LINK TO OUR JOURNEY TO JILLIANA

LINK TO OUR JOURNEY TO JILLIANA
CLICK ON JILLIANA'S PHOTO TO FOLLOW OUR JOURNEY TO CHINA

Monday, August 31, 2009

First Day of Pre-School

The girl's began pre-school last week. They will only be going two days a week for three hours. They are very excited about going to school. I really have considered homeschooling but I may wait to see how this goes. Here they are so excited to go to school. No backpacks or lunch needed in pre-school. Meilynn is on the left and Emma on the right. Meilynn always wants to know how everything works. Here she is on the way to the car trying to figure out the sprinkler system. At school we found out we are in the orange class, so we followed the orange footprints to our class. Finding our teacher on the board. Her name is Mrs. Schmidt. You know that I have been practicing that name with them. Right now they say Mrs. Sha Mint. I guess that is better than what I thought they might say. One view of the classroom Playing on the playground before school starts. Getting lined up with our Teacher This is our Chinese Language class that we take one day a week. It also started this week. Here we are dancing with our teacher. Making cupcakes for Emma's first birthday at school. She is so lovey.

Fingerprint Appointment Scheduled!

Today, August 31, we got our appointment for our fingerprints. It is funny how we in the adoption community celebrate such events. Our appointment is for September 12th. What is different this time with the Hague process is that we actually have a date and a time we have to be there. Before we had a week to go in between the hours they are open. September 12th will be Emma and Meilynn's first soccer game. Pray that the game is scheduled at a later time than our appointment.
Nineteen days and still waiting for Pre-Approval.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Finally Got the Receipt for the 1800A

It's just a little something but at least it is a move in the right direction. We finally got our receipt that the Department of Homeland and Security got our application for our 1800A. What this means is that we are in their system. So next we should get the fingerprint letter. After fingerprints then they will check over our Homestudy and tell us if it needs any changes. So many people are having to re-do parts of their Homestudy. I think our agency has done quite a few so I am hopeful that it is all ok. If it is, we can then get the approval, (the 1-797C) off to be notarized, certified, and authenticated. And then we can send it all to our agency in Alabama and they will send our Dossier to China (DTC). Then the wait begins again.
On a happy note our little Emma turned four today! Her pictures are below.

Miss Tippy Tail Turns 4!

O.K. after all of this time posting I still can't seem to put the pictures in the order I want! So here goes. Emma (Miss Tippy Tail) turned four today. We had her birthday last Sunday with our family and friends and then the rest of the week was hers too! On Monday we went to Disneyland, on Thursday she got to take "pupcakes" to school that she and Meilynn made, and today we will go out to Dinner. She is finally four and with that distinction she gets to chew gum! And with turning four she also get the added distinction of wiping her own bottom and buckling her own carseat, both of which she would rather me do. (I know it is a little late for the bottom wiping, but because of the size of Meilynn and Emma it is nearly impossible since they have not been able to reach the toilets or the sinks to wash their hands. We have built- in stools that we had made for them so they could wash their own hands, but still they cannot quite reach them. So they can now hang on the side of the sink to wash their hands. I also have hand sanitizer for them but sometimes soap and water is just better. At home we have stools for the toilet. At pre-school they have small toilets and sinks. So it was time for her to take over the job. Meilynn has been able to do her carseat for awhile but Emma has been having more trouble with it. So we made the date of turning 4 for her to also take this job over. It makes it so much easier to get them in the car when all I have to do is open the door for them and help them in. Daddy giving Emma a little advice on how not to crack your head on the brick. Emma is the one who is our little daredevil in some areas. (Although we cannot get her to go on rides like Pirates of the Caribbean. You may also remember she was afraid of mannequins for so long.) Sharing a special moment with Grandma They loved the dancing dolls from Grandma and Grandpa. They love my friend Debbie and her husband Marty. Meilynn was being the Doctor and taking care of Debbie. The McDonalds cash register was a lot of fun also. Meghan and Nick brought her this pretty dress and the Hello Kitty from Hawaii. Meilynn also got a dress and I think she would have liked the Hello Kitty too. Aunt Julie helping Emma, the princess, with her Leapster My friend Julie and Doug got them both jumpy balls. They have not stopped hopping since they got them. She always finds the fun toys that I would not have thought of. Here they are also wearing their new swimsuits from Aunt Julie. Mommy gets a little snuggle time I don't get it. Emma wanted these Chixo dolls so much. I don't think they are anything special. The body comes apart and then you set it up the way you want and then spray it and it is permanent. Really a waste of money in my opinion. More hopping. We turned on the sprinklers and let them hop through them. I can't remember what this was about, but it was over with very quick. An unhappy Princess Daddy helping her with the Leapster Eating Pasta! Trying on the grass skirts from Meghan and Nick. Wasn't it nice for them to drop by on the way home from their honeymoon in Hawaii? Not sure about the shell top. Emma loves to dress up, so she got this Doctor outfit and princess outfit. She is usually good about sharing with her sister. Emma in the princess. Meilynn in the Doctor.
Meilynn likes it! Grandma is so snugly. This Tinkerbelle cake was not quite as fancy as last years castle cake.
Four years old!
Three years old! Two years old! One years old!

