We're Counting Down

Not much has changed since our last post; we are just crossing things off our to-do list as we complete them. We're just about ready to go except for packing and a few other things. It's hard to believe that we will see Katie again on Sunday, and she will be ours forever from that day forward. I don't really feel excited yet, but I think it's because that realization hasn't sunk in yet. Saturday morning when we're sitting on the plane getting ready to take off, I know that I'll be excited because there will be nothing left for us to do except sit on a plane, in an airport, or in a car for about 21 hours and then she'll be ours. Wow!

This morning I took the boys for their well-child exams. They were both very pleased that shots would not be involved. That was the first question out of Alex's mouth when the nurse came for the vitals! Derek is in the 25th percentile in both height and weight, and Alex is in the 33rd for height and the 75th for weight. The funny part is that they both weighed exactly 51.0 pounds! So when we went to the water park this afternoon, it worked out well for them to sit on opposite sides of the innertube as we floated down the lazy river. Perfectly balanced! Considering Derek was born 3 1/2 months early, weighing a mere 1 pound and 7 ounces, and he spent 5 years on a feeding tube, I'm very pleased with his 51 pounds! Go, Derek!

On another note, when I wrote the post about Derek's T ball banquet, I left something out. There was a video montage at the end that was put to music. We didn't see Derek in any of the pictures, but that's not what caught our attention. One of the songs that was used was one that neither Steve nor I had ever heard before, and it really spoke to us so I wanted to share it with you. I don't like some of the word choices (saying that an adopted child is not "my own" -- my children are more mine than many biological families out there), and I don't think I agree with the term "hero," but the thoughts and images in this song are right on the money, and hit home so hard that Steve and I felt that this song was written for us. I hope you enjoy it.

Heroes
by Isaacs

Momma combs his hair and Daddy helps him brush his teeth
Day after day for thirty years the same routine
The special needs he lives with make life seem so unfair
But he thanks God every day cause he knows Mom and Dad are there

(chorus) He's a hero and she's a hero
It doesn't matter that nobody knows their name
They keep on giving to make life worth living
Might go unnoticed but they're heroes just the same

They tried for many years to have a baby of their own
But God knew a little girl who didn't have a home
Someone else's burden was their blessing in disguise
And now she's got a Mom and Daddy there to hold her when she cries

(chorus)

Every single parent who must carry twice the load
And those who sacrifice to raise a child that's not their own
They dedicate their time to make a difference in someone else's life
And in my eyes

(chorus)

They might go unnoticed but they're heroes just the same.

This might be my new favorite song. I got choked up just reading back over these lyrics. So with that, I'll sign off, but stay tuned -- we leave for Moscow on Saturday!