Adoption

Well the big day has come and gone.  Finally yesterday we finalized the adoption.  I was still pretty stressed until the whole thing was over.  Later we had a BBQ to celebrate at our house.  It was the hottest day of the year.  We had about 40 people show up to the house!  I was excited to see so much love and support from our friends and family.  I must say it was a different crowd for us this time around.  Chad and I are lucky because we have such a wide range of friends and yesterday they all came together.  I didn't get to spend a lot of time with to many people because I was making the burgers and dogs, but it was great to see everyone come out.  

We went to Seaworld for our family vacation.  It was nice to get away, but I sure was exhausted.  Those days of Chad and I on vacation just sitting by the pool drinking rum and cokes is gone.  Now we are preparing for school to start back.  I hope to get Hunter caught back up in the next couple of years.  I have come to terms that we can not do it overnight.  He is adjusting better and has made some friends, hopefully with school starting we will see that to continue.

Until next time.  I will not take so much time to blog...

Trey at baseball camp

Lots going on

Well, Summer is here and time is moving by fast.  We received our court date for the final adoption, August 6th!  No more social workers or DSS visits.  I think all of us are happy to have that come to an end.  We are trying to plan a party of the day of the court hearing.  It sucks that the day is on a Wednesday, some of our friends might not be able to make it.  I am happy that it will be final before school starts so his name will be changed before he starts back.  Trey went to baseball camp the first week school was out.  I think he was under the impression they would just play the entire time, which was not true.  It was so hot out the week he was at that camp.  I know he struggled at the camp.  Unfortunately he has never had the opportunity to play any organized sport and was way behind for a kid his age.  Since then he has been going to a day camp with the recreation department.  I've gotten mixed reviews on whether he likes it there or not.  Chad and I thought it would be good for him since there are other kids there and he does not have a lot of friends yet.  Big news... He will be the bat boy at the Riverdogs baseball game on July 11th.  We haven't told him yet because we are afraid he will drive us crazy before the game gets here.  Tuesday night Chad and Trey went to the game and he was allowed to go down on the field for the T-shirt toss that they do.  It was a double header so he did it twice!  He pretty much thinks he runs Joe Riley Stadium at this point.  We are still working on his reading so he can try to get caught up some before school starts.  His grades did go up about 10 points in reading and math from the time he moved here until school ended.  He was just never pushed, or told that school was important, and like most kids he learned that being lazy is easier than doing the work.  

We are going on our first family vacation in July.  I can not wait for vacation.  First of all I feel like it has been forever since we have been on vacation and secondly I am totally burned out on work.  We will be going to Florida.  I think the plan is staying at Chad's parents house the first night, then going to Orlando to check into our hotel.  We will be going to Seaworld and the water park Seaworld has.  We will also be going down to see my parents in Sarasota as well.  I think my sister and nephew are going to come stay a few nights with us as well.  It should be a good time, and I am looking forward to watching Trey for his first time at an amusement park.  His whole world has changed, my only hope is that he doesn't take it for granted, and he will make the most of each opportunity that he is given in life.

Gotta go.... I finally have a day off to myself.  What should I do..shop? quilt? lay around and watch soaps?  who knows but I better get started on my day!!!  

I married a Geek!

Someone might of known this before and with held the information from me.  I really didn't know that Chad has ever had any geek like qualities.  The man has hid them from me for more than six years.  I am shocked by this revelation.  I was very upfront and honest with him on my flaws; I've been known to be spoiled, can not drive and a bit scatter brained.  The kicker to give him his "GEEK" title...... he admitted that he liked techno music and has even been to a club that played techno music.  Then....... now get this, he admitted to having a "mullet"!!!  He said it business in the front and party in the back, who says these things?  It is probably best that Chad and I met later in life.  I can accept him for who he is today, we will have to push those other thoughts of him far back in the memory part of my brain.  All in all, I love him very much, and I learn something new about him still today.  I wonder if his mom has a picture of him with the mullet?  NO, I don't know if I could handle seeing that!  

Trip to Asheville

Over the Memorial weekend we went to Asheville North Carolina.  Chad had another firefighter combat challenge.  Strangely enough the competition started at 6pm on Friday night.  Trey and I did not get up to Asheville until the guys were done competing.  We did get to see the relays and tandem runs on Saturday.  Chads' team had to qualify for the Worlds Championship again, due to losing a member of the team.  Good news!  They qualified with a better time.  So we are still going to Vegas in November.  Chad,Trey and I stayed in Asheville for another night and went sightseeing a bit downtown and out to a great dinner.  We decided to relax one more night at the hotel instead of rushing home.  On Monday, we went to the beach with some friends.  It was a great day for the beach.  I have never seen Isle of Palms so packed.  Luckily we got up early and headed straight for the beach.  It was a beautiful day, and we spent it with friends which was great.  We actually had three days off as a family, the longest time we've really had together.  It was a good weekend.  School will be out soon, then there will be lots of excitement I'm sure!

Until next time....

A good day

I have always appreciated any time that Chad and I can spend together, I really appreciate it now. Chad and I both had the day off on Wednesday.  Although it sounds pretty boring, we spent the day at Sams Club then out to lunch.  While we were out we received a call from the DSS office saying they wanted to meet with us.  We cam home to meet with the counselor, Ms. Cooper.  It wasn't a bad visit, but Chad and I will both be happy when we no longer have to meet with the DSS office.  Actually Ms. Cooper had good things to say, she visited Trey at school and said that she thought he was a new kid since moving in with us.  She also got great reviews from Treys' teachers, so maybe we are doing something right afterall.  After school we picked Trey up and took him to the Lawyers office for him to be served the paperwork from the court for the adoption.  It took all of two minutes!!  We now wait for a date from the court and we will be all set.  It should take close to 90 days to get into court, so we are still looking at the end of July or beginning of August.  After the lawyers office we went out to the beach.  I really don't know if he had ever been to the ocean before, but he seemed to love it.  Most importantly it wore him out!!  We stayed for about 2 hours, it was a beautiful day but the sun was fading and it was getting a bit chilly.  

Overall, I think we are functioning more like a family.  We still have some areas to work on and his schooling needs lots of work.  Hopefully Chad and I will have some time off together soon.  This weekend we are going to a festival with our friends and their families.  It should be a good time and we are looking forward to spending time together as a family.  Next weekend we are off to Asheville North Carolina for a firefighter combat challenge with Chad's team.  Wish us luck!!

Have a groovy day!--Mel

Its been awhile

I didn't realize it has been so long since I had written anything.  A few friends had asked why I hadn't posted anything, I just didn't realize it had been so long.  Lots to say..... We now have Trey living with us and we are moving forward on the adoption.  We actually met with our lawyer on Wednesday.  It should be final somewhere late August or early September.  Motherhood isn't as easy as my mom made it look.  Or maybe I was just an outstanding child that never caused any problems.  We have been trying to get down a schedule.  But with my schedule and Chad's schedule is hard getting down a schedule and still trying to live our lives.  I wish our government would look at adoption a bit more closely and require that businesses give employees time off for adoption like they do for normal childbirth.  No, it should not be 6 weeks, but a week would make a big difference.  Actually when I worked for Chili's they did give time off for adoptions, but they are the only company I have heard of that do such a thing.  I have never heard of another company doing it.  For now we will keep pushing forward.  I think it will be nice when school is out, then we can be focused when school starts again next year.  Trey needs lots of work in school, but Chad and I have made the commitment to see him get caught up.  

I promise to update more often.....but for now, I need to try to get him ready for bed.