Balance

Today was a great day! We have been very busy (duh!). We are finishing painting our bedroom - which has taken about a month, even though Keely and I are total pros now. We are also putting storm windows in most of the house to try and control some of the humidity and keep the house from melting. We are also shoring up (ok, really re-building) a bed that will become a small couch/bed for our room for whoever needs it.

So today I got to run some errands with Kolya. She brought a couple of Christmas books are read them to me during the drive. Then we had a feast at Costco - funny how a little piece of cheese and some juice is so cool when it comes from a cart in the food isle. Having time alone with Kolya made me think a lot more about balance and getting lost. Adoption rocks the world. It is so huge, so important, so fun, so scary, so ... just big that everyone is off balance for a long time. The cool thing about my family is that we can all help balance each other when one of us does lose balance. During last year, there were times when everyone of us tottered and was lost for a while. It happened to Kolya - it is so hard to be the littlest and have to take care of your big sister a lot. It obviously happened to Karwen. Even Kenley lost balance for a while. But to me, it was scariest with Kolya. She has been the light of the family for so long. Always happy, always ready for an adventure. Kolya has a light that shines so bright! And when she lost balance, it felt as though we might be headed in the wrong direction. But all the kids came together. Karwen has found her place. KG is turning into the big brother that everyone needs. Kenley is the able bodied, second in command.  And Kolya. She is our little light! You have to watch her every minute. She will adopt little rocks. Stuffed animals. Marbles. Anything. She just loves the world and everything in it! When she gives a Kolya Special Hug, you know that there is a little bit of heaven, right here in this world.

Looking back on last year, it is amazing where we have come to. I cannot even begin to imagine what I will be thinking this time next year! Maybe we will be in balance again? Will there be more lights shining bright in our family? Or will we still be searching for somebody and helping them balance all the many things there are to balance?