Referral!!

Thursday, October 3, 2013 our family changed forever.

We got the email stating that our request for the twins in Lithuania was granted!!

To state that we are over-the-moon-happy doesn't begin to come close!

There are still a few lengthy steps that need to be taken- but there is a chance that we could have the twins home by Christmas!  Please pray for that happen- this would just be wonderful!

We need to wait for the actual documents- birth certificate, proof of orphanness- to arrive from Lithuania.  Then we can file with USCIS (which IS open since they are fee based).  Since we are medically expedited we will receive back our approval in about 10 days.  That form will then be sent to Lithuania where a judge will set a court date- this date is typically in 6 weeks.  We will plan on being in Lithuania before that court date to meet the twins and love on them for a few days.  Al and I will attend court and request that the 30 day waiting period be waived.  {This is something you can realllly pray for!}  In about 70% of the cases, the judge does waive the waiting period.  IF he does, the twins become Perreca's right then and there!  We will still need to bring the twins to the capital and get them US passports and visas.  All said- it should take about 2 weeks.  2 weeks doesn't sound long- but the temps are super cold and there isn't much more than 3-4hrs of daylight, 2 weeks can be a challenge.

So, please pray that things go smoothly and that we have peace while we wait....  Also pray as we have 3 fundraisers in the works now- we know that God can provide the $10,000 we need!

Pumpkin Time (really, it is, don't let the weather fool you)

Every day going to and from school we drive past Grandma's Pumpkin Patch.  This is the patch that we took Adeline to when she was 10months old.  It's super simple, you can walk around the field, talk with the owner or her daughter.  It's simple and we love it!

This year the kids have been eagerly watching the pumpkins grow with each passing day.  You can imagine their delight when they finally saw the flags hung up and the Open sign!  I did have one request- that we wait for Daddy.  Friday, after school, with the temps hovering around 90, we went!  Shockingly we were not the only customers!  

The kids had a blast looking at all the pumpkins- both those in the field and those already picked.  I seriously think Alden picked up just about every pumpkin there, searching for just the right one.  Adeline, she looked around, looked at a few, and then made her selection.  Quick and painless!

In the end, we left with two pretty amazing pumpkins- and they each had a pumpkin to bring home, too...

My cute pumpkins!

Open for Business!

Checking the field they watch every day

This one's heavy!

Addie's perfect pumpkin!

Next up- deciding what to carve....  Top of the list is Lithuania.....  Not too sure people would recognize it.

Bacon!

Alden loves food.  He has since he was 6mo old.  This piece of his creative writing is precious and hilarious all rolled into one!

Translation: My magic pot is cooking bacon.  There is a lot of brown bacon.  I picked bacon because it is healthy and I love bacon.

This is hilarious since he has only ever eaten turkey bacon and it really looks like regular bacon in his picture!  We don't eat it all that often!  

Being the amazing mother that I am, I went out and bought real bacon for him!

This is the thanks I got:

He has since decided that he only loves turkey bacon and does not care for the real stuff one iota.   This is fine by me since I like real bacon!

Big and Little Moments

Life is busy.  It just is.  Good thing I'm a person who loves to be busy!  Recently we have had some time to just be still and enjoy some big and little moments.  What a blessing it is sometimes to be still and see God at work!

Big Moment- dear friends finalllly were able to go to Congo and bring home their two precious children and we had the privilege of being at the airport when they arrived home!  What an amazing moment that was- to SEE the gospel in action.  These dear friends are so inspirational- they are completely honest and sincere (and also hilarious most of the time) and thus pointing people back to their Savior and His grace.  I am beyond grateful for their friendship!  An added bonus is that they get to work out all the kinks in adding 2 international kids to a family and then tell me what I need to look out for! 

{disclaimer- the rest is just our sweet life, nothing as amazing at Big Moment}

Little Moment- Rainbow Loom.  It's all the rage and my kids finally noticed and asked for it.  I obliged and they have LOVED it!  They have sat still, working on patterns, encouraging each other, making bracelets for friends and teachers.  It's the best $20 I have ever possibly spent!

Little Moment- My school had their first "dance" and I was a chaperon for it.  One added perk of the kids going to school next door is that they were able to come, too!  By the time they arrived, the dance was already 1/2 way over.  Adeline had been planning on a playlist of songs to ask the DJ to play- love that spunk!  Once she arrived, she was a bit more hesitant, but still asked for the ChaChaSlide, her current favorite.  He was great- and played it!  Here is she, with about 500 middle schoolers, following her lead! I just hope she continues to be such a leader!  And yes, this was about the only time there was dancing at the school dance!

