Getting back to Normal

Sorry for the delay in posts, in fact I was horrible when we were in China and found myself using the computer time to post on facebook.  But truth be told, most of you are my facebook friend so I probably didn't miss many.

We have been doing good since getting home.  I have had a bad sinus infection and finally got antibiotics yesterday so am hoping to feel better soon.  But everyone else seemed to fair the travel and jetlag pretty well.

Miss Elizabeth has done fabulous.  She is happy and finally slept through the night last night.  The other nights she just woke up crying but went back to sleep.  We will wean her into her sisters room over the weekend.

She is still apprehensive about the boys, which is weird since her foster family only had boys.  She loves the two girls and tries to play with Judah but he keeps wondering when she is leaving! hahahah not such luck little man.

The weather is back to typical WA spring rainy weather, it makes me actually miss Guangzhou a little:)  But summer is on it's way and WA summers are the best.  I am not looking forward to trying to entertain all my kids this summer and/or keep them busy enough to not sleep all day, play electronics etc.  They will be outside alot as far as I am concerned.

We will be having a huge pigroast to celebrate E coming home and the two boys' one year home, which was year ago 10 June.  Can't wait to have fun with friends and family.

We are indebted to our adult children who stepped up and took care of the 6 kids we left home with them.  They all did great and I don't think scared their big siblings off from future visits or babysitting.  hahah time will tell.


Note:  E testing out the playpen

 Note:  My awesome Mothers Day gift from my kids -thanks to my oldest daughter (now we just need to add Miriam who was with us in China and Elizabeth:)

Well, back to the grind...take care and talk to you soon?

We have our princess!

Just a quick note and an apology for not posting on there as promised...seems facebook has been easier to post too.  We received our daughter this morning. She cried for only a minute when the staff that brought her had to leave.  Otherwise she has been smiling and eating like a champ.  She is napping now and was a little sad before nap time.  I am sure when she wakes up she will be confused.

We are forever grateful to the Baobei staff and foster family for all they have done to save this girls life, give her a loving home and then in turn being so supportive to us.  May God bless their servant hearts.

While we wait

Seems like all we have done the last 4 years is wait...with each adoption its gotten harder to wait in some ways....so we try to stay busy.   This past weekend my daughters and I along with my granddaughter went to a Princess tea at our church, because you know we are all Princesses of the King of Kings:) and so are you!

I am so beyond blessed to have the adult children that I have. (my daughter, her hubby and one of their kiddos on the left and my son and his wife on the right )  My daughter and her husband are always there interacting with their siblings (my other kids:), supporting our adoption fundraisers and advocating. Our son and his wife are always willing and ready to step up and take care of our kids so we can go on our trips..seriously we are blessed!  I can't wait to give back to them one day if/when they decide to adopt.

Now off to wait for our travel expense list/agenda:)

We are traveling soon!

Praise the Lord we got our CA set....its a week later than we hoped for, but nonetheless we will be on our way in two weeks to get our sweet princess.  I have been praying for her foster family who has had her since she was 10 days old.  It will be so hard for them to let go - we are fortunate enough to go to Shanghai to visit them though.  It will be nice to be able to thank them in person.  I suspect there will be many tears from both sides.  We are eternally grateful to them and the Baobei foundation for taking care of her.   Well, off to plan airline tickets, packing and cleaning and stocking the house with plenty of food for the kids:)

TA, kind of, sort of

We got an email today from our agency asking us if we would be able to travel next week or the following week...looks like our TA should be recieved super soon so they wanted to be ready to ask for consulate dates...of course we said we would love either dates, but especially the first set.

Now we sit more and wait to see what happens!  We are one step closer to the princess!!!

Spring Break

As I am writing this I am actually seeing the sun shining through the window!  I think Spring has finally reached us!

The kids were on spring break this week, but I have to say its been a completely uneventful week.  Nothing exciting.  I spent the first day all day, at Seattle Childrens with our cleft palate son determining when his next surgeries will be.  The second day was spent getting my shots updated and travel meds for the trip.  Day three was spent shopping for a very special gift for our daughter's foster family, day 4 an attempt to get the kids shots up to date since they are off, and today we will finally have some fun bowling and roller skating.

Next week bring the dreaded but wonderful adoption yard sale.  We are always blessed by so many wonderful people making donations and of course other purchasing those donations.  Its so much work, but so worth the work.  Every penny matters at this point!

We have been waiting for a week and half now for our travel approval.  I would love to think we will get it this upcoming week but the reality is it will probably be closer to three weeks.  Maybe I will be wrong and it will be two weeks:)  Ahhhhh...the wait is never fun - both hubby and I have been swamped with so many things lately it will be nice to get away on this minivacation.

