The Big Yellow Bus

I don’t know what is going on, but some big yellow bus just came and picked up my baby. He got on it, and they drove away. And I just know that when he comes back… he’s not going to be a baby anymore. I’m going to look at him differently, and he’s probably going to look at me differently. I’ll have to ask him things like, “Do you have any homework?” or “What was your favorite class today?” or “Why were you in the principal’s office?”

Last night was the Open House at Kinsey Elementary. I really think that this was so good for Karter. He got to see his teacher, Mrs. Dahm. This wasn’t the first time they met. He had her as a teacher for Kindergarten Round Up, and he really liked her. He was very excited when he found out that she was his Kindergarten teacher. Honestly, so was I! I think their personalities will work really well together.

It was also good for him to walk through school again and find his room. There was a bus parked outside, and we could take him on there and talk through the process of riding the bus. That is the one part that Karter is worried about… riding the bus. He’s worried about big kids picking on him, not finding a seat, and getting on the wrong bus.

He really did very well getting on the bus this morning, though. He was a little reluctant. It helped that Brent left work to come watch him get on the bus. I love having such a caring husband! (And I greatly appreciate that his boss let him leave for a few minutes).

I can’t wait to pick Karter up at the end of the day and see how his first day went.

Here we go…

This is it. This is my last week as a parent with no kids in school. Well, last year Karter was in preschool, but that meant he was still little, right? Nope, not anymore. Next week, I will get my two babies boys ready to go. Brody will still go to Gretchen’s house, just like he has 5 days a week for since he was 2 months old (insert sigh of relief from this Mama). Karter, on the other hand, will get dressed in his new clothes, his new shoes, and his new backpack, and he will enter a brand new phase of his life.

Yep… Karter is heading to Kindergarten. One week from now he will officially be a Warrior! He is so excited to have the same teacher that he had the day of Kindergarten Round-Up (which I’m very excited about, too, because I just know that her personality will be perfect for Karter). He already knows a few of the kids that will be in his class, but he’ll also have the chance to make a lot of new friends. He gets to ride a bus (which he’s dreading) to and from school.

I’m so sad and so excited that we’ve reached this point. As much as I would love it if my little fellas could stay little… I love the fact that they’re growing up. I love the people they’re becoming, and I’m so excited to see what God has in store for them.

Karter – I am so proud of how you are growing. I love your heart, little boy (just let me call you that, ok?). I love that you still miss Kevin, the dog, because it shows me how much you love others. You are funny without trying to be. You know sarcasm (which scares me), and you use it appropriately (which scares me even more). You are kind and respectful (when you want to be). Even though you like the Lions more than the Bears… I’ll keep you around. Mom loves ya buddy!

Brody – You are three (for another month and three days), so please stop acting like you’re 8. You are one crazy little kid, and I LOVE it! You can not get enough of your Daddy (I don’t blame you), and I think it’s awesome. Almost every morning you wake up talking about animals, and it shows me where your heart is. I love how passionate you are. I know you’ll miss your big brother when he’s in school, but you have good buddies at daycare and you’ll have a great time! But seriously… stay little a little bit longer, k?  You’re my baby, and I love you!

God, thank you for the opportunity to send our kids to school and day care. Some people long for these days and don’t get to experience them. May I never take these milestones for granted.

** Don’t worry… pictures are coming… soon.

Overwhelmed and Thankful

I know I haven’t talked about about our adoption on our blog. That shouldn’t surprise anyone… because I haven’t talked about anything on our blog. I simply haven’t blogged. It’s because we’ve been busy, and I’ve been overwhelmed. But today I really want to talk about our adoption. Today is a new chapter in our adoption story, and I really just want to tell everyone.  So here goes (please don’t read too closely, because I am not even going to proof read this before I hit publish)….

On November 9, 2009 I wrote this post about not being able to have more kids naturally. Ever since then Brent and I began to feel the adoption seed growing in our hearts, and it became more and more clear that this is what God had planned for us. We sent off for our very first adoption application. It didn’t take long before we heard back from the agency. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the news we wanted to hear. They explained in the letter that there would need to be extra research due to the Leukemia. The part we focused on was that they said that we could be told no or asked to wait a couple years. After reading this, we gave ourselves time. Time to grieve the option of having more kids naturally. Time to get Brent’s health under control. Time to be a family of 4 before worrying about being a family of 5. Quite honestly… after being told that we couldn’t have more kids naturally, I simply couldn’t take being told no to adoption, too. Brent and I each struggled with this (without really knowing that we were doing this), and God was faithful and protected us. In fact, that’s part of why I didn’t blog about it. I felt like if I just didn’t talk about it, and if I didn’t send in our application… well then I couldn’t be told no. I felt like that made me in control. Well, God had another plan. He put people in our lives that have adopted or that have a heart for adoption, and He used them to make it very clear to us what His plan was for our family.

