Love & "Stuff"

I don't know if we will ever really be able to convey to the boys the huge amount of support and love we are receiving while waiting for their arrival. Our family and friends have been incredibly generous and thoughtful; between Beth, Darlene and Molly these boys have clothes, toys and books for the first several years taken care of! And, if you've been following the blog, you have seen some of the other incredible things we've received; but, it's not just the "stuff," it's the thought behind it. Last weekend we received a treasure box from one of the boys distant cousins - great stuff - books, puzzles & stuffed animals - but the best part was when the boy told me "we saved some of my most special things from when I was little, I hope your boys will like them." I tell you I almost broke down sobbing, he was so sincere. (Okay, I realize I also may be getting a bit emotional as the travel date approaches). Another example - this weekend we received a box in the mail from a woman in Massachusetts I have never met in person (also good stuff, clothes that will fit Little Guy); she is part of an online support group I belong to for families who are considering, have adopted, or are in the process of adopting children specifically from India. It's amazing what I have learned from these folks all around the U.S. and abroad. Last week I put out a legal question (regarding adoption leave from work - more on that in the future) and received over 30 responses in just a few days!

Now it's a given that both grandmothers (and a great-grandmother) will be doting incessantly over the boys; in fact I know they are already carrying around more photographs of the boys than we have posted on our fridge - and that's no small number! Both Eric and I have encountered people we do not know personally on the street and in restaurants who already "know of us" from the grandmothers. But, not every kid ends up in a neighborhood where the next door neighbor also wants (and will receive) surrogate-grandmother status. Our next door neighbor, LM, (and her husband and mother) are also over-the-moon about the imminent arrival. In fact, this weekend she shared the special name she has chosen for the boys to call her (I'll wait to see if both parties agree when they meet in person). She also (gently) demanded that Eric hang a swing on a particular tree branch that is clearly on her side of the property line, and reminded us that she has a giant back yard that needs to be explored by little boys. How lucky are we? I don't have good photo of LM yet, but her muddy "garden feet" are in the photo of the her summer cottage and water garden. She is an insane gardener! Can you find the frog in the pond scene?