So Close!

The Director of AWAA has our homestudy. Who-hoo! Our FC is writing our Hague approval letter. I'm hoping that we can mail our I-800a application & homestudy by the end of November. OK--for those of you who really know me--I'm hoping by this time next week! Okay really this Friday (but that is not realistic!!). I'm just getting so excited that our "paperchasing" stage is almost over. We are getting closer to our Hope!

Have you guys heard the new Mark Harris song--One True God? Check it out. I love it!

Homestudy in Review

Our FC has reviewed our HS & sent it back to the SW for more revisions--more USCIS specific wording. When the SW returns it back to the FC, the director of AWAA China will give the okay to finalize the HS. In the meantime, the FC will write up a letter to send with our revised & completed HS & I-800a application--I think it is called the Hague approved letter?? So basically, several people are still looking over our life story and adding really impressive words & phrases! We are getting closer!! Yeah!

I thought I should post these again!
FC-family coordinator
HS-home study
SW-social worker
USCIS-United States Citizenship & Immigration Services
AWAA-America World Adoption Agency (our agency!!)

Tagged!

Do you remember playing tag in elementary school? Well I've been tagged in the blogging world. My friend Sheri tagged me. So here are seven random or weird things about me--

#1 I can not get enough coffee. I need it in the morning & become really crabby without it. My favorite way to drink coffee is black & really strong. I love a cafe americano from Starbucks on Georgia--they are the best! But I also love mochas & right now pumpkin spice lattes.

#2 I married my high school sweetheart. We have been together for 16 years, married for 10 of those years. We met at a soccer game. Yes--we think it is cheesy too!

#3 I can not spit. And yes I have really tried to do it. I just can't. I used to think that girls could not spit but Ashlyn (my 5 year old) is a great spitter.

#4 I always wanted to be a cheerleader in high school. Seriously.

#5 I change my clothes 3 times a day. I put on clothes after I get out of the shower in the morning, change to what I'm wearing for the day & then put on clothes to wear while fixing dinner for the kids. Wonder why I have a lot of laundry?

#6 I am very afraid of needles & flying. One time in college, I almost passed out from a getting a wienie flu shot. PJ was so embarrassed.

#7 I love to watch medical shows with the gross blood shots. I can even watch them while eating. But I can barely stomach the UFC fights when they get bloody. Weird I know!

I don't know 7 people that blog. Sorry! I'm kinda a newbie at blogging. Who did I tag:
Aimee
Nikah

Have fun girls!

Sponsor an Orphan

I have been wanting to do something to help the orphans. Yes--I realize we are adopting & that will greatly help an orphan. But our wait could be 3 years or more. I wanted to do something now (and it is National Adoption Awareness Month)! Philip Hayden Foundation (PHF) is a wonderful organization that loves helping orphans. Here is a little information from their website--

The primary work of PHF is the establishment of our children's villages in Mainland China, where we take in at-risk and special-needs orphans, love them, provide them surgeries to correct their special needs conditions, and work to find loving families to adopt them. Approximately 95% of the orphans in our care are special needs children, most of whom were abandoned by their parents because they were born "broken". Our philosophy is to take in these so-called "broken" children and transform their hopelessness into beautiful stories of redemption and love.

We chose "Ava Hope" to sponsor. Ava Hope was born January 24, 2007. Her special need is cleft lip & palate. Many of you know my sweet & precious niece--Ava. Ava Hope was perfect for us to sponsor. Each child needs 6 sponsors. Go check out their website here & pick a child to sponsor. All it takes is $35 a month. Skip Starbucks, Roasters & Sonic & sponsor a child. Here is ours--she is a cutie!

Bring Me Hope

I know what you are thinking--not another video. Sorry! I saw the title of this video & I just had to post it. It is also National Adoption Awareness month. I would love to take all the orphans home with me in this video.
Instead of watching the election polls tonight, think about how you can help the orphans in this world.

Results Are In!

Not the voting results! Ashlyn's blood work. I found out yesterday that Ashlyn does have mono. But she is in the recovery stage which means she has had it for awhile. The on-call nurse said we were way past any medicine. Her blood results showed a little something "high" but they think that is from her body fighting the mono. Her white blood cell counts were perfect. I'm going to call Dr Young on Monday to get specifics.
Ashlyn needs a ton of rest, light activity & eating well. We are thankful that we know what has been wrong with her for over 3 weeks now (probably much longer than that). It is really minor compared to what was going through our heads. Thanks for all your prayers.

Adoption Update--
Really nothing new. We think the FC still has the HS. She is also working on referrals--those babies need to matched with their families. Maybe by the end of this week, we will hear something from her or the SW??

Lets Go Longhorns!

The Best Halloween Ever

We decided to have a very low-key night since the both of the kids have not been feeling well. PJ & I decided it was the best Halloween ever! Philip was Clone Trooper Cody from Star Wars. Ashlyn was Sharpay from High School Musical (of course!!). Ashlyn really enjoyed getting candy. Philip opened his magic kit from Ava & decided playing with that was more fun! I think he might be done with the whole trick or treating thing. That makes me kinda sad. Hopefully, Hope will be home this time next year.

Charm Addiction

My friend Sheri sent Ashlyn a package today. Ashlyn is modeling the surprise. Sheri & I have become friends through our journeys to adopt. We have our Hope & they have their Shania. Anyways, Sheri makes awesome jewelry. I have her website (Charm Addiction) listed on my favorite sites. Go check it out. She is raising money for her adoption.

Thanks Sheri! We love your work.

Homestudy Revisions

The SW emailed the home study to our FC yesterday morning. The FC will make more revisions & then hopefully we can send in our I-800A to our government. It is taking an average of 82 days to process the I-800A. Basically, more waiting!! But that just means we are getting closer to Hope.

Ashlyn has not been feeling well for over two weeks. She is very tired & has no appetite. They have tested her for strep (twice), flu, mono & some other things that we are not sure about. She was a trooper during the blood work(better than her mommy!). Strep & flu came back negative. The other tests should come back today & Friday. Please say a little prayer for her. She misses her friends & teacher.