Week Two: We're still here!!

The kids had some friends over last night and ran around the house playing, played Just Dance on the Wii, and J did our friend's daughter, A's hair. It was too cute.

The boys had a little scuffle, and we worked it out with them. We all got to bed a little later than normal and slept in this morning.

So what's going on in our household? Well, as you can imagine, we're still adjusting to each other. The kids are slowly learning that when mom and dad say something, they mean it. Whether we tell them that we WILL take them to go see Narnia (and we did that on Christmas Day), or that a consequence will happen to something they're doing, and it does. We know that we need to follow through, and that will show them that we love them, but we mean business when it comes to following the rules.

I want my kids to be prepared for this crazy world we live in - as prepared as anyone can be - and learn that there are consequences to your actions. Whether they be good or bad. And that words can hurt as much as actions. And that sometimes, you can't get exactly what you want in life.

I will tell you that I think we're doing ok so far. I've managed to keep my temper in check, even when being pushed to the limits (which believe it or not, HAS happened!). I've also learned that Chris and I NEED to make sure we make time for just us. Even if that means a few stolen moments upstairs to connect while the kids are downstairs watching a movie.

It's been an adjustment, but one that I think we are making strides on!

Day Four. Calm. Peace on Earth. And such as.

So the last three days were...interesting. We went to a household of FIVE in 3.4 seconds flat. And the chaos and the testing that accompanies it was just as...interesting.

Chris and I are learning about currency. What works, what doesn't. A certain someone does NOT like to be sent to sit on his bed in a time out. Bang! Found your currency. (For the record, we've had two instances of 'go sit on your bed until you can change your attitude and you are ready to join the family', and one instance of a complete meltdown in Target. Poor Chris. He got the first meltdown!)

Another certain someone has to know what we are doing every second of every day. I've been working with her to just go with the flow. And what I can and cannot tell her about what we may or may not do.

So this family is making it work. I think today was the first time that the little one realized we love him, but we certainly aren't going to put up with his attitude!

And now I must go. We're headed to the library for new cards and some books!

We're Home!

We pulled into the driveway at about 9:30 last night. We unloaded the cars, and got the kids tucked into a movie while Chris got ready for bed. He's working in the mornings this week and I'm working from home and then I'm working in the office in the afternoons. It's going to make it easier on us.

This morning we all slept in until 8. It was...interesting. I fed the kids, have a load of laundry started, and decided I would blog really quick. We had a small meltdown late last night, but nothing I couldn't handle. It's a lot of change for a couple of kids who have had nothing BUT and if I ever thought it would all be sunshine and rainbows, well then I should be smacked.

So I've officially become a sorta-kinda-almost stay at home mom. I get to stay home with them when they are home, but I will be working while they are in school. Best of both worlds I say.

On a positive note - all three kids bonded very quickly last night. The Boy is relishing the fact that he is being 'looked up to' and is taking the responsibility very seriously!

Today I have to finish laundry, and then go through all the kid's stuff - clothes, toys, etc. It's all sitting in our garage in boxes. We're going to make decisions on what to keep and what to toss or donate.

And that's all I've got for today. Just our little family - figuring each other out!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow our lives change forever. For good.

Tomorrow we add two children to our home.

Tomorrow we double our little family.

Tomorrow I become a mother of three.

Tomorrow my husband becomes a daddy.

Tomorrow we no longer have any spare bedrooms.

Tomorrow we fill our home with noise.

Tomorrow we double our laundry.

Tomorrow my oldest son becomes a big brother again.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow I will stop and thank God, again, for His guiding hand and blessings in our lives.

Tomorrow.

Update: December 13

So we had the kids all weekend! We had some challenges, as children are apt to do - they were testing our boundaries and what they could get away with. Especially miss J. She would very much like it if she could be in control all of the time. Given her history, she's had a bit of fast growing up to do. The good news is that she relaxed after a bit and let us be the parents and just enjoyed herself.

