lisamikeplus3

G's 4th birthday!

2008-12-01T20:37:00.000-08:00

I can't believe the peanut was 3 yesterday, and 4 today. My how time flies. We celebrated over pizza tonight at the Brickhouse Tavern. Gregory didn't eat much other than the green icing off his cupcake. But who cares. It was his birthday.

Two out-takes

2008-11-29T10:19:00.001-08:00

from our Christmas card photo shoot on one of the many bridges at Newport News Park.

Just say no

2008-10-27T20:05:00.001-07:00

Niko and Lena came home from school chanting:

"No, no, we won't do drugs. Because we love our bodies too much."

Welcome to "Just say no" week at Hilton Elementary School.

The school will reinforce the message this week in a variety of ways, including allowing the kids to wear silly socks on Tuesday and their clothes backwards on Thursday.

And while I agree with the message, after listening to the chant for about an hour, I was ready for a new tune. So I asked Niko and Lena a question:

"What are drugs?"

"Umm. Well, umm. I don't know," Lena said.

Uh oh. What good is the message, if the kids have no idea what it's about, what they are supposed to say "no" too?

Is it a pill? A board game? A dance move? A powder? A piece of candy? Something you put in a pipe and smoke?

Now don't get me wrong. I don't think it's solely the school's responsibility to teach the kids about drugs. In fact, I think the responsibility lies squarely with the parents. And I did use this as an opening to talk with Niko and Lena about drugs, a conversation that will be ongoing for the next decade and a half at least. But if the school is going to send out a "just say no" message, it has to be more than a platitude. It has to mean something. Which means they have to back up the chants -- the easy part of the lesson -- with real solid and practical information about what to say no to, and how to do it.

Carpe Diem

2008-10-07T19:11:00.001-07:00

Thomas Alan Gosser
January 1999 -- Oct. 6, 2008

I met Tommy when this picture was taken two years ago. He was 7.

No journalist I know actually wants to interview a 7-year-old, let alone interview a 7-year-old about his cancer.

But Tommy was different. This little first-grader comfortably answered questions about what he called his "exciting and traumatic adventure" with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare cancer of the bones and soft tissue. I still remember sitting there in the family's sun room that day praying that one day I wouldn't be back there talking about Tommy in the past tense.

It's a prayer that wasn't answered.

I was back in that sun room about 10 days ago, talking to Tommy's father for a story I would put in the paper after his son died. Young Tommy was asleep in a hospital bed that was the focus of the next room. And his dad, while talking about his son's death and his legacy, often looked away from me to that enormous bed and the tiny boy in it.

I talked to his father again yesterday after Tommy died. His mother was with him when he died at about 4 a.m. Monday.

So very sad. So many missed opportunities. Tommy will never go to college, never fall in love, never get married or have kids.

It reminds me how important it is to seize the day.

Proud mama

2008-10-04T18:40:00.001-07:00

I am so proud of the twins. Today was their first swim meet. And while I don't know whether they won or placed or even qualified, they had fun and are already asking about the next meet.

It was a long day. It started out with a 15-year-old teammate falling down on her back on the slick wood floor and having to be taken out on a body board by EMTs. Luckily, while she cracked a vertebrae, I'm told her spinal chord is intact and she will be fine, albeit pretty uncomfortable for a while.

The meet (a tri-meet between three teams with a total of 200 swimmers) started late and was not quite over when we left five hours later. It was a long day, with a lot of down time sitting around between races.

I was able to see all three races for each of them. They both swam freestyle, the freestyle relay and backstroke. Lena actually came in second in her heat in back. And she even was willing to go off the starting block -- a first -- for the relay. I was so proud of her for that. Usually her personality is one that is quick to believe she can't do something before she even tries, most especially if there are people watching. So to see her take her mark and go (with a little nudge tap from me) made me so incredibly proud. And it got me choked up. These happy moments always bring the tears to my throat. What a sap.

The kids played nicely in the gym while they waited between events. Lena colored and did puzzles and played war with a girl from school, while Niko made friends with some of the boys on the team. At the end of the day, he and Noah hugged goodbye and added "see ya Tuesday!"

