Happy New Year!

For those of you who were lucky enough to score an invite, welcome to our blog! We are (fingers crossed) a few weeks away from traveling to meet our child in Kazakhstan. Since we thought that we'd be in Kaz before Christmas, we are packed and ready to go as soon as we get the phone call. (Truth be told, we have to re-do some paperwork but that is the story of international adoption.)

There have been a few bonuses that have come our way since we didn't travel before the holidays: we got to go sledding with two of my nephews, we were able to hold a spur-of-the-moment New Year's Eve party at our house (pictures of the revelers are posted to the right), and we got to hang out with my three nephews from Carbondale, IL!

The time spent with the Carbondale boys (who are 4, 3, and 1) was very informative for us. We learned a couple of things that will come in handy once we pick up KK. We learned that spaghetti is best eaten after you turn 3 (and then only if you take off your white shirt first). Here's a picture of Cole (the 1-year old) eating spaghetti with a spoon. He enjoyed his food (as did the dogs who hung out under his chair)!

We also learned that you should have the diapers and jammies ready BEFORE you put the kiddos in the bath tub. So, duh, we should have known that one, but we must claim inexperience (as well as desire to put the little guys in the tub before red sauce got all over our carpet and furniture). Here's Uncle Ben bravely holding two diaperless boys while Aunt Karla dressed the only potty-trained one.

I finally broke down and bought KK some new clothes (with all of the boys in our families, KK could wear hand-me-downs through most of his childhood). The Carbondale boys tried on the hats and mittens that I bought for KK. (I knitted the blue and white mittens myself-yea for me!) I bought 3 hats, but the 3rd hat was too small for all of their heads.

I hope everyone had a good holiday!