O.K. I rarely blog about myself, because lets face it my kids are cuter than me. That being said, I will now launch into a semi rant about a subject that is currently being discussed by my Taiwan adoptive parents yahoo board. It is the subject of what adoptive parents can do to help with the loss of birthfamily and culture, and racism. Here are three things I HATE to hear from adoptive parents. I'm speaking as an adoptee and an adoptive mother to a child with some attachment issues.

1. "You were born in my heart."- No, they were born just like everyone else to a mother. This particular mother couldn't parent as she wished to. Do not negate their beginnings, they are part of who your children are and you must show respect for the birthfamily. You didn't wish them into being with your magic love.

2. "I am colorblind."- No one is color blind and why would you want to be? My children don't look alike but they are all beautiful and special. I love Connor's hazel eyes and his full lips. Piper has the most soft skin and the most beautifully shaped face. Cormac has amazing eyelashes and a yummy caramel shade of skin. Teach them to appreciate differences not scorn or fear them. If you are bringing a child of a different ethnicity into your family it is your DUTY to talk to them about racism and find ways to help them deal with it. It might not be a big deal to you, but it is still going on out there in the big, bad world and you can't shelter them forever. I faced it almost everyday, once I went to college. In high school, we had grown up together and no one ever made me feel different in any way. College was a total shock to me. Not only the white people, but the Asians expected me to be more like them and were put off when I didn't speak the language or know anything about Korean culture.

3. "What ever problems there are, love will overcome them."- EEEEEEEEEE (screaming in frustration!!!) I love my daughter, but she still has some attachment issues that in two years she hasn't overcome, and you know what, she might still have problems when she's older. Seek help if you need it. Love is wonderful, but you have to parent each child the way they need to be parented and it's usually not the same. Plenty of parents loved their kids and then watched them struggle with different addictions or mental health problems.

These are, of course, just opinions.

Connor's soccer team is the Kickers. I think they are (win-2, lost-2, tie-1). He gets excited no matter what the score is. Good sportsmanship is very, very, very important in the Lee family. Aunt Sara (Coach Lee) practices the handshake, looking the other player or Coach in the eye, and saying "Good Game!!!", with all the nephews and the one niece. He's number seven in the gray t-shirts. Don't you like the style going on, in the first picture!!! In the last picture he is cheering after one of teammates made a goal.

Happy Family Day to Cormac, Happy Family Day to Cormac, Happy Family Day to youoooooo, Happy Family Day to Cormac.

The first picture was our referral photo.
The second picture is being home for a couple of days.
The third picture is of our handsome 18m old who has been with his lucky family for ONE YEAR today.

We got up and had his favorite breakfast, went around the block in the wagon, took a nap picked up his brother and sister and then went to a fun area here in town to feed ducks and climb on rocks. He has brought so much joy and sweetness to all of us.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL MOTHERS EVERYWHERE!!!!

I woke up to banana pancakes and this lovely bouquet.

Then we went and got my present. whooray!!!!! It's a spinning composter. I've been wanting one for ages. How cool. How wonderful for me. I don't think they celebrate Mothers Day in China or Taiwan, but if they did I hope Piper and Cormac's birthmothers had a wonderful day and I wish Piper's birthmother could know how much we love her. I sent a letter and pictures to Cormacs Birthmother telling her all the special things he does and how sweet and funny he is.

Well, we've had another hair change in the Lee family. Connor and D painted the kids picnic table a lovely shade of blue for the summer. Some of said lovely paint got in Con's hair and despite lots of different methods, I can't get it out. So we went for the get rid of it method. Taaadaaa!!!! Before and After. A rocking summer fauxhawk.

Cormac went and found his blanket and then climbed into Piper's doll bed for a little alone time. It looks kinda cozy!!!

Connor had Kindergarten orientation this morning.  We rode a bus (we aren't busing, but the driver looked like Mr. T and  who could pass up being driving around by Mr. T!!), listened to the current crop of kindergartners sing a delightful but really long  song, checked out the lunch room (did you know they no longer have lunch tickets?  Now the kids have a number to memorize and they punch it in and pay for lunch.   Almost like the future is here or something) and filled out the paperwork.  I was writing our stuff down and Con was reading along.  One of the moms said to me "did he just read  Hennipen county off your paper?"    One of the kindergarten classes is studying the planets and Con regaled me with some stats on Jupiter and Mercury.   How many moons, where they come in placement to the sun, rocky or gaseous.  You know common knowledge stuff!!!  I swear he's going to be smarter than me in a couple of years.    He might be now, but I just read faster so I can scan ahead in books  and seem like I know the answers.  :)