I had two sweet ladies comment on my facebook page asking for more on our adoption process and funny things our kids say. So Trish and Tara, this is for you!

Funny things my kids say:

Anytime someone prays, Hayes clasps his hands, bows his head, closes his eyes, and cuts them off mid-sentence with "AMENT". Then again at the end of the sentence, "AMENT". Then again mid-sentence...

Aisley says "meow" all the time. No really, all the time. But it's not in place of NOW, as in Supertroopers. Think of Mr. Rodger's Neighborhood...

Hayes calls cowboy hats "hee-haws"

AGW calls sandwiches "swaniches" for Hayes they are "mamwhiches"

Sadly, that's all I can remember for now. I'll do better at writing it down.


The adoption process:

Still going well. This week we'll get FBI and state fingerprints, a local criminal report, and finish up our profiles. We're gathering all needed medical information on the 4 of us and making sure all pets are up to date with vaccinations. We're currently completing our 60 page individual profiles that ask how each life experience/relative/previous job/whatever influenced us and will affect how we parent our adopted child. We also have a 180 page workbook to complete that takes us through various hypothetical adoption situations so that we might have a small idea of some of the issues to come. It's a lot to take in and is very time consuming, but I'm grateful for the information. I've been surprised at many things I've learned and I'm realizing the need to begin praying over specific issues now. Things like a healthy attachment and normal sleep behavior. Most people think that we're adopting a young child, so she shouldn't have many issues because she's not old enough to remember them. I'm learning that this is completely false. Abandonment as an infant is still traumatic for the child. They're born with instinctual needs and they recognize when that need is lost. Even at a few months old, they learn not to trust others and refuse to bond. There are varying degrees of attachment issues obviously, and we can only pray that the attachment process isn't a lengthy one.

Soon we'll conquer the much dreaded fire and safety inspections. There's some MAJOR need work to be done before these are tackled. Like hiding the live electrical wire hanging from our ceiling and locking up all guns, ammo, cleaning products, and medicine. I've got to place fire detectors in every bedroom and put the extinguisher within easy reach. I also need to dispose of about 12 cans of paint the previous owners left us and probably demolish the garden shed that is crumbling in the backyard. I'm afraid to do this when Carey's gone though, because we've seen opossum, raccoons, and mice run under that thing.

Once all of the paperwork and projects around the house are done, a social worker will meet with us about 4 times to discuss and educate us more on adoption. He'll talk with Aisley and Hayes about what they know and how they feel about a new sibling.

After all of this, he will write it all up, look over the big picture and determine whether or not we are stable enough to continue the adoption process. A yes means we move on in the adoption process. No means God has something else planned for us right now. Things that could provoke a no: not financially stable, mentally stable, or physically able. We'll see how it goes!