Update on our boys

It has been a few years since I have posted, I think, but for you old-timers, I just wanted to offer an update on how the boys are doing. Clay - adopted at 5.5 months in 1998 (1 trip, 9-day process) started high school this year. He attends a math and science magnet program and was placed in all honors classes. He made the varsity wrestling team (started wrestling when tryouts opened) and is doing quite well. He plans to play Lacrosse in the spring and has been on a summer swim team for two years. I only recently discovered he was not just a brain, but also an accomplished athlete! Who knew? LOL! Clay was born with a syndactyly of his right hand and right foot with some affection for his left hand as well. He had three surgeries at Shriners to improve the use of his hand. He suffered with absence seizures starting in 3rd grade, but after a 24-month medication protocol, has had no further problems with that. He is still quite small for his age, but is all about body building these days, so he's about 97 pounds of solid muscle - 80 pounds of which are probably abs and deltoids. :) He is in the final stages of having his Eagle Scout project approved and then he'll move on to his Eagle Court of Honor. His plan is to go to the Naval Academy, exit as a Marine Corps officer, do his required time and then apply for a position with the CIA as a weapons systems analyst. How many 14-year-olds have a 20 year plan? Luke - adopted at 2.5 years in 2004 (2 trips, 27 days) is in 5th grade and also in honors classes. He is an exceptional student and a world master with all things Legos. He is the more artistic of the two, singing in the choir at school and having been selected for the Talented Arts Program for drama. His photography has been awarded trophies up to the state level in the PTA's Reflections program for the past three years. (For some reason his school chose not to participate this year. Weird.) His plans include which new Skylanders character he can order from Amazon for the wii he got for Christmas! Luke has significant ADHD that is well controlled with medication. He is one of the sweetest children I have ever known and has a real consideration for younger children - I think because he helped take care of the infants at his orphanage. They both are active in their church, in missions and other community service work. These boys are successes in everything they do because they have the opportunity to try and a family who loves them to the ends of the earth and who supports their dreams and aspirations. Something all children deserve.