Finally -- some reflections on Disney World!

2008-09-23T20:34:00.001-07:00

I said goodbye to the Magic Kingdom last week, and I must admit, it made me a little sad. When we left exactly two years ago, I had already decided I would save every penny I could scrape together to bring us back to Disney World in 2008. And I made it. But this time I’m not so sure when we’ll be back.

So I guess it’s good that we accomplished so much on this trip – visited all four theme parks and one water park, rode more than 40 attractions (some more than once) and met 27 of the kid's (especially Gregory’s) “character friends.”

At the risk of boring you, here’s the rundown of some of what we did each day (with a few cool nuggets and tips along the way):

First afternoon/evening: Even before our luggage caught up with us, we put on our suits and took the bus and the monorail to the Polynesian Resort to swim and have dinner. There’s no way we could afford to stay there now. But when I came here as a kid it was actually the affordable hotel, and being back there for the first time in decades brought back some strong memories for me. Some things never change. The trash cans still have the same designs. The pool is still fabulous. I almost felt like I could close my eyes and find my way to one of our old rooms (where we ate pb&j for breakfast and lunch to save money).
Insider tip: The pool at each hotel says it’s only for guests at that hotel. But no one checks your Disney pass.
Trivia: There are nine acres of employee passageways under the Magic Kingdom.

If it’s Sunday, it must be the Magic Kingdom!
I made my first trip to Disney World in 1972, back when the only park was the Magic Kingdom and even before Space Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean. Which is probably why it remains my favorite park at Disney.
Here’s a rundown of what we did on our first day:
In Fantasy Land: It’s a Small World (straight from the 1964 Worlds Fair), Peter Pan’s Flight, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Pooh’s Playful Spot (where G met Pooh, Tigger and Darby), The Many Adventures of Pooh, Arielle’s Grotto.
In Toontime: Mickey’s Country House, Mickey’s House (where G. met Mickey and Minnie) Toontime Hall of Fame Tent (where everyone met Cinderella, Auroa, and Belle) and Walt Disney World Railroad.
In Tomorrowland: Indy Speedway, Tomorrowland Transit Authority (I remember what it was called the WED People Mover) and Buzzlightyear’s Space Ranger (all N&L).
As we were leaving, we noticed the streets were lined with onlookers. We had happened upon the daily “Dreams Come True” parade. I have to admit, I’m not a big parade person. But again, I make exceptions for Disney. I almost got choked up watching the kids wave at the characters and the floats as they passed by.
Dinner: San Angel Inn Restaurante in Mexico (EPCOT). While we were there, we rode the Gran Fiesta Tour Staring the Three Caballeros (several of us rode it twice).
Insider tip: If you are planning a trip to WDW, the first full week after Labor Day is the week the least people visit. In fact, in the last few years Disney has offered their dining plan (it would have cost us more than $750) for free that week in an attempt to bring more guest in.
Trivia: Disney World is 47 square miles and has 55,000 employees.

Monday: Hollywood Studios
Here Gregory was thrilled – he got to meet so many of his “character friends” – Leo, June, Quincy, Jo Jo, Goliath, Handy Manny. And the twins got to meet the yellow, green, pink and blue Power Rangers. What a thrill! And we lucked into catching the beginning of the High School Musical show just after walking into the park.
Dinner: Probably our favorite from this trip: Boma, the African buffet at Animal Kingdom Lodge. It was kind of a pain to get to – had to take a bus to Animal Kingdom and then a second bus to the Lodge. But it was well worth it, if just for the chocolate mousse!

Insider tip: Make your dinner reservations as early as you can. Even during the off-season, reservations fill up quickly.
Trivia: Animal Kingdom is a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The park is 500 flat acres that were built up with 4.4 million cubic yards of dirt.

Tuesday: Blizzard Beach
After one day of traveling and two days of touring the parks, the “lazy rivah” (as Gregory took to calling it) was a great way for adults and kids to recharge. At first Gregory hung back. But he quickly remembered he could swim, and from then on it was hard to keep up with him. We spent an hour on the lazy river and rode the sky ride and the Teamboat Springs family raft twice. Then we headed back to the hotel early to rest up for our big evening out.

