Well yesterday was the first day of school for the boys. They were very excited to be heading to preschool, this is Noah's 2nd year in Bright Futures Preschool and Calebs first year. Same class, same teacher... should be interesting. They seemed to have a good first day, talked about playing with blocks, singing songs and most importantly having snacks... which were colored goldfish crackers on the first day!
Todd drops Meg off at Sherry's (who is our sitter, kids "second mom" and answer to our prayers in lot of ways!) and then he and the boys head to school. Since in our small town there is one big school, K-12, and the pre-school is there as well. The boys hang out with Todd in his classroom until almost 8, when he can take them to the grade school gym to wait to go to their class.
Yesterday we were laughing about how next year he will have 4 kids in his classroom in the mornings! It will be like preschool in itself! Noah will be in kindergarden and then Caleb, Ellen and Meg will all be in Bright Futures together! What a hoot that will be.
Big weekend at our house... it is the Fall festival (aka travelling carnival). The boys are excited about the "crazy rides". Last weekend we made the trip to Chicago to see Bob (Anne's Brother) and rode the huge ferris wheel at Navy Pier. The kids also rode the merry go round... and Meg loved that. She waved and blew kisses the whole time... so I am sure she'll be all over the merry go round this weekend as well.
As for our adoption efforts, our home study is at the state, we are waiting for approval from them. I am hoping we have that within 6 weeks... hurry up and wait...
just need to remember it will all happen in God's time...
Friday, September 5, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Crazy Days...
Yikes... where did the last almost 2 weeks go?!?!
We finished classes through our home study agency. There were 8 of us in the class (4 couples). Our good friends Steve and Jenny were two... then we met two other wonderful couples who are planning to adopt from Ethiopia. It was very encouraging to hear their stories and meet new friends to share this journey with.
Class itself was pretty interesting. It gave us quite a bit to think about in regards to the adoption and things to prepare for... such as even though we are hoping to give Ellen a better life, she will still grieve the life she is leaving behind, because it is familiar and all that she has ever known. We also have some great ideas of things we can be doing now to help us prepare ourselves and the kids for the newest Hollis family member.
Last Thursday Todd and I left the house at 4 am to drive to Chicago to be fingerprinted... we got to the place at 7:45 it opened at 8 and we were on our way back home in the car by 8:18!!! Quite the whirlwind... but one more step down.
So now our home study is done. Our case worker has sent it to our adoption agency and once they sign off on it, it will be submitted to the state of Illinois for approval... so now we wait to hear from the state in regards to our next step (they will send us a 171-H form... which means we can then submit our dossier).
In the meantime we wait.... and wait.... and wait... and fill out grant applications
I had a wonderful conversation last night with a gentleman who is the friend of a friend... he lives in Chicago and has many ties to Ukraine. He and his family have built 29 orphanages there and he have travelled to Ukraine over 22 times! We talked a great deal about what to expect when we do travel and he was incredibly kind and generous in offering to help connect us with people in Ukraine to help us while we are there as well as specifics on where to stay etc... God has been so good in taking care of us on this journey... every step of the way we feel his presence more and more.
Todd is busy now that football has started and I have been busy with work training. The boys start preschool next week and all three are in swim lessons. Yet we manage to have some family time each day... granted sometimes it is breakfast, but we certainly make the most of what we have.
Meg has occupational therapy at the house in a few hours... I need to go pick up toys and load the dishwasher!!!
We finished classes through our home study agency. There were 8 of us in the class (4 couples). Our good friends Steve and Jenny were two... then we met two other wonderful couples who are planning to adopt from Ethiopia. It was very encouraging to hear their stories and meet new friends to share this journey with.
Class itself was pretty interesting. It gave us quite a bit to think about in regards to the adoption and things to prepare for... such as even though we are hoping to give Ellen a better life, she will still grieve the life she is leaving behind, because it is familiar and all that she has ever known. We also have some great ideas of things we can be doing now to help us prepare ourselves and the kids for the newest Hollis family member.
Last Thursday Todd and I left the house at 4 am to drive to Chicago to be fingerprinted... we got to the place at 7:45 it opened at 8 and we were on our way back home in the car by 8:18!!! Quite the whirlwind... but one more step down.
So now our home study is done. Our case worker has sent it to our adoption agency and once they sign off on it, it will be submitted to the state of Illinois for approval... so now we wait to hear from the state in regards to our next step (they will send us a 171-H form... which means we can then submit our dossier).
In the meantime we wait.... and wait.... and wait... and fill out grant applications
I had a wonderful conversation last night with a gentleman who is the friend of a friend... he lives in Chicago and has many ties to Ukraine. He and his family have built 29 orphanages there and he have travelled to Ukraine over 22 times! We talked a great deal about what to expect when we do travel and he was incredibly kind and generous in offering to help connect us with people in Ukraine to help us while we are there as well as specifics on where to stay etc... God has been so good in taking care of us on this journey... every step of the way we feel his presence more and more.
Todd is busy now that football has started and I have been busy with work training. The boys start preschool next week and all three are in swim lessons. Yet we manage to have some family time each day... granted sometimes it is breakfast, but we certainly make the most of what we have.
Meg has occupational therapy at the house in a few hours... I need to go pick up toys and load the dishwasher!!!
Friday, August 15, 2008
Classes start today!
Parenting classes that is... the first of 3 (4 hours each) sessions that are required for our home study agency. I am looking forward to it... our good friends Jenny and Steve will be in the class with us (since they are currently in the process of adopting siblings from Bulgaria). Plus getting started gets me one step closer to having Ellen home!
