Thanks giving!

We had a really nice Thanksgiving, my sister in law had it for the first time and did a really great job. We had all the traditional and she added the Porto Rican pork and rice and beans which I stuff myself with. Thankful for my sons!! and walking off the prior days stuffing!

Thankful Jack had a very good youth gun season, He harvested this beautiful 8 point. ( he kept asking me if I put it on my blog) I am proud of him. He does not agree with me that a photo of that deer (alive) would make me just as proud. I know there is a need for hunting and I try not to discourage him.

Love love love that my boys enjoy cooking with me!

and even starting to do some with very little help from me.

together!

and enjoying there handy work!

I am so blessed!

Thank you!!!

I wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who has donated so far!!!!! There are so many orphaned children around the world, and their needs are great. We sometimes forget all the blessings we have in this country. There are so many needs and your donation is going to bless these children in so many ways. A few dollors here in the US does not get much, but in China it goes a long way!!! So again thank you so very much!!
I am posting a link from a blog I watch. She helps alot of organazations. Just look at these sweet babies!!! http://dreamingofteafortwo.blogspot.com/2009/11/updates-prayers-and-christmas-list.html
She has posted a prayer list and a Christmas list!
If you feel led to help in other ways this is a wonderful way!!
I will also be collecting things like cold meds, blankets and other supplies to take with me to donate to the orphanage!!

I pray the Lord will pour his blessings on you!!

= )

LID!!!!!

Just got a call our LID is November 4th!!!! That means we are 21 days or 3 weeks into our 2 to 4 month wait till LOA. LOA is letter of acceptance the next step. We are getting closer!

What am I grateful for?

So many things!! Seeing the sunrise each morning on our way to school

Walks in the woods

watching my kids grow

water and the way the sun reflects on it

my senses... being able to see and hear and smell

Trees. I love trees

Colors

The wind or a breeze

Crackling fires

The Bible

John 15:1-4

so many things...

Most of all I am grateful for my Lord who saved me and has blessed me far beyond what I deserve. He has forgiven me and loves me right where I am. I am grateful for who I have become through him. I am grateful for my husband and kids, my family, my church and my friends. I am grateful for so many things!

Struggling with changing her name

I am still struggling with the name thing, so any thoughts would really be helpful!! Her name is Sha Miao pronounced sa meow or maybe sha meow we will not know till we get there. She will be 4 or close to it. I am really struggling with changing it! I think Sha Miao Mei is a really beautiful name, my concerns are what kids will say and her always having to pronounce it for everyone. I think allot of times adopted kids just want to fit in and not stand out. I could use the name Lily Sha Miao, but I just can not convince myself to change it. Please leave me comments I know there is lots of wisdom out there!!!

I have to clear up from the post "Look what I got" We did NOT get our LID. =/ I fixed it so it does not sound like we did. We should be getting it this week I hope and we should be LID 11-4-09 or so which means we will already have been waiting almost 3weeks of the 2 to 4 months till LOA. That is a mouth full and probably makes no sense to the average person!! But to those of us in this crazy world of China adoption it makes perfect sense and I am sure I am not the only one calculating and analyzing on a daily basis! = ) It is all I can do if only I had some paperwork to complete! I did move Kai into Jacks room so I can begin working on Lily's room finally!

You are not going to belive this!!!!!

How am I going to say no to this face???

Who me???

I love the smile!!!!

I got 6 new pictures!!!! OMG she is SOOOOO cute I cant stand it! and best of all she is smiling = ) WOW what a blessing!!!! This is not making the wait any easier!!!

LOOK what I got!!!!

A baby picture of Lily!!!!! I am so blessed! How sweet. Her poor little head is so purple :(
How did I get it...
Well it has been 6 months and we have heard nothing and I just could not stand it any longer. So I ordered a orphanage call from the same lady who I sent the cake from. I could ask 10 questions and get new measurements. This was last Monday it said it usually takes 7 to 10 days. She told me it would take a little longer since she is in a foster home so I did not really expect anything till at the earliest Friday but more likely next week. I was really surprised to get it today!!! What I was thinking was that we should be hearing what our LID is by Friday. I asked what she likes and they said music she loves to dance and wave her hands =)
She does not like the sound of fire works. They tell her she has a mommy and daddy over seas that love her very much. They did receive the care package and show her the pictures often so she will be familiar with us. They have been taking pictures of her daily life it says. I asked if there were any baby pictures of her and if so could we have them. I thought they would give them to us when we came to get her. She said they would be sending more too!!!! I asked about her health and they said she is very happy and healthy with no allergies. But then we get to the measurements. 31.7 inches tall and 22.2lbs =/ either she has not grown at all in 6 month or they did not check her. the numbers were a little very little different so they did not just give me the old numbers. So please pray she is staying healthy!!! Wow she is sooooo tiny I am looking at a clothing tag and it says 18mos. is 23-26lbs and 30-33". At 48mos. she should be 33-37 lbs. and 39-42" Kai was 45lbs when we went to get him at 3 1/2. Hang on sweet pea!!!! Thank you Lord for keeping her safe and please continue to watch over her!!!!

