Easter Happenings

I know that I owe my few loyal readers a real update.  Someday maybe I'll have time to sit down and write one.  I promise that the lack of updates are simply because we are crazy busy.  Sara is doing amazingly well (except for her current cold/ear infection/fever/general miserableness).

Here are some Easter pics to enjoy.  I'll throw some in from last at the end so you can see how much she's grown and changed in a year.

Unfortunately, we spent a good chunk of Saturday at the pediatrician's office.  The official diagnosis is an ear infection but I'm convinced there is more to it.  She's still running a fever and coughing.  Now the poor dear is starting to lose her voice.

She must have dyed eggs at school this year because she was definitely familiar with the process.  You could tell she wanted to enjoy it but just didn't feel well.  

This is what happened when we tried to dye eggs last year.  

She got a great Easter basket from our friend Jenny again this year.  Jenny picked great, thoughtful gifts for Sara that she, of course, loves.  It's so fun to open gifts with her.  She slowly opens each present and gets so excited over every single one.  She seemed confused that I didn't have any gifts so she gave me one of hers for each one she opened for herself.   She is genuinely surprised that all of these things are for her.  Me?  

She loved finding the eggs we dyed.  Her "hunting" skills have improved greatly in the last year.  I guess my hiding skills will have to be better next year.  

Since she isn't contagious anymore, we managed to get ourselves dressed up and headed to church.  (Pretty much all we've done this weekend.)  I can't believe how grown up she is getting.  

Last year's Easter outfit.  

Happy Easter from the Keller Family!  May your truly understand what Easter is all about---God's plan to save, redeem, and adopt us!  

Valentine's Day - Last Year

Last year, on Valentine's Day, I was in Colombia. (Cause I was pretty much there forever.)  My friend Jason and his daughter Claudia left that afternoon.  They had pretty much been my life-line and my sanity.  They were my escape from the hotel and the hotel food.  They were my connection to home.  And they left me.  (I can't blame them but....)

Susan and her girls were at the hotel at the time but I knew they were just passing through.  They were a lot of fun but I knew that they, too, would be leaving as soon as they possibly could.

Since it was Valentine's Day, Susan and I went to the grocery store and found the closest thing to American candy we could find for the girls and threw a tiny, little party in her room.

Pretty much the cutest Valentine's dates ever!

In the middle of our little party, the hotel owner knocked on the door and told me that I had a phone call.  I knew that it was too late at night for "The Call" (the one saying the adoption decree is ready) so I was interested to see who it was.  (A secret admirer, perhaps?)  I picked up the phone and realized it was my amazing in-country rep.  The hotel owner had called her because she was worried that I was depressed and thought she might need to come cheer me up.

Our amazing in-country rep

Apparently, in their minds, Valentine's Day is a HUGE American holiday and I must have been so sad about missing it.  I had to try really hard not to laugh into the phone.  I was in a funk but it had nothing to do with Valentine's Day and everything to do with my friends leaving.  It took me quite a while to assure her that I was fine and not missing anything at home.

I'm not sure I've ever even celebrated Valentine's Day.  The one year that I was dating someone in February, he was at college in Ohio and I was student teaching in Costa Rica.  I've gone out with groups of girls to "celebrate" but that's about it.  It is certainly not a big holiday to me and I was kind of relieved to be so far away from it for once.

It goes to show, though, how kind and caring Colombians are.  Even if they are a bit misinformed.

This year, I'm spending Valentine's Day with the Love of My Life.  

Letters to My Daughter - Christmas Is Coming

Mija,

It's kind of funny to me now that I address your letters that way. I don't think I've ever called you that.  I call you lots of things but never that.  Right now, it's usually goofball or chickadee.

This time last year, I was pretty sad and frustrated.  I had finally accepted that you wouldn't be home for Christmas but I was starting to feel like you'd never come home. Now, I can't even remember what life was like before you came!  

Last year, I didn't put up a Christmas tree.  I just didn't want to decorate it myself and then take it down before I went to Colombia.  It just seemed pointless.  This year, I am so very, very excited to put up the tree with you.  We may actually do it this weekend---far sooner than socially acceptable.  I just know that you are going to love it and I'm too excited to wait.

You are so in awe of life right now.  Every new thing you do is the best thing ever.  I think that you will be so overjoyed at the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of Christmas.  You will remind everyone around you of the pure joy of the season.  

I want to soak up every ounce of Christmas and experience all that we can.  (Of course, not too much so you don't get crabby and overwhelmed.  It's such a fine line with you.)  I want to take you to see the mall Santa and pay way too much for a horrible picture.  I want to play in the snow.  I want to ride the Christmas train.  We are going to dinner with Santa at Gigi's playhouse.  We'll do Christmas eve church and sing Silent Night with candles.  (That will be interesting since you are obsessed with blowing out candles.)  We'll do Christmas day with my family.  We'll start our own traditions.  

I want you to hear the Christmas story and love it on whatever level you can.  You love babies and animals so I think you'll like it.  I want you to learn Christmas carols and love them as much as I do.

I want to watch Christmas movies and make cookies.

I want you to wrap presents with me and learn the joy of giving to others.

I want so many things for you this Christmas.  

More than anything, I want you to know that you are loved.  That this Christmas will be different because you have a family to celebrate with.  That you will always be the best gift I have ever received.  

Feliz Navidad, mi chiquita.  
Merry Christmas, my love.  
Mom 

Mother's Day

Mother's Day has never been my favorite holiday. In the last ten years, I've grown to hate it. I love my mom but I couldn't tell you the last time I was actually with her for a Mother's Day--one of the many downfalls of living 600 miles from your family.

For me, Mother's Day has been a yearly reminder of what I don't have in my life. Mother's Day is, after all, to celebrate women who have children. I think in recent years, people have been more sensitive of women with fertility issues or women who have lost babies. However, I've never heard anyone acknowledge the group that I fall into---women who want nothing more than to have a family but just haven't found the right guy to start one with. Nothing like walking out of a church service in tears because you've been reminded again that, for what ever reason, you don't have the one thing you want in your life.

This year, I have a slightly different take on Mother's Day. This year, it's all about next year. Yes. I have a daughter. Sort of. This year, I will spend Mother's Day thinking about my little girl and how she will soon be in my arms. I will probably still cry and my heart will still break for all the wonderful women that I know who want nothing more than to be mothers.

But, this year, I have the hope of next year.