda is still trying to find her recreational activity; however, she is great at anything she puts her mind to despite her incoordination.  She is the most driven child that I have met.  They both continue to fill my life and my heart with love...a love so deep and so pure that it can only radiate from a child.

Thanksgiving Mountain Biking in Glendo, Wyoming

One of my favorite Thanksgivings was spent this year mountain biking with our good friends in Glendo, Wyoming. There is a beach there (yes a beach in Wyoming with fine sand) so the kids had a blast. Even though the temperature was in the 50's, that didn't stop Makeda from stripping down naked the first second she felt sand between her toes and then proceeded to run around like the wild beast she is. Good...good times were had by all....

Simret helping make a fire on the beach.

Amazing views from a cliff on the trail.

a secret stairway to....????

Cheers to another Thanksgiving like this one next year!

sunset over the Lake.

SNOW....

Today is our first day of snow fall and it hasn't even begun to slow yet.

our front yard 30 minutes ago.

Year #2 for naked 1st day of snow pictures for Makeda.

collecting now in her "case".

Makeda and the Tooth Fairy

Okay so it has been a lifetime (actually just since May) that I have posted on this blog and my Mom is giving me a hard time that she hasn't seen any new pictures of the girls recently. So, I will make an attempt to catch up for the summer months that were so enjoyed and cherished by all, but missed on this blog.

First let me start with an update on Makeda. Makeda turned 4 years old on the 21st of June (I will post these pictures at a later date). She has been in our family for a little over a year. During this time she has had so many firsts, so many times she has had to adapt and change (new culture, new language, new social norms, new family, new everything). I admire her skill to adapt and change in order to find a common ground in such uncommon surroundings. We could all learn from her perseverance.

According to her 4 year wellness visit with the doctor, she has grown 7 inches and gained 8 pounds in the last year. She has also gone through 3 shoe sizes and lost her front two teeth (yup that one was a HUGE surprise-especially since she is the ONLY preschooler to lose teeth in her class). I wasn't prepared for what my stance was on the tooth fairy - if I we were going to deceive her and tell her the factitious tale of the tooth fairy who appears in your room while you are vulnerably sleeping - takes your tooth for some unknown reason to me and leaves you a present (usually money). Well, since I was caught off guard and Makeda came with tears streaming down her face that "my tooth is broken". The story of the tooth fairy came flying out of my mouth; as if that would make it all better. I hadn't realized how creepy the story sounds or may sound to a little child. She was first terrified that something came into her room while she was sleeping even if it was a fairy. Then she asked the question "what does she do with the teeth?". Great question and I had no idea? So, I said that she takes them and makes a sparkling white house out of all the teeth she collects. Makeda laughs hysterically at me and says "really, is that the truth?". Without knowing what to say, because obviously I was just making that bullshit up, I say "well if you believe it, it is". And there you go...the beginning of the lies we weave in order to keep American traditions that have been passed from generation to generation - then I'm left with the question, why can't we have substantial tales to pass down, like other cultures, that teach a lesson - what exactly are we teaching our children when we pay them for their teeth? Ahhh you have got to love the richness of American culture.

PS- Simret wants to be the Tooth Fairy for Halloween?

My favorite Simret one-liner so far...

We are sitting around at the dinner table talking after dinner tonight (Lance, Simret, & Makeda) and Simret says, "Hey everybody I got an idea...lets ALL get naked and have a naked party! Sound good?"

Happy 1st Makeda Day!

The first time I held you...

Dearest Makeda~

One year ago today our worlds united in Ethiopia and we became family. I can still remember the first time that I saw you as if it were yesterday; you proudly yet anxiously walked down the staircase that led to your room in the orphanage, hand in hand with the head nanny. You wore a beautiful dress (that I wish we could have kept) and the necklace that we sent you months before with your name on it. You were so beautiful and delicate, but your eyes told haunting stories of the past that are too heavy for a little girl to carry alone.

I cannot believe that a year has past since the first time that I looked into those eyes and held held you - it seems like a lifetime ago. In fact, it is often is hard to remember when you weren’t part of our family. It amazes me to think about how much you have grown in the last year - both physically, emotionally, and intellectually. You are talented in so many ways - a master of languages, a natural athlete, and above all - you have the most tender soul that enjoys helping and loving others. You also have a spirit for life and silliness that is unmatched.

I am so proud to be your mother and continue to learn the many life lessons that you are here to teach me. In our short year together, you have taught me: the value of forgiveness of both yourself and others, to pick your battles - because most aren’t worth fighting about, that living and loving someone that is so similar to yourself is hard but so worth it because you end up learning something about yourself, to pee outside without getting it all over your feet or clothes, to get back up after you have fallen, and that it’s never too late to have a happy childhood.

I also want to thank you for being patient with me while I learn to parent you and grow to love you more each day. I’m so proud of you in multiple ways and cannot wait to have many more adventures together. Today we celebrate our first year together, cheers to tomorrow and many more...

Love always,

Mom

Simret one-liners: Part 1

Lately Simret has been saying the absolute funniest things (we call them Simret's one-liners). Here are a few examples:

"Hey, take it easy Dada"

"Now Keda, all of us women need to listen to Daddy"

"When I get-it-together, I want everyone to be quiet"

"Now Ty I know you were missing me, but my sister is still sleeping"

"Okay Keda, now tell me when your not stinky anymore so that we can play Rapunzel"

"Keda are you listening, Keda are you listening, I'm going to hit you if your not listening to the birds outside"

"Ahhh no one cares"

"You smell like chocolate, I'm going to eat you up Mama"

"Where is my beera?" (when referring to her rootbeer)

"I'm not gonna pee on the floor, I'm gonna pee in my panties"

there is so much more material, until later...