Remembering earlier times...they really do go by so very fast.

One of my resolutions this year was to become better at celebrating - celebrating the big things and the little things and the just because things. I often end up running around doing everything last minute for holidays and birthdays but this year I want to be more purposeful in my planning so I can thoughtfully celebrate the special days and the not as special days. We move so fast. We are constantly going from one activity to another and we have a hard time stopping to recognize each other and just breathe for once. Thoughtfully celebrating all the special moments will help me to stop and really enjoy where we are at this crazy time in our lives. Recently, Blake discovered she has a wobbly tooth. I have been on a hunt to find all things tooth fairy to celebrate this occasion.

This Official Tooth Fairy Kit has me full on drooling. Everything from the letterpress design to the cloth bag to the Tooth Fairy Seal...who knew the Tooth Fairy was so design savvy? This would be one of those things that would be more for me than for my children. I love it and I have been dreaming about this kit while waiting for Blake's pearly whites to start falling out. You need to check out this kit if you have children who will be losing teeth in the near future!

Melkam Gena

We were blessed last weekend. Blessed beyond anything we could have expected. Last Friday was Ethiopian Christmas. On Saturday we celebrated with a gift exchange as a family, a special breakfast and then in the afternoon we went to the Ethiopian Church in Aurora. The church had organized a Christmas celebration for families who have adopted from Ethiopia or who are going through the process. They had tons of games for the kids and even a room where they answered questions about doing hair and braiding. It was amazing. The church even organized an ethiopian feast that smelled wonderful. We were able to meet a ton of other families who have adopted from Ethiopia. We were blessed. I hope and pray that this event becomes a regular thing because it was so amazing and so encouraging. I pray that my daughter grows up to know and appreciate her Ethiopian heritage and by having an Ethiopian community near by will make it so much easier for that to happen.

Two Years

Today is our two year anniversary of when we picked up Brecken. We asked her what she wanted to do to celebrate and she told us she wanted

to go to Noodles and Company and then go get ice cream (this is a girl who knows exactly what she wants).

My mom got the girls Africa cookie cutters for Christmas so we made Africa Cookies to celebrate this very special day in our family.

We love you Brecken Hope!

So long 2010 -

Bring on 2011!