Lucky #18

Opening day of Flag Football. This is Jacob's first season and first "competitive" sport--besides Karate.

Giving it his all!

My [Gorgeous] Elementary School kids

Of course--I am just a bit biased, since they are my "littles" of the moment-- but jeez; you have to admit these kids are totally adorable!

Article 5

Today our Article 5 was received by our agencies' In-Ch!n@ representative & it is now on it's way to Beijing. And it just happened to happen on Kira's Birthday. (we love & miss you baby girl)

The breakdown on the timeline is this:

We wait now for the last document called TA, and it only takes 2 to 4 weeks to have the "TA" (travel approval notice) released to us and then we can leave for Ch!n@ for our baby girls!!!

---tick tock ---tick tock ---we are on our way---soon.

Happy Birthday Sweet Bella

Today is my sweet Bella's Birthday-- She is 5!!!This is Bella in Ch!n@, enjoying her cake we had sent her--

...and we are celebrating here at home, wishing upon wishes she will be here soon-- Daddy and Hannah will be there soon to bring you and your sister Deanna home-- Can't wait to hug and love and kiss on you-- Happy Birthday my Bella XiaoHan.

Nesting

The Beds are made...BELLA'S BEDDEANNA'S BEDThe Closets are full...and then some on the outside too--

To the East!

Another milestone:

Our daughters' paperwork has officially been cabled to Guangzhou, Ch!n@! This is where we will have our exit appointment, the girls will be sworn in as US Citizens, and we will pick up their Visa's to exit Ch!n@ and return home--

With this step, it finalizes bringing all of our paperwork officially to the East, awaiting our arrival.

steps to come:

1 and 3) We will need the US Consulate located in Ch!n@ to issue our Article 5 and a Consulate Appointment date.

2) We need the Ch!n@ center of adoption affairs office in Beijing to grant us TA (Travel Approval) --

~

Then we are off to adopt our two littlest girls!!!

i800 Provisional Approval(S)

Our agency received the scanned copies of our Approvals today for both our daughters-- they will now send our girls DS230's & paperwork package onto GZ, Ch!n@, to be hand-delivered to the U.S. Consulate on our behalf. Then after our 'NVC cable/letter' arrives, the consulate will issue Article 5--the U.S. form of the LOA/LSC letter seeking confirmation, this will go to Beijing, where they will grant us TA; a Travel Approval or invitation if you will, to come to our children's birth country :).-- then our agency sets us a CA; a Consulate Appointment for us overseas and we buy tickets, hop on the first plane out'a here--no matter the gas price (ughh~) and our prayers are simple: "We Thank!, always and foremost" as we are so grateful to GOD for our blessing of a family!

(I know it's a lot of code talk)--

but it equals; One step closer--& only 4 more steps to go! Then we GO!!

~

Deanna's care package cake party pictures

Foster Update: Deanna

First-- She is sooo beautiful. This is our precious girl-- how can your eyes not well-up from pure joy knowing we will have our daughter in our arms in less than 60 days-- okay, okay-- back to the facts. :)

Her Update reports: Healthy (we already know she has CP), she is potty trained, and she knows her colors. She is more confident. She can lead other children to recite children's songs, and she can lead the morning exercises. :) She is introverted and shy amongst strangers and new environment and gets scared to talk, but when you know her--she is outgoing. She has to be reminded of nap time, otherwise she will continue to play, and play. Adorable.

She loves rice, noodles and dumplings---{hmmm, that sounds totally familiar!} :)