Dear September...

Dear September,

Please go fast.

You see.. you are just one of the months in the way of holding my boys.  And I need you to move along quickly.  August treated me well, and was gone before I knew it.  Please do the same.

And if you think of it.. forward this letter on to October as well.

Yours Truly,

My First Shower

I had my first Baby Shower!  The second my friend Alisha heard about our referral she was all over it.  Her daughter Paisley is the same age as my boys, so whether they like it or not, they'll be growing up together.  I joke with her that Paisley will have my boys fighting over her for a date.  But the truth of the matter is I'll probably never let them date. Ha!

Alisha did such a great job planning my shower!  She had so many fancy little decorations and ridiculously cute and yummy food.

Her daughter, Ruthie, was a great help too.  She helped her mom set up, and run the games too.  Thanks, Ruthie!

We played this game where we had to hold 2 babies (don't worry - they were stuffed bears.  No actual babies were harmed during the playing of this game), talk on the phone, and sort baby socks.  Pretty sure my fake babies were squished under my armpits… but I rocked those socks!

Speaking of rocking… look at the guitar on the booty of these little pants!  So cute!!  These are from Aunt Kate and cousin Eddie - who is a rockstar himself.  So he's a good role model for the boys. 

The boys also got some cute Tigers T-shirts… which Dad will L.O.V.E...

And my cousin Mindy made these Amazing Tigers hooded towels, with matching washcloths.  She is SO talented!!  These will also be a fan favorite at the Stefanich household.

In other handmade news, my friend Anne made these ridiculously cute onsies.  She hand sewed these super cute little somethings, and there is a really cute heart button sewed over Ethiopia.  I am going to be SO sad when they grow out of these, and I might have to hit Anne up for these in additional sizes.

Thanks to Aubrey for the super cute Bumbo.  Dave was really confused when I registered for these, but once he sees them in action, he'll love them :)  I already know of their greatness!

I got SO many more amazing gifts for the boys, and was so blessed by my friends and their company as well as their sweet gifts.  Thank you to everyone who came to my shower, and thanks to Alisha for throwing such a great party!

Our Court Date

Today my little boys are 4 months old.  I've already spent a month of my life dreaming about rocking them and loving them and cuddling them.

Over a month of wondering WHEN I would get to meet them.

Yesterday we found out the day we'd get to hold them.  :)  And I can't stop smiling.

I was at my aunt's cottage with 2 of my aunts and some of my cousins.  Dave was at work.  We were sitting around talking about (would you guess it?) my boys.  I just got done telling my aunt that I didn't expect to hear about a court date until the courts reopened in October.

Then my phone rang.

The weird thing is, if you call me frequently, you know that I am not the best at answering my phone.  I often hear it ring, but figure by the time I race through the house, or dig through my purse to answer it, I will have missed it anyway.

Yesterday my phone rang, and it wasn't even my regular ring.  It was a ring from over a year ago when we had a case worker 'T' during our paperwork stage.  Our regular caseworker is out of the office, so T is handling our case right now.  Weird that her number was still stored in my phone with a special ring tone.

It almost like I knew in my gut I had to get to it.  So I raced across the lawn and in the cottage to dig through my stuff and find my phone. Wouldn't you guess, I didn't make it.  But I did see T's name scroll across my phone just as I reached to answer it.

I called her right back.  She acted all nonchalant, like she was just checking in, because K was out, and then she added, "oh, and I have some good news for you too.  Do you have a minute to talk?"  She told me our court date was November 1.  We will need to be in Ethiopia by October 29.  I screamed like a teenager at a Bieber concert.  It was mildly embarrassing.  My aunts and cousins came running in, and  I started taking notes (and good thing I did, because I remember very little about the call).

And then I started crying.  Like the awkward, cover my face, can't control the tears, silent cry.  And I just answered T was some "mm-hmms" and "okays" that I squeaked out.  My poor family sat there trying to figure out what was going on, but being respectfully quiet.

So now we know.  By the end of October we'll hold our precious little boys. It seems like an ETERNITY away, but I'm hoping with school starting in a couple weeks, it will just fly by.  I have lots to do to keep my mind busy, and prepare for these cute little honeys.

Like for example, today, as I write this, I am staring out the window waiting for our cribs and changing table to be delivered.  And waiting for Adrian to drive up to work on the mural some more.  And then going into my classroom to prepare it for 23 wonderful first graders to come get their school on…

But no matter how busy I am, my mind is constantly on my boys.  So I have a huge sense of relief now knowing the day I get to meet them.

AHH!  I can't wait!!!

No More Numbers

This is the day that everyone seems to be getting new numbers.

And this is our first month without numbers.   *Sigh*

Its so weird to be done with that stage of our adoption.  So instead of imagining who my little ones might be, I actually get to swoon over cute pictures, and amazing little faces, and tiny bouncy seats and twinsy sets of cribs and sheets and pack-n-plays and teeny tiny socks.

Our cribs and changing table get her next week.  But I can't put them up until the mural is done :)  Which is looking WONDERFUL by the way!!  Here are some photos for your enjoyment…

Can't WAIT for it to be done so I can set up the cribs!!

