The Waiting Game

*I apologize for my lack of posting lately.  As you all know, this is an incredibly busy time of year.  I  promise I will try to do better.*
"When do you expect to be matched?"  "When should your fingerprints come back?" "When should you travel to pick up the baby?"  I have become accustomed to hearing the barrage of questions that come as soon as we tell someone we are adopting, because these are normal.  These are things friends and family are curious about.  Unfortunately, these are things that I don't know the answers to.
Adoption comes with a great deal of unpredictability and waiting.  It forces you to be flexible and patient in the face of a great deal of stress and busyness.   There are countless questionnaires to be filled out, official documents to gather, fingerprints to be done and sent, and references to contact.  There are meetings to attend, required readings to complete, and home safety recommendations (that aren't recommendations).  Prospective adoptive parents must go through this marathon of sorts just to wait and see if you will even be approved by your agency.
Why do we do this?  Why do we endure?  We stand strong because there is a child out there God has selected for us.  There is a child out there waiting for us.  We will do what needs to be done to make sure we get that child.  We will wait as long as it takes to find that child.
So... for now, we have completed our first homestudy meeting (of 3), turned in all of our documents/paperwork, and sent off our fingerprints. For now... we wait.

Trick or Pete

One of the things I loved about Frisco ISD was the immersion in children's literature my children received on a daily basis.  Whether in the classroom or in the music room, they were constantly being read great children's books. 
One of the books my kids fell in love with was Pete the Cat.  The books do not convey a profound life lesson, but they are cute, catchy, and colorful.  We have had to purchase every book containing Pete (there are just 3-4 of them), so imagine my children's excitement when they heard that Eric Litwin was coming here... to Colorado.
I rushed to buy tickets in August, and we have been marking our calendar daily to count down to the big event. Finally, on Thursday night, it happened.  There was a spooky forest, trick-or-treating, Pete himself, AND Eric Litwin signing books.  After patiently waiting in line, the kids were able to meet Mr. Eric. Not only did he sign their books, but he was SO nice, asking each child (even the smallest) a few questions.  It was a night to remember.

Life is a Journey

If anyone told me this time last year that I would be typing this from our basement in Colorado, I would have laughed in his/her face.  Life has a funny way of throwing you the unexpected, and while it's been quite an adjustment for our family, I believe we are coming out on top.

We have gone from swimming pools to hiking trails, upstairs playrooms to finished basements, public school to home school, and crazy time to family time.  Some of the differences are small but some are outrageously big.  Almost all of them, however, have been good.  More changes are still to come for the Gregory's, and for that we are all excited.  To stay connected with our journey just check back here periodically.  Thanks to everyone for your help and support!