Happy St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day
St. Patrick's Day is here, you see.
We'll pick some shamrocks, one, two, three.
We'll count the leaves and look them over,
And maybe find a four-leafed clover.
I'll sew green buttons on my vest,
Green for St. Patrick is the best.
I'll wear a green hat, very high,
And dance a jig--at least I'll try!

Team Doctor & Conversationalist

Liam is trying soccer again. Luckily, it is 100% better than his first foray into soccer in the 3 yr old league. There's no crying or clinging or pulling his shirt over his head this time. That said...I am not yet convinced that soccer will be Liam's game. I know everything could change in a year or two, and maybe he will end up loving it. Right at the moment...he definitely has the potential to be a great team doctor. At practice, if anyone falls down, Liam is there helping them up and asking if they are OK. He has always been a compassionate boy. I have a sneaking suspicion that in this case he is just delaying his own practice time. During the games, Liam turns chatty, and he could even be accused of being a distraction to his teammates as he tries to engage them in conversation on the field instead of looking at the ball. And a bug in the grass can sidetrack him as he runs down the field. Still, I cannot complain about the season. He smiles a lot, and claims to enjoy playing. He is very popular when he sits on the bench, because he likes to cheer and make conversation with other teammates. And in this last game, he did finally kick the ball (instead of going to lengths to avoid contact with it), and no one is ever going to tell him that it was toward the opponent's net. It was a big step (or kick) for him, and maybe, just maybe, means he is warming up to the game. He has always, after all, taken his time warming up to new things. Only time will tell. For now, we're happy to cheer him on. Go Liam!!

International Women's Day March 8

A day late, but Happy International Women's Day to all the women out there! This is a big celebration in Russia (and many other countries as well). The Russian Coordinator through our adoption agency tells us that all the women in Russia can be seen with flowers and chocolates on this day. I like the idea that it encompasses all women, and so it is a little broader than just Mother's Day, and a lot less pressure than Valentine's Day. It also can be viewed as a Spring celebration since the first of March is seen by some to be the start of Spring. ?? I'm not sure anyone in Canada or Ohio right now would agree with that, with all the snow that has fallen!

Women, be sure and tell your men that they need to shovel that snow off the driveway for you, because you are supposed to be sitting on the sofa with your flowers and chocolates, for at least a week (OK, maybe not a week, but at least until the snow has stopped.)!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Women's_Day

Enjoy, ladies! We know we're the glue keeping this crazy world together!