30th Birthday

My 30th birthday was a few weeks ago. It feels a bit strange to be thirty years old. Being thirty means I graduated high school twelve years ago (how did that happen??). I've been married nearly nine years. I graduated college eight years ago. I've been a mother for six and a half years. I do grownup things like buy cars and teach children. My kids are getting old enough where I vividly remember doing things as a child that my children are doing now, and that is surreal. But wasn't I a kid, like, just a few years ago? How is it that I'm a grownup and have all these little people who think I know everything (at least for now)? I feel like an impostor pretending to be in my thirties.

In the months leading up to my 30th, I wondered how I would celebrate. Would I have a huge 30th bash? Would I have a romantic dinner out alone with my husband? Life happened and we never got around to planning anything. But in the end, I had the perfect birthday: my sweet sister-in-law brought me a happy birthday mocha early in the day. I had a picnic lunch with my peeps at my favorite playground ('my' favorite because of the beautiful blossoming trees all over the place). I sipped my mocha, read a book, and watched as my children frolicked happily (seriously...there was frolicking). In the evening I dressed up the little people in their finest and our family of five went to a nice restaurant for dinner. The kids' present to me was behaving well through the meal. Afterwards we came home for cake and a very special happy birthday song sung by my sweet kids. It was simple, yet wonderful. And maybe I'll start to feel like I'm in my thirties one of these days.

Our New Daughter Revealed

We've been waiting for this day for over three months: the day that our daughter would be one giant step closer to being ours forever.  

While the adoption will not be truly final for about six more months, the decisive court hearing was yesterday. The outcome of that hearing all but guarantees that she will be given to us for adoption! Now we can start calling her by her new name and share her photos. 

So, with great joy, we would like to introduce you to our new daughter-to-be...

Lucy

(Click here to view slideshow on YouTube)