Queen Ava

I don't post about Ava as much as I do about Moses. The reason being that it is much harder to get a picture of Ava these days--the little punk. However, she is a cute little almost-3-year-old punk so I thought I'd give her a little air time.

My sister Natalie gave her the title "Queen Ava" because that girl has always known what she wants and exactly how she wants it. My mother-in-law once said when Ava was a year and a half that she had "never seen an eighteen-month-old as opinionated as Ava". I suppose that Ava has a lot of me in her-that's what I've been told-but to me she seems like a little female Matt. They both have the same "stubborn face" and there's no budging either one of them when that face comes out.

My mom took it upon herself to inform Ava that it is almost her birthday. Since then Ava has talked about it multiple times a day. It's usually something to the effect of, "Mama, it's almost my birthday and I need presents, and balloons, and hats, and a birthday cake, and presents." Last night we were reading a book about dogs and she told me she needs a dog for her birthday. Good luck with that one, Ava. When we got to the page where the dog is taking a bath she said, "The dog take a bath. I take a bath. I a dog!" That's some good logic. I said, "Oh, you're a dog, huh?" To which she replied, "Uhh, no, I still Ava."

She keeps life entertaining. I hope she gets everything she wants for her birthday, except the dog.

Happy Martin Luther King Day

A few of my favorite quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. --

In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.

A man who won't die for something is not fit to live.

Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

Whatever your life's work is, do it well. A man should do his job so well that the living, the dead, and the unborn could do it no better.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

Thank you for all you gave us and for all you hoped to give us, Reverend.

No Quitter

Moses always has to be standing. Unless he is crawling to get to a different spot, he is standing. He also climbs onto the furniture and up the stairs, but mostly he stands. Sometimes he is so tired, but when we put him in his bed he can't go to sleep because he just has to keep standing up. The boy can't help himself. One day he wouldn't go down for his nap so Matt took him into the backroom to hang out. He was standing by the futon and finally his eyes shut and he just fell over. He falls asleep standing. Are ya startin' to get the picture?P.S. For those of you interested in the progress Moses has been making in becoming a real black boy (Scott)--here is a look at his hair currently.

The Mail

Yesterday in the mail we recieved Moses' birth certificate. So despite being sick myself and having a sick child, it was a good day. Really, it was very exciting to see the official document. For those of you who do not know how it works, the birth certificate that has his birthmom's name on it is sealed-meaning no one gets a copy except the state-then when the adoption is finalized a new birth certificate is issued listing Matthew and myself as the parents. I really had no idea how much emotion would be involved with just paperwork. Seeing the adoption decree and the birth certificate makes me incredibly happy. In court they told us that now that it was finalized it was as if the child had been born to us. And the birth certificate shows it that way. However, along with it being obvious to anyone with eyes that he did not come out of this body, I am constantly aware that no legal document will ever lessen the role that his beautiful, strong birthmother has in his and all of our lives. I grow evermore thankful to her for this little boy that is hers and mine.

Catching Up---Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

We had a really good Christmas break. Matt was out of school for about 3 weeks and we decided to just stay in Omaha because we had gone to Utah for Thanksgiving. It was nice to not worry about traveling. Matt and Ava got a few daddy-daughter dates in and we went to the zoo and the children's museum as a family.

Christmas itself was wonderful. It was the first year that Ava really got it. So we watched a couple Christmas shows with her--Rudolph, Santa Claus Is Coming to Town-- and we made cookies for Santa (the packaged kind, thanks Kim!). We put out our stockings and then told her Santa wouldn't come until she was asleep. She thought about that for a moment and then announced, "I want to sleep on the stairs." After we got her to bed she kept looking out the window. She finally went to sleep and Matt and I put toys together--very fun. Ava was thrilled with every single thing she got and Moses liked the wrapping paper. We had Christmas dinner with our friends, Lisa and Adam, who didn't go home because they have a new baby. It was the first time I had to make the meal on Christmas. Between the two Lisas we came up with a lot of good food and it was quite enjoyable.

For New Year's Eve we got dressed up in our sparklies and went out on the town. Oh wait--we had dinner with the same friends and came home to put our kids to bed. Oh well....

I know I have really been slacking on the blog, but I'm going to do better! Just give me a chance.

Christmas toy. His first "man toy".

Ava playing a computer game with her Daddy.

Moses watching Signing Time. He loves it, just like Ava did.

Cute kids in Christmas outfits.

She likes the pockets.