Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

Obviously I'm a bit behind in my sentiments and a bit behind in my blogging.  I've been in hibernating mode this break--enjoying the warmth of my home, the energy of my kids, and sadly the variety of delicious foods.  I've also been doing a lot of thinking, some real in depth concentration about who I am and where I am.  It has been good, but it has put me in a bit of a funk.

We had a good break as a family.  Gary had to work so very much, which we truly are thankful for.  So many don't have jobs and all the extra overtime is very helpful.  It was hard at though to spend so much of the holidays without him.  We did very much enjoy this past week-end as he was not on call.  We even made it out to the beach yesterday to enjoy the sight of the ice in the Holland channel.  We did not enjoy the biting wind.  :)

Today is back to school day although school is cancelled.  (Penny just got up and asked to snuggle.  Oh one of the many joys of being a mama.)  Having school doesn't throw me as we'll just keep on doing.  My kids could benefit from not being at home though--there has been some extra unnecessary fighting the past few days.  When they return to school they'll all be in the same class, so they had better just love each other more!  ;)

Our adoption journey is trudging along.  We received the clearance we were praying for from Homeland security.  Our next step is to get all of our documents sealed by the State.  (Having all the paperwork notarized isn't enough. . . required but not enough.)  We are missing one document, so we'll get that redone this week and hopefully get all the papers off to the Chinese consulate in Chicago.  We hire a courier who walks them in for us.  Then she'll send them back to us with the official stamps and then we can send it off to China.  Whew!  As our frustration with our social worker grew, we weren't surprised to learn that she is no longer with our adoption agency and we have been assigned a new case worker.  Ah more bumps in the road.

We test drove two conversion vans over the break and looked at two others.  We are praying about whether to purchase one of them or wait.  We've been relatively healthy, Penny and I were in the newspaper pictured sledding together, the kids don't want to take down the Christmas stuff today, and when we move out of this house someday we will still find Legos tucked into places.  It will make me smile then, although it doesn't always make me smile now.  Life is good and I'm blessed.