I could use this time to blog about how excited we are to be getting an RV.

I could also talk about our growing list of items we need/want to get for the RV and camping.

I could list off all the things I’ve bought so far, like bedding, towels and kitchen supplies.

I could also talk about the reservations we have made for future camping trips and our plans to make more reservations around the country over the next few months.

Instead, let me fill you in on the kids because I haven’t done a kid update in quite some time.

Lili has been talking about and planning her birthday party since shortly after Christmas.  She will turn 8 the end of April and since we don’t throw big elaborate parties, it seems a bit early to be making all these plans, but she gets very excited about her birthday.

She has been taking some art classes and LOVING them.  She has had many interests, but the one consistent interest in her life has been art.  Her first class was a 3-D art class and she begins a 2-D art class next week.  I see more art classes in her future.

Once our weather gets warmer, she’ll be back in the saddle continuing her horseback riding classes, but in the meantime her art classes and gymnastics keep her plenty busy.

Naomi is turning into quite the dancer.  She took a ballet class about 1 1/2 years ago and once the session was over, she had no desire to continue.  She now attends a class at a different dance studio and LOVES it.  If you’ve been reading my blog for the last several weeks, you know she was in a dance performance called, “Ice Queen.”    Since then, we’ve been treated to regular dance performances as she jumps and plié’s around the living room.

She too will continue riding lessons, hopefully next week (weather permitting) and also attends gymnastics once a week.

(I cannot publish photos of the boys on a public blog like this.)

We still have FS1 and FS2.  Next week they will have officially been with us 7 months and in about 6 weeks, FS2 will have been with us longer than he was with his bio dad and mom.  It’s very bittersweet.

FS1 still loves school, but has struggled to keep up with his peers, so last week I went to his school for a meeting with his teacher, speech therapist, school psychologist and school social worker.  Each of them put him thru a variety of tests and the results were not at all surprising.  While he is currently 52.5 months old, he tests as a 36 month old.  The only area he tests in his age range is in motor skills.

This isn’t uncommon for children who have come from difficult home environments, but to have this information in place is a good thing.  Now we can put an IEP in place and he can begin getting additional services to help his reach an age appropriate level.

FS1 also goes to gymnastics and keeps reminding me that he can start taking riding lessons when he turns 5.

FS2 is a busy boy.  He began walking on his 1 year birthday and hasn’t stopped since.  He likes to be on the go, is saying quite a few words, eats well, and is drinking from a sippy cup.  He does not appear to have any developmental challenges and has grown quite attached to us.

I don’t have him in any extra-curricular activities at this time, but he tags along when I take the kids to gymnastics.  He’s not the most patient spectator and I’m sure would much rather be down in the gym participating 🙂

The boy’s case goes back to court in April and we hope to have a clearer picture of their future at that point.  For now, the goal is still reunification and the judge has ordered that permanency be established within a year.  The one year mark is the end of July, but since court cases are rarely scheduled less than 6 month intervals, we anticipate that the judge will schedule the next status hearing sometime in October and the boys will continue to be with us until then.

The kids are very excited about the RV and have already claimed their spots – Lili on the top bunk, Naomi on the bottom bunk, FS1 on the pull down bunk and FS2 in the pack-n-play.

The girls are assisting me as I pick out all the things we need to stock the RV and FS1 is trying to understand why we aren’t going to get the RV now 🙂

Life should be enjoyed and we are certainly trying to do just that.