Registration with Adoption Agency

This first step is nearly complete. In just a few short hours, Kj, L and I will go and pick up a family picture that I ordered last night and we will hand deliver our registration application, most recent tax return, family photo and first big check. Yeah!! All on the way to pick up Kevin from work.

Also we received in the mail today all the paperwork that goes along with our homestudy. Can you guess what I am looking forward to doing this weekend (if there is any free time)!? AND we received our international application via email.

A little boost of excitement in my day. I also need to pack the car because Kevin has his 10 year class reunion this weekend. Looking forward to some fun times with our family and friends. Hopefully getting in some water as well!

On A Roll

Friday I made a list of pictures I needed to update Kj's baby book...today Kevin hooked me up to the "thing" that holds all the older pictures and I was able to order almost everything from the list. All but the pregnancy pictures, which I wanted to make into a collage. I arranged the first few, but then the program wouldn't let me make a second one. And so my roll ended.

Here are a few highlights!

Kj and her buddy, Mrs. Giraffe...and for those of you who don't know, yes, there is a Mr. Giraffe. He's a little bigger and bolder, but just as loveable. The love Kj had for Mrs. Giraffe has now been transferred to Teddy.

This one I didn't actually get printed, but it will have to be on the next batch. Her first cereal. Mmm, mmm.

Her baby dedication. Kj with friends, L and C.

The book asked for first smile, first tooth, etc. I don't know if I can find pictures of those even if I did take them. So, I decided first cousin would be a good replacement. Family is very important. This is the first meeting of the first two cousins in Kj's generation.

"Wanna Make A Skirt Today?"

All I said to get Kj interested in a new project.

We were doing other odds and ends around the house. I fixed everything in my mending pile so I could do some fun sewing: patched 3 pairs of jeans, sewed on a button, fixed a homemade dress, and sewed up a hole in my snowpants. :) The last mend, of course, was the most urgent!

Then, Kj helped me make a skirt. She picked out the fabric (red-orange polyester...she liked it because it was pink and she liked the pattern!), helped pick a style by looking online for ideas, handed me pins, and watched on a stool while I sewed.

She became interested in other endeavors at the end, but it was mostly a joint project. Mmm! Fun to come!! :) The final project, showing off the pockets. We also found some farm animals at a rummage today, as we were beginning the project (pinning the pockets on), Kj asks me, "Can I put them in?" No, not yet.


May the treasure storing begin!

Hello All!

Hi, just thought I would write down some fun family things going on...

• Aunt A. moved closer to us for school and she sent her schedule today of classes...this was our (the girl's and my) reply: Perfect! The girls just decided to hold Auntie Appreciation 500, Thursday from 9-11. Attendence is not mandatory but a free lunch follows each session. Haha!

• I was mixing together some burrito insides and Kj says to me: "Mama, when I make bean soup, I add water." She then proceeded to tell me what else she puts in, including hamburgers and cheese.

• L is really going now with the walking. I think it took our camping trip to get her confident enough: the uneven terrain of grass and gravel! She now just walks back and forth down the hall or from the kitchen to living room or around the coffee table...just because. Kj is enjoying it too. She "chases" L...at a very slow pace but it gets the girls giggling!!

• We have lots of questions and few answers but little rays of hope in the adoption journey. One thing we know is that if this adoption doesn't work out for some reason, there will be one in our future!

• We're going to the pool today! Well, I am writing this all to you so that I actually do take the girls. They are down for an early nap and so we will have time when the wake up...and with my burrito making, my supper planning is complete - no reason to rush home, or stay home in the first place!

• We went camping, L's first time, in my uncle's backyard. We were also joined each night with a large gathering of extended family! It was so wonderful! Very thankful that our campsite didn't work out. Also, Kj went fishing with my uncle for the first time ever. She caught a "norvern." Didn't get a picture though because we had misplaced the camera. I'll just record the memory in other ways.