Friday after we picked them up and got home, (HOLY TRAFFIC!), we gave them the tour of the house and showed them their rooms. They absolutely LOVED them! Then we took them to the tree lighting in our downtown. They had a good time, and we were able to introduce them to a couple of our BEST friends.

Saturday was pouring rain. Buckets and buckets of rain. So much rain. More rain than should be necessary. Unfortunately, we had some errands to run. So we ran them. And daddy took them shopping for birthday presents for me, since we were going to celebrate my birthday on Saturday. I made some roasted chicken, roasted red potatoes, steamed broccoli and dinner rolls. They had all gone and gotten me an ice cream cake, so we opened presents, and had cake!

Sunday we woke up and it was a clear and windy day. We went to church, where the kids had a good time in their classes. Then we made the trek back to their foster parent's home. We dropped them off, picked up a bunch of their stuff, and headed to Eugene to make a quick stop at King Estate Winery - my favorite pinot gris! We did a little tasting, and bought some vino to add to our rack.

Chris and I decided to have dinner out, where we reviewed the entire weekend and what we had observed and how we needed to work together as a team.

The foster mom called me later and I asked her a few questions, she and I had a few laughs, compared notes, and hung up. I fell asleep. Hard.

Today we had our DHS Home Certification visit. We need a caregiver number to have the kids in the home.

This weekend will be the highlight of my year! The Boy flies in on Saturday, and the kids come home for good on Sunday!

Lots to do to finish prepping for the new arrivals!

The Price of the Kid's Rooms (Alternate Title: How we avoided eating ramen for a month!)

I've had a few people ask about what we eventually wound up spending on our kid's rooms, so I thought I would do a quick blog about it! You remember, I was lamenting the fact that just to outfit the rooms with furniture, we were looking at $2,000. And that was just for furniture.

So let's get started!

See this little pile of lumber?

That built two beds. Total cost, with hardware? $150.00.

With conditioner, stain, sandpaper and dry cloths? $80.00.

We turned it into two of these beauties:

Are you still with me?

I ordered both J and W's bedding from Overstock.com. Total cost for two sets? $122.00. Shipped. Her bedding was complete - with sheets and pillowcase.

His was only comforter and sham. So I had to buy him some sheets. At Target. On Black Friday. $15.00. Pillows? $7.00. Fuzzy red blanket? $15.00.

Alarm clock on his desk? $7.00. We already had the light, the desk and the chair. Score!

Rug on the floor? $29.00. IKEA! Mattress on the bed? $149 - IKEA!

Dresser? $59.00 - IKEA. Shelves? $39.00 - IKEA.

Total for W's bedroom, including linens? $496.00. LESS THAN $500!!

OK - now J's room. Same deal - lumber, stain, bedding, alarm clock, fuzzy blanket.

Her rug was $49.00 (IKEA) and we also had to buy her desk ($17 - IKEA) and her lamp ($39 - Toys R Us). We already had her dresser. Her shelves were $40.

Total for J? $492.00! Again - less than $500!

So for less than $1,000, we completely outfitted TWO bedrooms. Two mighty stylish bedrooms I might add.

And they are done. Assembled, decorated, cleaned and ready for two kids to come have the best memories possible.

I can barely wait until Friday!

Hustle Bustle...and a Merry Merry Christmas!

**Before you get started, you may want to grab a tissue. This warning sponsored by my girl Cheri.**

Wow was our weekend wonderful! (I just love alliteration, don't you?)

When we last left the Herren familia, we had just received a voice mail from our kids. We called them back, left a message, and then waited. And waited. And. Waited. I actually had to attend a work function for about two hours and could barely stand it. I was regularly texting my husband at home 'Did they call back yet?'

I got home around 7. Chris had gone out and put more lights up outside (this is our first FULL Christmas at the house. We moved in last year around November 20th and just did NOT have time to make it like we like it), and he wanted to take pictures, because we knew we were going to go see the kids on Sunday.

