HAPPY EASTER!

PEACE.

Home Visit Is Over!

Our home visit is over!

Eleanor was very nice. She has 3 adopted children

of her own, so that was cool!

My youngest 2 kept their clothes own. That was good.

Rachel did not ask any embarrassing questions. Always good.

Ben was her favorite. He captivated her with his SpongeBob

Squarepants stories- complete with voices. He is a charmer.

I didn't have to say a whole bunch. She took an immediate

liking to Stacy..So, he did most of the talking. The chick has good taste!

She asked Caleb if he was ready for another sister, and he corrected

her and said,"Brother".

When she left, Hannah said,"That's it?!"

I guess it didn't last long enough for her. :)

PHEEEWWWWWW!

I am glad that's over.

AND... After reading our other homestudies, she thinks she can just update.

Which means we won't have to do this again!

OH! And she homeschooled one of her children for a while. So she

knows all about it! How cool was that?!

So...All in all, it was a good day.

Thanks for checking.

Peace.

Home Visit Tomorrow!

We have our first home visit with our
new social worker-tomorrow!

I hope she "gets" us.

Pray for me!

Peace.

An Answer to an "Egg" Question left by a Guest...

Yes -I have done this. This is a picture of some the kids and I did.

If you look closely, the one Hannah put her name on almost looks camo.

The longer you leave them in the dye, the darker they are.
***One important hint: You have to use vinegar instead of water.
I like apple cider vinegar, but I am sure any will do.

I would suggest boiling & dying a few and see if you like the colors.
If not ,you can make egg salad. :)

Your kids are going to LOVE the reds! Have Fun!

Let me know how they turn out!

Happy Easter.


Peace

Easter Egg Dye on Brown Eggs!

The colors are rich and vibrant!

Try It.

Peace

The "Paper Chase" Incentive!

Our social worker is coming for a home visit ,Saturday.
So I have to REALLY clean my house.

I don't know why I feel like I have to. I have 5 kids.
She HAS to know that my house is only REALLY clean during the holidays,
and that's only because my mother-in-law is coming over and I don't
want her to think her son married a slob.

We have to totally re-do ALL of our paperwork(Our first dossier was for Taiwan).

New police clearances,medicals,financial reports, etc.

Everything has to be Reviewed, Notarized, Apostilled, Authenticated,
and Fed-Ex'd.

I had honestly forgotten HOW MUCH paperwork there was with Mary
Elizabeth's adoption.

And then there is the wait.

Granted, ours will not be as long as a NSN referral(and for that I am thankful),
but we were already on the waiting list for a Taiwan referral
for a year-before switching countries ,so.... Not Happy

I have resigned myself to the fact that I may as well take
the monogramming off of the nursery wall.

We had a name picked out for our son, but we may identify/be referred a girl.
I don't think she will be happy with people calling her ADAM.

I feel like I have lost a year.

I feel like I have lost my Taiwanese son.

There is nothing I can do about it, and I have to move on.

So I'm feeling sorry for myself and I find this picture.

Is it a boy or is it a girl?

I don't know.

Just a cute little baby- looking at me , wondering what all the fuss is about.
Probably thinking -" Stop whining, Do the paperwork, Get on the plane,
and Come get me!"

So now I'm better.

Reality Check.

Guess that was all I really needed.

But....I'm still not happy about cleaning my house!

Peace.

NEW HEBRON RODEO

We spent Saturday in New Hebron, MS.
Caleb's 2nd Rodeo.



It was a beautiful day.



Stacy stayed home with the little ones and I got to spend
the entire day with my oldest child.
We have not done that in a while!



My Aunt Renee (a.k.a Bullet) and her family came to watch.
My home town is only about 3o miles from New Hebron.

I was so happy to see her.
She is about as cool as they come.



Bonnie & Clyde

One of the great things about these two-
the are just SO happy to be there.


Just livin'the dream.

It's fun to watch.


My sweet boy.



"Cowboy Cool" Rick-
Couldn't you just eat him up?!

We do love Uncle Rick!


Cutting


He had a pretty good ride.
Scored a 63.


Not as good as last week.
He was a little disappointed.
There were a lot of family and friends there.
He wanted to win.


It was a good life lesson,though.
Sometimes you REALLY,REALLY,REALLY want to win.


You don't win,
and that's O.K.

I asked him if he still loved it enough to keep
going, even though he wasn't winning.

He said,"Yes".

Exactly what I wanted to hear.


It's a whole lot of work for 2 minutes of riding.

But he loves it.

We want them all to have something that they LOVE.

I think he has found his"something".


Eden did win! Jr. High Girls Division.

Her score - 72!

She rides a sweet little mare named "Netta".

We are proud of both of them.

Peace.