scary cupcakes and other life stuff

this is my second go round with this post.  i'm not sure what happened with the first one - the interweb ate  it...

anyways, this week i finished a project for the boys.  i brought homemade halloween themed treats to school.  i know it's a little early yet, but the rest of the month is pretty busy and besides it was ready!  First I painted dancing skeletons on glasses filled with halloween treats (my favorite was the eyeball gumballs)!  Then I made scary bleeding cupcakes stabbed with broken glass.  everything was made from scratch! (chocolate espresso cupcakes, vanilla buttercream icing, hardened sugar glass, and cherry sauce blood)  It was terrifying :)

The boys were really impressed and really felt special so I was glad I was able to give that to them.  

The room for our future foster children is finally complete.  My friend Courtney painted a picture for the wall and my friend Rebecca helped me sew the curtains for the windows.  Here are the pics.

Here are some other pics from our life this October.  It's been fun thus far and is only getting better!

Mom's birthday!

Phoenix helping decorate for Halloween

Phoenix and Bear

Bear and I

Brio date night with my Love

Final home visit - DONE!

Our final home visit was completed today.  The social worker came out, verified we'd done all the little things DHR requires, asked us to expound on some points in our personal background questionaires, and then she left.  She said we're good!  She said she still has to type up the home study report, a 15-20 page report, and then submit it to her supervisor for final licensing.  It could be as early as this month, but it's more likely to happen sometime next month.

M tested for his first Karate belt tonight.  He did great.  His moves were sharp and clean.  I was very proud of him.  His mom, dad, brother and I were all there to watch.  He's a great kid and I'm really happy for him.  I also really like the program they're part of and am glad we were able to get them both involved in it.  C wasn't feeling up to par tonight; they're offering a make-up test in a few weeks and he may be able to catch up then if he wants to.

a week

it's one week until our final home visit.  I'm nervous, but I know it's not necessary.  I know she's going to come visit and see and approve us.  I'm nervous about our first placement.  I'm nervous about "doing it right."  I'm nervous about how it will change things with the kids, with Chris and I, with our families, with everything from here out.  I'm also very excited.  I love children.  I have had a heart for child advocacy for a long time.  I have enjoyed very much putting together a room for small children to enjoy and call home.

M's teacher stopped me after school today to talk briefly.  She said he's been talking about us adopting at school.  He's still not really happy with it.  I explained that we are fostering to adopt.  She and I talked and she agrees that he's just acting like most children; he's concerned with two households and separate children where he'll fit and what will change.  She also said that though she doesn't know us, she's happy for us and is doing everything she can to reassure him.  Then she told me - her oldest daughter was adopted!  It's a small world and we've found support in places we didn't know we had.  Thank God for the people he puts in place.

It's also a week until the boys, or more likely just M, tests for a first Karate belt.  It's very exciting times around here :)  He's very excited about testing.  He's doing very well in class; they are both doing well.  I'm very proud of them.  I can't wait to see them show off their skills.  I can't believe how big my boys have gotten.  I miss their tiny faces.

My Boys C & M 10/9/2007