a year in the life

Today marks the one year anniversary of this blog (it all started here).

Like so many things in life, there is a part of me that feels as if this past year has gone by so quickly, and yet in many other ways, it feels as if we have lived a lifetime in these last 365 days. We had just started completing our paperwork when we created guzo: ethiopia, and now we are home with Simon Alemayheu, fully entrenched in this new chapter of our lives.

On the "year flying by quickly" side of me, I know I still owe many details on our time in Ethiopia, pictures from the trip, emails/calls to family and friends, and posts about life as a family of 4 (3 humans, one dog who thinks he is human).... I genuinely hope to accomplish all of these things, but I never seem to have the time these days. I am sorry for this and hope you will all forgive me, especially if you are among the ever growing group of people who I owe a call or email response to. Oh, and I've been "tagged" by a few people interested in learning a few surprising facts about me. I promise I will take you up on the tag and get a post up here soon with some random facts. Really - I will!! Life is good these days, but I am still working on finding balance in my new role as a mom - or at least something close to balance, as I recognize that I may never quite get it completely ;)

And as for living a lifetime in a year, well, let's see... in the last twelve months we've traveled: together to St. Lucia, India, Bhutan, Dubai, and Ethiopia; separately to Germany, South Africa, and Jordan... welcomed a new nephew... ventured into the adoption blogging community and met some wonderful new friends... started another guzo... I cooked dinner for Ryan for the first (and only) time (yes, sad, but true)... found a new apartment (did I mention we are in the process of buying a new apartment?)... and most significantly, of course, completed our adoption and welcomed the most amazing little boy into our lives!

Speaking of Simon... he has also accomplished quite a bit recently. So I will leave you with some of Simon's thoughts and observations about life in the Big Apple (in his words):

• I am a ladies man. All the ladies ooh and aah when they see me. I happily respond with a big grin and a little shrug of the shoulders.
• Food is good. Really, really good. I'm cool with all the pureed stuff, but what I really want is whatever is on Mom's plate. And I cannot wait until Mom will let me have some coffee. I jump up and down and wave my arms and grunt when she's drinking her coffee, but she still won't let me have any. Hmm.
• Standing is fun. I can't really do it without help, but I would stand all day long if Mom or Dad would help me.
• Kelly Ripa is pretty. She is waaaay more fun to watch on TV than Sesame Street or cartoons.
  
• I can put both hands with all my fingers in my mouth at the same time.
• When Mom and Dad point that video camera thing in my direction, it means I am doing something that will embarass me in about 12 years... so I should stop.