Jersey Devil Sightings!

There were a few Jersey Devils in our bathtub tonight! I first did it to Justin and the boys thought it was so funny! Next when it was their turn in the tub, they of course wanted the same horns. Sean went on and on about different things that he could be - a bug, and alien, a dinosaur, a goat etc! It was too funny and we all had a great night laughing and joking!

For those of you not familiar with New Jersey folklore, the Jersey Devil is a legend. The creature is supposed to inhabit the Pine Barrens Forest in south Jersey. The NHL team New Jersey Devils is named for this mythical creature. It is drawn as more of a flying dragon than a devil with horns.

It is believed that in the 1700's Deborah Leeds had twelve children and became pregnant again. She was upset, cursed number thirteen and said she wished it was the devil's child. The child was born with hooves for feet and grew a tail. It then ate its siblings and parents! It then flew away and still terrorizes people in the Pine Barrens.

The following is from Wikipedia - ["There are many possible origins of the Jersey Devil legend. The earliest legends date back to Native American folklore. The Lenni Lenape tribes called the area around Pine Barrens "Popuessing," meaning "place of the dragon." Swedish explorers later named it "Drake Kill", "drake" being a European word for dragon, and "kill" meaning channel or arm of the sea (river, stream, etc.).

Some skeptics believe the Jersey Devil to be nothing more than a creative manifestation of the English settlers. The aptly named Pine Barrens were shunned by most early settlers as a desolate, threatening place. Being relatively isolated, the barrens were a natural refuge for those wanting to remain hidden, including religious dissenters, loyalists, fugitives and military deserters in colonial times. Such individuals formed solitary groups and were pejoratively called "pineys", some of whom became notorious bandits known as "pine robbers". Pineys were further demonized after two early twentieth century eugenics studies depicted them as congenital idiots and criminals. It is easy to imagine early tales of terrible monsters arising from a combination of sightings of genuine animals such as bears, the activities of pineys, and fear of the barrens.

Outdoorsman and author Tom Brown Jr spent several seasons living in the wilderness of the Pine Barrens. He recounts occasions when terrified hikers mistook him for the Jersey Devil, after he covered his whole body with mud to repel mosquitoes. Not surprisingly, the Jersey Devil legend is fueled by the various testimonials from reputable eyewitnesses who have reported to have encountered the creature, from precolonial times to the present day, as there are still reported sightings within the New Jersey area.

Many contemporary theorists believe that the Jersey Devil could possibly be a very rare, unclassified species which instinctually fears and attempts to avoid humans. Such elements that support this theory include the overall similarities of the creature's appearance (horselike head, long neck and tail, leathery wings, cloven hooves, blood-curdling scream), with the only variables being the height and color.

Another factor that supports the cryptozoological theory is the fact that it is more likely that a species could endure over a span of several hundred years, rather than the existence of a single creature living for over 500 years. Some people think the Sandhill Crane (which has a 7 feet wingspan) is the basis of the Jersey Devil stories."]

Note - my father-in-law thinks it is really a great time to scare my kids - and the rest of the grandkids - by telling them about the Jersey Devil! I tell him that if he tells any more stories that his phone will be ringing at 2:00 am when my kids are up with nightmares!

Justin devil

I told Brian to make a devil face
I told Sean to make a devil face too!

Little Surfer Boy!

Justin's hair definitely resembled a surfer today! He looked so cute that I just had to snap a few pictures. I cannot believe that he is going to be on in a few short days. I know his days with 'baby hair' are numbered. I also know that as soon as his gets his first hair cut that he will no longer resemble a baby. I was so anxious to have Brian and Sean's first haircuts. I guess I know this will be my last baby boy. It makes me sad. I am dwindling down to my last few months of nursing and that too is sad. There are really no words to describe how wonderful it feels to nourish your baby. He feels so good with a full belly and gives me the best smiles after nursing.

