Adoption Odds and Ends

To all my wonderful blogging friends! Here are just a few things I've wanted to mention but haven't gotten around to.

First...my apologies. I LOVE checking out my blogging buddies blogs, but I just haven't had the time. I'm afraid this will get worse instead of better. Of course when the kiddos come home time will be even more limited, and I'll very likely be quite quite tired. Know that I'll miss that connection, and I will be back to check in on you eventually.

I've been asked, now that we've pasted court, if I can post pictures. The way I understand it, technically E now considers us the parents of our children in E. However, it is not a "done deal," and our agency does not want us to do anything to jeopardize the adoption. So we are not allowed to post pictures until we are back in the states. I would love to show off my kiddos to the world! But it will be here before we know it.

Also, unlike China, we possibly won't be posting while we're in E. And oh, how I would love to! I loved keeping you all informed and keeping in touch that way in Jaden's adoption. However, internet, phone connections, and even electricity can be sporadic in E. We will be taking Brandy's laptop with us, but it is doubtful that we will post. It may in fact, be hard to talk to our kiddos back in the States while we are there (that will be hard for this Momma! Good thing it's a much shorter trip than before). I'm going to try and make an effort to journal and then post some time after we're home. However, I'm sure I'll have plenty to post about at that time, too!

I AM TOTALLY NESTING! And feel I don't have nearly enough time to get everything done. Yet I'm trying to schedule some "me" time to mentally prepare for our great adventure, which I realize is quite important. Your prayers that I will be ok with whatever doesn't get done are coveted.

And finally, a fun thing we've started. I know that friends and family are concerned about all 7 of our kids getting enough attention from their parents, aka Brandy and I, with a ratio of 7:2. We started something new tonight that I'm excited about.

We moved up the kids bedtime to 8 pm, instead of 8:30. Each night that we are home, or home on time, one child gets to stay up an extra 1/2 hour with Mom and Dad. We'll have it on a schedule. He or she can pick what they would like to do...games, books, just talk, whatever. We hope this will help increase the one-on-one time our kids have with us, without cutting into Mom and Dad's quiet time. We started with Shianne tonight, and she enjoyed a rousing game of Apples to Apples Jr. with just Mom and Dad (oh, and popcorn, her favorite!).

God Bless!! And don't forget to leave a comment on the Katelyn's Fund post. And while you're there, check out my hubby's comment...too fun that he commented using my google account!