God is Good All the Time

Funny Hannah-isms....

Hannah, what do you want to be for Halloween?

Either a Crescent Roll or Little Bo Poop

Me: Hannah, your fish died.  He went to live with Jesus.

Hannah: Oh boo hoo. Can I have a poptart your majesty?

Hannah: Let's get out of the car

Me: I can't find a parking space

Hannah: Can you use valet? (we were at Walmart)

Me: Hannah, let's read your  book about how you were born in Kazakhstan and I became your Mommy

Hannah: You aren't my mommy, you are a cat!

Me: I am your Mommy, you were born in my heart, remember?

Hannah: Meow. Do you want some cat food, Mommy?

So here we are in August!  I think I last posted back in 1997 so here is our top 10:

1. Hannah turned 3, she had a Luau party complete with Hay Ride (thank you our most favoritist Uncle Garry), pinata, and general merryment.  She got roller skates and a training wheel bike both of which she took off on with absolutely no practice whatsoever like a bat out of Kazakhstan.  

2. Grandpa got married and took off to Florida for I guess ever.  We couldn't be happier for him as he is blissfully in love and acting 20 years younger.  Hannie and her cousin Elizabeth were hilarious (if not the most well-behaved) flower girls.  

3. Hannah started complaining constantly of stomachaches so we took her to the Colo-rectal Center at Children's Hospital in Cincinnati for 7 days of intense imaging and medication testing.  The bad news: We found out she has an oddly shaped colon, which sometimes interferes with digestion. The good news: Dr. Levitt was able to find the correct dosage of medication and she is doing fine now.  We are so thankful she is better and have more proof that God is Good All the Time!!

4.  We ended the month with a great trip to Chicago to visit wonderful Kaz friends, the Elrods and the Chaneys. Matt had never been to the city and I love playing tour guide so we did Navy Pier, Michigan Avenue, Millenium Park, Wrigley Field, and a quick stop at Garrett's Popcorn of course!  We also spent a day in Wisconsin boating and enjoying the beach.  

  

5.  Hannah had a couple of firsts....first trip to the movies (the Lorax...she had too much popcorn and candy and threw up)....first goldfish (two, William and Ripley, named because Believe It or Not I let her get another pet!)

6. Okay, 10 is too many, I am bored.  We have done the normal summer activities, went to the fair, went camping with our neighbors, went fishing, flew a kite, Bengals pre-season game, Reds games, Kings Island, concerts, Children's Museum, zoo etc.   

Hannah starts preschool  next month!  I am excited for her. It seems like an important thing. I am still going to do a lot of homeschooling with her, but I thought she needed to be in a structured environment around other kids, so I found a two-day a week, 2 1/2 hour a day program.  I think it will be a great introduction to school and I have been of course busy planning the most fabulous first day of school outfit :-)   

"For finding your mother,There's one certain test: You must look for the 

creature, Who loves you the best." 

From the book: Little Miss Spider

The 2 Parter

As a single parent, Father's Day is always kind of a weird, reflective day. On one hand, I feel very blessed. Hannie and I have been blessed with amazing, really upstanding men in our lives. She has my Dad, and even my Grandpa. My boyfriend is GREAT with her. My neighbors (all her "uncles") are like surrogate parents. The world is full of good men, and I am thankful my daughter comes in contact with some of them almost every day. On the other hand, the reality is that I am raising Hannie without an actively involved day-to-day partner. I feel like I need to hold myself up to a standard of perfection because I am all she has. I frequently have to remind myself that this is my reality, not hers. Hannie doesn't know anything other than having one parent - and that I am the one that is upset about all of this. She is perfectly happy going about her day blissfully unaware of what is missing or not missing from our unconventional family

And then I remember that in all the ways that matter, Hannah has the same Father that I do. And he heals and redeems and mends the broken places. And I don't have to be a perfect parent.

Because He is.

It's been a Joyful June.  Here are some pics of my June-bug!

This is the clubhouse built by H and some neighbor kids.  

This is H mad at me because I apparently invaded her secret club.  

Kazapalooza and Why It Matters....

This was our 3rd Kazapalooza and I've written twice before about how important these adoption reunions are, but it's really nice to be with a group of people who really GET IT. It's like extended family I guess. Only I have shared things, experiences with them that I have not even shared with my OWN family. I don't know how to explain it, and unless you have lived it, you probably won't understand. As one AP mom said. "Kazapalooza is an amazing way to celebrate adoption, our children, and the friendships that formed because we all united by something only the lucky will ever know."


Throughout most of the year, our Kaz kids are the "different" ones. The ones who don't match their parents and/or siblings, the ones who don't have newborn pictures hanging on the wall. But one weekend a year, being different means being special. The older Hannah gets, the more she understands that being adopted is something to be celebrated. So even though it can be a hassle to take off work and drive far away and spend money we don't really have, we will continue to make Kazapalooza work. Because it provides Hannie with a much needed dose of Kaz identity and pride, and because we are so blessed to be involved in this unique community.

Now for those who actually read down this far...some much deserved eye candy!!