Wordless Wednesday (flashback)

Happy New Year!

So, I've been working on a post all week, about what we've been up to this winter break...but apparently nothing all that exciting has been happening around here!


We did however wake up to find some great news this morning!

We have a birth certificate!

Now "the next milestone to reach is the passport issuance and completion of the embassy medical exam including TB testing. This has been taking an average of 2-4 weeks minimum. Final travel clearance will be assigned once we have the results of this medical."

Great great news! It finally feels real! He's really coming! Our family is almost complete.


William Feiso (Feiso literally means, “Savior.”) will be home soon.


I know everyone is waiting for photos and details...those in the adoption world know that since we are now legally his parents, we are able to share any photos or information we've received, even on the blog...but I'm just not ready.

At first we had only two photos. Photos that I've memorized every detail of...

A few weeks ago we received an update. It had his daily routine, his schedule, his menu, and what the nannies can do to get him to giggle! It also had lots of new photos...we can see pudgy cheeks starting to emerge on his smiley little face! His once long and twiggy legs are showing rolls! His straight hair is getting curly!

And his eyes, they sparkle...



This is all we have of our son.



These new photos that we have plastered around the house, that I carry in my coat pocket to share with everyone I see, that I have practically stared holes through, I just can't bring myself to post them.

They just feel too personal.


So I apologize but many of you will have to wait until Jud and I travel to Ethiopia to see pictures of our son Will!!!! Hopefully it won't be long!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Second time's a charm!

We made it, we made it, we made it! Oh my Gosh, I officially have five children! I am so relieved, so excited, my head is spinning, and I feel an extremely ugly cry coming on... Once I am able to stop crying long enough to actually write a post I will!

Wordless (almost) Wednesday

The Staples

Hanukkah!

This past weekend Jud's mom, (otherwise known as Bubbie) brother Dave, his wife Kristy, and their two cute kids (otherwise known as the MN cousins) Spencer and Nora, all came for a little visit to celebrate Hanukkah! Caroline lit the candles the first night.
















She especially loved her gift from Bubbie, a new acrylic setup! lucky girl!



















Saturday we took the kids to the Children's Museum...
















































...they all had a great time, it's a great hands on kind of place, unfortunately I think they may have picked up some unwanted germs on their little hands while we were there... Poor Spencer was the first one to show signs of the pesky tummy bug... but that didn't stop him from helping Jack light the candles!




















Sunday after our company left Caroline and Jud made latkes!
























The kids are really getting into Hanukkah this year, mostly I think because in this new neighborhood they don't feel like the ONLY Jews around!

But also many of their friends who aren't Jewish have taken an interest too. Caroline was hoping to have some friends over one night to light candles with us, eat latkes, and play dreidle....unfortunately the tummy bug is currently running it's course through our house! So we are doing things as a family instead!

Like putting on concerts!















Oh, I sure love these kids! Even on weeks like this, where I am getting little to no sleep, and falling behind on everything that a stay at home mom should be doing, they can always make me laugh... I'm just so so thankful.

it's all in the email

I recieved some great news today!


The little Peanut is doing great! We have lots of new photos and updates about his routine...what he likes and dislikes! What time he eats, how he reacts when he's being talked to, what makes him laugh out loud!!!!

I can't tell you how happy this update makes me!

Not only can I see from the pictures how great he doing, but just knowing that he is at the CHS (our agency) care center is a huge relief on my heart! I know how well the children are cared for and loved there... which reminds me, I've been meaning to write a post about why we chose, and stuck with the agency that we did, another day. Right now I am basking in the good news, and staring at all the new photos!

It's just amazing how one email can change your whole outlook:)

Wordless Wednesday

Is the blog trying to tell me something?

I've sat down to write quite a few posts lately, but in the middle of all my thinking and typing my computer shuts down. I'm not sure if this is the blogs way of telling my words are not blog worthy or if it just means I need to bring my computer in for a little check up... I'll add that to my to do list.

So before it shuts down, a quick update. We did hear that little man had pnemonia, that was why he was in the hospital, but he seems to be doing well now. We still are not sure what care center he is at but hopefully after our new court date, December 22, we will get a more in depth report...

Meanwhile we have a sick little girl at home. Emma, who has really never been one to get sick, has come down with the mother of all colds. The poor thing has a raspy little voice and puffy eyes. After a long few nights (and days), she seems a little brighter this morning. I'm really hoping she is on the mend...

Around the house things are looking up. Jud, being the wonderful husband that he is, knew just what I needed to keep myself busy while waiting to hear more about the little peanut, a painting project! In every house we've had, I've begged him to let me paint the woodwork...to no avail. But suddenly he seems to have an epiphany and decided to give me the go ahead! Even though there are so many other things I should be doing right now with Hanukah and Christmas coming up, I just couldn't give him time to change his mind, so I've been painting like a mad woman!

Wow, I made it through a whole post and my computer is still going! Maybe that check up can wait...

Did you know?

You can do something. Visit AHOPEto find out how.

