FAVORITE IMAGES OF THIS YEAR

ringing in new years last year-

*playing APPLES TO APPLES at new years eve party

SPRING BREAK - MYRTLE BEACH- GABE AND DALE

GABE ON BEACH

Mothers Day weekens at Great Wolf Lodge (we began our Home study interviews the very day before)

*My parents joined us

*cute husband!

NEW KITTEN FOR MY BIRTHDAY- JUNE

BIRTHDAY TRIP TO FL TO VISIT FRIENDS

*Gianna and Charles (also on FL trip)

GABE AT SUMMER SCICNE CAMP- EDVENTURE

FAMILY TRIP TO THE BEAC H

ROAD TRIP WITH GABE- TO NC AND OH
*TWEETSIE RAILROAD

GRANDFATHER MT 0 1 MILE UP

IN THE HAMMOCK - AUNT SAMS IN OH

AMUSEMENT PARK WITH THE KIDS

ICESKATING

PUPPIES

BOYSCOUTS!

THANKSGIVING (JUST ME AND JOHN!)

 

GABES BDAY

FUNNY FAMILY PICTURES

TREE TIME!

VISIITNG MAMA RUTH IN OH

SMILEY ME

FUN IN THE SNOW

PRESENTS!

SNOW IN SC!!!

retail therapy

I woke up this morning with frustration and unknowing- lack of pictures since July, inaccurate health reports, mishaps with finanicial issues, doubt about when we will get a court date. I felt the need to do some shopping for Little Man S. Although i was encouraged, slightly, by Pat's email but still confused about when we were submitted and along with how many families.
Well after finding the most awesome Nine West red-hobo bag - marked down to $19.99 from $79 , and buying three news outfits for our little guy my heart and spirits were lifted.
WE GOT NEW PICTURES OF S!!!! They are absolutley adorable. Unlike the children many AP's with solemn looking faces, S is smiling and giggling all the time. He is chubby and walking. He has his special shoes on - to help his feet after surgery.
He isnt totally dressed like a girl...pink pants but a more gender neutral shirt hehehe.
I am going to make a new family album on shutterfly- which i do at the end of each year. So these pictures couldnt have come at a better time....now for court dates- please oh please.

Bittersweet Christmas

I have read many blogs of waiting APs who are having a hard time this year being in the festive Christmas mood. Count me in as one of them, in a big way. I really thought by now we would have our court date and/or at least some new pictures of S- yet we have neither. Not only that, but we were called by HOLT on Dec 22 to inform us that there was a problem with a  pretty large check (the very last part of our agency fees). What is really irritating me is that that check was sent in on Dec 3rd (2nd day air), we called on the 9th and the 14th b/c the money remained in our account and we were perplexed as to why. It took them 2 and 1/2 weeks to notify us of a problem- all the while possibly holding up our chance at a court date. It turns out that our bank needed preapproval for checks over $1,800. BUT we already authorized a check for $5,000 for HOLT the month prior...we have no clue why they gave issue to this one and no clue as to why it took 2 and 1/2 weeks for HOLT to call us and ask about it.
Compound our adoption frustrations with a 7 year old boy who is very *present focused* right now, and who feels that if he asks Santa he can get anything....well he is not getting a DSi this year and does not seem to understand why....i am very frustrated to the point that i may as well spill the beans and explain to him that I will not be paying $175 for a new DSi when he already has a DS and access to a camera and computer....i can't help but think he was kinda disappointed with his loads of presents from us and our family....oh well. We did have a couple of discussions and i showed him some videos and pictures of care-centers and of those who are sturggling in ET, and elsewhere.  I told him that I was hoping Santa would visit them this year, and we can wait for a DSi.He is in better spirits now- but just seemd deflated...or it may just be my perception of it. After the check mix up- i emailed HOLT to explain ad John left two messages...no one ever called us back or returned our email- which was upsetting...since it was about 10:30am Pacific time. We at least thought we would have some knowledge of how they wanted to handle this or if it delayed our submission to court.....we haven't heard of court dates being released in over two weeks. February 14th has already been released....nothing after that. I am hoping we are in the next batch, but not sure now.

Health Update

Well i am struggling through my final paper and procrastinating, dreaming of winter break, hoping for new pictures of S and obsessing about a court date. We did get a health update last week (no new pictures)....S seems to be doing well. The doctors did remark on language delays and mild motor skill delays, but nothing too alarming. Although i did not like the mention of "lacks stimulation for language development" :(

Other HOLT families are already getting February 14th court dates :( We are not one of them....not even sure when we were formally submitted to court.....so we continue to wait. We have the holidays to sidetrack our minds :)

We should have enough $$ for our plane tickets there :) Fundraising has been good, plus school grant overage- woo hoo

*i need to change this chip-in thingy......not sure how