I’ve found myself – a bit unwittingly – constantly comparing this whole new-house-are-we-moving-thing to our adoption process a year ago. I do think that the real estate market could learn a thing or two. First of all, I think that for the most part real estate dealings are just kinda mean. Why does it have to be so cut-throat?

On Thursday, much to my horror, the Mountain House – OUR Mountain House – status changed from “Active” to “Pending Inspection” (and not our pendingness as we were hoping to wait until after the holidays to make an offer). I’m not losing all hope yet. Inspections/pending sales fall through all the time or people choose to walk for whatever reason. Quite frankly, I’m not giving up on this house until – and hopefully this doesn’t happen – new people close and move in (at which point I may just chain myself to the door). But seeing the change in status was beyond disheartening. I found myself saying the same thing that I said a year ago when our social worker told us that – at first – we’d not been chosen to be Kayliana’s family. “Then why did it feel so right? How could it feel so perfect if it wasn’t meant to be?! I was just SURE that it was us!!!” And, of course, we all know how that story ended – thankfully happily and forever after. I’m hoping for the same outcome now!

Why can’t we apply for a house in the same way? I’d be happy to make a family profile book to plead our case. I’ll write another creative little somethin’ to stand out from the other applicants and to explain why we are the perfect family for that house and why that house is a perfect home for us. One look at our smiling faces and there’s no way they could turn us away; we’d totally be in!!!

Unfortunately, that’s not how it works, so in the meantime all we can do is wait and pray that this house works out (for US!!).

I’m still going to bust my butt to get the house ready to sell. With the holidays coming (hooray!), Kayliana’s first birthday (yippee!) and tons of house projects to complete (oye!), I’ll have plenty to keep me busy.

Kayli, alone is enough to keep me beyond busy these days. And she’s so freakin’ fun! She just learned how to wave and thinks it’s pretty much the best thing ever, so when done waving she often applauds herself. She loves hiding around the corner for peek-a-boo, and then flips out and, hysterically giggling, tries to run away after she peeks out. If I get on the floor and put my arms out for a hug, she’ll come running into my arms – although occasionally she’ll tease and stop at the last minute (which she also finds hilarious). She loves pushing her baby dolls in their little stroller (and trying to stand/sit in it herself when they’re not around). She’s REALLY close to blowing kisses (flinging drool).

Speaking of drool (yes, another entry including this topic), it’s no secret that Kayli’s a drool machine. (To the point where we’ve had someone ask if there was something wrong with her). This past week she had a cold so we added snot to the mix. Zachary was telling my parents how he’s been calling her “BABY of CUTENESS!! Because,” he said, “She’s full of cuteness on the inside and out.”

“Oh!” I exclaimed. “So, THAT’S what she’s constantly leaking. She has a never-ending supply of cuteness that just continuously spills out of her!!” Now we know why her clothes are constantly soaked! So, when people ask, “Is she teething?” Or, incredulously, “Is that ALL snot?!” I can respond, “No, that is cuteness, my friends. Cuteness.” (Now feast your eyes on this cuteness. Sorry for the rerun from facebook photos, some of our fam isn’t on fb, so I post stuff here for them to see as well. Deal. You just get to see the Cuteness twice!)