Twenty Nine-ish

And so it begins.

This is the year that all my friends begin to turn the big 3-0.  One by one, the "dirty 30" surprise party invitations have arrived in the mail.  Last weekend it was my friend Brent's turn.  A party was set up for the purposes of loving humiliation by his well-meaning parents, complete with a party hats and a giant clock with his face on it that read "Man of the Hour." Ouch.

This past weekend was my friend Davy's big day.  Davy is an old college buddy, he married my friend Ashley a few years ago, I was the Maid of Honor in their wedding.  The party was a reunion of sorts, for the old Miami University gang.  Our lives have taken us in many directions (literally and figuratively), and it was great to see everyone, to reminisce, to catch up.  I am amazed that we 20-somethings who spent literally days at a time playing beer pong and eating Top Ramen noodles have somehow transformed into productive, successful grown-ups.  After the party ended, they all headed to downtown Cincinnati in a gigantic stretch limo to continue the night of partying and general debauchery.  I took some good natured ribbing for not coming along, and, two years ago, I wouldn't have missed it for the world. The reality was not lost on me, that, had I not had a child (I am pretty much the only one with a little one at this point), this could have been my life every weekend.  The pub crawls, peaceful mornings sleeping in, simple, affordable trips to mall without stops at Gymboree and Playland.  Truth be told, I felt a tennsy, tinesy twinge of jealousy.  But I didn't make that choice.  I chose a different path; a messy, chaotic, noisy, stressful, beautiful path; and I wouldn't have it any other way.

It's not the life I thought I would have.  It's a thousand times better.

Hannah/Mom Update

My best-friend-since-we-were-babies Elizabeth (who traveled with me to Kaz) has been living and working in India for the past 6 months and she came home for a visit this week before relocating for the next two years to Afghanistan.  It was wonderful to see her (we MISS her SO much) and she got to see how much Hannie has grown up since this summer.  On the one year anniversary of the day I went to court in Kaz, we went to dinner with our friend Joe, who we met in Kaz and is now living in Cincy post-peace corps.  It was a fun night reminiscing about all our fun nights in Shymkent.

Hannah is going through a stage right now (which, I am told by my mommy friends lasts well into adolescence) where "No" means "Wait 8 Seconds and Ask Mommy Again."  It is really true what they say, you spend the first year of your life teaching them to walk and talk and the next 17 years teaching them to sit down and be quiet!  And whoever coined the phrase "I hope someday you have one just like you"  well, I'd like to meet.

I had a "I'm doing a good job" Mommy moment the other day as well. We have been working hard on the concept of sharing.  Although we try to get together with friends, Hannie isn't really around many kids her age on a regular basis.  The other day, her friend Mei dropped her sticker at Chick Fil A.  Hannie willingly and unprompted gave her one of her stickers!  That's my girl!

Some sad news is that Kazakhstan continues to be closed to adoptions.  It hurts my heart to think about all those beautiful children who will never find their forever families. These children did not ask for the lives they were given.  Please pray that the bureaucratic issues are resolved quickly.

Pictures below are of Hannie Herman, 1st Gotcha Day 3/5/11.

                  80,000 orphans in Kazakhstan alone.  143 million worldwide.  Minus one.  

Micah 6:8 "Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly"