July 11, 2008

Four years ago today, on a Friday morning around 11 in the morning, our social worker called us with a referral.  The words that stood out were "2 months old," "healthy," "Bac Ninh," "Minh Hanh," and, the one I asked to be repeated because I was certain I heard incorrectly, "she."  Photos were to follow, and above was the first glimpse we ever saw of our precious girl.  Anthony and I laughed out loud when we saw our little Terminator.  We were in love. We signed and agreed to everything even before the medical records arrived. We knew that was our daughter, no matter what. Little did we know she'd be as close to perfection as a human can be.  Little did we know it would take nearly nine endless months to get her in our arms.  Little did we know that we wouldn't even remember life before her. July 11th will always be a wonderful, wonderful anniversary day.

Flipping the toe bird!

Even in Bea's referral photos years ago, her toes/feet perplexed me.  I often thought there was something wrong with them because they were always curled or her ankle was twisted in an unusual way making me think something was malformed.  Obviously, she's fine, but yesterday, in the back seat of the car on our way to NYC for a baptism party, I finally caught (with cell phone) this moment that I've thought of catching numerous times:  when she "flips me off" with her middle toe.  That second toe curls under, and number four crooks sideways, leaving that long #3 to stand up proud, so here it is!

And here she is downtown at First Friday the other night.  She SO wants to hula hoop and she's getting closer and closer!  I am still camera-less, which is really starting to hurt, and likely won't get the new lens until near the end of this week, so I can't post photos from the 4th of July at the Flotildes house, or of our afternoon of dress-up and playtime with Safiya & Ayah, or of our swimming and castle-building beach trip with Truman and Hank, or her wild giant ball sprinkler-playdate with Ethan, or from the baptism with her beautiful cousin Emma or of the 10-course Chinese dinner that followed in Queens yesterday.  Our days are ridiculously jam-packed, but so, so fun.  Beatrice is very, very happy these days and we are enjoying her so much.  FOUR is loads of fun!  (and loads of drama too, but that generally passes pretty quickly thank goodness!) 

Love

Can you STAND this photo????Here are David and Meaghan, the bride and groom who had a civil ceremony in NYC this morning, and whose wedding we are privileged to witness in Tuscany in 13 days.  I saw their wedding photos from today and I burst into tears!  I babysat this "boy" when he was a tot and accompanied him to his college orientation in Iowa, with many a soccer game, school play, concert, dance recital, and parade in between.  Just when I thought there wasn't a better "catch," along comes Meaghan, who just can't be sweeter (and who is a regular checker in on this blog :) ).  If being in love is able to be captured on film, here it is!  Congrats you two!!!!

Vacation Photo #1

Great vacation, but bad packing job...

We just got back from 6 days in Maryland.  First we spent 3 days in Ocean City where we had incredible weather and a great time vacationing with Lolo and Lola and cousin Miles.  Then we were in DC for my sister-in-law's 40th birthday party.  We slept through most of the near hurricane that hit Friday night, but suffered through the 100+ temps and power outages until we left this morning.  Friday we went to the National Gallery to enjoy some a/c and Beatrice walks in to the George Bellows  and Joan Miro exhibits announcing "I need my sketchbook (a spiral bound 3 for $1 little thing my sister buys many of and I keep one in my pocketbook for church, car rides, etc.) so I can write everything I see."  Below is a photo of her doing just that, along with a copy of the Joan Miro painting which she replicated and which I've scanned below it.  I'm really afraid  proud, that we have a little artist on our hands.  She is so incredibly focused when she's drawing and we are becoming inundated with random paper sketches all around our house, in my pocketbook, everywhere!  She's really into drawing people in motion, mostly ballerinas, but also sleeping, skating, boating, swimming, rocking in rocking chairs, whatever is on her mind.  It's so neat see what's in her brain!  The worst news of the trip was that I very stupidly put the camera in our checked in luggage, and not even in a camera bag.  I know, I know, I could kick myself!  Anyway, long story short, I took not one photo this trip, and we need a new lens before we head to Italy next week.  These photos are from Anthony's cell phone, and we're awaiting copies of all the fabulous ones Liza took for us at the beach.

Here are Miles and B. at the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk Funland.  Have you ever seen a person kill so daintily?  My girly girl still has no idea what a gun is.

 I love finding her sketches and asking her later what they are about.  And she always has the same exact answer even if you ask her days later.  Above: "Here is a woman bending over picking something up."

"This is a hammock out in the sun."