This is about as raw as it gets...

I read many, many adoption blogs. Most are ones who have already been there and back and others that are in the process of adopting. One blog I read is about an amazing family who has adopted one child and is adopting another child with down syndrome from Eastern Europe. Here is her post today. Click here: Hopeful Heart Adoption Its about an event that took place during one of her visits with her daughter at the orphanage. We hear all about the many children in orphanages but few actually witness this event. It's.just.so.sad. I feel like I can't get over to Russia fast enough! It's overwhelming at times.
Now read the post that was written by another couple that witnessed these two young kids the next day. Click here: Home on the Range  Pray for these kids, and all the kids waiting for their forever Family. Pray for our son, who we do not know yet, but has likely been born and is living in an orphanage right now.


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Sneak peak of our beach trip

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Hannah's Halloween Parade at Mother's Day Out

This morning after dropping off Hannah at her Mother's Day Out we waited around for the parade to begin.  Hannah looked nervous!  She had her hand in front of her mouth as a way of hiding maybe?  LOL She looked to cute in her kitty tutu!  After she saw me and her Mimi she smiled and started doing a one year old skip of sort of thing.  It was really funny. Wish we could've caught it on video.  Here are a couple pics I was able to get.  She's the black kitty!

FYI the teacher is dressed up as SWAT, hence the baton. ; ) 

My pretty kitty

Skipping away back to class!  Her little minny mouse friend was like "what is she doing?!" LOL

2 years ago today...

...I married the love of my life!  Caleb and I were getting ready to say our vows.  It was such a great day.  I loved my wedding!   It's hard to believe that we now have our precious Hannah Faye and one more on the way, that God has made just for us clear across the sea! 
Here is a blast from the past....a few pics from when we first started dating in September of 2006!

Caleb had a boat when we started dating.  This was taken before our first real date.

Ugh, I was so skinny!

This was my first trip to his family ranch.  This is taken at the Regency Bridge, located over the Colorado river near San Saba, TX.  It's so beautiful there.  It's a one lane wooden suspension bridge that was built in 1939.

I just love this pic.  I think I had just bought my first pair of cowboy boots.  About to go eat at a small town steakhouse near the ranch.

Us.

 So after what felt like forever of dating ; ) ... he finally popped the question on May 8, 2009.....

In the middle of the Regency bridge!

Just engaged!!

 Then on October 24, 2009, we were married at University Christian Church by TCU...

About to say I do!

Just Married!  We drove off to the reception in his grandfather's 1950(?) pickup

Then after the end of our reception at the Ashton hotel in downtown Fort worth, we rode around the city in this ride.  So fun!

To many many more years of happiness!!



Our Homestudy Visit

Today we finally met with our social worker, Jenna. She was so nice! I'm not sure what I thought a homestudy was, but boy I made sure our house was clean!! She came around 10 and talked with us while Hannah sat and played with her big pink legos on the living room floor. Then she interviewed us separately. It wasn't bad at all. We just talked about why we wanted to adopt, why Russia, attachment issues among other things to watch for when he comes home. We talked about Hannah, us , our marriage, our families, the community. Hannah did great during the visit. She got hungry around 11, but then didn't want to eat, but we still managed to keep her from having a fit by taking her outside to run around while we were being interviewed separately. Side note: she passed out after Jenna left....All that playing must have worn her out! The visit lasted a couple hours and then come time to pay her. Oops! I had used my last check and Caleb's checkbook was at the office. How embarrassing! She followed Caleb to his office to get her payment. Jeez I scrubbed my floors and made sure the laundry was done and FORGOT to make sure we could pay her. LOL She was really nice about it though.
So what now? We need to finish our adoption education...maybe another week, then submit her the certificate. We then will get the rough draft for us and our agency review....make any changes deemed necessary, then wait for the official notarized one. Then we send one copy to the USCIS for approval and one to Austin to be appostilled and then sent to our agency. We will also receive the final document from our psychologist after he looks at our homestudy.
Overall it was a productive day. It was gorgeous outside and a perfect day to meet with her. Hopefully there won't be any major hang ups and we can get our final copy soon!
Here's a pic of Hannah playing outside while daddy was being interviewed....

Life book question...

Question for all the adoptive families that may read my blog.... What did, will you, or are you using to document your child's life? Something like a baby book? Is there somewhere that sells a premade 'life book' or did you just make it out of a scrapbook? I'd like to get started on one before we begin traveling so that I can document the 'firsts'. First time we met etc....
Thanks!!


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MMPI-2

Wow is all we can say about the mmpi2 psychological test. Nearly 600 random true-false questions.. Do you enjoy reading mechanics magazine, would you like to be a librarian? A nurse (um true), how about a sport journalist? Do you want to harm yourself? Do you hear noises other people do not hear? Do you like to hunt? It was an interesting test to say the least. I giggled more than few times at the questions. Glad that's over with. We'll get are results soon I guess. Hope we passed! ; )
My aunt jerri came out last night to visit and we all went out to our favorite place...Joe T Garcias...yum yum. It used to be a weekly visit for Caleb and I but now we live further away so it's more of a monthly visit now.



Jerri and Hannah



Hannah wearing her 'smocked auctions' fall dress

Then today we went shopping and purchased my first big thing for baby brother! I'd been eyeing a crib set for awhile and decided I need to buy it to start getting the nursery together. To make me feel as if there really is a baby on the way! Even better is that is goes with the green walls!!! My hubby hugged me when I told him we didn't need to repaint! Ha!! I'll post pics later when we are actually getting his room together but I will say that its a Noah's ark theme. It's sooo cute!
Homestudy visit on Friday!!! And then the next week we're taking the RV to Galveston for a cheap family vacay. Can't wait to experience the big G on off season!

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Home Study Pics

We have a scheduled home study appointment!! This is a big milestone and wish we could get it done tomorrow, but it's not until Friday the 21st.  Tonight my mom took all of our home study pics for us.  We needed to have 12 different photos to send over to Russia in our dossier of us in our home.  Hannah was less than interested in taking pictures tonight, but we got it done! Some of my family members haven't seen the new house yet, so here are a few of the pics we chose, plus some 'out takes'.  My mom had a pretty cute distraction! : )

Front

Back

HaHa I love this pic, because this was what Hannah was doing the entire time during the 'photoshoot'

Yep if you looked closely, there are no candles on my candle holders....that box remains MIA : /

This the playroom, right off the kitchen. Probably one of my most favorite rooms in the house.

Hannah's room. 

This room belonged to a teenager before we bought the house and she had her room all done up tiki hut style.  They left the decor and it was just so so cute with Hannah's furniture so we left it.  I love it!

Little borther's room

Um...now this room was cute the way they had it decorated, but it is awful now that there isn't anything else in the room.  Not looking forward to painting over the lime green. 

Our office/piano room

Out takes!  My little baker...

and rock climber...

sprinter...

and daddy's little girl!