As a parent I am constantly torn between two worlds - that of keeping them at their age a little longer and that of wanting to see them grow and learn. Seeing your child grow up right before your eyes is so bittersweet. There are so many things that I have already forgotten about Brian and Sean - and Justin - until I go back to read their baby books and my journals. So, with these pictures, I will always remember my little surfer boy and the way he looked today. Even when my mind fails me I will have the photos to jog my memory - and this blog!

serious look

fresh face
cute baby feet

Free Money - Really!

I found about this site on another blog. It is similar to Paypal and the company is just trying to find its place in the money exchange market. I checked it out and so did others that I know! I already got my $25! Help us to raise some more for our adoption fund. You have to give info and bank info but the site is secure. And after you get your $25 and me my $10 you can never use the site again! But if you use Paypal like me, it might be worth switching because they don't charge any fees to accept money! Thanks for helping us raise money for Kathryn!

How in the world...?

How in the world does the awake time pass so slowly and the sleep time seem to go by so quickly?

How in the world do I have so many loads of wash to do when I could have sworn I just did five loads yesterday?

How in the world do my kids always know when I am on an important phone call?

How in the world does the bank take two days for a deposit to clear but only need five seconds to post a check written on your account?

How in the world can health insurance companies delete you from their system in one day but take over a month to get you in their system?

How in the world do babies know to wipe bananas only in freshly washed hair?

How in the world do diapers not come with a warning about 'blow-outs'?

How in the world do baby books not talk about long range projectile poop and vomit?

How in the world do kids always manage to act their worst when you invite company over?

How in the world do kids watch the same cartoon four hundred times - in a row?

How in the world can kids eat their boggies?

How in the world can I always get in the line that is the shorter but takes the longest?

How in the world have my kids learned to whine in such ear drum shattering tones?

How in the world do doctors think it is okay to make patients wait so long?

How in the world does my husband watch the same Sports Center ten times and re-runs of the 1980 World Series after he already knows who won?

How in the world are babies not bothered by their own stinky diapers?

How in the world do kids think that shirt sleeves can double as tissues?

How in the world do you teach Grandmoms to use a DVD and DVR when they just got the hang of a VCR?

How in the world do dogs always know which kid will drop the most food at the table?

How in the world will I sleep when I know I will be awake thinking of more or these?

Go Ravens!

The days until NLF draft day have been carefully counted down in our house for months! This is because our nephew, Joe, the QB from the University of Delaware was projected to be drafted in the late first or early second round of the draft! Brian's sister and brother in law had a huge get together to watch the draft and celebrate. A lot of people and analysts were saying that they thought he would go to Baltimore. Baltimore traded their #8 pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars and too their #26 pick. I don't know but we think that Baltimore got scared someone between #8 and #26 would take Joe, so they traded with the Houston Texans for pick #18!

No one expecting the call that Joe got when he did. The Texans started on the clock for the #18 pick and all of a sudden Joe's phone rang. He looked at it almost in disbelief. Joe had been worried all day about missing a call because of bad reception in the house! It was a Maryland area code and he could no longer contain his smile! After he answered the phone, the TV showed the trade and Joe talking on the phone popped up on the screen! A few minutes later, the Ravens announced their pick and the house went crazy!

It was so exciting to be there to experience it with Joe. Brian Jr. was so into in and even gave up playing in the back yard with his cousins to sit and watch the draft! He was on the floor in the family room when Joe got the call! Brian and Justin were in the kitchen just outside the family room and I was outside int he backyard looking for Sean. I was thinking that he had another eight picks to go - which could be another hour or more!

Joe's family lives a few houses from an elementary school. They used the all-purpose room for a press conference a little later! It was so need and there was a lot of media coverage. We are so happy for Joe and cannot wait to go to Baltimore to see the stadium and to watch him play one day soon! Go Ravens!

