Pictures- an Explanation

So.... You may have noticed a lack of pictures recently- for that, my deepest apologies.  I know that is really why you check this out!  I do have a pretty good excuse- the laptop, where all the pictures are- died.

Yes.  I managed to kill a Mac!  Actually, I didn't kill it, a really bad thunderstorm did.

It died so quickly that there wasn't a chance to back-up any information- and I was in complete denial that it was totally broken so I didn't pay to have BestBuy backup our info.  Imagine my shock when I picked up the computer, a week after I dropped it off, to discover the hard drive was replaced and I had zero "stuff" on it.  Not only did I NOT have a computer for an entire week, but I now had to start all over from scratch with what is really important, my pictures!!!

Thank goodness for Facebook and this blog where my favorite pictures happen to be!  I was also happy that I had copied all of the pictures up to January over Christmas Break- whew!  The downside, before I could do anything with the pictures living on my phone and camera is that  I had to update some software so that I could download pictures....  This required Al and his computer abilities- and he is gone most of the week, home only on the weekends....

So there you have it- I told you I had a good excuse!  Hopefully soon I will have time to download and sift through all the pictures and find the ones I haven't posted, and post them soon!  I promise the kids are adorable and up to lots of fun things!!

Here is one photo to hold you over....  I love that I can email myself pictures from my phone, download that to the computer and then upload here....  See why I need lots of time??

Adoption Update

The news to report is that there really is no major news to report...  Our file in complete and we are #2 on the Waiting List to start our HomeStudy.  This Thursday we will attend our first meeting with our Agency- it's more of an information meeting (we probably should have attended it first, but this is the first one to be held close to us!).  We also have an appointment next Wednesday to meet with our Agency to get an overview of the entire process.  We hope to get some questions answered and learn more about the projected timeline.  Prayers for us are greatly appreciated!!

While we wait, we continue to pray for "Our kids on the other side of the world."  We continue to pray that they are loved, they have enough to eat, they are warm, they have a reason to laugh, and that we will have them in our arms soon.  Addie and Alden often pray for them and are excited for them to be here- so they can share ______ with them.  I love that they are already planning on sharing and excited to teach and help.

It's not definite, but we are pretty certain we will continue with the A's in our family- and we hope to add an Asher and an Annalise!  I love that both boys have 2 syllable names and the girls 3 syllables which can be turned into cute simple names as well.  Most of the children we have been looking at have extremely ethnic names that really do not lend themselves to being Americanized.  We hope to give them American first names and keep their given name as their middle name.  Who knows- there are still miles and miles to go before we "rest."

While we "wait" we read books- learning how to help children who have been institutionalized, who are older, who have disabilities, who are delayed.  At least while we wait we can arm ourselves with multiple "tools" to help our new children- and lots of what we are learning actually works really well with Addie and Alden!

Now we read, pray and trust that God is in control and that He will bring the children He wants into our home in His timing- and His timing is perfect.  This is certainly an interesting path He is leading us down- one we never would have guessed even this time last year!  God is good and we are super excited for what lies ahead of us!

Sledding!!

Snow was in the forecast for Friday- which means absolutely nothing around here.  It may or may not happen....  As the week progressed the forecast still kept snow for Friday.  And low-and-behold, Friday dawned with no news from schools, but snow at 90% chance starting at 4pm.  That means as the sweet, innocent elementary students would be getting on their buses, the heavens would open.  Thankfully, at 10:30am the schools decided to close 2 hours early- which resulted in a pretty crazy day for me, but I was happy with the thought of getting home and playing in the snow with the kiddos!!  And it turns out it was a good thing school let out early- the roads were a mess as VA doesn't start plowing until it stops snowing and most roads had been totally untouched....

There was enough snow this time for the kids to fully embrace our steep hill!  It was wonderful!!

Entrance into our neighborhood- scary slick!

Ready to Sled!!

 The kids had a blast sledding a good hunk of Saturday morning- and it was great to share with our good friends, The Boys!

Memories were made, hot chocolate was consumed, and thankfully, nothing was broken!!

Update From Around Here...

We've been crazy busy here just living life.  It isn't glamorous but we are enjoying it and are thankful for each and every day!  Here are a few pics of what we have been up to- because, I know you check here for picture, not my ramblings!!

Sunday afternoons are spent watching and cheering for Alden as he learns to play basketball!

Mondays are spent watching Addie become quite the little gymnast- that's her in the black leotard hanging from the bar- she loved it!

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Alden becoming a guitarist- or so he think...

We have spent a good amount of time at Dr's offices having physicals for our adoption paperwork.