ARTICLE 5~~~

Yes today I got an email saying the embassy processed our article 5 and our agency should be picking it up today and sending off to Beijing!!!!  Hopefully our TA wait is short, but I am not counting on that..this waiting game seems to always be so variable.....yay though for Article 5!!

Just waiting around

Ha!  Seems like this part of the adoption journey you "just wait around" for the next step.  Actually, when you think about it the whole process is "just waiting around!"  You would think after 20 yrs in the Army with the "hurry up and wait" mode they tell you to be in, that it would get easier...NOPE!  I think its harder.  Oh well, welcome to the crowd right?!  Hopefully on TUE, 3 April we will get a call that our Article 5 is being picked up.  That will be exactly 2 weeks from the day it was offically delivered to the Embassy in Guangzhou.

This week has brought a cold and cough throughout our house, more rain and some snow.  But most important we received an update with a few short videos of our girl!  Let me just say that it took our breath away.  She was adorable to begin with, but then to see her in full action and babbling a few words here and there we were able to really see who she is...and the verdict is.....we are MORE in love with her:)  The foster family has done a fabulous job keeping her healthy and on track...amazing how a little love will work:)

We got our visas back this past week as well.  Our 8 yr old daughter who will be traveling with us is getting more excited by the minute.  Even her teachers are excited she will get to be part of this trip.   Our other kids are excited for us to go too, not only to bring their little sister home, but to have their older sibling and spouse move in and take care of them.  Why is is that they will behave and even clean the house while we are gone but the second we are home it's all back to normal again?!  But I would rather have that, then to worry about them while we are gone.  We are surely blessed to have older children who step in and help us out when we need to.

Our teen boys continue to do great.  Titus is in fact doing an FFA district competition today.  He won the first round a month or so ago and if he wins today he goes to state level.  I think its pretty funny that a guy who barely spoke english can beat out kids who that is all they have ever known.  Determination is what he has for sure!  Way to go Titus.
Adam decided this past week he was going to learn to ride a bike.  We tried to convince him he could do it this past summer when we got home, but I think he thought his vision was going to hinder him.  Let's just say it hasn't.  Along with the help of one sister, he was up and riding like a champ within an hour and only fell once.  He loves his new freedom and rides as much as possible.  For now he has to wear his sisters girly helmet until I can go buy him one, but he doesn't seem to mind!  Way to go Adam!  He has also been opening up and remembering things from his past that he didn't either remember or want to share.  It's great to see healing come about.  After Elizabeths adoption I think I will start to work on finding his Dad's name.  He can't remember his name but he knows he was a good guy:)

Everyone else here is great, despite colds and coughs, but that is the season.  Rain, rain go away!!
Well I better get off this computer and get to work around the house:)

NVC!

We got our NVC letter via email today.  It was dated yesterday but not sent until today.  Now off to our agency it goes, then onto China, then wait for Article 5, travel approval and we are on our way!
I love and hate this part of the journey.  You know whats coming and pretty close to when, so the waiting is horrible (but knowing who we get to meet soon is worth the wait).
March and April are going to be long months!

I sure would love another picture of our sweetie!

Well, off to thinking about corned beef and cabbage - my husbands yearly Irish fix.  Enjoy your weekend!

I800PA

Today we finally received our I800PA.  It was approved on March 7th -so took 5 days in the mail to get here.  I called the NVC right away and the officer there said they had not yet gotten it.  I am hoping it is just in their mail room waiting to work its way to the correct office.  She seems a little concerned stating that they should have already had it. So she forwarded a request to her supervisor to track it down.  I of course contacted the NBC and left a message for our officer there to see if she had a tracking number etc. 

If I remember correctly it took 7 days to get there last time, even though they say they 2 day express mail it to the NVC, so I won't totally wig out yet:)  I will be so happy to have our paperwork past this point...then its just Article 5 and TA!!!!  It would be so awesome if we traveled in early May instead of late May.  I would like to miss the holidays there and be home with enough days of school left that I can get rested and into a routine before all the kids are home at the same time.

Thank you Jesus for being my shoulder to cry on while I wait not so patiently:)

I800 (not yet:(

So our I800 paperwork was mailed off and received by the lockbox on 10 Feb.  I spoke with a Hague officer today who told me  - since we were reusing our immigrations paperwork they had to "send off" for those old documents (that are stored in a warehouse) to consolidate with our new I800 before they can approve it.  They said it will take at least a few more days before they get those documents, plus days to approve, days to mail etc...so it will be past a month of waiting for sure.  I guess you wait either way.  I am assuming the wait on this end is shorter than having to redo the I800a and wait for that whole process.....seriously....I know God is in charge and am grateful for that!  But I would like to get it approved as soon as possible and move on to the next step:)

Yesterday my hubby was in a car accident, no worries, he is fine, a little sore but fine.  It totaled our car and the other drivers car.  It was her fault thankfully, but sadly she had no license or insurance and was pregnant...so I feel sorry for her and am praying she and the baby are okay (the EMTs said she was fine at the scene of the accident).  Our insurance will take care of our car thankfully, but what a bummer for all involved.  Good thing I still have Clifford (our big red van) to transport all the kiddos around in.

