Mum's the word

Texas is weird

They have this Mum thing for Homecoming

I've made one for Em -- shhhhhhhh it's a surprise

I can't believe it

Miss M is totally using contractions!

It's a banner day!

I didn't think this day would ever come

I missed you apostraphe!!!!!!

Shock and Horror

We're headed to CCA today

The Kiddo needs a costume for Halloween and I have some ideas

I told her we would go to CCA to buy some 'used clothes'

She looked at me as if I had offered to smear dung in her hair

"I could not do that"

"Sure you can -- everyone does it -- I've bought many things there"

"USED clothes????"

"Yup -- it's halloween"

"Nooooooo"

"It'll be fun - you'll see"

This should be interesting

Denied

We didn't get the 2nd student

and we're not going to the school district won't admit any more students

so it's just the 2 of us.

and it'll be fine.

***********************

Miss M is getting a little bit recalcitrant -- right on schedule -- as predicted by the program

I'll get her back on track with her chores

She has slept round the clock today -- and it's hard to tell if it's depression or teen sleeping.

I guess one night is "teen sleeping" and several night is depression.

We'll see

it's hard to be away from your life for so long

The Leap

So we've been reviewing profiles of other students

and I've gone back and forth on adding another student

there are good reasons to do it.

there are good reasons not to do it.

but it comes down to -- "Am I on this adventure or am I not?"

I hate that I have been so risk-adverse for so much of my life.
I love the idea that I've been brave enough to do this

it's a huge blessing

and I know that stepping in to this again will also be a blessing

even if it's horrible
even if she's disruptive
or doesn't connect with us

this too will be a rich experience I can add to my life experiences.

This year will be one of the years that I will revisit over and over again in the future -- in my old age -- these are the children that will remember me.

or at least some of the children who will remember me.

So -- we liked the profile of a girl from Germany -- but she was gone by the time I got off the pot and made a decision.

So today - -they sent us 2 profiles of girls from Italy.

And we chose Camilla.

Camilla will be our new daughter
and our new sister

God willing

Birthday Plans

I'm excited for Miss M's birthday!

It's tomorrow --but I think her family is going to Skype with her today (at least I hope so) for her Mongolian birthday (due to the time difference)

and we'll be going out for dinner tomorrow night for her American birthday

and there'll be an outing next Saturday with friends.

16 is a big deal here
18 is the big birthday in Mongolia

I think this is a happy medium.
**************


I had mentioned to the program's AC that Em would like a sister -- and that I was not opposed to this --

to me this is a once in a lifetime experience -- what difference does it make if I add one more -- and it might enrich the experience for all 3 of us.

The AC sent me an email -- she has someone who's coming out in January -- do we want to see her profile.

Yes

I came home to talk to Miss M -- she was initially very excited -- but we talked about it -- and agreed that this is going to take a family decision
.
we're going to make a Pro Con list -- review the profile and make a decision.

I loved Em's comment

"We would need a lot more rules"

Rain

It started to rain

Em ran into the room

"It's raining!"

We had to go out on the patio to watch the rain

It was pelting down so hard the drops where bouncing back up into the air as they hit the grass.

Em stood on a chair to reach one hand out into the rain


"want to go out in it?"

she looked at me in shock

"really"

"Come on", I replied -- "Let's do it"

We were soaked in seconds

she announced that she wanted to see the pool and reached her arm out to grab my hand so we could run together through the heavy rain

I was shocked
and pleased
and touched

We ran laughing -- and looked at the pool -- wishing we had cameras that would have been ruined by the downpour

The rain was painfully sideways on the run back -- we were laughing and gasping as the rain was inhaled into our lungs

-- it was a beautiful moment

We were family/friends/sisters all at once