Happy New Year!

The boys came home yesterday and our house is back to normal.  Toys are everywhere and it's loud, very loud just how we like it.  I imagine my parents slept well last night.  The boys enjoyed themselves in Texas and my parents were even discussing another week with the boys this summer apparently they did not wear out their welcome.  Soon little sister will be big enough to keep up and grandma and grandpa will really have their hands full.

Brian and I enjoyed the quiet and it was nice to have Avenn all alone for a while. She was definitely a little spoiled this last week as an only child.

Tomorrow is our last day to stay in our pj's a little too long.  Wednesday we're back to an alarm clock and a routine.  Rogan has decided he wants to start PreK a semester early.  He has been begging us to go to school since Brice started last year.  We are going to allow him to attend two half days a week down the road from our house at the Goddard School where Brice was last year.  Rogan will be back next year for PreK because he is only 3 but it will make him happy to be able to go a couple days a week right now.  We think the socialization and school structure will be good for him.  Two of the kids off to school...what will I do with myself?!

I hope those of you that are waiting for your baby to come home become parents in 2012.  We had hoped to start off this year without adoption on the brain. Unfortunately, we were unable to finalize Avenn's adoption by year end so we will continue working towards finalization.  We will be unable to claim the adoption tax credit next year because we will not qualify.  Our fees were paid in 2011 and we needed to finalize in 2011 to claim the credit.  It stings that we will not be getting our tax refund of approximately $13,000 but we cannot dwell on the negative.  We are thankful for Avenn and she was worth every penny spent and emotional up and down experienced.  We have been blessed with three healthy children...nothing to complain about here.

If you need more information on the adoption tax credit and the changes that will be taking effect soon here are some helpful links:
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc607.html
http://taxes.about.com/od/deductionscredits/qt/adoptioncredit.htm
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=236174,00.html
http://www.creatingafamily.org/blog/adoption-domestic-adoption-international-adoption-embryo-adoption-foster-care-adoption/adoption-tax-credit-2011-2012/