It snowed here last night - IN WASHINGTON state...this winter continues to be weird.  After the 5 days of no power a month or so ago, I am not sure what to expect anymore.  Global warming right!? hahahaha sorry, I just don't buy into all that.

Well off to clean the house, wash the clothes and other mundane things while I wonder and wait this week about our I800.....Have a blessed week!

Blessed!

As we wait these last couple months (which seem like an eternity) we continue to be blessed.  We were told our daughters foster family (who are not ch*nese) were suppose to go back home, but asked their employer if they could stay until we arrived to adopt our daughter!  They said yes!!!  We are going to work with our agency to meet the family after the adoption is over and we are on our way home (they are fostering her in a different city than she is from).

In addition to that we were able to obtain hard copy scans of her spine to determine if we would allow them to operate on her again before we travel.  Our nuero guy said it was better to wait, so we have requested they wait, now we are praying they will grant that wish.

In addition to that we got an updated photo!!!  Goodness she is precious! 
Hopefully we will get our I800PA in the next week!

L>>>>>O>>>>>>>>>>A>>>>>>>!!!!!

All I have to say is we have LOA after 55 days and I am praising Jesus!!!!

Mommy and Daddy are coming Elizabeth...soon, not soon enough, but soon:)

Day 53

Wow, day 53 already.  This LOA is taking longer than I thought it would.  Not sure why they are going slower each year but they sure are.  We will obviously wait as long as we have to but man, can't they hurry up a little? Hahahahaha...

Today is sunny and warming up here in the Pacific Northwest.  It makes me want our daughter home even more though; thinking about her playing outside with her brother while the other kids are at school....ahhh..the thoughts, dreams and wishes while I wait....

I have been working with my girls before school to memorize scripture.  Last weeks was 1 Peter 5:7  Cast your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.  What a perfect scripture for this part of our adoption journey. My 8 year old even said it helped her today.  She has such a tough time Monday morning.  She is a sleeper and a homebody, so Mondays are always rought starts.  She said she just kept saying that scripture in her head and it made her feel better.  How awesome!

Now, I do not pray for patience anymore, because as we all know when you ask God He listens and responds...so now I just pray specifially about a situation.  So today I pray that God sees fit to let us have our LOA this week, not next week.  So God, that is my prayer:)

LOA Wait and Chinese New Year....

Tomorrow morning marks day 40 waiting for our LOA.  I have read anywhere from 30-80 days.  Huge range and with China being closed for New Years celebrations for the next two weeks, I suspect we are in for a long wait.  Bummer for sure.   Everyone who has adopted before knows that when you finally see that precious face of the one you are adopting, the wait time feels like double normal clock ticking time.  But, we wait and we pray.

Tonight we took the family out to celebrate not only our 11 yr old daughters birthday, but the start of Chinese New Year.  We ate way too much at the local Chinese Super Buffet!  Titus spent his time chatting in chinese with the employees (while eating 4 plates of food) and Adam just ate and ate and ate.  He now wants this to be the place we bring him for his birthday present:)  

I was chastized for not giving them their "red envelopes with money" in the morning.  I gave it to them at dinner.  After their correction on proper tradition I reminded them that we were out of power for 5 days, had no cash and had to wait for the bank to open up while they were in school.  Geesh...I guess they have become Americanized...too bad, I enjoyed their Chinese traits better:)

Overall a great night

Gotta love Washington weather

No, really, normally its awesome here in Washington.  BUT the last four days were just spent without heat, water, electricity etc etc.  A huge storm came through dropping 14 inches of snow followed by 1-2 inches of ice, causing trees to break and fall all over the place.  We were not prepared so we were pretty much stuck the first 24 hours.  After that between neighbors, church family and friends pooling together resources we survived:) Hahah I know, I grew up in Michigan so this was nothing compared to there, but when a state is not equipped to deal with this type of issue then it is a big issue.

I must say despite getting bored, being freezing cold and having to flush with buckets of water we sure enjoyed all the time huddling up with friends, playing games and visiting.

Don't worry sweet Elizabeth, we will have a generator, gas stove and all the other things we need so you never have to live without:)  Its kind of comical now that the time has passed, I am clean and have access to my own power and computer:)

Can I get any cuter?