Logged In

WooHoo!!!  Our dossier has been logged in by the CCAA in China.  That means they have officially received our file.  Over the next few months our file will be reviewed and (we pray) that they will issue our LOA (a letter approving us and asking us to officially accept Noah's referral).  Our agency estimates we should travel 4-6 months from now.  We're very excited to have reached this step. 

We recently sent a care package to Noah in China.  It had a sweatshirt, socks, toys and a family photo album, labeled in Chinese.  We hope these will reach him and help to prepare him for his upcoming adoption.  The photo album we sent Micah while waiting to travel for him was a prized possession.  He still gets it out to look at, two years later. 

Micah's Mother's Day letter to Mama

Here's what Bruce wrote for me for Mother's Day:

My mama rocks! She came all the way from the United States to get me in China when I was 2 and a half years old. (I’m a big boy now because I am already four years old.) In China, my mama held me, hugged and kissed me, and told me that she would never leave me. Even when I yelled, kicked and tried to get away from her, she just kept on hugging me and whispering my name and telling me she was my forever mama and that she would never leave me. Sometimes she would sing me to sleep, and after hearing the song about 10 times, I would fall asleep in her arms.

Now that I’m bigger and going to pre-K, my mama gives me breakfast and lets me choose my own snack for school. She sings songs to me and helps me with my homework. She picks me up from school every day and plays with me whenever I ask. And, at night if I have had a bad dream or am just lonely, she gets up out of her warm, cozy bed and runs to me, holds me and tells me that she is there, and that everything is going to be okay. And you know what? In just a few minutes everything is okay and before I know it I have fallen back asleep.

I had to have surgery in my mouth last year, and mama stayed with me and slept with me every night in my little hospital bed until I cried myself to sleep. She said she would not leave me and she didn’t!  My mama also spends extra time with me helping me to pronounce letters and words the right way, because I need a little extra help right now. But I am getting better and better each day and can say all kinds of stuff now. Sometimes I can’t stop talking, and my mama just laughs and tells me that I am special and that she just loves to hear my voice. That's why my mama rocks!

Adoption Option Cookout

It takes a long time to grow an old friend.  ~John Leonard

We went to the Adoption Option cookout last Saturday.   It was so wonderful to reconnect with old friends and meet some new ones.  The best part was watching Micah play with his friends.  I have to tell you that the redneck train was a huge hit. 

Have you ever seen so much cuteness in one place?  

The motorized jeeps were great fun as well.  Micah eventually learned to steer without running into people and things. 

The joy shared by Micah and Sheridan was contagious.  These guys have been buds since Micah got off the plane from China.  Of course, Micah slept through that first meeting.  Not this time!!!!

  Riding off into the sunset.....

Micah's Wheels

Micah LOVES to ride his bike.  He rides it all the time.  In fact he rode the wheels right off it.  The same thing happened last summer.  And even though Radio Flyer agreed to replace the frame again, we decided it was time for Micah to graduate to a big boy bike.  Plus, this gives the bike half a chance of lasting until Noah grows into it.

Here are a couple of pictures of my big guy on his new bike.  He looks so grown up.  Don't worry, he always wears his helmet when riding unless he's posing for pictures.  

Easter Weekend

Happy Easter! He is risen! We had a great Easter weekend. Bruce was on a funeral detail on Saturday so Micah and Mama headed off to the Easter egg hunt. We somehow managed to miss the hunt for Micah's age group, but our friends Laura and Matthew shared their findings with Micah and he was thrilled!
Fishing for duckies (huh?)
Micah wanted to jump in the jumpy house with the big kids.
Of course, the Easter Bunny hid Micah's Easter basket while we were at church. Mater!How did the Easter Bunny know that Micah loves M&Ms?
This is how Micah tweets!
A new book from Nai Nai and YeYe:
And a personalized truck from Lao Lao and Lao Ye:
The truck was soon hauling Legos!

And baby makes four!

On March 12, we celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary by submitting a letter to intent to adopt this sweet little boy. And now that we have received our pre-approval from China, we would like to introduce him to you. His name is Guo Xin Hua and he is currently living in the Kaifeng SWI in the province of Henen. His name means new, magnificent and spendid. He was born in November 2008, so he is 16 months old now (I think these pictures were taken at about 9 months.

We are just waiting for our immigration approval in order to submit out dossier. We hope to travel about 6 months after that. I can't wait to see that smile in person!

A great read!

There are a lot of good books out there. Like, a lot. But great books are few and far between. Great books are those that leave you a different person than you were before you read them. For me, great books include the Bible, Watership Down, Kite Runner, and The Waiting Child. And now another great book is being re-released: Silent Tears. Kay is a really cool lady - you can keep up with her on Kay Bratt Uncensored.