a hunting we will go, a hunting we will go...

Bert took the boys hunting this weekend and Tyler killed his first deer!! He was soooo excited. My brother Frank took them to his hunting club. I am so glad they were able to go. Thank you Uncle Frank!!!

Happy Turkey Day!!

We have sooo much to be thankful for. God has blessed us so richly...how could we ever thank Him enough.?. Bart and Laura invited us over for Thanksgiving...and we had a wonderful time of food and fellowship. (too much food). We love Bart and Laura and their kids so much and we are sooo thanksful for the relationship we have with them.

Quilt from Grannie

Today we received a beautiful quilt from Berts mom. It is just the sweetest thing. Notice all the Dear God, comments. Thank you so much Grannie and "Aunt" Jennie we know a lot of love went into this precious blanket!

We have a Consulate Appointment!!

It is official. We have CA of the 18th which means we will be leaving Birmingham on Dec 6th headed to China. We will get Sophie on Dec 10th or 11th. I will post our flight itinerary once we get it. WAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhoooooooooooooooooooo

Our TA IS HERE!!!

We just got the call that our TA has arrived. Thank you Jesus!!! We wont know our travel dates until Tuesday or Wednesday but at least it is here. We are hoping for a CA of the 11th or 18th. Most likely it will be the 18th which means we would leave Dec 6th...which is 16 days from today!!

Update

Just a quick update. Our SW called this morning and said our TA was mailed today!!! We shall see..... Hopefully we will have some for sure travel dates next week.

International Adoption = Roller Coaster Ride of a lifetime

Well TA has still not come. This is not good news. For those of you who I told we would possible be leaving the day before Thanksgiving that is definately not happening. Now our estimated travel date is Dec 6th. Our CA would be Dec 18th and we would hopefully be home by the 20th. But at this point I honestly dont know. I dont know why it is taking so long. I do know we are very distressed. Please keep us in your prayers that we will hear some good news quick.

New pictures

Yes...we just got 2 new pics of Sophie..no size updates yet. Oh I love her so much..cant wait to hold her~!

Almost there...

Ok..sorry I havent posted about our TA but there is still nothing definate. I hope to post some really good news on Monday. Does it seem I am always waiting for Monday or is that just me? I have been contacted by the 4 other families we will be travelling with and they are all just as anxious as we are for that TA. I hopefully today will have some updated pictures of Sophie. Our facilitator in China went to our province to interview a guide and said she would try and get us some updated info and pictures...Of course I will post them right away!!

Meet Emma Claire

Tonight I had my monthly meeting with my "China friends"..we had a blast at Jim n Nicks. We had the pleasure of meeting Lisa's 13 mos old daughter Emma Claire. They came home from China in Sept. I am telling you Lisa has a prodigy on her hands. Emma is SOOOOO smart. And she is sooo sweet. She let me hold her. She is gorgeous and has the sweetest disposition. I am so happy for Lisa and her family and the blessing that Emma is in their lives.
You will also notice Dr. Mintz is missing from our photos..she wasnt able to make it this time...we missed you Kim...and Robin too!! :)Our meetings arent the same without the whole crew!!

At the beach

We are at the beach house for the weekend. Going home tomorrow. Bart and Laura came with us for the weekend. The kids have had a blast and it has been very relaxing!! I am so hoping we will hear something about the TA's tomorrow.

retail therapy

matching sister outfits


First Christmas ornament
First monogrammed outfit

Not so good news

We heard from our SW this morning and she told us we would NOT be travelling until Dec. I cannot tell you how upset we are. I have been crying off and on all day and Bert doesnt even want to talk about it. This month is going to seem so long. We never thought even for a second we would not be travelling until December. I know this is all in Gods hands and once we have her we wont remember how hard the wait was and all those other things well meaning people say but today it just STINKS. Waiting is hard. Especially when you have seen that picture and you know your baby possibly needs surgery you just want to get to her. We have had her picture since she was 11 mos old. At this point we hope to get her while she is still 17mos old. It just depends on when in December we travel. Please keep us in your prayers...we are still trusting God for a miracle that we can somehow get her the end of Novemebr..or very first of December.

I thought it was stress.....

Well~ I have been having "stomach pains" off and on for about 2 weeks now. Well I have just chalked it up to stress and waiting for that elusive TA. Well last night in church I was hurting so bad...I could not get comfortable..the longer I sat the more unbareable the pain. I am thinking ok...I must be really stressed about that TA..(I was sooo hoping would come today). Well not only did TA not come today..I went to the doc and he said it was a "gall bladder attack"..so my gallbladder is going bye-bye tomorrow. He wants to go ahead and get it out so I will be ready to go to China and not have to worry about an "attack" there. Well I checked the internet to see if this "attack"( I like saying that word) could be caused by stress. Here is what I found.

"CBN scientists believe the latest finding supports a link between social stress and digestive function and could have implications for understanding disorders such as gallstones, a product of excess bile accumulation, in humans.

