Many Things

This is going to be a long post since I have not posted in a while. I tried to highlight them so you can just go to the section you may be interested in.

1. Blog change
A few folks have noticed the change to our blog and the removal of some posts. The reason is that another adoptive family posted their vacation on their blog and they were broken into. There is no known correlation to the post but the possibility was enough for them (and us) to make some changes to our blogs. So you will no longer see our first names or references to any places that could "find" us in here. And we had to remove the slideshow of the photos we are taking for the children as it had too much personal info written on the pics for the kids.
2. Adoption update - tasks
We have a month till we leave. We have most of the big items taken care of -- plane tickets, registering with the USEmbassy, ordering uncirculated $, making a packing list, making a "packet" for those folks that will be taking care of things here while we are gone.
3. Home renovations continue.
Here are a few pics of the new dining room my husband made me:-) I love the built in china cabinet -- it was a lot of work (we did it all overselves to keep the cost way down and all the furniture refinished or reupolstered) but the storage is so well worth it!! The painting is an original from my cousin. We are so thrilled to have one!!! We bought this fixer upper house for the space with glorious plans of filling it with little ones and we really really really hope everything works out with this adoption.

We Are Blessed

CONGRATULATIONS to "A" :-) Yesterday was really a big day for our sweet girl

=== She made her high school soccer team.

=== She was accepted to the Truman State University summer program for excellent students. You must be in the top 5% of your class to be eligible to apply. She was accepted to the June 3 week summer course called the "Human Lab". It is hard to believe that she will be staying in the same dorm building that I stayed in while I attended college at Truman. She sure is growing up.


We are so blessed to have such a wonderful and talented daughter. :-)


Today, our pastor and a few family members came over for lunch and a house blessing.


Our "work in progress" home is truly a blessing to our growing family. Here are a few pics of the event and an advance peek at the progress we have made in the dining room.

House Update - Guest Suite is Done :-)

Come one, come all for a visit. Your personal pad is ready :-) This should have been a simple wallpaper removal one-weekend project. Instead it turned into a total scrap and re-mud job since the previous owners forgot to prime the wall before putting on the wallpaper! It is hard to tell in the after pics but the carpet in the bathroom is GONE!

BEFORE



AFTER

Adoption Update #2 - DAY 50 (12/6/07) - A Place To Call Home

We are finally here! It is perfect for our growing family. With five bedrooms and three baths and a huge backyard, we have a little for everyone. And we are moving quickly to get it ready for the boys since we have an approved home study and have filed the last of our paperwork for the INS approval. We hope to get their (Immigration Naturalization) approval in early Febuary. :-) And we are quickly on our way to fill this home.

Courtney & Mark have been united with their children this week. We are so thrilled for them. (Courtney has been my personal sounding board and the sweetest mentor through our process). You can read about their story here --- http://markandcourtney.blogspot.com/

Our New Backyard

Just kidding. This is a picture from the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois, taken on a camping trip this weekend. We have however put down a contract on a new home with a half acre wooded lot backing to a creek. Stay tuned for more details.