School Posting Day

 Waiting in line to see who's class we're in!

 Robert got distracted while taking a picture.

 Asia proudly pointing her name out.

 A little funny faces to end the day.

Since I am brand spakin' new to all the fun things to do in getting your children ready for school.  I decided to take my camera to the school posting day.  I backed out at the last minute in bringing my "real" camera because the crowd was so big.  So, enjoy these iphone pictures.  The kids didn't understand why we couldn't go inside the building.  I explained that Thursday night is open house where we meet their teachers and see their classrooms.  For now, they are happy with just knowing they will have new names for the new year.  Yes, the did have their middle names wrong, but it's a small victory for our kids to have new last name.  We can change their middle names on the school roster later.  Robert will be in 2nd grade and Asia will be in the 1st grade..  I've heard awesome things about both of  their teachers.  I'm looking forward to a new school year at a school that is so close to home.  I'm also looking forward to starting fresh as a home room Mom...something I didn't have a chance to do last school year!   Bring on the 2014/2015 school year!

Branson with the official family!!!

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After the adoption was final, we headed over to Branson to celebrate.  Our hotel room wasn't ready yet, so we decided to shop for a bit.  We went to the Amish Store as well as the outlet malls.  Nana had given the kids some money to spend and it was burning a hole in their pockets!  Luke and I kept telling them to wait on spending it after they wanted to buy the first thing they saw.

We took a nap in the hotel and headed to the Landings for dinner and a little more shopping.  We ate at Old Chicago and had pizza.  It was good but rich!  Luke and I had been talking about how we wanted something for the kids to commemorate their special day.  We walked by Build a Bear and decided that was it.  The kids had never been there before.  Robert picked a black bear and Asia picked a puppy dog.  They each got recorder buttons in their bears. Luke and I went and recorded messages to them inside their animals.  They then got to stuff them and put a heart inside.  They really thought that was neat.  After giving them an air bath, we headed over to make their official birth certificates.  We told the kids they should name them after their new names.  So, Asia's puppy dog is named after her new name and Robert's is named after his new name.  They do however have nicknames that change almost every day.   After Build a Bear we headed to get ice cream and back to the hotel.  We were all tired!

The next day, we went to Silver Dollar City.  The kids love it there.  I was having issues with a ligament in my foot, so the walking was about all I could do.  Luke took the kids on their first ride- the Plume.  I think they weren't too excited but loved it after it was over.  We rode more rides before lunch.  We ate a Pork Tenderloin sandwich and that succotash out of those big skillets for lunch.  It was starting to get hot around 3, so we headed back to the hotel for a nap.  That night, we went to Shorty Smalls to eat.  I ordered the Chicken Pot Pie and Luke got the BBQ chicken.  The kids got their usual burgers- but got green beans instead of french fries.  I hated my chicken pot pie.  Luke being the good man that he is- ate mine- we ended up eating some of both our plates.

After dinner, we decided to go swimming with the kids.  They splashed around and had a blast jumping in.  When the shallow end got a little crowded we took the kids over the rope to the sorta deep end.  They weren't having it.  Robert is so close to swimming.  He was crying that he was scared.  So, I got nose to nose with him.  I told him, "In the 7 months that we've had you, have I ever done anything for you not to trust me?"  "No Momma," he said.  "And yesterday, when we signed your papers, I proved that I'm always going to be here.  So can you trust me?"  I asked.  "Yes," he said.  He started swimming again.  I looked around the pool at that time and realized it had gone quiet.  Yep, apparently everyone and their dog heard what I said, and I'm sure it sounded kinda strange.  We left the pool shortly after that!

On the ride home, we stopped at Furgeson's for lunch.  We love to eat there.  I had some crayons in my purse, so the kids and I colored while waiting on our food.  I drew a heart and put all our names in it.  Asia says, "Mom we're now a forever family!"  "That's right baby, we sure are!"  It was a great end to a memorable trip!

A 7 Month Review... Enjoy!

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It's official....

      Outside the courthouse before an official family of 4....can you tell how nervous we are?!

                  Little Robert, PaPa, Asia, and Nana waiting to go back to the court room

                                                                Robert and PaPa

                                          Robert, Monica- a wonderful DHS friend, and Asia

                                           Taking official family selfies outside the court room....

                                          An "official" family after court- much happier and less nervous!!!

