COOKIN' RICE

Tonight was my first try at making rice in my new rice cooker! My daughters gave it to me for Mothers' Day. Brilliant! I believe that this small appliance will get a lot of use in the next few years. The beauty of this new machine is that it makes cooking rice SO EASY!! Why didn't I get one a long time ago??? As you can tell, I am pretty excited about this! The other thing that came with my cooker was an empty book to be filled with Filipino recipes. Can anyone help me out? I would like to get a few recipes in my book before the kids get here! Keep in mind that I generally avoid complicated dishes. :) By the way, I am also looking for good gluten-free recipes as well. Got any ideas??

THE WANDERING ORANGES

Lindsay got a juicer for her birthday from Grandpa and Grandma Mork this year. Since they live in Arizona for half of the year, we sometimes get a care package filled with oranges and grapefruit that they have picked from their backyard. They sent Lindsay a box with oranges so she could try out her new juicer. One day, there was a notice on Lindsay's door that the postman had tried to deliver a package...and would try again tomorrow. Of course, Lindsay was gone the next day when it came. The new notice now stated that the package would be at the post office until May 4 for pick up. Lindsay knew that the box consisted of the oranges and realized that she wouldn't be able to pick them up until later in the day on May 4. She had very good intentions of retrieving the abandoned oranges and made a mental note to herself so she wouldn't forget. Well, life is busy, and unfortunately, it didn't happen. By the time she told me about it, the oranges were probably on their way back to Arizona. Meanwhile, Allen's parents were traveling back to Minnesota to their NEW home in St. Cloud. We wondered where these oranges would end up! (By the way, she felt badly about the whole situation, but what could she could do!?)

Yesterday, Grandma Mork presented Lindsay with her birthday box of oranges. The United States Postal Service forwarded this box of oranges to Sun City, Arizona and then back again to St. Cloud, Minnesota!! If only these oranges could talk!! Lindsay was happy to see the oranges, reached into the box to see how bad they were and... guess what?? Although there were a few nasty ones, most of the oranges were in great shape. Pretty funny story, huh? I guess LIndsay will get to try out that juicer with Arizona oranges after all!

A NEW HOME - A NEW PLACE TO GATHER

Today is Memorial Day. I was once again reminded of all the people who have sacrificed so much so we could live in freedom. It is a privilege to live in the US and in spite of all her problems, I'm happy to get to live here! I was also thinking of the people in my own family who are no longer with us that have left a great legacy for the rest of us. I am fortunate to have known each of them.

Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer. I'm sure that many people spent the weekend with family. We were no exception. Today, several of the Mork clan got together in St. Cloud at Allen's parents' new home. They moved in only a few weeks ago and hosted the gathering today! It was so much fun to reconnect with my in-laws and my nieces. Most of the day was spent catching up, eating, and sharing lots of laughs. They have a big back yard - perfect for playing frisbee!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!

Sunday was my dad's 86th birthday. What a great reason to celebrate! My dad was a farmer who raised beef cattle, so we thought it would be most fitting to grill STEAK for my dad and it was really good! I didn't have 86 candles, but managed to find enough to make the cake look bright and cheery! My dad blew the candles out in one swift puff of air. It was amazing! I've never seen anything like it! Later in the day, our we got a skype call from our Filipino kids. They sang Happy Birthday to my dad and had a chance to talk to their new (Robertson) grandparents. It was fun for all of us to watch!

SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER!

Today was a happy day for this mom! I picked Kristin up from Bethel for summer break. We had already moved some of her stuff yesterday, so there wasn't much loading to do. She and I went to TGIFridays for lunch. Isn't that appropriate!!? This last nine months have gone by SO quickly. It seems like it was only last week that we dropped her off! Anyway, she took her last final this morning and is enjoying that great feeling of FREEDOM that you feel after a year of college studying.

It will be different living at home again. (It is never the same after you leave the first time.) But we are glad to have her back for a while. No one is happier than Steph! Finally, someone besides Mom and Dad to eat dinner with... I took this picture as they were off to get "National Treasure 2". Movie Night! Yes, Steph is in the drivers seat and just loving it. Should I be worried about this??