Thanksgiving

As usual we had no shortage of family to celebrate this Thanksgiving with...except of course for my parents, who as Caroline says,"have migrated south for the winter!"

Don't worry Mom and Dad, Mike kept everyone in line, not even neck surgery could keep him down!

















Jud and Jim took good care of the Turkey!
















Jean was as usual, a beautiful hostess!















Mari and Meghan organized lots of fun for all the cousins!














































They all had so much fun!





















But these two...well what can I say?

Postponed.

This afternoon I heard that our court case yesterday was postponed. Not exactly sure why. Not exactly sure when we'll get another court date. We still don't know why the cutie was hospitalized or for how long. And we are not quite sure which care center he is in right now.

So, we pretty much don't know anything

and we can't do anything

but wait.

not the news we were hoping for.

Today I was franticly checking my email waiting for news on the court decision in Ethiopia. I was painting the nursery and came downstairs to check the inbox one more time, when I saw an email from our specialist. My heart jumped. It must be good news to hear something before noon! But no. It actually had nothing to do with the court date. It was to let us know that the little man was discharged from the hospital a few days ago...this came as a shock because we had no idea he was in the hospital! Our specialist had no idea either and was going to try to get more information...hopefully we'll get word tomorrow not only about the court decision, but also about just what is going on with the little man and how he's doing.

Right now kind of a basket case.

tomorrow. tomorrow.

trying to settle in while feeling unsettled

I've been arranging and rearranging rooms. Trying to make this house feel like home. Our home. We know we love the area. We definitely feel like we have found our niche in terms of the area, but the house...we're still working on it! Poor Jud has been moving every piece of very heavy furniture up and down stairs. From one room to the next, and then back to where it started, good times!

I know that they underlying reason for my feeling unsettled is the upcoming court date on MONDAY! I'm not sure why I feel so anxious about it. but I do. I just hope that Tuesday I will start to feel more settled inside, because I don't know how many more times my back can take moving the piano!

Well, I'm off to finish moving the bookshelves!

My sister Karin and her kids are coming to visit this weekend, it will be a nice (and necessary) break from the nesting frenzy...

another weekend come and gone

Do you ever feel like there just aren't enough hours in the day?

Here it is Tuesday afternoon and I finally have a second to write about the weekend.

We had a nice visit with Jud's Dad. Grandpa, Grandma, and Aunt Miriam were here all weekend, as well as my sister's little guy, Christopher. We've realized that this house is just a wee bit harder to entertain in than the last one... lots of people packed in a small place means you have to really pack em in to read stories!












































Also, getting a spot at the table for things like eating birthday cake
































or coloring also proved to be a challenge!

















All in all, even with the close quaters it was a really fun weekend. Although, I wasn't the one who had to sleep on a bean bag! Sorry Jack!

Wordless Wednesday

At last some fall weather!

This weekend we took full advantage of the great weather! The kids were outside much of the weekend.
















































































































Emma was starting to get really annoyed with all of the leaves and sticks that were accumulating in her hair!

After the fun of the leaves died out they played around on the swing set together, literally for hours! I absolutely love how well they all play together! They just run around making up games and little stories! It's awesome! And really funny to listen to!

Wordless Wednesday

a looooong weekend!

The kids were off of school Thursday and Friday... My wonderful pal Jodie had the great idea to take all the kids to a water park! Only catch was, the dads would have to join us later... Thursday night after work, and since Jud was in a Seminar all week he would have to meet us Friday morning.

I'll admit, at first the thought of taking all four kids to a water park/hotel for the night without Jud's help totally freaked me out.

But then I remembered, I have awesome kids!

And, we were going with Jodie and her awesome kids. Who my kids love and adore!!! So I figured we'd be safe...and one of Jodie's awesome friends and her 3 adorable daughters were in on this venture too, so we went for it!

Since the dads were joining us later we (moms and kids) carpooled on the way down to the water park just after lunch, which was another one of Jodie's brilliant ideas, because it made check in very easy...taking turns checking in and watching kids in minivans!

So let me break it down a little for you...

3 moms

10 kids. 10 very active, very excited kids.


Here we are trying to make our way to our rooms!




















It was a blast! I think it was just what we all needed after being cooped up so much over the past few weeks. All the kids got along swimmingly:) Not many pictures...it's a little hard to take pictures while trying to keep track of so many soaking wet kids- who knew?






















Funny quote from the trip...

Emma, in the car on the way down, "well, I don't care who started it!"

yup pretty much sums up all of our car rides!


Then yesterday, we went to Jodie's for their block party and trick or treating, it was a great day and the kids looked awesome in their costumes, although I forgot to bring my camera. Doh!

We've had their costumes for a few weeks, but for some reason on the morning of Halloween Jack decided he wanted to MAKE a different, more creative costume! So a few boxes, and a quick trip to the grocery store for 4 rolls of tin foil later he had a very cute and very original robot costume! I only wish he had this idea a few weeks ago before I bought the $40 Luke Skywalker costume! Oh well that's what we get for having creative kids I guess!