WANTED: A LITTLE MORE ESTROGEN

The last year has been wonderful! In a nutshell:

• we brought home Mekebo in March 2008,
• moved from Madison in June 2008,
• lived with my parents for a month and a half,
• and then moved again into a house in small-town USA in August 2008.

It was a nice transition especially since I didn't have to punch in my time card every day. Oh...the life of the unemployed! However, I slowly came to the realization that a little time away from home would keep my brain from losing all of its matter (I tend to lose it if I don't use it). So, in May of 2009 I went back to work? I pose that as a question because I don't really know if I should call it work. I am working in LaCrosse (about 45 minutes away) at Express Care as a Nurse Practitioner. I see patients with minor illnesses: sore throats, ear infections, rashes, etc. Now the kicker... I get to choose when I work. Some months I could work 8-10 shifts and some I could choose to work 1 shift. It is a great gig for a mom like me.

Now on to the joys of my life: my three boys. Brian is working from home and it is such a blessing for our family. Even though we don't see him much during the day it is nice to have him home.

Elijah (Mekebo calls him "Wahwee") is 3 years old. He is such a fun guy. He can be the sweetest boy and the craziest boy. In June 2009 he was doing 360 jumps off of our fireplace and cut open his head. Eight stitches later he has forever souvenir on his forehead. Eli is in swimming lessons and Park and Rec this summer. It takes him a while to acclimate to new kids (that is saying it nice), but he is working on it. He just got his first "real bat" and he loves playing baseball. Mekebo and Eli are best buddies. I can't imagine what they would do without each other.

Mekebo is starting to vocalize his dislikes with "No, I don't want to" and his likes with "Moree". We are working on the pleases and thank yous. When I shaved his hair for summertime he just stared at the beautiful curls lying on the floor and looked at me and said "What's that"? He is obsessed with Papa's tractors and screams when he doesn't get a ride. His hypertension is under control with daily medications. God sure knew what he was doing when he placed Mekebo into our family...I can't imagine life without him.

ALL WE NEED IS A LITTLE MORE ESTROGEN- We have been officially waiting for our little baby girl since December 27, 2008. We are going through the same agency as we did with Mekebo: Children's Home Society and Family Services in Minneapolis. The wait is said to be 14-18 months until referral. The whole adoption process will probably take twice as long as it did with Mekebo. God has blessed us with patience and I feel at peace with the wait. Of course we are planning on new sleeping arrangements and a new vehicle (why can't the Corolla fit 3 car seats in the back?).

We are also SO excited because my sister, Pam, and her husband, Brian, have also made the decision to adopt a little girl from Ethiopia. It will so much fun to watch all of the kids grow up together.