One of the great things about living in Minnesota is that as the seasons change, we get to do new and different things. Summertime is definitely one of my favorite times. It usually means a lot of family get-togethers. Congrats on completing your freshman year, Kristin and... WELCOME HOME!

KINDERGARTEN ROUND-UP

Yesterday we had a meeting with Chris Grote, principal at Cambridge Primary School to discuss Rodrigo and his needs for next year. We had our own little Kindergarten Round-Up! It was especially fun because Amy Luck (Rodrigo's preschool teacher in the Philippines) and Shari Reasoner (another educator who has worked with our son) were able to be at this meeting. Sharon Grace (the ESL teacher) was also there. We talked about his personality, his educational progress and his English. Everyone was so helpful and accommodating. We will be a part of the RED DAY family! Mr. Grote offered to take some pictures of Rodrigo's teachers and of the school and will email them to me. Wow! In my opinion, that is going above and beyond the call of duty!

All three of our new kids are set to go for the 2008-09 school year. We have already met with the principals at the other schools (CIS and CIHS). Our experience was positive at each school. We feel confident that each of our kids will be welcomed into their respective schools and that the staff will do their best to help them along.

After our meeting, Amy, Shari and Tammy Vosika (another teacher from CSC) came to our house for breakfast. These people are very dear to me as they have nurtured our kids for the last 3 years. I am so grateful that they are committed to helping children without families to feel loved and to be the best they can be! As we said goodbye, I realized that our next meeting would be in the Philippines when we go to pick up the kids!! Exciting!

MARIA SUE

Last night Allen came into our room with a heavy heart. He had just learned that Maria Sue Chapman, adopted daughter of Steven Curtis Chapman was hit by an SUV and killed. The Chapman's teenage son was driving the car. We both felt physically sick to hear about this tragic accident. I can't imagine how devastating this is for this family!

SCC is one of the very few celebrities that we have followed as we have traveled through our married life. There is something about him that makes you believe that he is a just a regular guy and if he and his wife lived in your town, you would probably be friends. He and his wife (Mary Beth) are about our age and had 3 biological children before adopting their three daughters from China. They have been very candid about the challenges in their married life as well their parenting journey. It is probably kind of weird, but I have always been intrigued and interested in this family. Maybe because we too have faced some of the same challenges and are at a similar place in life. At any rate, I have always liked SCC and as I thought about it today, he has had a HUGE impact on my life through his music and his Christ-centered life. I hate to admit it, but we probably have every album he has produced. That kind of dates me, doesn't it? Oh well, I don't care. He is such a gifted musician and writer and speaks the TRUTH so beautifully. Although it is hard for me to pick my favorites, here are a few of his songs that have been significant to me and Allen.

*The Great Adventure/The Mountain -Young Life Family Camp in Colorado - 1996. At the end of the week, the staff put together a music video of all the things we did that week. These two songs were featured. The Mountain became one of Allen's all-time favorites.

*I Will Be Here- a love song written for Mary Beth Chapman beautifully describes a marriage relationship that is built on a commitment to Christ and to each other.

*Dive- Played at Lindsay's baptism in 2001. I heard this song on the radio just yesterday and realized how it gives a perfect word picture to our decision to adopt.

*When Love Takes You In- This song speaks to the miracle of adoption. It was played at the concert I attended back in 2005. It touched my heart and helped me to take a step closer to adopting our own children.

Although I have never met any of the Chapmans, I feel indebted to this family for encouraging me in my faith. Steven Curtis Chapman has been faithful in using his gifts to advance the Gospel. I am just one of thousands of people that he and his family has inspired. I'm sure that there are many, many people wondering how they could possibly help this family as they go through this horrible tragedy. I wish there was something I could do for them...like bring over a hot dish or bake a cake! If you check out his website, they have some short videos of Maria Sue. They have also asked that all donations go to Shaohannah's Hope, the organization the Chapmans set up to support adoptive families. What a wonderful place to channel our love and concern. I'm not sure exactly how Allen and I will choose to help, but we will surely uphold this family in prayer. I think I will go down and kiss my baby goodnight now.

MORE STAINING AND PAINTING

This is what our garage looks like this week. What you can't appreciate is the strong smell of stain that almost knocks you over when you step into the garage! Whoa! The good news is that they are almost done and I will get my garage back soon! All the trim should be on by the end of the week. Yeah! One step closer to the finished product!

