2014 - Our Year in Review - Part 1

I know.  I've been very negligent when it comes to updates.  It's certainly not because there aren't things going on.  Maybe it's because there is too much going on.  Here's a summary of our 2014:

January:

We rang in the New Year in Maine with my Dad and my brother.  Our actual New Years Eve was not very exciting.

However, I got to spend New Years Day with my grandmother, aunts, uncles, and many of my cousins.  We picked my Uncle up to take him to see my grandmother.  He himself had been in the hospital since the fall.  It was fun to be with him while he experienced life outside of those four walls for the first time in months.  Sadly, my grandmother passed away two days later.  

On the 14th, we celebrated one year together.  

We went to Disney Princesses on Ice.  It's possible that Tia and Mommy enjoyed it a little more than Sara.  

The rest of the month was cold, snowy, and uneventful.  

February:  

February was more cold and snow.  

March:

In March, we got to meet our friends the Aschoffs in real life.  They also have a daughter from Colombia.  We met up with them at the IDSC's meet up at Great Wolf Lodge.  Sara was in her glory!  

We rocked our socks for World Down Syndrome Day! 

April:

We drove to Cincinnati and  NY for Spring Break.  Sara is a serious road trip warrior.  

We got to hang out with the Allison family in Cincinnati and meet their newest additions.  They adopted their son around the same time that I adopted Sara. 

A few days later, we flew to Maine for my grandmother's memorial service.  

Sara started swimming lessons.  

We had a quiet Easter with just the two of us.  

And then my poor baby got pneumonia.  

Sara took a tumbling class.  

May:

Sara rode a pony at her school's Family Fun Night.  This was something she refused to do in the fall.  

We did a 5k for my work.  She ran some, walked some, and rode some.

She loved the Memorial Day parade.

June:  

She was in her first ever school program!

My baby finished Kindergarten.

We were both in Tia Anna's wedding.  

I officially finished my 14th year of teaching.  

Sara went to summer school in the mornings for a few weeks while I tried to remember what I used to do before she consumed every minute of my life.

We made a quick trip back to New York to see my brother George graduate from high school.

I love her confidence.  

Check back soon for the rest of the year!

July Journey - Part 1

Sara and I went on an EPIC road trip during July.  Three weeks.  8 states.  Thousands of miles.  Countless hours.

Our journey started on a Friday.  We left our house as soon as Sara got home from summer school.  I had the car strategically packed and incredibly full!

We stopped in Indy and had dinner with Tia Anna and her sister.  When we pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant, Sara piped up with "Yummy!  Yummy!  Yummy!"  Apparently she was hungry.  (She now says that at every restaurant and gas station she sees.)

We went on from there to spend the weekend in Cincy with my friend Jamie.  I hadn't actually met Jamie in person but we had met in a Reece's Rainbow group and I knew we'd be instant friends.  We have spent many evenings messaging back and forth about behaviors and adoption.  She is one of the few people that I don't work with that actually understands my job.  She adopted her son the same time that I was adopting Sara and I was dying to meet him!

We had a great weekend of swimming, eating, the zoo, mommy shopping, chatting, and just relaxing.  

I had hoped to betroth Sara to Eli but she was definitely more interested in Thomas.

I love this kid!  Why wouldn't I want my daughter to marry him?

We left early on a Monday morning and stopped in Colombus for breakfast with my college roommate.  I'm bummed that we didn't get a picture together!  

Sara doesn't really like to eat in restaurants.  She prefers to eat in the car.  Even if it is chocolate chip pancakes.

Sara road trips like a champ.  She's even learning some life skills this summer.  

We spent about 24 hours in NY before embarking on Phase 2 of our trip to Maine in an RV.  Sara got her very first Slurpee from 7-11 while we were there.  She was NOT impressed.

Check back for Phase 2 pics soon.  

2012 - A Year of Waiting and Anticipation

If you know me at all, you know what 2012 was all about for me.  It was a year of lots of big decisions, lots of waiting, lots of stress and lots of excitement.  2013 is sure to be the craziest year of my life so far!  Here are some highlights of 2012 (both adoption and non-adoption related):

January
Adoption:  

I started this entire process.  I looked into different programs, contacted Reece's Rainbow, the adoption agency and the home study agency.  I sought advice from family and friends.  I received a packet containing this beautiful picture.
I started filling out reams and reams of paperwork.  This would continue for the entire year.

Non-Adoption:
Ummm...something must have happened......

February
Adoption:  
I had an intake meeting with the social worker for my home study.  
My homestudy was officially started.  
Sara and I were officially matched on RR.

Non-Adoption:
I spent a weekend in Indy with Anna and with some dear friends from Maine.  It was fun to reconnect with Lisa and her family.

March
Adoption:  
I had my home visit with the social worker.
I did my 10 hours of training required by Hague.

