Kids Update!!

We got the file yesterday and read all evening. It was a lot of information. Lots of duplicate papers and info. Lots of DFPS forms. And lots of reasons to love these kids and make them our own.

We have notified our case worker that we want to move forward. There are a few forms missing that have been requested and need to be received before we can meet the children. We are learining patience as we follow the steps that CPS requires knowing it is all for the good of the children. It is all about them and we want to make this transition as smooth as possible.

We did find out their birthdates. Our little boy is already 5, and our little girl is 6 (turning 7 this year). And we saw a picture - it was small & from last Sept, but they are adorable. And we love them already!!



Legal Disclaimer - For legal reasons, we will not be posting pictures or identifying information on this blog at this time. As soon as we are legally able, we will post pictures so you can see our family grow. However we will never post identifying information. Specifics (birthdays, sizes, likes/dislikes, etc.) will be communicated to family & friends when we are legally free to do so. Thank you for your understanding.

Feeling unappreciated at work lately?....

THE POLICE

Yesterday I went to The Police concert in Dallas. Sting and Crew were reunited (cause it feels so good) and touring the world. I had bought a ticket for a friend of mine but he couldn't go so I finally found another friend to go but he bowed out hours before the show... Lucky for me I was able to talk Neil van der Upwich into saddling up one more time and go to the show. Once again we went to "Freebirds" for some awesome burritos and then off to the concert. Elvis Costello was the opening act followed by the mighty Police! We were sitting in the grass section (cheap seats) and waiting for the police to set up when we notice that people working for the concert venue were passing out tickets. I worked my way over and asked about the tickets which they then gave me 2. Yeah! We ended up in the 2 end seats in row H of the middle section. We had a perfect view of the stage and I have never been so close to the stage (unless you count when i worked security for the B-52's show in California). This was a great experience not only to see and hear great music but to be up close and not have to rely upon binoculars or the video screens. This caps off a fun 6 months of concerts starting with the Oak Ridge Boys, Van Halen, Roger Waters and The Police. Now it is time to bring kids into our family and make them the most important thing in our life! Maybe I will end up at a Hanna Montana concert next. It worked for a friend of mine.... But more on that later!

Selected!

We've been selected!!

Next step - we will get the childrens' file next week and read through it. If we still want to move forward we will have a meeting with the childrens' case worker and anyone else involved.

Then we will get to meet our kids!!

Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers. Keep praying for these kids, their lives will be changing drastically and that's tough when you're only 4 & 6.

Mom-to-be & Dad-to-be

Jury Duty

After 39 1/2 years on earth I finally got a Jury Summons. Last Monday I got up early (they said parking was free but limited), brought a good book and headed north to the new Collin County courthouse in McKinnney. Got a great parking space - getting there an hour early paid off. I sat in the truck and started a good book that Dave had bought about adopting an other child. I finally got out and waiting with all the other "jurers" until the doors were open. After I got in and went through security I entered a very large room with uncomfortable seats. It took about an hour to overfill the room. And then the true waiting began. After a while the girl came in and asked us not to shot the messenger. She then read the list of names that could leave but had to come back on Wednesday. I wasn't on it! Then she said she was waiting for the other judges to let her know how many of us they needed for the day. She came back a while later and had another list. This list would go directly to a court room. She read that list and I was not on it. As soon as she walked out she was handed another list and she came back to read it. I was not on it. A while later she came with another list. I was not on it. After what seemed like forever she came in to tell us that she was still waiting for the last judge to get back to her. Finally she came back in and said she had heard from the judge and he didn't need any of us and we were free to go. She reminded us that this counted for our jury duty and we would not be called for another 24 months. So then I went shopping, got some lunch and went home and did the dishes. I was actually excited to go back to work the next day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVE!

Today is Steve Marshall's birthday and I thought that I would share a few things that I remember about Steve.

I remember Steve and I kidnapping Michelle Sims so that Brad could propose to her. Being the good friends that we were we kidnapped her before dawn and had her ready only to find Brad asleep! Lucky for us Brad woke up with a little help and broke a few speed records to propose to Michelle as the sun came up.

Who looks more like “Bob’s Big Boy” then Steve!

Who’s a bigger fan of Barry Manilow then Steve “Fanilow” Marshall!

While the girls were on a planned scavenger hunt Steve also helped me out with my big proposal to Liz by taking me to get the roses etc. on the way down to Laguna Beach. You would never see me more stressed out then that day! That Yukon sure did get a lot of miles!

Truck! (Did you ever get one? I did and I am still paying for it!)

Steve’s excellent voice singing music from “Phantom of the Opera”.

Telling Liz that Steve was my brother, it is not hard to believe since he does look more like my brother then my brother! Liz soon figured out that my “real” brother was coming home from his mission!

The night we Dee Jayed on the Queen Mary for a company Christmas party where the owner gave a speech about firing all of the “loser” employees…. One by one!

That cool leather jacket!

Talking Rachel into marrying him. That was impressive!

Happy Birthday Steve!

ROGER WATERS

On Friday, May 2, 2008 Neil van der Upwich and I went to the Roger Waters concert in Dallas. Roger Waters played bass for the band Pink Floyd before going solo in the 80's and wrote a lot of their best song from such albums like "Wish You Were Here", "Dark Side of the Moon" and "The Wall". Since Pink Floyd is not turning anymore then this show was the closest I was going to get and it was great! The first half of the show was Roger Waters solo hits and Pink Floyd hits. The second half of the show was the entire album of "Dark Side of the Moon" from start to finish! As part of the encore he played "Another Brick in the Wall". What a great concert!

http://www.guidelive.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/columnists/tmaurstad/stories/DN-waters_0503gl.ART.State.Edition2.46b23e6.html

TREE TRIMMING

Last Saturday our friend Kit Allowitz came over and trimmed our front trees. It seems that in a past life Kit did a bit of tree trimming here and there. He did an awesome job and now we have more sunlight without losing our shade! His kids came over to play with the dogs and to make sure that he did a good job! We will miss the Allowitz family when they move to Austin next month!

PS: Kit, if the HR/Training thing doesn't work out you can always fall back on tree trimming....