The Power of the Phoebe

They come from near and far to see her. She is quite a wonder to behold, that is true. But I think it's what she brings out in others that is so amazing. They can't help but be happy. They smile without thinking about it. They are soon silly and singing and sometimes, no, quite often, there is dancing. She's like a drug that way. Friends have been known to stop by and see her after they have had a hard day. Kids in particular have been drawn to her. We have had so many wonderful visitors. Many of them between 6 and 12 years old. It made me so happy to see her held by Emily Greenberg and Carly Lieberman and Ruby FIne and Alex Nadel. I thought of these girls as an American version of what she had back in the Vinh Phuc orphanage. Every day, I was told, older girls from the Orphanage would come to see the babies after school. They would play with them and think of them as little siblings. I can not imagine how sad they must have been to see Phoebe go to a new home so far away. The girls here who have come to visit (and lots of boys too) seem so taken with her, it's lovely. Tomas Greenberg said, "if she had a super power it would be to make people happy." He's 8. That's a pretty good review from an 8 year old boy.

Perhaps her early interaction with so many different people is one reason why Phoebe is such a social animal, a true party girl. What I have learned about her in these few months is that she thrives on people, it's what makes her happy. This past Sunday, her fabulous Grandparents hosted 40 odd people in their home to celebrate and welcome their new Grandchild. Many of their old friends were there, people who have watched me grow up and come to this moment. My father got choked up before he even started to address the crowd. His words about me and Phoebe were so touching. Not a dry eye in the house. David Woolfe performed a lovely ceremony, honoring her entry into the Jewish world and into my special family. Jane came into town for the occasion. She says she has a special kinship with this child, that they both came into our family in the same way. How lucky Phoebe is to have Jane for an Aunt. A true circle of the family is being completed. The power of the Phoebe was seen all over that party. She charmed everyone, laughed and smiled on cue, then crashed hard when we finally got home. I practically had to wrestle her down from the high of that party.

When James Worner showed up last week from Sydney, I knew Phoebe's power was real. When Alana started talking about moving back to New York, I knew that this child had a magnetism few could match. Lucky me, I get to be with her everyday. And even if I'm sleepless, if I hardly have time to write, if I have new aches and pains from being a new Mom, she makes it all worth it. Just one smile and it's all good.