I have just received offical confirmation that our file is now with the supervisor of our county CPS office! After he reads though it, he will assign it to a case worker who will call us and help us find our kids!!!
Keep praying for us and our kids wherever they might me!!!
Liz
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Still Waiting...
We have received word that our file has been turned into the CPS supervisor of our county. He will now approve it (he better!!) and assign it to a case worker. Then that case worker will call us, come visit, and find us kids!!! We are praying for a nice case worker. And we are always praying for our kids.
Other then waiting we are organizing our office, spring cleaning the Christmas stuff before putting it in the attic, and enjoying going 0ut without hiring a babysitter (we know those days are numbered).
Christmas was good, but boring with only the two of us. The holidays just didn't have the excitment we were hoping they would have this year. 2008 will definately be different!! Work is still the same for both of us. Dave has a new boss - that's a good thing. We are expecting a freeze this week with snow flurries on Thursday. We are both hoping for an ice day so we can stay home and get things done! Could happen Thursday or Friday but probably not.
For any Brown family reading this, I'm starting the 2007 DVD. Send pictures!! It might be all about Anna & Aubrey Waite if I don't get any more!
We saw The Ark at a little community theater in Hurst with my parents. It was fun. It was written by Michael McLean.
Okay enough rambling - Back to work!
Other then waiting we are organizing our office, spring cleaning the Christmas stuff before putting it in the attic, and enjoying going 0ut without hiring a babysitter (we know those days are numbered).
Christmas was good, but boring with only the two of us. The holidays just didn't have the excitment we were hoping they would have this year. 2008 will definately be different!! Work is still the same for both of us. Dave has a new boss - that's a good thing. We are expecting a freeze this week with snow flurries on Thursday. We are both hoping for an ice day so we can stay home and get things done! Could happen Thursday or Friday but probably not.
For any Brown family reading this, I'm starting the 2007 DVD. Send pictures!! It might be all about Anna & Aubrey Waite if I don't get any more!
We saw The Ark at a little community theater in Hurst with my parents. It was fun. It was written by Michael McLean.
Okay enough rambling - Back to work!
Friday, December 21, 2007
We Are Done!!!
Merry Christmas, we are done!
We had our final home study visit last week. Today I talked with our home study provider and she asked that we fax our drivers license, since we don't have our birth certificates.(no one told us we needed them and neither of us know where they would be. We have requested copies in case they decide they really need them.) What a roller coster. We should have our final approval and a case worker by mid January. Santa may not stop at our house this year, but we are hoping the Easter Bunny makes it!! Thanks for all your prayers and happy thoughts. Keep them coming, we need them to find OUR kids! I know they are out there, we just have to find them!
We had our final home study visit last week. Today I talked with our home study provider and she asked that we fax our drivers license, since we don't have our birth certificates.(no one told us we needed them and neither of us know where they would be. We have requested copies in case they decide they really need them.) What a roller coster. We should have our final approval and a case worker by mid January. Santa may not stop at our house this year, but we are hoping the Easter Bunny makes it!! Thanks for all your prayers and happy thoughts. Keep them coming, we need them to find OUR kids! I know they are out there, we just have to find them!
Friday, December 14, 2007
We Are Done!!
Last night, Melanie, our homestudy provider came by to interview me (Liz). She had interview both of us and Dave last Friday. She now has to write a report about us. She said she should be done with that by the end of next week. She said if we don't hear anything by the middle of January we should start calling them!! Once we have our offical approval we will be assigned a case worker who will help us find our kids! We have no idea how long that will take. For the sake of the kids I hope Heavenly Father will help us find them fast so we can all begin our new lives together!
Thank you for all your thoughts & prayers. They really do work. Keep praying for our kids.
Thank you for all your thoughts & prayers. They really do work. Keep praying for our kids.
Monday, December 03, 2007
FINALLY - Adoption Update
After months of waiting, emails that weren't answered and a phone call that was kinda rude Dave finally got a message to a supervisor and suddenly the wheels were in motion. Our paperwork was found hiding behind someone elses. And today...
