Spring!

Well, spring was slow to come to Augusta this year but I think it is here to stay now! The kids have enjoyed the outdoors!Now, let's keep the rain away!!!!!! Happy Spring!

My "to do" list

Well, I don't know about you but I constantly have a "to do" list. It seems whenever I cross something off, another thing, or 2, is added! Seeing that I was SO sure or I thought, or I envisioned, or I hoped really hard that we were going to be departing for China the end of February I already have a lot of the "stuff" packed that you must bring along on a LONG trip with 4 small children. I already had all of Xin's clothes washed and his things pretty much ready to put in a suitcase. So now that we leave in 18 days here is my "to do" list:

1. Go thru Sam's clothes and put away all that doesn't fit- this could be useful seeing that the boys are sharing a closet
2. Get a camera cord with correct current for China-one would think that a brand new Nikon, expensive, camera would have a cord that is dual voltage-oh no!
3. Get my hair cut and highlighted-this is so Xin doesn't think I am his grandmother with all that gray hair popping up along those lovely roots
4.Cut Sam's hair-yes I cut it because the barber takes off all his curls!
5. Dog neutered-check-done today-must be neutered to go to kennel/doggie playgroup-really-but hey, 21 nights..... I had to something other than a plain old cement 2x2 cell?
6.Pollen swept off porches-why?-it will come back-but I can try?
7.Get new shoes-you see when I thought we were going in February I had these great hiking boots I was going to bring but now that we will be there in April, they are a little warm-but oh so comfortable-heaven forbid I just bring my running shoes-(may end up with those anyway)
8.Plant flowers-really? who cares and who will water those while we are away????
9.Make t-shirts for kids- I saw this really cute idea and wanted to make shirts for all the kids to wear together in China-lets just add to the stress level?!?!
As you can see...... my choice of items on the "to do" list is......?dumb?unnecessary? and it is not as if I have oodles of time either because we are trying to work ahead for school,finish up our co-op, attending all the soccer practices and tournaments-out of town I might add-and maintaining all the daily chores.... and I wonder why I AM stressed at the end of the day....geez!Self-induced

Puff, puff, toot, toot, off we go.......

Had to "borrow" that line from one of my children's(and mine) favorite books, "Down by the Station", it is very fitting! We have travel plans! Yeah! One week later! Yeah! It took our fabulous agency and fabulous Leigh Ann-hats off to her- to get us to China avoiding Masters Tournament,(they originally had us leaving DURING the tourney) Chinese holidays, required stays and full hotels-whew- it was a long and I must add stressful week!!!! But we have TRAVEL PLANS! We leave April 12th, Gotcha Day April 14th, and return May1st! We are thrilled-Will is going to be exhausted after a LONG 10 days of the tournament but he can sleep on that 14hour flight right? That is so easy to do right? We are traveling with 3 other families that are all adopting from the same orphanage. Evidently, this is somewhat unusual. I have been in contact with one of the families and they too are bringing their 3 kids, who just happen to be our kids ages, and are adopting a little boy also! How cool is that? God IS in the details! Although, I have to admit I threw the question out there this past week..."Really God, Masters Week? Of all the other 51 weeks we could have traveled? Really". Why oh why, do I continue to doubt His ways and assume mine are so much better than His??? Still learning, still growing. It is a process. Lots to do but oh so exciting!!!!! Xin here we come!!!!!!!!!

TA TA TA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We got TA-Travel Approval!!!!! Our agency called this afternoon to tell us our travel approval from China came! She will call us tomorrow with dates for our consulate appt. and civil affairs appt so that travel arrangements-AKA-plane reservations can be made!!!! Yahoo!!!! Xin here we come. I hope you are ready little buddy cause there is a whole lotta lovin waitin for ya! I will post travel dates and plans as soon as I get them. YIPEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

Updates on our "Xinny"

We FINALLY got updates today on Xin. Of course I don't know when these were done and we didn't get a lot of info but we will take what we can get. He is almost 39 inches tall and is 36 lbs. Jaida is about the same size but a little shorter and a little lighter. Now these measurements could have been taken with shoes and clothes on but they sure are close in size and now I have a MUCH better idea of what to pack. I have to admit it was a little weird/odd/sad-I guess I don't know what to call how I feel- to get my child's measurements, to see that he has grown since the last update and to not have been a part of that growth. My children are always measured at the pediatrician's office with me standing right next to them and writing it all down and then later transferring it to their baby books. I also don't know anything else about him except the standard form they fill out to describe the child's abilities and habits. I find it sad that a little boy has gone 4 years without a family to describe in depth his whole being, his little soul, his heart. It hurts my heart. Please, if you have ever felt your heart tug, nudge, inquire, wonder about adoption, PLEASE look into it. There are so many orphans with no one to watch them grow or care if they even grow. Adoption is an incredible gift to your soul and I can't imagine my life without the experience!