Then and Now

Garrett, April 2006

This is how my handsome boy looked when his Auntie Becky and I arrived to bring him home. His foster momma simply called him "Gordo" (fat). He was a healthy little chub!








This is the only photo I could find of my little boy with his Buddha belly exposed for all its glorious wonder. Last July his middle was wider than his shoulders -- really deserved the name "Gordo."






Here's my mean, lean jumping machine today. No more Buddha belly for this boy! He looks like a little man now. My baby is all gone.

As for the jumping machine, I've decided to give the furniture a break and sign him up for gymnastic classes. Maybe he'll take after his cousin Andrew.




Here is one of our update photos for Elena, from July last year. She always had great expressions in her photos and looked so happy. That certainly helped me get through the wait until she could come home forever.






February 2007. Finally we made the trip to bring home our little princessa. She just watched us, taking our measure. Smiles were very rare, and usually included a champurada in her hand/mouth.

I had to include this photo of Elena with her Dada -- how my mighty Marine could turn into absolute mush with his daughter in his arms made me fall in love with him all over again.

This was Elena this morning before church. I guess that she has finally decided that she can let her real personality shine through, my happy, giggly, adventurous girl.

Check out that grin -- it's as if she is admitting "I am just toooo much!" I couldn't agree more.



So much has changed in our family in the past year. We are now parents of two toddlers. (Well, I say "we" but Chris has only been able to be home for five months that this bliss.) Yet, though many things have changed, there are still many things that are the same as last year:

1. Chris deployed to Iraq, then and now.

2. I'm learning how to teach my child to sleep well, Garrett then and Elena now.

3. Our house is on the market, to move to a bigger house then, and to move across the country to a new duty station now.

4. I've struggling with being a hausfrau, then and now (bitter-sweet moment last week when I formally resigned my position in the school district versus being on a leave-of-absence then). Oh, the hausfrau part has more to do with having to keep the house Q-tip clean in case someone wants to see the house, and I miss the challenge of moulding young brains on a daily basis. Difference on #4 is that I intend to do something about missing my job once we get settled in Cali.

Today I'm just wondering what new challenges, adventures, and lessons tomorrow will bring. I'll keep you posted.