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:)