Do I dare...

Do I dare hope?

Two LOA's came today at 75 and 77 days. The average had been around 95-105 days. Could it be getting faster?

Could we still travel this summer? We are at 40 days today....

I don't dare...........

Spring Break has Sprung!

Oh the hair...what is going on? Actually John woke up looking like Don King, so Jacob and Nathan decided to join in...

Can you believe I was actually able to get this picture? It is absolutely amazing! It didn't last long, so it is a good thing I got it when I did!

And the picture below. It is kind of hard to see but they are Kylie's fingernails and toenails. She wanted something "fancy." Orange, green, purple and pink. How much more fancy can a girl get?

P-E-N-G-U-I-N

I am sitting here amazed today.

Kaycee - 3 - is sitting next to me very quietly coloring while I finish up 3 assignments for my class. I look over after noticing some movement that doesn't go along with coloring...

Kaycee is signing and saying every letter that is in the coloring book. Then after she signs the letters, she signs the word. (The words that are in the book are just the titles and there are pictures of the titles, like penguin....but still.)

Two nights ago, she and I were in my room at school and she was writing on my board. She likes to write her name. Then she signs, "write John name." So I signed J-O-H-N to her. She wrote it on the board, just like it was nothing. So I signed to her to write Jacob's name. I signed it to her again, J-A-C-O-B she wrote all of them except the B - she made a "d" instead. (I have some junior high kids that still get this wrong.)

I am now actually getting a little nervous about her being in preschool for three years. She has been in part time this year, then will be in full time for two years.

But I don't think it would be a good idea for her to be in John's class. Actually, I think that would be a really BAD idea!!!

I know she will be ahead of Noah, do I keep him back so the competition is less between the two? He is a little younger than Kaycee...

Time will tell, I guess.....

2024...here we come

After having 2 boys and attending tball games, baseball games, football games, basketball games, two games of soccer, and even one practice for wrestling, I have a wonderful treat for myself.

Gymnastics...yes, my girls are doing gymnastics. And they both LOVE IT!

I was told by the O.T. that if I had concerns about Kaycee's balance, I should take her to gymnastics to work on it. So after getting done with basketball for the boys, I signed the girls up for gymnastics. Was it for me more than them?

Probably - at the beginning...but...

Kylie wants to go everyday. Each morning, "Is this the day I get to go to gymnastics?"

So what does the 2024 mean? The Olympics of course. So keep that date open...of course it would probably be in the late summer, I just am not sure of the exact date...or really where it might be. I guess I need to start paying attention to the announcements of where it is going to be held the next time. :)

Redirected

After a week and a half of a heavy heart and finally coming to the conclusion that I would travel along sometime in September or even October, I received a very surprising email.

Let's back up.

At this time, I will have six days paid for my adoption - the trip and the bonding...I have been told that I can see if our school board will change this policy. I have MORE than enough sick days to pay me through 8 weeks of maternity leave, however, as this is not a physical birth, 6 days. Moving on....

I emailed our agency to make sure that I would be traveling sometime after school started. I didn't want to have to go through the process of trying to get a policy changed if I didn't need too at this point.

Email back states, "we received an email from China today with your family's LID. It is 2-19." Ok, so this is only two weeks sooner than 3-2, however, 2 weeks is 2 weeks!!!!!!!

Still, I most likely will be traveling right as school starts. As our agency said that families are usually traveling 6 months after their LID. 8-19. School starts 8-17. And then there is Kylie's birthday on 8-30.
_______________________________________________________
Email received while I am typing this...

We are confirming with China right now to see which LID is yours. Ugh. 2 weeks is 2 weeks.

Remember the snow day?

Here are some pictures I took on our snow day from a while ago. Yes, this much snow closed our school. Why? Wind. When there is wind with the snow, it is bad...very bad.

This is Kylie...freezing but loving it!

Just know that this DOES not happen very often. These two fight more than any other children I know. (They are 10 months apart.) But here they are displaying the best team work ever!

I told Kaycee that in China, she wouldn't have seen the snow. "I like snow." She signs back and laughs!

It was absolutely freezing. But you can't tell by John's face! He loved it until we had to go inside!

Where are the older boys? They were inside, where it was very nice and warm playing Guitar Hero...

March 2

It is supposed to be a good thing when you actually get your LID. It really is. I should be jumping up and down...

But I'm not. Actually I feel so heavy hearted right now, I can't even think right now.

Our LID is March 2. Yes, March 2 - yesterday. We were supposed to be DTC on January 24...what happened? I don't know.

4-5 months to LOA
and about 3-6 weeks later for TA...(There is a new form that has to be filled out and sent to immigration before you can travel.)
Then about 2 weeks later travel. Travel in September - October? Summer is just about out of the question now.

I am sick.

Happy Late Chinese New Year

I absolutely love True Children's Home newsletter. Each time I get it, I hold my breath as I open it...

Here is another wonderful surprise. Another picture of Noah.

Looking at more than just the sweet little boy in the picture, I notice that his pincher grasp (fine motor skills) and his ability to balance while in a squatting position (gross motor skills) look good! :)

Makes me wonder about something else...is he left handed? He looks like he is opening the tin with his left hand. Interesting! :)