Feeding the Ducks

As part of our relaxing 4th, we went to the park to feed the ducks. Tatum loved it, and Libby helped keep the mob at a safe distance.

Happy 4th! Now lets blow crap up.

Playing with the dogs

Tatum has recently started playing with the dogs. This video shows her shaking Ropey for Francie, who isn't in the shot. Felicity is playing and enjoying the squeals coming from the Little T...who apparently got a little wild with Ropey...just watch.

Tatum's Tree

As a celebration of Tatum's Adoption Day, some good friends Erik and Jana gave us an American Sweetgum tree (indigenous to the Smokeys). At the adoption party, they called it the "lawyer fee tree" and everyone tied contributions to our adoption fund to the branches. After the party, Erik helped me plant it *read: planted it for me*. What a wonderful gift and great story for Tatum!

On Father's Day, we got all decked out in our Cubs gear, fidgeted with our Cubs autographed baseball, and watched our favorite team beat the Jays. And then, I finally got some good pictures of Tatum by her tree. I think we'll take pictures by it every Father's Day, take notice of the growth in Tatum and her tree, and tell the story again.

To see all the pics, visit the gallery here.

The best writer I know

I have an amazing friend who blogs. From time to time I visit her blog and every time I do, I think to myself, "she is the best writer I know." I mean to tell her and thank her. I mean to visit her blog more often. I mean to share it with people I know. And then crazy life kicks back in and I do none of those things.

So here's to L-Mize, wife of D-Mize... the best writer I know. Lindsay: thanks for blogging. You make me think, laugh, and sometimes cry. I've subscribed to your RSS so I'll automatically stay up-to-date. If you're not Lindsay and you're reading this, should do the same. Check out this exceptional post:
Finding Macedonia: Nothing

NPR Interview: "When Mom Doesn't Look Like the Kids"

Dorothy Bode is a mom and contributor to the Carolina Hope blog whom we've come to greatly admire. She was interviewed on NPR's Day to Day re: trans-racial adoption. Listen here.

New Tatum Photos...

Adoption Day!

It's official! The court now views Tatum like we have all along. Exciting, surreal, joyful, final.

It was a special day with Irma, Judge Young, Aaron, Sharon, Bryce, Cory, Melissa, Taylor, Katlin, Jenna, Cassie, Sharon, and Fowler! After court, we went to Cracker Barrel for brunch.

We went to Build-a-Bear to continue a very special tradition that was started by Tatum's birth-mother. The results: Wrigley Rabbit. She plays "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" in honor of the Cubs' 2008 home opener... also today. I'd say it's destiny, but that hasn't worked out too well in the past.

What a great day!