ENDS...

THE END of my cousins' week long visit to San Diego was today. We've been planning this trip since their last visit in June and never imagined it would be to meet a new cousin. There are 9 months between my cousin and I and we grew up 8 houses apart from each other. Her daughters are Cassidy 7 1/2 and Callie 2 1/2. They were enamored with their cousin beyond any words I could write. They loved reading to her, helping with her diapers, taking care of her, singing to her, talking to her, and just being with her. We tromped to the Zoo, the Wild Animal Park, the Natural History Museum, the mall, watched movies, baked cookies, and filled our week. We had a fantastic visit and we're sad to see them go. We can't wait to have them visit in June! It also meant that I didn't dwell on the end of my maternity leave.

THE END of my maternity leave comes with the beginning of the new year. I return to work on Tuesday, January 2nd. I have been off for 11 weeks with my daughter. 11 weeks of adjustment, 11 weeks of diapers and bottles, 11 weeks of watching a teeny bundle grow like a weed into an adorable child who smiles at my voice, laughs at the butterflies in her room, and loves to play with her rainforest gym where she has begun to grab the hanging toys.

I am ready to go back to work and have some structure to my days. I love being home with my daughter but long for some more adult interaction and time pressure to complete things. I know I will miss being with her. I know that she'll be well cared for; Daddy is going to be home M & F and Grandma gets to play on T & Th and Savta gets Weds. They are going to have so much fun! My hope is that I will miss her so much that coming home will be incredibly delightful and our lifestyle will slow down as I will want to just be at home with her after working.

THE END of the 2006 year. It is so hard to believe that an entire calendar year has passed. A year ago we were beginning the adoption process with the County of San Diego, settling into our first home we'd owned for just over 2 months, celebrating our 3rd wedding anniversary, and contemplating what path our lives might take during the year.

We never would have imagined the journey we traveled in 2006.

Being connected to the bone marrow receipient who survived the required year before making contact has been amazing. It has been a delight to be in contact with Phyllis and Joel and create a wonderful relationship that extends to their children. We look forward to meeting with them in person soon.

Our daughter's arrival on 10-08-06 has certainly been a much anticipated event but one we were not prepared for at that moment. It has been made the end of 2006 quite the year as we have celebrated at many occassions the miracle of our daughter and welcomed her into our community of family and friends.

Wishing you all a wonderful, exciting, and delightful year for 2007.