What does LLS and Advocare have in common?

It means with every Advocare purchace you make from me, 100% of my commission will go towards my Team in Training fundraising efforts! So starting NOW, any orders placed from now until the last day I am able to fundraise for this season, my entire commission will go straight to LLS! You can order from my Advocare website https://www.advocare.com/09093889/  But PLEASE email me by clicking on my blogger info to the left, or leave me a comment on any of my blog posts, so I can know who to give credit to!!! I'll be able to look up how much you purchased. If you want to purchase from me directly, email or call me. I can only get you a tax deduction confirmation by entering in your donation with your info, otherwise I'll post it as anonymous. 

Don't want Advocare and just want to donate to this amazing cause?!? Donate using the link below or the badge to the right!

Thanks!!
http://pages.teamintraining.org/ntx/mpcsdlsm12/mcrocker

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Music

Today was the last summer session class of Hannah's music class at TCU. We love this class! We've been going since Hannah was about 5 months old. So much fun! Pics are from my iPhone so quality may not be great, but I forgot my camera. Enjoy! 32 days until trip 3!!!!
I have no idea how to label pics from the iPhone blogger, but I love the pic of her feet....my little budding ballerina! She walks like this all the time twirling around. Can't wait to get her into dance!!

I'm teaming up with TNT and LLS again!! Please help!

That's right!! I am teaming back up with Team in Training (TNT) again this fall in efforts to help raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS)! I'll be running the MetroPCS Dallas 1/2 Marathon in December. Those who know me know I ran the same 1/2 marathon with TNT back in 2008. It was a fabulous experience!  I am so proud to be a part of this amazing group and with your help can hopefully meet or even exceed my fundraising goal!

I know you are probably thinking I'm crazy for doing this now, with James coming home SOON(!!), however I LOVE this organization and have been wanting to do this again for some time now. And the time now! This mama needs to get back into running and, by joining TNT and raising funds for LLS, I am being Intential about it as well!! 

So, I'm asking you to help by making a donation to my fundraising campaign. No donation is too small!! Every little bit helps and is greatly appreciated!

Please use the link below or click on TNT badge to the right to donate online (quickly and securely) plus learn more about my progress.  You will receive a confirmation of your donation by email and I will be notified as soon as you make your donation. 
  
   http://pages.teamintraining.org/ntx/mpcsdlsm12/mcrocker
  
If you know me, contact me if you would like to pay by check. You just make it out to 'The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society' and send it my way.
  
Nearly 958,000 Americans are battling these blood cancers.  I am hoping that my participation in Team In Training will help bring them hope and support and help constribute to finding a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma. This money raised is also used to help improve the quality of life of patients and their families.  I know all too well how any cancer can greatly affect peoples lives. I am completing this event in honor of all individuals (and a couple of specific ones) who are battling or who have battled any type of cancer. 
I greatly appreciate your generosity! Thanks in advance!!!

P.S. I would appreciate it if you would forward this blogpost to as many people as you can to encourage them to donate as well. Thanks again!

After the airport....

I just love this post about adoption by Jen Hatmaker. She sums up every adoptive parents thoughts and fears in a post that'll make you giggle. Ok maybe more so if you've actually been in the process, but great info for family and friends!! Copy and paste the link below...
http://jenhatmaker.com/blog/2011/11/02/how-to-be-the-village#comments

Trip 2-Day 3 (and 4) Court Day!

Ok catch up time on the last day of trip 2....Court day or Da! day :)

