Thank you for not abandoning me.

Letter from Lukie (6), on the occasion of Thanksgiving, written in school:

Dear Family,
Thank you for not leaving me in the hospital, like Tio Jaime's parints.
love,
Lucas


He asked his teacher the other day, who told the class that she was adopted.
"Are you from China?"

I love my kids.

I'm not a doctor, I'm the baby!

Little Grazie said to me the other day, "Mami, will you tell the new baby she is adopted when she is Nene's age?"
" Well, yes, " I replied. "But she won't understand. Watch: Hey, Nene, you're adopted"
"I not a doctor, Mami, I de Nene!"

I love my kids.

To Nico, on the occasion of his 12th Birthday

Here's a hand to the boy who has courage
To do what he knows to be right;
When he falls in the way of temptation,
He has a hard battle to fight.
Who strives against self and his comrades
Will find a most powerful foe.
All honor to him if he conquers.
A cheer for the boy who says "NO!"

There's many a battle fought daily
The world knows nothing about;
There's many a brave little soldier
Whose strength puts a legion to rout.
And he who fights sin singlehaded
Is more of a hero, I say,
Than he who leads soldiers to battle
And conquers by arms in the fray.

Be steadfast, my boy, when you're tempted,
To do what you know to be right.
Stand firm by the colors of manhood,
And you will o'ercome in the fight.
"The right, " be your battle cry ever
In waging the warfare of life,
And God, who knows who are the heroes,
Will give you the strength for the strife.
--Phoeby Cary

November here, and NO referral

So, my last hopeful estimate of when we would see our new daughter's picture was this month, November 2006. But things over in China have slowed to a crawl. Good news is that we have been officially approved by China, our dossier passed review. Also good news is that there is no danger of adoptions stopping completely. If things go on more or less as they have been in the last 2-3 months, we should be getting her referral in February or March. Things could suddenly speed up, of course. Or they could slow down some more.
It has been a fruitful time for us, in any case. Little Nene, who we call our Divino Tormento, has grown up A LOT. He is still spectacularly loud, but can be reasoned with, most of the time. Nico started his new middle school, and has transitioned very well. The other day I was at the pharmacy and I found myself buying Clearasil and diapers. Isn't that great? I have one with pimples and one who wets the bed. Although, in his defense, the diaper is mostly for my peace of mind. He spends most of the night in our bed! This whole family bed concept started making sense recently when we got a king size bed. When we had a queen, I thought all those people were crazy.