The phone call came.
I got to work and my message light was on (normally not a happy sight). It was a message from Melanie - she sounded so nice. She is a Homestudy Provider. She is contracted by CPS to do homestudies. She is not a CPS employee. I called her back and she explained what she needed to do. She will come to the house twice. Her first appointment is on Friday the 7th. She will meet with me at 3:30pm and then Dave can come home and she will do the couple interview at 4:30pm. She will then need to make an appointment to interview Dave. She doesn't even have our file yet. She was given my number and told to make the appointment. She picks up our file tomorrow. She said that she has 30 days to complete the homestudy from the day she was assigned. She also said that she was going on vacation after Christmas and was hoping to get it done before then!!
Once she is done, she will send her recommendation to the CPS supervisor in our county who will give his "stamp of approval" and then we go find our kids!!!
The phone call came.
I got to work and my message light was on (normally not a happy sight). It was a message from Melanie - she sounded so nice. She is a Homestudy Provider. She is contracted by CPS to do homestudies. She is not a CPS employee. I called her back and she explained what she needed to do. She will come to the house twice. Her first appointment is on Friday the 7th. She will meet with me at 3:30pm and then Dave can come home and she will do the couple interview at 4:30pm. She will then need to make an appointment to interview Dave. She doesn't even have our file yet. She was given my number and told to make the appointment. She picks up our file tomorrow. She said that she has 30 days to complete the homestudy from the day she was assigned. She also said that she was going on vacation after Christmas and was hoping to get it done before then!!
Once she is done, she will send her recommendation to the CPS supervisor in our county who will give his "stamp of approval" and then we go find our kids!!!
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Dave meets Elvis???
I was out late one night in the little town of Quinlan, TX. It had been a long day and I was feeling hungry. Being that it was Quinlan, TX and because I was broke I had my choice of Arby's or McDonalds. There were no Chipotle's in Quinlan.... I decided to go with Arby's because the beef n' chedder sandwich was bring out a hunger, a hunger that I hadn't felt in years..... Anyway, I drove up to the local Arby's and found it to be a walk - in only! Agghhhh! OK, I am still feeling that hunger that you only get for those potato cakes so I went on in to hang with the locals..... As I walk in I smelled the grease and oil of the fryer that hadn't been changed since "41" was President. I thought twice before I ordered.... Would it be good? Would it be as wonderful as the last time? Would it be reheated for the fifth time in a week? OK.... I can do this! So I walked up and said "hi" to the girl at the counter who was missing a few teeth but she did have that metal thing in her tongue.... Good thing that Arby's meat is soft! She talked to me and her voice made a slight "clicking" sound that reminded me of the train station telegraph office at Disneyland...... Oh, back to the story! So I ordered "give me a beef n' chedder, potato cakes and a diet coke, I need to watch my studly figure". She smiled and said "you're not from around here are ya".... I smiled and said "no I'm not young lady" partly because I wanted my food to be right and because I knew that she didn't have a car..... She came back with my food and I grabbed a big hand full of Arby Sauce and went out the door into the night. As I got to the car a big old Cadillac from the 1970's drove up out of nowhere. This is the kind of caddy that is longer then most houses with rims and head light covers! The car comes to a slow stop and the door opens. Amongst the coke bottles and cheeseburger wrappers falling out a tough looking man with red hair emerged from the car. Then the passenger door opens and with a large belch a man empties into the shadows.... A voice I knew from somewhere says "Red, y'all go in there and get me some food, I feel something coming on". The red haired man says "no problem boss" and the voice says "thank you, thank you very much.... Then the voice steps out of the shadows and I saw that it was The King, The King of Rock n' Roll Elvis Presley! Wow, I've seen Santa Clause but this..... in Quinlan! He looked at me a with a curled lip and ketchup dripping down his chin said "what you looking at son, McDonalds is closed and I need something for the road and I don't like the pansy sandwiches that Jared makes at Subway". With that he did a karate chop in the air to overstate his dislikes for Subway. For once in my life I was speechless and just stared. Finally I was able to ask for a quick autograph and picture and then Elvis and Red hoped back into the car and drove off into the night. Before he left he reminded me to treat my "Mommababy" right unlike the way that he had treated Cilla. I asked him where he lived now that Graceland is a museum? He said that he traveled the good ol' USA fighting crime where ever it may be.... Finally I asked him how he could be alive and he said that he believed in only there things... God, Country and Elvis......You go Elvis....
