Our guestblogger today is Suzanne L. (aka Rostovcuties), an adoptive mom to 4 cuties from the Rostov-on-Don region of Russia. Her four children, adopted during a 5 year period and through 3 adoptions are aged 6y9m (boy), 6y (boy), 3y 6m (girl) and – the newest addition- 2y4m (girl), home for a little over 5 weeks. She is a single mom and physician who works with children with chronic health care needs, including children with HIV-infection and those adopted internationally. She lives in Virginia where she writes about her family's escapades, adventures, and a daily life where the kids outnumber the adults and where she wonders if she will ever get her king-sized bed back from their clutches.

Today is my eldest son's 7th birthday. It is hard to imagine that he has now officially been mine for 5 1/2 years, and it is hard for me to remember how hurt and damaged he was when I brought him home, and more importantly, how far he has come in those 5 1/2 years! He has learned to eat solid foods (a feat that took nearly 2 years), has learned to talk, and has learned to count and spell and be a good brother to his younger siblings. He still struggles with things, he makes some poor choices, he frustrates me more than I like, but he can make me laugh like no one else. He has a sweet innocence to him that makes me want to hold him and protect him and believe in him and fight for him.

As I lay with him tonight, him drifting off to sleep in a cupcake induced stupor we had this conversation:

Our guestblogger today is Suzanne L. (aka Rostovcuties), an adoptive mom to 4 cuties from the Rostov-on-Don region of Russia.  Her four children, adopted during a 5 year period and through 3 adoptions are aged 6y9m (boy), 6y (boy), 3y 6m (girl) and – the newest addition- 2y4m (girl), home for a little over 5 weeks.  She is a single mom and physician who works with children with chronic health care needs including children with HIV-infection and those adopted internationally.  She lives in Virginia where she blogs about her family's escapades, adventures, and a daily life where the kids outnumber the adults and where she wonders if she will ever get her king-sized bed back from their clutches. 

Today, my newest daughter attended daycare for the first time since her adoption. I have been off of work for over 2 months. In the next two weeks, I will work 2 days a week and then it will be FULL time. I knew this was coming;  I have gone through it with my other 3 children as well, but somehow it was different this time.