Rites of Passage

This week has been full of these little events that mark progress.  Forward progress!  The kids started school and that is definitely an event.  Around here it does not involve donning loaded backpacks and heading for parts unknown school. Around here it looks a little more like Li++le House on the Prairie than Hannah Montan@.  Minus the dirt floor, long dresses and lunch pails, of course.  But, we totally rock the one-room-school-house!  This year we will be educating two 8th graders, one 4th grader and one very excited kindergartner.  Until we add the mayhem preschooler!  I will produce pictures within the week.  But, we've been a little too busy for any snapshots yet!

When will that preschooler arrive on the scene?  Well, we are one step closer as of yesterday.  After spending the day at the beach......what's that?  Yes, the beach.  I know, I know.   We just started school and we already took a day for the beach.  What can I say?  The principal approved it!  Got a problem, go see him.

Anyway.  The mail that waited at home for me included.......{insert drum roll}.....the long {since June 18th} awaited immigration approval!  It states that we are in fact {after our second two month homestudy involving 4 interviews, our second local background check, various medical appointments, a financial study, AND a federal database background search} suitable to adopt a child!  Again.  Whoo Hoo!  Forward progress on the adoption front!!  It feels good to have that behind us because that is the last approval we need from our country.  Now it's up to Chin@. 

Now what?   I have 12 documents that Paul will be hand delivering to the Secretary of State on Thursday.  They should come back with a nifty certification page stapled to the top, all shiny and sparkly with the state seal!  Then it's on to Washington DC for those precious pages.  Our dossier should be Chin@ worthy in about two weeks!


And what Rites of Passage post would be complete without the age old defining mark of teendom?  Guess who got braces this week?

 That's right.  Noah is a newly inducted brace-face!  Metal Mouth!  Tin Gin!  Well, you get the picture.

Noah followed his brother into this world, but Parker will have to follow him to the orthodontist.  Parker is not scheduled to get his until January.  For now, while his brother is still in pain, he's thankful for that!  He plans to spend time enjoying popcorn and carmel and peanuts and all the ooey gooey crunchy stuff that is now off-limits to Noah.  But, it will only come back to bite him when Noah gets his braces off months before Parker!