Saturday, November 17, 2007
2007 Year in Review
Here's a quick run down of the slide show photos and what we did this year.
1. We got some snow last winter. Not much, but enough to make a little tiny snowman and close the office a couple of days (mostly due to ice).
2. Dave's work van was covered with snow a couple of days. Didn't make for an enjoyable work day!
3. This is all but one of my nieces. The Joneses to the left & The Graybills to the right. Love 'em lots!!
4. Dave on the far right & his teaching partner Jeff on the left. These are the kids that were in his primary class at church. He is still teaching but they had kids move in and had to split the class.
5. Liz's brother Steve brought his family out for a visit and we met up with them at the Fort Worth Stock Yards. The Nelsons came too. These boys are cute - especially the big one!!
6. Natalie Brown! She turned 16 this year, I remember when she was born.
7. Tyler Brown showing off his big coin from the place where money is made!
8. Dave's sister Jenafer & her husband David came to visit after we met up with them in Oklahoma. It was just a short 24 hour vistit but we took them to Texas Land & Cattle for lunch.
9. Dave enjoyed showing Jen & David around Dallas for the day before meeting up with Liz for lunch.
10. We finally get a house and great neighbors and then they get transfered and move to Denver. We miss them, but we had an excuss to go to Texas Land & Cattle the night before they left!
11. Liz was director of the church girls camp this summer - 5 hot days, a very windy night, one pool, a day at the lake, food, skeet shooting & 30 teenage girls! What a week! Creshel is the president of the organization.
12. We visited my parents community pool a few times in the summer. The kids loved playing with Uncle Dave.
13. We visited Louisiana and yes we really saw alligators.
14. We toured the Tabasco Factory and spent lots in the country store! We even bought a gallon jug of Tabasco sauce. It is our inspiration piece for redesigning our kitchen someday.
15. Dave's best friend Brad and his family. We used to live across the street from them. Now we live 6hrs away.
16. The Howard boys helped Dave remove a fence post. JR loved the sledgehammer!!
17. Dave taught JR how to make a really tasty steak!!
18. We celebrated 11 years in Oklahoma this past September. We found a place called Pops! Hundreds of different soda pop flavors.
19. Dave met "Elvis" at the Plano Balloon Festival about a mile from our house.
20. Liz is getting old - 39. We celebrated at BJs Pizza.
21. Joel helped Aunt Liz celebrate her birthday and eat her potatoe wedges!!
22. Dave and his little friend Abby at the LDS Dallas Temple. Our friends, the Maloufs, were sealed as a family.
What a year! It was a good one, but did not turn out the way we had hoped and dreamed. Our dreams are now in the hands of CPS and we just wait. We hope & pray that 2008 is our year and our family will be complete!
Merry Christmas
The Andersons!!
1. We got some snow last winter. Not much, but enough to make a little tiny snowman and close the office a couple of days (mostly due to ice).
2. Dave's work van was covered with snow a couple of days. Didn't make for an enjoyable work day!
3. This is all but one of my nieces. The Joneses to the left & The Graybills to the right. Love 'em lots!!
4. Dave on the far right & his teaching partner Jeff on the left. These are the kids that were in his primary class at church. He is still teaching but they had kids move in and had to split the class.
5. Liz's brother Steve brought his family out for a visit and we met up with them at the Fort Worth Stock Yards. The Nelsons came too. These boys are cute - especially the big one!!
