I was about to start working on Part 6 of our adoption journey and I got to thinking of some loose threads that I'd like to sew up before going forward. So, here it goes:

1. Mother's Day- my Mother's Day was fantastic! We had a nice, relaxing day and we ended it by going to an outdoor pops concert in the park, meeting up with a couple of our close friends. We brought a blanket to spread out on the grass, a picnic basket of goodies, a bottle of wine, and some pillows. Snuggle Bug had a grand time running around on the grassy hill, flirting with the people camped out around us. He wanted Oronzo and I to take turns chasing him around, so we got him good and wore out! Once the music started, he was swaying and doing a cute little jig to the music and he loved clapping at the end of each song. Eventually he started getting tired and he curled up on my lap, with his head against my heart, and fell asleep as the music swirled around him and the stars beamed overhead. Holding his warm, sleeping body as I rested against the back of my husband and soaked in the beautiful night was the best possible Mother's Day gift ever! I'm so very blessed! My mom spent her Mother's Day in the hospital with my SIL and youngest brother. Not quite what she had in mind.

2. Unexpected Surprise- Yesterday, I got a sweet email from Giselle, wishing me a Happy Mother's Day and telling me that she hoped we were all well. I responded with a lengthy email thanking her, telling her she was in my thoughts and prayers, and giving her an update on what Snuggle Bug has been up to lately, and attaching one of my favorite recent pictures of him. I do enjoy hearing from her. What was truly a surprise though was receiving another email, this one from Chloe, Snuggle Bug's birth aunt. I haven't heard from her since the day Snuggle Bug was born. Her email said something like this, I was just saying Happy Mother's Day and I am so happy for how much you have given Snuggle Bug. I know Giselle is proud for what he will grow up to be. The sweet simplicity of her message almost brought tears to my eyes. I emailed her back, thanking her for her email, updating her on what Snuggle Bug is doing, and attaching a recent picture of Snuggle Bug so she could see how much he's grown and changed. I was touched that this teenaged girl would think of me and send a message.

3. No baby yet- My sister-in-law has not yet had her baby. My youngest brother and she are now in a major hospital, waiting. The doctor has stopped her contractions, at least for the next 48 hours, and they're giving my sister-in-law IV fluids and steroids to try to help develop the baby's lungs. After 48 hours, the doctors are going to let things take their natural course. If my SIL starts contractions again, they'll try to deliver naturally. If she doesn't start contractions again, they'll keep her in the hospital on bed rest for up to two weeks. If she hasn't had the baby in two weeks, then they'll induce labor. So, I'll have a niece/nephew in two weeks, at the most, maybe sooner. The doctors are hopeful that the baby will be born healthy. So far, there are no signs that the baby is in distress.

4. My relationship with my dad- My dad and I have had some wonderful conversations, usually at night after the boys are in bed and my sister is watching TV. We've talked more openly than we ever have and I appreciate that, as I'm sure he does too. I'm still very worried about him though. He's fallen several times in our home, usually late at night when he's got his prosthetic leg off and he's trying to use his crutches to go to the bathroom. It terrifies me that he's falling so much! So far, there's been no serious injury, but I find myself waking up every time I hear the click of his crutches and can't get back to sleep until I hear him get back in bed. If he falls this much at home, in his own apartment, I'm concerned we'll at some point have to get him into an assisted living facility and I know he doesn't want that. What if he falls and breaks his other leg, or his hips or something? He's on blood thinners due to his heart condition so when he falls he tends to bruise or bleed. Then he has scabs that bust open and blood trickles down his arm. We've spent a lot of time this week running in to get him cold wash clothes to stop the bleeding. It's horrible to see him in this condition! Oronzo sat me down in private this weekend and told me I have to stop trying to baby my dad. He said that only makes my dad feel worse. He told me I have to do my best to treat him like I've always treated him and let my dad ask for help if he needs it. I'm trying, I really am, but it's hard. We have managed to get my dad out to see some sights. He's really enjoying spending time with Snuggle Bug and I'm taking a lot of pictures. He's told me that he's really appreciated the change of scenery, so I'm glad he came.

5. Dealing with my sister and nephew- So, Oronzo and Genevieve tolerate each other. They've had run-ins in the past. They both can be stubborn and outspoken and their personalities have clashed. They've gotten over it, but it seems when they're together the air is filled with tension. I've been holding my breath, hoping their tempers wouldn't flare up at each other during this visit. So far nothing's happened. I have heard caustic, biting remarks about Oronzo coming from Genevieve this week, and I've basically had to tell her to muzzle it. And as much as I love my nephew, Brendan, I must confess that he's a bit much to deal with at times. He is frequently whining, crying, or throwing tantrums. He loves opening and slamming doors (not good when we're trying to keep indoor cats indoors) and somehow managed to totally bust off the door knob on the front door (we'll have to go buy a new one, it can't be repaired, and until we do that we're unable to get out the front door). He's rather loud at 5:30 a.m. when the rest of the household is still trying to sleep. It doesn't help when Genevieve runs around yelling, "No Brendan, no!" at him all day long. My older sister has told me that Brendan is much better behaved when his mother is not around. Isn't that just like a kid! On a positive note, Brendan seems to like to play with Snuggle Bug and the two boys are having a good time together. I'm thankful for that.

Well, I think that about wraps up my loose threads. My family returns home tomorrow afternoon and, I must admit, I'll breathe a sigh of relief when they're gone. I haven't gotten much sleep these past few days. It'll be good to have peace and quiet once more.

Part 6 of our adoption story will come soon.