Gosh, it's hot

It's June. And it's HOT. Too hot. Like 100-ish hot.

It's not that hot where we were this time last year. Anyone want to wager a guess? Not of the temperature (70s and 80s) but of the location?

After meeting the girls for the first time in December of 2009, we FINALLY were invited back to see them again in June of 2010. Then, between June and August we made three - yes, three - trips to and from Russia before we walked in our front door as a family of four.

It's hard not to look back. Like all life events, it seems both so recent and so, so long ago. I actually don't like to look back at this trip, or even the next, because they were really, really scary. I'm not going to go into how close we came to it all falling apart. It makes me physically ill and beyond frightened, like it's all going to change if I think about it too much. Let's just say that I'll be really excited to note the late July date when we, a year ago, actually "took custody." The real date we'll celebrate will always be Homecoming Day of Aug. 19, 2010.

It's hard, too, to think of all the time we lost. I try to focus on the tomorrows and not the yesterdays, though.

On a related note, today is a day of celebration as my friends Jasmine, Eric and their daughter, Jenavieve, welcomed hom a new daughter, Journey, from Ethiopia. Their son remains in Ethiopia awaiting finalization of some court documents. I'm beyond overjoyed for them. Journey is absolutely precious and Vivi will make the best big sister.

I'm beyond blessed to be surrounded by adoption. It's in our pores now...and we'll be forever grateful.