Around.

 

 

It’s been a while since I’ve been around here.

I think I just needed a break.  Mostly, I think I just needed to step away long enough as to give myself permission for this not to be a priority.  I was letting it stress me out when I couldn’t stay updated on everything, or when I couldn’t answer every e-mail that came in – so, I’m back-ish, but maybe not as consistently.

I do wholeheartedly appreciate the comments and the e-mails making sure that everything was alright and saying you were still checking just in case.  It really did bless my heart.

So, a very abbreviated update of what is going on around the Popp house:

 

adoption.

  We are working forward on the adoption.  At least that’s what they are telling us.  We had two caseworkers in a row that didn’t do a single. thing. on the adoption while they were on the case.  Essentially we are still at square one, when we were supposed to be finalizing in December.  I’m irked.  Two and a half years.  That’s how long my babies have been in the system.  Let’s get it together DCFS.  Once the adoption is completed there will be no shortage of ‘constructive criticism’ directed toward the agency in charge.  State, consider yourself warned.

 

homeschooling.

  I started homeschooling this year.  I can’t homeschool Bella yet, because in our state you cannot homeschool children that are in the state’s custody.  The plan is for her to start staying home after the adoption.  So, right now I’m doing preschool with Tootaw and Sylvia, with a very eager Naomi at their heels and a very curious Vi pulling everything out of every drawer she can find while we work.  It’s busy, but it is so fun. 

 

extra services.

  Tootaw still has the early childhood special ed teachers coming to the house twice a week – but after coming out to our house for seven months they have basically concluded that they aren’t doing anything that we aren’t already doing at home.  So, I think they’ll be ending services soon – which is actually a little bit of a relief. 
  Homeschooling seems to be the route for Tootaw for sure – we have seen SO MUCH progress just in the last three months.  SO MUCH.  She’s doing great, and as I continue to learn more and more how to cater to her sensory needs it will be even better.  Praise Jesus.  Progress we weren’t sure we’d ever see.

 

empowered to connect.

  This summer we were trained to be Empowered to Connect trainers.  We didn’t waste any time, and we’re actually already finishing up our first class.  It has been such a blessing to share this curriculum.  We can’t wait to see where God takes it, and how he is going to use us in this amazing ministry.
  Brian and I are also co-developing a foster and adoption care ministry at our church.  Still in the grass roots stages – but so excited for where it’s headed!

 

kiddos.

  They’re all getting so big.  Now I can say we have five kids ages 6 and under, which gets a lot fewer crazy faces than five ages 5 and under.  Of course, we’re always anticipating DCFS calling us with the girls’ baby sister.  I think about her all the time.

Vi.  So big.

 

Sylvie at her fourth birthday breakfast.

 

Naomi, very quick to remind you that she is two and a half.

 

…I can’t wait to get to share pictures of Tootaw and Bella.  Soon.  So soon.

 

Until next time.

Christmas!

 

 

  The girls were so excited for Christmas to be here.  Sylvia was convinced that as soon as it snowed that it would be Christmas – of course, it snowed 4 days before Christmas….so she just thought that it was Christmas over and over again!  Bella counted down the days, and they were so excited Christmas Eve!

 

They looked so pretty!

 

 

 

Me, ridiculously pregnant.  Nope, no baby yet.  Just getting bigger by the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the castle that Brian built for the girls for Christmas.  They are thrilled to say the least.  We try not to go over the top for Christmas, and we try our best to make most of our gifts hand made.  You would have never known the difference between our girls getting this, or them finding some expensive video game console under the tree – and this takes so much imagination!

The spend about 3/4 of their time in there now.  We’ve been working all week on decorating it, and it is definitely coming along…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas afternoon we worked together to make cupcakes to celebrate Jesus’ birthday, the reason that we celebrate Christmas at all.  We are still feeling out what Christmas should look like for our family, but every year we get closer, and I love this tradition.  We make cupcakes, decorate them, and while we eat them we read the story of the birth of Christ out of the Jesus Storybook Bible.  The girls love it, and it centers our celebration.

 

 

 

 

 

We had a wonderful Christmas. Celebrating with children is absolutely the best way to do it.  Their excitement, imagination, and joy is palpable.  It was also so nice to get to celebrate with Bella and Tootaw this year, with no big visit in the middle.  I love our family.

 

 

“Don't you know I've always loved you
Even before there was time
Though you turn away
I'll tell you still
Don't you know I've always loved you
And I always will
Greater love has not a man
Than the one who gives his life to prove
That he would do anything
And that's what I'm going to do for you.”

Christmas Prep.

 

I have gotten ridiculously behind on posting, partly because we had work done in our basement and then it flooded and fried our computer.  But we got a new computer out of the deal!  We’ve had a lot of fun this Christmas – sorry to post all of our pre-Christmas pics at once, but I have to get them up!

 

Making salt dough ornaments for our Christmas Tree and for presents!  First we made the dough, cut them out, and cooked them, but the painting was the girls’ favorite part!

 

 

 

 

 

It was always my family’s tradition to go cut down our Christmas Tree every year.  We took the girls this year and they loved it!

 

 

 

 

The girls all ran behind Brian yelling, “Look at Daddy, he’s so strong!”  It was adorable.

 

Hayride!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who wants to put the star on the tree when you could honk Daddy’s nose instead?

 

 

 

 

We do an advent study called Truth in the Tinsel that includes lots of crafts.  This is the night we made crowns for the coming King.

 

 

 

Rudolph sandwiches with Nana!

 

Waking up to the first snow of the year.  Unfortunately it cancelled Bella’s pajama day and holiday party at school!  But they were very excited.

 

 

And last, but not least, cookie making and decorating!

 

 

 

 

 

We had a lot of fun preparing for Christmas this year!!