MERRY CHRISTMAS

We won

the Elf Award.  An award given out to the "best" decked out in Christmas lights in each of our community neighborhoods.  

Zach headed off the decorating and did a great job.

TA

We got it (yesterday) !!! Travel Approval.

We are working on booking flights and hotels and and and. . .   WOW this is really happening.  Good thing our agency takes care of this because my brain is FRIED!

More later

Soon

I will get to hold my little one.  See her meet her baba and brothers and sister and grandpa.  Touch her precious skin and tell her I love her.  

We got new photos and measurements.  What a treat.  

She is an itty bitty thing.  3'6" and  45lbs  all at 9 years old.

  

Her paperwork says she is 9 although we have two videos of her saying she is seven. 

Check out the awful hair-do and the SASS!

I can barley control my excitement and anticipation.  

Hurry up TA!!!

Gotcha - 5 years

 Nanchang 2008

I thank God every single day for making you my daughter.  

A little note from my boy

No words - How could there be?

Sometimes there just aren't words to put to the emotion of adoption.  I have come to the conclusion that the reason is . . . Babies are born to a mother and were meant to be loved, adored, fed, held, cherished and nurtured with their needs being met quickly and lovingly.   Often times in the world of adoption this doesn't happen.  In the case or our daughter (we gave been calling her DJ for Dong Jiao)  she has lived in an orphanage  her entire life.  These things did not and have not happened for her.  This is not "natural" or "normal" 

This is the deal, in my mind and heart there just are NOT words to put to these feelings.  I just can't wrap my mind around it because it is not "natural" or "normal"  it is not the way it was meant to be.  

It does make me so happy to see a banana in her hand.

It does make me want to jump on the next airplane and go love on my girl. 

 It does make me so happy to see a smile on her face.

If things go as planned and predicted we will be on a China bound plane on 1/1.  That gives me hope.  

I take comfort in knowing that his entire plan is not mine but God's.  

These photos are just a day old. .  This  amazing family is in China now.

Fall Leaves

 Every fall we head over to my parents house to "rake" leaves

you didn't notice the blower in the photo did you?

We had a fun evening.  

LSC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LSC is in the Mail

I can hardly type!!!  Oh My Gosh!!

God is GOOD!!!

We should have the hard copy by the end of the week.  Looking at travel late Dec early January!!

I have gone Crazy

This might not be anything new.  Or maybe it is.  Or maybe a new crazy.

I am now tracking the time in China and at this moment there is just a few hours until C3WA opens again.  I can start to hope for our LOA to be issued.

MY GOSH this is NUTTY!!

But when I see this face.  My whole entire body melts.  Oh the Love I feel for this girl, the one I call my daughter that I have never even met.

 But I Love so so much

Free Spirit

This girl makes me smile.  

This kindergarten thing is new for us, her and I.  

 It is required that I wait until she is in line and in her class before I am "allowed" to leave.

I am perfectly happy to oblige my girl.  It is a small price to pay and really it makes me happy to watch her skip walk in line with confidence and joy.

After school she runs and jumps into my arms then holds on like a monkey.  Oh how I savor it.

Once she get's down she says her good byes to all her new friends.  She is quite the social girl.

Today she got to celebrate her birthday with her class.  No parents, just classmates and teacher, no cupcakes but crown and sticker.  You know what?  She Loved every minute of it.  I can tell by her complete joy and excitement.  

If only I could learn to live with such joy over the simple things in life.

LID

September 12, 2013

LID =  Log in Date.  The date our dossier was registered into China's system.

Another step closer to my big girl.

COME ON LOA!!! COME ON LOA!!!! COME ON LOA!!!

- 2 Teeth

Yep this girl of mine did far too much growing up last week.  She started kindergarten and lost 2 teeth.

She wasn't a huge fan of the the teeth part.  Loves kindergarten but doesn't care so much for the teeth falling out.  In Fact she didn't even tell me when the second one came out.  

P.S.  yes we do notice our girl has shark teeth.  

1st Day of School 2013

Nathaniel is in 4th grade

Naomi is in half day kindergarten

 Zach is in 8th grade

Everyone had a good day.  They liked their teachers and had fun seeing old friends.  

Looking forward to a good year. 

Naomi turned 6 today but I feel like that is a post all in its own.  

Today was a VERY emotional day for this momma . . . I have to admit that most first days of school are.  Adding in my baby heading to school on her birthday.  BLAHHHH!

DTC!

Yesterday 8.30.2013 our dossier headed to China. . . Few! and YIPPEEEEE!

This is really happening and we couldn't be more excited.

I want to share a few baby photos of our new girl.  Yep we are blessed to have so many photos of her when she was a wee one.

Our sweet love still needs a name.  What is it with us that we can't decide on a name?

I like a good traditional name that is not trendy.  HMMMMM!!!

I800A APPROVED!

The officer told me over the phone that we are approved now waiting for the notice to come in the mail.

Praying

Is there such thing as praying HARD?

Because if there is  . . . I am doing it!

Because do you see this smile?

Well that is my daughter.  AND  it just isn't normal, natural or OK for anyone's daughter to live on the other side of the world.

OTHER.  SIDE.  Of.  THE. WORLD.

Yea.  That is not working for me.

 

So I am praying HARD and OFTEN that we get our I800A approved.  This week . . . Monday would be GREAT but before Wednesday would be good too.

DTC PLEASE!!!

p.s that piece of paper she is holding is a letter from us.  Yes we are extra blessed with families visiting her.

Birthday Party - Family Style

We had a family party for my boy.  He turned nine on December 24th.

We would have liked to call it his half birthday but we were a little late for that.  

None the less we celebrated my boy.  

My two boys with my mom.  

Beautiful cousins

We had grilled banana splits instead of cake

It was hard to choose one of these photos because he was so excited in each of them

My boy with both of his grandpas

A group shoot.  Uncle James made his famous ribs for my boy. . . THANK YOU!

Nope those are not the kids but the grown ups on the trampoline.