Such a Proud Day

Being a mother today has brought me great joy as it does most every day. Don't get me wrong; I have my moments with my children but by and large there is nothing that I have found as gratifying as being a mother.

I find myself really enjoying this full spectrum of motherhood that I am experiencing at the present. Being the mom to an adult son and toddler daughter keeps me very aware of where I am going and also from where I have been. Now, on this eve of receiving our Letter of Acceptance for Ethan I am savoring this last couple of months as a mother to two before I am in the midst of parenting three with two being the exact same age.

Today was a special day for me and for my first born as he entered into Law School. During his orientation last week one of his professors told this classroom full of "dear in the headlights" first year law students that their "childhood was officially over" and that his job was to "train them as professionals that would not F*** up anyone else's lives". You gotta love a person who tells it like it is. I have never seen Justin look quite as excited as he does right now and he has suddenly taken on a new air of maturity that I have not seen in the past. He knows that he is finally studying the material that will train him for his life's work and he is taking it VERY seriously. I am so proud.

I find it quite amusing that as I am watching one child move off into his own world that I am also in the midst of helping my sweet baby girl navigate all of the firsts in her life. It is all so amazing that I have been given a chance to parent such a wide range of experience. Of course you can add to this the fact that I am an expectant mom of another two year old that has no idea how his life is about to change and how much love his forever family is just chomping at the bit to give to him. As I ponder all of this on a daily basis I find myself giving thanks for this family that Marc and I are building together. We have many stresses in our lives but every night as I reflect on my day I am truly thankful for the gift of being a mother to Justin, Katie Starr and soon to our son in China, Ethan Frederick Zhiqing.

This is the Mother and Child Statue in Yellow River Park in Gansu Province
where Katie Starr was born. The Mother represents the river and the
baby represents China. They say that the river nourishes China like a mother
nourishes her baby. I loved this statue so much when I saw it.