Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Beachy Moments


Front yard fun before heading to the beach... isn't this a funny angle?!


Surf's up!  

Buried Alive!

Sleepy girl.


Loving every minute of it! This child LOVES beach days!

"The End"

We had three great days of beach outings with friends.  Sam and Luciana had a blast in the sun, sand, and waves.  Summer has found us at last!  
Love.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Pee On The Potty!

This just in! Luciana went pee on the potty for the first time! She was completely unimpressed with our hoots and hollars, but we are pretty pumped anyway! Can summer vacation get any more exciting???

Would You Deny This Face a Party?


2nd Birthday

Luciana turned TWO on June 18th. Sadly, we really have not done a thing to acknowledge her birthday. We did take our trip, and that was lovely, but that was more an "Anniversary, End of School, Beginning of Summer, and OhYEAHLucyistwo" kind of all-in-one excuse to get away. Since then, a lot has happened, and here we are July. I sort of made piece with the idea that she is too little to really notice and decided to just let it be. It feels strange, but I was okay with it. Well, Sam was not... is not. He wants his baby sister to have a birthday party! It seems silly now, but I hear his point. What to do, what to do? Any thoughts out there of how to throw a "your big brother wants you to have a birthday party well after your birthday" party?

Monday, June 29, 2009

Road Trip

Here are a few images from our family trip to Rangeley Lake last week. School ended, and we loaded the wagon and headed to a lovely cabin just above the lake.... all thanks to our friends Sue and John! We swam, "hiked", poked around town, fished, did some mean paddle boating, and just enjoyed each other. Two things you need to know before viewing this slideshow... I swore off hair product and make-up while away (be warned!) and, the music for this montage was free and not my first choice for the "mood" of our trip... use your imagination!??! Enjoy! Here's to summer vacation!



Click to play this Smilebox slideshow: Rangeley Lake
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hello, hello... I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello

While in the process of bringing Luciana home over a year ago, I came to use this blog to share my heart and to sort out the blur of raw emotion that of what I thought would be the hardest thing I would ever survive. In the end, of course, we would find ourselves being reminded that everything happens for a reason, and that many of the events leading up to bringing Lucy home landed us in the middle of what would prove to one of the greatest adventures of our lives.

Since that time, I have struggled with sharing events beyond the day-to-day joys of my children and our family. And even then, for all kinds of reasons, I haven't made enough time to do much of that. In the course of this last year, our family has had a few scares, too many worries, and a huge loss. We are not alone in that, I know. It is all a part of life, and it goes without saying that these private family moments have had more joy and love than I can list sprinkled throughout.

Well, I want to get back to blogging as part of my summer morning routine... a mug of joe, a few antidotes about Peaches and Cinnamon (aka: the monkey and the goose), and reconnecting with that extended family I adore.

Funny story... I was at the supermarket with Mom a few days ago. We ran into a lovely woman Mom had once worked with. Mom introduced me, and the woman said, "Oh! This must be Peaches and Cinnamon!" Blushing more than necessary, I said that yes, that was me. She went on to tell me how several people in their office came to make it a daily ritual to read this blog and how thrilled they were when Sam and Lucy were finally home together. Oh my. Will I ever know how many people prayed, hoped, wished, or crossed all their fingers and toes for our little family?!?! Well, I felt an enormous sense of gratitude and responsibility after this brief encounter. I doubt that these same folks check back here much lately... why would they... but, some might. The least I can do is post the goofy smiling mugs of my children living their day-to-days while running me ragged! That is what we fought so hard for, isn't it?!?

So. Today marks the official, soggy, foggy, and hope-filled beginning of my summer. My greatest hope is for this summer to be all about Sam and Lucy with no need to take a blogging hiatus or guard up my heart from this journal for my children. If I am lucky, you will all become utterly sick of seeing their ear-to-ear grins smiling back at you! (hee hee) Wish me luck.

Love.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Sam's First Blog Slideshow... for your viewing pleasure!
PS- You will have to press play on the first slide to view.
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Supporting the Children Left Behind: The Guatemala Six

From MAPS Worldwide:

Supporting the Children Left Behind: The Guatemala Six

When inter-country adoptions were halted in Guatemala last year, an unknown number of children were left behind in orphanages throughout the country with little hope of finding adoptive families. Most of these orphanages were funded through adoption fees and have since closed because they no longer have any source of support, leaving the children with few options for permanency.

Hogar Para Ninos Vida Nueva, an orphanage in Guatemala City, had six children in their care when their funding ceased. Now the director, Betty Morales, and two nannies are caring for these children in their own homes with no source of funding.

Without private support, the children will not be able to stay in these homes and there will be no option other than substandard government-funded orphanages where conditions are far from adequate. We need your help to ensure the future wellbeing of these children.

Monthly Needs to Support Foster Care for the GUATEMALA SIX: $2285
* Foster parent stipends
* Expenses for six children
* Milk and formula
* Doctor visits (two visits monthly to pediatric clinic)
* Medications, immunizations, and clothing
* Nutritional supplement: Pediasure (treatment for malnutrition)
* School tuition for one school-age child
* Local supervision and MAPS’ oversight of foster mothers

How to donate:

Mail your check:
MAPS400 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
Designate "Guatemala Six" on the memo line

Questions:
Contact Meghan O'Brien meghano@maps-worldwide.org
phone 617-267-2222

For more information about the Guatemala Six or MAPS Wordwide: http://www.mapsadopt.org/