Pinecone Turo

If Turo got to name his future brother or sister, he'd call the baby Pinecone Turo. Catchy, eh?

1st snow of the winter

Kololo Sponsorship

With a month to go before his fourth birthday, Turo is on the verge of reading. He can identify the letters, and the other day he told me “th” was a blended sound. He’s like a little literacy sponge. And as I watch him learn, I can’t help but think of what life would’ve been like for him in Ethiopia. What life is like for millions of children who do not have access to education.

I wish that all children had the opportunity to delight in letters, to attend school in a place that makes them feel special and to believe that their dreams are possible. As you may remember, my friend Julie (who is amazing) is making this happen in one rural village in Ethiopia. She spearheaded an incredible fundraising campaign and raised enough money to build a school and a library in Kololo, Ethiopia. This school is currently under construction and will serve 250 students. It's just incredible.

Through my bracelet sales from earlier this year, one student's education in this new school is already sponsored. Now I hope to sponsor another student, so I have made 25 more pink and Ethiopian-flag inspired bracelets to help me reach this goal. Ten dollars from the sale of each bracelet will go directly to The Tesfa Foundation's sponsorship program. You can check the bracelets out at my Etsy store Heart in my Heart.

Thanks
Sara

Becoming a big brother

We are trying to prepare Turo as much as we can for his new role as big brother. We have books. He took a class on becoming a big sibling. We talk about babies and how he'll be such a good, helpful big brother. I'm excited to see him in this new role.

Turo practices gentle touches

To be hung by the chimney with care...

My mom taught me some basic sewing skills a few weekends ago so we could make Christmas stockings. It was pretty fun. Now I'm wondering what other things I could make...

e-mail #1

November 22
Yesterday we received our first “pregnant client situation” e-mail. It outlined a birth family’s situation and asked us if we wanted to be “shown.” The birthmother is due in less than two weeks. Could they pick us? Maybe. What if they pick us? Wow! We could be parents of a newborn before Christmas.

I can’t imagine having to make this decision for my child. I really can't wrap my mind around what it must be like trying to decide based on a letter and a book who will love and honor this little person. How scary and totally overwhelming.

I’m trying not to get myself too worked up over this. But I did spend some time last night making a shopping list and looking at carseats. Just in case. And we’ll need the info at some point anyway, right? I’m reminding myself that it is very likely we won’t be picked and that’s not a judgment against us. We want a situation in which a birth family feels good about their choice, about us, about the home we will provide for our child. (And that “our” encompasses everyone)

My heart is already pounding. Will it do this all day? Probably. Will I feel like throwing-up if my phone rings with an unknown number. Very likely.

But this potential excitement for us, means a loss for many other people and one tiny, innocent baby. This is the hard, tough part of adoption. Brutally hard. Unimaginably hard. So I send peace and comfort to this family and for whatever decision they make.

November 28
After obsessively checking my e-mail more times than I care to admit, we got word late Wednesday afternoon that we were not chosen by the birth family. And I have to say I was a bit bummed. As much as I tried not to start thinking about a Christmas baby, I couldn’t totally stop my imagination from going there.

Now I’m back to planning a fun December as a threesome. First on the agenda - my dad and step-mom come for a visit this weekend!

Dinner

In his younger days, Turo was not a picky eater. He was happy to try whatever you gave him. Now, he has developed a more discriminating palate. This isn't usually a problem at breakfast or lunch since we pretty much eat the same sorts of food for those those meals. But dinner is a whole other deal (plus if you add the fact that I'm vegetarian and Jose is not, nightly cooking becomes a challenge). I don't want to make Turo his own meal totally separate from ours, and I don't want to turn eating into a power struggle. So usually I try to offer whatever we're eating plus something easy I know he will eat. I encourage him to try everything on his plate, but I don't force him to eat anything or count out the bites he has left. I'm hoping that eventually patience and persistence will pay off and he'll stop being so picky.

My version of dinner the other night: quesadillas & chickpea/spinach soup

Turo's dinner - tortilla & shredded cheese (he does not enjoy the two together) and carrots (which he has recently embraced because I cut them into little pieces and he can count them).

And if I really want to get him to eat his dinner, I can offer up a banana as an incentive. I do love that a piece of fruit can be a bribe to eat other healthy things.