Tired and Happy!

Got through our first Christmas together successfully. Boy, is our kiddo going to be spoiled. It looked like Christmas threw up in our living room.  She was thrilled with the array of gifts. 

We're told that Christmas is normally trauma time for her, as we were with Thanksgiving for our visit. We didn't have a fall out for either one.

Either therapy really has done a great job for her or we have serious honeymooning. Either way, loving having our beautiful kiddo here.

I'm so fuzzy on what our life was before her.

She's definitely a prayer answered and a dream come true.

We've had a full holiday season thus far. During her last visit before moving in, we took her to see The Nutcracker. She loved it and wants to make this a holiday tradition.

Second row seats!!!

She's seen Santa 3 times with us already, once at the mall, once at the racetrack when we did Toys for Tots and once when we went to breakfast at a local school.  The racetrack visit is also a family tradition. Take at least $20 or equivalent in toys and the toys go to needy kids and you get to ride your personal car around the racetrack. Afterwards we went to the infield and got hotdogs for lunch and Santa was there. 

She moved in and then we received a gift for the family of 3 tickets to Disney on Ice. Also GREAT seats. 2nd riser, front row. 

Apparently visiting Santa 3 times paid off. Santa visited here twice. Gifts were sent to her former city and again here, she ended up with twice the Santa gifts a normal SPOILED child would get.  In addition to our craziness!!

So, very busy, very crazy and yet, we've gotten lots of family, quality time in at home, just watching movies, playing cards or Wii. 

Dreading her going back to school.  I'm on leave and loving this time at home with our new kid. 

yep, prayers answered!!

Having a Family is so important

even dolls need a family.

our baby got her first allowance today.  I took her to the discount store and she bought a doll with her allowance and now only has 50 cent left for the next two weeks.

I tried to encourage her to save some of it (but it is all hers and to be spent her way, within certain guidelines, so she chose to spend it).

She said the doll had been in the box for awhile and she needed a family. She said she'd provide that doll a family just like we did for her.

Have I said what a heart of gold our kiddo has?

she can bring me to happy, sweet tears!

What I can't even dream.....

I haven't been here lately to blog, because my fingers can't possibly keep up with all my thoughts.

I'm just amazed at the journey and how much has happened since my last post. 

Despite cutie pies worker thinking she'd need months of visits before having overnights and a couple months of overnights before moving in, cutie adapted well and the timeline:

October 15th--interviewed for cutie
October 25th--reviewed file, met with therapist and had 10 minutes to meet with cutie
November 5th--2 hour visit with cutie
November 10th--6 hour visit with cutie
November 14th--treatment team meeting followed by 6 hour visit with cutie
November 17th--National Adoption Day and first overnight visit (1 night at our home)
November 22nd-2 night overnight visit for our first Thanksgiving together
November 30th-2 night overnight visit, visited Santa and she requested to come home for Christmas
December 5th--treatment team meeting, Christmas party for the kids there and got to bring her home after the party for a 5 night overnight visit (took her to the racetrack for toys for tots Saturday and the Nutcracker Sunday)
December 10th--last pre placement visit

DECEMBER 13th--OUR BABY WILL BE MOVING HOME FOR GOOD!!!

So super excited. Just hung up the phone from talking to 'lil Miss Princess, who is as over the moon excited as we are.  After so many visits, we've completely fallen head over hills in love with her and from the first visit, things have felt natural and "meant to be".

If you're on the waiting list, don't give up, just at that moment when you feel most ready to give up, a miracle may just be ready to happen.