Special Day :)

Today is Alex's 25th monthday! I know it's not a BIG birthday, but it's still a special day! And it's been exactly 1 month since we've been home from our 1st trip. Maybe all of these "special days" mean something good is happening soon??!?! Please keep the prayers and support coming...it's been tough waiting lately!

Nesting?? Cleaning, laundry and the beginning of a room :)

Friday night we decided to try it again and put together the new crib we got for Alex. It was MUCH easier than the first one we tried and we like it a lot better. It's still convertible all the way to a full bed, cherry finish and kind of sleigh-like. We also bought some wooden letters that spell out ALEX and put that over his bed. So, that means - NO MORE GUEST ROOM! But, don't worry, we will have a pull-out in the office for any visitors. It's so neat to walk by and know that soon our little boy will be sleeping/playing in that room. Then yesterday, I (Nicole) did some laundry of the clothes that we have picked up for Alex as we've been out and about. They are SO SMALL!!! AND ADORABLE! I also bought some sensitive laundry detergent, just in case. But, everything we have so far is clean and ready for him to wear and hanging in his closet. I also think that I've been "nesting" - I have been going on a cleaning, organizing, throwing things out rampage. Isn't that what pregnant women do towards the end of the pregnancy? I HATE cleaning and I have been cleaning like crazy - dusting, cleaning out cabinets, organizing drawers, vacuuming, caulking along the baseboards, mopping - you name it, I've done it! The house looks great and we are just ready to fill it with the pitter patter of little feet!

Police Letters Came!

Besides waiting for the final copy of our homestudy update, another document we have been waiting for is our police clearance letters - and they came today! Just in case you were wondering, Dennis and I have NO criminal record :) Anyways, now that's checked off and the update is in the process of being sent to Gladney, we are getting closer to going to get Alex!
We also got a neat package in the mail this week from Meemaw - she is the best in case you didn't know! But, she has been doing some spring cleaning and came across some Russian souveniers she has collected over the years (not knowing that she would have such a close tie to the culture one day in a great-grandson) - a silver star she received from a party that her and Tapaw went to at the Russian Embassy when it opened in Washington, DC, an icon of St Nicholas (patron saint of Russia), a medal of St Gerard and a piece of cloth that touched his relic from Fr. DaRosa and a sweet gift from her friend, Kay, from church. It was so neat and we were very touched by the thought! We have also enjoyed following along with our fellow "adoption bloggers" who are slowly getting their calls for referrals, court, trips, etc - it gives us an idea of what to look forward to!
We hope that you are all doing well and enjoying Spring. I (Nicole) am off next week for spring break - so you guessed it - I will be doing some spring cleaning of my own before Alex comes, as well as getting his room started. We are excited to spend Easter weekend with our family in NOVA. We wish you all a blessed Easter and we will be in touch soon! Love, Dennis & Nicole