The First Lady & Daughter

Tonight Dave & I meet Laura & Jenna Bush. They were at the Borders Bookstore in Dallas to sign their new book "Read All About It!" We also bought Jenna's book "Ana's Story" and had her sign it. It was the most controlled book signing either of us have ever been to.
Dave went in the morning to buy the books and get our wrist bands - Blue, the 5th group to go in. We meet after work and got their at about 6:45pm. It officially started at 7pm but when we were walking up there were already people leaving. We heard latter they started early. After waiting for a long time (we don't know how long because neither of us had our cell phones. They told us not to bring in bags and we knew security would be tight so we brought in the bare minimum.) When we entered the store we had what little we had searched and then had to walk through a metal detector. Then we headed to one side of the store, back a few aisles, then to almost the other side of the store. We were stopped and allowed to walk one at a time to the back of the store (I think that was the exit route and Secret Service didn't want it blocked) As we walked past you could see where Laura & Jenna were sitting - about 3 Secret Service were facing them and about 3 were facing us. We then walked in a circle around this section of the store before arriving at the end of the line where we were reminded to not put our hands in our pockets or make any sudden moves. We spent about 30 seconds in front of them - no small talk or hand shaking. Then we could stand behind a rope and take pictures. Here are some - not very good but, hey, it is the first lady & daughter. I also took some pictures of the books and autographs. It was an experience and since they will soon be neighbors we thought we should welcome them!!!

Our rent-a-kids came and spent a weekend with us while their grandma (Liz's Sister) rested after surgery & their mom & dad(Liz's niece & nephew-in-law) went to work. We put them to work in the yard. The three sitting on the dog kennel clipped twigs inbetween sitting on the dog kennel!! JR willingly mowed our entire backyard and most of the front yard. And if you've seen our backyard that is quite a feat for a 10 year old. After the work was done, we all headed for the city pool. Then back home for a BBQ. JR & Dave are quite a team!!

On Thursday, April 24th 2008 I went to the to the book signing for Valerie Bertinelli's book "Losing It". When at the front of the line I heard Valerie tell her boyfriend, Tom, "There's a 7-11 across the street, I am sure that they have Ibuprofen for you". Since I am not known for being shy I said "You need Ibuprofen?" Turns out that Tom had a bad sinus headaches so I told Tom and Valerie that I sold Ibuprofen and that after she signed the book I would "stock them up". Valerie was super nice and down to earth and I had a good time talking to her and her boyfriend Tom. Now if they had just given me some VIP concert tickets for the Van Halen show that night in Dallas.....

Denver

On my trip to Denver I got to hang out with our old neighbors, Doug & Kit, and their two adorable kids. I stopped by Sunday night after I got into town and was feed some great ribs! After having some fun with the kids I headed back to my hotel. I was glad to be safe in my room when our hotel was robbed that night. One of my co-workers witnessed the robery. And another came back to the hotel when the police were running around the courtyard looking for the man. The one thing we couldn't figure out was why would you rob a hotel - do they even have any cash? To make the week even more exciting some crazy maniac hit our mirror while we were waiting in the center lane to make a left turn. After seeing parts fly we stopped and checked it out and luckily our mirror bounced right back. After two days of training, I headed back to Texas after our plane flew around a storm. To top off my wonderful week, I woke up Thursday with a horrible stomache virus.

Chipotle Heaven!

The Original Chipotle!!
Denver Colorado

I went to Denver on business to train the new payroll & HR people.

While their I got to eat lunch at the very first Chipotle!

Hail Sale

On Tuesday April 8th we were awakened at about 11:30pm by the sound of our roof caving in or so we thought. Hail was pounding against our bedroom window. It wasn't as big as a baseball or a golf ball, but it could be compared to a marble. We were spared the next week when another hail storm came.

Texas weather is never boring!!

