Decisions, Decisions...

We have some big decisions to be making in the next few weeks/months. We are almost ready to start with our next adoption, but that's where the decisions are coming into play. So, we could really use all your prayers that you can send up for us! Here are the decisions that we have to make.

1)When to start the process. If we go through Holt International (the agency we went through for C) then we can start the process anytime! Here's the problem with that...
a)For a girl referral, we have to go through the Waiting Child Program (meaning that we would REQUEST a girl that has MINOR special needs that could be anything from eczema to a correctable heart condition). We are prepared for this and feel that God will give us just the right child... I have emailed the WCP and have been told to expect at least a YEAR wait for referral of a girl, but it could be MUCH quicker than that also. So, okay... if we apply now and it really takes a year, we would have a daughter home next summer! AWESOME! BUT, what happens if we get a referral sooner? Then i'd have to take time off from work again and i just really don't want to do that if possible... hmmmm... Plus, we're counting on next year's tax returns for the cash to do our next adoption so while I would adore a fast referral, the $ issue is kinda big...
b)Okay, so then if we wait and apply closer to the end of this summer/C's 2nd birthday and it takes a year, I definitly will have to take time off during the school year... UGH! What to do?

2)We have another option for an agency based out of Arizona where we would be able to request a healthy girl. This agency is actively looking for families for their Korea program and it takes less than a year to get a child home! Awesome right?!? Here's the deal with this agency:
a)We have to wait until August to apply because they have a rule that all adopted children must be in the home a year before you apply for another adoption. Cool, I understand that. No biggie...
b)I have to lose weight. Serious weight. The agency in Korea that this agency based in Arizona works with has a weight requirement of the applicants not being more than 30% over your BMI. Okay, I need to lose weight, but how long will this take?!? Plus, I'm not too keen on the rule as I think there are lots of people out there who may be overwieght but can make GREAT parents...

So, see what I mean about decisions? We could REALLY, REALLY use your prayers for us to follow God's lead on this! We don't know if we should be waiting for a big sign or if we have already been given the signs to go ahead and start with Holt again. (You can email me for what those signs have been...) Also, if you could be praying for the $ aspect of this, that would be very appreciated. With our tax returns we will still be a few thousand short come next spring, BUT I do have some ideas for fundraising (A raffle will be in the works for a weekend/or week away to one of our timeshares...) and if any of you have ideas for fundraising please let me know!

Thanks you guys,
~M~ Oh and if you want to email me my email address is kamakazie33098 (at) aol (dot) com.

OH, almost forgot! New pictures of C that I thought I should share to remind all of you of just why we want to go through all this again!





Aren't we the luckiest parents ever?!?

updates on us all!

Hey everyone!

So I realize that all I've done is give quick short updates and loads of pictures the past few months... so maybe it's time for a real update! I'll do it by person as I think that will be the easiest!

Me- I'm doing great! I have a job for next year and will finally be tenured after this school year! YIPPPEEEE! This is quite a feat as I have been teaching at TUSD for 5 years now... I am amazed that I didn't get pink-slipped, but feel very fortunate at the same time... this was the first year that I didn't worry about my job for the next year and wholey trusted the Lord and His plans and lo and behold, look what happened! I will be (most likely) working summer school and that will be insane as our little school of normally 4 teachers and 120 students (tops!) will have 25 teachers and around 950 students! YIKES!!!!! Our school is the only summer school for the district this summer and it should be interesting to say the least... The great thing about our summer school is that we only work 3 days a week for 6 weeks and get 4 day weekends which really helps to make it feel like we still get somewhat of a summer, which I find completely important now that I have C at home.

I will be extremly busy the last 5 weeks of the school year... I am in charge of our Prom, which is this Friday, May 1. I am our school's Yearbook Advisor which we don't finish until the last minute since we have a lot of activities at the end of the year. I generally am our Disneyland Gradnite Chaperone and think I will be doing that again this year too! Then I help a lot with our graduation because if I didn't help, my poor friend Vicki (our school secretary) would be stuck with everything... So to say the least, these last few weeks of school are jam packed with activities but are always sooooo fun! It's my 2nd favorite time of the school year (2nd to the Holidays of course! :P ) So, if you don't see many posts on here at least know you know why!

My parents are doing well with all the prayers that they are recieving with that icky family situation that we are going through. God is good and continues to give us all strength in dealing with the situation. Please keep the prayers coming as they are doing us wonders!