(There are a lot of great videos and pictures on www.baltimoreravens.com and www.joeflacco.com)

Brian, Sean, Daniel and Chris

Joe and Delaware teammates

(Jonathan Smith, Mark Duncan, Robbie Agnone)

Maria and Brian coloring Joe picturesSean in his GO Joe shirtgetting the official call!talkinggetting the Raven's hatthe family and friends celebratingmore talking Joe and Brian Jr.

(Brian is standing on the couch!)

Joe and JustinBrian and cousin CollinJoe and SeanJoe and Brian Sr.Brian in Joe's Delaware helmet holding

the Draft Day 2008 mini-helmet

Extreme Housework!

I have had an exciting day - I broke my toe/foot! Get ready to laugh - I was folding wash next to a chair in the living room on Wednesday night and watching Justin as I got up from the chair. I went to step over the basket and got my big toe caught in one of the big holes in the side of it! I started to fall forward and landed on my foot while my toe was still stuck. It got crushed under the basket.

But wait it gets better! As I was off balance, I put my other foot back to stand up and it landed in the laundry basket too! This caused the basket to flip up - with my toe still stuck in it! As the basket flipped up, I lost my balance again, my legs went out from under me, and I landed on my left hip and shoulder! This all happened in a matter of seconds! Brian was laughing so hard as he came to help me. He said I looked like some thing out of a cartoon!

Being me, I took some Advil and thought I would be fine in the morning - and I didn't want to miss the visit with our social worker! I toughed it all day Thursday and kept thinking it would be fine. I woke up this morning and it was more swollen and bruised and the pain was getting worse, not better. I gave in and called the doctor. He looked at it and decided I needed an x-ray.

Even though she wasn't supposed to, the x-ray tech told me it was broken and that they were calling my doctor. She told me to go home and wait for a call. My doctor called and by this time it was a little after3:00 pm. He wanted me to see an orthopedic doctor, but since it was so late on a Friday, I had to wait until first thing on Monday morning! My doctor said that he cannot be sure if I will need a cast or not but wants me to see the specialist and let him decide what to do. For now I have to keep off of it as much as possible - um, I have three kids!

The break is in the joint of my left big toe (called great toe by the doctor - I never knew that). It is on the side right at about the ball of my foot. In the x-ray it looks as if there is a small chip broken off and then a small line that extends into the foot from the toe! It is my first broken bone - I almost made it 36 yrs!

Home Study Complete!

I am happy to say that our home study visits are finished. Our social worker, D, did our individual interviews that covered our dating and marriage, and parenting styles. The questions were pretty easy and a lot less invasive than I thought. She was here a little over an our again.

As she was leaving I asked if things were okay. She said she sees no problems and that the home study is just to verify things in our application and other paper work that we sent in. She just meets with us and sums everything up in her report.

I called our agency yesterday to make sure our finger prints and child abuse clearances were back - they were in October. Since all was good with that, our social worker needs to write her report and mail it to the NJ office. She told us that she would work on it right away and put it in the mail on Monday! She already had a lot of the report finished with the information from our last visit.

The head social worker in NJ reviews home study reports on Thursdays, so if she mails it on Monday, it should get there either Tuesday or Wednesday and hopefully make the review this week. If not we have to wait until next Thursday. I am going to call next Friday to see if our file made it in time.


After it is approved, it is signed, copied, and notarized. A copy is sent to the main office in Oregon and a sealed copy is sent to us for the I-600A. The main office sends a batch of home studies to Korea on Fridays. It would be great if our report got to NJ in time for Thursday, May 1st and was approved and then made it to Oregon in time to be approved and mailed out on then next Friday, May 9th! I don't think it will happen that fast, but it would be great if we could be HSTK (home study to Korea) May 9th! After HSTK the real waiting begins...

Like Baby, Like Dog!

Justin thinks it is so-o-o-o funny to get into mischief! He stumbled upon an unguarded box of Goldfish today! Boy did he have fun with it! He got some of them out of the box and ate them. Then he dumped a few on the floor and slapped them with his hands. After that his feet got a turn and he sat and kicked at the pile he had made! Then he transferred some from the floor up to the ottoman. When he go them to the ottoman, he pushed them off to the floor again. He was so serious and busy with the fish!

