We're still here... I promise... and we're doing great! Just very busy! :)
Sorry no posts for a while!

Let's see... first of all, a lot of my time at night (which is when I'm able to get on the computer and blog) is being spent right now on what I kindly call "Liam duty." :) Two weekends ago I put up Braeden's new bed. It's a short bunkbed basically, where the bottom mattress sits on the floor. He is "on top" and loves it! We don't have a mattress on the bottom, yet, so have in essence three twins, another without a mattress, and a crib. I was ready to move Liam out of the crib and into a twin. He isn't. :) He is up constantly and I have resorted to standing behind the boys wardrobes (they have the whole upstairs half attic room and the wardrobes separate the stair area from the sleeping area) in order to take him back as soon as he's up. He can't see me there so doesn't really know if I'm there or not unless he gets up and tries to play. :) It's been about a week and he's had good nights and not so good nights. I don't remember work like this with Braeden... hmmm... seems backwards to me. :) By the time I'm "done" there, I'm beat and barely get on to check Facebook and email before doing some excercising and heading to bed.

Speaking of excercising, it's been just over 12 weeks now into my new healthy living lifestyle. I feel so great, and have lost a total of 29.5 lbs so far! 4 more to my first major goal! Such a good feeling!

Olivia's been doing well, no major issues, and is currently studying for a planets quiz in her Learning Explorers class.

Braeden is READING!!! He is doing great and I just love his teacher!!! He and only one or two others are reading right now! They bring home Dick and Jane books and are taking Spelling tests over many of those words and some other high frequency words. I also just heard that all day kindergarten MAY be passed at this month's board meeting for our school district. I was going to keep Brae in his day care for kindergarten next year for a few reasons: one, he is doing SO WELL there and they know him and work with his ADHD issues, two, he doesn't do well with transitions and going to day care, bussed to kindergarten, then back to day care, wouldn't be beneficial to him, and three, since I'm paying the same amount either way why not keep him there all day? BUT, with all day kindergarten, he would be able to come to my school in the morning like Olivia does, eat breakfast there, take the bus from there to kindergarten, and then come back to my school at the end of the day. PLUS - and this is HUGE for me - it would mean a savings of 500-700 each MONTH!!! That is too good to pass up! I would have that much more to roll that debt snowball onto my van and pay it off that much sooner! I'm extremely excited!

Olivia and Braeden both are signed up for our local soccer association which begins in mid July and runs into October. This is new for both of them but we're all very excited about it! They usually do one or two "camps" through our park district, but chose soccer this year instead. I just bought some cleats on ebay and still need to find them shin guards and a ball each.

I had a home visit for Liam on Friday. He said he's hoping to have Liam's subsidy back soon! That means that we MAY be able to get an adoption date in May (they only do juvenile court dates on Tuesdays) which would be awesome! Especially since my mom and dad will be here for the second to last Tues and my mom the last Tues. It would be great if they could be here for one of our adoptions! :)

The kids and I are headed to Michigan for Easter! I'm so excited about it! I found what looks like a GREAT place with four cottages, a creek, a lake, a small beach, rental boats, etc. Our cottage has it's own fire pit, four bedrooms, and a living/eating area. I'm throwing them in play clothes each day and we're going to just get dirty and play and hopefully catch some frogs! Problem: We leave next Thurs and it's supposed to snow this coming Monday! :( Let's pray for warmer weather!

And in my most recent news... we may be adding on to our kiddos next week!

I originally had a call for a potential placement a little over a week ago. It was for a 5-6 year old boy who was with relatives. I said I was very interested, then never heard anything more. Today, while I was in Grand Jury duty, I had a voicemail about a placement of THREE boys! By the time I was able to call it went to voice mail and I figured they would have found a placement anyway. I didn't think there was a way I could take all three. Not at the same time right now at this time of year. I left a message explaining that but for some reason it slipped out that if they had to split them up I could maybe take one or two. She called me back quickly and told me the three were 8, 3, and 2. I was then glad I said what I did, because I really haven't wanted to take any older than Olivia. They then told me there was actually a fourth, an older girl, but that they had a place for her. They went on how they were siblings, etc. I felt so guilty, but I also feel "right" about not taking them. I don't know how to explain it. She asked which two I WOULD take because she didn't know if they could find a placement, but did have a place for them for the night, possibly until Mon or Tues, and I said the younger two. She sounded like they may take me up on that, but you just never know. All I can do is pray that if they are meant to stay together a family will come forward to take them all. Otherwise, I'm hoping to know more tomorrow so that I can get day care and such going. I have to say I'm excited about the prospect! :) I love the idea of three littles about the same age running around! Not an infant who needs TONS of attention and nightly feedings. We'll see... I know God will lead the way.

That's life in a nutshell right now. Sorry the void. I'll try not to make it so long!!!