Well, finally on February 6, 2012 we completed our adoption application and sent it off. It was a leap of faith, and we were ready to make it. In only one short week, we heard back from the agency. We had been approved to move to the next step in the process. Since that time we have completed our home study and our profile books. In fact, just today a box arrived at our agency in Blue Earth, MN (New Horizon Adoption Agency). It included 5 copies of our profile book, a thumb drive with pictures to put on their website and our next payment.

What does that mean? We are officially a waiting family. They will now start showing our books to birthmothers.

I am overwhelmed.

Every since last Sunday, Mother’s Day, my heart has been so heavy just thinking about the amazing person who will give birth to a child and then, for whatever reason, will give that child to us. I watched a youtube video yesterday (link) about birthmothers and adoption. I just can’t get it out of my head. They talked about how they didn’t give up the baby because they didn’t want to be a mom, but they made that choice because of their great, great love for their child. So today, I am so overwhelmed. I’m overwhelmed that God has put us on this path, and that someday we (hopefully) will get to meet the person that will give us their child, the exact child that God has picked for our family. I’m overwhelmed and extremely thankful to be walking this path.

Mini Caramel Rolls

Link to original post: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Mini-Caramel-Rolls

Prep: 20 min. Bake: 15 min.

• Yield: 12 Servings

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, cubed
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1-1/2 teaspoons 2% milk
• 1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

• In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Pour into a greased 9-in. pie plate; set aside.
• Separate crescent dough into four rectangles; gently press perforations to seal. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over rectangles. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seams to seal.
• Cut each into nine slices; place cut side down in prepared pie plate. Bake at 375° for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pie plate for 1 minute before inverting onto a serving plate. Yield: 12 servings.

Nutritional Facts 3 rolls equals 155 calories, 9 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 13 mg cholesterol, 189 mg sodium, 17 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein.

We’re Adopting

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 1:27

We are following God’s call to adopt, and we couldn’t be more excited.

There, it’s on the blog… so that makes it official, right?

All Things Brody (again, pull up a chair)

Oh, my little Brody Alan Hooyer. How is it that you’re getting so big already? How is it that you’re 3 years old already (in a couple weeks it will be 3 1/2, but I’m not giving you that satisfaction yet). You, my little buddy, are quite something.

(We had to quick take pictures while there was some snow, because there wasn’t much this year.)

You keep us busy, and that’s OK. You have an attitude, that’s for sure, but I love your spunk.

You usually know exactly what you want, and you don’t give up until you get it. The other day you were bound & determined to ride your bike. Unfortunately, it wasn’t very nice outside. So, you dressed yourself and headed out… dressed in your shorts, sweatshirt, winter coat (with gloves, of course) and your flip flops. And guess what… you rode your bike!

You snuggle with me. If it was up to you, either Mommy or Daddy would snuggle you to sleep every single night. You’re all boy. You like to play in the mud. Here’s some proof…

You got lots of sun that day. You had white spots all over your back from when you were splattered with mud.

Here’s some of our more recent pics of you:

In this last picture, you were upset because we weren’t going to lay with you up in bed. So you snuck downstairs (or you thought you were being sneaky), and you fell asleep at the bottom of the stairs. There, that was better than laying in your comfortable bed, huh?

Brody, you are so loved. And I love that you love us, too.

All Things Karter (long post… I’m one proud mama)

So, the last time I posted was the day before I dropped my Karter Henry off at preschool. Like I said, he was nervous, maybe even scared.

Well, that didn’t last long. We are now 1/2 way through the year, and he LOVES preschool.

On January 9, that same little Karter Henry turned 5 years old. I can not believe it. I felt all those same emotions that I did the day before bringing him to school for the first time.

Here are a few fun pictures of my (once) little boy.

Tubing with Uncle Brian…

Exploring on Grandma Langstraat’s farm…

First day of school…

Captain of the day…

5th birthday party

This was the first time that we invited friends to a birthday party, and they had a GREAT time bowling. (Pictured below are Brody, Eli, Karter, Kyle Kooi, Jakson Gillespie)

Yes, the picture below was taken in a bar. It’s the only place at the bowling alley that we could eat cake and open presents. (Normally I would wait until their 6th birthday before booking a bar for the party.)

Last night, I was reading a blog about a little baby that died. Karter was asking me what I was reading, so I started telling him about it. I said to him, “Isn’t it sad that this baby died?”

Without thinking he said, “I don’t think it’s sad at all. I think he’s in Heaven with Grandpa and God, and I don’t think that’s sad.”

Keep that kind of faith, Karter. That is my prayer for you.