Another addition to the family

So, as you may have guessed there is a funny story behind the above pictures. I have been looking for several years for a big tacky plastic christmas figurine for a little christmas idea i read a few years back. the idea is that during the month of december you place a note on him that says something to the effect of "pass Santa along to a neighbor, please keep him on our neighborhood block" and you place him in surprising or funny places in/on your neighbors lawn or house. if you still need more explanation, the fun is in not knowing where santa will turn up and in trying to figure out how to sneak santa over to a neighbor's home or yard. seems like a fun way to build neighborly relationships. i have been bummed the past few years to find that even at walmart the tacky christmas statues are $15-$20 and we just couldn't ever justify it in the budget. so, i was delighted to find just the perfect santa clause at a garage sale last week and it didn't cost me a dime!

i knew juliana would think it was neat, but i didn't expect her to carry him around practically the whole day after we got him. the pic of her "reading" to him is totally unposed. in the second pic she is helping him to look at the flowers outside, again unposed. that afternoon we took him out to the pool with us so that juliana could wash him. Hmmm...how do i link this post to adoption? Maybe just to express thankfulness for our new neighbors who are much more friendly than at our old neighborhood. their support and excitement regarding the adoption has been a blessing and i am so thankful that our new little merrihew will be welcomed into our neighborhood!