Then the phone rang. I yelled for Chris, but he didn't hear me. I knew he wouldn't be out there for any length of time, so I answered it. It was our daughter, J! Oh she was SO excited to talk to me, and talk about our family book! And ask SO MANY questions! Chris came back in about 20 seconds into the conversation, so he didn't miss much at all.

Needless to say, we talked to them for about an hour. It was an AMAZING conversation. They were so excited to meet us, and so overjoyed that we had been chosen as their family! We let them know that we would see them on Sunday, talked to their foster mom for a bit, and then hung up.

Saturday night, some of our VERY BEST friends threw us an adoption shower. To say that we were blessed is an understatement. They threw this thing together in a matter of a week, and as tight as things are for everyone, the kids got some really amazing things. We are SO THANKFUL for the blessings we received that night.

Sunday finally came and Chris and I were awake at 4:00 in the morning. The kids are about three hours away, and we wanted to make sure we were there in plenty of time to meet them, and hang out for a bit before we went to church.

We pulled into their little town about 8, and found the road (complete with a bridge) that we had to turn on. As we made our way up the mountain, we watched the GPS for the turn. But we really didn't have to do that, because they had made a sign at the turn that said "Mom and Dad! Turn here! Keep right!!"

Lost. It.

Over another bridge, and down a long driveway, and we had finally arrived!!! Our kids met us at the door and there was instant bonding. J asked me to French braid her hair for church. She LOVED her Christmas dress, as well as the necklace we bought her for the 'iecbreaker' gift.

W liked his cool argyle sweater vest (and put it on, because daddy had his argyle sweater on!). He also thought that the watch we brought him as his 'icebreaker' gift was awesome!

We attended their church with them, where we were introduced by both of them to all of their friends as 'mom and dad'. It was an emotional moment, as this community had rallied around these kids and prayed that they would be sent Christian parents. We were formally introduced during services (this church has about 50 members - it's a small town!), and the elders prayed over us, blessing us and the kids and our new family.

After church, we took the kids to 'town' to go see a movie. We took them to see Megaminds in 3D and we had a blast! Wanna see how cute they are?



(Disclosure: I'm able to post this picture, because their faces aren't easily identifiable)

We brought them back to their foster home, where we sat down and discussed transition. Since the kids bonded SO well to us right away (and why wouldn't they, we're awesome!), the foster parents told us that we could come get them on the 19th. J&W have a Christmas play that they are in that day, and we will go down, go to church, attend the play, and bring them home. For good.

Amazingly enough, my oldest son flies in for Christmas on the 18th. What perfect timing God has for us!!

So you may be asking - what about this weekend? Well... their foster mom drives a bus, and she will be bringing up the high school basketball team for a tournament this weekend, to a town about 1/2 hour from us. She's bringing the kids with her, and we will go pick them up, and keep them for the weekend!! Can you believe it? Again, God's amazing timing for us!

I'm so very excited about having them this weekend. And they are as well. I'm even more excited about the 19th. My house will be very full and very merry this Christmas!

Full circle. And God's AMAZING timing. And His Plan. All along.

He is so good.

The Voice Mail that Changed it All

Chris and I came home from work today, knowing that the kid's social worker was going to be telling them about us today, and presenting them with our family book.

I looked at our home phone and there it was, a message.

I played it. On speaker. It was J's voice - telling us that she thought the book was 'awesome' and that she can't wait to see us on Sunday. Her last sentence? "OK mom and dad....love you!"

We cried like babies. She sounded so happy and excited. And she has no idea how happy and excited we are as well.

Sunday can NOT come soon enough.

Christmas came early in the Herren house this year. Thank you Jesus.

What We've Been Up To

When we last left the Herren household, Chris and Stina were frantically trying to finish two little beds for two lovey kids.