He did keep a few on the ottoman and he appeared to have a staring contest with them. He had to have stared at the fish for a good tne or fifteen seconds! Then all of a sudden he moved in and swooped some up with his mouth. We were laughing so hard! I guess maybe he has spent too much time watching the dog eat...

Who me?

you can't tell me "No", I am too cute!

mmm,mmm, good!

kicking the fishesthe staring contestDon't blink first!eating like the dogor is he just lazy?success - Look at me Ma!

Earth Day 2008!

Happy Earth Day! Brian's school is celebrating Earth month. They are collecting plastic bags to be turned into a local organization that sells them to help clean up the NJ and PA beaches and some of the money also goes to buy necessities for people in Sudan. This week they are having TV turnoff and we decorated out TV in caution tape! They have had an assembly about recycling. Brian's class even went on a field trip to a local park to plant trees and sunflowers!


Tonight we went to Brian's school and made over 130 bagged lunches for a homeless shelter a few miles away! The kids decorated brown bags, bagged juices and cookies and grapes, and made ham and turkey sandwiches! The school has really started to become involved in giving back and I am so glad to be a part of it!

next to one of the boxes of lunchesputting a bag in

Sean and Blankie

I never thought that Sean would still be holding onto Blankie at four and a half years old! Brian had a Peter Rabbit stuffed animal, Bun-Buns, that he loved as a baby. By the time he was almost four years old, Bun-Buns still needed to be in his bed but he no longer carried him around. Sean would have Blankie with him all the time if I let him. I do sometimes allow it in the car but not in stores or at school or outside - although he has been known to sneak it into forbidden places!

The funny thing is that I wasn't even his blanket! I was babysitting a little girl and every time she had this particular blanket, he would steal it and hold onto it all day. Sean was only about ten months old at the time!Then it became an obsession. And it was only this blanket, I couldn't get him to like any others. Believe me I did try! Finally the little girl's mom gave it to him. I tried to pay her or to give her another of the many blankets I tried as a replacement but she didn't want anything. She thought is was so funny how much he liked the blanket! We joked and said there was 'baby nip' in it!

Sean loves to carry, well drag, Blankie around the house with him. Blankie rests on his shoulder or head. When he is sitting Sean likes to put Blankie right under his nose and as he says, "Smell Blankie." He does the tongue thrust (mouth motions like with a pacifier, only no pacifier) thing when Blankie is up by his mouth. Blankie is used to keep warm and has been known to double as a super hero cape. Now that Blankie is falling apart, he even puts himself inside it!

He has a favorite corner, how he knows which one is the best I will never know! But there is definitely one corner that obviously receives the most love. The thread has come out around this corner and the two layers have come apart. Sean can put his head in between the layers and climb inside. He was also hides things in there too. The matchbox cars and action figures were fine but I had to put a stop to the food scraps and candy! I told him there would be ants in his bed if he kept doing it. And his response - "Cool!"

I think Blankie is what started the everything yellow for Sean. Believe it or not but Blankie used to be yellow! Even though Blankie is dirty most days and covered in syrup, milk, candy stickies, and unidentified filth, he is well loved. I keep wanting to sew him or put a new ribbon around the edge, but my Mom says that Blankie is supposed to fall apart. She told me that letting it go to shreds is how I finally get rid of it. I never knew that but she said that is how I finally broke the habit. In the end I had only a tiny square left of Pinky! Blankie has carried out his service beyond the call of duty and makes this one little boy so happy! Thanks Blankie!

no Blankie here but couldn't resist the face -

I guess he has the tongue curl gene!

smelling Blankie

hiding behind Blankie

watching TV

getting tired

I am seeing pink!

