Sorry if the picture is a repeat, but I haven't been taking many pictures lately, it's summer and we've been busy!

Van has been so funny lately. He got a new belt on Saturday and he wanted to wear it to a friend's house today, but I told him, no, because he needs to keep it to wear for school. Here's his response, "but I look sharp and handsome."

Once we made it home from our friend's house it was time for a bit of discipline and he says, "can't you have mercy on me." I thought I was going to crack up.

Adoption Update:

So far, we've been approved for 3 of the 4 grants/matching grants that we've applied for. Immigration is asking for more documentation on a few things, so I have been busy with that. We were sent a video of the older kids at the orphanage, but I can't get it to work, so hopefully the family that took the footage will resend it soon.

 

Some tub fun going on here. We spent most of the day at the pool, it was fun, but glad to be home.


Adoption Update:
We are rejoicing that the Lord has allowed us to be approved for a $3000.00 grant with Katelyn's Fund.

 

 

Today's my 39th birthday and the guys made breakfast this morning. They made me an egg burrito and topped it off with a birthday candle. Race gave me a Subway gift card, so that's what we had for lunch. After lunch I went shopping and when I came home I smelled cake. Race was making a birthday cake for me, what a nice surprise.

 

 

We are headed to the pool with some friends this morning. Everyone was up early and ready to go. First thing this morning Van comes in my room dressed in his swimsuit asking for an egg burrito. Where's the, "good morning mom?"

Adoption Update: We are still waiting to hear from the international adoption clinic in regards to Ferah's (short for her birth name, until we decide what to call her) health. As long as that comes back clear we plan to accept her referral. Our speculative timeline would have us bringing her home around January.

You're gonna eat what?

 

Van is a morning person and a hungry morning person at that. He was tired of waiting on me to help him fix some breakfast. I was in my room getting cleaned up and I heard Van messing around with the microwave. Van and the microwave are not a good mix, he has already burnt two bowls of oatmeal (forgot to add the water)in the last few months. So, I go into the kitchen and I see that he has already fixed his plate and was preparing to warm it. He has a dill pickle, a leftover deviled eggs from last night's cookout and the unidentified object is a crescent roll with ham and cheese it in. Not a good breakfast combination if you ask me and I think he was planning to warm the entire plate.

Adoption News: Friday, we received the referral of a 7 year old girl with a beautiful smile. We were told it would be 3-5 months or sooner for a referral, and it took less than a week. We have 2 weeks to accept her referral, we are waiting on the answers to a few questions and a response from the international adoption clinic before we make our final decision. I can't share her picture on blog until we get a court date. We do not have a timeframe yet as to when we'll go over to see her, but we will hopefully know soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We spent the weekend with my parents in Alabama at Joe Wheeler State Park. We were meeting them to pick up the boys. We went fishing in the lake, swimming in the lake and at the pool. We had a nice relaxing weekend. We are glad to have the boys back.

Adoption Update

 

We have been put on a few referral lists at our adoption agency. We are on four seperate lists and the number to the outside is the order we are on the list. It looks like the quickest referral will be of a girl or a boy over 48 mos. My worker, Cat, said that it might be 3-5 months or sooner before we get a referral. These numbers should encourage us to adopt older children, as you can see the desire to adopt older children doesn't compare, and the number of families waiting for infants is even higher.

Boy (24-48 mos) #14
Girl (24-48 mos) #21
Boy (48 mos - up) #3
Girl (48 mos -up) #3

The picture is of Van and a neighbor friend splashing around in the pool. The boys have been gone for two weeks, I can't wait to see them tomorrow.