Happy Halloween

Halloween night starts out at our house with Jack -O -Lantern pizza from Papa Murphy's and then we head over to a very "festive" neighborhood in Falcon.  We always go to the same street and find the same houses with the same decorations and "festive" events.  It is a lot of fun.  We end the evening with a drive into Peyton to visit the Fire Station there.  They always have hot chocolate and cookies for the kids.  They let them go into the fire trucks and  walk around the station. 

Carson and Avery

Baylee, Caitlyn and Kylie

Carson at the Fire Station

Pumpkin Time

Halloween always starts with a trip to the Happy Apple Farm.  It is a tradition.  We make a fun day out of it with friends and some pumpkin carving. 

The Puffpaff,  Hart, Oliver and Murray kiddos

Colton, Carson and Caitlyn

West and Carson

Keegan, Caitlyn and Kylie

JD, Colton and Wyatt

Donman and Paul carving with the kids
I don't like pulling out the guts...Yuck...but I love the seeds

Nothing beats a beautiful fall day in Colorado

We took a drive up to Victor, Colorado on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in October.  It was one of those days where the weather was perfect.  We hiked around all over Victor and took tons of pictures.  After we were done in Victor we decided to drive through Phantom Canyon.  It is such a great mountain drive and I hadn't been on it since I was a very little girl.  We didn't make it all the way to Canyon City though because halfway through I realized I didn't have my camera.  Then I remembered setting it on the rear tire so I could help Caitlyn with something and I obviously forgot to take it off the tire because when we drove back to that spot, there was our camera crushed into the dirt road.  Ugh, don't you just hate it when you do stuff like that.  I even remember thinking to myself "that is not a very smart place to put the camera".  I have ruined not one, but two of our telephones by leaving them on the roof or bumper of the car.  Luckily the memory stick was ok and I was able to get the pictures off of the camera. 


We all got Starbucks for the drive up, a big treat for our family.  Thanks Ann for the gift cards :)






Ethiopian Courts are open!

The courts in Ethiopia officially opened on Sept. 28th.  They were closed for almost 2 months because of the rainy season.  Isn't that crazy that a country can all but shut down because of a "rainy season".  I guess one of the main reasons is because of the roads.  They don't have paved roads like we do so when it rains it turns into a muddy mess.  I am praying that we get to travel there before the rainy season next year.  I would hate to have to wait 2 months to meet our daughter just because it is raining.   Again that will be where I will need God's patience.  As many of you know I am not a very patient person.  This process is teaching me a thing or two in that area for sure!   We haven't heard much of anything in the last 5 to 6 weeks but we have moved on the lists a little.  As of right now we are:

#49 on the infant girl list
#15 on the toddler girl list
#18 on the sibling list

We also received our approval for our I-600A application filing which is part of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services so that was exciting.  One more paper hill behind us.  We had to be fingerprinted for that again.  Seriously how many times can you be fingerprinted.  Maybe it is because I married an ex criminal.  Yep that's right, Paul was a juvenile delinquent.  Shocking I know.  I bet you didn't know that when you get caught with num-chucks in your friends car when you are 15 years old and you are driving (without a license mind you) that you can get a ticket for "possession of a concealed oriental weapon".  That seriously almost threw me over the edge with this adoption process.  Another reason why I am glad I wasn't blogging at the time because I was a little "crazy".  I just couldn't believe that something like that would cause us so many problems 21 years later.  Paul didn't even remember it until we got out criminal report back from the CBI.  Even though the case was dismissed in court we still had to write letters and talk with court recorders to try to have that show up as dismissed.  I seriously think it is what stressed me out the most during our Dossier process.  At least it is behind us and it is something we get a very good laugh out of now.  We have another class on the 16th of October and then 3 more in November and hopefully we are done with that part. 
Praying for speedy list movement!
 

1st day of school (a few weeks late) :)

Ok so here are a bunch of pictures from the first day of school.  I know it is totally out of order but I had to get them on here.  The kids just look too cute in their uniforms!  I am one of those moms who has prayed and prayed about homeschooling.  I really used to wondered why God didn't put it on my heart but I can honestly say that he didn't.  I absolutely love school but I deeply hate being away from my kiddos.  I am blessed to have found a school that lets me (encourages me) to be a part of school, at the school, on a daily basis if I wanted.  Now don't get me wrong, I do not go to school every day with the kids but I am there a lot and I love it.  I don't know how teachers do it though, I am wiped out by the end of the day.  They have some of the neatest friends at school and I love seeing them shine Gods light in a school setting.

Carson started Pre-K this year, 3 half days a week.  He really enjoys school and is used to it since I have been dragging him with me for the past 4 years while I help out in Colton's and Caitlyn's class rooms.  He is so different than the other 2.  It didn't take him long to come out of his shell and he actually had to sit in the time out chair for being "too talkative".  That has never with the other 2 and I really can't see it ever happening with them.  Carson beats to a different drum though and he is a fun little guy.  He tells me every detail about all his new friends, who by the way, are all girls. 

Caitlyn started 2nd grade and we are so fortunate to have Colton's teacher from last year.  She is an amazing lady and Caitlyn loves her.  She is doing great and has been with a lot of the same friends since kindergarten.  She has a really neat group of friends.  She is a little sweetheart!  Things seem to be catching on quickly with her this year and her eagerness to learn is fun and exciting. 

Colton is in 3rd grade and he is really having a fun year.  Colton is one of those kids who everything comes easily to him.  I can honestly say I have never really had to explain much to him, he does his homework in the car on the drive home so it "is out of the way" and never has to study for tests.  Lucky kid.  He has an amazing work ethic and tries to do his best in all that he does.  He is like that with sports too.  He has a pretty natural athletic ability and loves, loves, loves almost any sport.                                               

 

Carson wanted Colton to help him tuck in his shirt and

 Caitlyn to help him get his belt on.  I always dress all 3

of them in the same colors.

3 little cuties!

Carson lining up to go into class

                                        

My eyes were watery...from allergies of course 

                                         Daddy's eyes were watery too!

                                         Carson ran up to the fence and yelled "one more kiss Mommy"
                                          So I got a smooch through the fence!
                                          He is my little love bug, just melts my heart!
                                          Colton would never yell that to me!  :)


                                       

                                          Caitlyn on the other hand would and does say that to me!

                                          Colton with one of his best friends Jesse.  They have
                                           been together since Pre-K.  Colton used to be taller
                                           than him, I think every kid is
                                          having a growth spurt except Colton.


Picking Carson up from school.  I took him to McDonald's
for lunch and then he passed out as soon as we got into the car.

 

This was Carson's first day at Chapel.  The students go to chapel every Wednesday at ECA.
The 6th graders are called their Chapel Chums and pick them up in their class rooms and walk
them across the street for Chapel.  When Chapel is over they walk them back over to the classroom
and stay and play on the playground with them and read and color with them.  Sometimes they do
projects with them also.  We were so fortunate to be at ECA when Colton was in Pre-K because
Kayla, his cousin, got to be his Chapel Chum.  It was so sweet.