Well, I'm happy to say we've got one completely done. We ran out of slats for the support of the second one. So Chris has to get more 2x2's today and we'll finish that!

Wanna see it? Alright!



Here's J's bed, assembled with the slats in place. W's will look the same. We bought their mattresses at IKEA, as well as area rugs, a bookshelf and dresser for W, and a set of shelves for J. She already has a dresser. Daddy will put up her shelves hopefully this weekend.

And speaking of this weekend: We're GOING TO GO MEET OUR BABIES!!! The case worker for the kids can't get out to them (they live an hour outside of the city) until Friday due to her schedule, so we talked with the foster parents, and they invited us to come spend the night Saturday and all day Sunday!! We had to decline on Saturday, because our wonderful amazing friends threw together a shower for us! They're calling it a kid-warming (I do love that), and it's this Saturday at 5. So early Sunday morning, Chris and I are getting up and making the three hour trek to go meet our kids. We'll go to church with them, hang out, see how their routine is, and basically get to know each other. We've been invited to stay all day and have dinner with them as well. I'm so glad we have a good relationship with the foster parents!

So the entire week this week after work will be spent on preparing the rooms. I found these AWESOME guitar hooks at Bed, Bath & Beyond that I am going to acquire for W's room (his room is decorated in Rock Star style!) and I want to get J a jewelry box of some sort.

So much to do, so little time.

16. 9 and 7.

Our rescheduled committee was at 1:00 yesterday afternoon. All weekend and morning, the weathermen kept warning us of impending doom! You know, snow? I cursed and muttered under my breath. And PRAYED that the snow would hold off until our committee was over.

And thankfully, we have a very brave social worker who hitched up the huskies, cracked her whip, and rode her sled to Eugene to represent us.

And who called us at 2:19 to tell us we had been chosen. We. Had. Been. Chosen.

In my head, I say that in an Oprah Winfrey voice. Go ahead and try it, I'll wait.

We called our families, who are very excited. We called our BFF's, they are super excited. And now we've released the news to the world. Chris and I are going to become parents. Together.

We've gone from one to three. Like THAT {snap}.

So I have a 16 year old, that has had Chris as his step-father since he was 5. And now we are going to have a 9 and a 7 year old. Three amazing kids.

We are so very blessed.

Our plan is to start visitation as soon as possible. We meet with our social worker this morning to talk details. We hope to transition over Christmas break. That way they have the opportunity to say goodbye to their friends, finish the school semester, and come home and start making memories.

We are so blessed.

How old are my kids? They're 16, 9 and 7. Thanks for asking!

Building a Bed. Or Two.

Chris and I spent the entire day Saturday looking at furniture. We need to outfit two rooms assuming things go our way on the 22nd, and we only have 7 days to do it. We looked at one place, and after figuring it would cost us $2300 to oufit two bedrooms, we decided to keep looking. We want durable, well-built furniture that will last, and still be practical.

My poor husband. I took him all over God's half acre looking at furniture. It was the same story over and over. At least $2,000 to outfit two bedrooms. Two. THOUSAND. Dollars. GAH! Do you know what I could DO with two thousand dollars? I can take those kids on a mighty fine vacation, that's what!

So I like to frequent Knock-Off Wood and drool over her plans. She's SO awesome. And talented. And I'm pretty sure when she speaks, angels sing. I happened to come across her plans for a twin farmhouse bed and said to Chris "we could totally do that." He agreed.

And this morning we set off to Home Depot to get what we needed.

I must call a sidebar here and ask: Isn't Home Depot supposed to be the GIANT of Home Improvement Stores? Ok. Well they had no kiln-dried 4x4 posts or 2x6 boards. You need to buy kiln-dried to ensure that there is no remaining moisture or sap, and that the piece you are making won't warp. So we bought what they had and brought it home. We'll find the rest tomorrow. Thank you counselors, you may return to your seats.