                                         

                                                                  Robert and Dad

                                                        PaPa and Robert

                                                           Nana and Asia

                                                         Asia and Mom

                                                               My omelet

                                                              Mom's breakfast

We drove up on Sunday afternoon to get ready for the adoption.  Mom, Luke, the kids, and I went to eat immediately at El Chico.  That was some of the best Mexican food I have eaten in a long time.  I was rather tense though at dinner- kept looking around the restaurant not wanting to run into any of their "bad" family.  After dinner, we stopped at Walmart for a few essentials and then headed to the Hampton Inn.  Robert and Luke went to swim while Asia and I went to Nana's room to visit.  We all got bed around 9.  I took Tylenol PM so I could sleep. My nerves were about shot. 

Monday morning, we woke up around 6 and started getting ready.  We dressed the kids in their Easter attire.  I curled Asia's hair and tried to do something with mine.  I think I changed clothes between 2 outfits at least 4 times!  I was a wreck.  The kids didn't really say much at breakfast.  They ate oatmeal and toast.  I think I ate, I couldn't seem to focus on much.  We all piled into the car and set for the 2 blocks to the court house annex building. 

We were the first ones there- even beat the security guard.  She was from Rhode Island and her accent really stood out.  We found out that the annex building used to be a funeral home.  It was really wild.    We visited with her in the lobby for about 10 minutes before Monica-the kids DHS person showed up.  Her and Rebecca have been fantastic in all of this.  The kids are super comfortable with both of them.  She was able to meet Mom and Dad as well.  We headed back to Judge Isbell's court room.  Actually where he sat on the bench was the exact place you would put a "body" if it were still the funeral home.  It was kinda funny to in vision all of that. 

Court was supposed to start at 8:30.  Luke, the kids, and I sat on the very front row.  I don't think the kids moved at all.  Asia kept scooting closer and closer to me.  Robert sat very still and wouldn't hardly talk at all.  It was about 10 am. before court for us got started.  They removed any of the "extra" people from the courtroom so it would be just us.  They told Luke and I to raise our right hand and swear to tell the whole truth.  They then called me up to the witness stand.  I wasn't prepared really for that and didn't know what to do.  The lady asked me where I lived and how long Luke and I had been married.  She then asked if we understood that these kids would be ours legally til they were 18.  I just looked at her and said, "Well, 18 and beyond."  Everyone laughed.  Judge Isbell said, "Yes, WAY beyond."  He even commented on how well behaved the kids were.  He asked me why I was interested in adopting Robert and Asia.  I said, "Well, because I love them."  I remember looking over at the two of them.  Asia with her wide blue eyes and Robert staring at me looking so nervous.  Then I saw Mom and Dad sitting behind them.  Mom was of course crying and Dad was teary eyed too.  After that, they called Luke to the stand.  He got much less questions that I did.  They only asked him why he was interested in adopting the kids.  He said, "Because we love them and can't imagine our lives without them."  Yep- that's my fella!

The judge made it so.  He signed the papers and told us to keep up with these legal documents.  Then he explained about the birth certificate and all.  We asked to have a picture made with Judge Isbell.  He is such a nice man.  He said he would love to have a picture of this day to put in his scrapbook. 

We were all grins leaving the court house.  We gave Monica one last hug and left as a family of 4.  I think we all breathed a sigh of relief as we left the court house.  We headed over to the square and ate at a little diner.  It was really good food.  I could actually eat at that point- in fact the kids ate all of their food too!  

 

I wondered a lot about this day.  What it would look like, how I would feel.  One word can only describe it.  Amazing.  Well, that and nerves!!!  My Grandma and PaPa went through this exact same thing some years ago. I wondered what they would say about all this.  Were they as nervous as Luke and I were.  Did Grandma change clothes a thousand times and never felt comfortable until after it was over?  How I wish my Grandma and PaPa could have seen this and met their Great Grand Children.  How I wish my Aunt Debbi could meet her namesake in Asia Joy.  Robert Graham is named after our Uncle George.  We just love him and he's a great example of what a Christian man should be.  The kids have big names to live up to- and to finally feel as part of a real family.

I didn't take any pictures inside the court room.  Dad did though, and I can't wait to see his pics.  We headed on to Branson after that for a family vacation.  An "official" family vacation. 

An experience at Rhea Lana's....

