amazement and apologies

Well our first session on the homestudy is over with and the second scheduled for the first part of December.  Jackie said that we should be approved by mid-December and will be able to start working on getting our kids immediately!  So things really are moving fast!  Jackie actually apologized to us for her workload being so heavy that she couldn't get us approved by the end of the month!  These people are amazing and wonderful!  I am flying high! She said that there is nothing that will hold us back from approval at this point and as soon as all the paperwork is done and returned by all parties then it will be over!  next time she comes out she will do the official inspections (she left us a checklist), take pictures of our property, interview Russ and me separately and then just put the paperwork together!  YEA!!!  WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!  A fellow Sunday School class member used the phrase "makes my soul hum".....I think that describes it perfectly right now!  My soul is humming and my heart is dancing with JOY!!!

attraction

I have discovered that I am drawn to sibling groups that are older and are girl, boy, girl......hmmmm, sounds rather familiar.....like maybe I have those living in my house now!  Kinda funny, but makes sense to be drawn to what is familiar.  I decided to go through the entire list of siblings on the TARE site and write down the case numbers of those that sparked my interest.  In doing so I came across another trio that have more issues than the first group seemed to, but I think they would still be a good match for us.  Mykhal says he won't mind having another older sister since there is a boy in this group that is just a little over a year younger than he is.  So again time will tell.  This group has been on the website for at least a year.  Our home study begins in about 40 minutes! will post more later.

Wednesday

....was a LONG day!  We got up at 4:30 am and left here for Ft. Worth at 5.  We got there, checked the 15 passenger van over, test drove, and signed papers.  We pick it up next week.  I am sad to see my sienna go, but am glad to be getting more space.  Driving the huge thing will take some adjustment, but it handles well.  Certainly will make long trips more comfortable!

kids

Checking the website today as I often do, I discovered that the trio we had been hoping to meet are no longer listed.  This means that someone took an interest in them and they are in the process of going to their forever home. The removal of profiles from that site is ALWAYS a WONDERFUL thing!!!  We are very excited for this group of kids and cannot wait to discover who it is that will be completing our family for the time being!

Van

I honestly thought I would have my sienna for a VERY long time.  It will hold 8 of us, or six of us with STUFF, but not 8 with STUFF.....so the argument began....Russ kept saying we needed a trailer and I said I didn't want to pull one at this point so I voted for a car top luggage carrier.  The eventual solution was to look for a bigger van....meaning a 15 passenger van.  Well, ideally it would be a diesel but that means a Ford....don't do Found On Road Daily nor Fix Or Repair Daily.  So we found a gas powered one from Chevy located in Ft. Worth.  It's on Ebay, and they will take our sienna for a trade in and we will have very little out of pocket cost!  So Russ has Wednesday off and we are going up to check out the new van.  Then hopefully again on Saturday to make the official trade.  One more step that will make things much easier in the long run.

Checking off the list

TB tests are done and will be read on Friday.  Health statements acquired from a doc who was very excited for us!  Asked other important questions of other offices on base while there and got more excitement and good answers.  Got an email from the intake director about her coming out on the 13th to start our homestudy.  So that is now on the schedule too.  Things are moving right along!!  I got safety plugs for the outlets, safety latches for doors and drawers yesterday, along with carbon monoxide detectors and bumpers for the edge of the hearth.  Will be moving all chemicals to our locking cabinet along with medications.  Have the lock boxes for prescription meds too even though we don't have any at this point.  Trying to cover all bases!  The unfilled requirements list continues to get shorter!!

Meetings

Well last night we went to the first of our "classes"!  we have 4 more and that is all.  Today Russ and I have our health statement appointments and I'm hoping to get our TB tests done too.  Will need to call about getting our CPR training done.  Things are moving along.  And the excitement is building!