It is FINALLY FINAL!!!

If you have ever adopted you'll know why we were so excited today to FINALIZE Mikey! It has been a very long, sometimes hard, emotional and stressful journey, and worth every bit of it. We are so happy to be "legally" a family, and Mikey is now an American Citizen. And no, he did not have to know the capital of North Dakota.

Here we are waiting outside the courtroom at Anoka Co. Juvinille Court - BOTH of our first and LAST times there! :-)

Answering the judges questions - I have to admit getting a little choked up when she asked if we would always love and care for him! Mikey was not emotional, he just wanted to crawl on the table.

And Mikey as the newest US citizen... pulling his sister's hair.
Thanks to grandma and grandpa L. for coming and taking pics! It was great to have you there!

On to other exciting news....

Miss Katherine has been quite the star this past month. She was Student of the Month (voted by her peers), recieved a character award for PERSERVERANCE, and got a red ribbon on track and field day. She was also able to do more chin ups than ANY kid in her class, boy or girl. I think she has her 20lb brother to thank for that accomplishment. Here are some pics of our over-achiever:

The awards ceremony: each child recieved certificate and a voucher for a free meal at Old Country Barf... I mean Buffet.

Tug-O-War at field day - Kate is the one in the white tank.

Ellie will have be in the news next week, as she is God's Special Child at her school and her track and field day is next Thursday... stay tuned for that. But before I go I'll include one Ellie Funny of the week:

Ellie: "Will you red me this book?"

Mom: (up to her armpits in laundry)"No honey not now, it is a level one reader and you can probably read it"

Ellie: "No - I do not read very well and I might bring out the F-word since I don't know it yet"