How the system works

We have had a lot of questions about what comes next in our process. So I just wanted to let everyone know that our file has been submitted a few times. When our case worker hears of kids that she thinks we would be a good match for she sends our file to the kids case worker. We know very little about the kids she submitted our file for. Usually ages, gender & race. So far I think we've kept it under 6 years old, but who knows what the next one will bring. We were notified today that one of the case workers that has our file has narrowed it down to "a few" files. Ours is one of them. The kids case workers and all those involve on their side will get together in the next couple of weeks and discuss the "few" files they have. They will talk with the case workers of those families, including ours. Our case worker will continue to look for kids while this is happening because we may not be the ones picked. While this is exciting, it is not a done deal. It is my hope that the childrens case worker will find the best family for them. And while I think we're a pretty great family we may not be the best family for these kids. After all, it's all about the kids!! So we continue to wait and pray. If you do want to pray with us, don't pray that we get picked, pray that all involved in this decision will be insipired to find the best family for these kids. And if it's us, we will definately need your prayers. :)

Adoption Scrapbook Page

We were asked to do a scrapbook page representing us for our adoption. I mainly used pictures of us with nieces & nephews here in Texas. I know there's a lot more of you, but I wanted to show all the local cousins our kids would have. I also couldn't resist using the pictures of "Santa Dave". He made such a great Santa. The pictures of the boys on the brick wall & them hanging on Dave were taken just a couple of weeks ago. My one niece in Texas was sick and I had a nephew out of town. These boys are my "great" nephews, my nieces Heather & Amie's kids. I told them what I was taking the pictures for and they got taking about what they wanted in a cousin. Of course they want us to only adopt boys!! And each wants a cousin their own age. I told them we were only approved for up to age 10 and Austin (who will be 12 in April) very logically stated that we could get a boy who was almost 11. He figured that was as close as we could get to his age. They are all excited and are always asking when we are getting our kids. I always tell them well get them when Heavenly Father says it's time and we'll get who He wants us to get, so I can't promise all boys!! Of course Tori (the one girl cousin in Texas) wants a girl. I don't think she cares what age, but she desprately wants a local girl cousin. My parents will just be glad to finally have all their grandkids. I'm the only one without kids. Everyone else is done (or so they say). So when we get our kids that generation will be complete. Of course on Dave's side ours won't be the last. His sister & her husband haven't even started their family and his brother has two girls, so maybe they'll have more. And of course his step brothers & sisters could go on for a long time, so I pretty sure our family will truely be never ending. Well that's it for now. We are just patiently waiting for Heavenly Father to lead us to the children that are meant to be in our home. And with the help of a wonderful case worker we will find them!!! And then we'll live "happily ever after". (Don't panic, someday I'll explain my philosophy on fairy tales)

WE'RE APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dave just called to tell me that he spoke with our Case Worker!!!! We are approved to adopt!!! She is going to stop by Monday morning to meet with us and start to get to know us and find out what kind of kids we want!!!

Finally, We get to go find our kids!!!!!!!!

Valentines Day

My wonderful thoughtful husband made my Valentines Day perfect. I came home from work just before him. He said he had plans for dinner so I started on getting the kitchen cleaned up thinking he would grill me a steak - one of my favorites!! After Dave came home he went to the bathroom and then the doorbell rang. I couldn't believe someone would come over on Valentines Day - hopefully our last without kids. I ran to the door because the dogs were tormenting the poor man who rang the bell. And much to my surprise it was the Papa Johns pizza guy!! Dave had a heart shaped pizza delivered. It was one of the best Valentines day ever. I know most women want dinner at a fancy restaurant, but I'm different and Dave knows me very well. I love him - he is the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Texas Snow

I know it doesn't look like much to most of you, but this is snow in north Texas! We were in the 80s on Saturday and wearing shorts. The weather started to drop after church yesterday and then a little after 9pm it started snowing. Unfortunately, it will only drop to about 31 and then start heading back up around 8am, so no luck for an ice/snow day. We haven't had any ice days this winter. Last winter we had a few. We should be back up to 60 on Saturday and 70 on Sunday. Gotta love Texas weather. Never a dull moment!

It's On His Desk

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

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!

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!

Santa

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.

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!!!

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....

2007