Monday, October 29, 2007

Has It Really Been a Month?

I can't believe that is has been over a month since my last post. I've gotten so many emails from readers asking if everything is okay. The answer is yes. We are great; just busy with fall activities and trying to keep up with the boys. The boys had fall break the first two weeks of October and we had such a good time. We didn't do anything exciting but had a lot of fun just lounging around the house, going to the library and the park, etc. The Chipmunk missed his friends, though, and by the end of the two weeks was definitely ready to go back to school. Monkey, on the other hand, thought that school was finished forever and was heartbroken when we realized that he had to return. Luckily, they've had lots of fun events since they've been back so that has helped a bit.
Now the boys are super-excited about Halloween! We went trick-or-treating at our zoo a couple of weeks ago (they do trick-or-treating several weekends leading up to Halloween) and they've wanted to wear their costumes everyday since then. The Chipmunk is going as a cowboy this year (since his first choice as a princess was nixed by his mom and dad!) and the Monkey is a dragonfly. I've never been a big fan of Halloween, even when I was a child. However, I'm having a blast with Halloween now that I have kids. It is so much fun to watch the boys' eyes come alive with the magic of the holiday. I'll include a picture of the boys with our niece. She decided she wanted to be a stick of butter for Halloween and her dad made the cutest costume I've ever seen!
*Photo removed*
As for the adoption, there is absolutely no news at all. We've almost finished putting the new dossier together so I'm happy about that. We need to get a new FBI background check and a new state police clearance. Never in a million years would I have thought that it would be the end of October and we still wouldn't have heard about dates for our first trip. It's been almost a year (in two weeks) since we turned in our original dossier. Surprisingly, we seem to be doing okay with the constant delays. We know that our HotDog will find us when she is ready. There is not a doubt in my mind about that. In the meantime, we have our hands full just trying to keep up with the Monkey and Chipmunk.
I've seen a lot of other families switch to different agencies recently. I can't blame them. If we weren't at the top of the list in our region and still had a big wait ahead of us, I probably would consider switching too. However, very few agencies work in our small region and we are absolutely committed to going back to Astrakhan. We love our region and feel such a connection to it and the people. We've developed such special relationships there and are looking forward to seeing our friends when we travel back. I think the only thing that would make us change regions is for Astrakhan to completely close to adoptions. Also, I know our agency is really doing everything in their power to get us moving forward. Unfortunately, nothing is going to change until we get reaccredited, which I'm praying happens soon.
I hope everyone has a Happy Halloween and I promise that I won't let another month go by without a new post.

10 comments:

Deb said...

So glad to see an update that you're all doing well and enjoy your time as a family.
The kids all look so cute in their costums.

Becky and Keith said...

Isn't it funny how time flies by so quickly?!?! The boys look so cute and I love the butter costume! Wishing I would have thought about that as a kid. I was a dining room table once. My mother made a cardboard table and my head was the centerpiece. :-) I'm with you on the accreditation bit - just hoping and praying it is SOON! Glad to have you back in blogland - you've been missed!

mommyto5 said...

So glad all is well and that you are almost finished with your update dossier, what a relief. Prayers for reaccreditation!The boys are too cute and yes love the butter costume:)

Troy and Rachel said...

Glad to hear your are well! I love the costumes on the kids. The stick of butter cracks me up - why didn't I ever think of that? You're boys look great too!! Glad your dossier is almost finished-again. Hope to hear something good soon.

Carey and Norman said...

Great to hear from you. It sounds like you had a wonderful October with the kids and Halloween is much more fun when you have children. I love the dragonfly costume. Where did you find that one? The butter was great too!

I do hope accreditation occurs soon as I know you are ready to travel once again to Astrakan. I don't blame you for not switching regions as we would do the same. God has a perfect plan for your little one and in his time it will happen!

Looking forward to the next post!

Suz said...

Glad to hear all is well with your family.

Isn't the wait just becoming disgusting! There has got to be good news soon!

I love the butter costume too, super cute! D would love that one, she LOVES butter and would just eat a whole stick if we allowed it!

junglemama said...

What a bunch of cuties you have!

Adrienne, Another Ordinary Miracle said...

What cute costumes!!!! I almost bought the dragonfly for Owen, but we got a lion for free so we went with it!

I'm so sorry it is taking so long for the reaccredidation. It sounds like you are doing well with the wait and enjoying your time with your boys. I completely understand your loyalty to the Astrakhan region. We have only been to Vladivostok once and feel so much love for the region and the people there, especially the CHI reps we worked with to adopt Owen. I pray accredidation comes soon so you can meet your little one and bring her home!

Christen L said...

So glad to see you are doing well. You have an amazing attitude about the wait, but I guess when you've got a cowboy and a dragonfly buzzing around to keep you busy, it helps! :) Cute costumes! The stick of butter cracks me up....

junglemama said...

I love the butter costume. How original!

Cute kids. ;)