November

Here are some pictures from the last part of November.  It is hard to believe that November is over.  Where has the time gone?  It was a hard month in many ways, and the house is a disaster, but I can see that bonding is really beginning among the siblings.  John Francis is so much happier and more relaxed than he was.  Until recently, whenever we parked, and I would get out and go around to open the passenger door, he would start crying and pulling on his car seat.  I think he was afraid we would leave him in the van.  Now he feels more secure and he realizes that if he waits I will be right there to unbuckle and unload everyone. 

Therese had her first big dental appointment, with three fillings.  She did well but got a little wiggly towards the end even though the dentist opted to do the easiest set of fillings for this first visit.  Next time she will try to give her a little higher dose of laughing gas to see if it relaxes her more.  Afterwards, the whole side of her face was numb and droopy.  I didn't realize how much I would miss seeing the dimple she has in that cheek.

Fun with oranges--this was John's idea, and all the kids thought it was very funny.  John wouldn't play with oranges, let alone eat them, when he came home, so his decision that he likes clementines was a big one.

On November 29th, Therese had enough hair that I made her first hair sprout.  She was so proud!

On November 30th, I got more ambitious and made her first pigtails.  Fermin said, "she looks like a different Chinese girl."  I think that was a complement from a proud big brother.

This is why John doesn't have as many pictures on the blog.  This is his, "oh no, Mom has the camera out again" face.

  Brotherly love, developing, is a wonderful thing!

This last day of November provided us yet another reason to be thankful.  Mr. B. was in a 5-car accident on the interstate, and no one was hurt.  The car was badly crunched, between a Honda CRV and a one-ton Ford van.  Unfortunately, the car will probably be totaled.  He drove it home and it drove fine, but it is so old the repairs will most likely be more than the value of the car.  I know it is silly to be so sad over a car, but it was so reliable and got 40 mpg, and Mr. B. took me on our first date in that car.  I'm sure we couldn't get one as good, for what the book value is.  He bought it new so even though it is 11 years old we know where it has been and that it has been maintained.  No one should be surprised when stuff happens when you are adopting, but this has been quite a year.  In addition to the two adoptions we had to buy a big van, make major repairs on the old van, the hailstorm totaled the roof on our house and on our rental house, and now the Civic is totaled. There has been a lot of stress but we are thankful we were able to bring home two children, and we are all safe.  The other stuff, cars and roofs, are just things.  People are more important than things.