So for about $75 in lumber, this is what we've started on today:

Lumber Pile:

This is the layout of the 1x6 boards for the headboard piece:

This is the almost finished headboard and footboard. Because we couldn't get the 4x4 posts, we have to wait until this week to finish the sides and then start the rails. Honestly, with cutting and assembly, this took us about an hour. And it's our first one, so we were taking our time. What an easy bed so far!

What do you think??

There but for the grace of God go I

We received some pretty upsetting news today. Our committee was postponed because of the dropping of the ball on some pretty important information. Apparently there was some disclosure that should have been made to the families that wasn't. And the committee felt it was important enough to delay proceeding.

To say that I am upset, is an understatement. I was dreaming about my kids being home for Thanksgiving. About a table full of kids and laughter and fun. About heading out early the day after to go pick and cut our Christmas tree. About decorating and making memories.

Now that's been delayed for two weeks.

I have to remember it is all in God's timing. And that He is in control.

It's a hard lesson to swallow. And maybe a lesson I need to learn.

Today is the Day.

Today is it. The day we've been waiting for, anticipating, hoping for, praying for.

I'm nervous, nauseous, jittery, anxious, on the verge of crying, and I just want to crawl back in bed with my husband and just cuddle until we hear the news.

Our hearing is at 1 Pacific Time today. Please pray. Pray, send good thoughts, vibe, whatever you do.

Today is the Day.

November is National Adoption Awareness Month

November is National Adoption Awareness Month

Click on the link above for some information.

Please pray for our family, as we wait to hear whether or not we've been lucky enough to be chosen to become the parents of J&W, a sibliging group in the Oregon Foster Care System. Also pray for those families still waiting, and for the children who are also waiting. No child should ever be left without a family to call their very own.

One Week Away

We are one week away from our committee hearing. And I can barely stand it.

I have no clue what state I will be in on Tuesday, but let's just say that one of my co-workers graciously rescheduled a meeting we had set for that day where I have to present the first draft of next year's budget, and report on this year's YTD numbers.

She gets me.

So currently at work I am frantically trying to get as much 'thinking' work done as possible so that when right about 1:00 on Monday hits, I can lose my mind.

Yep. Good times.

15 More Questions

We had to fill out ANOTHER piece of paper today. I know, I know, there will be more yet still on the horizon coming down the pipe and so on. I'm just thinking that pretty much every question on this paper we already answered. In triplicate. And had notarized. On paper that was hand-spun by South American pygmy monks who only speak one week a year.

Ok, so they speak one month a year. Excuse me for the exaggeration.

Wanna know what they asked? Wanna know what we answered?

Well, alright!!

Describe any new information since home study. Nothing new to report

Please describe each other’s strengths. Chris’s greatest strengths are his patience and his ability to get along with everyone. He’s very patient and hasn’t met someone yet that he can’t warm up to. Christina’s greatest strengths are her organizational skills and her willingness to do things for others. Christina is very organized, and is always stepping up to help out her friends and family.

Why were you interested in these children? We are interested in J and W for several reasons. J likes to dance and do gymnastics and Christina was very involved with those when she was younger. W likes to laugh and be a boy, and we both were drawn to that. Mostly we were drawn to these two because they like the same things we like to do as a family, and we really felt that our age and experience could mesh with these two and make us a complete family.

In what specific ways are you a good match for the children? J loves to dance and do gymnastics; Christina grew up in dance classes, recitals, auditions, and doing gymnastics. W is in soccer; Chris grew up playing soccer, both recreationally and competitively. They both like to do things outdoors, we are an outdoor family. Most specifically, they’ve expressed a desire to be adopted, and we desire to adopt. ϑ In all seriousness, we believe that the opportunities, and stability, as well as the love of a forever family are something we can give them. Unconditionally. Forever.

