One year home- "Mommies are better than chocolate"

I have been putting this post off.  What do I write.  Bella has been home a year and she is doing beautifully.  I have already told you that though.  So, do I simply recap the past year.  It is nothing like we expected or prepared for.  She learned English much quicker, she grew taller, she bonded sooner...I can only credit Gladney and her first family.

Having said all that, I have really not too much to add.  She started preschool.

She is going with an older group of kids but it does not phase her.  She loves the exploring and the art.  She made a mask that will be in a community arts walk.  She is doing ballet.  She is sooo serious about it.  

The other kids are doing great.  They could not imagine our life without Bella.  They can not get enough of her.  We saw Andrew last weekend and he "just want to make sure that you are bringing Bella."  That is how they all are.  Andrew is loving school.  He is playing soccer, making great friends, joining clubs (investment) and simply staying too busy.  Zach is playing soccer and loving middle school.  The "too cool for school" attitude is alive and well in that child:)  Eliza is running cross country and doing well in school.  She gets to ride on the weekends.  She keeps trying to plan a trip back to Ethiopia.  We separated the girls this past August.  Eliza needs her sleep and Bella is still coming into our bed. (Will that ever go away???)  The girls have had a few "sleepovers" where Bella gets to sleep in Eliza's room. Bella loves that and so do I, because those are the only nights that she does not end up in our bed.

Bella woke up one morning singing, "Mommies are better than chocolate."  I have to say, no matter how much I got kicked in the middle of the night...it makes it all okay:)