I Can Change A Diaper.....

I can change a diaper!

Waiting for 4 missing slide guides that I ordered for our crib. They seem to be the important parts that make the side rail lower & raise. When they come in, she'll have a place to sleep. That would be good I think!

Step 7

We received an update this morning from our agency & we are now on Step 7 of the "12 Step Paperwork Process". From now on, we should receive an update when we move up each step. Step 7 takes approximately one week. We hope that Step 8 is completed quickly so our I600 approval can come in a timely manner. Step 8 can take from 30-45 business days. (This is when our child's dossier/legal documents is compiled). Thank you for your continued prayers as we wait to travel for our daughter. We are still awaiting new photos....hopefully in the next week or so. :)

A Few of My Favorite Easter Pictures

I love Easter & I always try to take some pictures around this time of year. This year I took a ton because our azaleas are almost in full bloom, but I'll just put a few on here. The boys are exactly 7 1/2 years old now! I can't believe it...time flies. I hope you all had a wonderful Easter!

Bryce is on the left & Blake is on the right.

On adoption news, our agency rep. is having hand surgery tomorrow, so we may not hear anything until next week. We requested new photos of Caleigh last week & I do know that our request was sent to the orphanage via email. So, right now, our prayer is for updated height & weight and a new picture or two!

Happy Easter

Blake & Bryce's First Easter

Just taking a walk down memory lane.....thinking of Easters Past & wondering what future Easter celebrations will be like....Blake & Bryce's First Easter Home!
2 years old. So sweet!

Just Because....

Just because she's so cute, here's a picture of our boxer, Bella, that I took today!

She's 6 months old.

Got the Re-Fingerprinting Appointment Letter

I know it's hard to believe, but something in this adoption process actually happened quickly! One week to the day of submitting our request for a re-fingerprinting appointment in ref. to the I-171H, we got the appointment letter! Now, we just have to find a morning in James' schedule to drive to Dallas & back to have our fingerprints updated. Next on the list, I need to check into when we have to have a home study update...I called my social worker who did the original home study...she called her supervisor at Dillon...no answer yet. I need to follow~up.

Fort Worth Zoo With Friends

We got to spend a great day at the Fort Worth Zoo with friends on Saturday. Their daughter was with our sons in the orphanage for 18 months and we endured the long wait for travel together. We have formed a wonderful friendship over the years and we cherish our time with them. It always amazes us to see them together here as they were in VietNam. If you have the opportunity to keep in touch with the families and children from the orphanage where you child lived, I would really encourage it. The relationships are priceless. Here are just a few of my favorite photos from the day.

Caleigh is 5 Months Old Today

Tick Tock, Tick Tock....The clock keeps ticking! Caleigh turns 5 months old today. I hope she has a wonderful day! I think the boys & I will go to Discovery Science Place to celebrate & to take my mind off of the fact that she's not here for her 5th month of life. That's what stinks about the waiting time; counting off the months we miss of our childrens' lives. All I can do is look forward to all of the years we will share with her. Now, if I can just figure out where I stashed all of the nuts and bolts for the crib when we moved from Alabama to Texas 4 years ago, maybe I can talk James into putting that crib together!

Re-Fingerprinting

Just finished typing out my letter for request for re-fingerprinting. Ah, the I-600 Process, you just gotta love it! NOT! Anywho, our fingerprints for the I171H expire on May 10th. The way things have been going for those waiting to travel, I'm thinking we won't be sitting in Hanoi applying for Visas home on the 9th, so, we must re-fingerprint & get another I171 approval with a new extended date. Woo Hoo! So, off the letter goes certified (since they don't take phone-calls & apparently only inter-office email) tomorrow. I'll let you know when we get our appointment. Definately don't want to wait on this little detail....I'm doing my part...now it's up to the government powers that be to do theirs! :)
"Peace Out".... as my kids say way too often nowadays!

March 14th: Follow~up: I got the nicest e-mail today from the Dallas District USCIS Office. They said our request has been received & our appointment letter will be arriving via snail mail soon. Great News...you just never know!

Little Mittens for Little Hands

First of all, let me say that I have the best next-door neighbor! I honestly think she is just about as excited about little Caleigh as we are! She has a little girl who just turned 4 & she has rummaged through her closets, the attic & boxes full of things to find the right sized clothes to pass along to me for Caleigh! It has been fun looking at all of the little outfits, washing & hanging them up in Caleigh's closet & filling her dresser. Yesterday morning during the snow, she popped over with these little mittens. They are so tiny! I can't wait for Caleigh to wear them next winter!!! So, thanks Becca for being a great neighbor & friend!

We had a touch of winter today....

Make a photobook - it's easy!

Baby Girl's Carseat

Here's Caleigh's carseat. It's on backorder, but it should be in within a couple of weeks. The purple is just the prettiest color! There's a very dangerous shop in Tyler called Storkland. I don't know if it is a chain or not, but they have the cutest things. I actually do not know how I managed to buy only the carseat when I went....

Sunday Afternoons

The boys are outside playing. The dogs are outside playing with the boys. I'm avoiding unloading the dishwasher. James is playing golf. What are you doing Caleigh? I hope you are fast asleep...as it's the middle of the night in VN. Oh, I love Sunday afternoons.....Sunday School in the morning, lunch & lazy afternoons...can't wait until Caleigh is here napping in her crib on our Sunday afternoons.

Fly paperwork! Fly!