Describe your stability as a couple. We have been together for 11.5 years, and married for 8. Throughout our marriage, we’ve moved across the country three times, been through several trying events (death, miscarriage), and have remained the best of friends. While we haven’t had a marriage full of puppies and rainbows, our faith in God and our ability to rely on each other through the tough times has definitely cemented our stability. We have thought long and hard about bringing children into our lives, and we wouldn’t do it if we didn’t plan on being together until we die. Divorce is not an option for us.

How will you meet the children’s emotional, social, and attachment needs? We have read several books and researched information on attachment and bonding. We are easily able to bond with our friends’ children, and believe that our hearts and compassion will allow us the ability to provide a safe haven for our kids. Our plan is to always be there for our children, as a soft place to land, and a solid foundation in which they can build their lives.

How will you meet the children’s physical and medical needs? We have already chosen a pediatrician and will be meeting with him if we are chosen at committee. We are financially and emotionally ready for any issues that may come up.

How will you meet the children’s cognitive and educational needs? Christina plans on reducing her hours at work, so that she is able to be with the children before and after school, and as well has the flexibility to take time off for volunteering in the classroom as well and being a clear and present positive influence in their lives. We are currently also researching private schools, and trying to decide which avenue would be best for the kids.

How will you provide ongoing connections to caregivers/bio-family? We are willing to provide updates via email, mail, photos, etc.

How will you prevent unsafe situations and promote safety? We believe that these children are at an age where they should be given choices, and learn from their choices. We will always be there to guide them, answer their questions, and educate them when necessary. Our first priority will always be to love them, followed by keeping them safe. We will prevent unsafe situations by always knowing about their surroundings, and teaching them by example.

How will you provide cultural connections? These children are of the same culture as we are. They currently attend a Foursquare Church which is the same church group we attend, and are actively involved in the church. We will continue that involvement. We are fortunate in that our youth pastor is one of our friends, as well as a father of an adopted child, and he cannot wait to meet our children!

What resources, services, treatment and/or therapists are available in your community? We have several resources available to us throughout the community. We are in very close proximity to Providence Hospital, as well as being in possession of two very good health care plans.

List at least three components of discipline plan. Our plans for discipline involve:

Information – we will set our expectations with the children. They will know and understand the house rules, and they will also be written down for them. We will review them when necessary. We don’t have a lot of rules, but we do have a structured family environment.

Understanding – when one of them acts against the rules, we will sit down with them to talk to them and understand why they did it, and get them to understand why what they did was wrong.

Consequences – dependent upon the infraction, consequences will range from time outs, to removal of privileges. Children need to understand that there are consequences in life, and learning them at an early age is paramount to becoming a successful adult. At no time will we resort to physical punishment or withholding of necessities (i.e. – food and water).

We have been reading the Love and Logic series and firmly believe in this method of discipline. Giving children choices, learning what their currency is, and teaching them from their mistakes is our plan.

What are your expectations about the placement? Our hope is that these children will come into our home and learn through our actions and our words that we are going to be there for them always. We understand the feelings of neglect and abandonment that may be plaguing them, and want to set out immediately to make them feel welcome, accepted, loved, and safe. We understand that this will not be immediate, and that as a family, we will all have to work on it. We are also very hopeful that since the kids are excited about being adopted that they are starting to have closure about the past and be hopeful for our future as a family together.

What do you anticipate your experience will be in integrating the child into your family? We have spoken with the foster mom several times and can honestly say that we feel the integration will be quick and relatively painless. She has told us how they have quickly adapted to life at her house, and that above all they simply want to be adopted. We feel lucky that we have had the opportunity to speak with her several times, and each time she has been so gracious as to be candid about their behaviors, their personalities, and their quirks. We’ve gotten a chance to ‘know’ them through her eyes and her words, and honestly cannot wait until we can bring them home.

So that's our story. Whatcha think?

Settle in for a Neat Story

Unless you've come across this blog by mistake, or you've been under a rock, you know that Chris and I have been diligently pursuing adoption through the Oregon Foster Care System. We started the process way back in April, and we were finally approved in August.