So our court appointment was at 10 am. Our driver picked us up at 845am to head there. We met Olga, our coordinator, and the other couple going to court as well. Olga prepped us, briefly, on what to expect. She said this was a new judge that only another family with AAC had gone before us. Gulp...that made us nervous! Then it was time for court. The other couple went before us. Olga said it should only last 20-30 minutes....over an hour later they finally come out of the court room, with smiles of course! This judge is really thorough with paperwork and they got going a little late. Whew. We were getting really nervous thinking something had happened unexpectedly!
So then it was our turn. We walked in and sat down with Olga. There was the prosecutor, the court reporter, the baby home doctor/director, and the social worker. We were told to look at the judge while listening to Olga translate. Um easier said than done! Imagine looking at someone speaking Russian, while listening to someone, with a thick Russian accent, speaking English. So hard!! The judge came in and went over a few things, then it was time for Caleb to go to the podium to answer questions, then my turn. Then the doctor/director spoke about how we would be a good fit for a family for James, as did the social worker. Then the judge went through our entire dossier and court picture album, as did the prosecutor. She asked if we had any other words to say, so Caleb made his 'closing statement' :) The prosecutor had no objections, so then the Judge went to her chambers and about 5 minutes later came back out and made a long speech that essentially meant Da! Yes! We are indeed the parents of James Matthew Crocker!! Big sigh if relief. The judge kept a few pics from our album, then we got the rest back. I should also note something funny. Olga had said that if the judge asked if we wanted to say anything, then we should. So before the proceedings began she asked if anyone wanted to say anything, Olga translated that and quickly said 'no' at the end, but Caleb said yes. LOL So he thanked the Judge for allowing us to be here. The judge smiled and said something in Russian that wasn't translated to us, but everyone else similed and giggled ;) It was funny.

After we left the court house we went straight to the baby home and got to see James. Not only that, but we got to break him out for about 20-30 minutes to go get his passport/visa picture taken!! I loved it!! He did great. Can't wait to see that pic in his passport! We had to take the babies back to take a nap, so we went to the hotel to rest and eat lunch. We went back from 4-6 to visit again. This time we were back in the room we were in on trip 1.  It was nice to get down on the floor and play with him. He loves peek-a-boo and got the cutest video of him playing it with daddy. We had a GREAT visit. It was so hard to leave.  His caregiver came to get him and he showed us that he has definitely attached to this particular caregiver. Such a good sign!!!! We were thrilled to see how he wanted her and was genuinely excited to see her. She took him and we followed a few minutes later. We got downstairs and she was there still holding him, so we stole a few more kisses. They asked what we named him and laughed and said 'James Bond' :) So cute. James is really in a great orphanage. These caregivers really care for the babies well and love them! Then we left :( Last time we'll have to leave him!! Next time we see him, he's coming with us!!

We head back to the hotel. The lounge had nothing appealing and it was a big puff of cigarette smoke, so we went back to the room and ordered room service. We packed and went to bed.

So day 4 started at 130am, we left the hotel at 230, and wheels up in Moscow at 530. 4 hour layover in Amsterdam and wheels down after 1pm at DFW.  Customs was ridiculous. It took us over an hour to get through, but we finally made it home. It was so good to see Hannah! We hate leaving her, but she'll understand one day, and besides being taken care of by two grandmas is the best ;)

Here are pics of the outside of the court house and of course the pic of us after court!!

We Passed Court!!!

James is ours!!! He'll be HOME September 1st!
More about this day later....off to baby home for one more visit this trip :)

Day 2-Monday

We got to see James twice today! We first got to the orphanage around 12 and we were told he was inside eating, so we waited outside. It was a beautiful day.  Some of the caregivers were also outside pushing some of the babies around, one looked an awful lot like James....but they said he was inside. Next thing, we see them take the James look-alike out of the stroller and brought him to us. Of course it was him! He's gotten bigger, more hair, and can walk! We had a great visit! He hadn't eaten yet, so we played with him outside for awhile, then they took him to eat, and 5 minutes later brought him back out. Now, I'm not going to comment on that. Does make me wonder, but if you saw him you can tell he is very well taken care of. Our visit ended just before 2 and right as the sky opened up on us. Wow what a down pour. The caregivers, who speak NO English, were talking to us and making us stay inside. We had no idea what they were talking about, but one lady finally brought us an umbrella. :) She handed it to Caleb and he acted like it was just for him...English or no English, they thought it was hysterical.  We went back to the hotel for lunch then got to go back to the baby home at 4 until 6. It was wonderful!! He's taking a few steps, but prefers you hold his hands to walk. No problem here! We played all over the orphanage grounds (it only rained for a little bit). They have play equipment everywhere! It was all covered in snow at our last visit. James is smiling, laughing, cuddling, oh we love him so much!! I can't believe we have to leave him again. At least this time it'll be just for about 6 weeks and not SIXTEEN.
Our court is at 10 am tomorrow! So 1am Central time. We'll get to visit him after court as well. We are so excited and nervous. I asked our coordinator what we need to do this evening to prepare...she said relax HAHAHA!!Really? I'll TRY to sleep tonight. Hopefully my next post will be after we become a family of four! Enjoy the pics of today! We took a quick walk this morning and checked out a few things. Much busier area than the lst hotel, but lots around!