The kids and I decided to check out the half price sale at Rhea Lana's Friday after our counseling session.  I had never been before and neither had they.  While looking at the girl's clothes, I asked an older woman about the "dot" thing- which clothes were considered half price or not.  She was very helpful.  We probably spent an hour looking at clothes and toys.  The kids each picked out a toy, after much debate, and we were headed to the checkout.  This older lady had come up to me several times during that hour to chat.  I caught myself being nervous around her.  I was wondering inside if she recognized the kids.  Did she know them?  That sounds so silly, but from an adoptive Mom, who adopted older kids well, I guess it will always be at the back of my mind. 

At the checkout this lady and her daughter- who was a little older than me were in front of us.  My foot was bothering me- thanks to a pulled ligament- and the kids were getting restless.  I was just plain old tired and tired of waiting in line.  This older lady commented on how well the kids were being.  She said they were very well behaved.  I grinned and told her thank you.  All the while I was thinking- yep, we've only had them 7 months- if you'd known how hard we are working on behavior.  I told her I appreciated her kind words.  I felt the Lord leading me to tell her we had adopted them.  I don't share that all the time- it's really no one's business, but this time I did.  I told her we had finalized on Monday.  She got the biggest grin on her face.  She said, "So, that's why you poor thing look so exhausted."  I was thinking- well, thanks.  I did put on makeup today and tried to do something with my hair- but come to think of it, yes I've been exhausted for 7 months!!!  She told me that she had adopted her daughter and her sister when they were 3 and 5 years old.  She said, "I know exactly what you are going through.  It's hard. You have to be strict at first, but trust me eventually they will get it.  That girl you see right there- pointing at her daughter- turned out wonderfully and so did her sister."

I gave her a hug right there.  I told her how nice it was that someone understood.  They left shortly after that, but not without the daughter coming up to give me a hug.  She said adoption is so special- especially since my Mom chose me too.  How cool is that.  Then, she winked and said, "If you hadn't said anything we wouldn't have known.  They look just like you."  I just beamed.

The Lord used a Rhea Lana half price sale to encourage me.  If He can use a stranger in a clothing sale, He can use anyone!

Sign on the dotted line....

Last night Luke and I signed our Adoption Decree along with other court documents.  We sat the kids down and discussed with them what we were signing.  We read through the documents of their old names and what their new names were going to be.

We also explained to them what a birth certificate was.  We told them that it was a piece of paper to prove that you were born.  We also said that their old one had their bad Mommy's name on it because they came out of her tummy.  Little R looked at me and said, "Well sometimes people can be born big- like us."  I was thinking...ummm I hope not! LOL!  Little A told us she wished she was born from my tummy.  I told her the same thing, but it just didn't happen that way.

I took pictures of each of us signing the documents.  We told the kids that this new piece of paper would look to everyone else like they were born from my tummy.  That they have always been our kids.  Their old names would go away and they would be have brand new names.  They were extremely excited.

It was also heartbreaking to have to explain that to their young faces.  No kid should ever have a "bad" home.  No kid should have to realize that their birth certificate is being changed- even if it's changed for the better.  This is a messed up world we live in today.  I may not have given birth to my two kids, but they are ours none-the-less.

So, bring on the new names and new birth certificates.  We're ready to become officially a family of 4!

Name that part....

Yesterday, the kids and I stopped by Sonic to get some protein before heading to the Travs game.  I ordered us a 5 pack of Chicken Strips to split.  Not healthy really, but easy.  We started off down the road when R asked me what a Chicken Strip was.  I told him it was chicken.  I knew he wouldn't stop there.

 He said, "Yeah Mom, but what KIND of chicken." 

I said well, "I'm not sure if it's a boy or girl, if that's what you're asking." 

Well, that didn't satisfy him either.  In between crunching and smacking he asked, "Well, what body part does a Chicken strip come from?"

 I concentrating on driving in 5 o'clock traffic said, "It comes from a Chicken Tender." 

"Well, what's a chicken tender?"  he asked.  

Without thinking, I said, "It's a piece of a Chicken Breast."  Immediately I knew this was going no where good.  Hoping he'd forget about it, I handed him some more ranch. 

"Well, what's a breast?"  Ummm.... long pause here.  "Well it's a part of a chicken."

"Yeah, but what kind of breast and where is it at on a chicken?"

"Well, it's on the chest of a chicken."  I'm totally hoping we'd just drop this at this point. 

"Chicken's have chests?"  R asked. 

"Yes, R, and please eat so we can get to the game."  Thankfully that was the end of our Chicken Breast debate.  However, last night Luke asked them what kind of snack they had today at Sonic.  Little R looks at his Daddy all proud and with a big grin says, "We had Chicken Chest." 

Wow.