It's Official!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Despite my worries that my adoption would be never finalized, and I would spend a lifetime with monthly visits by countless child advocates, attorneys, social workers, and adoption workers, it finally happened. I was officially adopted on February 7th, and am a full-fledged member of the family with all inheritance rights intact...The last part is important, because when Mommy and Daddy are gone, I'm gonna spend all their money on Barbies.

Here is a picture of the entire family with the nice judge who signed the papers:



Before I go on with my latest update, here's a word from my Daddy:

I'd like to take this moment to urge all of you out there to consider adoption through your local Dept. of Children and Family Services (or whatever it's called where you live). There are thousands of boys and girls just like Aubrey, who spend their entire lives never knowing what a "real" family is, and floating around from foster home to foster home - feeling unloved and unwanted. They are not "broken" children...They are not "troubled" children...They are loving, beautiful, happy children who dream of one day calling someone "Mommy" or "Daddy". Through some cruel twist of fate, they were born to families who couldn't care for them, or didn't want them. Think of your happiest days - your school plays, your proms, your graduations, your weddings...then think how empty they would have been if you didn't have parents there to give you love and support. That's how millions of their lives can be EVERY SINGLE DAY. YOU can make a difference in a young child's life - and it won't cost you a PENNY!

Adopting a child from the State is a very simple - though sometimes long (especially if you are solely looking for a girl 0-24 months old) - process. It involves the following:

1. Calling your local gov't office dedicated to foster care, and telling them you are interested in adopting a child. You will be sent to an orientation meeting where you can get all the specifics of the process and your starting paperwork.
2. You will need to be certified as a foster parent. This is so they can place the child in your home prior to adoption. You do NOT need to take any other foster kids in your home EVER. Doing this may involve taking some parenting classes, which meet once a week at night for a couple months. You'll have to submit fingerprints and a "home study" which basically gives the information about your household income and wants and needs for your upcoming child. There are no minimum income requirements - you just need to show that at least one person in your household has a job.
3. Then you wait. The more specific you are as far as what kind of child you want, the longer your wait will be. Boys come faster than girls, and minorities (Hispanic, Mixed Race, or Black) come faster than caucasian children. We got our son, who is Hispanic, when he was 20 months old in about 3 months. We waited almost two years for Aubrey.
4. When they match a child to you, they will invite you to come in - review their entire history (including physical, mental testing, paternal history). If you like what you see, they will have you meet the child. If after that, you are satisfied, you will be able to take the child home with you as a "fost-adopt" child.
5. You will be paid every month ($400+ per child, depending on age - it goes up each year) from the time the child enters your home, until they are 18 years old. These payments continue even AFTER the adoption is finalized. You can use it to pay for the care of the child, or you can put it in the bank for their future. It's just a check - you can do with it what you want or need. The child is also given a Medicaid card that covers all of their health care expenses until they are 18.
6. The finalization process can be fast or slow - it depends on the status of the parental rights of the birth parent. The lawyer will cost $400 - and the state reimburses you for it.

So that's basically it. No spending $30K for a Chinese kid, no spending two weeks living in a hotel in Russia. You get a wonderful, loving child for FREE. You get at least part of your care expenses covered each month. You don't have to pay for the additional health insurance. Most importantly, you are saving a poor child from spending their entire lives never knowing what a family is. The most needy kids now are those of toddler and older age. People seem to think that by the age of 4 or 5, these kids are done for. But these older kids need parents just as badly as the babies do - sometimes more so. If you would like to talk about our experience personally, feel free to leave a message on this post, and I will contact you via email. I look forward to reading about YOUR newly-adopted child soon!

Man....is he long-winded or what? Blah, blah blah...it never ends. Be glad you don't live with him! So...anyways....

My crib is history baby! A couple weeks ago, I decided that I wouldn't go in it anymore, so Mommy and Daddy bought me a big girl bed. I still won't sleep in it often, because I like the floor better, but it's fun to play "Monkeys on the Bed" with!

Mommy bought me a tool belt and tools last week. It was needed, because I'd already learned to use a screwdriver to try and "fix" my stuffed animals, just like Mommy and Daddy do. I was VERY happy. You can see that by this picture:

I've been going to daycare for half-days twice a week, but starting next week, I'll be going every day from 8:30 to 12N. I like it there because I get to play with all the kids - and because sometimes they bring good lunches from home that I eat for them. I like to fingerpaint, do puzzles, read books and play outside. I really like riding in the little play-cars - so much so that Mommy bought me one of my very own.



Oh, and I never told you about Christmas! I went to the mall and had my picture taken with Santa, and he was really nice. He brought me tons of cool presents, including a wooden kitchen! It has a fridge, an oven and a sink! It's "life-sized" and the perfect size for me to play house! Here are some Christmas pictures:



This is me in my Santa outfit, sitting in my favorite Elmo chair. I still have a thing about jamming my fingers in my mouth - even when I'm chewing food! Yummm...tasty fingers!



This is another one of me saying "Will you just take the picture already? I'm Bored!"



This is on Christmas morning. I only drink out of my "ba-ba" in the morning and at night before I go to sleep. I especially like my princess crown and my jingle bell. I wore that jingle bell for days.



This is me throwing a fit - while laying down on the living room table. Daddy took the table down and put it away after he saw this picture. Now I've got a big floor to play on, though I miss crawling up on the table!

Oh, and here's my FIRST school picture:



Oh well...That's it for now....I love you all and send you a big "MAH!" (That's me kissing you and saying "mwah"!) If you fall asleep near me, be ready for me to climb on you and wake you screaming "MAH!", kissing you and then giggling hysterically!