Birthday Week Has Officially Begun

Maisey is Not Amused by your amusement of her
Originally uploaded by SunFlowery.

My birthday is on Thursday. Today I got a free manicure from the salon in my building because I am on their mailing list. Tomorrow my girlfriends are taking me out to eat for dinner. Thursday Bob is taking me out to eat for dinner. Caribou emailed me a free drink coupon as a birthday present. I received a present from my brother in the mail today. Whoot! Oh, and I received my $25 gift card from my service excellence award. I love birthday week.

There is a local TV news sportscaster that Bob and I have met through all our involvement with the MDA. He and his wife adopted a beautiful little girl last year. I emailed him this weekend asking for any info or advice he might be able to give. He called me tonight and we chatted for half an hour about domestic vs international adoption, open vs closed adoption, infant vs child adoption, and his own adoption experience. It was a great conversation and he and his wife are an excellent resource. They adopted domestically through Children's Home Society and it was an awesome experience for them. Before we signed off, he said I could call him or his wife any time for more information, support, or with questions. They are so nice!

I keep thinking of a movie I saw a week or so ago. I can't remember the name of it but it was so sweet. It was about a Norweigan family who moved to Wisconsin and started a vinyard/farm in a small town. The dad gave his 8 year old daughter a baby calf. She was so in love with this calf. She named her Elizabeth and she doted on her. She fed her grain from her hand and trained her to accept her so she could ride her. It was cute really. Then, a farmer down the street had a fire and lost everything. The church leaders took up an offering and were despairing that people were only giving tiny little amounts to help. Then the little girl asked if she could give something other than money. The church leaders said she could so she gave the farmer her belove calf Elizabeth. That broke the dam. Suddenly, everyone started giving tangable items; bales of hay, calfs and cows, piglets, silage, etc. The little girl's parents were so proud of her for giving her most prized possession to someone who had need. It was just the sweetest movie and I wish I knew the name of it. Anyone?