Test Post! Boring--sorry.

Since blogger will most likely be blocked in China, I'm going to try and email our posts into the blog (Thanks Ann Trubey!).  If anyone knows how to attach videos to an email, please share!!  For some reason, I can not figure it out.  I probably should figure all that out before we travel!!    If for some reason we can not post, check out my Facebook (which I've been told has been blocked) page or email me or email my Mom!!  Just kidding about emailing my Mom!  Our good friends, Jason & Aimee, will have access to our blog too.  My adoption email friend, Jane, is traveling before us so we should know what is blocked and not blocked!  Please pray for Jane & her family during this exciting time!    I usually show link my friend's blogs but I can't do that with email!  So-- Jason & Aimee  http://boyetts.wordpress.com/ Jane & her family  http://godshopeandfutureplan.blogspot.com/

No Travel News

I know several of you have been wondering what is up with our travel dates! We received an email yesterday that told us no travel on the 8th of October. The agency is "hoping" we can travel on the 22nd of October. That basically means it could be after the 22nd. Travel approvals have been delayed and now Hague families (which is us) are waiting 8-12 weeks. The Vinyards were 7 weeks on Monday. So---we are sad, frustrated, teary, praying, upset, etc. Sydney's birthday is the 22nd of October--we will not be spending our daughter's 3rd birthday with her. Huge bummer! Thanks for all of your prayers & support. We really appreciate it! Our friends (& specifically my Amarillo girlfriends) are amazing. Thank you for your support. Praying for our TA to come really quickly!

Philip's 1st Football Game

Philip finally had his 1st football game on Saturday. They have been practicing 3 times a week for almost a month now. Philip loved it! We are so proud of him.

Waiting with friends before going in.
Philip is the 2nd jersey from the right.

Philip and his friend PS.

Lake Tanglewood Triathlon

PJ competed for the 2nd time in the Tri to Make a Difference triathlon over the weekend. The race raises money for the Children's Miracle Network. A great cause! PJ "shaved" off a minute of his time from last year. The whole family loves this race!

Melissa (sis-n-law) and PJ before the race. They look so nervous.

The kids & Ava (my cutie niece) stretching with PJ. Too cute!

Right before the race.

Hi Julie & James--I did not edit this photo. Sorry!

The start of the race. PJ is the one in the red cap (he-he!) This picture is at the end of the swim.

I took pics of the bike & run but they did not turn out great.

Right after the race! Hello water & family.

"Our" 1st video on the blog

We replaced our super old video camera with a new one a couple of weeks ago. This is our first video posting. We are trying to work out any kinks before we travel to pick up Sydney. I'm kinda starting to think we will not travel on the 8th of October. PJ & I are in a good place right now in the stressing stage (if that makes sense). I think the LONG wait for the RA prepared us to not get our hopes up. If we do not travel on the 8th, the next group goes out the 22nd. And the 22nd is Sydney's birthday. We really wanted to be there for Sydney's birthday but we can celebrate it at a later date. Enjoy our first video! I'll probably bore you guys with a lot of videos between now & China!

Ashlyn lost her 1st tooth

Ashlyn was determined to lose her first tooth in Kindergarten (which was last year!). Did not happen! FINALLY, one of her bottom teeth became lose several weeks ago. She would "work" on getting lose. Ashlyn was hanging out with PJ in the garage on Sunday. She was talking about something & PJ noticed that the tooth had turned sideways. Ick! He just put his shirt around her tooth & out in came. Not much drama! Ashlyn was more interested in the Tooth Fairy coming that night.

Ashlyn & 1st graders

I just wanted to share this story of my little 1st grader. One of her classmates was looking through a magazine during class today. There was an ad for Operation Smile or Smile Train. Ashlyn's said that her classmate started showing several of the other children in the class. Some of the children starting laughing. It hurt Ashlyn's feelings because "they were laughing at the orphans". Ashlyn took the magazine away from the classmate & went to her desk. She CUT out the page in the magazine & put it in her desk and then in her backpack.
I'm not sure the children in the ad were orphans. But Ashlyn associates cleft lip with orphans. And she associates orphans with her little sister! Sydney does not have cleft lip but Ashlyn has seen several pictures from my bloggin' friends and their families. We tried to "prepare" the kids for almost all of the special needs we checked.
I was thinking how hard it is for some adults to stand up for what they believe in. And here a 6 year old stood up to her friends with no problem. We are so proud of Miss Ashlyn Grace!

What is new?

Philip and Ashlyn had the "best first week ever". This is the first year that both of the kids have LOVED the first week of school. Makes our life a lot easier! Also, Philip will not be having the huge amounts of homework like we had last year. Who-hoo!
China Prep--we are buying & packing. OK--not really putting into the suitcases but into storage bins. I'm thinking PJ will not be able to take any clothes!! I'm amazed at how much we already have "packed". Where will we put the rest of the stuff?? All of us have been practicing how to use Skype. Hoping we can communicate with the kids this way. The kids think it is so fun!
Adoption News--we received the provisional approval from our government to adopt Sydney yesterday. Our travel dates are supposed to be October 8-22nd as long as our TA (travel approval) comes in. AWAA (our agency) has groups going out on Sept 3rd & 17th but we most likely when not have our TA in time.
Sydney News--LadybugsnLove prepared Sydney's care package. The orphanage should of received it by now. We sent a blanket, photo album with 10 pictures of us, camera & money to order her a cake. I have read several postings/emails from our GSWI group about families sending care packages & the children not receiving them or getting them the night before gotcha. So--we were kinda unsure about what to send. Hopefully sending money for the cake will get us an updated picture (maybe in the foster home). I really hope Sydney receives the pictures!!

1st Day of School '09

The kids had a wonderful 1st day at school. Philip started 5th grade & Ashlyn started 1st grade. This is Philip's last year at this wonderful school (one reason I was a little teary especially after the principal said "Good Morning Philip. This is your last first day here"). He was pretty excited about the fact that they will not have much homework this year. Sounds great to me! Ashlyn did not want me walking her into school this morning. I did it anyway. Sorry kids! At least I didn't kiss you in front of your friends. Love my kids!! Ashlyn's "best thing" about school today is that they were given 3 recesses!! Yeah. She said they just did a bunch of organizing their stuff. Hoping we have a great school year!

Life after getting the RA.

On Tuesday, we finished the last parts of the I800 & dropped that in the mail to our government. The agency sent the actual referral acceptance letter today via FedEx. It came in a super cute pink folder. PJ & I signed it & shipped it back off to the agency. They are sending it back to China on Friday. We really have not been doing much BUT I think that changes at the end of this week. I kinda feel like some paperchasing is fixin' to come!

Philip & Ashlyn dropping off our I800 packet.
Several cars drove by with the look of "what in the world is that lady doing taking a picture of her kids holding a UPS package"!!

Signing the referral acceptance!

PJ signing the referral acceptance that we officially accept Li Si Xin as our daughter.

Now lets go to China!