How...

...do I accept compliments on how gorgeous Snarkles is from the people I know, work with, see at church, etc?

Sure, in writing, telling me to just say "thank you" and move on makes the most sense. In reality, the situation is so different than being able to do that.

I do want credit for helping this girl reach her milestones, for influencing her awesome little personality, and for teaching her new things. But, I CAN'T take credit for her beautiful eyes or how insanely cute she is. Thank you just doesn't seem appropriate.

Sometimes, I wish people would just smile and say I'm doing a great job. THAT, I can respond to. Smiling and saying "I just can't get over how beautiful she is, she is so tiny and cute, and her eyes are so pretty and blue" isn't something I can respond to easily.

It would be rude to say "I know, I'll be sure tell her biological parents you said so" or "yes, we 'got' a very beautiful baby from the county," right?!

(Unless you're a complete stranger, in which case, "yes...she is gorgeous, thank you!")

Updates, that aren't so up-to-date

She's over 7 months. She's petite though...most people are guessing 4-5 months when they see her.

She has her two bottom teeth and they are simply adorable. As they move farther up and we start to get peeks of them in her smile...it kills me, it's too cute.

She's gumming away on wheat biscuits and is loving them! The box says they are for 9 month old's who are crawling, we are not 9 months or crawling, but...we're doing good with them.

I tried to give her banana and avacado straight this weekend...both were a huge failure. We'll try cooked carrots next, then maybe toast...she's showing signs of wanting to feed herself (by grabbing the spoon) but she must not like the texture of the real stuff.

Clothes are sized completely weird. Stuff marked 6/9 months fits great, stuff marked simply 9 month is just barely long enough and tight at the neck. Today, we wore a shirt marked 12 months and it fit well...let's hope she doesn't miss out on the chance to wear all the cute things in her closet!

She's still in a size 3 diaper and I keep meaning to weigh and measure her...I'm 100% sure she's more than 14.5lbs (which is what she weighed on August 5th).

She does good at a sitting in a shopping cart and in the high chairs at restaurants. Our biggest problem at most restaurants is that the chairs put her face at the perfect height for gnawing on the table (gross!) and YOU try to have a good dinner while constantly distracting a baby who only wants to gnaw that table...forget all the toys you have for her, that table has magnetic properties.

She still dislikes riding in a car. If we can time it right she'll fall asleep, if not...you better hope you only have a short ride.

She is LOVING the activity triangle and is really starting to get the hang of the different movements the pieces make...not only that, but she's strong enough to toss this toy around.



Wow, none of that was organized...but as for a bullet point run down, it's pretty detailed! I'll read this in a few months, think "my gosh, remember when..." and then cry. I'll cry the biggest tears, tears of happiness for who she's becoming and the joy of getting to see it.

Back before...

...we had our first placement (a term we never use anymore when referring to Miss Snarkles), but we were finished with the MAPP classes and just waiting for our state license, I made a few purchases. To prepare.

For what, I didn't know. But, I couldn't just sit around patiently...

Actually, in our mind- we were waiting for a toddler of sorts, minimum a child sitting up and eating solid food. I bought a range of clothes on consignment.

Did you click that link back to my post about clothes...umm, I went overboard, eh?!

And, while we got the call for a newborn...I believe we also got what we imagined. We just never imagined the journey. You see, I bought this sippy cup imagining a mobile child would be placed with us.

and now...

Prayer Of The Children

Prayer of the Children
Kurt Bestor - Composer
It's about the Yugoslavian wars and he writes about his emotion behind the piece on his blog.

And, maybe, I'm really feeling the emotion in this song right now because the change of seasons, summer to fall (then soon, fall to winter), which always seem to bring about a sense of emotion in me.

I'm always more contemplative, reserved, and in reverence than normal.

Tonight, I've enjoyed some quiet time alone with Miss Snarkles while daddy is at a high school football game. Not because he is in high school, but because he's a band director. A little after 9 this evening, when a tired little girl wouldn't close her eyes, I gave her my hand to chew on and the next thing you know I'm calling everyone (ok, just my parents and Justin) to tell them. No one notices that I'm practically in tears on the other side of the phone because of the levity of this.

As of the moment I am writing this, I'm the only one who has seen or felt her first tooth...the magnitude of that, is unexplainable in words, let alone the fact that she has a tooth.

Her birth parents don't know she has a tooth and it is likely that more strangers will know about this tooth sooner than they will hear about it. I have to let that soak in.

Tonight, I sang the baby to sleep with the lyrics from the song titled above...

...but if I should die before I wake, I pray my soul to take...
...if unknown roads lead away from home, give me loving arms, away from harm

Not alone...

...another young couple recently became first time parents through fostering!

Jennifer, and her husband, welcomed two brothers, age 1 and 4, to their family.


That was the image we had in our head (well, except we are only licensed for 1 child). The image of a toddler. An little body that could communicate, had already developed feelings and a personality, and was toddling around on their own two feet. We got everything but that...

...and I am SO happy watching Snarkles learn to communicate, develop feelings and personality, and toddle around (WAIT, no...she doesn't toddle...yet) with us. For those who haven't met her, she is a rather alert and curious little miss who has never met a stranger.

She is starting to really learn forward and put her arms out for us and I guess, now that she is 7 months old, she thinks it is ok to sit on her own too.

Yes, she is SITTING ON HER OWN (next thing I know, she will be sitting on her own, in the front seat of a car, behind the steering wheel...can someone please stop time?). It's a sweet sorrow. I love seeing her grow and develop, but imma gonna miss her last 6 months as they fade into memories.

I haven't posted enough pictures...

We've never met...

...but I feel compelled to direct any readers I might have to go read about Zaria's fight.

Pretty Swell has put together a powerhouse of prizes to help raise money to support their family financially.

I was never as touched by these stories until I knew what it felt like to love an infant. It's gut-wrenching to imagine the pain they are feeling.

I'm so thankful for all the love and support we've been shown in our journey. I am happy to give now, to someone I have never met, because it's the love and support that have helped us get through...please help Abigail and Zaria's parents in their journey through grief.