FINGERPRINTS

There was a letter in the mail today from the Department of Homeland Security. It was a notice for Allen and me to "appear at the application support center... to capture our biometrics." In case you are interested, in Webster's New World Dictionary the word biometrics means "that branch of biology which deals with its data statistically and by mathematical analysis." It's just a fancy way of saying that we need to get another set of fingerprints for immigration services. We were expecting this notice because just a few weeks back we received a notice saying that we would receive another notice instructing us to go and capture our biometrics. All of this means that the US Citizenship and Immigration Department is doing their job to process the next step in our paperwork. All is good. In case you didn't know, we have already been fingerprinted for our initial background check. One chilly day in February, Allen and I made a trip to the Cambridge Police Station to get our first set of prints taken. Unfortunately, one of us failed the test and had to be re-fingerprinted several times. That would be me. This required another trip to Edina where a "fingerprint professional" tried again. She took a lot of time with me, made three separate prints and seemed quite sure that I would pass with no problems this time. Sure enough, I failed again! One might wonder about my sordid past, but the truth is, I have washed SO many dishes and changed SO many diapers... and basically worked my fingers to the bone that my prints have become very hard to read. (You can believe that if you want!) Anyway, after several weeks of waiting, I finally passed my background check. The delay probably set us back a few weeks. It did make me wonder how REAL criminals pass background checks. I think my only run-in with the law has been because of a fast moving car! Needless to say, I am a bit anxious about going through the whole process again. Our biometric date is June 4 and I plan on slathering on the lotion in the next few weeks to make my hands as soft (and readable) as possible. Please pray that all will go smoothly and that I will pass with flying colors!

THE PIANO RECITAL

This is the time of year when we all spend a fair share of our time going to end-of-the-year band and choir concerts, sporting events, banquets, recitals and graduations. Yesterday was a big day for all of my piano students. I love that these kids finally get to share some of the music that they have worked so hard to prepare. In spite of all the nervousness, most kids like to have a venue where they can perform for other people. We plan for this event all year long so it is a very BIG deal! I was so proud of everyone that played! Stephanie was a part of the recital and did a fabulous job (if I do say so myself!).

The event was bittersweet for me as I have decided to take most of the year off next year while I help our Filipino kids to adjust to life in the US. I no doubt enjoy the music part of piano lessons. However, the relational part of teaching is just as enjoyable for me. I know that several of my students will be moving on to other teachers or will not be continuing at all. That is the sad part for me. I will surely miss each of my students and am very happy that I had the chance to work with each of them.

Meanwhile...Bjork (Lindsay's boyfriend) graduated from the U of M on Saturday afternoon. To celebrate his accomplishment, Lindsay rented a scooter on Sunday. The two of them "scooted" around the Lake Calhoun area all afternoon! What a great idea! I think it sounds like such a fun outing! Anyone interested in "scooting" with me??

THE END OF A VERY BUSY DAY

Today marked the end of my school year. Allen, Steph, my parents and Allen's parents were all part of this busy day. It started with a big choir piece at the early service. I have been accompanying the choir this year and today was our last Sunday to sing. After church, Allen, Steph and I went to People's Cafe for breakfast. For some reason, breakfast at People's seemed especially fun today! At 1:00 p.m., all (17) of my piano students filed in to First Baptist for their last recital of the year. It is always a highlight to hear how they have progressed throughout the year. Two hours later, we all made our way to Cambridge Middle School for the last Grad Band concert of the year. In case you don't know, I play the flute in our community band. It is made up of a great group of people and is lots of fun! After the concert, Allen's parents joined us for pie at our house. (They just moved into their new home in St. Cloud this week!) I guess that we had several things to celebrate. Lastly, Allen, Steph and I went to work in our basement again. We are trying to get the wallpaper adhesive off of the walls so the painters can finish painting this week. As you know, we have already done some painting, but this was a change in our plan. Have you ever tried to get adhesive off of a wall??? It is really tedious and not very much fun. So...after working for a couple of hours, we decided to take a break and jump on the trampoline. What a great way to end the day...even for middle-aged oldies like us!

