Happy New Year

A new year is here, do you have a few resolutions lined up? We hope to make more time to exercise, although chasing Ella certainly keeps us moving. In addition, I hope to find my groove a bit with photo management. Soooo many pictures of our girl and all of them in piles waiting for my attention. I guess what I'm saying is that 10 months into this parenthood gig, we're still having a hard time finding time.

2010 went out with a bang of visitors and new friends and parties. Larry's nephew, Trent, and his sweet girlfriend, Kim, were able to glide through Toledo for a short visit. Our time together is never long enough. They had their dogs with them and Ella was equal parts ecstatic and uncertain. The dogs felt the same way. Here's how Josie and Ella introduced themselves...






On Thursday, we invited some of Ella's friends (new and old) over to play and snack. The best part? The mama's came along! We hung out in our cozy breakfast nook while the kids played together oh-so-wonderfully. It was our own little United Nations with three adoptees from China (Ella, Roz and Ava); one from Guatemala (Jewel) and one from Russia (Josh). Josh was a super big hit and was quite sweet with the little ones.




Does someone look up to no good to you?



Ava and Ella, stompin' their feet and getting to know each other.



(Roz, EML, Josh, Ava and Jewel)

And not to be outdone by this whirlwind, we spent a delightful New Year's Eve, family style, at two parties in our neighborhood with new and old friends alike - friends who were over the moon to finally have Ella here to ring out the old and ring in the new!

I told you we might be busy in my last post, didn't I??

H, L & EML