crawling, potty training, and adoption updates...

It has been quite a while since the last update, but the Gardner family is BUSY (as always).

Nikki is pretty much daytime potty-trained. She has only had 2 accidents in the past couple weeks, and one of those was pretty legitimate. I can't even begin to tell you how AWESOME it is to have less diapers to change every day, and to be (mostly) past the poop-in-the-underwear phase. She's doing great at it, and it's becoming very automatic for her. I LOVE it! She continues to be adapting and maturing. She still has some behavior problems, but, I can see how she has grown, and it is very encouraging. Bedtime is hit-or-miss, and she is in a "funk" of screaming at bedtime again. However, I'm sure that will get better too.

Jackson is talking more all the time. he is getting into those "terrible twos" and has some outbursts, more then he used to. However, I feel it isn't any more then a typical 2 year old.

Alli is in the most amazing stage right now. She's just gotten 2 teeth, moved from "army" crawling to real crawling, and has even pulled herself up to a stand once! She gives the most amazing smiles, giggles, and is now waving at us. She melts my heart every day.

Me? I'm still learning to be patient, and not expect them to be perfect. I have a long way to go, but, just maybe, there is some extra grace since I've been thrust into "mommy boot camp".

The adoption process is coming... slowly. I'm trying to be patient and rely on God's perfect timing. The past two court dates have just kept things "in process"... no real progress, but more time to see how things go with the birth parents. In May there will be a court date where I am almost certain that they will make their ruling, and that the courts will rule in favor of us, that they should stay with us. The Mom can either decide to "agree" and give up her rights. This would mean it would be a shorter process, but the mom would have one visit a year. Most likely, the birth mom will decide to fight the decision, and there will be a real trial for permanency. This could start end of summer, and go well into the fall. This would mean that once we won, the mom would have no rights. Both sides have positives and negatives. Please be praying that whatever God wants will be accomplished in the birth parents, the children, and in our lives.