Flummoxed

What a great word. I didn't know the exact definition so..

According to the MacBook dictionary:

"to greatly perplex or bewilder"

Origin: mid 19th century: to make untidy or confuse.

If I am honest - this might be the perfect word to describe my feelings regarding the actuality of our adoption coming to fruition. From modern day definition working backward to the origin.  In other words - 6 months ago, I may have been bewildered, but today my mind and my thoughts are untidy and confused.
Esthetically displeasing on a good day.
On a bad day - nothing less than heinous.
September 4, 2011 marked one year that we have "officially" been waiting. The real wait begin in February 2010, so all in all, it's been a while. Lately, I vacillate between thinking "we will surely be matched promptly when the courts re-open in October" to "it aint' nevah gonna happen".
While we've been waiting, we've seen some fun. Most recently, we took a trip to Colorado to visit M. parent's for a week. The ladies always have fun on vacation, and this was no exception. Grandma & Grandpa treated us to a spectacular week of activities.
As we drove toward Denver, we gazed at the sky as the clouds transfigured themselves into Deatheaters from Harry Potter as evidenced here:

We took the ladies to have dinner at a local Denver diner that M and I frequented while we were dating - it is a joint we remember fondly and the food did not disappoint: Pete's Kitchen~

 So, Grandma & Grandpa have taken on the responsibility of single-highhandedly offering sustenance to the hummingbird population that takes up residence for a time in the summer around their home. I say highhandedly, because at 9,000 feet, the whole lot is up high. I become borderline obsessed with capturing images of the little chicks - humor me here~

 The image below details just how territorial they become over their sugar water~

As much as I love the sweet little birds, I love the goats more. If you know me at all, you are acquainted with my French roots and how that affects my diet.... Chèvre is on par with water.
There is a goat dairy near my in-laws home and I fully believed it my duty to patrol pay them a visit and partake in the delectables. A benefit of this day and age being the loving care the goats receive. We fed them:

 They kissed us

 We fed them some more...

 They pleaded for more...

 And then - we were able to milk them~

The ladies looked lovely against the big Colorado sky:

One night Grandma and A made meringues with chocolate sauce - YUM!

Another day, we took G & G's jeep up to Cascade Falls~

Then - on to St. Elmo to feed the chipmunks, prairie dogs, squirrels and occasional bird~

We took in Gold Rush Days and finished with a dip in Cottonwood Creek to take the heat off of our feet~

and as the sun came up over another beautiful day, we moved back toward our lives in Iowa~