Just a picture today

Love Without Boundaries

Well, the Love's Journey 2 book is out and they are taking pre-orders. This is important here for two reasons, all proceeds go directly to helping babies in China and Evelyn's photos, that I submitted were chosen to be in this issue.

http://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com/index.php

This is one of the pictures that I submitted, it was taken in China, Evelyn had been placed in our hot little hands less than 24 hours before. The paperwork is the receipt that I was given after paying the Orphanage Fee to a local judge. I remember those few moments as some of the scariest in China! I can hear some of you saying "what? it wasn't the scariest when you realized that this little person was YOUR responsibility now, or when you realized that she had Bronchitis and you had 2 weeks to go to get her home to a doctor or when you realized that your body was starting to shut down from lack of palatable food?????? NO, indeed, the scariest moment was sitting in a huge leather chair that dwarfed me, facing an inscrutable Chinese Official who was counting and re-counting the money and making sure that it was in good enough shape to accept, and all the while my agency appointed guide was standing there nervously, so I thought "why is HE nervous?",which made me just about break into hives. It wasn't until I was back in the bus, with my receipt in hand, that I started breathing again. I will never forget those few moments, as in reality that was the final transaction to take place that made Evelyn ours in the eyes of the Chinese Government.

Just a Big Girl

Last night , the books were read, the rocking was done, Billy was in place in the crib awaiting his human and I laid Evelyn down in her bed, now, at this point she likes additional kisses, and usually I am required to "go atomic!" , this means giving her as many kisses as possible in 5 seconds. So all is done, the checklist is complete and I was about to leave her bedside when she says "Mom I need to tell you something". "OK", I say "what's on your mind." Then she says the following to me...." Mom you just called me a baby , you said good night baby girl" yes?..... Then she gets real serious, the way you do when you know that you are about to deliver potentially disastrous news to a person who may or may not have the wherewithal to handle what you are about to say, but you must say it anyway, and she reaches up and starts caressing my cheek, then says " I just wanted you to know that I am not a baby anymore. I am just a big girl. Okay?" As tears welled up in my eyes, I realized, yes there is not a baby there anymore, she is a big girl. A sad day for Mom but inevitable I guess.

Tea Party for Two

Last week, Evelyn had been missing her Papa and was very needy with him. Leslie's solution was to spend some good old fashioned quality time with her. They spent the morning playing and reading and dancing, the Big Event of the day was a Tea Party. The two of them busted out Ev's little tea set, tea was brewed, cookies were found and the polite converation began.... needless to say a day like that was just what Ev needed and she was quite pleased to be the center of Papa's universe for awhile.

Funny Girl

Here are a few of the funny things that Evelyn has been saying:

• The other day when I called to her, she answered " Yah Bee-otch?"


• Once I interrupted her and then apologized and asked her to continue, she took a deep breath and said "yes, you MUST respect me"


• "Mama I noticed this morning when I was feeding the cats, that you didn't have a scoop in Stella's bag, so I put one in for you, ok honey?"


• "Holy Crap! I just dropped all of my hair birdettes (barrettes)!!!


• Upon seeing three other Chinese girls at the pool, she leaned over and stage whispered "Mama I am thinking they were born in China too"


• "Billy you drop that hair birdette this minute, you can choke,choke,choke!"


• "Mama, why do kids have to make into grown-ups?"


• When trying to clean something up she was nearly in tears with frustration and she said " OH MAN! I am soooo G%# D&@#$ frustrated right now!!!" and then she sat down and wept....


• During the storm she was lounging relaxingly on the porch swing, slamming a freezy pop and said" You know? I think this storm is freaking me out"


• And this is my favorite, "Let me tell you something. I will NOT dress up for Halloween. I will NOT be a witch. I will NOT be a fairy. I will NOT be a lady bug. I will just be MYSELF." and then she walked out of the room.

Yes, you may notice and excess of swearing and fussing. What can I say? She is a fusser from way back and no one is safe.The Halloween statement came about because we have been having an epic battle concerning that holiday, for some reason she is dead set against a costume. It's hard to realize that your three year old won a major battle against you, as I was so shocked at her statement (well, partly shocked and partly I was thinking how funny she was and trying not to laugh in her face) , she was able to pull that one off. I told Les about it and he asked me what I did about it (we really don't let her mouth off like that), I said " Well Les, I didn't do a damn thing about it. I conceded the point. I think the winner in that one was obvious-don't you?" and then we laughed at our Spicy Brown Baby.

A Girl and Her Kitten

Well, yesterday, as the tropical storm was whipping about the place, we were upstairs watching Evelyn and Billy play around in the big spare room. It's the room that Evelyn calls "Lissa's Room" as that is where my sister slept when she was here. Anyway since her Aunt was here and she got to spend time in there with her, she has been playing in there constantly. If Evelyn is in a place then, so is Billy, so they both napped up there yesterday, Ev on one bed, Billy on another. As they woke up Les and I went up to take a couple of pictures (actually Les took the pictures). It was a nice interlude, as the trees and moss were whipping about in the wind, we were all safe and happy in the house, two of us still sleepy and languid from a nice long nap.

It has been interesting watching Evelyn and Billy get to know each other. I never knew that an animal could be such a friend to a child. Now, that's funny as I am all too clear on how much of a friend they can be to grown-ups, it's just that I have this idea that cats don't want to be messed with alot and manipulated, so I really thought Billy would be an interesting side bar to Evelyn's days. How wrong I was. He is a true little friend and is not bothered by the constant picking up and manipulating that happens when you are the pet of a three year old. They are inseparable throughout the day, he follows her from room to room and heaven help you if she gets outside and he is left in the house- he howls his fool head off to get out there with her. Inside they dash from room to room playing mysterious games and outside they race madly about the yard, chasing each other and falling all over each other. He is a gentle fella and had never scratched, hissed growled or bit at her and she takes great care of him, feeding and watering him everyday and monitoring for choking hazards. What a pair.

A Girl and Her Papa

We went to the beach on Friday, trying to get in some time before we were forced indoors for TS Gabrielle. While there at the beach, Evelyn was all about her Papa as she usually is on his first off -coming day from duty. They were inseperable and everything Papa said was cool and funny. I love to watch the two of them together, Les takes such care with her and her little personality. They laugh and joke and talk and goof off. As I sat ther on the beach watching them frolic in the surf, I realized that there on the shore was absolutely everything that is great in my life. I am so lucky to get to share my life and home with two people who are as kind and as funny as a person can be. It can be quite humbling to realize that you are the person in the household with the quickest temper, longest grudge holding ability and the one that is most likely to loose it, ahh well, I think that they love me anyway.