6. Natalie Brown! She turned 16 this year, I remember when she was born.
7. Tyler Brown showing off his big coin from the place where money is made!
8. Dave's sister Jenafer & her husband David came to visit after we met up with them in Oklahoma. It was just a short 24 hour vistit but we took them to Texas Land & Cattle for lunch.
9. Dave enjoyed showing Jen & David around Dallas for the day before meeting up with Liz for lunch.
10. We finally get a house and great neighbors and then they get transfered and move to Denver. We miss them, but we had an excuss to go to Texas Land & Cattle the night before they left!
11. Liz was director of the church girls camp this summer - 5 hot days, a very windy night, one pool, a day at the lake, food, skeet shooting & 30 teenage girls! What a week! Creshel is the president of the organization.
12. We visited my parents community pool a few times in the summer. The kids loved playing with Uncle Dave.
13. We visited Louisiana and yes we really saw alligators.
14. We toured the Tabasco Factory and spent lots in the country store! We even bought a gallon jug of Tabasco sauce. It is our inspiration piece for redesigning our kitchen someday.
15. Dave's best friend Brad and his family. We used to live across the street from them. Now we live 6hrs away.
16. The Howard boys helped Dave remove a fence post. JR loved the sledgehammer!!
17. Dave taught JR how to make a really tasty steak!!
18. We celebrated 11 years in Oklahoma this past September. We found a place called Pops! Hundreds of different soda pop flavors.
19. Dave met "Elvis" at the Plano Balloon Festival about a mile from our house.
20. Liz is getting old - 39. We celebrated at BJs Pizza.
21. Joel helped Aunt Liz celebrate her birthday and eat her potatoe wedges!!
22. Dave and his little friend Abby at the LDS Dallas Temple. Our friends, the Maloufs, were sealed as a family.
What a year! It was a good one, but did not turn out the way we had hoped and dreamed. Our dreams are now in the hands of CPS and we just wait. We hope & pray that 2008 is our year and our family will be complete!
Merry Christmas
The Andersons!!
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Waiting & Waiting....
That seems to be the theme of our life. Just Waiting. No phone call yet. Dave has emailed and received no response. He called and was told they will get to us when they get to us. Don't you just love the government. We are trying to be positive and determined. At times I just want to give up. Oh how I'd take the 20 hours of labor. It would have been so much easier.
November is National Adoption Month. The govenor of Texas, Rick Perry, has his little political letter - http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/press/editorials/editorial-20071030/view - it sounded good, so I emailed him and told him how much Dave & I would love to open our home this holiday season. I tried to stay postitive and just told him like it was. If the process wasn't so long and the people so rude maybe there would be more homes open to the kids.
We painted our living room, hall and entry! We're putting up crown molding on Saturday. It looks great. We painted a tan/beige color. It seems so cozy and warm compared to the stark white walls. I sure wish someone would come and visit us! We'd love to show off our little home and the Dallas area! We still love it here. We are still doing the same ol' thing. And just waiting...
November is National Adoption Month. The govenor of Texas, Rick Perry, has his little political letter - http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/press/editorials/editorial-20071030/view - it sounded good, so I emailed him and told him how much Dave & I would love to open our home this holiday season. I tried to stay postitive and just told him like it was. If the process wasn't so long and the people so rude maybe there would be more homes open to the kids.
We painted our living room, hall and entry! We're putting up crown molding on Saturday. It looks great. We painted a tan/beige color. It seems so cozy and warm compared to the stark white walls. I sure wish someone would come and visit us! We'd love to show off our little home and the Dallas area! We still love it here. We are still doing the same ol' thing. And just waiting...
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
39 and counting...
Well, I'm 39 now. And still waiting for a phone call to set up our home study. I am now in charge of activities at church. Dave is on my committee and he is still teaching the 5/6 year olds.
We are starting to listen to Christmas music for our annual CD! And with my new PhotoShop hobby, we should have a creative cover!
We are dejunking our house - a never ending battle - and Dave has $80 towards his play station 2. We took in old books & videos to a used book store. Dave is going through his CDs to get the other $50 dollars.
