Finally graduated from Law School! Thanks to all those who supported me.
It's been a long road, but I made it!
Friday, December 21, 2012
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Monday, December 17, 2012
Busy Time
Although this is always a busy time of year, recently it seems above and beyond. Here is a bit of a catch up post.
Starting two weekends ago, May, Sweets, and Buddy had their winter Children's Chorus performances and May had her final concert of the season. Luckily this weekend came after both May and Buddy's school performances. Here was that weekend's schedule:
Friday - Take May and Buddy to school as usual; drive 40 miles to pick up Sweets at lunchtime; take her to lunch; pick up May from school early on the way home; get them in the shower; pick up Buddy early from school; get him in the shower while I help the girls with their hair; leave at 3:30pm to drive back across town, 50 miles this time; grab quick dinner; report to concert hall at 5:15pm; assist with uniforms, hair, nail polish and jewelry removal; attend concert starting at 7pm; meet family and friends after concert in lobby; stop for gelato as treat on way home; arrive home after 11pm to get ready for bed. Meanwhile, Miss M took the little ones to therapy in morning and afterwards to a friend's house for respite overnight.
Saturday - Pick up BB and Precious at 8:30am; drop May off at church at 9:45am for service project of watching kids while parents shop; left Sweets, BB, and Precious at church to be watched; took Buddy to eye doctor appointment (no glasses needed!); drop off Buddy at church and pick up May at noon; get May lunch and ready for final choir concert; May was picked up by friend's mom for concert; make quick stop at one store; pick up Sweets, Buddy, BB, and Precious at 2:45pm; wait for May to get home; drive to meet parents at restaurant to celebrate my mom's birthday; get kids home and in bed; wash choir uniforms.
Sunday - Skipped church (just couldn't get everyone up and ready); eat brunch; get oldest three dressed and ready for concert; left after trusted babysitter came about 1:30pm; report to concert hall early before 2:30pm; assist with uniform checks; get text from May's dad at 3:20pm (he took bus to wrong venue over five miles away); rush to pick him up and get back before concert started at 4pm; made it, but had to drop him off and then park and hike from neighborhood across the street; enjoyed concert; took pictures with May's dad after concert; met with friends who attended concert for dinner; drove Sweets home; got home about 10pm and collapsed after kids got in bed.
Last week was a bit of a blur, but I did complete a full week of work. Highlights of the week also included:
Tuesday - date night with Buddy for dinner, dessert, and shopping for choir gift exchange
Wednesday - Cub Scout pack meeting which included talent show where Buddy demonstrated his napkin folding skills
Thursday - doctor's appointment; bake loaf of bread for Christmas potluck at work on Friday
Friday - Miss M took Precious for a speech evaluation; after dinner on-the-go, drop off Buddy with friends to attend pro basketball game and spend night; pick up Sweets after hunting her and her dad down around their neighborhood since she lost her phone and his wasn't working
Saturday - pick up Buddy mid morning; get him in shower; get Sweets and Buddy ready for final choir concert; drop Precious, BB, and May at house of Precious and BB's aunt near choir concert; drop off Sweets and Buddy at choir concert and party/gift exchange; back to aunt's house to visit with her and her young children (nice time); pick up Sweets and Buddy; home and then out for dinner with friends
Sunday - church; get new tires on van while shopping and eating at C*stco; drop May off to study with friend and Buddy off to play with friend; take Sweets home and talk with her dad to work out Christmas break schedule; get Buddy and May and friends home
Are you tired yet? This week is filled with work, school, May's finals, and multiple doctor's visits. But there are two highlights scheduled this week:
Thursday - finalization of Precious' adoption
Friday - law school graduation
Somehow it's all worth it!
Starting two weekends ago, May, Sweets, and Buddy had their winter Children's Chorus performances and May had her final concert of the season. Luckily this weekend came after both May and Buddy's school performances. Here was that weekend's schedule:
Friday - Take May and Buddy to school as usual; drive 40 miles to pick up Sweets at lunchtime; take her to lunch; pick up May from school early on the way home; get them in the shower; pick up Buddy early from school; get him in the shower while I help the girls with their hair; leave at 3:30pm to drive back across town, 50 miles this time; grab quick dinner; report to concert hall at 5:15pm; assist with uniforms, hair, nail polish and jewelry removal; attend concert starting at 7pm; meet family and friends after concert in lobby; stop for gelato as treat on way home; arrive home after 11pm to get ready for bed. Meanwhile, Miss M took the little ones to therapy in morning and afterwards to a friend's house for respite overnight.
Saturday - Pick up BB and Precious at 8:30am; drop May off at church at 9:45am for service project of watching kids while parents shop; left Sweets, BB, and Precious at church to be watched; took Buddy to eye doctor appointment (no glasses needed!); drop off Buddy at church and pick up May at noon; get May lunch and ready for final choir concert; May was picked up by friend's mom for concert; make quick stop at one store; pick up Sweets, Buddy, BB, and Precious at 2:45pm; wait for May to get home; drive to meet parents at restaurant to celebrate my mom's birthday; get kids home and in bed; wash choir uniforms.
