FBI Approval!

Ok so not that we were expecting anything different... but we did receive our FBI clearances today! Horray! Turns out Peter and I do not have any warrants out for our arrest, nor have we ever been arrested. Surprising? No, but still exciting to have one more piece of the puzzle completed. I spoke with our Media Consultant at our agency this morning and she will begin composing our web profiles next week. This FBI approval also means that our homestudy report is officially completed. Seemingly small things that make a big impact.

We spent the evening decorating our home for Christmas and rearranging furniture in the living room to accommodate a big beautiful tree! (coming on Saturday) We will travel to Boone NC on Saturday morning to select our tree and strap it to the car like the Griswolds. Classy. It is one of my most favorite holiday traditions as my parents and brother also join us in the hunt for the perfect tree. After a hay ride while they bundle and pack our tree we head to a delicious lunch at Woodlands BBQ and finally head home along to Blue Ridge Parkway to take some family photos... SO FUN! If you think this is bad just wait until we have a baby... :)

Wishing you great joy and little frustration in your holiday decorating!
B,P, Bella & Oakley

Happy Thanksgiving!

Whew what a day! We were fortunate enough to be able to host some of Peter's family at our home for a Thanksgiving feast (Turkey, stuffing, gravy, broccoli salad, potato salad, sweet potato casserole, greenbean casserole, rolls, and pies!) We had such a wonderful time catching up, cooking, and relaxing on the couch together. Bella and Oakley were more than happy to have extra hands around to throw the ball and give belly rubs. Peter's Dad took them on two walks so they are thoroughly exhausted and now passed out in the living room next to Peter. Peter's sister is expecting her first baby next spring (and his brother's wife just had their second baby!!) so next Thanksgiving will be full of babies. It was truly joyous to spend time chatting about all of the fun that lay ahead for each of us. There is so much to be thankful for in this season, not only our health, happiness, homes and families, but the opportunity we have been given on this adoption journey. We are only in the beginning stages and already we have felt more love and support from our community than most know in a lifetime and for that we are truly grateful.

On a fun note, I (B) went to Buy Buy Baby last weekend with mom to begin looking at baby furniture, strollers, and all things baby. It was way too much fun and I am so excited to begin decorating our baby room. We did a lot of rearranging and painting this fall to prepare a fresh clean room for baby. Grey/White walls, and a chair rail are all we have so far. I have selected fabrics to make the window treatments and bedding with my mom at some point. I will post pictures when I get a chance! Finally, we get past the paperwork to a fun part of this process. :)

Wishing you all a happy healthy Thanksgiving full of love!!!
Barrett, Peter, Oakley & Bella

Sharing the news...

On Sunday, October 21st we were about to bust! The secret had been kept for so long and we needed to share. We called our parents and told them the news. They were over the moon! We had great conversations and are so happy to have their support. The following Friday we had our great family friends over to share the news with them. Below is the video of their reactions. It is quite comical. We have since told more family, more friends, our respective staffs, and anyone else we happen to bump into. For those of you who know Barrett, keeping a secret like this for three months is a feat beyond all measure, worthy of at least one large cookie cake, or at the least a small trophy. Work on that, Peter! We sent out a letter to our extended families and friends and are excited to hear their reactions as they receive news this week. It is so awesome to be able to share the news and have everyone share in this excitement with us.