More Summertime Fun-- Water Park!

Meeting the *statue* of the guy the park is named after....

J & his sister (and a few other kids) climbing the stairs to get on the slide

Yep! That's J in that big splash!

Climbing out so he could go back on it again (and again, and again!)

A few weeks ago, J's sister's foster parents invited us to go with them to their company picnic today. It was at a local water park. To be honest, I have lived here for 11 yrs and never have been here before... It's nice but, I am afraid of heights so, not very exciting to me since most things are BIG, TALL slides.... I did enjoy the wave pool (kinda as J had a tight grip on me) and walked the kids around the lazy river a few times (they didn't want to float themselves so, I had to *push* them around... No so lazy for me! Then we went to the *kiddie* pool where they could play and go down a slide themselves.... There is where I relaxed! We could just let them loose and kick back! They had fun but, J got tired out easily and wanted to go home, so we did... It was fun (especially since it was free for us too!) and I am glad we went.... He fell asleep really quick tonight and it really tired him out! I got some really cute pics of J & his sister coming down the slide but, can't show them b/c their faces are in them.... Trust me though-- I did a great job catching them in mid-slide! I am going to print the ones out of his sister and give them to her and her foster parents.

This past Monday (August 23rd) was the 10 mo *anniversary* of J coming to stay with us. Last week I was one of 3 foster parents on a panel for the newbies in our county who are finishing their PRIDE classes. I was a bit nervous and didn't think I had much to contribute but, the case workers that run the class know our lil guy and situation and guided me on some topics and how much I could or couldn't say.... The newbies had lots of questions for me... Afterward I felt really, really good! I told them the good, the bad & the ugly.... I told them my story of how J was supposed to be with us *for a weekend* and has now been here 10 mos and as of now no end in sight...

Less than 2 mos til we go to court again.... I am anxious to see what happens then... When we go to court we will be 3 days away from our 1 yr anniversary w/ J in our lives.....

Time flies.....

Missing MK.....

I went to your house tonight... It's the same house but, it's not the same.... I miss you so much and thought I could do it and although I did make it through; I couldn't help but really, really miss you....

*She* is nice but, she is not my dear friend.... I try to make small talk but, inside my head all I have are thoughts of you.....

I wonder what kind of advice or guidance you would give me with my lil guy and our situation.... You loved kids so much and I know he would've loved to meet you..... I miss our talks, our laughs and playing games....

Sometimes still I think you will call or stop by... Then I remember the only way I can see you now is to think of you or look at your picture......

It's been almost 19 mos since you left us but, sometimes it still feels like yesterday that I found out my dear friend was gone....

You will always be in my thoughts, in my memory-- in my heart.... I miss you so much!

****** I know this blog is about my TTC/Adoption journey but, thank you for letting me remember MK from time to time to get my thoughts out-- tonight has just been a hard night!*****

More Summer Fun..... Carnival!

J & his sister on the carousel

My future firefighter driving his engine!

End of the night treats-- ice cream and a Cars balloon!

Tonight we met J's sister and her foster parents at the local carnival. It was a pretty good night.... I now wonder why they don't open until 7pm when it's almost the little ones bed time! We had to end the night *early* because it was past both their bed times and they were a little grumpy.... It would be nice (at least one night a week) if the carnival would open a little early so the lil ones could have a good time without being sleepy....

But, it was nice to spend time with them and let the J and his sister have some time together too.