"Because social stress activates the nervous system of humans in similar ways as it does in fishes," said Earley, "the study could hold clues to evaluating the risk factors that contribute to gallstone formation in people."


So I guess I am like some kind of fish?!? What does this mean?!?!?!?!?!?!

Nope

Ok..I just got off the phone with Karla and TA has NOT been mailed. My gut is since it was not mailed today it probably wont be this week.

Pumpkin Patch

We went to the pumpkin patch yesterday with our homeschool group. As we were viewing the petting zoo Bert was saying this sure seems like the "same ole same ole"...of course when you have been going to the pumpkin patch for 10years in a row it does get quite mundane! I cant wait to take Sophie next year. I really thought she would already be with us this year. Speaking of Sophie...Karla said it would be next week before the TA came in.

Sophies room/packing advice

This is a painting for the wall it is a copy of Sophies fabric
a closer look
diaper station
view of Sophies room from the door, I am waiting on my mom to finish her drapes and bedding
The MOST important thing to pack is hairbows to match every outfit!!

Uh...its Tuesday..

Its Tuesday now and still we wait

For Oh that so important date

They say the time will surely fly

Once we are holding our cutie pie

Once we hear the day is true

We'll come to get you Sophie Ru!!

Countdown begins...

Ok folks...I know it is getting close. I know this ...
1. because I am taking Ambien and have been awake since 5am...took it 11:pm.(I should be in deeeeep sleep right now)
2.Karla said it would be here the end of the month.
3. B/c this is the LAST full week of Oct. and right now I am not considering those 2 pitiful days that fall into next week and are still named Oct.
4. I just kinda got a feeling...(and If I am wrong dont remind me later)
5.B/c I went to "The Market" yesterday and bought 6 gifts for the lovely orphanage people.(actually I bought 5, one person gave me one free b/c I was adopting)
6.And many more reasons but basically I just want to go soosooosoooo bad!

What, you make ask are we counting down to?? TA in hand of course!!! Which means we get for sure travel dates, book a flight, fly to China, pick up Sophie, never sleep on Sunday afternoons or ever again(for several years), visit pandas, fly to GZ...swear to treat her like a princess..fly back to Alabama...show up at airport and watch my china friends and my family have a Jerry Springer feud over who is getting to get her first. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE..lol.

YEE HAW BABY!!!

AHHHHHHHHH..ok God really wont give you more than you can bare!!!(see yesterdays depressed post)!! I just got a call from Karla at LL and she said she talked to their contact in China and our TA will be here the end of the month!!! YES>>>> Do you hear the Hallelujah chorus?? I do !! Oh thank you Jesus!! Ok I havent even started calling anyone yet! I just wanted to get this on here. Thank you all so much for your prayers about TA.Ok the next thing we need to pray about is that we will get a quick consulate appt!!!!

I cant take much more...

Oh this waiting STINKS!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok we were told the next SN TA's should be coming toward the end of the month. Well every day after today is TOWARD the END of the month, right? 65 days from LID. I know people have waited much longer on their TA's than this. But they are BETTER people than me. I cant wait any longer...

My adoption friends...

Today I met at the Cheesecake Factory with my adoption friends.We had SOOO much fun. After we ate we all went and spent money at Pottery Barn Kids.
Roberta also let everyone in on the wonderful news that they have found their son on LL's WC list. They are nameing him Matthew. Congrats to them and I hope the whole referral process speeds up so my other friends will be holding their daughters soon. The waitress was so sweet..(and talkative). We told her we why we were there and she brought us all our cheesecake with a candle and "congratulations to you" written in chocolate. What a great day!!

Oct 11th

Since we have been DTC the date, Oct 11th, was the day I figured we would hear something about our travel. We are 76 days from DTC and 60 days from LID. Our SW told us they are not expecting any more SN TA's until the end of this month. So how many more days to the end of the month 20 days. So maybe in 20 days we will hear something. I would really like to travel and be back home by Thanksgiving. But at this rate who knows. Oh yeah, yesterday I got the "Brown Envelope" in the mail.

Why I havent posted in a while...

This is our backyard

The bride and groom

My kitchen (after the fact)

Elizabeth(miniature bride) and her Aunt Laura

Well, the wedding reception is over and done with! YEAH!!! My very dear friend who is like a little sister to me tied the knot on Sat. The reception was at our home so I have been crazy for weeks trying to get everything ready. Although it was the perfect opportunity to get my "honey-do" list done...I am glad it is over.
I will post more pictures on this wonderful occasion later. I accidentally gave the CD with most of my pictures away..so I need to go make another one.
Anyways it has taken more than an hour for me to do this post. I dont know how to get the captions on the pictures like they need to be(obviously). I need a crash course from Dr.Mintz. And never fear for Kim will keep my blog updated the whole time we are in China.

S L O W road to China?

