Send paperwork to immigration? Check!

Woo-Hoo! I am very happy to report that this morning I picked up the final copy of my approved, notarized home study from my social worker and took it straight to UPS to send it off to immigration! This is the step I have been really pushing to get to because it is likely the longest wait of the adoption. The approval will likely be two months in coming, but once I have it I am almost done! Whew! What a relief to have begun this step. Please pray that our application will continually rise to the top of whatever stack it is in and that it will move through the system quickly.

Play Ball!

We got the boys moved into their new room this past weekend! They really like it and tell us every day how much they love their new room! Jerry really did an excellent job. He designed it and painted it all himself - freehand! I am impressed and very glad I have a husband who can do these things. If it was up to me, the walls would just be plain one color... I took pictures before furniture and after since the furniture does cover up a bit of the baseballs. Didn't he do a great job?

What little boy wouldn't love this room? I am really happy with the way it turned out!

Three Things to Report

I am happy to report:

1) I had my first Braxton-Hicks contraction at 14 weeks.

2) I felt baby move at 14 weeks.

3) I finally got off my derriere today and made some pita.

Is it nap time yet...?

Finally

Today I finally got my wedding ring back. It only took the jeweler 10 weeks to get it done! I am happy with the way it turned out, but I think that some of my excitement over it is tempered by the fact that I am still so very frustrated with this particular jeweler for all they lies and missed deadlines...I am going to just have to get over it. One thing I am very happy about is that I never have to set foot in that store again! Woo-Hoo!

So the following pictures are not that great. I have no idea how to photograph a ring without it being blurry or with way too much flash or with no light at all. I did my best. And the picture of the old ring design is a picture of a picture out of my wedding album. I have the best wedding album in the world, by the way. I don't look at it nearly often enough! ::clears throat:: Okay, back to the subject at hand.

Here is the ring the way Jerry gave it to me 12 years ago:

For all of you who don't have the eyesight of superman, it is a design in which the engagement ring actually sits inside the wedding ring, which surrounds it. Does that make any sense? There has to be a name for that... It had baguette stones in the band and the center brilliant cut stone is surrounded by six smaller stones that go diagonal on either side. Here, I'll let the professionals show you. It looked remarkably similar to this. Except mine had a center stone in it. Anyway, the problem was that the setting did not use quality gold underneath the stones and I am allergic to a few metals. Long story short, I was allergic to my wedding ring. I quit wearing it except for special occasions a couple years ago, and I was tired of not looking married. And I thought, "While I'm having to have a new ring set, I may as well design it to look exactly like I want!" So I had them do this:

Again, bad picture, but now it is two separate bands. The center stone has the six smaller stones on either side - two up next to it and one next to the two on either side, forming a triangle. Does that make any sense at all? I don't feel like I'm explaining well. The wedding band has the baguette diamonds across the top. It is really pretty, and now I can look married again. Which is good, since I look more and more pregnant by the minute.

My Super Sweet and Thoughtful Son

My five-year old has always been sensitive to the feelings of others. He is very thoughtful and generous. Anyway, as I have mentioned here before, I have been without my wedding ring for ten weeks now! I am so discouraged about it and it makes me so frustrated. Anyway, we were at my husband's work this morning to fax some additional documents to the social worker that she needed and whenever we are there, the boys dig through Jerry's desk drawer to find keys, paperclips, and rubber bands to play with. While I was standing at the fax machine waiting to be sure that all 16 pages went through, Aaron came out to me and handed me this beautiful, one-of-a-kind, rubber wedding band. He said I could wear it until I get my other one back! Isn't it gorgeous?

Not only is it creative and actually attractive, doesn't your heart just melt with the sincere thoughtfulness of this gesture?

After we finished at Jerry's work, I called the jeweler since their shop is only a couple blocks away from Jerry's office. No surprise that when they told me yesterday morning that it would be done yesterday afternoon, this morning it still isn't done. They assure me it will be done this afternoon. I have only heard that 14 times so far. Still not holding my breath.

Adoption Update

The last time I updated you all, things were looking bleak yet God was obviously working. I am happy to tell you that all the requirements have now been fulfilled for the home study, thanks to some last minute scrambling last night and this morning to gather yet more supporting documents, and the final copy is at the adoption agency for approval. My social worker has said that once the final copy is submitted, she usually receives the approved, notarized copy with the certificate attached very quickly. When that happens, I will pick it up from the social worker and take it to immigration in person! It is hard to believe how much has changed in the nine days since things looked like they would be another full month. This afternoon, I will go ahead and schedule an appointment with immigration to drop off the application and paperwork to them. I don't know how long it takes to get in from the day you schedule the appointment. I am assuming that it isn't next day or anything, but if it is sooner than I think it will be, there is an option to reschedule. I'll post again once I have the home study in my hands ready to take it on to the next step! God has shown himself to be mighty in all of this. Please continue to pray that His timing will be perfect and that my heart would be filled with peace.

Who Knew?

I always thought I'd make a good 1950's wife, but who knew I could go back even farther?

99 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Superior Take the test!