In 1972 my parents took my brother and I to the Luau at the Polynesian Village resort. Many things at Disney never change. This isn’t one of them. Thirty-five years ago it was an immersion in Hawaiian dance. Today it’s more like Hawaii meets High School Musical. But still, it brought back memories of my dad and a grass skirt.
Insider tip: The best way to get to the Polynesian Hotel Resort is the monorail. Most people don’t know that if you ask, and if there’s room, you can ride in the front with the driver. Riding up front changes the ride from transportation to an experience. But only four people are allowed in the front at a time. So if your group is bigger than that, figure out ahead of time who gets the experience, and who gets the transportation. But if you’re going more than one stop, you can always get out and switch spaces.
Insider tip: pack some soap and shampoo from your hotel room and you can clean up in the shower there before heading home.
Trivia: Waves in Melt-Away Bay run 45 minutes out of every hour.

Wednesday: Epcot
Once known as the EPCOT Center, or the Experimental Prototype City of Tomorrow Center, the park was new when I made my second trip to Disney in the 1970s. It’s kind of preachy and dated, but back in vogue now that we’re all talking about being green again.
We started our day at the park at Spaceship Earth (thankfully they upgraded the script) – which Gregory called the “Ball Ride” since it’s the ride through the big sphere that is the icon of the park. It was Gregory’s favorite – so much so that every time we came back to Epcot we had to ride the ball ride!
Other attractions: Test Track (actually, M, N and L were in line, when a fierce thunder storm popped up and they closed the ride), the Seas with Nemo and Friends, Turtle Talk with Crush, Soarin’, Living with the Land.
Autographs: Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Chip and Dale, Goofy, Belle.
Dinner: Actually, we had a late lunch at Le Cellier Steakhouse (even though we called months in advance, this was the only reservation I could get). I pretended there wasn’t bacon in the cheddar cheese soup (it was fabulous, and what’s a vegetarian to do?). I had the salmon (again, I felt silly ordering seafood in a steak house, and I have to say I’ve had better) and chocolate mousse for dessert.
Insider tip: The only ride at Epcot closed for rain is Test Track (the kids experienced that in person).
Trivia: Construction of the 260-acre park was the largest private construction project in the U.S.

Thursday: Animal Kingdom.
While Disney is pretty much all about all things fake, there are actually real animals at the Animal Kingdom. Gregory was in heaven with all the monkeys and apes to visit. His favorite: the white-faced gibbon. But he loved the gorillas too.
Attractions (in addition to stopping to enjoy the animals along the way): Kilimanjaro Safari, Pengani Forest Exploration Trail, Maharajah Jungle Trek and Kali River Rapids.
Dinner: Tokyo restaurant in Epcot. I had the sushi platter – a beautifully presented sampler platter of a wide variety of individual packages of rice topped with fish, egg, crab or roe.
Autographs: Turk (from Jungle Book II)
Trivia: An average of 150 pairs of sunglasses are turned into lost and found every day. I wonder if one of those was the pair I overheard a guest tell a cast member that the giant bats in Animal Kingdom stole off his head and dropped in the greenery.

Friday: The vacation comes full circle: Magic Kingdom.
On Monday we did the right half of the park. On our last day we did the left half of the park. Magic Kingdom is so large that even without lines, you need a good two days to see all that there is to see.
Attractions: Pirates of the Caribbean (we almost missed this one – it was closed when we got there, but I checked back an hour or so later and luckily it had just re-opened and we walked right on), Swiss Family Robinson Tree House, Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management), Jungle Cruise, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, Country Bear Jamboree, Haunted Mansion.
Dinner: Morocco. This is a fun restaurant – with live music, belly dancers and exotic foods.
Trivia: The hearse in front of the Haunted Mansion was built during the Civil War

Saturday: Final morning at the pool.
Everyone was tired, and we didn’t really have enough time to get to and enjoy a park before having to catch the bus to the airport. So instead the kids went swimming at the pool. Here Lena made friends with Amy from Scotland, Gregory strapped on a float and zoomed all around the pool and Niko played in the squirting fountains.
Lunch: This was the only time we ate at the restaurant at the All Star Music Hotel. And there was an amazingly nice selection of entrées, including pastas, sandwiches and salads.
Insider tip: The family suites at the All Star Music are fabulous. For little more than you would pay for a single room, you get two rooms that can sleep up to seven, two bathrooms and a kitchenette ('fridge, microwave, sink, counters).