We have been multi-tasking- reading a lot of books and having hairstyling sessions while doing so...

Those of you from Up North- don't laugh, but we have had 2 sessions of snow- 1 snow day and 1 early release!

And since it's been bitterly cold, we have finally used our fireplace- so fun!

More snow- another post will be devoted to this!

New Tradition- Home Made Pizza Night- healthy crust, healthy cheese and lots of fun!

Addie loves getting to spend time with Miss M during Alden's basketball games

And we have had 1 Teacher Work Day- which translates, at our house, to the kiddos coming to Mommy's school and helping her which typically results in a special lunch- this time, don't gag, McDonalds!

In keeping with our glamorous life-style, we have visited the dentist- thumbs up for clean and cavity-free teeth!

It seems with all kinds of crazy germs hovering around us, despite my best efforts, poor Addie succumbed to a stomach virus.  Thankfully it was only 24hrs long and Al was working from home that day!

It isn't glamorous but I am thankful for it- all of it!!

Hurry Up and Wait

That seems to be the theme of adoption paperwork....  You hustle and sweat through seemingly endless pieces of paperwork- it is truly incredible the amount of documentation required!  You write, you research, you request information, you write checks- a lot of checks- and then, ultimately, you wait on someone, to do their job and mail you ___ (fill in the blank with a large number of documentation needs- driving records, medical records for you and your children, child protective services records for every state you have ever lived in, you get the picture!).  The Agency we are working with has been great- it's just a LOT of documentation!

If you know me, you know that patience is NOT a virtue I was blessed with.  I am a tunnel-vision-driven individual.  I lock my eyes on a finish line and very little can distract me.  Waiting to finish paperwork- not an option in this household!  A project is given- I will have it done in days.  I don't wait around. Procrastination killed Hamlet after all.

Back to patience.  I am learning in this process that I have to do my part- and wait- with a good attitude, none-the-less.  God is in control of this process.  He will bring the right children into our home at His perfect timing.

We still need to get our part done in a timely fashion- thank goodness for Al and his seemingly endless amount of patience!  We still need to DO all kinds of things.  We are not called to sit and just pray for a child- we are called to DO.  It's just hard when our turn is done and we are waiting on someone else to feel a sense of urgency to do their part- all so our part can go to the next step.

So- for now, we fill out paperwork, file for forms to be sent in, and pray.  We pray for our children on the other side of the world.  We pray as we act- doing our part to bring them home as soon as possible.  We pray for our hearts to be at peace with His timing, which is perfect.

Now- we will hurry up and be patient!

Learning to Speak European

Yes, our family is going to need to speak European.  At least that is how Adeline thinks...  In her mind, in America, one hunk of the world, we all speak English.  So, in Europe, they all speak European!  She is most excited to learn this language- but is a little irritated that she can't just get lessons from her beloved Aunty Becca, who lives in Europe.  The fact that all these various countries speak different languages baffles her.

Why does she even want to learn European?  I hope you are sitting down for his....

We Are Adopting!!

Yes.  You read that correctly!

We are knee deep in the international adoption process.

Over the last few months God has been working on both my heart and Al's heart.  We have been given so much - and that as Christians, we are instructed to take care of the "least."  One group that in consistently mentioned are the orphans.  In an amazing book 7, the author states that there are seven Christians for every orphan.  That is a humbling statistic.  That is something we feel called to be a part of.  It isn't going to be easy, but we know that this is what we are called to do, and we are excited- and also killing a small forest due to the mountains of paperwork.

There are still lots of unknowns- we have just started the homestudy process.  For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of this- it is where you account for just about every action you have ever taken and any person you have called a friend.  It is seriously a daunting process but aren't most things worth having?

Right now we have a few details we think we may be certain of...  We are looking in Eastern Europe for a young girl (2-7years old).  Most children eligible for adoption have special needs- and we are prayerfully considering what we will be able to handle.

So there you have it- the Perreca family will hopefully, by the end of the summer or even the fall, have an additional member!  Stay tuned for more details.  Until then, we covet your prayers as we maneuver through the sea of Adoption Paper Work!

7- better late than never

I still can't believe my Adeline is SEVEN!!  Every year I try to get a picture of just her with the number block- so I don't have to try and remember how old she was.  Given that her actual birthday is in December- I have learned to not even try to get a birthday picture taken then- it's just too crazy.  This year, I decided to err on the side of after her birthday- secretly hoping she would loose another tooth or two- but no such luck!  Here my girl is, looking so grown-up and sophisticated!!  We all love you Miss Adeline Rose!!