Can I have a ride?

Jeff took this video at the beginning of summer. It still makes me laugh so much!!!!
I also can't believe how much the littles have changed even since this video.

Metro Gardens

This weekend we made a visit to my favorite Metro Gardens.
I wondered how much Lily and Ty would like it and much to my surprise.... they LOVED it.
They were moving so fast to see everything. In fact most of the pictures I was able to get of them were like this one below.

The back of the gardens have the cutest little houses for kids to go through.

Check out Lily's Hello Kitty socks WITH her sandals. She thinks it is the coolest thing in the world to wear socks with sandals. People compliment her and so therefore she really thinks it is cool.

Twins???

Since Ty came home the most popular questions we receive (when out with Lily and Ty) are.....
~ Are they twins?
We answer no and 99.9% of the time another question follows.
~ How far apart are they in age?
We answer 8 months and this gets all kinds of reactions.
One man asked me how it was possible that I gave birth to children just 8 months apart. Bless his heart for thinking I gave birth to them. That is something we don't get very often.
The next question is usually
~Are they REAL sister and brother?
We are still working on the best answer for this never ending question.
Jeff always says, "They are now".
The most polite way we've been asked this is "Are they genetically brother and sister"?
I've had a few people wonder if they came as a set (like a set of puppies or something)

The questions about them being siblings and adoption in general go on and on from there but these are just the most frequently asked.

I am sure anyone that has adopted can relate to these questions and many more.
There are days when it doesn't bother me and other days that I get so irritated by the questions.

We knew when we adopted children from China we were opening our lives up to a lot of questions. I know some people are interested in adoption and I love when they approach us. I am always excited to help a family that is considering adoption. But 95% of the time it is just people asking to ask.

About a month ago I was in a UPS store sending 4 packages and I took Lily and Ty with me. You can imagine this was a fun outing.... with a 2 year old, a 3 year old, a worn out mom, and 4 packages.
Thankfully the store had a small play area. Lily and Ty were thrilled about that and kept busy the entire time. I was thinking YEE HAW... I've found a place I can get my mailing done and keep them entertained..... always a plus when I can get my things done and keep them happy.
The lady helping me happened to be the owner of the store. She started with the usual questions about them being brother and sister (see questions above) and then went on and on. It all happened so fast and I SOOOO wish I could go back to that moment and deal with it differently.
Her questions came faster than I could stop her. All while I am trying to keep Lily and Ty from hearing her, checking the shipping labels she is handing me, and process that this ignorant woman is asking me all these questions.
Here are the questions she had for me... these are all after we established the validity of them being siblings....
~Did their parents just not want them?
~You must have a lot of money to get two of them?
~You are lucky to get 2 cute ones because some of them are ....well... you know.... just not so cute (her words not mine).
~Why did their parents give them up when they are so cute?
~Was something wrong with them?
~What do you know about their mom and dad?
~Were they in an orphanage and was it just awful?
~Were they mistreated, starved, etc?
~Did you try fertility?
~Could you just not have children?

I am not sure I answered any of her questions... I felt like I was frozen and this woman is just rattling off questions at me and I can't answer. I have been asked many of these questions before by strangers just never all at once like that.
I really don't remember leaving the store or what I said to her while in the store...
I just remember that Lily was VERY quiet for a good part of the day and it hurt my heart so much to think she might have heard any of it. It was a HUGE awakening to what lies ahead. I am certain the questions will always be there....
What did I learn from the whole thing........we just need to be better prepared.

PhotoFunia

I just saw this cool site PhotoFunia on Matilda Jane's site.
She was so right... this PhotoFunia site is a lot of fun.... even a little addictive.

I took this picture yesterday and it is one of my absolute favorites. (I know I say that a lot but I REALLY love this one).
Lily and Ty both had red, white, and blue on. I pointed out to them that they matched.
Lily said, "Maybe you would like to take a picture Mom". Doesn't that sound so sweet? I thought so too.... turns out picture taking to Lily and Ty= Jellybeans.
So........ out to the front porch we went (the best lighting for pictures).

I asked Lily if she liked having a little brother and she gave him a big kiss.

I have to wonder how much they will like this picture when they are teenagers. hee hee

Summer Fun

Summer is so much fun and we have been enjoying every minute of it. Lily and Ty love being in the pool, playing on the swing set, the sprinkler, bikes, mowers, bubbles, and just about anything else they can do outdoors.

Our friends Dave and Julie got Ty this bubble blowing lawn mower (the blue one). WELL..... he loves it and so does Lily.
So, for Lily's Gotcha anniversary we got her a pink one. They were so excited that they could push them around together. They take them on walks all around our neighborhood. They also like to pretend they are mowing the grass.... if only the little mowers could really cut the grass. Jeff would be so happy about that.

Lily and Ty love this ladybug sprinkler from Target! They think it is so much fun to move it all over the yard. We love it because it keeps our grass watered.

Just a few pictures that I thought were cute (from playing outside)!