Dear CIS

Dear CIS:

I don't even have a clue as to what CIS stands for... but I feel the need to tell you that you are really on my nerves right now.  Our lives are revolving around a little letter in our mailbox from you.  And let me just tell you this.... your Dallas counterparts over there are running circles around you in the FW office.  I know this because... there is a family that is being was processed in the Dallas office.  Our home studies were sent on the SAME EXACT DAY to you.  The family at the Dallas office got their letter with their fingerprint appointment exactly FOUR days after their homestudy was sent in.  Unforturnately, they had a previously planned vacation.  So they sent their letter in saying they were not be able to be at that appointment.  The Dallas office, being the superior office that they are, PROMPTLY sent them a letter back with an appointment time that was BEFORE their original appointment.  And seriously, in the meantime, we have not heard ONE IOTA from you in the FW office.  FOR THE LOVE!!!!! CUT OUT YOUR TOMFOOLERY OVER THERE AND SEND US OUR APPOINTMENT FOR OUR FINGERPRINTS!!!!!  Goodness Gracious!  Peoples lives are hinging on this while you are over there getting carried away with your nonsense.  Get your act together people.  It has been 2 whole weeks since our home study was sent in, and everyday my mailman thinks I am majorly crushing on him a little more because I am waiting at our mailbox everyday at 3:30 on.the.dot. for him to arrive.

Sincerely,
H

So in the meantime, while we are waiting for that one little important piece of paper.... life goes on...

We have friends over....

We grill out... a lot.

We make chocolate chip cookies when depression sets in when yet another day the mail comes and there is no letter AGAIN from CIS.   

Still doing homework, even though it's the second to the last week of school.

Major poetry books.  ughhh.

Hopefully we will have some good news soon on that little letter!

*I've been dying to use the word "Tomfoolery" (Coco ;) )

Gladney

We are proud to be a Gladney family. ( So glad I can say that now!)  One of the very first things I learned about Gladney Center for Adoption besides their outstanding reputation is their heart for humanitarian aid.  I couldn't be more proud to be with this agency after watching this video.

Baby steps

We had an hour long phone conversation with our new caseworker today!  She kind of gave us the low down on what happens from this point on, now that we are "Gladney Approved".  She will be the one that gets to give us the exciting call when our referral comes!!! For those that don't follow Ethiopian adoption blogs, that means, that she will call us and say.... "I have your referral!!!"  And from what I hear, you immediately start FREAKING OUT!!! She will then email us all the pictures that they have of our little boy and all the medical records that they have for him.  Oh what a JOYOUS day that will be! This is fun people, really fun!!! Paperwork, not so much.  But now.... it's EXCITING!  I see a light!

So anyway... for now, we are waiting on our letter from CIS that gives us our fingerprinting appointment.  Looks like maybe that appointment will be about a month from now.  That's judging from someone that is about 2 weeks ahead of us in the process that lives in our area.  Thanks for the info Summer!

Good times people, good times!

My love....

If you know me in real life, then you know what my true absolute love is.  I'm CRAZY for her, just CRAZY!  She needed some lovin, some good TLC, because things had gotten out of hand with so much use during this beautiful weather!  So me and my peeps had to go take care of things.

TRIXIE in the "octopus"

Ella vacuuming!

Halle Caroline doing her share of helping!

And then Ella came home and cleaned the entire inside of the car!  So sweet!  Now I owe her a package of those bracelets that are in shapes of things!  You know, the rage among elementary kids...

Thank you Ellison!  You did a fantastic job.  Trixie has never looked so good!

Wonder what little man is going to think about Trix! ha!  I'm gonna be looking good with a car seat in the back! ;) TOTALLY KIDDING! Brooks won't be seen in it!  He told me one day when I picked him up from tennis in it, "Mom!!!!!.... I JUST LOST ALL MY DIGNITY.... I can't believe you picked me up in this!!!!!" Haha!

FINALLY!

FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS GOOD!!!!!!

FINALLY GLADNEY APPROVED!!!

So what does this mean??? It means more waiting!!!!! yippie!!!! Actually it's a BIG step accomplished!  It means we passed the homestudy for one! Ha! Now, something or other is sent to CIS... I have no idea.... Derek keeps up with it all and I keep up with peoples blogs and we combine our knowledge together... We're a team like that!!! ;)

It's just really good! I just know it's been God's timing because He is matching our timelines up with the PERFECT little Cheatham boy!!! He's gonna be so awesome!

But.... if anyone needs to know.... it took about a month from the time Gladney received our homestudy!  Felt like all of creation...just saying.






A conversation with Ellison:


Brooks:  Ella.... did you hear?  we got approved!
Ella:  we did?  Mom.... we got approved??
Me:  yes!
Ella:  so we're REALLY adopting??? we're going to Africa???
Me: yep!
Ella:  (pumping of fist)  YESSSSSSS!


