GUESS WHAT WAS IN THE MAIL TODAY!

OUR INS APPROVAL!

Love,Love, Love our Field Officer.

It was in this HUGE envelope, so I thought it was more forms......NOT!

It contained the approval , the home- study that they did not need, and a nice little note.

Last thing we needed before cert./auth.

Happy Happy Me.

Oh, Yeah! He is SO getting a birth/adoption announcement.


Peace.

"Your Gonna Have To Walk Around With A Shot- Gun In Your Hand!"

Stacy gets told this alot.

Basically, it means that your girls are so beautiful that
Daddy will have to carry a shotgun around to keep
the boys off of them.

In the South, it is one of the nicest compliments someone
that can give you.



Last weekend , Stacy took the big kids to see
the new Star Wars movie.



Mary Elizabeth and I stayed home for some Girl Fun-
complete with hair, nails, and make-up.

I took these pictures while she was on our bed watching
Max & Ruby.



If this is any indication of what she will look like
as an 18 year old............................



the shot-gun isn't going to work.

He's going to have to carry grenades!


Peace.

Rachel loves the rain...................

Rain in the South .


Rachel loves it.

Sometimes I catch her sitting by the window- just watching it fall.


If there is no lightening, we sit on the porch and listen to it......


If its not raining too hard, we play in it............


If someone sings a song, we dance in it..........


It makes the roses smell better..........


Nothing tastes better............................


It makes you laugh without even trying................


It feels good on your little tootsies.....................


It makes you feel warm & cold at the same time...................


It makes you happy to be a kid..........


It makes me happy she's a kid,too.


Peace.

The Power of Prayer

Today I exchanged e-mails with the most wonderful INS field officer in
the world, and when it was all over.............................

He said that I did not need to send another Home study!

The Home study he had in his hand would satisfy the INS qualifications.

They would add the word "months" to our application- since it was obvious that we were not trying to adopt a 24 year old.

It's all good.

Happy Happy Day!

Thank you for the prayers.......You know who you are!

I know that it was prayer that saved the day.

I know that it was God saying," You ask me to show you MY will..well here it is!."

I cannot tell you how humbled I am by it, but I will tell you this.....................

I cried, I was angry, I called my husband, I called my Best Friend, I sent an e-mail to my Bloggy Best Friend, and not once did I have the sense to stop and PRAY( until it was brought to my attention that it would probably be a good idea).

Thank you for standing in the gap for us.

When I am angry, the gap is HUGE.

You never fail to show love, and I love you for it.

Peace.

You WILL send my INS approval.......You WILL send my INS approval........You WILL send my INS approval.......

So... You think YOU'RE having a bad day?

I have been waiting for our INS approval for 3 months.

Unlike most people that are STILL waiting for their approval,
this is not the fault of our INS office.

They are great!

My social worker has had to send 3 different copies of our Homestudy!

3!

She has mis-worded, or left out dates, who knows what else.

Today , I get an e-mail stating that they have received HS # 3,
BUT she left out the word "MONTHS" from our referral request.............
Which basically has us requesting to adopt a child up to 24 years old.

So guess what that means?
They need another Home study.
One that has gone through the Mississippi Department of Human Services and
that has been notarized at the local level.

3 months of this.

I am probably going to have to re-do half of my dossier because of this.

To say that I am angry would be an understatement.

I would leave it like it is and just take the approval with the "24" on it,
but with the luck I've been having lately...The CCAA would probably refer
us one of the AYI'S!

So ....How was your day?

Peace.


*** "Ayi "is the nickname the Chinese commonly give to the female SWI caregivers. :)

Time to "COWBOY UP"!

Fall Riding Lessons start in a couple of weeks.

We are doing all of the cleaning that goes with it.

The kids are really excited - and by kids, I mean all of the kids that
took lessons last year.

I see them at the grocery store, the Wal-Mart, you name it.

They are all chompin' at the bit to get started.

My kids are happy,too.

They've gotten bored over the last few months. Not enough to do, I guess.


I've tried talking Hannah into waiting a few months to ride,
but she insists that she can ride with a cast....so , we'll see.

Rodeo Season is also starting, along with School, Choir, Youth Group,
and anything else we can squeeze in!

Where did the summer go?

We can already smell fall in the air.

I found the Cowboy Ten Commandments, I thought some of you would enjoy them.

My kids always get a big laugh out of the wording.



Ten Commandments -


Cowboy Style.

(1) Just one God.



(2) Honor yer Ma & Pa.



(3) No telling tales or gossipin'.



(4) Git yourself to Sunday meeting.



(5) Put nothin' before God.



(6) No foolin' around with another fellow's gal.



(7) No killin'.



(8) Watch yer mouth.



(9) Don't take what ain't yers.



(10) Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff.


Good Stuff.


Peace.

2 pounds from my goal!

28 pounds lighter.

I am a little bummed. I REALLY wanted to hit the '30',
But I will at some point.


I started out at 180.

This was the only 'before' picture I had and
I was in workout clothes - so I decided to take the 'after'
picture in work out clothes, too.




Here I am at 152.

And yes, I look VERY uncomfortable, because I hate
to have my picture taken.

I did this for Tish ! I hope you are happy!

My ideal weight for my body type and height is 140-145.

That is my new goal.

Even at 140, I will still be 20 pounds heavier than I was when Stacy and
I got married- But I will have to learn to live with it.
I like sugar WAY too much!

So here I am...2 pounds from my horse!

Now the the BIG decision............



Do I want a Quarter Horse......................
^
^
^
^
^
^
^

Or a Mustang?!

Technically, a MUSTANG is a horse. :)


Peace.