Waiting...

I know that I haven't posted much in the way of adoption updates.

Right now, there simply aren't any. That there hasn't been any activity is pretty hard some days. We've updated our website with Lifetime. They aren't in need of any profiles (though we are considering updating some minor things just to do something productive). Lifetime has suggested we add a video or an audio message to the site, but to be honest, speaking to someone I have never met seems utterly terrifying.

We're just taking life as it comes right now, remaining hopeful...Sometimes my new-found faith struggles with the wait, seeing other Mommy's become pregnant and have their babies, seeing other Hopeful Adoptive Parents meet their new bundle. All you need is faith the size of a mustard seed though, right?

Monkey has been going to summer camp at his school for the past two weeks - each week is a different country! He's learned about Ireland and Chile. I have been volunteering with another Mommy from his class and doing snack for all of the camp (only about 25 kids). Next week is Vacation Bible School. Monkey is attending, and I have volunteered to help with the second grade children, taking them from one activity to the next. I will also be the photographer!

I've *really* got to take the time and update my reading list! I've read tons of books. Most of them on my handy-dandy Nook. I pretty much carry it with me at all times. Oh! Kevin & I are participating in a 12 week class at church called Beginnings. It is supposed to help believers and non-believers alike learn about themselves and Christianity. So far, pretty interesting.

Must be off now, bloggers. The Monkey is having trouble sleeping.

Kiwi, Monkey, and a Pirate

 This is Kiwi.

He's a Green Cheeked Conure, who hatched in January.

Kiwi is very sweet and tolerant. 

He came to Monkey's preschool to visit the kids!

 Here is my Pirate, Kevin. 

(also known as my Husband)

Kiwi looks unimpressed by this flexing! 

HAHA!

 Here is Monkey checking Kiwi out. 

Monkey is a little nervous, but only because Kiwi tries to fly.

He's got clipped wings though, and only flutters to the ground. 

Just further proof that my Kevin is a big Kid. 

That is Monkey's eye patch, and Kevin's idea. 

Arrrgh! 

(Did you hear that?)

Our Foster Bird, Jack

 This is Jack. 

 He is a 14 year old Blue & Gold Macaw, whose family turned him into a rescue for a screaming problem.

Having a B&G has been a dream of mine since I was 12 years old, when I fell in love with one at a pet store. 

His name was Dusty.

I tried in vain to save up for him.

 Jack is a very sweet boy...to me. 

He tolerates Kevin.

Monkey just likes to look and talk. 

 We met him at a rescue in our state. 

Jack is only being fostered with us for awhile, because his screaming is very severe.

We hope to meet another bird, who loves us that we can provide a forever home to,

especially if Jack is not happy in our house.

He is a very silly boy though, who has lots of words, which provide us with endless amusement.

Jack answers the phones, calls "HI" and "BYE" if we aren't in the room with him.

He also asks, "Wanna go bye bye? Huh? No!"

We also hear a random, "Alright!" for no discernible reason.

Jack just started meowing. He also barks and growls, and says "Quack quack quack!"

In his first home, he was with a family that had small children. Jack can be a jealous boy, and started screaming. The children screamed back, and it turned into a terrible screaming habit. With a lot of work, the Rescue thinks that Jack's screaming can be greatly reduced. We are working with him here!

I am worried that it will turn out to be too much for Monkey especially. If it does though, this Rescue is AWESOME and I know that he will be well loved until he finds a forever family.

Pictures! (Part 2)

 Here is Monkey at his End of Year show for preschool.

Looks impressed, huh?

 This is all of the kids singing a song about summer!

 This one is my favorite. 

His class sang the "Baby Bumblebee" song.

Snapped at the end of their performance.

It is the face he makes when singing the end of anything.

Monkey then demands you clap.

 At the end of April, we had front row seats to a fire.

 Said fire was on the mountains behind our house.

It was apparently started by a tank. 

Yes. A TANK.

That also meant we had front row seats to the efforts of ending the fire.

We watched fire crews cut fire breaks and back burn.

Also, we observed (and listened to) 

giant tanker helicopters flying almost nonstop. 

Luckily, even though they told us to be prepared for an evacuation, 

it never happened.

Pictures! (Part 1)

Here is Monkey on our trip to S Carolina and Georgia! 

Such a hammy guy.

A shot at my Aunt's house.

I really miss the South.

(but it gave me a wonderful place to practice with my camera!)