Too cute!

Waiting, that's the name of this game!

So..... here we are.... our first big wait.... just waiting to be "Gladney Approved"..... We aren't even on the official waitlist yet and it seems like it's been so long already...

So while we wait for our little boy, life goes on and the Cheatham Casa...

I got to go to a real luncheon that I got to get all dressed up for.  Fun! Happy 40th Birthday to my beautiful friend, Stephanie.  Her mother-in-law threw her a "leave no detail undone" birthday luncheon.... Let me just tell you that "Manaw" leaves nothing out... I wouldn't have missed this party for the world.  Manaw sets the bar.  Just Amazing.  I am sure she worked for weeks to have it as perfect as she did.  Every tiny detail and everything made homemade from scratch.  For those that love antiques, her house is TO DIE FOR.  I wish I would have taken more pics than I did...but here are a few.

Beautiful Table

Beautiful Cake

Beautiful Birthday Girl

Beautiful Girls.....

Okay... This is where I need your ATTENTION.... Jacquelyn, the top left beautiful one in the picture, is a hairstylist in Frisco.... so, if you need your hair done beautifully, like hers...... she has offered to help us fundraise and half of the profits will go toward our adoption.... She specializes in color too!  HOW SWEET IS SHE? SERIOUSLY SWEET!

Here is her info....

Jacquelyn, you are such a sweetie pie for doing this... 

And if that wasn't enough... for those of you that aren't in this area, she offered to donate a percentage of her profits from her etsy store also!!!

Her etsy store is:

www.passionatelypink.etsy.com

Very cute stuff!

And life goes on with the kiddos too... lots of swimming already!  I don't know how they do it... still a little cold for me...

13 year old quote of the day....

It's a shame that we have to choose our careers at such a young age.  I mean, for the most part, who really knows what they want to do when they pick a major at age 18?

So, as most parents do, I've been prodding Brooks along into what I think would be an excellent job for him one day.  You see, I have come to love our orthodontist office.  Our orthodontist is just the nicest nicest nicest man.  I love how you see his name on everything at every one of our schools because he contributes back to our community, greatly.  His office staff is just the friendliest.  I love watching his office work... I have never seen such a well oiled machine. never.  I guess you could say that I am a little intrigued.

To my point.... I have been prodding Brooks lately, to be an orthodontist some day.... because really, it's all about being able to take off every Friday afternoon to play golf.

So, the other night while at dinner with a group of couples, the subject of orthodontists came up.... while on the subject... I shared with them that I had talked Brooks into being an orthodontist.  My friend said, "well, you know, you have to be #1 in your dental school class just to get into orthodontist school (or whatever that schooling is called)...

So, on the way to church the other night, I was relaying this very important information to Brooks so that he can be prepared to be on top of his game once he gets to dental school.  At that point, Ellison pops in and says, "Brooks, will you clean my teeth? because I know that you won't hurt me."  clearly she doesn't know the job of an orthodontist            At which Brooks replies, "No, I'm gonna hire people to do that.  I'm just gonna sit back and tell all the people how much they owe me and play golf on Fridays."


Nice.

*No laughing at me on this post Emily!


**** OKAY PEEPS.... PLEASE HEAD ON OVER TO THE REEVES FAMILY BLOG... They are doing a raffle for a beautiful wood cross as a fundraiser for their Ethiopian adoption of a sweet little boy. They are wanting to get started and they would love some help!  So go take a look and buy a raffle ticket and also, if you feel compelled, post about it on your blogs.  We gotta help each other out! :)

Our church ROCKS!

So, our church is just awesome!  They are all about missions outside of our country as well as right in our own backyard.  This weekend we were asked to go do some kind of service project in our community.  We forgot to sign up for a specific project last week at church, so late last night, I did a little texting and found something that our family could do this weekend.  We didn't want to miss out on the fun of serving others! So we went to sweet Sandi's house and did a little work!

I have to say, when we first started this adoption process, I was told by a great source, "there are going to be some people that just really walk this journey of adoption with you."  And this family that we did the service project with, well..... THEY ARE WALKING THIS JOURNEY WITH US!  We weren't even that great of friends with them....but....they are just fired up for us!  And...it just feels so great to be with people that are fired up for our family!  We look forward to spending more time with this family.... the Polks!

Here's some pics of our morning...

Sweet Chandler and Halle Caroline

taking a little break to give the cutest baby a wagon ride!

working the pink hammer! love it!

Ellison missed out on all the fun because she was already spending the night at a friends house.... we missed her.

It was so fun!  Thank you Polks, for letting us join in on your "project"!