Life is all about

Basketball!!! that's right all three of my guys are playing right now!!!

Kai is in a skills clinic and I just signed him up for the second session. He is lovin it and doing well ! Jack is playing for his school on the Junior high team and Mike is coaching the team. Jack is a really good defender on the court. He may take after me in stature but he does well! Mike is also playing on Monday nights with my brother and a bunch of guys from our church! And of course we are Caves fans!!!! So lots of hours spent watching that big orange ball.

I am sooo grateful for the weather it has been in the 50s and 60s for the last few weeks and blue skys!! On the adoption front still waiting to find out what our long in date (LID) is. No news this week but we should hear by next Friday. It has been a very very long 6 months and I don't know how I am going to get through the next 4 or 5 or maybe even 6 months. So please pray I find peace or a 3 month nap!!!

enjoying more of the fall

Saturday I was able to spent a few hours watching 6 deer You never see the big deer until this time of year it is the rut. So the boys loose all senses and are out in the middle of a field in the middle of the day.

All for the ladies!

They were so beautiful!

WOW he was so BIG! This is the closest I have ever gotten to a buck this big and it was awesome. He spent most of the afternoon in the field across the street following a doe. Along with 3 other bucks, one was even bigger. They were stopping traffic until a couple of guys walked out to get video and scared them off into the wood line. about a half an hour later I was out and saw them, so I stopped and got a few picks and a video. I tried to post the video but it did not down load??? Just beautiful!!! Remember the rut is on and these bucks have a one track mind this is when they run out in traffic. If you see one there is always more following.

Super Cute and Chopped Ham

The story begins with the not so good Mr. Goodbar.... hehehe

While enjoying the fall leaves our super cute hero may have been distracted...

Although he had been working hard on a Whopper of plan to out smart these evil Smarties...

Here he is...

Normally I would say they are both super cute but jack was a bit scary!

Chopped Ham! This was a last minute costume. It was pretty easy all we had to do is get out a few of the various slings, casts, braces, and other hospital attire we have collected through out Jack and Mikes dirt bike mishaps. It was probably the most costly costume ever!!!

Off to rescue the next helpless Baby(Ruth) or maybe it was the kit Kat no I think he was off to the milky way, when.... CRUNCH ! Krackel! (Tootsie) POP!~

His trusty cousin James!!! "Would you like to be Chopped or Shaved?"

We were sad the last of the 3 Musketeers was down with the flu! We missed you lots Quintin!
Their adventures don't end here...

To Be Continued...

Praying we are LID this week!

Ok so Pray hard that we are LID this week!!! We may not know for a few weeks but I sure hope the next few steps go quickly!!! I am starting to feel an urgent feeling? (it could just be impatiens) Nicole said she would send a email to CCAA to see if they would get our LID in to the system. She said sometimes it prompts them sometimes not. If not we should know in a few weeks and lets hope it is 11-3-09!!! Then the agonizing 2 to 4 month wait starts =/ for LOA and I am hearing it is taking 6 to 8 weeks to get TA. I am also hearing that the Hague stuff in making it take even longer it adds a few steps. So pray pray pray that our LID is this week and LOA is quickly behind it. Basically pray it gets into the right hands, some get right through the system and others get put on the wrong desk and just sit.

The freezer is filling fast! It has been a successful hunting season for my guys so far! I much prefer watching the deer enjoying the corn and apples in the back yard and seeing the pictures from the motion camera, but I do understand the need.

It has been hard not posting but I wanted the last post to be up for a while. We got a few generous (Thank you May family!!!) donations but it seems to have stalled, so if anyone been there done that, with any ideas pleasee let me know.
Halloween pics are coming soon. I forgot my camera so I am waiting for them from my sister in law.