Um, yes, some long over due photos:

Jenay and her birthmother on Birthmother's Day!  

Jakob and his birthmother on Birthmother's day.

Jada's birthmother lives out of state and was unable to come this year.  We hope she is able to come visit us soon!  We miss her more than she could ever imagine!

Jada being silly!  

Jakob lost his first tooth!  That kind of deserves a post all of its own....He was so excited for the tooth fairy to come visit him and give him a prize.  BUT, he was even more excited for his birthmother Kaiti to see his tooth and was willing to wait for another night to put his tooth under his pillow so Kaiti could see it.  I think that is the most precious thing EVER!  I heard him talking to himself about how he wouldn't be getting a prize that night.  I told him that maybe the tooth fairy would do something out of the ordinary for him since he is such a special boy.  We wrote a note asking the tooth fairy if she could deliver his tooth that night to Kaiti and put it under her pillow for a surprise and then she could keep it forever--and then he could get his special prize for losing his first tooth.  She was very kind and generous and Kaiti was super excited too.  

Being an adoptive mother goes so far beyond what I envisioned motherhood to be.  I can't take the pain from loss that comes with adoption away.  I can't make it less.  I can't even pretend that it doesn't exist.  BUT, I can share in the joys of parenthood.  I can share some of those experiences that we all dreamed for our children--and ourselves--and make it a reality beyond a photo or a letter.  I want it to be real.  I want it to bring a smile to her face.   I want to remind her again and again that we love her.  

My innocent Jenay....so precious!  (and I say innocent with a tad of sarcasm!) haha!

Learning to skate!

Getting a kiss from Molly--grandpa and grandma's dog

Jenay with her aunt Jessica at Easter time.  When I first saw this photo, it made me stare at it for awhile.  How Jenay's reflection appears to be looking right back at her, but she doesn't appear to be looking at her reflection.  It made me think about how Jenay is probably a completely different person outside her body.  It's like her soul saying that our body is just temporary and someday she will be able to move how she wants to move and say what she wants to say without any physical restrictions.  She is a happy happy soul and I am so thankful for that! 

My free spirit.