Reason No. 1 to come to Disney in mid-September

2008-09-11T06:13:00.000-07:00

When I told a teacher friend that I was taking the kids out of school the second week and taking a family trip to Disney World, her response was "You had all summer. Why didn't you go then?"
This sign says it all.
I was talking to another friend before we left. She and her family visited Disney during a school break last year. They waited 2 hours to ride the Dumbo ride in Fantasy Land in the Magic Kingdom. And I'd say Dumbo is one of the lamest rides in the park! The longest we've waited for any attraction was the 15 to 20 minute line at Soarin' -- easily one of the most popular rides in Epcot -- yesterday.

Niko, Lena meet the Power Rangers!

2008-09-08T20:09:00.000-07:00

But sadly, since we only have one camera, and I was using it to take pictures of Gregory while Niko and Lena were meeting the pink, yellow, green, red and blue Power Rangers, there are no photos of their meeting. So this group shot will have to do.

A big day for Gregory!!

2008-09-08T19:55:00.000-07:00

Gregory LOVES the Little Einsteins. In fact, he latched on to Baby Einstein when he was less than a year old, and that obsession eventually grew in to this one. And people who know him know it is an obsession (he is my OCD child, after all). So today was probably a dream day for him, as he got to meet three of "my Einstein friends," get their autographs AND see them live on stage!

The twins' turn

2008-09-08T06:05:00.000-07:00

Gregory and his character friends

2008-09-08T05:42:00.000-07:00

Some kids run screaming when they see a big yellow bear or an orange bouncy tiger. But not my Gregory. Here are some of the friends Gregory made on our first day in the Magic Kingdom.

Loving make-believe

2008-09-07T21:13:00.000-07:00

“Mommy, is that real lava?” Niko asked as the Small World ride rounded the corner into Mexico.

“No sweetheart. Nothing in Disney World is real.”

Go ahead. Call me a hypocrite.

In general, I hate fake things. Who needs margarine when you can have butter? Vanilla flavoring when you can have vanilla? Fiberglass replicas when you can have the real thing?

And yet, Walt Disney World – the king of the universe of all thing fake and fiberglass – is one of my most favorite places in the world.

So much so that I was only partially joking when I text messaged a friend today and told her that my new career goal was to get a job as a bartender at a Disney resort!

This place just holds so many fond memories for me that it really is magical.

I made my first trip to Disney a year or two after the park first opened, back when it was just the Magic Kingdom and two hotels (For Disney fans out there, I’m talking, even before Space Mountain and Epcot). I was about 7 (the same age as the twins) and my brother was about four). We stayed at the Polynesian Village Resort. Yesterday I went back there for the first time in decades. And while everything smelled of fresh paint, in truth nothing really had changed. The pool. The hotel. The trash cans.

I found a favorite food here. On my first trip (and I have probably been a dozen or more times total, as a child, an adult and a parent) my brother got sick, so my mom took me into the park and my dad took me out to dinner. Funny thing is, my strongest memory from that day is taking the monorail to the Contemporary Hotel and eating at the buffet in the concourse. We got lasagna, and I remember not liking the look of the rectangle of noodles and goo on my plate. But somehow dad convinced me to try it, and I decided then and there that lasagna would forever be one of my most favorite foods (it’s still in my top 10). Today whenever I make lasagna I think of that night, and my dad.

