It's been a while...

sorry! here's the M's updates:

• we bought a van - an Odyssey. and then returned it for one with automatic doors...soo overendulgent. so worth it.
  
• i went back to work and we've learned that dj does GREAT with both kids for 13+ hours all by himself (he was worried. i was not.)
• we have started the readoption process to make eli a citizen (and give the US a little chunk of $)
• i started weaning maci - she turns 1 next month :( (so far, she's doing amazing)
• we are still battling some health problems with eli, but we think we see the end in sight!
• the kids and i are LOVING the Y - we don't go as often as i thought we would, but are still making it at least 2-3 times/week. eli loves that he gets to wash his hands with purell before and after he enters the care center.
  
• we have decided not to sell our house and are enjoying planning future projects
• eli gained 3 lbs. in the first 3 weeks he was home :-))
• we converted our recent parenting-class-group into a small group and are praising God for the people He's brought into our lives to challenge and encourage us
  
• the kids are continuing to get along so great - they entertain us every day and are soo sweet together.
• i would like short hair. please help me decide what that will look like.
• we have started a ritual that has recently gotten out of control: every morning and after naps, i go into eli's room and he hands me "monkey." i kiss monkey and tell him "good morning, monkey!" then eli kisses monkey and puts him back to sleep. we then go into maci's room and she hands me "teddy boy" to kiss and greet. eli then greets teddy with a kiss and smile and so does maci. teddy gets to go back to sleep and i'm handed "lambski." i kiss her and say "good morning, lambski!" so does eli. so does maci. Well, this morning as i finish the final lambski kiss, maci hands me her blanket. :-/ i have to draw the line somewhere...am i being rediculous and selfish because i don't want to kiss the blanket - i want coffee? (i gave the blanket a snuggle, but that was it!)
• maci is still not walking. she thinks that's for suckers...why would you walk when people will carry you?
• the kids are both signing "please" "all done" "more" "food" "drink" "i'm sorry" (that one i made up.) and eli can do a mean "thank you" but maci is still needing a little guidance. she frantically goes through all the signs she knows if she thinks she's not going to get something without her manners. OH! when i say the kids are both signing, i should stipulate that maci has no idea what the difference in "more" and "all done" is - just that she has conqured the hand motions.
• our home is becoming quite noisy. maci and eli are little chatter boxes and occasionally try to see who can talk the loudest (before mommy puts a stop to it). they can both say: wow, hi, hey, owe, bye-bye, nite-nite, ma-ma, da-da, and both are very good bark'ers "woof! woof!" and seriously. they have their own language that only the two of them can understand. i try to learn it, but it's way beyond my intelligence level.