Reading today: varied
Music today: "Happy Birthday To You"
TV today: Pistons play Game 4 tonight!
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An emotional weekend! Fun, but emotional. On Friday I spent time watching President Reagan's funeral proceedings. Besides being a moderate Republican (oxymoron?) I am a Reagan baby. I was 6 when he became President - one of my early fuzzy memories is asking my parents who Carter and Reagan were and how come I was hearing their names so much. I was 14 as he finished his second term. I grew up with phrases like "Reaganomics" "trickle-down economics" "I love jelly beans" "Nancy uses an astrologist."

And I still get a tear or two in my eyes when I hear the sound bites of his speeches: "they slipped the surly bonds of Earth to touch the face of God" (from Challenger, of course) and one that still sends chills: "General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

So it was with tears that I watched the formal laying in the Capitol Wednesday night; tears that I watched the first half of his funeral Friday morning; and tears again as Doug and I watched his final ceremony in California on Friday night. If it were not for the momentous events that Reagan set in motion in the 1980s, and the falling of the Berlin Wall in 1989, we would not have Roman right now. It was because of Reagan and Gorbachev's foresight and the thawing of the Cold War that allowed adoptions to begin in Eastern Europe and Russia. So I feel even more fondness for The Gipper.

Roman turned one year old yesterday, June 12. We had a casual day; some relatives came in preparation for the big party today, and we went out to dinner and had some chocolate cake. This morning Roman was baptized, and some family & friends came to witness it. That made us feel good. Religion is getting more and more important to me/us as we ponder Roman's future and how we want to raise him. Interestingly, a couple introduced themselves to us afterward and explained their 14 year old daughter was adopted from Russia as a 10-month-old infant. Doug and I, it turned out, had the same gut reaction - we really would like to sit down and talk with her!! So we're hoping to catch them again next time we're at church.

So we had the big shindig at our house afterward, and many friends and family celebrated with us. Roman smeared chocolate frosting all over his chest, arms, and face, and looked just adorable. A good time was had by all! We are patiently awaiting the Pistons/Lakers game 4 and hoping for another whup-ass of Kobe and company. And bed will come early for us, I think!