Merry Christmas Eve!

Twas the day before Christmas and nothing was stirring at our house.  It's quiet, mostly, and a slow start to the day.  Breakfast is in the oven, coffee is being consumed, dog's been out, animals fed.  Not such a bad start to the day!

It's been a pretty good year for us.  We've survived the Home Study process and have an adoption application in at Adoption Answer.  We're officially waiting to be matched.

The boys finished up 4th and 1st this past May.  We took a few weeks off and started 5th and 2nd lightly through the summer.  Both boys have enjoyed being involved in Cub Scouts and Tae Kwon Do this year.  They're progressing and earning their ranks in both activities.  Thing One is a Webelo 2 and will move onto Boy Scouts near the beginning of 2011.  Ian is a Wolf  this year and enjoying it.  Both guys are a Senior White belt in Tae Kwon Do and looking forward to testing for their yellow belt.

Kevin continues to work at The Emmes Corporation as a Senior Software Programmer.   Hard to believe he will have been with the company for 15 years next month.  Only down fall with his job is the 30 plus mile commute, one way.  In this economy, that's not such a bad thing.  Outside of work, he's been active in various ministries at Burke Community Church  (BCC).  Probably his most favorite is playing bass, with a close tie for second in the various aspects of Men's Ministry.

This year, I've enjoyed attending Breakaway, the Women's Bible Study at  BCC.  During this past fall semester, I joined in with some of the ladies to preform skits at some Breakaway.  It's been fun getting to know a few ladies a bit better through this.  Learned a few things knitting this year.  Started off by learning how to make a hat.  Also learned a few new stitches. 

I hope you have a Merry Christmas while celebrating the birth of Jesus.

The tree ~ 2010

Yes, the yearly debate began ~ who gets to put the star on top of the tree.  Fortunately we just have the two kids, so our routine works out well.  Even years (like 2010) Thing One gets to put the star on top as he was born in 2000.  Odd years it's Thing Two's turn as he was born in 2003.  Of coarse that prompted the "How will we do it when we adopt?"  Okay, lets take that one when it happens.  If we adopt an infant, it won't be an issue right away.

Thing One's turn to put the star on top!

View from directly in front of the tree.

Long overdue!

Been awhile since I blogged.  Can cover a few things in just one post!  Lucky me!!!  We finally took a fairly decent photo of ourselves for the adoption agency we're using.  I just don't like photos of myself, so it's always a challenge finding one.  We took one of the four of us as well.  Without much further adue, here they are:

The other photo I've been meaning to take, well since Monday anyway is our Thanksgiving or Blessing tree.  We're trying to daily write out something we are thankful for, on a leaf, and hang it.  Hoping to keep this up through Thanksgiving.  Should be a full tree by then.  Yes, it wraps into the kitchen, touches the floor, and goes onto the ceiling.

There you have it, our most recent photo's!

Journey into the land of patience . . .

Kevin and I had our last interviews with our social worker two weeks ago. In theory, we should be receiving a rough draft any time now in the next 7 days to review. It's almost like the last few weeks of being pregnant in that, the "due date" is only an estimate, it could happen anytime around that date.

In the mean time, we've been mulling over which agency to go with for the actual adoption, how much do with think we can afford, how to pay for it, how to rearrange the bedrooms, and on goes the list.

Prayer requests, for now:

1. Wisdom for the financial aspect the adoption. We don't want to be over our heads in debt.
2. Clear disernment regarding which agency to go through.
3. Endurance for the organizing of our house.
4. Patience and peace for walking in God's timing.

Thank you friends,

Paper work is wrapping up!

In an envelope similar to this one, the last of the paper work and final check for the Home Study went out today. Wouldn't have thought it would take two months, approximately, just to get the paperwork together and mailed off. Kevin mentioned that he was able to get the training certificates emailed off this afternoon. That leaves, I believe, one reference letter to be mailed in and our autobiographies which we hope to email in tonight or tomorrow.

I can feel my heart pounding a bit harder today, as I think how things are coming together. To think that the Home Study could be finished in the near future and that will begin the adoption process shortly there after. It could be as early as 3 months after that, that we have an infant in our house. Wow!! Here come the sleepless nights and diapers all over again!!

No News Is Good News

And so it is at our house! School has been moving along steadily. Boys and I are ready for the year to be over. Think we hit the 180 days May 20 or May 21! Don't remember if we've had a hookie day or not, hence the difference of two different days.

In adoption related news, things are moving along steadily as well. We have 1 more class to take over the internet, two letters of references need to be mailed in, and our autobiographies need to be wrapped up. There's hope that we'll be able to get most of this in by next Wednesday and in the near future we can start our meetings with the Social Worker. We'll then begin the paperwork for the actual adoption and the waiting process for placement.

In the mean time, no news is good news!

The journey continues . . .

into an unending pile of paperwork, it seems, for our home study. We have just a few more forms to sign and/or fill out, finish our autobiographies, wait on doctors & reference letters, and complete 10 hours of training. THEN, the home study portion can begin. It can feel very overwhelming the amount of research and writing that goes into all these forms. Figuring out how much is spent on school, loans, utilities, groceries, several different kinds of insurance, daycare, taxes, etc, etc, etc.

We have gotten a lot accomplished. It's just a matter of wrapping a few things up, training, and waiting some more. Feel like we're in the military or something ~ hurry up and wait!!!!