On August 6th, we applied for a sibling group, a boy and a girl, ages 6 (at the time) and 9. And we waited. During this time, we discussed things and always, ALWAYS included J&W in our discussions. We talked about how we would change things around in our home to accommodate the kids. We talked about the trips we would take camping, fishing, skating, etc. I talked about putting J in dance class, and Chris talked about putting W in karate. No matter what we did, and what other children came across, we couldn't get these two out of our minds.

Early morning September 9th, I woke up from a very vivid dream. I dreamt that Chris and I were standing on our deck. Our social worker pulled up in her car, got out, looked up at us and said "Good news! You've been chosen to go to Committee for J & W!" I woke up from that dream and looked at the clock. It was 3:30 a.m. My husband gets up at 4:30 for work, and although I wanted desperately to wake him and tell him, I chose not to.

That morning, I called him when I got into work and told him about my dream. He gave me a good-natured ribbing about it, and I told him I was going to email our social worker and tell her about it, and ask her to call the children's social worker.

I sent off an email to her, and made my way to a board meeting that I had to attend. While in the board meeting, my phone lit up (it was on silent) and a number I didn't recognize came across. I ignored it, and it stopped. Then it almost immediately lit up again, same number. I ignored it again. Several seconds later, my voice mail icon popped up. I was curious, so I excused myself to another conference room and listened to my message. It was our social worker, and her message was "I'm not standing in your driveway, but this is the next best thing. Sometimes dreams DO come true!" I immediately started crying! I couldn't believe that I was hearing this message!

I called her back and learned that we had been selected to go to committee! We didn't have a date yet, but we needed to review some more detailed information about the kids and decide if we wanted to go forward. We got the information, read it over together carefully, and decided we were undeterred. We were going for it!

Then we waited! Oh the state just tests my patience sometimes! Our social worker then went on a missions trip to Thailand and was gone from September 29th until today.

Today I received an email from her that said "I just heard. Your date has been set for November 9th at 1:00." This was quite possibly the best news we've heard so far! We have a date!! We've been putting our lives on hold, not planning anything concrete, waiting for the date.

So NOW what happens? Many of you have already seen this in the email we sent out, but here it is again:

What is Committee? It's a group of people made up of state employees, social workers, foster parents, CASA's (Court Appointed Special Advocates). attorneys, etc. who want to be on that particular committee to decide which family would be best suited for the children in question.

Do you go to Committee? No. The prospective parents never go to committee. The social worker representing the parents go to committee and state our case and present us to them. We've put together a family book with pictures of us and our lives and our social worker will use that along with our home study and letter to the committee to present our family.

How long does it take them to decide? They usually decide within 48 hours.

Then what? Then if we've been chosen, we go through a 7 day 'blackout period' where we get a large binder full of information about the kids. We get time to go through everything, take their medical records to a pediatrician for review (if we so choose), etc. Once we decide we're still going through with it, we let our social worker know, and can start transition. Also, after the blackout period, the kids are told that they have been chosen for adoption!

Then what? Gosh you people with your questions! Then we start visitation and transition. Transition gives the kids time to warm up to us, and gives us time to warm up to them. We haven't had the luxury of having them biologically and the bonding that comes with a pregnancy, so this is the next best thing. The Family Book is also given to them to look through, and get used to seeing us as their parents. Transition can take 2 days or a week, it all depends on the kids. I have a feeling we would have a quick transition!

Once they are transitioned, are they yours? We are then placed into a 'foster-to-adopt' status. We are their new foster parents, and our social worker comes to visit once a month to see how things are progressing. At six months, assuming everything is going well, she can recommend to the state that we finalize the adoption. It can take up to three months from then for the finalization. However, referring to the original question, YES, they are OURS.

