Monday 5 November 2012

The Celebration Hearing and Hallowe'en

Yes, it's been six weeks but finally I have normal Internet access... Everything works again, computer, iPad, iPhone... The lot. I never thought I would be so happy about anything that concerns technology. But I am. Now I can get that assignment in for my psychology degree by next Sunday... Oh, and complete my blog of course!

It's been a busy few days. We had our first Halloween in our new home and this year Papa took the children out begging door to door... Or trick or treating as it is apparently known. I was suitably equipped at home with huge amounts of sweets. I wanted to give out tangerines with pumpkin faces drawn on them as I had seen made on one very worthy tv programme, thus not subjecting the little darlings to tooth decay. However, I opted for the usual bumper pack of haribo as I didn't want to be known locally as the  'mean one who gives out fruit'..... So I dished out small packs of sweets to a seemingly endless parade of poorly dressed ghosts and ghouls... And to the bunch of teenagers who were obviously hoping for a cash option. Then the kids eventually returned clutching their carrot baskets ( I recycled their Easter baskets by cutting the green leaves off) I told the kids they were long pumpkins from Asia... They accepted that explanation. Their baskets were brimming with Cadbury celebrations, haribo packs and.... An orange with a scary pumpkin face painted on.... Apparently it was from one of our immediate neighbours. Papa was really impressed and the kids loved them and actually ate it first ignoring the sweets. I smiled but inside I was fuming....next year I am doing comedy fruit as well!!!

We had Granny staying with us for the week, which was lovely. She even kept the boys overnight whilst Papa and I went to a friend's civil partnership. We stayed in a hotel for the first time since the children arrived... I worried for about twenty minutes, then we realised we had no Internet and no phone reception, so we wouldn't even know if anything untoward happened. I drove back into civilisation the next day expecting my phone to light up the minute we regained reception. But nothing. We got home where Mum told us they had been angels... Helpful, going to bed on time, no problem... Either my mother was lying to protect the kids, or she locked them away all night, or they were really as angelic as she claimed. If that's the case then I am booking for a week next time....

Finally on Friday we had our celebration hearing at court for the adoption. This is a happy day where the children and friends and family are invited to go to court and the judge makes a show of presenting the adoption certificates and announcing the adoption as official. We were all a bit nervous and TJ decided to choose that day to throw up everything he had ever eaten. It was obviously nerves, after all his concept of court has been warped by constant trips to prison for the members of his birth family. He was convinced the judge might send us away. But in the end it was lovely. The judge allowed the children to sit at the big desk, to go into her chambers and try on her wig. She even gave them a lovely card and cupcakes. They were thrilled and can't wait to go back to school and tell their friends all about it. My best friend sat there in floods of tears, which was inconsiderate as I had invited her to take the pictures....

We then went to lunch with our friends and family and had a fantastic afternoon which culminated in the kids adopting their own bunnies.... More about them tomorrow.....

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