Actual Dates

We found out today that we will be leaving on June 9th and will return on the 24th.  We will be gone for 2 extra days than the original plan but we will deal with it! 

We leave in 2 weeks and will be home next month this time as a family of 6!  Crazy to think about!

It arrived!

The long awaited TRAVEL APPROVAL arrived yesterday!  We found out today that our Consulate appt will be on June 22nd.  Our most recent tenative itinerary had us leaving on June 9th but that was if our appt was on June 20th so we will find out tomorrow when we will be leaving.  I'm hoping to not be away from our girls any longer than initially planned.  Either way we will be leaving SOON! 

We are taking this weekend to get away with the girls one last time before our trip - they've been wanting to go camping so we are going to do that for them.  I really can't fathom packing for another trip yet but it will be good for them!  China will be put on hold for a few days and then we will catch up on the many things to do next week!  I hope!

It's always neat to meet other families who have been on this journey and today I had the chance to talk with another mom from my daughters' school who has adopted twice from China and will be going again in June.  There's a good chance we will be there at the same time.  So even halfway around the world we may see people we know!  It's also neat to know that my son won't be the only one from China in his school - there are actually a bunch of adoptive families there!

Quick update!

We are waiting for our TA - travel approval to be issued from China.  It could come any day and then we can schedule our trip!  Our agency is still saying that we will be traveling in June and June 9th is the most recent departure prediction.  We have been busy here preparing Zeke's room, gathering up stuff for our trip, ironing money, and other fun stuff!  We had fun several weekends ago with the other 2 families who we will be traveling with!  We were able to get together with them and our kids got to meet (by the way -the one family I mentioned before only has 2 boys and is getting a girl - my memory was incorrect - so we aren't all getting our 4th child! opps!)  We also had our travel meeting at the agency the other Friday which was exciting to iron out our trip with the staff and our travel group! 

We are continually amazed at how God provides for our needs for this adoption.  From gifts of money to clothing to toys, etc we have been blessed by many people!  God always provides!

Please keep us in your prayers as we prepare for our departure.  We still have a lot to do! 

Zeke's bedroom wall - work in progress!

                                                    Care package we mailed to Zeke!

                         Zeke's window "truck visors" custom made by Trinity Kustomz (AKA Gouldey Welding!)

                                                

Mess of stuff we have to pack!

Washline full of donated BOYS clothing! 

Thank you!

Adopting a boy video

This video brought me to tears!  I can't wait to hold my little guy!

New pictures!

Today we recieved new pictures of Ezekiel!  We also got some updated measurements so we can try to figure out what size clothing, diapers, and shoes to take for him.  It was so great to see these new pictures!  He looks so happy!  It appears as though he is walking now!  And quite curious!  Oh to scoop him up in my arms!!!  Come on paperwork!

Tentative Travel Dates!

We got some tentative travel dates today from our agency.  They are very TENTATIVE!  June 3-15th is what they are guestimating right now!  We will be traveling with 2 other families who are very similar to us.  We are all adopting our 4th child and we all have 3 biological children!  The one family has 3 girls and will be getting a boy just like us and the other family has 3 boys and will be getting a girl!  We met these families last June when we had an all day training at Pearl S Buck so it will be great to meet up with them again to go get our children! 
Now we have a lot to accomplish in the next 8 weeks before we leave for CHINA!!!  So much to do, where do we even begin!  I have many lists - packing lists, to do lists, things to buy lists, phone calls that need to be made lists, etc, etc!  So if you are ever bored I could find something on one of my lists for you to do.....

Letter of Acceptance from China!!!

We recieved our Letter of Acceptance from China yesterday!  We were very excited to have passed this first little hurdle of paperwork!  Now on to the next - US Immigration stuff now!  We can now post pictures of Ezekiel - here's our cutie!