Our Happy Thanksgiving:) Part 1

Warning...Lots of pictures...haha! Since I haven't posted anything in about a week I have lots to tell you...maybe not lots to tell, but lots to show anyway! We had a very good Thanksgiving holiday. As you can see we spent alot of time outside...it was a nice day. I couldn't help but think about the fact that we will have one more little person to enjoy the day with next year! Hope your family had a Happy Thanksgiving too.

Thanksgiving Day 2010

Henry having fun on the tractor.

Todd...mouth full! Henry and Uncle Jim

Cousin Maddie and Sam playing washers!

Hugh is the Washer Champion!!

Cousin Ginny and Hugh enjoyed being "washer partners."

Henry and Ellie

Sam and Hugh...wonder what they're talking about?

Ellie...doing what she loves most!

After their little "chat" Sam and Hugh decided to get out the rake...



and had fun, fun, fun in the leaves!!

Welcome Home!!

Don't you LOVE the sign!

Charles, Jennifer, Charlie, and Alice arrived home safely Sunday afternoon. We are so thankful they are back, and just in time for Thanksgiving! God is SO GOOD:) Many friends and family came to the airport to welcome them home...it was a blessing to be there! Everyone was so excited and ready to see them come down the escalator. The kids were running back and forth asking, "when are they going to get here?" We took over the airport Sunday! haha! It was so much fun:) Can't wait till it's our turn! Continue to lift up this family in your prayers as they settle in to this new chapter of their journey. Here are some pics from the Big Day!!



Awaiting the arrival of Alice.



Max and Lucy ready to see their new sister, mommy, daddy, and Charlie.

Waiting, waiting, waiting...

Here they are!!

Jennifer and Alice...welcome home!!

What a precious baby girl.

Here we are...there are more kids than adults!

Betsy and the "Big Wall"

This morning I had to take our three year old Henry to the doctor for his second round of the flu vaccine. On the way home, out of no where, he asks "mommy what is that big wall where you have to go get Betsy?" I said "what are you talking about Henry?" He told me that on Friday night when he and Ellie, our ten year old daughter, were watching Mulan she told him that was where we were going to get Betsy. Of course, it all made sense right away. He then went on to ask what kind of rope we were going to use to climb over the wall...haha! He is so much fun!! Sometimes this adoption journey feels like I am climbing over The Great Wall of China! I do know that no matter how hard or frustrating it may be sometimes that God is sovereign over all things. I am so thankful for my sweet children who bring me joy in the little everyday conversations we have. Hope you are having a happy Monday!!

LID!!!!!!

Today we received some awesome news...we got our LID(log in date)!!:) The actual date was November 9th. Yesterday I was getting a little anxious because it was 3 weeks since we were DTC. My social worker said it would be 2-3 weeks till LID from DTC. She also said things were going faster, so I was really expecting it last week(or hoping for it anyway). Well today was the day...I am one step closer to my little sweetie in China!

Celebrating Orphan Sunday and rejoicing with friends...

Yesterday was awesome! It was Orphan Sunday and also the one year anniversary of our orphan care ministry, Hearts of Compassion. We had tables set up in our activity room with orphan/adoption and foster care info on them. We also asked church members who sponsor children either from Compassion International or World Vision to bring pictures and/or letters from their children. It was wonderful to see all the different pictures of the children! Our church requested packets for children who needed sponsors right now. We had a table with 35 packets of children who are awaiting sponsorship. There were only 11 packets left! We will advocate for these children again on Wednesday night and hope to have all children sponsored. Our family sponsors a little girl from Equador and I can't begin to tell you the blessing we have received this past year! Since we had a girl we "had" to get a boy too...right? Well, now we have a little boy from Rwanda;) He is precious! His birthday is the same year as our little girl in Equador, and they are only one day apart! Their birthdays are Aug. 24th and 25th. This day was filled with stories of God's amazing plans revealed to families in our church. One year ago on Orphan Sunday, our friends Paige and Eric felt God call their family to adopt their second child. It was such a blessing to watch them dedicate her on this special day! Since last year, four families(including our friends, and us) have answered the call to adopt! Our friends Charles and Jennifer, who I mentioned in my last post, were getting ready to meet their daughter for the first time in China! We also have three families interested in foster care:) God is so good!! Hope you enjoy the pics! Sorry for the long post...had alot great things to share! Thanks for reading!

So happy for my sweet friend:)

My friend Jennifer, her husband Charles, along with their oldest son Charlie are in Beijing on their way to Guangzhou, China to get their daughter and sister...Alice. This is such an exciting time for them! Hopefully they are getting a great nights sleep right now. Please keep them in your prayers and follow their journey to bring Alice home:) The link to their blog is at the top of my blog list.

One week, one day...

Well, I have officially been in the "blogger world" for one week and one day. Thanks to all who are reading and following! Hopefully I will have some exciting news to share within the next week. We are waiting on our LID (log in date). I was really hoping to share that yesterday, but nothing yet. This is the date your dossier (13 documents submitted to the CCAA for permission to adopt from China) is officially translated and logged in at the CCAA(Chinese Center of Adoption Affairs). Ok...there's a little lesson on common terms used in China Adoption!!Haha You never know what you might get to read sometimes!