We're Going Out to Celebrate Tonight!

We are all very proud of Hillary. It's been an exciting day. We are so happy for her and, quite frankly, relieved. She did a great job with her applications and auditions (she did them ALL by herself) and stayed very cool under the pressure of the whole process. Woohoo!!!!!!!! We aren't quite sure of her final decision, but her options are great.

Monday's the Big Day.

We'll find out where Hillary's been accepted and where she is headed in the fall. She's totally calm and I feel like the weekend couldn't be dragging by any more slowly. C'mon Monday...I can hardly wait to hear. The emails are supposed to be sent out Monday at 5pm (couldn't they have done this Friday and saved us a few days of sweating it out?). Besides finding out where she is going and what program she'll be studying there, I really am curious to know if she'll be close enough so I can get to some of her concerts or meet her for lunch once in a while which would be amazing. I hate for her to lose the bonds she has with the other kids, especially Hannah and Emma. Emma is so young that she might even forget her so we'll have to make sure they see each other once in a while (they totally adore each other). No matter where she goes, we'll make that happen!

Hillary cannot wait to go to college and I'm thrilled she feels that way. It's such an exciting time for her and she's so ready. Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping she gets just what she wants!

Boy 2.5 with cleft lip and palate (lip repaired) waiting for his family

I'm trying to help this little guy from Fujian Province find his family. He sounds like a doll!

He is a clever and outgoing child who is noted for being cooperative! (an amazing trait for someone 2.5!) The orphanage has noticed that he will proactively get close to people he knows and reach out to them. This little boy is all smiles, with his cleft lip repaired in August 2006. His favorite activity is to dance around the room while listening to music!

If you are interested in learning more about him, please contact Meg at China Adoption With Love, Inc.
http://cawli.org
email: info@cawli.org
Phone: (800) 888-9812, (617) 731-5756

Feel free to email me for questions about that agency...we've used CAWLI for two adoptions and they are incredible.

Just Got An Email....

and we now have a LID....3/6/08.

Photography Class - Week 3

Our homework for week 3 was to take portraits of "things", not people. I'm not all that clever. I didn't know what to shoot and we are supposed to shoot in natural light without flash. Outside, everything is so dreary this time of year...leafless trees, dead grass, gray sky. I had a hard time finding interestng things but I learn so much by seeing what everyone else shoots. Some of the people in our class are incredibly creative and it helps give me an eye for different possibilities. The teacher goes around the room and discusses each person's photos - what worked, what didn't, and why. It is such great feedback and amazing to see how taking a moment to crop a photo differently or to edit it slightly can turn a boring photograph into something beautiful. I still am very clueless about the whole thing, but not quite as bad as a few weeks ago and it is a lot of fun! Here's some of my homework from this week.

Another "Flowers" Quote

I named my blog FIVE FLOWERS with the Claudia Ghandi quote in mind, but I have found another "flowers" quote which I think is beautiful. Staying mindful with five kids isn't easy for me and I need constant reminders. I think I'll post this one on the fridge.

The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.” - Thich Nhat Hanh





This is a photo of my garden taken by my brother, Pete. I miss him so.

Photography Class

I started a photography class a few weeks ago and realize more than ever just how much I don't know about photography. Every time I take my camera out of automatic mode, it won't work. I'm hoping to at least figure out how to use my camera so that I can take better shots. I took these shots for homework. They are technically pretty bad, but I think the subjects are pretty cute anyway. Some day, maybe I'll learn enough to do them justice!