Since things have been moving along with the adoption, I decided to buy something small - and PINK! I found a 5-pack of Carter's onsies. I figure if it is hot she can wear them as T-shirts and if it is cold, then they will be undershirts! It was a great feeling to have something for her - and a bit strange to be on the other side of the store.

The side with all the cute clothes. Dresses and capris. Flowers and butterflies. Mary Jane shoes and tights. Knee socks and lace socks. Skirts and skorts. Polka-dot bathing suits and matching cover-ups. Pink and purple. I wandered around and looked and touched and dreamed. I need to stay away from the girl side - I will spend all my money before she gets here!

The side that is so foreign to me. I am so used to jeans and sweat pants. Sweat shirts and T-shirts. Blue and red and gray. Sneakers and more sneakers. Don't get me wrong, I do love buying boys clothes. I love the ones with baseballs. The ones with surf boards and sharks. The football ones and the dog ones. There are some really great boys clothes and I am sure that if I had three girls that I would be looking longingly at the boys' side!

the onsies

a blanket I have had since before Sean -

it was only $1.00 on clearance!

a snowsuit a friend found for $2.00
Kathryn's 1st present from a good friend

What a Relief!

Ever since the phone call last night, I have been running around the house cleaning like a mad woman. I knew that the house didn't have to be perfect, but I still had a lot to do. I was nervous and had the first date jitters. As the clock got closer to four I began to pace a little and went from room to room making sure things were in order. When our social worker showed up I was immediately relived. She was so warm and friendly and I was at ease right away.

Okay, I admit it. I was worked up and worried for nothing. The home study visit was so easy! Our social worker, D, was so nice and laid back! She came in and started by asking the boys a few questions about getting a new sister, school, interests etc. The boys were well behaved and timidly answered all of her questions. Brian did say that he likes school and that his favorite subject is recess! Ugh!

Next, she went over our file and needed some additional information for the questionnaire that we previously filled out. For example -we had to give the names of our brothers and sisters on the form already. But she asked if they were married and how many kids they each had. She asked some other questions about things we already answered too.

After that she took a quick, and I mean quick, tour of our home. She only briefly visited the rooms of the house and spent the most time in the boys' room and in Justin's room. Sean was so proud to show off his room. He wanted her to see his Legos. D asked, "Did you build all them yourself?" He said, "No I play with them. Mommy always helps me when I want to build one." I couldn't have trained him to say anything better! I was a little afraid about what would come out of their mouths but all was great! I guess it is easier since our house has already been through child-proofing. She was very nice and friendly, but a little hard to read. I guess no news is good news since she didn't really give us any feedback.

As she was getting ready to leave she wanted to schedule our next visit. She asked what day was good for us and Brian said he was off on Thursday. She said that she was also off from her full-time job on Thursday! She told us she would be here around 1:00 pm! I was in shock! I thought it would take a few weeks to get this part done. I also found out that we only have to do two visits, not three. I don't know where I got the three visits from.

So, we will be finished on Thursday with our home study. Then D has to write her report which takes about a week. The report will be sent to the NJ office to be approved. It will next move onto the main office in Oregon. It should take a few weeks for the approvals. After approval in Oregon, it will be sent to Korea and we will be HSTK (home study to Korea). When we are HSTK we will be officially waiting for a referral! We will also be mailed a sealed copy and have to submit it to USCIS with our I-600a form. This is an advance processing form for immigration for Kathryn.

I am so excited to finally be moving along in the process. It feels wonderful to cross things off of my list! I hope to be HSTK in May sometime - then there is not much to do but wait...

Ring, Ring, Ring!

I am so excited to say that our social worker called tonight - and of course I wasn't home. The boys and I came home after school to relax after they played on the playground. A bit later I had to run a few errands and we went out. The social worker left a message at 5:15 pm. I finished up dinner and got the boys fed before calling her back. It was so hard to wait, but I wasn't sure how much she would want to talk. I have enough experience to know that hungry kids equal me not being able to talk on the phone.

