School+Shopping+Season=Slacker

Hello! I am have been a real blog "slacker" and I apologize! However, with regards to Baby Kaz, we have no new updates. We're still at the MFA, entering week 8 this week. I think we hit the holiday rush of dossier's at the ole MFA. I fully did not expect to hear anything until the end of January, but then Catalina posted that her dossier moved to the MOE last week, and hers hit Kaz the same week as ours. However, that doesn't really mean anything because everyone's timing is different. I must take care to remember that this is God's timing, not our timing. :)

When we "officially" started the adoption process and signed on with our agency, I remember asking the question..."Do you think we could travel by Christmas?" and they said, possibly, but "one must be flexible and patient in international adoption." As time went on and I collected my paperwork, I made my self imposed deadlines, but soon learned that while dossier collection was IN my control, receipt of my I-171H was not! So, right then, I realized that Christmas in Kaz was most likely not my reality. However, as the weeks rolled by, I realized that I really would like to spend Christmas here in the states, with my family. As much as I may complain about my Florida weather, and going to the beach after Christmas decorating yesterday, I have super thin blood and I would be freezing in Kaz this time of year. Even if we travel in March, it's still snowing in Kaz, which is plenty cold for this southern gal.

In the meantime, 4th grade has been keeping us most busy. I had heard from fellow parents that 4th grade was a big change, but I am now experiencing it for myself. The work is much harder, and the homework takes longer, and the projects require much more thought and preparation. Getting our work done while still playing sports and getting ready for the holiday has been a test in time management and patience. :) I have also realized that taking Sean out of school for 8 + weeks would really be a struggle for him. Thus, the 2 trip option that is being advised by our agency is really a best case scenario for us. We have also been super busy putting the house back together after installing the wood floors in our 4 bedrooms, and getting ORGANIZED and trying to get somewhat "baby proofed". We have this awesome coffee table with baskets underneath that we got when SEan was a baby. It will full of JUNK and small things that baby could put in her mouth. Sean was busy cleaning those out. It feels good to get organized. We are the biggest pack rat family EVER. We finally decorated for Chrsitmas yesterday, and went to the beach when we got done. Sean was skim boarding in the water, which was freezing, but not to him!! I have also been busy trying to start Christmas shoppping too. So, see, I have been doing lots of stuff, just slacking on my blogging because I have NO NEWS TO TELL!

The question of the day by everyone is "When are you going"? to which I reply, maybe end of Febuary or March, but WE DON'T KNOW. Then people say, Oh, I'm so sorry, I know you wanted to be there by now, and I have to reset their expectation and say NO, I am fine with not being there now, it's not our time. :)

One of my best friends has an adorable son of 15 months. He is now a fully mobile toddler and I had forgotten how BUSY they are. Mommy Maria never gets to sit down! I sometimes wonder what I've gotten myself into. :) Sean, however, is adorable with MacCaiden and is just enthralled with my friends babies. It's really cute. I think he is going to be such a good big brother, until, of course, Baby Kaz goes into his room and grabs all his stuff. :)



The wood floors are in and they look great. Baby Kaz has a room now!! I dont have a mattress for the crib yet, or bookshelves, for the 2 huge boxes of books that were handed down by her big brother. I also took a picture of her closet.




It's a shame she doesn't have anything. We could also bring home a boy, so if so, the baby house is going to get a lot of really cute girl clothes. In retrospect, I wish I hadn't purchased any clothes, but I did, and what's done is done. In reading blogs and advice, the best advice I took was to have NO preconceived notions of your child, gender, or age. I thought that way at first, but then though, oh , we'll get a girl and I went a little psycho. Oh well!!!

Miles follows me around everywhere, so he is in the picture too. :) You will notice my lovely boxes in the background-those hold books .I haven't found a bookshelf I like yet.




Have a very Merry Christmas everyone and keep blogging!!! Just because I am a slacker does not excuse you guys. :) I so enjoy reading the blogs, but I just don't have any updates on baby Kaz just yet. :)