Birthday Pie

To my sweet boys,

I make one peach pie a year.  You will love it.  I promise.  Because I am not amazing at baking many things, but I dominate a peach pie.  

Its your Grandpa Sluiter's birthday today.  And we'll celebrate it with you every August 9 with a peach pie.  Because he didn't ever want birthday cake on his birthday.  He wanted peach pie.  Ever since he was little.

This is just one of the many things I will teach you about your Grandpa.  And while you will never meet him in person, I know he's already watching over you while we wait to meet you.  Because that's what Grandpas do.  And I'm sure he's whispering naughty little things in your ears on how to drive your mommy crazy when you're little.  Because that is something THAT Grandpa would do.  He always had a smart mouth comment for everything, but you couldn't help but love him for it.  It sort of runs in the family.  I hope one of you sweet boys has a little bit of that spunk in you too.  If your Grandpa has anything to do with it, you both will.

And one day, if you tell me you want something besides birthday cake on your birthday, I'll learn how to make it.  And if you both want something different, I'll make both things.

Just like I did for your Grandpa.

*Happy birthday dad.  Miss you more than words can say.

AniMural

Its official.  The mural is underway.

Maybe you remember reading about the sketches, in this post.  We were blown away by our friend Adrian's talent.  But then he started on the actual wall.  And again… Dave and I?  Blown away.

He started by transferring his sketches.  To the wall.  They're huge.  And amazing.  And more than I every imagined they would be.

Now he has begun painting.  He's only just started, but you can already tell its going to be outstanding.  Each day he comes, a little more of the mural comes to life.  I'll keep posting as he goes… and I'm going to try to get some action shots while he's here… if he's not opposed to being online on the coolest blog ever.

Okay… enjoy some photos of the process so far.  I've taken 1 million, but I've only included a small portion here.  You will have to excuse the pictures that include me.  I was trying to show you the 'scale' of the animals.  So focus on that, and not my sweaty, fresh from the gym, self.  Thanks.

Blank Wall - pre Adrian

Can you see the light sketches?

My favorite elephant...

Why Hello, sweet Giraffe!

How about a little black paint?

Splash of color…   

My friend, Giraffe, with beautiful eyes. 

The Giraffe is smelling my sweaty hair. 

The wall.  Its going to be SO great. Large animals.  Amazing Art. 

Adrian will be back next week.  I'll snag some more pictures.  I try to give him some "artistic space" while he's here.  I shut the bedroom door, and keep the dogs away, and try not to bother him.  Then, the second he's done, I RACE up the stairs to check it out. And then I gush about how great it is.

Sometimes Dave and I just stand in there.  And try to imagine how we'll fit two cribs in the room without covering up something awesome on the wall.  But its a small room, so that might be impossible.  

Because Adrian is very talented.  And every part is amazing.  

So when Dave puts the cribs together - SCRATCH THAT - when I put the cribs together, I'll just have to work extra hard to honor those sweet animals the best I can.

Court Closure

Today was the last day the courts were open in Ethiopia until after the rainy season.  We were hoping, hoping, hoping to have a court date by now, but it didn't happen.

But its okay.  I have faith in God's timing.  I know our boys will be in our arms at exactly the moment they are supposed to be.

And many of you have seen their pictures, but many of you have not.  So let me tell you something.  My boys are the most beautiful boys there are.  I look at them every day.  I dream about holding them.  Seriously.  I do.  I dream about people asking to hold my boys and I tell them no.  I dream about carrying them in slings.  Which is probably because I researched the pants off those things.  And then I wake up SO happy and excited.  Its like Christmas when you're little, only BIGGER.  Like you can feel the excitement growing in your tummy, and its so overwhelming you have to distract yourself before you lose it.

I imagine what I will do when they are both crying and I'm the only one home.  Or when its 2:00 am and I'm so tired I'm crying along with the babies.  I can't WAIT for that.  I imagine kissing their sweet faces and counting their fingers and toes.  I think about walking around the neighborhood in the AMAZING stroller I picked out.

Its in our garage.

And it calls to me.  Begging me to put it together.

But I restrain.  Mostly because I might actually push it around the neighborhood before the boys are home.

And that would be weird.

I wonder how big they'll be in my arms.  I wonder what their first words will be.  I wonder if I'll really need two of everything.

I really WANT two of everything.  But my logical husband has been trying to talk me out of a second this or that.  But what if I NEED it?  What if the boys need it?  They might both want to swing at the same time, or bounce in a seat, or sit in a bumbo at the same time.  I need to be prepared for these moments. How am I every supposed to shower if I can't get them both strapped into a "something" with a mobile over their head while I peek out of the shower every couple minutes?

So I'm keeping myself busy while I wait for a court date.  Thinking about all this stuff and so much  more.  And enjoying my last nights of sleeping when I want to, and waking up late.  My last days of skipping meals or grabbing a yogurt on my way out the door.  My last days of having cute little diapers in the house, but not actually having to use them.

I can't wait.  I really can't.  But I'm hanging in there.  Keeping my mind going with lists of things I have to do before two little twin babies are going to live here and take over my heart and my world.

And I'll let you know as soon as well know our court date.  But in the meantime… pray for it to happen as soon as absolutely possible!   Thanks in advance :)