I also learned about spontaneity thanks to Disney. The teachers in our school district went on strike one year. One night we were sitting around the table and one of my parents asked what we should do while we weren’t in school. I don’t remember which of us said “Go to Disney World” (I’d like to think it was me), but I do remember that shortly thereafter either my mom or dad called the resort and less than 48 hours later we got in the car and drove south.

Back to the present…
Niko and Lena went off with daddy and rode some rides, while Gregory and I went to meet “all my character friends.” He was so thrilled to get autographs from (and his picture taken with), Pooh, Tigger, Darby, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Belle (from Beauty and the Beast). So thrilled that when Cinderella kissed him on the cheek he rubbed the kiss, and then put it in his heart, so he would have it “forever.” I couldn’t stop the tears from dripping down my cheek!!

(MANY more photos to come soon!!)

First day of school!

2008-09-02T20:08:00.000-07:00

It was quite a morning. It started with tears.

"I don't like my school clothes...." from Lena.

"I'm not ready for 1st grade...." from Niko.

They both got over it, and by the time we got on our bikes everyone was excited about starting the new year.

And my what a difference a year makes!

I'll never forget last year. When I left Lena in her kindergarten class, she was sobbing and I watched as her classmates converged on her to give her a hug. Today she was a little nervous (as you can probably see on her face in our first day of school photo), but no tears. Niko, on the other hand, trouped right into his classroom, put his backpack where it belonged and sat down on the carpet with his classmates.

Gregory, well, he was just excited to see his girlfriends again, although since it was only open house we didn't stay long. So tonight he was outside by himself and I asked him what he was thinking.

"I'm sad," he said.

"Why are you sad?"

"I didn't get to play with Arielle today. Can I call her and can she come over and play right now?"

"It's too late for her to come over now. But we can call her and say 'hi.'"

Moments later...

"Hi Arielle. I love you."

So cute!!

The countdown is on -- 4 more days of summer -- :(

2008-08-28T18:48:00.000-07:00

Niko and Lena can't seem to decide whether they want summer to continue, or if they want to go back to school.

This afternoon, when we were hanging out with Grandpa Fred, visiting the local museum and going out to lunch, I think they wanted summer to go on forever.

Tonight, when we went to the open house at their elementary school and they got a chance to meet their new teachers, well, I think you can see the excitement about school on their faces.

This will be a big year for them. For the first time, they will be almost totally separate during the school day (the only time they will be at all together will be for the 15 minutes when their lunch overlaps, and even then they will be seated in different sections of the cafeteria). It will be good for them. Together they find endless ways to pick and nudge one another. Separate they become individuals, making their own friends, exploring their own interests. I thing will be a great year for them.

And yet, I am already looking forward to next summer!

What do you see?

2008-08-24T17:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the kids and I made a memory in a parking lot.

We spent the whole day at Busch Gardens Europe -- I rode a roller coaster with Niko, enjoyed the sky ride with Gregory and petted the Clydesdale horses with Lena. And yet the real memory from the day came when we were walking back to the car.

The sky was blue. The clouds were puffy. And we were all holding hands, when I asked the kids what they saw in the clouds.

Lena saw a horse (of course). Niko saw a man with an ax (of course). I saw a Snoopy-like dog on his back with his four feet in the air (when I finally took this picture, it was starting to break apart. But can you see the dog's nose pointed up to the sky on the left?).

It was one of those special moments.

It's the second time I remember making a memory with the kids in the parking lot of an amazing place. In September of 2006 Niko, Lena and I were walking across the parking lot to catch the bus to one of the parks in Disney World. Lena was holding my right hand, Niko my left. The three of us were talking, I can't remember about what, but in that moment I felt so happy, so content, so close to both of them. And I remember suddenly realizing that sometimes getting there really is half the fun. It was then that I decided to look for ways to enjoy more of those "getting there" moments -- riding bikes to school, walking to the local park, even running errands in the car.

So what do you see???

These costumes are 20 years young!

2008-08-16T19:00:00.000-07:00

I was surfing the other day, and I ran into this...
Check out the "30 years of musical theater at PW" video.
It brought back one of the few fond memories I have of high school.

