Happy New Year

We survived another holiday season, and what a great one it was. I was so unmotivated to do Christmas this year, if I hadn't hosted the December Bunco group I am afraid I would have never put up my tree. But I did and as the days rolled on I did get caught up in the spirit. This year is just a different, having a daughter that is not with us this Christmas changes the way you feel about everything.

The boys were absolutely adorable!! Ethan tried to read every gift tag and would say a big Thank You before he opened every present. I even heard him exclaim how wonderful Santa was on a few occasions that morning. Alex wanted to play with the first gift he opened and wasn't making a dent on his stack of gifts. I had to hand them to him and he would look up at me with those sweet eyes and say "AGAIN" . He obviously doesn't take after me, hee hee. Alex is really talking more and repeating almost everything ( I guess I will have to curb what is left of my drunken sailor mouth) and Ethan learned to ride his bike without training wheels on Christmas day.

Grandma and Grandpa Martin came out for a week and we celebrated Christmas eve with the entire Jamail/Martin clan. Uncle Rob brought his guitar and sang what has become our disfunctional family anthem called "The Family" it just wouldn't seem like Christmas without a little pickin and grinin.

Our latest Adoption update puts us in Beijing on Feb 5th with a gotcha day (that is the day Gwynneth will be in our arms forever) on Feb 7th. We are still waiting on Travel approval and an appointment with the American Consulate in China to firm up our dates. Just the thought of getting ready for this trip is stressing me out, there is so much to do. But I promise that when the kids get back to school I will hit it with full force and be my usual prepared self.

I think that bring us about up to speed. I hope you all had a very merry Christmas and that your New Year is full of happiness and many blessings, I know ours will be!!