We have a new dishwasher. Didn't want one, but the one that came with the house (we think it's the original from 20 years ago) decided it was time to die! Even though we stayed on the cheap side of the prices we got a good one and I am learning that I don't have to wash my dishes before I wash my dishes. Thanks to our friend Doug it is installed and working well!
Now if we could just get kids to dirty some more dishes. We are looking way too much on the website. There are so many that need Moms & Dads. I know we can't take them all but I hope we can find the ones that God has prepared to come into our home!
Until next time...
Parents-in-waiting
Dave & Liz
We are starting to listen to Christmas music for our annual CD! And with my new PhotoShop hobby, we should have a creative cover!
We are dejunking our house - a never ending battle - and Dave has $80 towards his play station 2. We took in old books & videos to a used book store. Dave is going through his CDs to get the other $50 dollars.
We have a new dishwasher. Didn't want one, but the one that came with the house (we think it's the original from 20 years ago) decided it was time to die! Even though we stayed on the cheap side of the prices we got a good one and I am learning that I don't have to wash my dishes before I wash my dishes. Thanks to our friend Doug it is installed and working well!
Now if we could just get kids to dirty some more dishes. We are looking way too much on the website. There are so many that need Moms & Dads. I know we can't take them all but I hope we can find the ones that God has prepared to come into our home!
Until next time...
Parents-in-waiting
Dave & Liz
Friday, September 28, 2007
Waiting...
Our case file was sent for homestudy assignment last week. We should hear from someone in the next couple of weeks to schedule the homestudy.
Who knows how far out they schedule the homestudy appointment. We have some things to get done. We have about 1/2 of the boxes out of one of the bedrooms! Dave turned in some old books & videos and got some money towards his PS2. It's not a PS3, but it is better then nothing.
ALL the dogs are now sleeping in crates. We bought a little one for Gracie. We tried to keep her off the new couches but it wasn't happening. So now she sleeps in her crate at night and all day. It makes for a better night sleep for us, not having a dog in the middle!
We are now entering the busy, I mean Holiday season! We wonder how busy it will get. Will have have a lonely Christmas or a wild & crazy kid filled Christmas. A lot is still unknown and we'll just trust our Heavenly Father that he knows best!
Parents-in-waiting
Dave & Liz
Who knows how far out they schedule the homestudy appointment. We have some things to get done. We have about 1/2 of the boxes out of one of the bedrooms! Dave turned in some old books & videos and got some money towards his PS2. It's not a PS3, but it is better then nothing.
ALL the dogs are now sleeping in crates. We bought a little one for Gracie. We tried to keep her off the new couches but it wasn't happening. So now she sleeps in her crate at night and all day. It makes for a better night sleep for us, not having a dog in the middle!
We are now entering the busy, I mean Holiday season! We wonder how busy it will get. Will have have a lonely Christmas or a wild & crazy kid filled Christmas. A lot is still unknown and we'll just trust our Heavenly Father that he knows best!
Parents-in-waiting
Dave & Liz
Monday, September 10, 2007
11 years and counting
We went to Oklahoma City for the weekend to celebrate our 11th anniversary (9/7). We had a blast. Got a good deal on a room - thanks to a friends & family discount because of bro-in-law David. We went to the Bombing Memorial & Museum - highly recommend it!! A must see! Bring the tissues. Very moving! We shopped and ate and walked and rode the watertaxi! We had Marie Callenders (brought home some pies!) and drove through a little town called Blanchard. My Great Grandma lived here before getting married in OK City and moving to Long Beach California! I visited the grave site of my Great Great Grandparents and saw lots of others I'm related to.
We hope this is our last anniversary alone. Next year we either take the kids or get a babysitter. And speaking of kids, we got an email back from our CPS person. We are missing just 3 papers that need signing. She also didn't get our fingerprints - which we did a long time ago. She is looking in the system for that - it's all done electronically. Still no idea how long before our homestudy. So we just hurry up and wait. We are trying to dejunk until then. Making more room for the kids stuff!
