Leaves Galore

Fall is one of my favorite times of year! I love sweaters, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, football, Thanksgiving, yummy outside colors and leaves. Well the leaves may have to go off my favorite fall items. It seems that all of the leaves in our neighborhood have decided to "hang-out" in our backyard! We do not remember this from last year (this is our 2nd fall season in our home)--are we getting old??!! No. We are not! The kids loved the mountain of leaves!

Philip & Ashlyn just hanging out in the leaves.

So handsome! Love this picture.

Ashlyn Grace--always beautiful & smiling!

Being silly!

Happy Birthday Sydney!

Happy 3rd Birthday Sydney! Miss & love you like crazy. We so hoped to spend this day with you. God's timing is perfect.

A Really Small Update about Sydney Hope

I have come in contact with another family (The Howards) adopting from Sydney's orphanage. Sophia Grace is a couple of weeks older than Sydney--so we figured the girls were friends or at least knew each other. We were hoping to travel around the same time so we could get the girls together. But that did not happen. Anyways, the Howards are in China now & sent me an email this morning. (I tried to paste the email but for some reason it would not work??)
They asked Mrs. Zhuang (orphanage coordinator)about Sydney. Mrs Zhuang knew exactly who Sydney was & said that she is still in foster care and doing very well! The Howards are unsure if Sophia recognized Sydney. They said she pointed to the picture & had many things to say but they could not understand what she was saying! That is so cute.
They also said that it should bring us comfort that Sydney is still in her foster care. The children in foster care are placed most of the time with families that they call "model" families. They foster 4-5 children & that is considered their job. They have no other employment. They treat their children as their own--feed, care & love them.
Sounds like Sydney is still doing great. Thank you Howard Family. Check out their blog. Sophia Grace is adorable! Love her name!
Still wishing our TA would come. Sydney turns 3 years old a week from today. Hope her foster family celebrates it!

Updates

Ashlyn is feeling much better today. Her energy level is not back yet but she is making up for that in the eating department. The cough is still painful but no fever for at least 2 days now. Ashlyn needs to be in quarantine til Friday. I think tomorrow will be difficult because she is feeling more "normal". The rest of us still do not show symptons or signs of this flu. Lets hope it stays that way! Eight kids were absent from Ashlyn's class today. Lets hope all of these kids recover quickly! (But stay home til they are well.)
We want to thank everyone for the comments on here, prayers, texts, emails, FB messages, goodies, phone calls and conversations. We appreciate all of you and feel blessed that we have wonderful people in our life.
No travel update. Nothing. Nada. I'm thinking that we will not travel in October like we have been told & thought. China is back open but no Vinyard TA yet! Come on China. Sydney turns 3 on the 22nd. Which brings me to the care package that we sent weeks ago. No news from the orphanage. We sent Sydney a birthday cake (seriously just wanting new pictures & thinking we would be flying back home on her birthday) a couple of weeks ago. I guess Sydney is still with her foster family so they will not send the cake yet? Which probably means she did not get anything that we sent with the care package--family photo album! Don't get me wrong. I want Sydney to stay with her foster family as long as possible before we travel. But I want to hear new news about her or see one new picture. Praying we receive our TA soon or hear back from the orphanage.
Wash your hands friends!

Yellow Belt

PJ, Philip & Ashlyn tested for their yellow belts in martial arts this week. The belt test/presentation was Friday night. Ashlyn missed it because of the flu :(. All of them enjoy going to class & working hard. I'm so proud of them!

Master Garrett & Philip

H1N1 has attacked the Vinyards

Ashlyn tested positive for H1N1 on Friday night & possibly strep. She is in quarantine for 7 days. Please pray for her! She is pitiful today. It is difficult for her to only be in her bedroom & bathroom. Ashlyn is a very touchy child--she wants to be right by you all the time.
Also, please pray that PJ, Philip & myself do not get the flu. The next travel group goes on the 22nd of this month. We are hoping that we receive our TA & can travel in that group BUT not if we have the flu. Also, we do not want to be quarantined in China with the flu. All four of us are on Vitamin C, immune boosters & covering ourselves in hand sanitizers. Pray, pray, pray!

(Did you like my title? I crack myself up sometimes! It sounded very dramatic--kinda like the news stations.)

Philip the Crossing Guard

Philip had his first crossing guard assignment this last week. Only 5th graders are allowed to sign-up. It is a big responsibility because you have to get the "little kids" across the street. Philip thought it was a lot of fun! He will have three total assignments this year. Great job Philip!

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.