"STUFF" SALE

This has been a very busy week for me. The middle of May is the busiest time of the year for me so naturally, I decided to participate in my friend's garage sale. There are lots theories on how to unload unwanted things from your house, but I think that a garage sale is a most interesting way to get rid of "stuff". Yes, it is a bit of a chore to get everything collected, marked and organized, but when you are finished, there is a great sense of accomplishment. I think that it feels like you had a good haircut! I have plenty of clutter in my house, but even I begin to feel chest pain if it gets out of control. I was beginning to get that tightness in my chest recently. The remodeling project has not helped at all! There was "stuff" everywhere in the house... and other "stuff" in storage... and yet other "stuff" in our garage just waiting to go... somewhere. Well, thankfully we made a dent in all of that "stuff" and have created some space... for more "stuff". All of that is to say, the sale was a success!

It is fun to talk to people as they wander through the garage and find their treasures. You get ALL kinds of people at a garage sale. Some people take this very seriously and know how to "work the system". I am very poor at bargaining. Most of the time, if someone asks for a lower price, I will agree in an instant. Remember- avoid conflict at all cost! However, today someone asked if I would take less for an item. ( I thought that it was already a steal!) Anyway, I just said "No" and she said, "OK". It was so easy! I was kind of proud of myself and yet I felt a twinge of guilt for being so inflexible. I don't know why I have to make everything so complicated.

As I was sitting there today, I thought again of all the "stuff" we have. I have never met anyone that said they didn't have enough "stuff". I understand that garage sales are a great place to find bargains, but I had to wonder (as people left with armfuls of things) where is it all going? I'll bet that in most cases it went to houses like mine that are already full of clothes, household items and furniture. It seems that at some point there just won't be any more room for all of our "stuff". In the meantime, you'll be glad to know that I did my part by buying two lamp bases, several boy's shirts (a first!), a salad shooter and a bike! The cycle continues...

A DAY FOR MOTHERS

Yesterday was a wonderful day. I was able to spend time with both my mother and my daughters. I also got a skype call from my Filipino children. It came late in the day and was a surprise to me! I couldn't help but think of how things will look around our table next year. (I had to go to the furniture store last week to buy another chair for my dining room set!) It is very hard for me to imagine! If any of the grandparents come, that would make at least ten, maybe twelve!

I was so glad that my mom came for lunch yesterday. As usual, she brought part of the meal. One of our favorites is the rice pudding she makes. I'm not sure what is in her recipe, but there is nothing quite like the way Mom makes rice pudding. I think it is just because she throws in an extra dose of TLC. Preparing food is only one of the ways my mom serves. She just loves to help people and is always the first person to lend a hand when she can. Cambridge Medical Center had an ad in the paper last week thanking all of their volunteers. My mom is a greeter at CMC and her picture was under the caption Making a Difference. I love that (at 81!) my mom is still making a difference. She has no intention of letting life pass her by. Maybe some day I will be able to catch up with her!

TOP 10 LIST

As I try to explain to people how Allen and I came to the decision of adopting, I sometimes find myself at a loss for words. There have been so many things that have brought us to choose adoption at this point in our life. How could I possibly explain that in just a few minutes. So, for those of you who might be interested in the details of our decision to adopt, I thought I might try to tell you.

People often say, "Wow, this is wonderful, but I could never adopt, especially at this point in life!" I am quick to point out that everyone has different gifts and different callings. Adoption is NOT for everyone. It is only one of many ways to serve. Ordinary people step out in faith every day to do the things that they think God is calling them to do. I have great respect for the people that faithfully go to the workplace everyday to try to make a difference in their corner of the world. My world is a better place because of them. I also have great respect for those stay-at-home moms, engaged dads, grandmas and grandpas who sacrifice their own pursuits to give those special little people a secure and loving support system.

It is not so much the calling that matters. How you choose to answer that call is more important. I won't deny that this adoption thing is a HUGE step of faith for our family! But it is no bigger or better than any other calling. Here are 10 reasons why I believe that this is the right thing for us to do and why I have chosen to say, "Yes, God I'll accept this assignment!"

BEWARE! This is a long post. Enter at your own risk!

