Mark & friends - Ian & Isaac.

Cancellation

It turned out we had to cancel our first home study appointment. Mark kind of suddenly got sick with a high fever (102.8)! It only lasted about 24 hours, but it was during the time we were supposed to meet. We are going to try again in about two weeks, when our schedules all work again. I am not going to let this discourage me. It's just a little bump in our adoption road. I am thinking though about our little one(s), yet unknown, over in Africa waiting for us to come for them. I don't want to be stressed out but I don't want to be wasting any time either!

Home Study Time

Our Home Study is beginning! This is a big deal to us and I thought I'd feel fine about it, but now that it's here I'm nervous! Our first meeting with our assigned social worker is this week. Her name is Kim and she sounds really nice over the phone. She also is OK with us bringing our son to the meetings, which is a huge help due to child care challenges. Thanks for your prayers, dear friends and family! I feel them. Things are moving along so quickly (for an adoption) and smoothly and I am so encouraged!

Doggie Friends (& one horse)

I look after so many sweet (& funny!) dogs that I've decided to introduce some of them. They are (from top): Chloe Foxhound, Barnabas Goldendoodle, Zoe Beagle, Niki Shnauzer, Buddy Pug, Zoe Dauchshund, Maggie the Horse, Abby Yorkie, Molly & Jenny Dauchshunds. There are many more & we're fond of all of them.

I started petsitting for friends years ago - the dogs move in with us & we take care of them like they are our own. Over the years, more and more people have wanted to leave their pets with us and sometimes I am very busy with it.

It's HOT!

We are having a hot Southern "dog days of summer"and
it's not even officially summer yet. It's 100 degrees F today & I'm having to dip our chickens
in the kiddie pool to keep them from heat exhaustion!

I loved this image with the dogs. So funny & so true! We live out in the country & I guess it is kind of "Redneckville". We love it though!

Mark's Photo

Mark loves to take pictures with our camera & I think he's pretty good, especially since he's six years old. He snapped this one, of Asiatic Lillies, in our yard today.

More Good News

Today we received "Application Acceptance Notification" from Nathanson Adoptions, the home study agency we've chosen! Now we can start setting up appointments with them. We have to do two office visits and one home visit, as well as have medicals done, gather lots of paper work, and get reference letters written. One more step forward!

Funny

My son (who doesn't read well yet) recently warmed my heart when he presented me with a picture out of a "Peanuts" coloring book that he had worked hard to color beautifully for his Mommy. I wasn't sure what to think when I looked at it more carefully though. His gift was a picture of the Lucy character sitting in a booth that said, "Psychiatric Help - 5 cents - The Doctor Is In"!