DERBY WEEK!

The beginning of Derby week! The fastest 2 minutes in sports, which is held the first Saturday in May. Louisville will host several crazy fans and a few crazy celebrities at thousands of parties. What is this? A horse race. It's a lot of buildup for 2 minutes. We started 3 weeks ago with Thunder over Louisville which are fireworks like no other. There are events all day long everyday this week. If you ever want to visit Louisville, I would recommend coming for this. If you ever want to vacation away from Louisville, fly out of Louisville on Friday or Saturday this week - airfare is almost free - 99% off.

The picture was taken this morning at Dawn at the Downs. This is an event where the common people can enjoy a breakfast on millionaires row and watch the horses warm-up. I had breakfast with my friend Susan at the Stakes room. Very swanky! Had a great time and several laughs. People were already wearing Derby Hats! And then there was the lady with the jacket and hat matching combo. I mean that's great on Saturday but it's a little early in the week for it. Too funny! Churchill Downs looks beautiful and I cannot wait for the weekend! We do not attend Derby - been there, done that - we host about 100 crazy fans at our house. Pray for no rain!

This evening companies sponsor teams who put wheels on beds and race them. It's crazy - wheels flying off. People falling. I don't think they've been drinking prior to racing but it is Derby week so there's a lot of that going on. I forgot to mention they decorate the beds.

Quake and Birthday and Football OH MY!

Friday, April 18, 2008

"I felt the earth move under my feet...Shook me all night long...Shake Shake Shake - It's an earthquake!"... and so many other songs rang out all day in the Ville when we experienced the trimmers of a 5.2 earthquake whose epicenter was in Illinois this morning. And of course, if you know the Ville, we are EXTENDING OUR LOCAL COVERAGE bringing you the latest up to the minute reports of "EARTHQUAKE 2008! Thunder Under Louisville" OMG - One building in the entire city had some bricks pour into the street. They described it as an "old historic building". I think it was already leaning.

April 18th is CHRIS' Birthday!!! Happy Birthday Chris! He scored several cards and phone calls today. Always makes him happy when his sisters call him! He grew up with 4 of them you know? Son Light of Their Life!!! He's 36 which in our opinion is the beginning of the end, right? Average life expectancy is 70... But he doesn't care, he's happy, healthy... And do know his greatest gift today was from the University of Louisville?

Coach Kragthorpe (who has yet to earn a space in our hearts...6-6 ugh) scheduled a red-white spring football game in honor of Chris and his birthday! Wow that guy is really trying to win our hearts! Who showed up to for Chris's big day??? Some of our recent favorites - Jaggers, Okoye, Elvis, Brohm, Douglas, yeah that's all I remember but he knew them all and was extremely happy! Well, maybe that wasn't all for him but it did make for an excellent birthday celebration. We ended the night with Homemade Ice Cream and Pie Kitchen mmmm.

Happy New Year - Tax Day!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Here's a picture of my boys at the Aquarium in Gatlinburg.

Happy New Year! Say what? Yeah - it's New Years in Thailand. Who would have thought on one side of the world people would be throwing water on each other and celebrating a new year while on the other side of the world...people are cussing Uncle Sam for taking "all" our money. I guess in a way - we are making new year resolutions in the US - regarding our tax estimates, documentation, procrastination. Maybe it's not as different as I initially thought.

Throwing water? In Thailand, it's tradition to throw water on each other (buckets, hoses, water guns, sounds like anything is acceptable). And apparently, throwing it on complete strangers is allowed. Hold on!

I just saw 2 stay at home moms walking their children (as they do everyday), today I sprayed them with cold water from our hose and yelled, SAWATDEE PI MAI!!! (HAPPY NEW YEAR in Thai). Wow hasn't that lady lost her mind??? Not really, but how much fun would that be? Maybe if it wasn't 50 degrees it would be more fun! Better yet - throw it on your tax accountant for failing to allow your newest creative deduction!!!

I guess I have to do something to entertain my little mind so I'm not checking my email every 5 minutes to see if our SW has sent our home study report which was "going to be here by the end of last week". Maybe she's doing her taxes too... I wish she never said that!

The Padres play their opener tonight - That's little league! And then the Biggest Loser Finale is tonight. I love that show. Go Ally! She's a freaking machine with her workouts. She inspires me not to eat a bag of chips while I watch the show. The men are major cry babies this time. My friend Susie called last week to suggest a new drinking game. Drink every time they cry. I don't really drink like that but one could definitely get her drink on this season if she partakes in that game!

Home Visit is Over!

Monday, April 7, 2008

Our home visit was today and went very well. Chris and I had already answered most of our questions. Our home passed inspection. The boys were very nervous but did great. She was very complimentary of our paper chase. Yeah us (me).

We should have our home study report by the end of the week. Now that's what I'm talking about!!! Yeah SW. It will go to Holt for their review and she said they have a fast turnaround. Yeah Holt.

