Connecting with friends, Connecting the dots ~ Apr. 18-23rd

There's no denying that I've been working more than I want to. (Case in point, not much to blog about.) But somehow life goes on, and I manage to make it to most field trips and see our friends, just often all at once. This past week was one of those weeks where we just tried to squish it all in. The best part is forgetting the work hours, and having these kinds of memories that stick. Although, Nora's preschool trip to the Honeybee Centre wasn't a yearly highlight unless you enjoy being in a hot, claustrophobic room with too many 3 year olds and their parents, while the employee tries to get the children to repeat the names of the bee's anatomy like "thorax" and "abdomen". (And she couldn't quite understand why the kids weren't really paying attention...) Nora was particularly clingy and "flashing" people by lifting her top up, but eventually she took a turn at extracting honey from the barrel.

Given a honey stick, she finally smiles.

Last in line, Nora eventually tries.

In the insect room, Nora is hesitant about what she might find in the cage.

Next year, we'll be sure to take a rain-check on that visit, and just go buy honey there sometime in the summer when we need an outing on our own. :) A much more relaxing time was visiting with Julie and Anna on Monday, especially with Julie bringing lunch for us... she's awesome! My sister Ann called, so we both enjoyed talking with her about her recent milestone birthday. Nora and I will see her in Winnipeg in late May, and now Julie and a friend will travel there in the summer. Who knew Winnipeg would become such a popular travel destination?! Book your trip now...

Anna loves to play with Nora's kitchen and food. They share pretty well...

...at least most of the time!

Sharing real food together is a much easier concept.

At 28 pounds each, this is no easy feat! 

Nora initiates a hug without warning... almost like a choke hold. :)

Anna does what we all want to ~ try to get Nora's hair out of her eyes.

Our two little sweethearts, our China sisters.

They are bound to have some good times ahead.

Next day, we were off for a visit to Megumi's after preschool for a yummy pizza lunch.The girls played very well together, with painting being a popular activity.

 

With Megumi expecting her next child in the next 2 months, Nora has figured out that babies grow in Mommies' tummies. (Her preschool teacher recently leaving on maternity leave first introduced this concept as well.) We've had a few brief conversations about that, with her conclusion that she grew in my tummy, too. With much trepidation, I've gently had to say that actually she didn't, that she was in her China Mommy's tummy. Along those lines goes the discussion about her brothers growing in my "tummy" while she did not. It's a little heart-breaking to have to introduce these ideas, but I must be honest and teach her story to her, rather than someone else in a possibly unkind way. I may have posted this poem before, but it reminds me that one of my tasks as an adoptive mother is to honourably teach Nora about her birth mother, despite the lack of information, of how her world may have been when she had to possibly make one of the hardest choices of her life.

Dream of You

Today I'm sitting at the spot
I call our secret place
With eyes closed tight I dream of you
The tears stream down my face

I left you here a year ago
It was to my despair
The emptiness within me
Is more than I can bear

Where are you today my darling?
Where are you today my dear?
A part of me is missing
I wish you still were here

Are you perhaps in China
Maybe right down the street
Sometimes I walk right by that place
In hopes our eyes will meet

I left you here my daughter
I left you in this place
Each time I close my eyes at night
My dreams fill with your face

I will always love you
I will always care
Even though I left you here
My dreams are yours to share

Please forgive me little one
There was no other choice
When you close your eyes at night
Your heartbeat is my voice.

Tom Fisher  (c) September 16, 2004