Adoptions statistics

 

 

 

It has been a long time since we posted info about the international adoption scene.  We feel we are less and less a part of it as the boys grow up.  But it is still heartbreaking to consider families who have been trying unsuccessfully to finalize Russian adoptions the last few years.  The chart above shows the steep decline in overall international adoptions since we went through the process in 2005-2006.  But the last time we updated this chart was 2009.





 

Here is a chart that was just released recently, and shows the numbers from 2011 to 2014.  It is a continuation of the decline of children being adopted.  (this is only the U.S. numbers, but the U.S. is by far the largest group of adopters.)  You see that only one country has increased their numbers since 2011, while Russia's numbers have dropped to almost zero.

Spring, but not spring break

Hiya!  Look at how these boys have grown!  Two pics of boys and their neckties.  We might have to offer two March posts, because there is lots going on beyond our spring break stuff.

The last post was about Conner's awesome bedroom museum.  Today, let's pay a little homage to Carson's origami skills.  Above is a twitter post from the Dean of the KU Business school.  The picture shows one of Daddy's students receiving Carson's origami flowers, and the tweet kindof promises a scholarship from the Dean!  Yup, got it in writing...

Seriously, Carson is an origami master.  He has almost a dozen different designs he can do from memory.  Above, he is perfecting one of his designs with the only other Marsh origami Master, Uncle Ted. 

Conner is still curator of his very own bedroom museum.  One day this month he and Carson and Daddy scoured the river bank for fossils.  Here he is labeling and categorizing his find under the watchful eye of assistant curator, Smink the cat.

Indoor soccer season was a blast!  It continues to be a way both boys can stay close to buddies from their old elementary school. A big thank you to Coach Andy for keeping these guys together.

And here is the goalie extraordinaire!  Conner was a stud in goalie for the team.  We played an unfair number of teams with older, bigger kids.  That meant the goalie had to endure some serious kicks on goal.

Loving the arrival of spring weather!  Here are three b-ball players discussing world economics and political maneuverings.  Longtime Pinckney friend Ben on the left and newfound St. John friend Jude in the middle.

All three CNMs still enjoy an occasional tree climbing adventure.  Here is Carson in the same tree in which Daddy once read Harry Potter with both boys.  Hard to tell, but we are about 25 feet up.

The extended Marsh clan gathered in Leavenworth to wish Gamilee a happy 98th b-day.  We are huddled around a laptop because our NY cousins all sent birthday song videos for the party.

So, we owe you some fun pics of our trip to the Omaha Zoo with our Kras Connection, the Parracks.  And some pics of the annual St Pat's Parade where we got to ride the Sandbar float.  Hope to post those yet this month!