First day of School

Maddie starts preschool and Audrey starts high school. Maddie's first day was great she had a blast and could not wait to go back. Well the morning did not start off as good as the day finished. She was all prepared to go with her backpack and lunch box and out the door she went. When it was time for me to leave she wanted a kiss and a hug. After the 40th plus kiss and hug I had to cut her loose and you would have thought it was the END! It broke my heart I cried all the way back to the car and I called Steve just crying. Once I was out of sight it mommy who???
Audrey was so excited after coming home from her first day she was so proud of herself that she did not get lost:) She says the school is sooooo big. She is in a lot of honors classes so she will be pulling a tough load her freshman year. We are so proud of her! She is already looking forward to football season and going to the games with her friends.

Five Months

Another month has passed and referrals are still at a minimum. We have had a fantastic month. With the slow referrals the questions we have was do we have time for a adoption prior to our China adoption??? Well I called CCAI on Thursday and they said yes as long as we had the child home and papers filed 6 months prior to referral. YEAH :)) So let the praying begin within the next 30 days we should have so more information stay tuned.

I have not tuned in much to RQ lately due to very busy schedules but from what I have heard the next batch should not be a big referral batch probably not even out of the month of November :( Hold on tight if we ever get out of the month of November it should be a fun and wild ride.

End of Summer Splash

Yummy Popsicles!!!

To end the summer we decided to take Maddie, Abagail , Matthew and Audrey to the pool for one last day of fun in the sun before they all head off for a new year of school. The girls had a blast they started the weekend with Maddie's first sleepover away from home. She was so excited! Then it was fun in the sun. After the morning of swimming and sunbathing our teenager needed some school clothes so yes off to the mall. It was the last place I wanted to go the weekend before school started but we only get her once a month.

To end the perfect day Steve and I took Maddie and Audrey to serve dinner to the new students at FSU (Baptist Collegiate Ministry Program). We believe it is important for our girls to learn to serve in the Church and make a difference in peoples lives. Let be said that we choose to be a "blessing" for life.

What a great ending to a summer God, family,friends and fun!

Planning a Trip to Disney

We are planning on going to Disney during the Christmas celebration time. We are going with some friends and their 2 children it should be a blast Maddie and Abagail are all excited. I haven't been to Disney during Christmas time in many years. I remember the decorations and the parades were wonderful. I am just like a little kid when it comes to Disney. Our plan is to attend the Mickey Party one night. I am as excited as the girls Steve thinks I am crazy:)

I am not one for the heat so you would never catch me going to theme parks in the dead of summer so that leave out alot of months in Florida.

New Ventures

We have finally got the workings through to host/adopt/sponsor an international student through the Baptist Collegiate Ministry. This has been another one of my passions to do but have run into many obstacles. My goal was to host an International high school student this year but it was the school board and timing issues. My dearest girlfriend always reminds me that that is not what God's plan was for me this year (not last either:)). So finally we have what our plan is. We will get to meet our college student we hope next week when we finalize the plans.

Next, my girlfriend Angela and I are going to serve at church by teaching Sunday School 2 Sunday's a month, we are still not sure of the age group but I know it will be young children.

Also, this will be my first year working with the high school group at church and I am very excited to work on mission projects with older youth. I currently work with younger youth. This will also give me more time to spend with Audrey. We do love her so much and cherish all the time we get to spend with her.

This poses to be a very busy school year we are geared up for it.

Dentsit visit

Maddie had her first visit to the dentist today. I was kind of worried on how she would do. The morning started off great we had to be there at 8:15. She said mommy "I am a big girl I can go back by myself." OK! Well the time came and she told me I could go with her. Well long story short she jumped up in the chair put on the kids sunglasses and away they cleaned her teeth. She didn't move or make a sound. I was shocked. Tory the tech was great with her. She said she was Excellent. Don't you know she racked up in the prize department :) That's our girl.

Stone Mountain Meet and Greet

Off to Stone Mountain to meet our LID group Jan/Feb CCAI. We had a great time we spent 3 days up there and met up with our group on Saturday where we had an all day picnic in the park. Kelly was the coordinator and she did a fantastic job. The food was great and the location was beautiful. The kids had a good time playing and we had a time to get to know one another. The best part was putting a name with a face.

Kelly and Jen put together goody bags and Maddie's is in love with the chopsticks she eats everything with those sticks. We had such a great time we are planning another trip this Fall and hope to get together with Kelly, Mike and Jen's gang if they are available. Maddie loved Mike (he is going to be a great dad!). She still talks about her acorn nut. By the way we still have it she will not part with that nut or the rock she brought home. She collects everything :)

Referrals

Well the CCAA has sent another batch of referrals and it was what had been predicted 6 days. We are now through 11/21/2005. At this rate we will take 5-6 months to get through November. This is however a very large months in terms of LID's compared to other months per RQ.

We have been told by a CCAI that the wait should not go over 2 years, we are praying that is the case. If so and our referral will fit into my best guess estimate that I have projected. and we should travel in the same season as we did for Maddie Spring.