A- A is doing very well! He is in the last week of coaching his school's baseball team and then he will be home more in the evenings! WAHOO! He also has his job next year and didn't see a pink slip... God really did bless us this year! He will be changing his teaching subjects next year, but he is pretty welcoming of the change and is looking forward to seeing how it works out. Next year he will also be coaching one less sport (he has been coaching 3 the past few years) as he feels that he is missing out on C a little too much... awwww, what a good dad he is! :-) A will be staying home this summer with C and is looking very forward to the daddy time... Other than that, A will be playing as much softball as possible starting within the next few weeks and continuing on thru the summer!

C- Well little man is just growing like crazy! He recently learned to jump and loves to run and jump as much as possible! He has such a fun loving personality... he is funny and cracks us up constantly! HE is very stubborn in getting his way, but I firmly believe that this stubborness has helped him to cope with all the things in his life he has already had to deal with and I am stubborn, so he clearly is his mama's son! :-)

C is also super smart, which I know I've been saying since he came home, but it really is true. He has well over 60 words now in his vocabulary, understands everything we say to him and is starting to say small phrases like "love you"... I know, too cute, right?!? It melts my heart every time I tell him I love him and then he says it back and genuinely means it... awwwwww to be a mommy of a sweet child is the BEST! He is also very observant and picks things up so quickly! I call him my "Sponge" because anything any of us do, he is quickly able to do as well. He has grown in height in the past month and I really need to get those kiddie locks on the door handles because he is trying desperately to open the doors like we do so that he can go outside! He loves the outdoors and ALL things BOY related! Just this morning he picked up this BIG, icky bug and freaked me out... thank goodness the bug was dead because othewise I might have freaked a little more ;-) He is throwing balls very well and is even learning to catch them already! We plan to get him into baseball and soccer next summer (2.5 years old is the earliest we can get him into anything) so that he can play outside more and acquire those athletic skills that he is already getting so good at...

Well, I think that's it... at least for now!

We love you all and think of you often,
~M~

The Zoo!

On Friday, April 17, 2009 we took C to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo for the first time! It was a TOTAL blast! The day was a little long for C but he did wonderfully and he really loved the giraffes and elephants! We got some great pictures and since there are so many of them I decided to put a slide show together instead of making you scroll through all of them!



Hope you enjoy the show!



~M~

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Easter pics!

Just wanted to add some pictures from our first Easter as a family! It was overall a GREAT day, with a wonderful message at church!!!

You're Invited!

To come to New Life Christian Center for Easter... I'm officially inviting you! Of course, I guess that depends on if you live anywhere near Turlock :-) If you do, and you don't already have an Easter service to attend, email me and let me know if you want to join us! The worship will be AMAZING and the message will be wonderful as well...

Come Alive this Easter at New Life Christian CenterApril 11 - 12, 2009
6 Weekend Services
Saturday Night -- 6 pmSunday Morning -- 8:30am / 10am / 11:30 am
also -- Venue2--

Come experience our alternate Easter venue in the Student Center . . .8:30am / 10 am on Sunday morningFeaturing a live band, coffee, donuts, and the Easter message with Pastor Dave on video. Come experience the flavor of New Life with a taste of something different.

Also, if you come to NLCC, you'll get to see how cute Booger will be dressed! ;-)

~M~

It's Official!

Our little man is officially ours as of yesterday at 8:25 am! Our finalization went wonderfully! The judge was so nice and easy going- which was great as A and I were both a little nervous with not knowing what to expect. But it was super easy- we just went into the jury room with the judge and court reporter, signed 1 form and then the judge took a picture with us and that was it! Both A's and my parents came, my sister and Denny came, my best friend Jackie and her two children were also there- we got lots of pictures (which of course I will be posting at the bottom of this update!)

After we were done getting copies of our adoption forms, we all went to breakfast in Atwater at a place called Jantz (if you live near Atwater and have never been here- you really MUST go! Their food is GREAT! and their pies are to die for!) We just ate and celebrated the special day... it was a fun morning and I am so glad that this is done! It's very nice to know that C is absolutely without a doubt ours!!!! :-)

Waiting with daddy...

C waiting with Josh and Joey (aren't they the cutest boys ever?)

Our little family of 3!

With the Honorable Judge Ash
Outside our county's new courthouse...

Acting silly (I think he was done with the picture taking shenanigans!)

With both sets of grandparents

Grandpa and Grandma Alvernaz


Nana and Papa!

Aunt Jenner and Uncle Denny

Aunt Jackie (my best friend) and her kids...

All in all, it was a great way to spend C's 8 month mark home and our 7 year anniversary! 7 years sure have gone by quickly! And ALL 7 of them have been WONDERFUL!

~M~

PS- Yesterday also happened to be my cousin Lori's birthday! So- A BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you LORI! We miss you and hope to see you and your family soon! :-)