NUMBER 1 - I LIKE BEING A MOM!
I have always wanted to be a mom. When I was in college, I worked hard to earn a degree, but always hoped that some day, I would be able to stay at home with my children. I suppose that is not a very popular thing to say, but well... it is true. I have been blessed in that for most of our married life I have had the choice to stay at home with our kids. There have certainly been times when I wondered if I was doing the right thing, but (for me) I have no regrets of all my years at home with our girls. I believe that there is nothing more important than to nurture children and am thankful for the chance to try this mothering thing with 3 more kids!

NUMBER 2 - WHAT NOT TO WEAR
Things changed quite a bit this fall when Kristin went off to college. Steph became very busy and Allen and I found ourselves at home alone more often than we could ever remember! One evening, we sat in front of the TV watching things like..."The Biggest Loser", "Unsolved Mysteries" and "What Not To Wear". This is very unusual for us as our evenings are usually filled with a number of other interesting things. After several hours of staring mindlessly at the tube, we looked at each other and said, " What did we just do???" It was embarrassing to think that we could waste a good evening so easily and we didn't have the discipline to get up to do something more productive. It prompted a good discussion about what our life was going to look like in the next few years. We have nothing against "The Biggest Loser" (it's one of our favorites!). However, adoption or no adoption, we vowed that we would not spend the rest of our life watching reality TV.

NUMBER 3 - WE HAVE SO MUCH!
Our trip to the Philippines really made us think. I went with one of the social workers to a home in the city. This family of 8 lived in a 12 x 12 room. They were so gracious and kind to me, a total stranger. They had one table, a few pots and pans and one chair. Of course, they offered the chair to me. They were part of large community where everyone shared the one water supply. It was used for both bathing and cooking. To be there, to see it and smell it was remarkable. Being in a place like that was a very good reminder for me that yes, I have so much and what can I be doing to help someone else. Most Americans have so much. This adoption is one way that we can share not only our stuff, but our lives. It is another kind of letting go, but it feels good.

NUMBER 4 - ADOPTION IS GOD'S IDEA
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 2:27 This verse is used often by people who talk of our responsibility to care for the orphans and widows. I love it because it is SO clear. It certainly doesn't mean that everyone is commanded to adopt children, but it does tell me that God is for adoption and is pleased when we choose adoption. God adopted me into His family when I had nothing to give in return. I am so thankful that I can call Him "Father".

NUMBER 5 - IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT ME
I hate to admit it, but I am a pretty selfish person! I suppose it is all a part of our sinful nature, but I really have to fight that urge to always look out for NUMBER ONE! I read a book called "It's Not All about Me" this winter. It reminded me that I am one part of a bigger plan and purpose. I am so inspired by unselfish people. I know that this adoption adventure is part of a bigger plan that I don't even know about. I am glad to be able to be a part of it.

NUMBER 6 - PRO-LIFE CONVICTIONS
Let me just say that I really hate talking about politics. I basically hate any kind of conflict so when certain political things come to the surface, I flee if I can. Social issues like abortion is one of them. My value system and what I believe God says about abortion is the framework for my convictions. I am pro-life and am grieved by the issue of abortion. I am also grieved by the negative way people attack clinics (and medical personnel) who participate in this. For me, adoption is a positive way to say that all life is valuable.

NUMBER 7 - MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Most people want to know that when life is over, they made a positive contribution in this world. I am no different. Allen and I are not perfect when it comes to parenting, but (on most days) we like it and think that having more kids is a good fit for us. We will hopefully make a difference in their lives. I know that they will make difference in ours!

NUMBER 8 -WALK ACROSS THE ROOM
This winter, our church went through a series called "Walk Across The Room". We all become very comfortable with our lives, our friends, our routines that we often don't even see the people around us who really need us. It means going outside of our comfort zone to include someone else. It sometimes means helping others to meet God in a personal way. Anyway, it was a good series and made me think of walking across the room or in this case, walking across the world to help three children to know God and discover all that He has for them.