Non-Adoption:
I spent my spring break with my family in NY.  These are the kinds of things I do with my family:

April
Adoption:  
My amazing work friends through me a toddler shower.

Non-Adoption:
My family welcomed another little girl.  Kinsley Morgan Keller was born to my brother and sister-in-law on April 20th.

May
Adoption:  
My home study was FINALLY finished.
My i-800A was submitted to USCIS.

Non-Adoption:
I spent my last "I'm not a Mom" Mother's day.
I got to meet my first RR baby--Henry.

June
Adoption:  
The women in my small group put together a huge yard sale for Sara.  Despite the yucky weather, it was a HUGE success.
My mother threw me a shower with some friends and family in NY.  My sister made the trip and I got to meet my new niece.  I also got to meet Angie and Jason.  (We have walked through this process together.  I can't wait to get our girls together.) 

Non-Adoption:
Anna and I went on one last girls' vacation to Cozumel, Mexico.  Thanks to LivingSocial, we got a great deal.  It involved sitting in the pool and doing little else (except dodging some of the staff) for 6 days.  Amazing.

July
Adoption:  
My I-800A application was approved by USCIS.  This let me start filling out grant applications and submit my dossier.

Non-Adoption:
I dog sat for a week.  The dog survived and so did I!
I spent a weekend in Holland, MI with my dear friend Becky.

August
Adoption:  
I received word that I had been given a large grant by Show Hope.  What a blessing!
Sara celebrated her 4th birthday---the last one she will know without a family.
My dossier was submitted.

Non-Adoption:
I spent a weekend in Indy with Anna.  It involved lots of trips to Joanns and Redbox.  I have to appreciate a friend that loves low-key weekends as much as I do.
I also spent a chunk of time in NY with my parents.  My mom and I even went "camping."  We stayed in the air-conditioned RV and watched lots of ER and knit.  We did it in the state park so it's considered camping, right?

September
Adoption:  
Sara's orphanage approved my request to adopt her.

Non-Adoption:
I started my 13th year of teaching.  I'm really not sure how that happened.  I swear I'm not that old!

October
Adoption:  
I got Sara's official referral in October.  Before that, I had a few pages and a couple of little pictures.  Her referral allowed me to find out tons more about her and fall even farther in love with her.  It also allowed me to accept her referral and tell my country and hers that I wanted to be her mom.  It also meant I got a new picture.

I was issued my approval by USCIS.  A huge step in the process!

Non-Adoption:
I spent three days in Minnesota at a conference for work.  I got to experience the Mall of America and add another state to my list.  I think we decided I'm at 40.


November
Adoption:  

Not much really happened on the adoption front.  I found out that Sara wouldn't be home in time for Christmas and that I would have to wait until January to travel.  The rest of the month was spent waiting and waiting and waiting.
I got to hang out with Angie.  We had our own little "our girls won't be home for Christmas pity party."  We also went and met Selah and Yvonne.  I had been following their story since August and had seen Selah in the hospital days after their accident.  It was nice to finally meet them!
Non-Adoption:
I flew to NY for Thanksgiving.  My sister didn't make it home but the rest of the family got some time together.  I got to spend a little time with my aunt and 4 cousins.  I'm not sure the last time we all were together.

December  
Adoption:  
Sara's Article 5 was issued.  This is the promise from the US Embassy that they will issue her a visa to come to the US.  This means that I finally got a travel date.  I booked tickets, got a visa, booked the hotel.  Traveling planning was in full swing.

I also got to Skype with Sara.  It was absolutely priceless.  I didn't really say much.  I just sat and watched her.  She's convinced my dad is Santa Claus and kept asking where the dog was.  Poor child may be very disappointed when she finally gets home!

Non-Adoption:
I got to spend the day waiting for this little princess to arrive into the world.  Her mom and I have worked together forever and it was such a privilege to spend a day in the hospital awaiting her arrival.

I drove to NY for Christmas.  Every time I drive, I vow I'll never do it again.  But, I needed to bring back a lot of pork from an adoption fundraiser so I drove.  I managed to miss most of the snow on the trip but there was definitely plenty at my parents' house.

Our Christmases tend to be very low key affairs, which is really how must of us prefer it!  We spent some time with my nieces---something I just don't get to do enough of.  It was fun to think about what Christmas will look like next year with another little girl running around!

(I also got an iPhone.  Not sure if this is blog-worthy or not but I love it!)  

Lessons Learned:
*I have some of the most amazing, generous, giving, supportive friends and family in the world.
*Sometimes, if you have the guts to speak your craziest, wildest ideas out loud, you'll learn that they aren't crazy at all.
*Sometimes, it's best to not really know how hard something is going to be when you get into it.
*There are good people in the world.  People that will help complete strangers.