movement on the list...

Our agency finally got a referral...one...after a couple really long, dry months. So we moved from #15 to #13. (yes, i know that's two spots, but they only had one referral. long story.)

12/28/09...moving up a spot

We moved up a spot from #17 to #16 on the girls' list.

Tuesday, 12/1/09...moving down the list...

I got an email today from my friend who was #1 on the A.A.C. girls' list and they accepted a referral yesterday so we're now #17 on the girls' list!!! I was also honored that she wanted to let me know before they announced it. I'm so excited for my friend and her family and she sent me pictures and their girl Samara (protected by God) is just adorable.

Saturday, 11/21/09...Adoption training & Grandma babysitting

Today D & I spent the whole day up in Berthoud doing day 2 of our adoption training and D's mom had come down last night so she could spend the day with L. Here are some of the happenings:

• Before bath time, L went crazy, jumping on the bed, burying her head in her stuffed animals and burying herself under the blankets, laughing. Well grandma didn't want to encourage her craziness so she just stood there with her arms crossed. Finally L stood up on the bed and said, "Okay. Ready now."
• Grandma took L on a walk in the jogger up past the lake to the park. When they got there, L took her snack and said, "We'll eat first" and ran up to the picnic tables and said, "Eat lunch first." Then when they got home, L walked through the front door and said, "I'm starving."
• When grandma couldn't figure out how to put the train tracks together, L said, "Grandma's got issues."
• Later, L was laying on the floor and she put her arm over her forehead and said, "I'm mad." Grandma asked, "Why are you mad?" L replied, "I'm mad."
• L ran about half way around the block before announcing, "I'm tired."
• When D was putting L to bed tonight and was saying prayers, he said "thank you for" and L said, "Grandma. Ride in jogger around lake. Fun."
  

11/5/09: finally some more movement on the adoption list

We're finally moving again...We're officially #19, with one baby being reviewed and one couple on hold above us making us unofficially #17. Yay for movement since we're way behind in where we thought we'd be by now!

Monday, 9/21/09: moving on up

I called our agency today after I saw on our yahoo group that there might be some movement. Well, we've FINALLY (after 3.5 mos. of NO movement) moved up on the list...we're now #21. We still have a LONG wait ahead! (fyi we'd be #5 if were were on the boys' list.)

Saturday, 8/15/09...AAC picnic & pics...

Today we were hoping D would feel up to going to the annual AAC picnic. This year it was up in Longmont at Union Reservoir. It started at 10am so we were on our way a little past 9:30am. It was fun to meet some new people and to see all the adopted kiddos. They're all so cute! Unfortunately, it rained half the time and was really cold. I even had jeans & a fleece and I was still cold (maybe it was the flip flops??). L did really well and even told us at one point that she had to go "pee pee" so we walked back to the car for her to use her little potty. We also got to hear some Korean drumming, see a Korean dragon dance, and see some martial arts performances by some kids. We left in time to get L down for a late nap.

Here's a slideshow: I should have taken more pictures, but what can I say? I'm a slacker...besides the rain & cold didn't help!

some cute ones of L while playing ball in the backyard w/daddy

Friday, 7/31/09...Splash park...

This morning L & I drove down to Denver to meet a fellow AAC mom & her daughter Briar , who is 19mos. old (adopted Dec. '08). She is SO stinkin' cute! We met through a yahoo group but she's actually friends w/a bunch of my friends b/c they went to CU & our church for a long time before moving to Castle Rock. We had fun watching the girls play in the splash park, eating our picnic lunch (which L kept taking into the water...yuck!), and played on the biggest playground I've ever seen.

Here are some pics from this morning's adventures:

I got most of these before it got really busy...

running away from mommy when I tried to take her picture


cutie Briar




more running














didn't get a great pic of L hugging Briar, but this is what that is ;)


L playing w/a random girl who wouldn't share, which made L mad, so L hit her. That was the end of that.


playing on the playground on our way out. she loved this rocking thing.

L had so much fun at the splash park...she must have worn herself out b/c she went down for her nap w/o a peep! :) She also prayed that baby Briar got home safe. SO cute!

Tuesday, 7/28/09: #24 & CBI check

I called our agency today to make sure that they got our CBI fingerprint background check back from CBI (Colorado Bureau of Investigation). It's supposed to take about 6 weeks and we sent our fingerprints into CBI at the beginning of June. AAC said they had received them so that's good...we can check that off the list. I also double checked that we were still sitting at #25 since I knew there hadn't been any referrals...well we're not anymore. We're #24. I said to her, "I thought there haven't been any referrals," and she said, "there haven't been but someone ahead of you got a waiting child." (special needs child) So there you go...now we're sitting at #24. According to all my AAC yahoo group friends, this is the longest lull in referrals that they've ever seen. We're hoping the list moves sometime soon and a lot or our wait is going to be a lot longer than a year to get a referral! PTL for some movement :)

moved up on the list...

Yay for Tracie & her family for getting their referral. Yay for us moving up one on the list...now we're #25!

Exciting News!!

you can click on the letter above for a larger view.

Make a difference...contact your reps & save the adoption tax credit!!!

I urge EVERYONE to contact your US senators & congressman to SUPPORT HR213 to end the sunset (expiration) of the adoption tax credit. go to the link for more info on how to contact your reps (step-by-step & for a sample letter). http://abbafund.wordpress.com/2009/03/12/902help-make-the-federal-adoption-tax-credit-permanent/. [It's expiration is stated in Sec. 901 of the Economic Growth & Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001.] PLEASE do it NOW!!!