Hong Kong

I am a country mouse at heart.  I love to travel; but city life moves with a rhythm that I'm not sure I'll ever get used to.  Two of our very best friends grew up in the great booming city of Hong Kong.  I've heard so many stories about this place.  I was stuck somewhere between worrying this city wouldn't live up to expectations and feeling totally unsure what to expect at all.  In reality, it was 100% the second.  This country mouse could not have imagined what Hong Kong is actually like... New York City x 20.  It was fun.  It was hot!  It was unlike any place I've ever visited.  We had a blast.
 We bought passes to a tour bus.  We saw so much:

CITY

MOUNTAINS

THE BEACH

Not to mention shopping and food...

Night market

Dim Sum

We learned a lot about this beautiful, busy, crowded, bustling, extreme, rich, wonderful city in the short three days we were there.  It was truly an adventure.

More Thailand

 

Oh Thailand... you spoiled me.  Big time.  Jazzy pedicure that I refused to take off for weeks...

The MOST beautiful food.  This pineapple fried rice served in a pineapple made me feel like a queen.

Then, there were fire dancers...

 Fire. dancers.  Yeah, that guy's breathing fire.

 The beach...

AND this is the wonder that I can't stop talking about.  Honey comb... drips down and into that pot.  Can you even believe it???  Yum.  Wow.  It's a sculpture.

<sigh>

We had such a peaceful, relaxing time there.  Thank you Sheraton, Krabi.  

Thailand

Here we go!  49 hours later we arrived at our destination...

It was worth the wait.

Comfiest. bed. ever.  I seriously almost stole those pillows.  I'm serious.

This tub was miraculous.

I have never experienced anything like this place.  I could go on and on.  Check out the Sheraton, Krabi.  I'll add more pictures soon.

Physics Conference/Romantic Getaway... vacation.

Isaac

 

 Today is Isaac's second birthday.
 I am heartbroken.

 

"The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms.  When I awoke, dear, I was mistaken.  So, I hung my head and I cried."

Father's Day Part II

I've been thinking a lot about what I wrote on Father's Day.  My acknowledgements were lacking.  [by two]  There may be more, but this is what I've been pondering.

Let me tell you a little about my father-in-law.  He is awesome.  I couldn't ask for a better one.  I admire him in so many ways.  He raised my husband and did a pretty fantastic job [with mucho help from his beautiful wife, my mother-in-law].  He is this brilliant professional who stands up [against all odds] for what he believes.  Constantly generous.  Always thinking.  Funny.  Tender.  Thoughtful man.  Strong leader in so many places.  AND a dreamer.  Musician scientist-- right and left brains collide and there his is.   I know he loves me like a daughter.  I feel 100% adopted.  The name-sake of our boy.  I'm so proud to be a part of his family.

And then there's one other father.  A man who is about to enter our lives and stay forever.  A man we've never met, who one day soon we'll be bonded to.  The biological-father of our baby.  I pray for this man.  He has many faces.  I don't know his age, race or ethnicity.  So, I imagine them all.  I am really hoping to meet him someday.  We may not; but he'll still be a part of our family.  And I just wanted to recognize him too.

Happy Belated Father's Day.

Kristen

Father's Day

I love my dad.  He is this unstoppable force in my eyes.  He can do anything.  Really.  He's this perfect blend of right and left brain.  And he's just a good dad.  I am so blessed.  So blessed.  I've always felt a special bond with him.   Like we were cut from the same cloth.  Not everyone gets that.  I did.  I'm really grateful.  He gets me.

I have another father too, a step-father.  He's also an incredible guy.  He's been there for me for over half of my life, providing the day-to-day, best and worst moments of the pre-teen/teenage/young adult years.  He is down to earth.  Real.  Genuine.  He is such a hard worker.  I admire him in so many ways.  I'm so thankful that he stepped into a "ready-made" family and found his place.  We wouldn't be the same without you.

And then there's the father of my children.  My husband.  Who never held a brand new baby until it was ours.  He has learned from scratch how to be this incredible Papa and we've been hand and hand through it all.  He amazes me.  We didn't know if our babies were boys or girls until they were born.  When John was born we told everyone in the room that Brian was going to be the one to tell me.  When he came out everyone was quiet.  He brought me over this bundle wrapped in a blanket and said, "This is our son, John."  That is one of the happiest moments of my life.  Brian is a great father to both of our sons.

But for so many, too many, this is a very difficult day.  A heart breaking day.  A complicated day.  I am remembering you.  My friends who have lost their fathers too soon.  It's not fair.  My friends who can not hug all their children today.  This is wrong.  Those whose fathers are not in the picture for better or for worse...  I am thinking of you today and praying that our Heavenly Father would give you His peace that passes all understanding.  It's not easy.  I just wanted you to know that I know that it's not always a happy father's day.

God bless all the fathers and all the children today.
Kristen

Thailand?!? Are you kidding me?

Hello again.

I'm taking a packing break to give you a bit of an explanation.  If feel like it's important.  In all the fundraising rigamaroll I've had to fight against my pride to become more open and transparent.  It's not easy for me to talk about money or lack there of.  It's all been very humbling.

In the interest of honesty here we go: We're going to Thailand.  Thailand Thailand.  Not a restaurant.  The country.   In a week.  Whoa.  Little known fact about physicist--they travel.  To awesome places.  For conferences.  And sometimes spouses tag along.  We are a special case.  Because my father-in-law is also a scientist and travels A LOT.  Racking up more airline miles than he can use.  He also happens to have a VERY generous heart.  This is the third time my in-laws have used those miles to send me to the conferences.  It's amazing.  They are amazing.

Because my sweet husband gets his flight, room and food paid for by his job.  I basically get to go for the price of my meals.  It's kind of unbelievable.  I am so grateful.  I LOVE to travel.  I love the whole experience: the packing, the flight [even airplane food], reading, hotels, eating in restaurants, reading... the list goes on and on.  There are two thing I DO NOT like at all: leaving my boy and unpacking.

So, please don't thinking we're secretly wealthy trying to bamboozle folks out of their generous donations for our adoption.  We're not and we're not.  This is a break we've been planning for and anticipating [financially] for a year.  I'm really looking forward to this time away.  It's been a busy year.

There you go.  Here we go.
Thank you, as always for your support.

Kristen

Special thanks to all the Grandpas, Grandmas and Mimis watching the boy while we go.  Not to mention, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins making our time apart that much easier.  We love you.