Can you say "overstimulation"?

In one moment we went from a normal home with a few baby items around to Babies R Us. My friend Hilary came by with her hand me down toys and Lulu went from being on her blanket with a toy or two like this...
To being on her blanket surrounded by Baby Wonderland, like this...
It was like Christmas around here. Lulu has been having fun, but I think the older three are having even more fun with the baby toys!

Not only is Hilary generous, her family has also been a part of our adoption story. After our surprise pregnancy and miscarriage in the summer and early fall of '06 we needed some time to heal and see where we stood with international adoption. We had been ready to move forward with China before the pregnancy, but everything became fuzzy after that.

But in November, while we were at Jack's preschool Thanksgiving Feast I saw Hilary with an Asian baby. My heart start beating faster and the blood started pumping through my veins, as it always did back then when I was confronted with international adoption. I did the awkward, "I don't mean to pry, but is your baby adopted?". And the flame that had seemed to die out during our grieving was ignited again.

As the fuzziness started to come into focus, Hilary would encourage me about our next steps in the process. We didn't know what country, we didn't know what agency and we moved very slowly. But she kept cheering us on. She would patiently advise me on myriads of adoption related things. She was (and still is) a good friend. Her whole family is delightful (go see for yourself). But it was Anara, who was adopted from Kyrgyzstan, that had me had me at hello. Everyone time I would be with them, my heart would leave so full. I would be filled with excitement and courage to take the next steps we needed to take, but there would also be a little ache in my heart wanting to have a baby of my own. Sometimes, I can't believe I am admitting this, I found myself wishing I could just steal theirs. (Forgive me, Hil!)

It was sweet to have time together for the first time since Lulu has been home. Here's a picture of Lulu with Amelia (Mia) and Anara...
My heart was still very full, but there was no ache in it this time.