Wisteria!

Really. I miss the green. 

The desert is so...brown. And dusty.

The quilt! 

It's been done for a while now.

Isn't it adorable?

Monkey loves it, which makes me happy.

Molly Bubble Romper

It was for baby Paige.

And a flowery headband to go with it!

Update of EPIC PROPORTIONS!

HA! My and my New Years Resolutions...they don't usually pan out. I've been thinking about you, my bloggity bloggers! And reading YOUR blogs. But mine?! Pshhht.

Anyway.

I have updates of all sorts. Adoption stuff, animals, birthdays, craftiness, faith, trip....How about I put it that order? It's alphabetical and everything!

Adoption: Not really a whole lot going on there. Lifetime is still presenting out profiles - we were told about a couple of expectant mothers that were interested in us, but nothing panned out. Recently, I saw a situation posted on their website that really and truly touched my soul, and have been praying about it daily. It's been nine months of waiting now - a full term pregnancy. No baby in sight. It's hard to maintain hope some days, but we're going with it. Hopefully, the baby (babies?!) that are supposed to be with us get here soon.

Animals: I have informed your that our home would be a zoo given a chance, right? I've been working on Kevin - I want to add a large bird to our family. :) I managed to find a great stainless steel cage on our local craigslist awhile back. Kevin also let me pick up a little green cheeked conure! His name is Kiwi. However, he has only fueled my desire for a bigger birdie. I have been dreaming of a blue and gold macaw since I was about 12 when I met a lovely one called Dusty. I plan to find a more suitable cage for a Mr Kiwi here (the one he is in is rather large for his size) and then to visit a rescue that is a few hours from here to (hopefully!) bring a new family member home.

Birthdays: My little Monkey....is T-H-R-E-E! I cannot believe this. He is SO big now - 40.5 inches tall. Takes after his Daddy and uncles for sure. He's such a little smarty pants. We had a superbly fun party with him at the gym where he does his tumbling class! (Pictures pending. Along with everything else in this post.)

Craftiness: I have acquired more yarn. Beautimous yarn. Alas, I have done not much with it. I also found lover-ly fabric and started a cathedral window quilt. LOVE IT. You will too. Like I said, pictures are pending.

Faith: I talked mucho about my journey before, and all the reading. Pretty sure that I told you about going to church.. We've been going quite regularly, actually. It's been good! Kevin and I both spoke to the Pastor separately, and decided to join...this means that I took a huge step in this journey of faith. I was baptized! In front of people! And I didn't pass out, freak out or run away! Yay me! I've still been reading TONS though - need to update that book list on the side.

Trip: Monkey and I went to S. Carolina to visit family to give Kevin time to do some things for work. We stayed about 2 weeks and had lots of fun! Our friends from DC now live in S. Carolina now, a couple of hours from my mom's house. They came down to see us! Much fun! Kat & I went to plunder a local yarn store - got drenched in the process, but what they hay.
We saw Kevin's younger sister! I took her prom shopping and found her an adorable dress...plus all the accessories. This annoyed Monkey to no end, but he still had a great time.
We saw my grandfather, where Monkey pilfered LifeSaver gummies and Raisinets. Fairly amusing. While in SC, we also went to Georgia to visit my aunt & uncle, which was also tons of fun.

I plan to be back soon with lots of pictures to illustrate this post. :)

We've also got the last week of school for Monkey coming up with a super fun Water Day planned there. His gymnastics recital is in a few weeks, too! And hopefully we'll have some kind of super fantabulous adoption update soon.

Wishes

I just read about a young man, 'Mighty' Max Low. He's 12 years old and has been battling leukemia since age 5. He hasn't attended his school in over a year. His parents, Greg & Bambi Low, were told to enjoy him while they could, because it looked like it was the end of the road on February 15.

However, now there is hope of a bone marrow transplant on the horizon. His own bone marrow showed no cancerous cells last Monday, and his father Greg is a 90 percent match!

Max has a wish - nothing outrageous. He doesn't want to meet a celebrity or some other extravagance. Max just wants to receive one million 'get well' cards! Please help fulfill his wish by sending him a card to the address below. I've read on one site that he has received thousands of cards so far, one of them from former President George Bush, Sr! She takes about 300 of them a day to the hospital for him to read.

Mighty Max Low
c/o Greg & Bambi Low
P.O. Box 111
Neola, IA 51559