Well, it has been awhile since October. Many things have happened since then. I feel like I am writing this post very quickly before Ethan wakes up. I do most things while he is napping now and I don't get a whole lot done anymore or so it seems to me.
Updates - here we go....
October was the last month I was on maternity leave. I enjoyed every minute of my leave from work. I was gone for 12 weeks and am now just working part time so I can spend more time with Ethan. I also love being able to get household chores done during the week so the when the weekends come, Dwaine and Ryan are here and we don't have to do as much house work now on the weekends. We can spend more time together.
Ethan celebrated his first Halloween with us. He was dressed as a pea pod. Mostly he was a mad pea because it was a warm day and his costume was very warm also. He was a hot, mad little pea.
I started back to work in November. That is going ok and I am glad to be back to work also. I loved my time off but now I feel like I am still using my skills to keep up being an MRI tech. We celebrated Thanksgiving with the whole family here. Carrie came home, Dwaine's mom and dad were here, his sister Patti was here and David came home from Korea. He is back in the states for the time being. He had two weeks off here at home and then started work at Fort Riley, KS. Just a 3 1/2 hour trip from here. Much better than half a world away. Now at least he is in the same time zone. Kansas still seems like a foreign country, though.
The day after Thanksgiving, we had Ethan baptized. It was a wonderful day filled with family and friends. I was amazed at how many people showed up at his baptism. His godmother is my good friend Toni whom I work with and his godfather is my brother Chris. Carrie, David and Ryan were all there. Carrie fixed a wonderful meal for us all and we enjoyed it very much. She was quite the hostess. I think if her carreer in music doesn't pan out, she should start a catering business. :)
Carrie and her long time boyfriend Gus were engaged just recently and are planning an October wedding. It will be held in New Jersey. We are very happy for them both. We do really like Gus a lot. My brother Chris also became engaged to his long time girlfriend Stacy. They will be married in December next year. 2009 will be the year for weddings. They will be married in Quincy.
David is back from Korea and is stationed in Fort Riley KS as I mentioned earlier. He will be there until June when he supposedly will be sent to Bagdad. He will be stationed there for one year. Please pray that he remains safe or better yet, that his duty may be assigned to another place besides Iraq. He will be in Kansas until then. It is nice to be able to see him more often now.
Christmas has come and gone. Ethan celebrated his first Christmas. He was more interested in the paper and boxes than the actual gifts. He had a good first Christmas. We spent Christmas eve and Christmas Day here at home with our family. Then we travelled to Oklahoma for Christmas with the Gelnars. The trip to Oklahoma was an event that I am not too eager to repeat any time soon. We spent 14 hours in the car with Ethan both on the way there and on the way back. So in 3 days, he spent 28 hours in the car. Too much for a 4 month old. Take warning all of you who have small children. Don't do it! Our visit with the family was very nice though. Ethan got to see his grandma and grandpa again and he got to meet a few of his cousins for the first time and also Aunt Cindy and Uncle Joe. He did remarkably well on the trip.
Our adoption (which is the primary reason I started this blog) is at a complete slowdown right now. We were logged in in Feb. of '07 and they have been working on Feb of '06 for well over 6 months right now if that tells you anything. We are going to wait a year and then re-evaluate our situation. China is not looking so good right now. We may switch over to special needs but that is slowing down too. Our little girl seems soooo far away right now.
We are anticipating a wonderful new year with lots of love and good times both with Ethan and our other kids and my brother as well. We are looking forward to two upcoming weddings and lots of fun with Ethan. I will post pictures later on but for now I hope you all have a blessed and happy New Year.
Lots of love,
Kelley & Dwaine & Ethan
