First Day of School (For Kyle and me!)

Today Kyle and I FINALLY went back to school. We have been enjoying a four month summer thanks to come construction going on in our district. Kyle has been counting down the days until he started First Grade. I am teaching 4Th grade this year which I am very excited about. I am happy to say that Kyle and I both survived the first day of school with smiles on our faces! Kyle said that "Mrs. Wilson made us do too, too much work!" All in all, it was a great day!

Today was also another first for Jacob. He got the ride the bus to school. He has been a

nxiously awaiting this day. Jacob got on the bus at Grandma's this morning. I wasn't actually there when the bu

s came, but my mom did admit that for as excited Jacob was to get on the bus, he was a little leery when the bus finally came.

We are very lucky and happy to have Kyle's teacher be someone who we are friends with. Billy and I worry about Kyle and his behavior at school. He responds well to structure and clear rules and consequences. We know that Mrs. Wilson will be able to meet Kyle's needs and help him have a wonderful year.

The boys are both tucked into bed, sleeping soundly. It's almost time for Mama to do the same thing. Need to get our rest so we can happily face Day 2 tomorrow!

Future Soccer Stars?? Possibly!

The boys are both playing soccer this fall. This is the 3rd sport that Kyle has tried and the 1st for Jacob. The boys are both very active and LOVE running, playing, really any type of activity. Kyle has enjoyed playing each sport so far. He puts a lot of effort into it and trys his best each time. We have been really proud of him for being a trooper through each season. You have to remember this is a kid who after I told him I signed him up for basketball, he said "Oh, cool! Jennifer, what is basketball anyway?"

We have had 3 weeks of games already and while the teams don't get score, you can't help but keep track of goals made. In one game, Kyle scored 4 goals, which were the only goals on for his team. He really has shown some talent with soccer. I think it is the mix of running and competition to get the ball first. He puts everything into each game and works really hard. His coach makes comments on how well he is doing. Now if we could get him to work on not taking the ball from teammates, he would be better off!

Now on to Jacob...well, Jacob enjoys being on the field! Now, as silly as it sounds, there are MANY preschoolers who do not enjoy even being out on the field. Those kids make it known to all that they are not happy! Even though Jacob is playing on a preschool team, he is almost a full year younger then most of his teammates. It shows too. Jake follows the team on the field but doesn't really make any attempt to get the ball and really doesn't understand what to do with it once he does get it. But he is having fun, making new friends and learning to work as part of a group and that is all that Billy and I want from this experience.

I love watching my kids play! The three games have had beautiful weather which makes being there even better.

A big week for Jacob!

Sunday was Jacob's 4th birthday. It was a day spent with family and friends at our house. All Jake has been talking about is wanting an Elmo birthday. I was able to find Elmo sugar cubes (cake decoration things) for the top of homemade cakes. We bought him an Hokey Pokey Elmo, which I thought he may be a bit afraid of. Boy was I wrong! He loved it! Hannah, our friend's daughter, and Jacob giggled and giggled every time Elmo started to sing. When we tucked Jacob into bed Sunday we asked him if he had a good birthday and he happily said "yes!" 

We were able to be a part of Jacob's 3rd birthday last year so it is so neat to see how much he has grown in the past year! His speech alone has come so far. In the last 2 weeks or so, he has started to speak in 5-6 word sentences and have actual conversations with us. He is growing up! 

Today was Jacob's first day of preschool. Billy and I feel really luck to have Jacob attending the preschool he is attending. The school is part of the county MRDD and provides services and education for students with special needs. While Jacob is one of the "typical" students enrolled in preschool, he will still have indirect access to therapy services such as speech, OT and PT. Even though Jake's speech is getting better, Billy and I still worry a great deal about it. Our hope is that with some interventions, Jake will continue

 to make progress. When I took Jacob to school today, he barely even said goodbye to me. I was crushed! I left school in tears but as Billy pointed out, I would have been crushed if he was screaming and crying and I had to peel him off of me to leave. I suppose I will take what I got today! 

where oh where has time gone!

