Sister Fun

Sunday Smiles

A New Home

Justin and his wife, Megan, bought their first home, and moved this weekend - we all paid them a visit as they were moving!  Her family was there, and all of us too - they have a lovely home (maybe soon, we'll see some grand-babies!)  Here are a few pictures of their house, and really nice fenced back yard where a swing set would be a great addition!!

Beautiful Creations by our Creator

On Wednesday, we traveled to Charleston, WV to have our fingerprints done for USCIS approval.  On the way back, we took the "back roads" and stopped at some beautiful waterfalls - enjoy the pictures!!!

Saddleridge Ranch (VBS)

The girls went to VBS this week, and just loved it!  Every day, they told me the stories about Jesus that they learned, and they did some great crafts, and had lots of goodies too!!  Friday night, was a cookout, play with inflatables, great fellowship, and we got to hear the songs that the kids had learned all week - it was great!!  Here are a few pictures from their week...

Fingerprints DONE!! Check!

Today, we drove to Charleston, WV and had our USCIS fingerprints done!!  When we got home, all our docs were back from the Sec. of the Commonwealth, so by the end of the week, they will be on their way to the courier for the Sec of State and Chinese Embassy seals in DC, then we will rush our immigration approval through, and be ready to be DTC - we hope by early July!!

Alyssa needs to be home this year!!!

Some people ask why we adopt...this is why

Sunday Smiles

Happy Birthday Lainey!!!

Saturday evening, we went to Laine's 4th birthday party!  Everyone had a great time, and the girls were wonderful!!...We love you Lainey, and hope you had a special day!!

A Blessing this Weekend!

Emma's file was originally with A Helping Hand, an adoption agency out of Kentucky.  We were with a different agency, located in PA.  We were blessed to work with a sweet, caring lady at A Helping Hand, named Grace.  She helped us to complete paperwork to request that we be matched with Emma, and called us on Dec 21, 2006 with the wonderful news we had been matched with her - we were in heaven!!  Our prayers had been answered!  The 2 agencies were going to work together on a "joint referral" so we could bring our sweetheart home early in 2007.  China decided they would no longer allow this, and said we would have to re-submit our paperwork through the other agency if we wanted to adopt Emma.  As we were requesting our file back from CCAA, China again came back, this time, saying they would not allow families to change agencies.  At this point, we were told that Emma would be matched with another family by CCAA.  We were heartbroken.  Sweet Grace cried with me, and prayed with me, and was very supportive.  A few weeks later, I called her to ask if she still had the file, which she did.  She had a letter done for us recommending us to CCAA as the best family for Emma, and sent it with the file back to CCAA.  At the same time, the owner of Living Hope Adoption Agency, was in China, and visited the CCAA Special Needs unit making a specific request for her file.  God knew all along that Emma was supposed to be our daughter, and, on June 6, 2007, we again received her referral.  Grace and her husband John and 2 children, now live in Ireland, where John just finished up seminary, and is now teaching in a Bible College there for the next 2 years.  John's family is from our area, and they are here for 2 weeks.  We were in touch, and we were blessed to be able to meet them in person yesterday!!  How wonderful, and what a sweet meeting it was - she was very touched to meet Emma, and, like me, got all teary!  Here are a few pics from our meeting...

Fingerprint Appointment!!

Today, we received our fingerprint appointment from USCIS - our appointment is June 30 - on Monday, I will call to see if they will take us as "walk-ins" sooner!!  We need to bring our sweet Alyssa home!!!

One more baby step

Today, we mailed all our dossier documents to the Secretary of Commonwealth for authentication.  All we still need is our immigration approval!!  Hurry  up fingerprint appointment!!  When we get our other docs back, we're going to send them to the courier to have them taken to DC for the Sec of State, and Chinese Embassy sign-off, then, we will overnight our immigration form through the same process when we get it, so we can be DTC as soon as possible!!

I found this picture of Alyssa from 2006 a couple of days ago surfing the web...She's in front in the white coat!

Look what I found!!

I get the little catalogue from Sensational Beginnings every couple of months. They have some pretty neat toys - I used to order some for Emma when she was younger. At any rate, I thought this picture was pretty interesting...It's Emma and Allie's little hearts, waiting on Alyssa's to join them!!

Sunday Smiles

FCC Summer Picnic

Saturday afternoon, our local FCC Group had our spring/summer picnic.  Everyone had a great time!  The General Manager of Ashley Plantation allowed our group to use the shelter at the golf course, and they provided drinks, ice, the jumping thing for the kids, and, a Homestead Creamery ice cream truck!    It was a wonderful time of sharing, and all the kids getting together. 

Memorial Week at the Beach

A little late with this post!!  We spent Memorial week at the beach, and the girls just loved it!  We are blessed that my MaMa has a place at Ocean Lakes, so all it costs us for a wonderful week of vacation is gas to get there, and groceries!!  MaMa was there, and NaNa came for part of the week too, so it was a nice family time!  We relaxed, played on the beach, in the sand, and at the pool.  The girls are really doing well swimming now too!  Here are some pics from our week...

One more step...

Today, we received our receipt from USCIS - so, now we know they received our application, and money, so now we just wait for our fingerprint appointment! Alyssa, we want you to be home with us now!!