Little Moment- The kids had their first Winter Swim Meet!  It is different from the summer meets as in there are a ton more swimmers, they stay in a freezing cold gym until their event is called, and you get to eat lots more snacks.  Our friends and neighbors also are swimming on the Tidal Waves, and our two families made a little circle of our camping chairs!  I worked this meet as Mite Mom (keeping the littlest kids in line and made sure they got to the correct lane for their event).  Al took some pictures which I will post later, maybe...

Thumbs up for swimming!

 On Tuesday they got their ribbons- not too shabby!  They were super excited and I was proud of what they have learned!  The Coaching staff has been phenomenal!  I look forward to seeing their times continue to drop!

Addie- 2nd for relay, and 13th for free and breast
Alden- 8th for back and 3rd for free

Fun Times

We are full embracing our school routine- which is full of education, friends and swimming!

Dance Party on Carpet!

Our garage is full of carpet that Al is busy turning into area rugs for teachers- when he is cutting it into the appropriate sizes, the kids love making sure it's ok...

Fire Pit and S'Mores

We love getting to hang out with friends on the weekends- we are so blessed with amazing friends!

Swim Team!

The kids started swimming for the YMCA's Tidal Waves.  They love it and the coaching staff is simply amazing.  The coaches knew the kids' names when they walked in- gotta love that they took the time to look at their pictures in the data base!  The kids swim Tuesday and Thursday and Al and I are trying to swim while they do.  The first swim meet is coming up!

Perreca's Angels...

Good friends of ours are in the Congo retrieving their two other children.  We had the privilege of having their 2 oldest for the weekend!  The 4 kids had a blast together- which made my life drastically easier!

The boys worked together to beat different levels on various games

The girls were busy creating and painting

Just hanging around...

It isn't super fancy, but we love our life!

First Day of School- 2013

The first day of school!  We were ALL ready for this day!  Summer was beyond wonderful- we soaked up the low-key-ness of it, basked in the time together, played our hearts out- but we were all ready to get back into a routine, be apart a little, and kick-up the learning!  Both kids have excellent teachers and I have a promising group of 7th graders!  It's kinda special to realize that this is the last time I will only have 2 kids to take pictures of!  Next year will be the twins first day of kindergarten!!  Until then, I'm ready to enjoy and appreciate how easy my life is now!

Beautiful 2nd grader!  Her shirt says I love school!

Her snazzy backpack that my friend embroidered!

SO excited!

Loving his embroidered backpack!

Me and my munchkins!  I love that Al can work from home and prove that I was there!

Al, the ever-amazing Dad, not only wrote the kids letters- that made me cry, again- but he took them to Goddard that morning so he could get pictures of them getting on the bus- and so Addie could wear her sandals that went with her outfit (toes must be covered at Goddard and we can't have her fashion messed up on the first day).

These 3 are the best of pals!

Lainey and Alden- they love each other- really they do!

Addie and 2 of her BFF's- Ava and Jayda (she is convinced that she and Jayda are REALLY twins)

Only 30min late- here's the bus!

Al assures me he was happy!  He looks so serious here!

 Thankfully my school lets out an hour before theirs- so I was able to meet them as they got OFF the bus!  We did decide to have them ride the bus to and from Goddard this year.  Last year I picked them up.  We decided to make this change for our new kids' sake.  They need to see that we drop off Adeline and Alden AND pick them up- all from the same place.  Plus, they will attend Goddard, so they need to see it's a safe place from the get-go!

SO happy!

He is trying his best to be tough...

The kids all had a fantastic first day- and the next have been equally as wonderful!  Alden assured me that it was easy, kinda hard, but mostly easy.  Adeline loved getting to meet new friends and read some new books!  It's going to be a GREAT year!

End of Summer Cook Out

Our cul-de-sac is a wonderful place.  Simply wonderful!  We have amazing friends and families that want their children to be good, kind and productive citizens!

Last year we were part of the yearly traditional End of Summer Cookout.  Everyone cooks out and eats in the cul-de-sac.  The kids have lots of fun.  The best part?  The hightlight?  The s'mores!  This year I was busy eating and totally forgot to snap pics of the food!  But I DID get pics of the s'mores!  What a sweet way to end the summer!

This is too divine for words.... You must try it!