My best friend reminded me the other night that I needed to update my blog! I guess I have been pretty lazy about keeping everyone updated on our crazy world. The summer has flown by! 

The week after our adoption ceremony, we celebrated with a huge bash at our house. The boys had a great time having all our friends, family and important loved ones here to welcome them into our family. Some of our family traveled far to come for the occasion and that means the world to us. Billy and I can't express how blessed we feel that the boys have been welcomed into their new family with open arms. 

The boys went to summer camp at our YMCA. They both enjoyed going and spending time with other kids. Kyle had a sleep over one night and pulled his first all nighter, which he felt the effects of the rest of the weekend! 

We took two weeks and did some traveling. We took the boys to Dearborn, Michigan to The Henry Ford. What a neat place. The boys enjoyed seeing old cars, riding in a Model T car, and eating lunch at the Weinermobile Cafe. Their favorite part though was going to the Ford Rouge Factory where we were able to see F150 pickups being produced. From Dearborn, we headed to Lake Erie for a night. We did some island hopping. The boys loved riding the ferries and being out in the middle of a really big lake! 

After a night of recovery and sleeping in our own beds, we headed south to North Carolina and South Carolina. The boys were able to meet Aunt Diane, Uncle Dion, Mike and James when we crashed at their house for night. We enjoyed spending a night with them. From there we headed to Grandma's and Grandpa's house. We went to the Columbia Zoo and the Fort Discovery Science Center. Jacob had a little mishap with his tongue and a bike pedal but nothing that a little time (and an ER visit) didn't heal! 

On the way home from S.C. we stopped in Asheville, NC to visit the Biltmore Estate. What a beautiful "home", if you could call a house of that size just a home. While staying in Asheville for the night, we were able to meet up with a friend and her husband. 

After 2 weeks of traveling, we were all glad to be home! WOW! What a fun, crazy summer!

A family of 4!

Billy and I are officially the proud parents of Jacob and Kyle Dennis! What a wonderful thing to say! 

Billy and I woke up early this morning to get ourselves ready before we woke the boys up. We had to be at the lawyer's office by 7:40 to go over any questions we would have prior to our court hearing. We were both so excited to have today come! 

We woke the boys up and Jacob starting screaming and crying. Boy he doesn't like to have someone wake him from slumber. Kyle popped right out of bed and was ready to get dressed in this cool new clothes (Thanks Erin for helping him pick out the outfit!). Jacob continued to scream and cry on and off for the next 25 minutes! Lucky us!

We got to the lawyer's office and he went over the proceeding again. We spent some time checking out his "tick tock" (Grandfather clock!) and then headed over the the courthouse. Upon arriving, we were escorted into the courtroom where our lives would forever be changed. A few moments later the judge came in and the hearing began. The adoption coridinator had to speak about the best interest of the boys and their future well being. Then it was our turn to answer some questions. The whole time the questioning was taking place, Jacob was asking for fruit snacks! I kept trying to keep him quiet but it just didn't work! After the questions were asked and answered, the judge spoke for a few minutes explaining how he has reviewed all the paperwork and approved all the reports and petitions. Then the judge said those words "From this day forward, the boys names will be Jacob Tyler Dennis and Kyle Reed Dennis. I grant this adoption petition. Congratulations!" (Or something to that effect! I can't exactly remember!) I started crying and I think I may have seen a few tears in Billy's eyes as well! (He is not an outward emotionally person!) 

After a little while waiting for the final papers and such, we were on our way with our boys! What a great day! 

Getting closer with a few lasts...

We are getting closer to our finalization and we can't be more excited! In 9 days, "J" and "K" will finally be home FOREVER! What an amazing feeling. We are busy planning their adoption party for the weekend after the our court date. What a great way to celebrate and welcome the boys into their forever family then with a party!! 

