Bringing Ezra home

Ezra has come home! He was released from the Medical Center of Macon on Wednesday, January 26th. He traveled to Covenant Care Services in Macon, our adoption agency, where he went through a short ceremony and was signed over to the Gordons. Here is Christie Lader, our caseworker who is walking us through the whole process. A rose was placed on the pulpit of Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, GA yesterday morning in honor of Ezra coming home. And Elsie here is petting her little brother, which she often does (after some hand sanitizer, of course). Elliot is thrilled about Ezra, pretty much all the time. He loves sharing a room with him and says when he sits next to me and talks to Ezra, "isn't he great, mama?" It's pretty darn cute. Elsie is sort of hit or miss. Sometimes she's so excited to have a real doll in her house that eats and poops and everything. Other times she gets a little tired of not having as much attention. But I think in general she's doing ok, except for a bad cold. Ezra is just a sweet little person.

At his first doc appointment today, he had gained 5 ounces in 5 days! Fabulous. We'll be at the pediatrician once per week for awhile to be sure his iron stays where it should. He is only awake for a little bit when he eats now, but doc says we should try to keep him awake a little longer. He has beautiful eyes and seems to study people a lot like Elliot did. I can't wait to get to know him a little bit more as he gets older.

So far we think we'll keep him!

Hi Ezra!

Say hello to Ezra, everyone! We met him this morning at 10am at the Medical Complex in Macon, GA. Michael and I met him first, then Yaya and Big Papa, then Elliot and Elsie got to say hi through the window. He is currently in a Level II nursery, a step down from the NICU. Ezra was born Dec 17, 2010 and was 3.25 pounds and 15 inches long. He has been growing and learning to eat well since then, though we didn't even know about him until last Friday. Docs say all of the signs look good, and are hoping to send him home with us on Wednesday. That's 5 days after we found out he existed. WOW! He makes very sweet little noises and watches you with big beautiful eyes. We are in such shock and so very very happy and excited that we get to hopefully soon take this little boy home with us!

MLK Day Parade

This was the 3rd year for us at the Savannah MLK parade. We always sit at the same corner. It's not on purpose, I just always end up there. It's easy to park and walk, and it's close to the beginning of the parade.

We all have our favorite parts of the parade. Elliot likes the drum lines. Elsie likes the decorated vans and cars. And me, well, I have to admit that my favorite part is the dancing girls at the front of the bands. They're pretty much unbelievable. I mean, I was one of the girls at the front of the band in my high school. And I never moved like that. I love that every band member is perfectly in step, that the girls move effortlessly in a wave of sparkles and smiles, that the drummers sound at least 5 years older than they should. I love those bands.

Of course for all three years we've been the only white people on the entire street. But it's still my favorite parade. Because it means something. Because there are hundreds of years of agony and pain and redemption and hope tied up in that parade and in that man's life. Last year when we went, the parade was happening in anticipation of the inauguration of Obama. Watching the floats and the people on them, the messages on the sides of the cars, it was pretty overwhelming. I cried, sitting with my children, on MLK Drive, in a huge crowd of black families. I cried just thinking of what a victory it was, at what Frederick Douglas would have thought about that day, at what all of those that lived and died only knowing slavery would have felt if they could have seen that day.

So I'll keep going to the MLK day parade. Maybe other white families line the streets further down the parade route. Maybe they don't. But I'm thankful for the parade, for the people, for the celebration. I'm thankful that our country recognizes such a man and such a movement. And I'm thankful that God has plans to redeem and to heal, beyond what even Dr. King dreamed.

Brownies

Elsie can be a very good helper around the house. Especially if there is food involved. After helping the other day she told me while we licked the spoons and bowls, 'mama, this is my favorite part of making brownies.' Mine, too, Bug. It's almost unbelievable to me that I signed this little girl up for PRE-K today!

Restaurant lady

I can't believe I failed to post pictures of our new waitress. She's been serving us for a long time, but now she has the clothes to match. Her outfit from Yaya for Xmas came with some tip money, a pad for taking orders, and a little headband which I couldn't keep on her head. Papa bought her a cash register for ringing diners out and a soup pot to help in the kitchen on busy days. She is particularly good at rainbow tea and pancakes. Those are her specials.

Too good to miss

I just had to post this picture. Who is that extremely cute man posing with his Americano in downtown Helen, Georgia? That's my husband, in fact!

Anniversary #7

And we're still married! These large chairs were in Helen, in north Georgia where we spent part of our 7th anniversary celebration. We drove up with the Slades and thoroughly enjoyed them along with some good food and a whole lot of Uno. Two nights were in Helen and then one in our favorite shwanky hotel in Atlanta. I can very happily say that if I had it to do all over again, I'd still marry Michael. I just would have done it sooner. Happy New Year everyone!