Due to the new normal at our house that involves 2 little people under the age of 2 and 3 big people over the age of 9, I have lost the ability to form coherent thoughts...therefore, we will rely heavily on the medium of photography to convey what is going on. That's more interesting anyway, right?
So Ava and I finally, FINALLY, received clearance to come home on Wednesday, November 13th. We ended up in Detroit for a total of 10 days which was about what we expected going there but what suddenly seemed FOREVER when the reality of it was happening. I sent Chris home the Friday before because I felt like our children needed some semblance of "normal" before we created chaos again. Plus those caring for our children had taken on a heroic task and it was time for their lives to return to normal.
Please indulge me in expressing some serious gratitude...my father dropped everything and came down to be with our 3 oldest children. He took care of them for 6 days and is the type of grandfather that makes children want to do away with their parents so they can live with him forever. Not only did my children get to eat at all their favorite restaurants, but he did laundry, ironed all the clothes downstairs (he actually had to purchase more hangers to have somewhere to put all the clothes after he had ironed them), washed walls, banisters, bathrooms, sewed on Boy Scout badges, grocery shopped, and ran children all over the place. He is a hero on so many levels. My father is a man who works hard and with intense diligence at any task he is given...whether it is serving as a bishop, temple president, home teacher, or "nanny", every task receives the same concentrated effort of heart and spirit. His humility and willingness to serve inspires me again and again. He is remarkable and a person I hope to one day be able to emulate!
My sister-in-law and her family are right there on top of my hero list! They swept in and took my sweet 22-month old for a week...in addition to their 4 children! Spencer was a little disoriented and I'm sure more than a little baffled at what was happening but they loved and adored and cherished him in amazing ways. ML is one of the most inspiring and inspired women I know. She approaches her responsibilities as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend in touching ways. I don't know anyone who relies more on the Spirit or seems to have a more direct connection to the divine. She handles every situation with a desire to include the Savior and follow his Spirit and I am touched again and again at what she accomplishes in her life. There truly is not a person in the world I would trust more with my children. And it is easy for me to see the bond Spencer has developed with her and her amazing family. I am indebted to her for her service and inspired constantly by her example.
My time in Detroit alone with Ava was very sweet. I will cherish that time I had alone with my tiny, newborn daughter. I felt like all my time and energy was focused on her and getting to know this amazing child. I felt like I bonded to her in a very real way. It was unique and special and although I missed my other children and husband like crazy, I knew this time was a gift. And it was wonderful!
But coming home and introducing Ava to her siblings was wonderful! She was instantly adored.
The first night I was home, we were all sitting in the family room together just enjoying Ava and loving that we were together again. At one point I looked around and something in my soul sighed...they were all here. For years now, I have had that sense that people were missing. I've looked around rooms searching for faces that weren't there, children that felt so real. When I realized I wasn't going to physically "have" more children, my heart wondered how in the world I was going to bring my other babies home and how we were going to find them. I didn't realize there was an unsettled place in my heart until I looked at all their faces together and felt like the puzzle was finally complete. I was at peace.
The first day Ava was home, Hannah asked if we could go shopping for some "girlie" clothes. Of course, I obliged and out we went. This was the outfit Hannah chose for her...frills and pink and tutus. It was over the top...and perfect!
What my new normal looks like. This blue chair is getting a serious workout.
One of the most rewarding aspects of having a "gap" in the family is watching what the babies do for their older siblings. These 2 big boys and big sister are kind, gentle, instinctive, and compassionate. They love and adore their "littles" in such tender, special ways. It has changed them...and my heart is filled with gratitude every day for the ways I see them growing and maturing. I simply could not do this without them and their help. They are wonderful siblings...fun, protective, silly, caring, and so loving. I still can't get many of them to touch a diaper but I'll take what I can get!
At Thanksgiving time we had family visiting and family living here that hadn't met Ava yet. Some of the nieces and nephews didn't even know we had adopted again...their parents wanted it to be a surprise. We left her on the front doorstep with a note...their expressions were priceless!
Right after Ava was born, Hannah pointed out 2 rather unique things. First, all the girls in our family have November birthdays! And second, all of our names are palindromes...when I gently tried to point out that I didn't think "Amy" met the qualifications, Hannah quickly pointed out that the name "Mom" did! Hannah wins again! So at the end of November, we celebrated Hannah and the fact that she has been delighting this family for 9 years now. I can't believe my baby is that old!
Hannah holding up 9 fingers with the birthday carnage spread around her.
Her birthday this year was a day before Thanksgiving so we headed downtown with some of our favorite people to meet up with some more of our favorite people and have a proper girlie celebration. Hannah had said her dream day would be to eat lunch somewhere fancy and then go buy "fancy stuff" at Claire's. We started where any great birthday celebration starts...in the general Young Women's office where there was a beautiful birthday crown and a present from the president herself...also affectionately known by Hannah as her "Mo".
The party continued at Kneaders with "fancy" lunch...
And then continued to Claire's store of cheap jewelry and trinkets where Hannah and her favorite cousin spent many minutes debating which items were going to make the "final cut"!
Quick stop by Macy's to look at the amazing candy windows...
And then time to say good bye to some of our girlie guests. Hannah never gives a hug without her foot lifting off the ground behind her. Apparently Mo has also caught the disease!
Back to our favorite place to hang out with family for naps and lounging...
And then we ended the birthday festivities with chocolate cupcakes the size of the birthday girl's head. It was birthday magic from start to finish!
The next day was Thanksgiving...Chris and Hannah spent the morning preparing a birthday cake to be shared at the Thanksgiving meal. Hannah and her Dad designed and constructed the most amazing Hello Kitty cake I have EVER seen. Really.
Miss Ava wore the most darling dress with a turkey on it that I have ever seen...it was basically a one day wearing of the dress since it is difficult to pull off turkeys on clothing any other time of year but she wore it well!
The annual picture of my Thanksgiving plate...it was BEYOND scrumptious. I still dream of that meal...especially on fast Sundays!
And the meal concluded with singing to the birthday girl and devouring a delicious Hello Kitty cake...although I have to admit it was hard to cut into this cake. Who wants to destroy something that cute?!
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We will pause here to admire how utterly darling my baby girl is...sigh.
Thanksgiving was truly a wonderful day filled with some of the wonderful people we feel most grateful for. Thank you Chip and ML for hosting an amazing dinner...and thank you Coates for hosting dessert and turkey day eve lounging. It was a perfect day!
I ushered in the Christmas season by dragging my children down to Fotofly to have their picture taken with Santa. Just for the record...tween boys think it is REALLY cool to have their picture taken with Santa.
Right now, everything in my life seems to take 3x's as long as it used to. I have been working on this blog post for WEEKS...I'm so ready for something new. I don't mean to rush through the merriest time of year but our camera broke at the beginning of the month so I have no photo documentation of any events that occurred and I was a little sleep deprived with the newborn and almost 2 year old so any memories are a little tinged in gray fog. For example...did anyone else see flying unicorns this year? Hmmm....
Santa brought Chris and I a new camera for Christmas so we are officially back in business...just in time for more pictures of the cutest baby in the world on Christmas morning with her Christmas gifts. Some new binkys from the boys, 2 wrist rattles, a homemade stuffed dog from Hannah, some formula packets in her stocking, and a stuffed turtle that walks...every newborns dream Christmas. She looks pretty happy about it all...
Because we had a new camera to play with, the rest of the day was spent in random photo shoots...
