Home Study- Office Visit

Yesterday was a big day. Sparky and I had to drive up to Indianapolis to the adoption center's office for our first interview for the home study process. I was very nervous.
We left early this time ;o) and got there early enough to get Sparky some breakfast and go to the bathroom before going to the agency.
When we arrived they set us upstairs to the "yellow room." We waited a little bit before the lady came in. She answered any questions we had about the blue paperwork we needed to fill out before our next visit up there, and collected our Goldenrod colored paperwork that was due then. The goldenrod paperwork was just information about our families.
She asked Sparky about his maternal grandparents, his paternal grandparents, his parents, and his brother. How his grandparents helped influence the person he has become, what his relationship is like with his parents and his brother.
Then she asked Sparky what adjectives describe him, what sports and hobbies he was into in school up through college, what hobbies and things he enjoys now.
Then she asked me all of the same questions.
It wasn't that bad and only took an hour and a half instead of two hours. And we paid the large home study fee.

Sparky and I then went to Keystone at the Crossing since we were on the north side of Indy. We roamed in the stores and had a celebratory lunch at The Cheesecake Factory, where we did a lot of sharing. :o)

Here is Sparky, being himself. He was pretending he was drinking a large glass of milk at Crate and Barrel:

Next we went to my cousin's house to visit with her and her family. They took us out for a nice dinner at O'Charlie's. It was nice to get to catch up and visit!
Now, I just need to finish collecting Sparky's part of the paperwork before our next home study meeting in Indy on January 14th. Wish me luck!

1st Anniversary!

For our first anniversary Sparky spent the day at school working on his truck. When he came home in the evening we planned on going somewhere nice for a special dinner. We decided on going to DiAngelo's for their superior Italian food.

We walked in and sat down. I looked to my left, and guess who was there. My mom and dad!
We decided to go join them. Then our family friend walked over! She was meeting extended family there for dinner. Apparently we have good taste in food!
It was a really good meal.
Afterward I tried taking pictures of us to commemorate our first anniversary. The puppies didn't want to cooperate:

It is hard to be your own photographer! I should have asked my mom and dad to take some pictures of us at the restaurant.
These little guys didn't help at all (Amelia looks like she is scowling, she isn't. She was trying to smile):

The winning photo:

Christmas Brunch

The Farmer family (my mom's mom's side of the family, i.e. my maternal grandmother's family) gets together for every Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year for Christmas we decided to try having a brunch instead of dinner. It was at my mom's cousin's house, next door. :o)
They all live really close to each other.
Sparky and my dad with Sparky's non-functional gas tank he made from a flat piece of sheet metal. He likes it a lot. 

Standing at the food table with some family members:

With my unidentified cousins:

Sparky and I with more cousins playing a game:

New game, Apples to Apples:

My cards, which just happen to describe me well:

Sparky did not play long. He is not much one for playing games, but I don't know why. We all had a blast!
I turned around and here is what I saw. Sparky asleep on the sofa in the middle of the family:

Graduation!!!

This past weekend I FINALLY graduated from Graduate School!!! I am so excited that I am completely done with that and can finally have my life back!
Sparky was in charge of the camera:
Before anyone came in:

I think this one is to show how large the chapel-torium is:

The fancy-robed people:

I think this is a picture of the image on the large screen of all the fancy-robe people:

 

The Key Note Speaker

I was only about five rows in front of Sparky and my parents while in the large group:

Action shot of me walking across the stage:

Shaking the president of the university's hand and receiving my diploma:

Thanking our families for support during the graduate degree process:

Walking out, I passed right by them:

Afterward with my parents:

Afterward with the people in my cohort who I have spent the last 18 months talking to online every day, but never met in real life!

Babysitting

I got to baby sit a real baby... overnight! It was great. I played dress up, and tried out my cloth diapers, and got to see what the puppies thought of a baby.
Animal was very weary of him the entire time. Amelia was in love. She wanted to keep him. When the baby cried, she cried. She followed him everywhere and would just sit and stare at him. If she could get close enough (while I held the baby) she would rest her head on his tummy. So cute.
Here he is with Sparky:

This one shows a little bit of how much Amelia loves the baby:

And how little Animal cares (he is on the back of the couch):

Isn't he adorable?

I was trying to get a picture of his smile, but each time I pushed the button on my camera a little red light came on for red-eye and he got distracted from smiling. Bummer.

I also got to try out my new stroller in the living room :o)

He liked it.

Locks of Love

I decided to chop off all my hair and donate it to Locks of Love. (Note to Self: I still need to mail off my ponytail)
Here is the before picture:

It was ridiculously long. And heavy.
I forgot to take an after picture. Partly because I didn't tell Sparky that I was cutting it. I told him to meet my mom and me in Indianapolis, he walked into the place and was shocked to see my hair gone!
He, he, he.
Since I didn't take an actual after photo, here is just a random photo of me with the new short do:

I like it much better. :o)

Jesse Tree II

The day before Thanksgiving this year I put up my Christmas tree and other decorations. We have a fake Christmas tree that my sister and her husband got for us a year or so ago. It was a very thoughtful gift!
The only unfortunate part is that I can see the pole going all the way up the middle of the tree because it could benefit from some more limbs. To remedy this problem, I googled ways to make my fake tree look more realistic.
I got busy bending the limbs and branches in realistic ways, then added several feet of ribbon, filled the inside of the tree with ball ornaments, and stuffed gold and red colored tree things in the branches.

I think it turned out pretty good!

I also found these silver and red boxes at the dollar store. They were nestled together so several came together for $1. I numbered the boxes, drew a little picture of the ornament that belongs in each box (to help put them all away at the end of December), and put the Jesse Tree ornaments inside them. They are now nestled under the tree like little presents to open each day until Christmas.