We have a date!

Horah!  We have a court date: May 14 at 2:00. :o)  We're planning a party for Saturday the 12 and a dedication at church on the 13th. We're excited to make this official & share pictures soon!

Almost at the beginning

Wow, looking back I didn't realize it'd been so long since I'd updated the blog! I think I kept waiting to post thinking I'd have a court date to finalize our adoption. I still don't. The paper trail continues, but we have officially signed the pre-adoptive papers! So, we are waiting for DHS to transfer documents to our attorney who will get us a court date. Then we can celebrate (and post pictures!) The kids are pretty excited about having an adoption party. Really, I think they're just excited about a party in general. Did you say "cake?" Mmm... Oh, and what kind of cake do they want? Pinkalicious! Yep, both of them.

About a month ago we had a neat experience visiting the kids' previous church-the one they attended with their first foster family. They had lived with this family for about a year when they were 3-4 years old. It was emotional as we met their daycare workers, preschool teacher, and others who had known them through church. They had known the kids well and had struggled to let go last summer. In faith, they trusted that God was saying he had a different family in mind for these kids. When they met us and found out we were a family who follows God, it was an answer to their prayers. They let us know how proud they were of the kids' progress & how well they seemed to be doing. It was humbling for us to see so many people who had invested in them and prayed for us before they even knew who we were.

That day during the service we had an experience that we'd never had before: the pastor decided not to preach. Instead, during worship time, there was a word spoken about forgiving others & getting our hearts right. We continued in a time of corporate prayer until a second word was revealed about souls hanging in the balance & who would go? It was a refreshing and intimate experience-being part of the church functioning like the Bible talks about. We were so thankful to be in His presence, so thankful for the spiritual foundation that was laid for our kids. When I expressed this to the kids' previous foster mom, she just said, "and there's more to come." I am interested to see what God continues to reveal to us through our kids.

We got to share a testimony at church on Easter of God's redemptive power working in our family. We are hopeful for our future as a family. The kids are grieving the loss of their other family & celebrating their acceptance into ours at the same time, which makes for some messy days and sometimes long nights. But, overall, as long as we can rest in knowing that God is writing a story of hope...we are good.

On a side note, we have started a monthly foster/adoptive prayer support group in our home. We just have a couple families coming, but it has been encouraging for us. We've also joined a playgroup & started getting information about the kids' school for fall. I'm excited that Hunt Elementary has a diverse group of kids & am hoping to find my niche bridging communication between the English-speaking & Spanish-speaking families. It may even be a place where I can teach an adult ESL class.

Hopefully we will have two more crazy people sharing the last name Kornmann with us in the next month or so when we finalize things. Here's to closing one chapter and opening the next! God bless!

You think you're busy now...

I generally do think the kids' appointments take up a good chunk of time each week. On the list: swimming lessons, therapy, visits from an in-home worker, visits from the social worker, and periodic meetings with educators regarding an IEP. Am I forgetting anything? Oh, yes, doctor appointments & numerous trips to the pharmacy to pick up meds. Oh, and the periodic visit to the psychiatrist who prescribes them.

I currently have the special education crew wanting me to decide where my children (who are not yet technically my children) will go to school in the fall and what services they should receive. Honestly! They haven't even lived with me for as long as the time remaining between now and next school year's start date. Oh well, I will go & make the best of it. I am surprised with what ease people will throw around terms like "bad neighborhood," "tough area," "struggling school," and "troubled kids." Thankful for the City Matters Class we took through Sanctuary Church in Minneapolis. It opened our eyes to some of the damage stereotyping does.

Anyhow, I've been told by moms of teens that things don't generally slow down as kids get older. Their lives get more complicated & so do those of the parents. So, I have been really enjoying some sweet time with the kids lately. We cancelled daycare, and now I can cuddle with them when they wake up from their naps. They still like rocking at night. I figure an elbow to the nose and heavy head boring into my arm are worth ignoring since the motive is simply to be close to me. I suppose the time will soon enough come when they want their independence. For now, a few books from the library and a rocking chair ensure a good time around our house.