forward movement

Things are finally moving forward again in the adoption process. The "week to 10 days" it was going to take to review our application turned into over 3 weeks. However, word has been trickling in from our fantastic references that they have been receiving the letters from the Society. And they have a deadline, apparently, to write a letter for us and have it back to the Society. In addition to that, we have received our second packet from them, with MORE questions to answer ("were you able to confide in your mom and dad?" "tell us specific amounts and frequency of how much alcohol you drink", etc) and instructions on how to get fingerprinted.

Wee-haw, here we go! :)

getting organized

We got to spend a weekend at home for once. It seems like we haven't been home for a weekend in a very, very long time. And because of that, our house is a disaster. A huge disaster. And sometime in the future, we are going to have a home study done, so we need to get organized. Fast.

So today was it.

We managed to get a lot done!! We got into the middle bedroom, where we keep all the baby stuff and other things that kind of get thrown in there. It is now all set up. We even set up the crib, finding out that we are missing a couple of the bolts. Hopefully we can order new hardware for it! I'm glad we discovered that now, rather than later when we actually need the crib!

While we were at it, we rearranged the living room. That's the best way to clean because it forces us to move the furniture. Gross! And since we were moving around furniture, we decided to make more space upstairs and move the piano downstairs. Josh had a couple students and one of our friends come over and help him get it down there.

That's the exciting life we had today- but it was so nice to be able to stay home for once!

a fish funeral

I had my very first fish funeral tonight. We came home yesterday to find Fishio was no longer swimming. I didn't know what to tell Brecken, so we waited until this afternoon after school to tell him. My poor baby cried. Hard. He's so broken hearted, it made me cry right along with him. He wanted to bury Fishio in the back yard under the plants, so after Josh came home from practice, we did that. Brecken wondered if we could get Fishio back after he felt better and we wiped the dirt off him from being buried. :( The poor kid got teary-eyed every time he thought of Fishio tonight. Poor baby. :(

grandma peewee

Edna “Peewee” Sandlian
Modified: Friday, Nov 12th, 2010

Edna Sandlian

July 8, 1933 – November 9, 2010

Funeral services for Edna “Peewee” Sandlian, 77, will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12, 2010, at the First Wyoming United Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Steven Seng officiating. Burial will follow in the Valley View Cemetery. Edna died Nov. 9, 2010, at Community Hospital in Torrington. Memorials may be made to the Special Touch Program at Community Hospital, the American Cancer Society, or the donor’s choice. Visitation will be Thursday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the funeral home and the casket will be open at the church prior to the service. Arrangements are under the direction of the Colyer Funeral Home and friends may send condolences to the family at www.colyerfuneralhome.com.

Edna was born July 8, 1933, at the family home northwest of Yoder, the daughter of Henry and Ella (Prentice) Garrelts. She grew up and received her education in Yoder graduating in 1951. She married Dale Sandlian on July 20, 1952. They farmed near Yoder for a short time before moving to Torrington. She drove school bus and enjoyed driving the sports trips. She started delivering rural mail part and then went to full-time in the mid 1980s. She retired from there.

Edna enjoyed bowling, playing bridge, golfing, and traveling the world with friends. She was a member of the Torrington Country Club, the Wyoming Rural Carriers Association, and the South Goshen Presbyterian Church.

Edna will be dearly missed by Dwayne and Jacquie Sandlian of Torrington, and their family; children, Summer and Eric, Beki and Josh, Daniel and Tiffany, Jessica and Mike, John, Tessa, Steffie, and Beth; grandchildren, Natalie, Anna, Molli, Emma, Caylie, and Caleb; Craig and Lennie Sandlian of Lingle and their family; children Joshua and Kara, Joel and Annie, and Jeffrey and Beth; grandchildren Karlee, Trevor, Hailey, Brecken and Bryell; Bryan and Anne Sandlian of Cheyenne and their family; children Jessica and Mike, and Mark; grandchildren Brayden and Lyla; brother Alvin “Sonny” Garrelts of Yoder; sister Anna Mae McElheny of Torrington; niece, nephews, and many close friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; two brothers; one sister; and one great-grandchild Kaylin Sandlian.

chicago

We made the fastest trip ever to Chicago this weekend for my grandma's funeral. It was a really great weekend, even though we were only there for one full day! EVERYONE from my family was able to make it, which I find amazing- we are spread out from FL to WA, to NY to CA, to WY, MN, and IL... and we haven't all been together in years. YEARS. It was so great to see all my family, even if the head lady wasn't there. :(

All of my grandma's great grandchildren together for the first time:
Myself with all my cousins- I think the last time we were together was when I turned 18:

Me and my family. :)

Josh, B, and I:

The whole family:

here we go!

Here it is- our GOOD news. The past month has been filled with nothing but horrible news, it seems, so I'm excited to say that today I have great news.

We're going to adopt!

We got the application packet a few weeks ago. We finally got all the information gathered and our autobiographies written and reference list put together, and pictures ordered and marriage license photocopied, and got it all ready to mail in today, and I did. And as I left the post office, I was a litte bit giddy- that must mean it's the right thing to be doing right now! And when I got back from the post office, I emailed an adoptive mother who has graciously opened her email inbox to us, to let her know it was done. And she wrote back,

"I know what you mean...the giddiness of "expecting" is pure Heaven!"



and I realized that's what it is- we're expecting.



Hip, Hip, Hooray!