Me(me), Nos. 10-11.

I've been struggling a bit to figure out what I should wrap this meme-business up with.  Organized people get it all done in one post, so there aren't these scraggly tail end items that cause everyone to yawn.  I'm also behind on my pictures, so will oh-so-casually drop some in from the park last weekend, to liven things up.

Lively!

10.  Not that we've had much occasion to travel without them, but Matt and I aren't allowed to fly together sans children.  If the whole family crashes, that's fine, but I don't want the kids orphaned because we flew off to Fiji for a weekend (because we jet off to exotic islands all the time).  I'm not sure if this was nature or nurture - when I was young I would fly as an unaccompanied minor while my mom & two siblings flew separately.  My dad, sitting out another trip to his in laws at home, didn't want to be the lone survivor should something happen.  I loved this rare, oldest child perk and considered myself quite the independent little jet setter.

It never struck me as odd till I mentioned it to a couple people who looked horrified at the dark, dark crevices of my psyche.  Almost everyone points out the most dangerous part of flying is getting to the airport.  That statistic always struck me as silly though, because two family sedans sideswiping each other, even at 65mph, will most likely not result in a fatality.  A jet going 500mph sideswiping the ground?  Different outcome.

Contemplating the Delta V of a landing plane

11.  Nothing new here, but I would love to adopt another kid or two.  Or three.  From domestic foster care?  International?  Reese's Rainbow?  How do you look through 100 pictures and pick just one kid?  Only offer your family to one child, knowing that the other 99 may never end up with someone who loves him best of all?  No one to kiss his boo-boos, cut his sandwich in triangles not squares, or rub his back during the flu?  I wouldn't even know where to start.  Should we go with the special need we know and love or be more open minded?  What about accessibility and our stairs?  If we adopt a child of color should we move into a more diverse neighborhood?  What about leaving all the cousins who live right next door?  What if we can't manage to bond?  What would be the one thing we really, really couldn't handle?

I spend a ridiculous amount of time thinking about these things and reading arguments for/against domestic/interracial/international adoption, but the truth is we're barely hanging on over here.  Squeezing money out of our budget for more daycare would be like squeezing a diamond out of charcoal - never mind the adoption fees or additional medical & therapy.  It also doesn't seem really fair to take someone "into your family" only to warehouse them in day care 10 hours a day.  I can't imagine that helps the bonding process (not that it's fun for our bio-kids either but it IS only 3 days a week and I doubt they worry much whether anyone's going to pick them back up again).  I also don't feel like I'm giving enough time to my current two, what with all the Saturdays and late nights at work.  Then again... doesn't having your own imperfect family trump foster care/orphanage?

All this would be solved if I could leave my job but soooo not happening.  *big sigh*

Siblings!

Well, that kind of ended on a down (ha!) note, didn't it?  Here's another picture of my girl climbing on her own - ever moving forward & up.  I should take notes.  

Climber!