Progress

This past month and a half has been difficult....very difficult.  We turned
in our I-800 paperwork in Dec. of last year and it finally made it to the National
Visa Center in NH this past week!  A very long story and so glad that it's
resolved and we're back on track.  But it was time lost and we're a little
bummed about that.

Today we got some very good news.  Our I-800 was approved last week
(Feb. 8th) and the National Visa Center cabled our paperwork to Guangzhou
yesterday.  Our agency also sent paperwork to China yesterday. SO, we're
hoping we're on track for our paperwork to be delivered for our Article 5 this
week.  Then we have about a two week wait until we receive that and then
the final wait....the wait for TA (Travel Approval).

The next month or so will again prove to be difficult.  Remember I'm not a very
patient person but God is truly working on me through this journey.  So much of
this process is out of our control and we have to trust the One who is in control. 

There is so much to do before travel.  We have to finish getting her room ready.
Plan homeschool lessons for when we're gone.  Shop and pack items that
we'll be taking along with us. There's even a birthday next month to plan for.
Hopefully this will help pass the time and before you know it, we'll be posting
about our Article 5 and then TA.

In the meantime, please pray that we encounter no further paperwork delays.  
We also pray for God to continue preparing our daughter's heart for our arrival. 
We can't wait to meet her and bring her home!

What We've Been Up To

A little of this.....

and this, plus the garage.   This southern born and bred girl didn't

know what a roof rake was until this week.  I wish I could say I didn't

know how to use one, but now I do.  It's just as much fun as raking

leaves....NOT!  There's one good thing about all this snow...

the workout my arms/abs have gotten over the past month.

Who needs Jillian when you've got a good snowfall to clean up

every few days!

So now we have even more snow in our front and backyard.  We really don't

have room for anymore snow.  As you can see from the pics below, the piles are

 taller than our kids... and in some parts of the yard the piles are taller than S & me!

D & J in the front yard.

Below is a picture of the backyard.

Our dog, Jake, loves the piles in the backyard as now he

can see what's going on in the frontyard with ease.  There's

even a place by the gate where the snow is so high that he can walk right over the

edge if he isn't careful.

We love the snow, but really....we've had enough and we can't wait for spring!