Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Summer - Week 5

This week...

We did a Rex Makeover!

We went swimming!

We went to Robin's house to watch the parade, Brooke cheered/danced with the Dazzlers!
Brooke & Taryn

We played blacklight mini golf, Lexy got her first hole in one!

We went to watch the pageant to cheer on Lexy' s best friend, Avree!

We went to the carnival where Lexy got to ride a ride, eat a funnel cake and play a game thanks to Mammaw and Grandpa!
The very large purple monkey that Lexy won!

And we went to the Drive In for the first time this summer!
JoJo, Lexy & Jamie

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Adoption Update

This past week has been an emotional rollercoaster ride that ended today with the biggest downhill turn that could have happened :(

Early last week we were told that "the team" was looking into placing the four children with the relative that popped up.

The next day we were told that the relatives only wanted two of the four children so they had been ruled out as a viable adoption resource.  BUT that the foster home was "struggling" with what they wanted to do.

Next we were told that after speaking with the foster family that "the team" was told (by the foster family) that they did not want to pursue adoption of the four and that the baby would need to be moved from their home as well.

On Thursday we were told that we would be the only family included in a BIS (best interest staffing) that was tentatively scheduled for July 13.  We were told that we needed to start preparing our home for the children (including building a room in the basement for Brooke).  We were SO EXCITED!

I asked for reassurance from our worker that this was indeed going to happen (we've been through so much that I needed reassurance to move forward).  She told us we were safe to move forward.

We started buying and preparing.  Over last weekend we started tearing out the old walls, floors and ceilings in the basement in preparation for building Brooke's room.  We began cleaning, organizing and gathering what we would need.

I had not heard from our worker this week at all....until this morning.  This morning I discovered a late night e-mail from my worker that was titled "STOP buying things!".  My heart dropped to my feet just reading that title.  I opened the e-mail hoping that the e-mail was just our workers way of teasing me...but in my heart I knew it was bad news :(  She had written that she was away from the office yesterday but that she had received an e-mail about the foster parents wanting to be considered again.  She said that she would find out what was going on and get back to us.

A little before noon today our worker e-mailed us again saying that evidently "the team" had misinterpreted what the foster home had said last week and that the foster home was indeed interested in adopting the kids.  My heart broke into a million pieces reading that e-mail.

It was mentioned that we may still be asked to be included in the BIS (with the foster home after their homestudy is complete) but we feel that we would just be prolonging the inevitable and we'd still not get the kids.

My heart just hurts.  We've felt for four years now that we were meant to adopt again and have done everything we can do to find our child(ren) and we are back to square one again.  I wrote to a friend that I wish I could just be done with all of this...but I know I can't/won't do that...I still have a feeling that our family is not complete yet...

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Father's Day

For Father's Day this year we went out to C.J. and Jessi's for a cookout since we couldn't go up to Papa & Grammy's house like usual (Mike was on call this year).  C.J. surprised everyone with a limo ride around town before dinner and we stopped and took some pictures in a couple of different spots. 


Ashley, Brooke, Johnny, Toby & Lexy

Monday, June 18, 2012

Summer - Week 4

This week our fun included...

Movies with Lexy's best friend Avree and her mom Debbie (Madagascar 3).

Family Game Night at the Library.

Lexy bought a new-to-her ipod with the money that she has saved up. 


Lexy gave Mommy some makeovers this week!


We made a tooth fairy pouch after that silly fairy forgot to come for Lexy's tooth two nights in a row :)


Lexy asked me to make her another silly monster.  She picked all the colors and details and loved it when I was done.

Monday, June 11, 2012

X-Factor

One of the most important things to me is to provide my kids with "new experiences" that will make for great memories when I am able.  When I received an e-mail that I could get tickets for a taping of the X-Factor show, I knew this would be one of those experiences.  Unfortunately the age limit was 12 and over so Lexy didn't get to go this time but Brooke and her friend Suzy had a great time!

(Britney Spears and Demi Lavoto were two of the judges)

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Summer - Week 3

Lexy and I have decided that a scheduled summer just isn't for us right now.  We like to do what sounds fun in the moment :)  Some of our fun this week was...

Lake Time

Library Time
with Molly, Ryan and Mackenzie

Mommy & Lexy game Time

Park Time

Garden Time
Our neighbor was kind enough to till up our back garden, Lexy is loving playing in it!

Monday, June 4, 2012

Summer Camp - Week 2

I was starting to feel bad that because we were busy getting ready for the garage sale that we didn't do much in the way of summer fun this week.  As I started looking at pictures though, I realized that we did sneak some fun in :)
Lexy and I made a craft that we found in a magazine.

We tried out colored shaving cream in the bath.  Lexy said it was the best bathtime ever!!

We made and ate kool aid popcycles.

We did lots of baking.  Lexy had her very first lemonade stand and made about $30 in two days!!  She's planning on spending her earnings on a new build a bear this week!

We even fit in our random act of kindness when the trash truck broke down on our street during our garage sale.  Mike and Lexy took big cups of lemonade over to the guys that were sitting in the hot truck waiting for a mechanic.


*No pictures but Brooke joined Lexy and I for a movie (Men in Black 3) and shopping this week too!!

Our garage sale ended up being a pain in the butt success and what we didn't sell we donated.  I am feeling great about all the extra space in the basement!!  Now for more sorting and organizing down there now that I have the room!

On Sunday Brooke and I joined Mammaw for a girls day.  We went to a women's expo, lunch and then did some shopping!