Amuck in Paperwork

Well we've officially started our home study update for a new I-171H. We had our (new) social worker visit recently for the home interview. She said our previous social worker just moved to Colorado the week before. Colorado! I can't wait to see Colorado. Hopefully we'll like it.

I hate to say this, but at least the new paperwork gathering is keeping me busy and less fretful about the wait. I feel productive. The only thing I've messed up so far is getting the wrong fingerprints for our home study. I re-did the federal prints instead of the local ones. Oooops! Our social worker didn't seem too worried about it.

I'm back into the "whatever" mode about the wait, and not sad mode. I told DH today, "hey, we only have about 6 months left until a referral!!". It'll go by whether we're waiting or not, so we might as well wait.

My Mom & Step-Dad are back for a while to sell their house, so it's really nice to see them again. I had them and the in-laws over for dinner tonight. Yummy ribs, chicken, pulled pork, potato salad, cornbread, beans, coleslaw topped off with blackberry pie and ice cream for dessert. Can't ask for better company or food.

Am I one of the few people who really love their in-laws? I hear and see so many stories from people who hate their in-laws. I LOVE mine! They are really the nicest people. If we move, it'll be hard to leave them. Between my parents and them, we'll be rackin' up the frequent flyer miles!

I'm reading two good books about adoption right now. My cousin bought me this book: Born In Our Hearts Stories of Adoption. It has some encouraging first-person stories that are a breath of fresh air right now. Hopeful and helpful. The other book, Attaching in Adoption, takes a look parenting and the challenges you might face with your child. It gives practical suggestions for specific situations so it helps put your mind at ease if you're worried about attachment issues. My personal feeling about attachment is that every child has to go through an attachment process, bio OR adopted. The adopted child might (understandably) take longer.

DS has been an absolute BRAT lately. Not sure why. I think his "terrible twos" are coming a few years late, but they're finally here. We've had LOTS of tantrums, tears and whining. DS is having them, too : ) Fortunately they don't last too long.
Currently DS loves doing his "ka-spiriments" (aka "experiements") with Daddy. He got a science kit for Christmas, and he just loves it. He still loves his robots, dinosaurs, and all forms of transportation vehicles. When I drive him to school, he decides which form of transport the car will become for the day. Some days it's a plane, others it's a train. We make the appropriate noises. He really thinks that's funny. Something on SpongeBob SquarePants really gave him nightmares a few nights ago. He blabbered something about Squidword getting hurt (which scared him), and said he was trying to have happy thoughts come back into his head. He knows that it's just pretend, but we mutually decided that maybe SpongeBob wasn't a good show to watch. He's back to watching Mickey Mouse, Handy Manny, and Arthur.
DS's teacher showed me some of the handwriting he's been doing lately. She said he's printing his name like they do in Kindergarten - with the correct upper and lower-case letters. He did this all by himself! Whatta boy! She was impressed.

Anyway, we're getting to that exciting time of the month - gearing up for more referrals! Hopefully?