Ok well I got it from a reliable source that we might not hear anything until the end of Oct. I know it has been a possibility the whole time I just didnt want it to be a reality. Another thing is CCAA(china center of adoption affairs) is closed for a week in Oct. So that puts them behind..and also a lot of other adoption agencies dont allow their people to travel in Oct..so they will have Nov. consulate appointments. Which from what I can tell would mean that even if we did get out TA by the end of Oct. we might not be able to travel till late Nov. Who knows??? This probably does not make sense to you unless you are adopting or have adopted. It barely makes sense to me. But anyways please just keep us in your prayers for a speedy TA.
thanks so much!!!!!

Just wanted to post a picture of some really cool kids!!
Also I am soooo happy for Jeremy and Alicia Nails..a Lifeline family that received their TA this past Friday. They are heading for China on Oct 11th.
We are on day 60 of our wait from DTC. I am thinking it is going to be closer to the end of Oct before we hear anything.

Cousins

Kaitlin and Aunt Laura bought the girls matching PJ's the other day..they are sooo cute!! I always have to let EG get her silly picture in and then do my serious..smile and be cute.

Shameless plug

Ok...I hate when I go to blogs and the owner has not updated anything new so I am going to try and update more. Even if is just about life in general and not our specific adoption journey. And that way my good friend Eric wont be dissapointed the many times he signs on during the day at work..having to mute the site so no one will peek over his shoulder and catch him reading adoption blogs..hee hee.
Anyways..the book you see pictured is an AWESOME book on child rearing. I love James Dobson, Stephen Covey and many other excellent family and child care authors but I have to say this one takes the cake on how to apply Godly parenting. Most books you read you wonder if the family is really as wonderful as they sound. Well let me tell you. I read this book over a year and a half ago..emailed the authors with specific questions(they were quick to respond.) And had the wonderful pleasure of getting to meet them and spend some quality time with them over this past month. And they are everything I had hoped they would be and more!! They have 5 of the most well behaved, polite, generous, caring, intelligent, self motivated and hilarious children I have ever met!! I just cant say enough about this family or their book. Even if you already have "perfect" children and have all the answers to parenting. I still think you will enjoy this book.

Close up

Thanks Dr. Mintz for doing the close up!!

Guess who???

We received some new pics of Sophie from a nice family on my Adoptchengdu site. Can you recognize who she is??? Yellow shirt and look at the 2 pigtails!!! AHHHH I cant wait to squeeze her up!!! I am praying everyday for TA..please keep praying it will come quickly!!! The waiting is A G O N Y!!!!! These pics were taken on Aug 21st. So Sophie was 14 mos. She is now 15 mos. Her hair might be to her waist when we finally get her!!

My Cool Catssssssss

For Sunday School this quarter the kids are doing a 50's theme and of course they looked sooo cute. The first picture is of EG and my niece Kaitlin.
No news on the adoption front although we are on day 46 of our wait to TA.

Chengdu

LID

Yes...we heard this morning we have LID. The date of Log In Date was August 11th. I am still counting our TA from DTC b/c that is just how I want to do it. No other adoption news yet..

Just thinking about my girl....

I wanted to post the meaning of Sophies middle name. We have decided on Sophie RuXian. A friend of mine got this information for me.(thanks Robin) Still no news on LID.

Ok, this "Ru" is an ancient verb meaning to "eat", but in modern times (i.e., over the last 200 years) it is mostly used in surnames with no particular meaning. This "Xian" is a popular character used in names since it has a lot of positive associations, as in describing a sage or a person of wisdom, it is also often used to describe a woman who is virtuous and able. Put together, "Ru Xian" appears a name given in a highly cultured, educated family with high hope for their baby.

And of course she will be cultured, educated, virtuous and we have VERY high hopes for her. We love you Sophie girl!!!

wait wait wait...

Will I ever sleep again?? That is the question. There is so much to think about who has time to sleep? When I read about the latest typhoon in China my heart was sooo heavy. It is heart wrenching when your daughter is in another country and you cannot protect her. Then I think about, When will we travel? Should we take EG? Will Bert finish his infinite list of things to do? Will my kids really do their schoolwork while I am in China? Is it ok to be taking 3 benadryl a night to sleep?? See I have all these things plus millions more going through my head.
I cannot wait to hear from my friend Marye who came home from Chengdu on Wednesday. I hope she has some news about Sophie. I just want to call her and say "WHAT DID YOU FIND OUT"!!!!!??? But I am sure she is exhausted and I am trying(trying being the keyword) to be patient. I will wait until next week but if I here ANYTHING before then I will post it here ASAP.

School is in session

Yesterday was our first day back in school. This is our second year homeschooling. We really love it. Mondays is our pajama day..so that is why we look so glamorous!
Tyler caught this fish today during recess..he couldnt get it off the hook so it was mom to the rescue and then I smelled like fish and was covered in mud. Oh the joys of motherhood.

Elizabeth Grace turns 7

Well today was a great day as we celebrated Elizabeth Grace turning 7. We started out going to bowl at Lightning Strikes..went to Konomi for lunch and ended the day at Petsmart with a pet hamster named Chubby. Happy Birthday EG!!