NUMBER 9 - WHAT A SUPPORT SYSTEM!
Adopting 3 children is a big commitment, but we believe that we are surrounded by a great support system. Let me start with my family. First of all, we have three great daughters who have already shown amazing support and encouragement. I know that both sets of parents and extended families will be very accepting of our Filipino children. I've seen the acceptance again and again over the years. We are so fortunate to have so many friends that are always willing to encourage or lend a hand. I couldn't say enough about the wonderful friends that we have! Our church family is filled with people who have experienced the miracle of adoption. Not only is this good for our new children, but for us as we relearn the ropes of parenting young children again. Our schools and community in general have already been so helpful to us as we prepare for the kids' arrival. God has indeed blessed us with an exceptional support system. It makes this adventure not so scary knowing that we have so many people who will walk through it with us.

NUMBER 10 - GRACE
I could probably write an entire chapter on this reason alone. There is so much that I could say about GRACE. I must say that over the years, SO many people have shown me mercy and grace. I know that I haven't always deserved it, but it has been much appreciated and has helped to change me for the better. I also know that in my life, God has shown grace to me over and over again. I never deserve it here either. To rescue me, to forgive me with no strings attached is unselfish, compassionate and loving. This adoption is one way I can PAY IT FORWARD and try to show the same kind of grace that I have received. I think it is maybe the best reason that this adoption is the right thing for us to do.

MORE REMODELING PICS

Here are some great pictures to show you how we split one big room into two smaller rooms. Thankfully, while Allen and I were on vacation in April, Steph stopped at home to take a few pictures of the progress. To date, the walls are painted and they will start working on the trim and the tile next week. The only big thing I have yet to choose is the carpet. I will wait until the tile is in to do that. After that, we can fill the space with furniture! It's pretty exciting!!! ...and dusty!

BERNIE SAVES THE DAY!

Yesterday, when I let Bernie out, he starting running all over the yard, barking and carrying on like a crazy dog! I knew someone or something was, or had been out there. When I ran out to see what the commotion was all about, I found him in the landscaping barking at a large turtle. Because we live so close to the river, we get quite a few turtles passing through our yard this time of year. It is a fun sign that spring is finally here and summer is not far away. Bernie is a very emotional dog and the presence of strange animals in our yard usually brings him very close to a total nervous breakdown! Yesterday was no exception. After he tried to get the turtle's attention from the rear, he proceeded to the front where perhaps the poor chap could hear him better. They went nose to nose and at that point I was the one who almost had a nervous breakdown! I was so sure that Bernie was going to lose his cute little nose but I couldn't get close enough to grab him! Bernie is the cutest dog ever, but unfortunately he got the short end of the stick when the brains were passed out. He obviously couldn't tell that danger was staring him in the face. Eventually, I got a hold of him and dragged him into the house. It didn't take long for the turtle to make a b-line back to the river. I checked. I'm sure that Bernie thought he did something really wonderful yesterday. Perhaps he even imagined being a superhero and saving me from the big, scary turtle! Gotta love him for that!

MY FIRST BOY PRESENT...EVER!

My friend Karla stopped by the office to say "hi" today. She brought an early Mothers' Day present for me. She is on my "nicest people ever" list. You know, the ones that don't have a mean bone in their body. The ones that always are thinking of someone else's needs. Anyway, she brought me a poem about boys. Someone had given her this poem when her firstborn was little. She loved it so much that she thought I should have one too, since God has now given me TWO boys! It kind of caught me off guard. I have lived in a world of girls for so long that it has become part of my identity. I KNOW girls! I UNDERSTAND girls! Although we have always looked forward to having son-in-laws, I really never imagined what life would be like with boys running around the house...until now. I can actually walk downstairs and look at their room and try to decide where I will hang my boy poem. I am so thankful for all my friends who have, or have had boys! I am going to need some training in and counseling to be sure. My friend Karla has 3 very nice boys. Maybe one of them will be friends with one of my boys!? Cool! Who would have thought???? Today I got my first boy present...ever! Thanks, Karla!

ROMANO/MORK KIDS GRADUATION 2008

We received some pics from CSC today (Children's Shelter of Cebu) and I just had to share them with you. The graduation was on April 29 and each of our kids had something special to do. Roselyn and Rodrigo sang. Romeo also sang and was part of the band. It was especially fun for Rodrigo as he has graduated from preschool! I think this is a great picture of the three of them and well... I couldn't resist showing you our little Rodrigo! It doesn't get much cuter, does it?! I can say that, right? I'm the MOM!