The Marriott Grand's Patio

Lobby

Our Hotel

Chilis!

 Below are pics of James' orphanage...

'our' playground :)

The front of the orphanage

Entrance

We played a lot in here, and got a lot of giggles!

That is a mini 'beach' and a decorated tree stump :)

more play equipment

Trip 2: Day 1 Sunday

Privyet from Moscow! After many hours of traveling, we finally made it to our hotel at about 6 pm. Let me just say, KLM airlines rock! The seats were slightly hard, but the service WAY made up for it! You will not starve on KLM, they served food, yummy food, constantly and, unlike United, kept us hydrated as well. Would definitely recommend flying them! We had a small layover in Amsterdam, and then flew into SVO airport. Easy.breezy. I think we got through passport control, baggage claim, and customs in under 20 minutes! We found our driver immediately, ran into the other couple here for court, then we're on our way to our home away from home...The Marriott Grand Hotel. Wow much nicer than the courtyard! And the courtyard was nice, this one is just 'fancy' nice ;) (pics to come later). We unpacked, Facetime'd our baby girl and parents, then hit up the executive lounge, Yum yum!!! Even after all that foods on the flight, we still needed a little something and a bottle of water before bed. So now I'm awake at 2 am, just showered and trying to wind back down to get a few more hours of sleep. We spoke with our coordinator and she said we'll get two visits Monday! Can not wait to see our precious son!
Paka Paka!


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The Room Reveal

Ok so maybe one more post before our trip!  We finished James' room tonight, just in time to get prints of it for our court album. Here it is! We just need James, more BOY toys and a lot of clothes! :)

4 days!!!

We leave in 4 days for court!!!!!! Well this day is almost over so really THREE!! So excited! We're packing, cleaning, I'm so nesting right now getting things ready....next post will be from Moscow! We can't wait to get this trip done so we can focus on the LAST trip to bring James home!!! Yes one more trip the end of August to bring him home AND then I can post pics of his sweet and precious face!
Here is another cute pic from this week...

Loving her new outdoor water play station!

The 4th of July post

We had so much fun on the 4th! Cooked out, swimming, all good times. Here's some pics from that fun day!

My pretty girl

Mimi Love

me and the hubs

Crocker girls and Roy :)

The girls helping Roy blow out his Birthday candle

Caleb being 'big brother' :) LOL

Happy 2nd Birthday Hannah!

Well we have a 2 year old now! Hannah turned 2 on Saturday and we had her Minnie Mouse themed birthday party at our house. It was HOT but I think everyone had a good time! There was a good turnout of family and friends and Hannah was spoiled rotten with her gifts! Here's a few favorite pics from that day....although i missed getting one of the three of us : (
 12 days until we leave for Russia!!

 The Sugar : )

 Minnie Mouse Bow Cupcakes!

 Party Favors...yummy

Showing off the golf skills

 Bubbles with Nana

Mimi

 Blurry but cute pic of Aunt J and Sara

 :)

 Not sure about all the stares...

 There's a smile!

 But needed a crew to help blow out the candles

 Party on

 Goofballs :) Only pic I got of daddy :/

 Aunt Ali and Blair

 Aunt Hillary

 K and my favorite R's

 Only decent pic of us LOL

 Aunt Tracy and A

 Presents

 Her favorite book :)

 Love this pic "oooooh"

 LOL Hannah had to try her shorts on

 Her first (real) Golfset!

 and tricyle!

Best pic I have of her dress...

And this was naptime....passed out 'reading'