Fortunately school is starting which means our house will be a whirlwind of activity! The boys will both be in pre-school (same class... good luck to Ms. Ramsey with that mix!!), Todd is busy with football, work is busy on my end, all the kids have swim lessons, Meg has therapy... it will make our wait for paperwork go by a little more quickly.
In-laws will be at the house tomorrow... I haven't been to the grocery store in a week (since before the walk) so there is no food and I have no idea when I will get there... I guess I will just set out a nice plate of tube yogurt and chees-nips for them to snack on!!! :)
Fortunately school is starting which means our house will be a whirlwind of activity! The boys will both be in pre-school (same class... good luck to Ms. Ramsey with that mix!!), Todd is busy with football, work is busy on my end, all the kids have swim lessons, Meg has therapy... it will make our wait for paperwork go by a little more quickly.
In-laws will be at the house tomorrow... I haven't been to the grocery store in a week (since before the walk) so there is no food and I have no idea when I will get there... I guess I will just set out a nice plate of tube yogurt and chees-nips for them to snack on!!! :)
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Back from the walk...
Wow! What an experience! 3 Days, 60 miles all with the best friend a girl could ask for... it was amazing! My feet are a little blistered and sore, but it was well worth it.
We found out last night that we have our date to appear in Chicago to be finerprinted. We head there next Thursday, August 21st. That is a crazy day for us, Todd is busy with football, first day of school and I am suppose to be in a work training... but we are going to make it happen. Our good friend Micki is going to help with the kids and get them up and out of the house in the morning and we are planning to be back home by noon... so it shouldn't be too bad.
The issues between Russia and the Republic of Georgia are making me nervous. I just have this fear that it is going to escalate and other countries will become involved. I just pray that we will be able to get Ellen home soon and that the conflict will die down...
The kids have swimming tonight and Todd started football today... that means that fall, my favorite time of year, is right around the corner! I am ready!!!
We found out last night that we have our date to appear in Chicago to be finerprinted. We head there next Thursday, August 21st. That is a crazy day for us, Todd is busy with football, first day of school and I am suppose to be in a work training... but we are going to make it happen. Our good friend Micki is going to help with the kids and get them up and out of the house in the morning and we are planning to be back home by noon... so it shouldn't be too bad.
The issues between Russia and the Republic of Georgia are making me nervous. I just have this fear that it is going to escalate and other countries will become involved. I just pray that we will be able to get Ellen home soon and that the conflict will die down...
The kids have swimming tonight and Todd started football today... that means that fall, my favorite time of year, is right around the corner! I am ready!!!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
A true test for Dad...
So I leave shortly for Chicago. I am walking in the Komen 3 day/60 mile walk for Breast Cancer awareness. I am not sure who has the bigger challenge... me in walking 60 miles (and sleeping in a tent during the nights) or Todd who will have the kids all to himself for the next 4 days. Something tells me I have the easier job!
We haven't made too much progress this week. Our case worker is on vacation, so our homestudy is on hold until she gets back. Not a big deal since it cannot be sent until August 20th when we finish our classes.
The kids went to swim lessons last night. I find myself thinking of Ellen all the time... will she like swim lessons? Has she ever been swimming? What will her reaction be to all of it? I already feel such a connection to her... I just want her home!
So I am off for a few days... I will report back on the event, which I am sure will be fantastic since I am going to have the next several days with my very good friend Kristen and nothing else to do but walk and talk!
We haven't made too much progress this week. Our case worker is on vacation, so our homestudy is on hold until she gets back. Not a big deal since it cannot be sent until August 20th when we finish our classes.
The kids went to swim lessons last night. I find myself thinking of Ellen all the time... will she like swim lessons? Has she ever been swimming? What will her reaction be to all of it? I already feel such a connection to her... I just want her home!
So I am off for a few days... I will report back on the event, which I am sure will be fantastic since I am going to have the next several days with my very good friend Kristen and nothing else to do but walk and talk!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Our home study is complete!!
Well the meeting portion is done. We still have 12 hours of class we need to take care of but we are making progress. Last week we mailed our paperwork to the state so we can be approved to continue the adoption process, so we are waiting on that to process as well. In the meantime we are taking care of fingerprints, physcials and all sorts of financial documents. Slowly but surely we will get there. The kids keep asking when we will be able to bring Ellen home, it is so hard to deal with this waiting game.
On a very sad note, I learned today that one of the little girls we had considered adopting passed away yesterday. She had just had a family commit to adopting her, but they were never able to bring their little Alina home. She was a beautiful little gir and while she is now home in heaven, it is still very sad for the family who wanted her but were not able to bring her hom. Many prayers for them.
This will be our last quiet weekend for a very long time. Next week I have the Komen 3 day, 60 mile walk and then football begins the next week... which will take us to November. The good news that will make our time towards bringing Ellen home go much faster... the bad news is things will be crazy on the homefront!!!
On a very sad note, I learned today that one of the little girls we had considered adopting passed away yesterday. She had just had a family commit to adopting her, but they were never able to bring their little Alina home. She was a beautiful little gir and while she is now home in heaven, it is still very sad for the family who wanted her but were not able to bring her hom. Many prayers for them.
This will be our last quiet weekend for a very long time. Next week I have the Komen 3 day, 60 mile walk and then football begins the next week... which will take us to November. The good news that will make our time towards bringing Ellen home go much faster... the bad news is things will be crazy on the homefront!!!
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