PARASAILING

I would like to go back to Thursday, April 24. It was the first day that I started my blog, so if you haven't read about it, you can go back and check it out. It was the day our kids in Cebu learned that we were going to adopt them. The first picture you see here is of them looking at a book I sent with photos of our family. Allen and I took a picture of ourselves just minutes after we learned that the kids were told about the adoption. We were very excited and wanted to remember that special day!

Later in the day Allen and I were sitting on the beach reading, snoozing and people watching. All of that was fun, but frankly I was getting tired of all the sitting around and reading. I hate to admit it, but I am a bit of a restless person on occasion and I just wanted to DO something. Reading just wasn't going to cut it today. Luckily, we were right next to some nice Mexican men who were offering parasail rides (for a reasonable price)! I sat watching people take off on their parasailing adventure and began to think that this would be the perfect activity for me! I know that people say it is very dangerous and if you go, never, never parasail in Mexico. Well, to me, there didn't seem to be a problem. I hadn't seen one person crash the entire time I had been sitting there. Actually, it looked quite easy even for the old, overweight and uncoordinated. I mentioned something to Allen, but he was so engrossed in his book that he hardly even knew I was sitting next to him. I finally got his attention and suggested that it would be so fun for both of us to parasail on the same day that we would be talking to our new kids. He wasn't so sure and was perfectly happy sitting in the shade with his book. I guess I pushed it a bit and asked if he would go up to our room to get some money. I had made up my mind to go...with or without him. Being the great guy that he is, he went to our room to get some cash. By the time he got back, I was ready to go! What a fun thing to do on such a memorable day!

Allen grabbed the camera and watched me "lift off" into the sky. I don't think he had any intention of parasailing that day, but when my Mexican friend Pepe started to encourage Allen to also go parasailing, he just couldn't say "no". I'm not sure if Pepe really convinced Allen or if he simply shamed him into going, but when I got back, my dear husband was the next person to climb into the harness. I loved it! I knew that it was probably the one and only time I would ever see him involved in such an exciting (and dangerous) adventure. I'll have to hand it to Allen. He is a good sport and would do just about anything for me. I have the pictures to prove it!

No matter how exciting, stupid, or dangerous our ride was that day, it was something we did together. We got a glimpse of what the world looks like from a birds point of view. It was beautiful! The hardest thing to be sure was the loss of control. Once you lift off, you have no control of the wind, the parachute, the direction you are going or the driver. It means trusting people like Pepe and his crew. How symbolic of our decision to adopt. There are so many things that we can't control and don't know. But in order to experience this adoption adventure to the fullest, we really need to trust God to carry us. It is very freeing to let go of the things we can't control! And, of course it is great to be doing this together.

The next morning we noticed these huge warning signs which were strategically placed as you entered the beach area. We were well aware of the many parasailing pitfalls before our ride, but I'm pretty sure that if we would have seen the signs only a day sooner, we would have taken a walk on the beach instead. Just think what we would have missed!!

PAPERWORK

Today I made a trip to Crossroads Adoption Agency in Minneapolis. There was more paperwork that needed to be done. We recently received word from the Philippine Inter-Country Adoption Board that they have accepted us as prospective adoptive parents. OUR job is to send another stack of paperwork back to the Philippines indicating our desire to accept the proposed placement and/or referral. I spent about an hour at the agency, drove back to Cambridge, sat down with Allen to sign the papers, got them notarized, then headed straight to the post office to send the paperwork right back to Crossroads. They will hopefully get it in the mail a.s.a.p. to the Adoption Board in the Philippines. It was all important stuff to do today, but it wasn't how I was planning to spend my day. Oh well, I'm glad I could do it. Just another step in the adoption process.

The paperwork began from Day 1. The adoption study report for the home study was the first step in this process. It included an application, reference letters, birth certificates, our marriage certificate, medical records, financial information, a background check (which I failed more than once!), and a series of questions that were to be answered by Allen and me. The questions included information about our personal history, relationships, parenting skills, religious affiliations, coping skills, etc... I wrote 7 pages of information. Allen wrote (maybe) 3! What does that tell you?

Our home study was expedited and approved in short order. The next job was to compile our dossier (collection of documents) to be sent to the adoption board in the Philippines. More paperwork. This collection of documents was similar to that of our adoption study report (applications, more reference letters, physicians report, tax returns, and more essay questions). One additional document needed was a written consent from each of our children. I thought that this was interesting, but obviously a good idea.

