the great debate?

Today is Good Friday.

Good Friday took on a whole new meaning for us last year, as that was the day we held Marcella in our arms forever and ever, por siempre y para siempre...

However, George and I have been in the midst of a big debate.

In adoptions, the date that you permanently receive your child is celebrated. It is commonly referred to as "Gotcha Day" or "Forever Day"... This date means so much to adoptive parents and children. It symbolizes the day your world changed forever and ever and ever...

Our dilemma is this: Last year, Marcella was placed in our arms--forever--on Good Friday, April 6, 2007. This year, and for many years to come, Good Friday will not land on April 6th. Soooo, do we celebrate "Forever Day" as April 6th, or as Good Friday????

I initially thought there wasn't a discussion to be had---for me, "Forever Day" should be April 6th each year. End of story. But George had the exact opposite take on the situation-->Good Friday is the day we should celebrate as it was a GREAT Friday (not the exact date of april 6th), and we will always and forever remember what we were doing on that one particular Friday in 2007...

And so the debate goes.

One argument to support celebrating April 6th is to equate it with people's birthdays falling around Thanksgiving. People don't say that their birthday is Thanksgiving. No, they hold true to their birthdate of November 24th, Nov 25th, 26th, etc. And when their birthday lands on Thanksgiving, well, i guess that is an added bonus (pumpkin pie & birthday cake). This was my argument all along...

Until today, Good Friday, came along..........

All day long, I have been reflecting back onto our experiences last year on Good Friday in Guatemala. I don't instantly think of that amazing day as April 6th---i think of it instinctively as GOOD Friday (GOOD, GREAT, AMAZING, WONDERFUL FRIDAY). I remember the celebratory and electric holiday spirit in the air in Guatemala City. I remember the butterflies (GIGANTIC torpedoing, butterflies) in our stomach as we raced to the lobby of the hotel to be reunited with Marcella; I remember seeing Marcella and her pigtails bobbing in the air as she bounced on Silvia's (foster mom) lap; I remember the SURREAL feeling of our first real and permanent moment of parenthood after Silvia left; I remember floating in the hotel pool that gorgeous Friday afternoon with our precious, amazing, gorgeous princesita Mar-Mar-------all of these memories took place on Good Friday.......

Perhaps the debate has resolved itself?.....

Hop....Hop.....Zzzzzzzzzzz

Senorita Marcella was a little bit tired on the way home from an Easter Egg Hunt this morning...

These Boots are Made for Mud Puddles!!!

Marcella's pride & joy: her new rubber boots.

Hopefully the sun will come out tomorrow and dethaw all of our mud puddles, so that she can go splishin' and splashin' soon. The boots just don't have the same effect in her bedroom.

FIESTA!!!

Saturday we went to the annual FIESTA for the Latin American Adoptive Families organization of Wisconsin. (http://www.laafwi.org/). The FIESTA was held at Cardinal Stritch University in the Milwaukee area. There were approximately 150 children in attendance (most under 5 years old), who have been adopted from a Latin American country.

"Abuelita" with Marcella

It was such a neat experience to see all of the children, who looked so similar to Marcella, and really share so much with her. She was a bit overwhelmed by the whole experience (seeing so many brown eyed, dark haired beauties in one place!), but quickly warmed up once the Mariachi Band started. She absolutely has "Ritmo", as is said in Spanish: This girl has RHYTHM! DANCE-DANCE-DANCE!

Marcella met a little "amiga" at the fiesta. They were the identical size and both loved to dance. They held hands and danced the night (afternoon) away...

Earlier in the FIESTA, we entered a raffle drawing. We were keeping our fingers crossed, for the 'grand' prize, which consisted of 4 field-level tickets to a Milwaukee Brewers game, a Chorizo Bobblehead Doll, and a Cerveceros (brewers) hat.

We had to leave the FIESTA a bit early, as George had an "urgent" appointment at home (his fantasy baseball draft) at 7:30 p.m. Because of the pressing draft, we did not have time to hear the winning raffle tickets. As we were leaving, George gave our ticket stubs to the family sitting at our table, and told them to keep the prize (we never win these types of things, right!). Later that night (about the 5th round of the fantasy baseball draft), we got a message from the people who were sitting at our table (we did not know them except for some small talk at the FIESTA) They had our phone number (as it was written on the ticket), and they were kind enough to let us know that we had actually won the Grand Prize, the Brewers ticket package! Hooray!

Today (Sunday), we drove to their house in the Milwaukee area, and offered some beer in exchange for our grand prize! They accepted. We breathed a sigh of relief....