Sunday - Skipped church (just couldn't get everyone up and ready); eat brunch; get oldest three dressed and ready for concert; left after trusted babysitter came about 1:30pm; report to concert hall early before 2:30pm; assist with uniform checks; get text from May's dad at 3:20pm (he took bus to wrong venue over five miles away); rush to pick him up and get back before concert started at 4pm; made it, but had to drop him off and then park and hike from neighborhood across the street; enjoyed concert; took pictures with May's dad after concert; met with friends who attended concert for dinner; drove Sweets home; got home about 10pm and collapsed after kids got in bed.
Last week was a bit of a blur, but I did complete a full week of work. Highlights of the week also included:
Tuesday - date night with Buddy for dinner, dessert, and shopping for choir gift exchange
Wednesday - Cub Scout pack meeting which included talent show where Buddy demonstrated his napkin folding skills
Thursday - doctor's appointment; bake loaf of bread for Christmas potluck at work on Friday
Friday - Miss M took Precious for a speech evaluation; after dinner on-the-go, drop off Buddy with friends to attend pro basketball game and spend night; pick up Sweets after hunting her and her dad down around their neighborhood since she lost her phone and his wasn't working
Saturday - pick up Buddy mid morning; get him in shower; get Sweets and Buddy ready for final choir concert; drop Precious, BB, and May at house of Precious and BB's aunt near choir concert; drop off Sweets and Buddy at choir concert and party/gift exchange; back to aunt's house to visit with her and her young children (nice time); pick up Sweets and Buddy; home and then out for dinner with friends
Sunday - church; get new tires on van while shopping and eating at C*stco; drop May off to study with friend and Buddy off to play with friend; take Sweets home and talk with her dad to work out Christmas break schedule; get Buddy and May and friends home
Are you tired yet? This week is filled with work, school, May's finals, and multiple doctor's visits. But there are two highlights scheduled this week:
Thursday - finalization of Precious' adoption
Friday - law school graduation
Somehow it's all worth it!
Friday, December 7, 2012
SIGNED!!!
Tonight's email told me that my adoption certification
has been signed!
The adoption petition for Precious will be filed Monday.
Next week we should be assigned a court date;
hopefully it will still be this year.
YEAH!
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Still Waiting
I really thought Precious' adoption would be finalized this year. There is still no date set for her adoption. We can't even request one, because I don't have a current adoption certification.
Precious was legally free in July. But then it took over a month for the CPS case to transfer from the ongoing unit to the adoptions unit. My adoption certification expired two days before the transfer occurred.
My licensing agency filed my home study requesting my new adoption certification the same week the case transferred to adoptions. That was back in August. My understanding was that sixty days is usually about the longest it takes for approval. Not for me!
First it took almost two weeks just to get logged in with the clerk of the court. Then it was given to a judge on the other side of the county for approval. It sat on his desk for about five weeks. Finally it was moved to the correct judge on my side of the county. He received it the first week of October.
One would think it might at least be approved by the first week of December. Nope. My adoption attorney, my licensing agency, and CPS have all been involved and trying to push for the certification to be complete. The judge asked for more information in early November. The last communication was that he would likely sign it before he left for Thanksgiving vacation. That didn't happen. Here we are two weeks later and still nothing.
There is a review hearing on Monday for Precious' CPS case. Maybe the judge in that hearing can prod the other judge. Who knows? I can't even file the petition to adopt until the certification is signed. The petition is ready to go, has been for months. Once the petition is filed, the court assigns a date. Please let it be this year!
I'm praying and hoping and praying. Everything will happen in God's timing, which is perfect. Right now, I'm just not very patient and have a hard time remembering that!
Precious was legally free in July. But then it took over a month for the CPS case to transfer from the ongoing unit to the adoptions unit. My adoption certification expired two days before the transfer occurred.
My licensing agency filed my home study requesting my new adoption certification the same week the case transferred to adoptions. That was back in August. My understanding was that sixty days is usually about the longest it takes for approval. Not for me!
First it took almost two weeks just to get logged in with the clerk of the court. Then it was given to a judge on the other side of the county for approval. It sat on his desk for about five weeks. Finally it was moved to the correct judge on my side of the county. He received it the first week of October.
One would think it might at least be approved by the first week of December. Nope. My adoption attorney, my licensing agency, and CPS have all been involved and trying to push for the certification to be complete. The judge asked for more information in early November. The last communication was that he would likely sign it before he left for Thanksgiving vacation. That didn't happen. Here we are two weeks later and still nothing.
There is a review hearing on Monday for Precious' CPS case. Maybe the judge in that hearing can prod the other judge. Who knows? I can't even file the petition to adopt until the certification is signed. The petition is ready to go, has been for months. Once the petition is filed, the court assigns a date. Please let it be this year!
I'm praying and hoping and praying. Everything will happen in God's timing, which is perfect. Right now, I'm just not very patient and have a hard time remembering that!
Monday, December 3, 2012
Beginning to Look Like Christmas
This weekend we decorated the Christmas tree!
My parents joined us; the kids had fun.
May, Sweets, and Buddy all enjoyed helping with the ornaments.
BB was so excited. He keeps pointing and exclaiming "Tismas Tee"!
So far, Precious seems oblivious, but BB wants to take off / put on the ornaments.
'Tis the Season!
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