Great news!!!

We got Travel Approval!!

 

 

Now we will work out the final details, get our plane tickets booked and head to China!  I will post in a couple days when we have dates but it is soon, very soon!

Nothing

Well I don't know why I expected this step to be any different than the rest of them!  It is going slow.  People behind us are passing us.  As of today we still don't have travel approval.  Because of that I am afraid we will be in China over Thanksgiving or flying home that day.  I had really hoped to have the girls home in plenty of time to celebrate with my family together.  It is pretty hard and stressful not knowing when we will go.  We are also still trying to get the trip shorter.  18 is just a very long time to be gone from our little ones.  What we need more than anything now is prayer.  Please say a little prayer that we get TA tomorrow, that we get to leave in a week or less and that we are not gone more than 2 weeks.   I need to step aside and let God handle this.  With him all things are possible.

This will be a big week.

We should learn a lot this week.  Tomorrow will actually be a big day.   If travel approval comes tomorrow, we will probably leave in a week.  If it doesn't come tomorrow we should leave the week after.  We are a matter of days away from having set dates finally.  Days from booking last minute airline tickets.  We probably won't know until later in the day though so that will make for a nice long day!  Hoping today we make some good progress on the house and packing.  We need to be ready to go on a moments notice!  But, we are going to take a few hours out of our day to go to a Pumpkin patch with our friends from Gigi's playhouse!  Trying to mix a little fun in with the crazy hectic schedule before us!

Thanksgiving

The question on  my mind this morning is Thanksgiving.  Where will you be for Thanksgiving this year?  Me?  Well not sure yet.   Will it be at my mom's sitting around watching movies with the family?

Will I need a bigger couch to get a picture of all the kids?!

Will we be in this hotel in China?

 

Or will we be spending it on an airplane coming home?

 

One thing that I think will happen though is this little girl will be spending Thanksgiving with us no matter where it is spend.

 

 

At this point I am hoping we are home.  I have already missed Thanksgivings with Max and Mia before they came home and would love to have them all together.  But, I will trust in God's timing and be ok with whatever.  The unknowns at this time are the hardest part.  I am ready to figure out the schedule for us traveling, for the kids staying behind and for the holiday's. 

 

One thing is certain though,  we have a lot to be thankful for when Thanksgiving does come no matter where we spend it!

 

Waiting for Travel Approval

Well we are still waiting on Travel Approval.  All that is standing between me and my girls is China giving us permission to come!  The good news is it could come anyday now.

 

There is so much to do to get ready though.  I still need to really clean and organize the house.  I need to write up the schedule and all the info for those watching Max and Mia while we go.  I thought it would be a great idea to make quilts for Max, Mia and Meilin's toddler beds.  Well that takes time and they still aren't done!   On top of that I need to pack and get everything together to be gone for a couple of weeks.  Oh and trying to Travis on a college visit before we go as well.  It is his senior year and I know that will fly by and he will be off to college before I know it.  I want to enjoy as much of this year with him  that I can.

 

I am also trying to prepare to bring two more girls into our house.  Max and Mia were younger when we adopted them and that is going to be different this time.  It is going to change some dynamics and take awhile to develop a new norm around here.  I am not sure what it will look like.  I am not sure how Molly and Meilin will adjust as well as our kids already home.  Please pray it goes as smooth as it can but trying to be prepared for everything.

 

 

 

 

Article 5 approval

We got word that we had Article 5 approval today!  That means all we are waiting for is Travel Approval.  Soon, very soon, we will be booking our plane tickets and I will finally get to hold my girls in my arms!

Wearing red to show school spirit for homecoming. 

Since it is down syndrome awareness month, and we are still waiting to move forward again with our adoptions,  I will keep posting pics of Max and Mia!

It is homecoming week and they were supposed to dress like a twin.  Easy enough and everyone thinks they are twins anyway!

After school I heard them, I mean Mia, talking up a storm.  She gets very expressive and uses her hands to tell her little story.  I looked out and this is what I saw!  I wish I had the video camera to tape them, it was very cute.

Mia thought she was really funny but it looks like Max didn't agree!

Sibling love

Max and Mia are a blessing to everyone in our family!!

 

 

October