Spring Fun Day

Gabi and Evan's new school has a fun carnival type day at the end of the school year.  I made it a point to make it to this event to be there for them.  BUT... they are big kids now.  They were given the freedom to walk around and do their thing with their friends.  And they were completely enjoying that freeedom.  So I stood back.  Took a few pictures.  Played with Andy and let him explore the school he will attend in the fall.  And watched my BIG kids.  I am the type of parent that gives them lots of freedom.  But for some reason this day just really kicked in how grown up they are getting and how mature they can be.

Adoption update

We received our Jugement Suppletif on April 27.  This is basically permission to receive a precourt birth certificate. 

There is a 30 day mandatory wait after this.  So our wait is up on May 27.  From there we move on to the first phase of court. 

Summer is coming

Andy and I have one more week of school.  Gabi and Evan have 3 1/2 weeks left.  We have been spending a lot more time outside.  We have done some outside art.  Nothing says Boy Art like dipping fly swatters in paint and slamming them down on the paper. 

 We have become very close with another family from our church. We have spent a lot of family time together. Including wrestling swimming in their pool.

Gabi and Evan had their first Field Day today.  At Spring City they had the neighborhood pool and had a pool party instead.  They both had a blast and came home very happy!

Spring time School stuff

We are still adjusting to the new school.  Trying to catch up with new routines and programs and projects.  Gabi participated in her first Variety Show.  At the end of every year the Home and School put on a show.  Each grade does a dance number. This is not a required activity and the kids practice after school onece a week from January to April. Gabi of course loves being on stage and jumped right in when she started school in February.  Fourth grade danced to a We Are The Champions medley and participated in the finale dancing to Apache.  The fifth grade does a flashlight dance every year.  This was REALLY neat and they did a fantastic job.

Evan had his first big school project.  He had to interview a grandparent.  Write up a paper based on the interview and then make a 3D portrait of the grandparent.  He chose Pops.  He was fascinated by the questions and answers about his childhood. 

Andy registered for kindergarten next year.  I have no idea what I am doing for childcare with this.  I hate that kindergarten is less time in school than preschool where I work.  But for the third time we will figure it out somehow.  He is THRILLED to be getting ready for big school. 

Easter

We had a great family Easter weekend.  Nanni and Pops arrived on Thursday followed by Aunt Kristi, Uncle Tim and Taylor on Friday. We spent Saturday exploring at Ikea.  Always fun to share with visitors.  Followed by grilling on our new grill (thank you Nan and Pops) and roasting Marshmallows around the fire. 

Sunday Morning the Easter bunny paid a visit.  It took the kids a while to find their baskets.  Andy was first, followed by Gabi, Evan didn't think he would ever find his.

Pretty college student hiding from the camera early in the morning.

Easter Sunday Pictures 2012

Very serious game of Uno.  Card games are quite loud in our family!!!!!

Spring Break

We had a spring break slumber party with our best friends.  We started the evening with dying Easter eggs.  I think some fingers ended up more colorful than the eggs.

Brothers bonding over a bowl of jelly beans.

Roasting Weenies.  Much funnier than roasting hot dogs.

Eating after the hard work of cooking their own dinner.  After dark we had a flashlight egg hunt in the playground behind the house.  Followed by a long fun game of Hide and Go seek in the dark.  I wish I had pictures, but of course it was dark. And they had to roast marshmallows.   They ended the evening hanging out in the basement with multiple nerf gun battles, video games and Foosball.

On the last day of break we ventured up to a new park.  Kids' Castle.  We adults thought it looked pretty great. 

Referral!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We got our referral call today.  Still staring at the computer in disbelief.  Still shaking.  Have not accomplished one thing or thought. 

Our little girl is SOOOOOOOOO beautiful.  And tiny.  And I can't believe I know her face. 

She has an abandonment decree and medical file.  We now begin the process of court and embassy.  Travel could still be a LONG time.

Have I mentioned I am in LOVE?