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Never place a period, where God has placed a comma. (Gracie Allen)

The girl's started preschool this week. They will be going two days a week. So I am beginning my walking program. I passed a Church on my walk and saw this quote, "Never place a period, where God has placed a comma." Gracie Allen
I thought this was so fitting to our lives right now. Both for Mike and for me. In 2006, at the same time we were adopting Emma, Mike sold his business that he had worked in for over 30 years. We thought that it was a period for him, but he is not the kind of man that can stop. He immediately began considering becoming a consultant and started out slowly but is now almost back to full time work. That is one of his comma's. He is constantly finding new challenges in business and in hobbies. So I guess for me sending my Meghan off to College was supposed to be a "period" of sorts.
But God had other plans for me. With our first "comma" everyone was surprised but then became very excited for us. With our second "comma" everyone just accepted the idea that a sister would be a good thing for Emma. But with our new "comma" there has been a lot of concern about what we are doing. All I know is that God has placed this comma in our lives and it is our job to listen to what he is telling us. I know there are many challenges ahead and there may be times when I question what we are doing, but I need to listen to what God is telling us to do. There are 350 million orphans in the World. How can I not listen when I am capable of doing something about it?
As far as how things are going on our paperchase for Lily, slow. It seems that I always hit the slowdowns. Pre-approvals have been taking only a week in some cases. It has been almost two and no pre-approval yet. Same with our 1800A application. In the charts that I have seen parents were getting their receipts in as little as a week. We are almost at two weeks for this too. I e-mailed them yesterday and they did say they got the application, so I know it is there. The next thing after that will be finger prints again and then if everything on the Homestudy is good, we will get approval. When we have approval then it is my turn again to run around and get State Certifications etc. so we can send our dossier to China. In the meantime Lily is growing up without the love of a family.
When we get pre-approval from China, I can then share Lily's picture and send her a care package, when we want to. I am not sure when to do this. With Emma and Meilynn, they were to young to realize what was happening. Lily is old enough to know. So if I send her our pictures and tell her she has a family, will she wonder why we are not coming now? Can a six year old understand all of this. I don't even understand why everything has to take so long. Spring or Summer must seem like forever to a 6 year old. I don't want her to think that we don't want to come and get her. Any advice on this for those of you who have done this?

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Before, During, and after the Wedding

The wedding was perfect! We had perfect weather and the girls were on their best behavior and had such a great time. We had such a good time with our family and friends celebrating the beginning of Meghan's and Nicks lives together. The Friday before the wedding the whole wedding party got a manicure and pedicure. Here is Emma getting her feet wet. Emma drying her nails. I was getting my nails done also. Emma had asked for a flower on every finger before I knew it so we had to do the same for Meilynn. Flowers on all of their fingers and on two toes. Part of the bridal party. Meilynn was not too sure about the whole thing. Getting her nails dry The finished product Nick and Meghan at the rehersal The flower girls getting ready for their part. Meghan and her bridesmaids Meghan, Meilynn, Kami, and Emma. I am such a lucky mommy!
Nick with his groomsmen The birdesmaids Meghan with the guys Getting her hair done The only time I lose it; when we are taking pictures before the wedding, and they tell me to look at the bride, and she is just so beautiful.
Emma Meilynn Meilynn Mommy, Meghan, Daddy, Emma oops! Where is Kami? There she is! Meghan with the flower girls It was a beautiful day! Meilynn with her cousin Frankie A long day is over. They danced until they could dance no more! The day after, opening presents.
Scroll down for more wedding pictures!