We are so relieved to have this part OVER!

It is one of those gorgeous days in the Ville so we are getting outside and doing something fun the rest of the day! I'm sure it will involve a little ice cream celebration!

My Life with Two Boys!

April 4, 2008

This is my life -

Several years ago my dad brought home hand carved cedar chests from Honduras. We used 2 of them for the boy's keepsakes. Two years ago the boys decided they were going to look through the stuff in them - ultrasound pictures, favorite baby clothes, hospital gowns and bracelets, the usual. I thought this was so cute until Matt's birthday when I went to look at his little preemie outfits and found out...They locked the chests and misplaced a key. I looked for hours and hours in every corner of our house for this key. Emptied every toy bin, drawer, box, etc. They claimed they locked the other key in the chest.

Last month we decide we're going to bunk their beds. I look throughout every corner of my house for the bunk bed hardware that we packed up when we moved houses. This took about 8 hours or so. I look for these items after we tear apart the beds (of course) only to have to put them all back together unbunked!!! I was thrilled...

I finally get around to taking the chests to a locksmith after hours of trying to find a key that fits, pick the lock myself, etc. I make a silent prayer that it's not filled with half eaten chicken nuggets or anything else embarassing as I'm sure the lock people are going to look through it.

We bring them home I eat the only key that fits the chests anymore (the one they locked in the chest) so this won't happen again. I'm looking through the items oohing and aahing and low and behold what's this???

A plastic bag with the bunk bed hardware in it. Are you kidding me??? Well, of course, we have to bunk the beds RIGHT NOW... So we bunk the beds and the room looks much better.

Last night, Mark is watching TV from the top bunk and leans a little too far. YEP - he falls out. We ask him what he hit, my back, hand and foot. We ask him if anything hurts - "yeah my back, hand and foot" Nothing is broken, he's not paralized, we threaten to take down the bunk beds...

Just another day in the life of our house.

Fingerprinting...Check!

April 3, 2008

Today we were fingerprinted by the Department of Homeland Security. I feel like such a criminal. It was a very cool process - it's all digital. No ink at all. How crazy is that? I fully expected to be scrubbing my fingers all day. While we were there, I kept thinking what it will be like to sit in a Thailand government building and not be able to read or understand anything that is going on. I think that will be a bit intimidating even with a translator.

Chris and I are working on our Thai but we're mainly sticking to taxi, toilet, hello, yes, no, mom, dad, I love you...for now. I really think we need to know a little. Anyone who has already traveled, I'd love to know how much we should learn.

As we're leaving, Chris said whew I'm glad that's over. I've been worried about that for a couple days...wondering if they'd incorrectly match my fingerprints to a criminal. Ok he knows everyone has their own, but now I guess we know where Matt gets it from.

From the boys point of view - They wanted all the details of how this worked. I had to literally take their fingers and show them how they fingerprinted us. They were very impressed.

Last thing to do for paperchase - Home Visit on Monday. I'm filing and cleaning but for the most part, we're ready. Had a chance to run through possible questions last night with Matt, he's very excited to show our social worker that he wants a little sister. I told him to just be honest and everything would be ok.

APRIL IS HERE!!!

April 1, 2008

Spring is here! I force myself to tolerate winter and amazingly, I make it every year. My flowers are all popping up. Dafs in bloom. I wait for the tulips every year. Last year it snowed on them...I won't talk about that.

April is about finishing things! I can't believe April arrived so quickly. I felt like our home visit would never get here when we scheduled. Chris and I get fingerprinted on Thursday. I feel like such a criminal saying that. Home visit is on Monday. I think I've prepped the boys properly. Hopefully, by the time, we get back from our quick trip to Gatlinburg, we'll have a home study report. That would give us a couple weeks to Authenticate and Certify our Dossier... and by the end of April we could have our package to our Agency or possibly to Thailand. I haven't heard how long the Agency is taking to review the Dossier before sending it but that's when we get put on "THE LIST". Right now, Holt is waiting on Adoption guidebooks from the printer so I'm praying everyone is waiting and not filing at this point.

From the boys point of view - Matt wants to know what happens if they find something on the fingerprinting. I said They won't bc we've never been arrested. But what if there's a mix-up on fingerprints and they find something. I have to say he gets it from me (you know - waiting for something to go wrong) but it's cracking me up. Mark tells random people that he's getting a little sister. He's still excited. They think about this way more than I thought they would. We have discovered more Thai restaurants in town. Mark still has not taken a bite of the Thai food. I'm not sure that it's truly authentic (I mean they say it is but who knows until we go - it certainly doesn't look or sound like anything I see on the Thai food websites - mental note - How do you say chicken in Thai? - put that on May's list of things to do) Mark says I hope they really have McDonalds and Burger King out of the blue at least twice a week. Matt loves the Thai food and cannot wait to travel for the real deal.