I remember everyone helping make these green costumes when we first did "The Wizard of Oz" 20 years ago. It was surprising to see the same costumes on the kids who did the show in 2005!

It makes me want to get involved again. I'd love to schedule a trip home for March so we can see the PWHS 2009 production of "Little Shop of Horrors." And I've already volunteered to help out behind the scenes for the spring show at the local community theater.

Mom's sixth trip to the ER in five years

2008-08-08T18:29:00.000-07:00

And I have to say, it doesn't get any easier!

At first I didn't think Gregory's fall was anything unusual. Sure, there was that moment of dead silence before the crying began, but it wasn't until I reached him and saw him holding his forehead and blood seeping out around his fingers that I knew this was not your everyday boo boo.

We made it to the ER about 30 minutes later (Gregory had long since stopped crying, and was just pouting and holding a bloody cloth over the gash in his head). Ninety minutes and no more tears later we were on our way back home. In the car, Gregory told me he was "brave" that the doctors "did a good job patching me up." Then he asked if we could stop at "Old McDonald's" and get some French fries to share (who could say no?). What a guy!

While I'm not sure I should admit this, Gregory and I actually had a nice time together in the ER. We snuggled in the bed and I let him play DJ with my iPod -- Mama Mia, Seussical, Toy Story, Curious George (Jack Johnson), Don't Worry Be Happy -- while we shared the two ear buds. And when it was time to glue his wound together, he laid down on my tummy and asked me to be his "seat belt" (that's what he calls it when I put my arms around his waist).

Twenty-four hours later he says his boo boo feels all better and he wants to write a thank you card to the doctors and nurses who "patched him up." I have to say it again: What a guy!

And even though I am a veteran of six ER visits (see list below), and even though in the end this was really no big deal, I came home frazzled and drank a glass of wine before giving my little guy an extra hug and snuggling in with him for the night. Because even if it's really no big deal, a mom can't help but feel every pain, every anxiety, every fear along with her baby (and yes, in this case he is your baby, no matter how old he is).

* * * * * * * * *

Lisa's ER visits with the kids:
July 2003: At their first birthday party home, neighbor kids convinced Niko and Lena to eat holly berries. Poison control said to take them the ER, but it turns out all holly berries can do is cause an upset stomach, so they were back at the party and eating cake less than two hours later.
Aug. 2003: Lena fell off a swing at the park. Broken collar bone.
Dec. 2004: 3-week-old Gregory lethargic, feverish. Doctors order a spinal tap and admit him to the NICU. Stayed three days to be treated for dehydration and pneumonia.
Feb. 2005: False alarm for Gregory.
Aug. 2006: Gregory fell off a chair. Bottom teeth cut clear through chin. Eight stitches.
Aug. 2008: Gregory gets forehead glued.

Apparently we're raising two surfers!

2008-08-03T18:18:00.000-07:00

I remember when Niko and Lena were afraid of the waves. We spent a week at the beach the first summer they were home and I think the only way they were willing to touch the water was if it was in a bucket.

Not any more.

I took the kids to the Outer Banks Thursday. Lena spent the whole day way out past the breakers with the big kids. She learned when to dive under a wave, when to ride over it and when to point her board to the sand and ride! Watching her reminded me of vacations at the Jersey Shore when I was young. I was always way out there -- so much so that my mom would worry. It also brought back memories of my dad. When I was young he would take me out there on our old blue raft. I'd lay on top -- he's hang on one side. When I was older we would make our way through the waves -- the same way Lena did -- together and then ride them back to the beach.

Niko was a little more timid when it came to riding the waves, but when 16-year-old Fraser showed him how to use the skim board (I used to skim with my dad too), he was hooked!

So today Niko got his own skim board. And he spent much of the afternoon getting the hang of it. At first he couldn't stay on for even a second. But by the end of the day he was getting in some good rides!

Scavenger hunt at the beach

2008-07-17T19:30:00.000-07:00

When we were at the beach last week, Gregory skipped his nap on Wednesday and Thursday, and by Friday he was exhausted. So when he finally passed out in the bed, he was out for a while. And with no TV at the house, Niko and Lena quickly got bored.

