Jumpin into 2009!

The New Years Gang
(My brother Dave, Obie, my sister Joan, Devi Me,
my dad's friend Gail, dad, and Pat)

Uncle Bill teaching Devi how to blow a New Year's horn

Following tradition, we again "jumped" into the New Year. I jumped from the recliner, Pat jumped from the other recliner and Devi, well, she still can't manage to stay awake past 7:30pm. The clock continued to tick away the seconds, but at that one precise moment, one year ended and a new one began. Even after sleeping on it, I am usually overcome with the feeling that I have fallen behind in my list-of-things-to-accomplish or have an overwhelming sensation of longing for something or someone. This year, I awoke on New Year's day feeling refreshed with a clean slate and a sense of calm to enjoy each new day as it comes. Breathing in a slow fresh long breath, I am ready! Okay, so there is this one small urge to clean all the closets out...purge...if you will, but this is normal, everyone feels that, right?

The day after New Year's also marks the day that our I-800A form left our agency and found it's way into the capable hands of the postman in route to the US Department of Homeland Security to see if we are fit to parent another child. This is one giant step that we are glad to have accomplished. Now we wait for an appointment to have yet another set of fingerprints taken. I assure you, they are pretty much the same as the last several times they have been taken, but I am willing to comply, yet one more time. In a moment of shock, a conversation I had today with the India program director of Journeys of the Heart left my heart pounding in my throat as she said to expect a referral of child #2 in 6 - 12 months. This has me flabbergasted as we were expecting a wait of at least 18 months or more, like the anticipation we endured waiting to hear news of our precious DeeDee. We, or course, are guardedly optimistic, as time lines in International adoption are nothing short of unpredictable and tend to go long rather than short. And frankly, we are not yet ready...with one child still in a crib and not yet fully potty trained! Egads!!

Devi funnies and notables for year end 2008:

Quote: Mommy and Daddy are discussing and praising Devi's successful trip to the big girl potty. Daddy asks mommy, "Did she go #1 or #2?" Devi responds for mommy, "I went #16!"

Year end accomplishments: by the end of the Christmas holiday, Devi can sing all the words/sounds of Jingle Bells, and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

Development: Devi has recently entered the phase of discovering emotions: I scared, I happy, I goofy, I sad, You hurt my feelings. She also nows almost all the days of the week.

New favorite food: shrimp dipped in cocktail sauce sharing peanut butter and jelly on toast with daddy, and chips and salsa...a double dipper!

Favorite past times: pretend cooking, bath time, playing pool balls with daddy, and Kindermusik class. Ms. Lindley, her music teacher and a personal friend, has been elevated to goddess like status in our household :)

Uncle David trying to keep Devi awake until 7:30pm

Starting New Year's out right with a tea party with daddy