Until next time...
We hope this is our last anniversary alone. Next year we either take the kids or get a babysitter. And speaking of kids, we got an email back from our CPS person. We are missing just 3 papers that need signing. She also didn't get our fingerprints - which we did a long time ago. She is looking in the system for that - it's all done electronically. Still no idea how long before our homestudy. So we just hurry up and wait. We are trying to dejunk until then. Making more room for the kids stuff!
Until next time...
Friday, August 31, 2007
ADOPTION UPDATE
Paperwork is complete!
Now we wait - to see if there is anything we forgot & for a call to set up our home study visit. We have no idea how long that will take. After that we get the official approval and go look for kids! We see cute kids on the web site all the time so I don't think we'll have a problem finding great kids, it will just be finding OUR great kids!! Officially we are looking for 2-4 kids ages 5ish to 8ish - realistically we think 2 would be great!
Thanks for all your support and prayers. Keep 'em coming!
Now we wait - to see if there is anything we forgot & for a call to set up our home study visit. We have no idea how long that will take. After that we get the official approval and go look for kids! We see cute kids on the web site all the time so I don't think we'll have a problem finding great kids, it will just be finding OUR great kids!! Officially we are looking for 2-4 kids ages 5ish to 8ish - realistically we think 2 would be great!
Thanks for all your support and prayers. Keep 'em coming!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
August Update
Yea, it's been a while. Still working on the adoption thing. We've been in our house for over a year now! We still love it. We learned a bit about plumbing - what a Saturday night! Haven't quiet figured out what to do with the big backyard.
Dave is still teaching the 5-6 years olds at church. Camp is over and I'm now doing nothing - I sure miss those girls!
After months of record rain, we are finally experiancing a Texas summer. We have had a week of near record heat.
We went to Louisiana last month to visit Brad & Michelle Sims. It was great to see them and their kids. We got to go to Avery Island and visit the Tabasco factory & country store! We got to see aligators up close - too close!
Our next trip will be for our 11th anniversary in September. Just a quick weekend getaway. Don't know where yet.
Dave is still teaching the 5-6 years olds at church. Camp is over and I'm now doing nothing - I sure miss those girls!
After months of record rain, we are finally experiancing a Texas summer. We have had a week of near record heat.
We went to Louisiana last month to visit Brad & Michelle Sims. It was great to see them and their kids. We got to go to Avery Island and visit the Tabasco factory & country store! We got to see aligators up close - too close!
Our next trip will be for our 11th anniversary in September. Just a quick weekend getaway. Don't know where yet.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Wow It's been a while
Here it is January 2007!
We are on our way to creating a family!
We started our PRIDE training with the state of Texas CPS department. 2 Saturdays down - 3 to go! We have to have a physical, home fire inspection, home health inspection, Infant Child Adult CPR & First Aid certification, water safety course, and fill out tons of paper work. All before our home study. After the home study we will be approved for adoption! Then we go find our kids.
We both continue to work (no sign of that stopping!) at the same companies we started with here in Texas. We love our house (moved in June 06). We love church - Dave is teaching the 5 year olds (what is Heavenly Father preparing him for??) and I have been called to be the Young Women Camp Director - plan a week long girls camp for 35 12-18 year old girls!!!
We'll try to keep you updated!
We are on our way to creating a family!
We started our PRIDE training with the state of Texas CPS department. 2 Saturdays down - 3 to go! We have to have a physical, home fire inspection, home health inspection, Infant Child Adult CPR & First Aid certification, water safety course, and fill out tons of paper work. All before our home study. After the home study we will be approved for adoption! Then we go find our kids.
We both continue to work (no sign of that stopping!) at the same companies we started with here in Texas. We love our house (moved in June 06). We love church - Dave is teaching the 5 year olds (what is Heavenly Father preparing him for??) and I have been called to be the Young Women Camp Director - plan a week long girls camp for 35 12-18 year old girls!!!
We'll try to keep you updated!
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