I called her back at 6:35 pm and the phone just rang and rang. As each ring echoed in my ear my heart began to race faster and faster. I was so nervous-exited-anxious-happy. The phone kept ringing. I thought that maybe I dialed a wrong number, so I hung up and tried again. To my dismay the same thing happened. There was no answer and no answering machine. I was so upset. Here is was the call I was waiting for and I was out. And then when I was ready to call her back - nothing! The story of my life!

At 6:39 pm, the phone rang. It was my social worker!!! She said that her phone was not working and that she was on her cell phone. She asked me when I wanted to meet. I thought this was a funny question - when did I want to meet? Yesterday! I then asked what times were available. She said can we do tomorrow afternoon, if that is good. TOMORROW!?! I think she probably heard me swallow the lump in my throat. I told her that Brian had a baseball game at 2:00 but that we could meet after that! She said it was fine and asked if I had any questions. I was still in shock from finding out that our first visit was tomorrow that I couldn't think of any questions.

After I hung up the phone, I looked around the house. Boy did I have a lot of cleaning to do! I got started right away and spent most of tonight cleaning and straightening and doing wash! I know that the house doesn't have to be perfect. She won't look in closets or open drawers. She won't take a white glove to the top of the fridge. Actually I have heard the opposite is true. If our house was too perfect, especially with three kids, she would think that something was wrong.

Each day the reality of this sets in a little deeper. I think there are so many unknowns and each step that I can cross off of my list is so exciting! It is very much like when I found out I was pregnant. I was so scared in the beginning and almost didn't believe it was all happening. As each week passed and I got closer to delivery, it started to sink in more and more.

A few things along the way took a little longer than expected, so I figure the quick home study visit makes up for it! I cannot wait to add to our family! I am sure that I will have trouble sleeping tonight because my mind will be racing with possibilities! I know the first visit will be the hardest and that things will get better from there. After tomorrow, we will have two more visits to schedule. When they are completed, our social worker will write the home study report and it will be sent to Korea. Then the official waiting begins!

Baseball and an Anniversary!

Brian had his first baseball game tonight and we celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary! Brian had a great game and played very well! I cannot believe how big he is getting. How in the world is my baby old enough to play baseball! He is team is the White Sox and they wear royal blue shirts. Brian played second base in the fist inning and then center field in the second inning. He got a hit both times at bat! It doesn't get much better than that!

As for the past nine years - I have no idea where all the time has gone! I wish the weather was as nice back then as it was today! I have to say at least it didn't rain on our wedding day but it was rather chilly for mid-April!

Oh, and you know I checked the tracking on my invoice. It was received at the main office of our adoption agency this afternoon at 12:03 pm and signed for! Yippee! I doubt that I will get a phone call from our social worker tonight - but I have heard of it happening before!

playing second base

moving toward a ball
at bat
you can barely see -

but that is Brian sliding into home!

I've got mail!

I went to get the mail this morning and quickly flipped through it to find the long awaited letter from our adoption agency. I wanted to go through it fast to find what I was looking for but also wanted to go slow so that I didn't miss it. My heart was racing and I quickly looked over the pile while walking back inside. Disappointment slowly crept in as I reached the last piece of mail. No letter.

I stomped into the house and threw the stack of mail down on the table. I picked up the phone to call our agency. As I picked up the phone, I moved the mail to find my notebook with important adoption phone numbers. As I did this, a large envelope slid out from the grocery store circulars. I grabbed it and a huge smile covered my face as I read the return address! It was here! The invoice for our home study visits was finally here! My eyes began to fill with happy tears and I was off to call Brian and my mom! Those two calls were followed by calls to my friends - I was so happy to spread my cheer!