What about the kids? Tell us about them!! Oh! Haha. Yes. The kids are a sibling group, a girl and a boy, ages nine and will be seven on Friday. The foster care system has a lot of older children in their care and Chris and I were really drawn to these two! They even look like us!

Can we see a picture? Unfortunately, no. Because of confidentiality reasons, we cannot show their picture until they are in our home.

So that's the latest! Keep praying! And I'll keep updating!

A Little Us Time

Have you heard about Groupon, or Living Social? They are websites that present a usually good deal on a local attraction - be it a restaurant, a massage, or a getaway. Two weeks ago, Living Social put out a deal that I couldn't resist. It was a one-night stay in a river view room, a bottle of wine, a $30 breakfast credit, and a $25 resort credit. The price? $169! Skamania Lodge is a gorgeous little place out on the Columbia River, in Stevenson, Washington. A quick one hour ride, door-to-door, from my house. I bought it!

When I called them to make the reservation, I found out that they had a Beer Fest this weekend! They would be having several local brewers onsite sampling their beers. They would have food, live music, and beer-themed buffets! I immediately made the reservation for Saturday the 9th.

I told my husband not to make any plans, that I had a Super Secret Date Day planned for him. Little did he know, that while he was away hunting, I had already packed his bag!

On the morning of the 9th, we got up, got ready, and I sent him to the car to wait. I had already put our overnight bag in my car, but I needed to grab some last minute toiletry items. Stuff I couldn't pre-pack else he figure out we were going away overnight.

When we got to Skamania, I informed him of our itinerary. He was a very happy camper! We made our way out to the Beer Fest tent, purchased our tasting tickets, got our mugs, and went to town! We had a great time, got lots of rest and relaxation, and we were able to do a little reconnecting. Which every couple needs from time to time.

Now back to reality. And no updates. But our social worker comes back from Thailand this week, so I can't WAIT to talk to her!

Be Still...

We had our monthly checkup call with Emily, our social worker yesterday. She's getting ready to leave on a missions trip to Thailand tomorrow. She'll be gone until the 13th of October, so two weeks.

There's a small part of me that is so impatient I can barely stand it. And I push that part of me down and remind myself that there is a plan. That God will prevail. And that we will have our little family. It's still tough to sit here and wait. I need things to move along. And that is when I am reminded.

Be Still.

It's so tough for me. Be still. Those two words that have never described me. I'm always go go go! There are most certainly times where I can sit and veg out by reading, or watching TV. On the outside I look as if I am being still. However, on the inside, my mind will race.

Be Still.

Be still. And KNOW that I am God. Psalm 46:10

The Ocho

Never in our history has the Spanish word for eight been more popular than when the movie Dodgeball came out in 2004. At the time, the fictional 'ESPN8 - The Ocho' was the channel you turned to for all things dodgeball related. That movie sparked the dodgeball craze, and the popularity of using 'ocho' as opposed to 'eight' in normal conversation.

What's that? Not in your circle of friends? Oh. Cho. HA!

Anyway - a few years later, along came Chad Johnson. Best known to most of you as Chad Ochocinco. Thanks to a relatively large ego, and a penchant for showboating, Chad legally changed his name before the 2008 season to reflect his jersey number, 85, or Ocho Cinco. On his application, he combined the name, to make it flow - Ochocinco. I'm not hating, he's one of my fantasy football players! He just better start kicking it into high gear. Four points for 44 rushing yards is NOT cutting it. Slacker.

Cut to today. Eight years ago today, I married my husband. He still makes me laugh until it hurts. He still says things that are so unexpected that they take my breath away. He still buys me little presents and sends me little messages that show me that he cares. He still knows when to let me vent and complain, and when to talk me off the ledge. We're affectionately referring to this year as The Ocho. Yes, I know we've just completed eight years of marriage and are about to enter into our ninth. But it's fun to say this is The Ocho.

So to my baby - Happy Anniversary. I love you more than I ever thought I could. And it gets better and better as the days pass by.