We met with our attorney yesterday. He went over the questions that the judge will ask us in the courtroom. The judge will ask the case worker and ourselves questions to determine "the best interest" of the boys. Since the boys are so young, they don't really get to speak for themselves. Joe, (not sure how you address an attorney) said that the whole process takes about 15 minutes. It amazes me what a life changing event such as an adoption only takes 15 minutes. I suppose that is because the major life changers have already taken place, removal from birth parents and termination of birth parent rights. We still can't get over the fact that someone could not provide the needed love, care, and nurturing that our two boys needed. As I have said many times before, someone else's mess up has been our gain and joy! 

We also had our LAST home visit for the boys yesterday. Our case worker came out, chatted with us for a while. She has come out once a month just to check on them and make sure that they are adjusting fine. As much as we will miss having her come out and chat, we are so happy to close that chapter of our lives! 

We are traveling out of state this weekend to enjoy a retirement party for a dear friend in Virginia. When we do anything above and beyond the normal day to day things, we have to let JFS know what is going on and get "permission" to take the boys along. They have never told us no but it sometimes feels like being a teenager getting permission to borrow the car. This weekend will be the last time we need to get travel permission for the boys! Another YEA!!! 

On another note, our best friends, Cara and Doug, are headed to Serbia today to adopt a beautiful little girl. They will be leaving their daughter, Hannah, at home with family while they are gone. This will be a bitter sweet time for them, with excitement for their new daughter and sadness for leaving Hannah. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they embark on this wonderful time!!! We can't wait to see this cute little lady!!! We love you guys! Be safe! 

And on another note, my cousin James, who has been in the hospital for 4 weeks after suffering two strokes. James is only 14! Today he was released from the hospital today, just in time for his 8th grade graduation. We are so proud of James and his progress. We know that he is going to continue to make great strides in his recovery! We love you very much! Keep it up! 

15 days and counting!

We are 15 days away from finalization of the boys' adoption! It is so hard to believe that we are so close. It feels like it was just October when the boys moved in! I can remember how nervous I was the days leading up to them moving in. We had been having the boys for weekend visits for 8 weeks prior to them moving in full time so we were used to having little feet around for a while. But having 2 sets of feet for good was a bit scary, to say the least. "J" has some speech issues and I remember saying to Billy "What happens if we can't understand him and we don't know what he needs??" Well, the little man's speech has come SO FAR in the last 8 months and what he can't verbally tell you, he figures out a way to tell you in other ways. We are really excited to be closing one chapter of their lives, the one that labels them as "foster kids" and opening a new chapter, the one where they are part of a forever family. "K" has started to tell any and everyone that he is getting a new name soon and that he will be stuck with Jennifer and Billy forever. His face seems to light up as he tells people and gets a cute little giggle to his speech. It just makes me very so great. I am not really sure how much of the process he understands but he is comfortable with us and that is all that matters. "K" has an attachment issue and for a long time would not respond to "I love you" with anything other then a smile. He has recently started to respond with "I love you too" and even better, just saying it at random times!! What a big step for him. 

Tonight we went to the Laynes' house for dinner. The Carr family was there as well, including the very cute 1 month old Wesley. As long as he isn't crying, I enjoy holding him. As Wes was all snuggled up on my chest sleeping soundly, I couldn't help but think about how no one did that for "K" and "J" when they were little. No one just let them cuddle and sleep and feel safe while being held. "J" was 6 weeks old when he was placed with his special mom and dad so he had a great deal of love and cuddle after that, but "K" didn't have that bonding time as an infant. I have heard/read/been told that the most important time for learning attachment happens during those precious few months of life. It breaks my heart to think our little men didn't have that time! I guess my thoughts tonight, my sadness for this missing part of their life, especially "K", just means we need to work that much harder on giving him that nurturing time he missed out on. Hopefully it isn't too late....