So I sent them inside to get their Fisher Price cameras, and while my folks and I sat on the deck (drinking mojitos), I sent them off on a scavenger hunt. First, find something you can travel in (I don't think this beach buggy has moved in years, but I let it slide).

Something round (rather than take a picture of the whole grill, Niko snapped this shot of the vent on the grill -- pretty cool, I thought).

Something sharp.

Something that floats.

Etc.

Harder than it looks!

2008-07-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

Trust me -- I tried it! And I have to say, I could get addicted. But that's another story.

The kids were playing with these juggling sticks (a thousands of years old game invented by the Chinese as a way to practice martial arts) at a boutique (aka $$$$) toy story when we were at the beach. Back at home I found these sets at a local discount store (aka $). Niko spent much of the evening at the outdoor jazz concert trying to get the hang of it. And by the end of the night he could trow it up and catch it, and roll it back and forth. He's got such good coordination it won't be long before he's flipping it all over the place!

So sad!

2008-07-15T20:21:00.000-07:00

I hope the reports are wrong. But according to a story in The Moscow Times, the Russian ministry of science and education, which oversees adoptions, barred the Cradle of Hope Adoption Center from operating in Russia. The ministry said Cradle (and another agency) failed to file the required update reports on adopted children.

Wow.

This is the agency we worked with. It was one of the first agencies to work in Russia in the early 1990s and one of the first to receive permanent accreditation in 2007.

Truth is, it is up to the adoptive parents to complete regular updates during the first three years after an adoption. And as a parent who has been there, I know what a pain it is (we were a little late on one of the six reports we were required to file, and for that I will always feel bad). I hope Cradle is able to overcome this. Because ultimately, it's the parents -- and more importantly the children -- who will suffer.

Lena and Mommy at the beach!

2008-07-10T07:14:00.000-07:00

Lena has one of those Fisher Price cameras. She snapped these two shots while she and I were hanging out together on the deck overlooking the sound.

Peaceful ride!

2008-06-25T12:57:00.000-07:00

Our friend Mr. Brett, a freelance videographer since being laid off at the Daily Press six months ago, is putting together a video series on hidden treasurers of Hampton Roads for Cox Communications. Today's assignment: the old Buckroe Beach carousel in Hampton. We agreed to meet him over there and take a ride (or two) so he'd be sure to have some kids to shoot.

It was great. Such a peaceful ride around and around for Mommy. Gregory was fixated on watching himself in the mirrors around the center of this 1920s vintage carousel. And for Niko and Lena it was a great setting to imagine being a princess or a knight.

6th Annual ArkAngels picnic!

2008-06-22T18:39:00.000-07:00

I still remember the our first picnic six years ago. We were just a handful of families who for the most part had only been together for a few months. I spent most of that first picnic with a twin on each hip. This year I barely even saw the kids. They were off riding the horse or in the hay wagon, jumping in the moon bounce, swinging in the tree swing, running in the grass, etc.

I have to wonder if Lena and Alaina remember one another from the days when they lived together in the orphanage (Lena was 21 months and Alaina had just celebrated her 2nd birthday when both of our families appeared in court on the April 25, 2003 to complete their adoption). Each year the girls get together and are immediately the best of friends -- two peas in a pod, thick as thieves. And Niko really likes Alaina's brother Randy (other than Gregory, the only bio child at the picnic).

This year was a bit bitter sweet though.

At 2 p.m. we gathered around a young heritage birch tree we planted in memory of Dr. Viktor Pavlov. Dr. Pavlov ran the Arkhangel'sk City Baby Home when many of us adopted our children. He clearly loved the children, and we all thought of him as an extended member of our families. Dr. Pavlov died earlier this year. We tied the names of all the children to the tree. And took a few moments to share our memories of the man who brought us together as families.

A few more cousins photos

2008-06-22T14:31:00.000-07:00

On their first night here, we packed up and went to the free outdoor jazz concert at Port Warwick. I think a good time was had by all!

Kim and Chuck.