News on our Home Study Update!

We're Back....
After a very long drive, we finally made it home. I do have some photos to post of our time at the beach with Papa and Grandma C that I will be uploading sometime later this week...so please check back.

While we were away, we received our notices from the US Immigration office to have our fingerprints done this Saturday at 9AM in Philadelphia and on Monday, we will be having our one and only follow-up interview with our social worker to get our home study update. We are still waiting on our police and child abuse clearances (which I sent out over a week ago) and our social worker has to send out some forms to our physician regarding our current health status. If all goes well, we should have this home study update all wrapped up within the next two weeks....

Did Honey tell her he was a little chilly?

As I was getting some stuff together for our trip coming up the end of this week to the Papa and Grandma C house at the beach...and running around the house like a mad woman...I went into our living room to check on Francesca, this is what I found her AND Honey doing (or should I say what she was doing to Honey)...





According to Francesca, he told her he was cold. Just look at his poor face! He puts up a lot with Miss Francesca.







(He is such a loving and wonderful dog. The whole time Francesca was "covering him up" he didn't move a muscle until she told him that she was done playing with him.) What a pair!

Our Firemen Picnic...Cooper's again...and THE BEACH!

At the last minute on Friday night (after having a nice supper out), Francesca and I went to watch our local firemen's parade (which she wasn't too crazy about...in Francesca's words, "Its too loud, Mommy!"). While we were waiting for the parade to start, we ran into our neighbors, Mary and her little boy, Gavin....and afterwards we all visited the carnival that our fire department also sponsor. Now, here is where she had all the fun! She couldn't get enough of the rides! (and they had plenty for the little ones)



Captain of the Boat!





Francesca and Gavin...the conductors!



She may not have like the sound of the fire trucks' horns but she sure love driving one!


Since Keith couldn't make it home this weekend, Francesca and I asked Grandma if she would like to join us out for lunch on Saturday and of course, Grandma said, "yes"! When we asked Francesca where she wanted to go, she said, "Coopers!" So, Coopers again it was (if you don't remember, we went their for our Mother's Day celebration and she just loved it). Again, we had such a great time!


Francesca and Grandma posing with the 'Shark"!



Francesca getting a little too friendly with the 'Shark" (she is just so interested in all kinds of sea-creatures especially sharks!)


***It has been so hot here in NEPA over the past few days that we really haven't been doing much playing around outside. So what do you do when it is HOT outside...you head to the BEACH! That's right...we are headed down to Papa and Grandma C beach house for visit. We are all so excited! I just hope Papa and Grandma C are ready for us! We are almost all packed up and ready to go. See you all when we get back!***

Some weekday fun....

Francesca is such a funny little girl...always making some type of silly face or just doing something totally off the wall that makes us both crack up laughing. This is only one side of her personality. She is also such a caring and sharing little girl and still a little shy. But lately, Francesca has been very emotional. She has been crying at the drop of the hat and it is over the strangest things. I have been noticing 'this side of her' a lot over the past week so I am thinking it might have something to do with everything that has happen over the past two weeks...not to mention that her G.G. is back in the hospital as well (she is just such a sensitive little girl and is so in-tune with others' feelings that I think she knows exactly what has happen and what is going on...). So when Francesca starting acting silly the other day, I just had to catch it on film. It was so great to see her like this!

The other day, while we were getting ready for some lunch, Francesca was acting a little silly (which was so great to see).







This last photo was taken while I was on the phone (that same afternoon) and she was waiting for me to get her ready for her quiet time (it is really nap time, but we don't call it that anymore). When I went to check on her, this is what I found...

(I caught her checking herself out in the mirror and laughing at herself.)

I love a good contest and Sofia's adoption update...

I have been trying to be really "good" about not spending money over the past few months (which I must say, I have been doing a great job of not 'shopping' as much). So when I hear about a great contest, where you can win something for free, sign me up. Just hop on over to Linda's blog at parkersparadise.blogspot.com and check it out.

On the other topic...

We are still working with our social worker on our home study update. Actually, since he is not sure what needs to be done, he is waiting on the USCIS office to inform him of what is needed (this is the answer I got from him during our conversation this past Monday). So far, nothing. Since the passing of Keith's mom and being out of town, I wasn't able to focus on the situation at hand, but you can bet your bottom dollar (see...its that spending money thing again) that I will figure out today what needs to be done (even if we have to look into getting another social worker at this point which was suggested to us by our agency). I am at my wits-end over this!

(according to our agency, if we are not in the process of a home study update and our name is 'next' on the list...which it looks like it is coming up soon...we will not be match - so you can see why this home study update is SO important to us in getting it done! we did send in our application renewal of our I600a and I started the process of getting our state police and child abuse clearances...just to feel like at least I am doing something to help move this process along...)

Thank You and some photos from our weekends away...

Keith, Francesca, and I...along with the rest of the Leonard family would like to Thank everyone who sent their thoughts and prayers to us during this very difficult time. The service was just beautiful and she will truly be missed by so many.

I do have a story to share with you all regarding this past weekend. During the service on Saturday, Keith sat up front with his sisters and brother, while Francesca and I sat a few rows back (I wasn't sure how she was going to be, which I had nothing to worry about because she was just so good). Anyway, as we were sitting there, she heard Keith crying and asked if she could go sit with him. I, of course, said "yes" and she got up, walked over to where Keith was sitting, got up onto his lap, took out a tissue from his pocket and starting drying his eyes. As soon as I saw what was going on, I starting crying my eyes out all over again. I can't begin to explain what a caring, loving, and emotional daughter we have and how tune-in she is to other's feelings. (there wasn't a dry eye in the place once this happen...)

As promised, I have some photos to share with you of our mini-trip to Peddler's Village and I also have a few photos from this past weekend.

Peddler's Village...

Daddy and Francesca on the merry-go-round.


Mommy and Francesca on the merry-go-round.

(she just loved the merry-go-round and I think she rode it about 15 times)

Mommy an Francesca enjoying some time in the sun.


Francesca checking out the rabbits, chickens, and rooster.



Trying to carry Mom's purse...


Unpacking...Francesca style!



One minute she's happy...


And the next, she is pouting.

(I just love this photo)

Francesca and Daddy checking out the ducks.


Sunday afternoon at Aunt Molly's...

Enjoying some pool time...


(check out those lips!)


Wearing Daddy's shades...she thinks she is too cool!


Sunbathing?



And after a long weekend of crying, laughing, sharing, and just spending some time with the ones we love...its bath time!


Again, thank you so very much for all your thoughts and prayers. I can't begin to tell you what a comfort every words was....

It is a very sad day...

Well, as you may or may not know, Francesca's Grandma Pauline (Keith's mom) has been sick for some time now and yesterday afternoon she decided to leave our world and join the angels above. When I received the phone call from Keith, I was heart broken. I can't tell you how much I truly loved this lady and how much she meant to Keith, me, and Francesca. I know she is in a much better place now and I also 'feel' that she is now watching over Sofia and taking care of her until we are able to bring her home. She was truly a remarkable woman that will live forever in our hearts and prayers...

Francesca and I are headed out this afternoon for D.C.

I promise...once home again...I will post some photos from our weekend at Peddler's Village. We had such a great time.