I opened the letter and read through it. It said "we are now able to begin the adoption study process." The letter ended with "We do look forward to working with you towards the placement of one of our children." What wonderful words to here! Justin was taking his morning nap, so the trip to the bank and the post office would have to wait. It was one of the few times that I almost wished he would cut his nap short! The letter said to mail through a secure mail source to the main office. The only address listed was a PO Box, so I called the NJ branch to ask for the street address. I spoke to a woman who was more than happy to help me! She told me congratulations and said that as soon as the main office receives payment they will forward my file to my social worker. When my social worker receives it she will give me a call. The call should come within about a week or so!

When Justin woke up, we went to the bank to get a cashier's check. I wasn't required in the letter, but my thinking was that it would clear faster. I wasn't sure it funds had to be verified before we got our phone call and thought that this might make our wait a little shorter! After the bank we went to the post office. I sent the check and invoice express overnight mail and requested a signature for delivery. It started its journey at 12:19 pm! I have a tracking number and will definitely be checking up on it tomorrow!

Another Adoption Update

I called our agency last Tuesday (4/9) to check on our progress and was told that they did have everything they needed from us. Our paperwork still has to be reviewed by the head social worker. She was to be in on Thursday (4/11) of last week. I was told that she would be reviewing our file and if everything was in order that we would be invoiced for our home study visits soon and that I might even get something in the mail on Friday or Saturday!

I was so excited to hear that we were finished on our side! I couldn't wait for the mail to come on Friday! This was another time I was glad that our mail is always delivered before about 10:00 am! You know I was stalking the mail lady! I was only a little upset on Friday when nothing came. But, I just figured that maybe the social worker finished late in the day. I wasn't really expecting to see a letter, but it still would have been nice.

Saturday I ran to get the mail. And not only does our mail come early, but I have a warning system too. Our dog sits on the couch and watches out the window for our mail carrier in the mornings! When she comes, he barks and I know that the mail had arrived. Sad to say that again - nothing from the adoption agency. I was really expecting it on Saturday and with tomorrow being Sunday I now had to wait until Monday! Ugh!

So, today I run out and am almost positive that there will be a letter for me! I can hardly stand it as I open the mailbox! I quickly sort through the contents of the mail box and once again come up short! I immediately went inside and called my agency. I barely got out my name when she said, "I have your folder right here on my desk to be looked at today." I was wondering if it even got reviewed last week and was almost afraid to ask. I said, "Is it waiting to be approved or waiting to be invoiced?' She said, "It is waiting to be invoiced." I asked, "So, it is all approved and we are ready for our home study?" She said, "Yes, congratulations. It has been approved and I will mail out the invoice today."

Her words filled my eyes with happy tears. I actually felt as if I was walking on air and danced around the room. Which, if you know me, is so out of character! I am actually having a hard time trying to explain it in words. Happy. Excited. Glad. Elated. Floating. Ecstatic. Joyful. Delighted. Hmmm, none of them seem to accurately sum it up. Maybe if you put them all together? I know I was walking around with a huge smile and a spring in my step all day!

I was still a little disappointed to not have the invoice. But I did get the good news that I was waiting for. The hard part was over - we were approved to begin our home study! Now I just have to wait on that letter! C'mon mail!

Bloomin' Trees

I won't be long now before the bare branches of winter are replaced with the leaves of summer. The sky was so blue when I took these pictures and the leaf buds looked so pretty. I love the that the weather is getting warmer and Spring and Summer weather is what is to come. The pear trees on our street are covered in white flowers. The petals fall to the ground like snow with the breeze.

Ever since the warmer temperatures have arrived, Sean has been bugging me to go to the pool! He doesn't understand that even though it is warm, that it is not pool weather in NJ yet!

Flag Football - Take 2!

This week was so much better at flag football. First of all it was about 20 degrees warmer! Brian's team won and it was a really close game! He didn't get to score a touchdown but he did rush a few times and played well on defense. If you have a hard time finding Brian - he is the one with the bright blue cleats on and the tight balck pants!

Brian getting ready to hike the ball

Brian running with the ball
waiting ready for the hand-offtalking with the guyslistening to a coachreceiving the hand-off

in the huddle

Mom, I'm trying to watch the gam