When announcing our decision to start the adoption wheels in motion, our first thought goes to the birthparents of our first two kids. We never want them to worry about how much love and attention Tess and Remy will get. K wrote this morning and said,

I am so glad I chose you guys. Reading your blog and seeing the pics just gives me everything I need to cope.

I don’t know how to express the gratitude we felt hearing those words – on her behalf, on our behalf and on Remy’s behalf. Adoption doesn’t end at the courthouse. Choosing a family for your child has lifelong implications, and no one has more emotional investment in the outcome than the birthparents. So when we hear that from anyone involved on the bio side, it’s like a huge ray of sunshine explodes in our day.

In addition to setting the wheels in motion for a new baby, we’re also breathlessly expecting our new au pair today. Her name is Flamine and she’s coming to us from Toulouse, France. We’ve been practicing her name with Tess and our families for a few days now, and I think we’re all set for her to settle in. Sarah Kay and I got her room ready, Dave bought flowers, and we tucked a little Milwaukee sampler gift in there to get her exploration started.

Last night we heard the other side of the Estelle debacle, which just left us more confused about what happened, as it was so far off our understanding. Still, we decided to leave the past in the past. Sarah Kay gave us a wonderful transition for us to get over the shock and panic of her sudden departure, and as of today we’re so in sync we’re reading each other’s minds! Victory. We’re secretly (or not) hoping Sarah Kay’ll be back really soon, as in addition to getting our household steadied, we also just love being around her. Getting reconnected to family may be one of the most delicious aspects of crisis management.

So onward and upward! We’ve already had two leads on the adoption front as a response to our blog post – thank you, you know who you are! We appreciate the support. We’ll see what comes next.

Update: Flamine’s in the house! She seems sweet, the kids love her (ran to her for hugs – so cute!), and she’s getting settled in while we speak. It should be fun getting to know each other this weekend!