A New Day

I don't know why I haven't been taking the time to blog. I have the time but I would rather read other's blogs than write on my own!
We are enjoying our new area here in IL. The area has lots going on and we have begun to meet some new people.
The girls are all enjoying school and have met some new friends. Ironically Ellie is the one who seems to miss her KY friends the most. She talks about them fairly often and is really excited about going back to visit sometime this summer. We are leaning towards holding Ellie back for another year of Kindergarten. She has done well with this move but I think another year in Kindergarten for her to develop socially and to improve her writing skills would do her a world of good. The school has agreed to allow her to stay back but we have till the end of the year to make the "official" decision. Both Jeff and I think it's a good idea but we have asked the opinion of her current Kindergarten teacher too. I think he agrees but I will wait it out till the end of the year and make a final decision then. Ainsley will be moving to the school that Mackenzie currently attends and Mackenzie will be staying there for one more year. In our school district they break the schools into Primary (K-2) and Intermediate(3rd-5th). So Ainsley will be moving to Cassens in the fall. I think she's pretty excited and many of her friends are moving to the same school so that's good. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better transition to a new school system. We have been so pleased with how this year has finished up. Only 5 more weeks of school I think!

And I am slowly but surely meeting people and making friends. I love the area, the church that we have found and the mom's small group that I am attending. I love that God allowed there to be a family here that we already knew a little bit. My friend Lauren has really helped make the adjustment here so much easier! I already feel like I have connected with some of the women in the small group that I attend and I am meeting other women through volunteering at the school too.

I love volunteering! Trying to decide whether to pursue some kind of work opportunity for next year or just stick with volunteering for now. Praying for God to open doors and make it clear to me what He wants for me in the coming months too.
On the adoption front...slow going. We have to update our home study which we are in the process of trying to do. We have an agency and I am waiting for the social worker to call me back after her vacation to set up a time to come for a home visit. But I did e-mail Meg at our agency and she thinks the wait time will be closer to 12 months than 6 so it looks like it won't be till next year that we get to "meet" Phynley. I was hoping for this fall, but this allows us time to save up the money that we will need for the rest of the adoption. Waiting is always tough though! Patience isn't always my strong suit!

A few pics from the last few weeks...

Mackenzie was picked as a volunteer for the magic show at City Museum...she loved it!

Mackenzie posing the ball pit at City Museum

Ellie at her friend Emma's birthday party

Most of the kindergarteners for the Easter egg hunt. Ellie's teacher Mr. D is the guy in the photo giving the directions

Our flat terrain

Kicking Cancer kickball tournament-Ellie's teacher has the pink wig...

Mackenzie field trip to the historical Ben Stephenson house

All the girls in Mackenzie's class

City Museum-an amazing museum we took the girls to over spring break here in St. Louis