Monday, April 29, 2013

6

Life has been a whirlwind this past month.  We filed for immigration for the kids.  We had a fundraising auction that raised over 2k.  I've been shipping tshirt orders right and left and plan to get a new printing order in soon as we are sold out of many sizes and colors.  To order, check the sidebar over there <---- .="" nbsp="" p="">
But the bestest thing was celebrating the life of the boy who first made me a mom.  The lone boy to grow in my tummy as opposed to my heart.  Sometimes he feels left out because he only has one Mommy.  But then his darling father reminds him that he has a great Mommy and so that is enough. 

We celebrated with all things Wii and Lego.  I felt like a better Mom when he was obsessed with Thomas and trains.  Thomas is so wholesome while his non-stop chatter about Mario and Skylanders seems, well, it seems like I just let him play video games all day long.  Which is not the case.  (Full disclosure:  it sometimes is the case.  But when it is your birthday, you get to do what you want and the boy wanted to play with his new games.) 

We had a Super Mario themed birthday party at the house for him.  Once again, I was insane and built him a pinata. Some folks said I made the box too strong and feared it would never break.  But EVERY one of the 35 kids got a swing at it.  Henry went first and then we went in order of age.  It broke on the very last swing.  So the point goes to me.  I am a pinata genius.  So there.




 It was question box full of coins and other trinkets.

 And I made a couple pin the mustache on Mario boards.  Which we never even used because playing this game when you have 35 kids at a party is ridiculous.  I am taking it as a sign of personal growth that I was totally okay with scrapping this. 

And we had one up cupcakes. 



We did briefly try a Yoshi egg in spoon race.  But when the kids learned that I'd cheated a bit and boiled the eggs, it quickly turned into a "Let's throw boiled eggs at each other game".  Whatever.  They had a blast.


I did, however, learn a few lessons.  Like if you have a big back yard with a trampoline, a sandbox, a swingset, a sloped driveway and a bunch of big wheels and glide bikes, you really don't need any other organized activities.

Except for maybe a big handpainted Bowser target and some water balloons.  I fear we may have made this now a tradition.  Oh well.  It only took Sloan three hours and 4 Motrin to blow up 200 water balloons and me four hours to paint a target that was completely killed in less than a minute for this fun.


My darling Henry, I pray you always understand that you are loved.  You are a treasure.  You are kind and brave.  Smart and funny.  You tell me no less than 40 times a day that you love me, that I'm the best mom in the world, and that I'm beautiful.  And pretty.  And wonderful.  And kind.  Oh dear one, you are easy to love.  I pray you are always as quick to forgive and love and laugh as you are at age 6. 

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Zeta Is Forever

One of the gifts of fundraising for our adoption (aside from God using folks to help us raise the necessary money to fetch our kids) has been the unexpected love and generosity we have felt from friends and loved ones.  Most particularly, right now I want to thank my sorority sisters.  Women with whom I shared my college years are stepping into the gap for us.  And not just the ones I keep in contact with on a regular basis.  Yes, the handful of girls whom I see and chat with have helped.  Of course.  But so have women I haven't seen in 15 years.  Women I wasn't even really all that close to to begin with.

I'll say it.  I was pretty popular in my sorority.  I had friends in lots of circles because, well, (and Sloan rolls his eyes whenever I say this) I am a Ferris Bueller type.  I get along well with churchy types, artsy types, preppies, hipsters, debutantes, immigrants, athletes, nerds, and lushes.  Mainly because I'm a little bit of all of them.  I'm fairly certain I was one of the few sorority girls to work in Student Television.  I mean, I was a debutante who wore sneakers under my ball gown.  I can blend pretty much anywhere.  I tend to be genuine and turns out, most people find that they can let their hair down with me because my hair is always unkempt.  (Ok, so maybe I'm not humble...)  But sometimes these hodge podge affiliations can leave me feeling like maybe I'm just on the outskirts of everything, never really "in" with anyone. 

But my Zeta sisters are proving me wrong.  You guys are donating money, items for the auction, prayers and kind words.  And I am undone.  You are proving all of those haters who say the Greek system is a waste of time and a distraction wrong.  Yes, maybe we did party too much and all wear the same black pants and carry the same Kate Spade purse.  But we care.  You are showing me that we are sisters after all.  That Zeta really is forever.  And for that I am ever thankful. 

Our creed still holds true:

To realize that within our grasp, in Zeta Tau Alpha, lies the opportunity
to learn those things which will ever enrich and ennoble our lives; to be true
to ourselves, and to those within and without our circle; to think in terms
of all mankind and our service to the world; to be steadfast, strong, and clean
of heart and mind, remembering that since the thought is father to the deed,
only that which we would have manifested in our experience should be entertained
in thought; to find satisfaction in being, rather than seeming, thus strengthening
in us the higher qualities of the spirit; to prepare for service and learn the
nobility of serving, thereby earning the right to be served; to seek understanding
that we might gain true wisdom; to look for the good in everyone; to see
beauty, with its enriching influence; to be humble in success, and without bitterness
in defeat; to have the welfare and harmony of the Fraternity at heart, striving
ever to make our lives a symphony of high ideals, devotion to the right, the good,
and the true, without a discordant note; remembering always that the
foundation precept of Zeta Tau Alpha was love, "the greatest of all things".