I believe that at this point, we have completed the bulk of our paperwork. However, the truth is, we just do whatever they tell us to do! If Crossroads tells us to come sign something, we get it done as quickly as possible. Our goal is to get our children here as soon as we can. The paperwork process has been only one of hoops we have had to jump through. All in all, it has gone very well.

PAINTING

The remodeling is in full swing at our house!  While Allen and I were in Mexico, our downstairs went from 2 bedrooms to 3!  There is also a new bathroom.  It is quite an amazing transformation as we haven't added any square footage to the house.  We have only knocked down a few walls and added a few others.  As you can see, we started painting this weekend.  Lindsay and Bjork came home on Friday night to help.  Allen, Steph and I continued working through the weekend on this project.  The work only took a few hours (each day) and... many hands make light work!

Tomorrow I need to pick out a toilet.  Now that is something you don't do every day!    I hope I do a good job and don't live to regret that decision!  

The other fun thing that happened on Friday night was a SKYPE call from our kids in Cebu.  Basically, SKYPE is a phone call through our computers.  Not only could we hear our kids, but we could see them!  They could see us as well.  Pretty fun!  We talked for about 40 minutes.  It was fun to be able to tell them that we were painting their room(s) this weekend.  Anyway, technology is amazing and I am thankful that we have smart people in this world who can figure out how to make things like that work!

ROSELYN, ROMEO AND RODRIGO

I just realized that I haven't told you the names of our new children.  I can't believe that I didn't mention it on that first day.  Let me introduce you to each of them.

Roselyn is the oldest.  She turned 15 years old on March 4.  She is very pretty and likes to sing.  Roselyn was matched with Kristin to be a special friend when our church youth group went to Cebu a few years ago.  She will probably start at the high school in 9th grade.

Romeo will turn 12 on November 4, 2008.  He is also very musical and plays the bass guitar and the trumpet.  Romeo has a great smile and a very fun personality.  He was recently awarded the BEST SPELLER award at school.  We plan on starting Romeo in the 5th grade.

Rodrigo is our youngest.  His birthday was on April 4th.  He is now 6 years old and has graduated from the preschool program at the CSC Children of Hope School.  He was awarded the MOST INDUSTRIOUS at school.   He is also a very active little person!  Rodrigo will start kindergarten this fall.  My friend Pam was Rodrigo's special friend when the youth group visited CSC.  He is also a foster friend of LeFebvres and Huffs.  Isn't it neat that these Cambridge friends of ours have been praying for Rodrigo all along?

SHARING OUR NEWS

For some reason, it took me longer than anyone else in our family to be ready to tell people about our big news.  It was such a big decision and yet so personal.  It quickly became necessary for us to begin sharing our news with certain people.  Our home study paperwork required several character references, birth certificates, a marriage certificate, fingerprints, and a medical exam which meant several calls and a visit to the government center.  We love living in a small town, but in this case, I was a bit paranoid about who was privy to this information.  I guess I just wasn't ready to start answering questions about the whole thing.  I will say that all of the people who knew about our plans were very respectful about our privacy and keeping this under wraps.  Thank you.  You know who you are.

It has been interesting to see how people have responded to our news.   Some people became very quiet and didn't really say much.  I think that they were just stunned and needed some time to process.  Others became visibly excited.  Still others immediately got tears in their eyes.  I have no expectations of how people should receive news like this.  Everyone is different and I can appreciate that. The best part is that after the news sinks in, most people have been very supportive.  

My parents were one of the hardest to tell.  I knew that they would be supportive, but I didn't want them to worry. After my dad's chin hit the floor, he kept saying, "WOW, that is a horrendous, big decision!"  (I think what he really meant was..."humongous" decision.) After I asked him to stop saying "horrendous", he started saying "WOW, that is really an awesome decision!"  I liked that better!  It turned out to be a fun night of sharing with them. Before we left, I asked my dad, "Now, are you o.k. with all of this?"  His response as he gave me a smile and a thumbs up was, "Let's do it!"  Whew!  Approval!  He will never know how much that meant to me.