Below is a picture of Miller Park--distant right--at sunset, as we zoomed by enroute to the fantasy baseball draft...14 days, 18 hours, 45 minutes until OPENING DAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Arizona Dreamin' & Spring Please Come QUICKLY!

We're back home.

Its cccccccold.

It is Saturday afternoon, and we all just woke up from a 4-1/2 hour afternoon nap. yes, 4-1/2 hours..... that must mean we had a good vacation.

Instead of being sad and sullen on our return to the frozen tundra, i've decided to reminisce on a few of our 'warm' memories from our last few days in Arizona:

At left, Jeff Suppan--pitcher w/ the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals World Series team; and now a Brewer,,,, hopefully leading us to the 2008 World Series!!!!

George's infamous & self-proclaimed "Tiger Stripes". Every vacation that we go on, he judges his tan by the stripes left from his sandals!

What spring training is made of....

...believe it or not, our Spring Training trip is not just about baseball....

We also take some time for CUPCAKES, Micky's favorite. (Lulu's Cupcakes in Scottsdale)

All year long we crave our favorite FRESH, fast Mexican at "Baja Fresh"... Finally, we have arrived!! Pictured below are the Mahi Mahi tacos we dream of "in the off season"...~~DELICIOSO.

And somehow, we still find time for lots of baseball!

Small world.... As we were walking in to the park yesterday, we ran into our friends Scott & Mike from Milwaukee. Today, we met up with them for a pre-game cocktail in the parking lot.

Unfortunately, Micky & Darin had to go back home tonight (as I write this, they are waiting in the Phoenix Airport...BOO HOO HOO). We had sooooooo much fun with them. Marcella woke up from her nap after they had left, and was soooooooo upset that "MIMI" and Darin were not there. She has been proclaiming "BUCKY" (marcella's pronunciation for "cupcake", which was one of the many words Micky taught her over the last few days...). M&D, thanks for the great time~~It has been awesome. Can't wait to see you guys at Opening Day at Miller Park?!?!?!??!

Los Cerveceros

Spanish word of the day: CERVECEROS. In order to find out the definition, you have to read to the end of this blog.

On Saturday, we took a road-trip to Tuscon, which is about an hour and a half to the south of Phoenix. The Brewers were playing the Colorado Rockies there... In about the 6th inning, George and I made a bathroom break with Marcella. The bathrooms are located in the concourse area, under the 3rd base bleachers. As we were exiting the bathroom, and getting ready to go back to our seats, our jaws started to drop as one-by-one, the starting BREWERS players exited the locker room and exited the stadium. [[In Spring Training, the starters usually only play about 5 innings,before their replacements come in.]] Soooo, here we stand in amazement as Ben Sheets, Rickie Weeks, etc etc etc trot by us. In the 'old' days (pre-marcella) we would've been a couple of gawking fans, however, EVERYTHING changes with a baby!!!!!!!! As Ryan Braun (NL Rookie of the Year 2007) struts right past us in his designer jeans and hip t-shirt, I tell him "She's your biggest fan!" (while i am holding & pointing to marcella). As he walks by, he turns around, smiles and TOUCHES her and says something to the effect of "Awwwww, she's cute!". A little while later, Tony Gwynn Jr struts by and I say "Hi Tony",,,,he looks at me spryly and says "Hey, how's it going....." Then comes Billy Hall (my FAVORITE brewer). He also reaches out to Marcella, (While I am about to faint) and says "HI Baby!".



ps--Cerveceros==The Brewers.

Spring Hopes Eternal!!!

Greetings from sunny Arizona! As my blog title has promised, "babies BREWERS bacilio", I am now ready and excited to blog about our beloved boys of spring, summer & fall! We are 4 days into our Spring Training '08 vacation. Although this is an annual trip for George and me, it is a 'first' for Marcella, and for Micky and Darin (my sister and future brother-in-law). We are all loving the 80 degree weather, our vacation home, and BASEBALL. Here are some pictures for you all. GO BREWERS!!!!!!!!

Micky and Darin in front of our spring training home. It has exactly what we need--3 bedrooms, kitchen, wine opener, and a hot tub.

Marcella's 1st spring training game, Brewers @ Oakland A's park.

Last season, at Miller Park (when Marcella was between 8 months and 13 months), she would just sit on our lap, clap intermittently and be content with the sights and sounds of the game. Lots has changed! Now at 18 months, she wants to RUN, climb the stadium stairs, and play with all the other kids

We are soooo thankful and happy that Micky and Darin came with us this year. Micky and Mar have an amazing connection. As you can see in this pix, Mar likes to copy everything that "Auntie M" does (and says.....)