Busy times!

Such a busy time of year for everyone and the Baird household is no exception! House renovations have begun on our other house and I look forward to the day that we can move in and I don't have to watch Bobby struggle up the stairs to his bedroom every night. He and David will share a bedroom and the bathroom will be accessible. The boys will also have a huge playroom/media room to house all the Lego and toys now and gaming devices and media devices they will want as pre-teens and teens. Here are some progress pictures.

These 2 rooms.....

have now become this huge play/media room for the boys.

 As for the adoption process. I have turned in the 1800a paperwork to USCIS and have had my fingerprints done. Still waiting for an officer to be assigned and to approve my application. I am working on my 3 book reports I need to do for my agency and hope to finish up at least 2 of them when we go on our annual Sanibel trip with my dad.

The holdays make it harder to wait, but I was blessed to see a picture of David in a newsletter for a school at his orphanage. He was at their Christmas party all decked out in a Santa hat with his face painted with holiday figures. Each child received a gift, so at least I know he had a fun time with his friends, teachers and caretakers. Still when we go out to eat our traditional Christmas Eve dinner with my dad, there will be 3 empty seats at our table: 1- My mom will be watching over us from Heaven, 2- Taylor could not come home as she has zoo duty rotation at the teaching zoo and 3- David is far away across the ocean.
I know that: 1- I will see mom again one day as she greets me at those pearly gates.2-  We will travel on Christmas day to see Taylor with my dad in tow and share Christmas dinner with her after she gets off at the zoo and 3-David I hope to have in my arms this summer. Until then Bobby wanted to include David in his gingerbread house this year.

From the Baird household (as spread out as it may be) to yours we wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Moving right along!

Been a while, but it has been a busy time. My daughter Taylor is off to college and loves it!

 Bobby and I went on a Disney cruise and then to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom afterwards.

I have also been busy with the last of the paperwork and fingerprints for my Home Study. Today I was sent the draft of the Home Study and it is finished with the exception of one clearance form. Hopefully that will come in the next few days and then once my placing agency approves it, I can move on to the next step in the process for David, I800a approval. Hoping we can keep this rolling along as Bobby is NOT patiently waiting. I have explained the steps and that we have to wait for someone to say "OK" before we can go to the next step. He keeps asking why so many people have to say "OK" before we can go get David. He keeps saying "Too many okays. I go get him and bring him home and you say OK! We go now!"

A Big Brother for Bobby!

We have been busy, busy and I have not blogged like I should, but I will try to do better! I'll start it off an announcement. Bobby is getting a big brother! His name is David and he and Bobby grew up in the same orphanage. We went to a picnic this summer attended by some of Bobby friends from his orphanage who were being hosted for a few weeks here in the states in the summer. We spent some time with David and he and Bobby seemed to remember each other and played on the playground with a couple of other friends from the orphanage. David is such a sweet, tenderhearted child. I remembered meeting him when we visited Bobby's orphanage in March of 2013. I fell in love with him after spending just a little bit of time with him in July. He is a perfect fit for our family. He is almost exactly 3 years older than Bobby.

Bobby and David at the pool party (Bobby had stitches in his leg so he couldn't go swimming)

Bobby and David playing on the playground

David at the picnic

David loved the small slide, but did not want to go on the big one! Just the right amount of daredevil for this family!

David's host family sent this shot of him on a boat having fun!

Here is David greeting Bobby when we visited the orphanage in March 2013.

David seemed to like the friendship bracelets Bobby gave out when he was saying goodbye to all of his friends. Guess I will be ordering some more of them, so David can hand them out when he says his goodbyes!

I hope to keep up this blog so that those who would like can follow our journey to add David to our family. This sweet boy will complete our family and I look forward to having another wonderful son :) I currently have PA from his country and our home study is in process and many of the documents for the dossier are already in hand. We are moving right along!