As it came time for school to start Kenny and I were struggling with what to do with Jake. He had “passed” first grade and was ready to go onto second but we were struggling with the fact that he was the youngest boy in his class and it appeared he was going to be a very late “bloomer” So after much consideration we made the call and decided to hold Jake back in first grade for another year. I was worried everyone was going to think it was just so Jake would be better at sports- and so when someone asked- instead of giving them the chance to think that was the reason- we just said- “We want him to be better in sports” they would look at us and say something like “Seriously?” No- not seriously! Looking back it was one of the BEST decisions we ever made!
Kenny made a big purchase that summer--- or was part of a big purchase, as he and about 7 friends went in and bought a 1971 Dodge RV---it looked like a Kleenex box on wheels… and when they were done with it it looked like a University of Kentucky themed Kleenex box on wheels! When they drove the “Wildcat Dodge” into the parking lot of Commonwealth Stadium for the first UK home football game that year they were instant legends! When it broke down on the drive home late that evening they wondered what they got themselves into!
In September I received an email from Sarah asking me to become a member of the American Crafts Design Team… My first ever scrapbook DT and the one that I coveted the most! Needless to say I was super excited!
Fall has ALWAYS been my favorite time of the year, and I absolutely love going to the pumpkin patch- but hated the crowds we always encountered when we tried to go to Huber’s around Halloween… so I decided that maybe we would give Friday night a try… so Jake and I met up with Daddy at his office and took the short drive up to Indiana… we were thrilled that the crowd was very small… we were only one of a few families out in the pumpkin patch! On the way home we stopped at Rocky’s on the river for dinner. We have tried to do this every year since and it has become one of my favorite family traditions!
In late fall I was chatting with a friend from work- Jessie who was the adoptive mother of 3 beautiful children from Russia- I told her how we had thought a little about adopting from the Ukraine- Jake had a classmate who was adopted from the Ukraine along with his little sister by friends of ours… I explained we had called and inquired with the group from a local church that offered a ministry assisting people adopting from Ukraine and how the program was currently on hold due to some changes in the Ukraine government agencies that handled international adoptions- Jessie encouraged me to at least go to an adoption agency and pick up the paperwork… and for some reason I did… and a few weeks later we received information about an informational meeting that was to be held by the ministry group… and the process began!
I had a fun winter that year… I have always been a big U of L basketball game- and to be able to attend the first ever U of L home Big East basketball game was a blast! That February Paige and I also decided to host a boy/girl party- reminiscent of the parties from Junior High--- we had a twister tournament, win/lose or draw game and a animated round or two of catch phrase where Kenny had some “choice” words for me when I tried to help him out a bit!
That winter I also received several requests from BHG for layouts to appear in the April issue and when that issue hit the newsstands I had my first ever published layouts in the BHG regular magazine… in all 3 layouts in the April 2006 issue.
I was even more in shock when I received an email asking me if I would like to send in some samples of my work and additional information to be considered for the BHG Creative Team. Just being asked to “apply” was completely flattering so I am sure it is not hard to imagine my excitement when in May my phone rang and Melissa Inman was on the other line asking me to be a part of the 2007 creative team! The team was announced on the first day of CHA that summer- I once again traveled to Chicago for the show and met up with my roommates JoAnna, Erica and Jenn… This trip even topped the prior year- which I wasn’t sure was possible! We had a great time--- especially our night out at the Mexican restaurant celebrating Melanie’s birthday and the after party in our suite following!
That summer we finalized our adoption paperwork and it was sent off to the Ukraine- at that point the system was still in a holding pattern, but our paperwork was there in safe hands waiting to be turned in as soon as the system was open for international requests again.
That summer we also went on a very fun vacation with Kenny’s family to Gatlinburg… Jake went white water rafting for the first time- I was a little nervous just imagining him flying out of the raft… but that didn’t happen- and he had a blast.
