dual enrolled

We put in our initial application for another agency today. We figured having two agencies out there with our name was better than one. So we did it. The initial upfront fees are much more, but the placement fee is much lower, so it all evens out in the end and the final price for both places are very similar. So we did it. The initial application was online, so depending on how quickly we get the full application, and get the home study completed, we'll be set to go. (They wouldn't take our home study from WCS, even though we just renewed it - apparently the new agency does it differently so we have to start over. :( )

Crossing fingers that maybe this agency will move a little faster...

best concert ever

Remember this from last year?

Tonight was the night of the spring concert. A couple weeks ago, Brecken asked if we could buy new pants for his concert. Ones that weren't sweat pants.

Um, what?

And asked if he could wear a new shirt that he bought from our trip to state basketball.

Um, what?

And his Nikes, WITH SOCKS.

Um, what?

He was so excited for the concert tonight. (he was last year, too... but his brain couldn't handle all the stimuli and we had a meltdown.)

He got home from school, took off his basketball shorts and t-shirt that is too small for him, and put on his concert clothes. A little early, since we didn't have to leave for an hour and a half, but I didn't say anything. I crossed my fingers that he didn't spill pizza sauce all over the shirt so that we didn't have to deal with finding another shirt.

Then I crossed my fingers that we'd make it out the door in the new clothes.

Then I crossed my fingers that he'd go backstage. And my heart was pounding... we had to stay out in the lobby until the teachers called the kids back. The noise grew more and more... and I could feel my B-man shutting down by the second... I tried to tell him jokes to keep his mind off things and make him laugh, while at the same time in my head I was shouting "COME GET THESE KIDS BEFORE MY KID CAN'T HANDLE THE NOISE ANYMORE!" :)

Finally, they called the kids back. No meltdown from noise. Hip, hip, hooray! He clung to my hand, and kind of reluctantly let go, but he did let go and gave me a "Bye, Mommy!"

Then I crossed my fingers that he'd make it on stage.

Josh and I could see little feet under the curtain when it was time for the concert to start and I gave a big sigh of relief to see his bright yellow on his black Nikes cross by.

WHAT A CONCERT! He sang with gusto. He did all his actions, and was the best stick tapper up there. I may or may not have shed a tear or two... or 10, or 50...

SO PROUD of my little man. What a long way he's come in one year.

It truly was the best concert ever.

irish

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

imagination

Brecken's imagination is incredible. And I love seeing what he comes up with and what he has absorbed by observing things that go on - I didn't have any idea he paid that close of attention until he started doing what he does!

His latest thing is basketball games in the house. Yesterday's included a written program with a roster on it - written by himself on a paper towel. He picked 4 other little boys in his preschool class to round out the roster with himself. Josh then had to announce the players and their numbers. When #22, Brecken, was announced (because 22 is the number on his jersey that he has, complete with matching basketball shorts), Brecken takes off his yellow long sleeved shirt that serves as his warm-up. (Because Josh's team also has yellow long sleeved warm-ups.) As he takes it off, he runs to the other part of the living room and pretends to high 5 the imaginary people that make his team that are already out on the "court".

The visiting team, when announced, just has numbers. Because, you know, B doesn't know the kids from the other team. :)

Then he throws the ball up in the air and every time, wins the tip off! :)

Yesterday, after he won 22-2, he went out to the kitchen and messed around for a while. Then he came out, and in his best announcer's voice, announced "If you want to visit our concession stand today, it looks like we are selling fruit snacks!)

Then, he drew numbers for prizes. At Josh's games, they do the same thing. Your number is on your program if you buy one, and if your number is called, you win baked goods. So yesterday, Josh won a cup full of popcorn, rice krispies, and fruit snacks. I won the same thing when my number was called. :)

I love watching him play. He's one amazing kid, for sure!

And on a side note, today I had a random day off school. I told Brecken that last week, thinking he'd be excited to stay home with me. Instead, I heard, "Oh man! Brian is going to be at Kacey's house on Monday! Can I please still go to Kacey's instead of stay home with you?" I didn't know if I should have hurt feelings or not. :) I am super glad he loves Kacey so much though, and I'm so glad he has a best buddy this year. So this morning, off he went. And I got to clean my closet by myself. :)

home study renewal

So yesterday we drove over to get our home study renewed. Our new lady, Pat, is the director of the domestic adoptions, so I like that she will know things.

Anyway, she was really nice and we only had to update a few little things. She told us straight out that this wouldn't take long an that we didn't need to drive all the way to see her, but I told her that we really wanted her to know who we were, instead of being just names on a list. She said that was smart of us, so I'm glad we made that decision.

As of now, there's about 20 people on the wait list, an there are 2 or 3 that have waited longer than us. Our book has been shown a lot, but most people lately have been choosing couples that don't have kids already. So we'll just wait until someone wants us that wants a big brother for their baby!

We talked more about us being able to pay for some medical expenses for a birth mom... we had said before that we'd take it on a case by case basis since we are not rich. She said most birth moms they have qualify for Title 19 (I think?) help but some don't, and can't afford the birth of the baby. I asked what happened if we agreed to help pay for that and the mom change her mind. She said then we don't pay a dime. We pay the agency, not the mom or the hospital, so that made me feel a bit better about maybe helping out with that. I don't WANT to, but if that opens us up to some more birth moms, then that's what we'll do. I got the feeling that if we gave them a number of what we could help with, that would open us up to being shown to ladies that need help. If we just said "case by case" or "no", we wouldn't even be shown to those people.

On the way home, it was dark, and I saw a shooting star. I'm taking that as a good omen.