Let the Packing Begin

I started gathering medications and gifts together. So I'm wondering after we pack all of these things where our clothes are going to go??? The good news is, after all of this is out of our luggage, we'll have space to pack gifts for the trip home.

These are the gifts we're planning on bringing so far. We have some Bath and Body goodies, a couple lovely WI photography books, WI postcards, candy, the bracelets we made, and a some wonderful American made MagLites. For the children we'll see, we have sidewalk chalk, crayons and paper, animal crackers, some board books, stickers, and doodle drawing boards..








We also started to gather a small pharmacy to take along. We almost never use medication at home, but we don't want to be on the other side of the world and need it. So alas....YIKES!



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Location:Let the Packing Begin

Test Post

Just trying a new blogging to see if this is something we can use for our trip.




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New Pups

Meet Lola (..."she was a show girl") and Moe (a.k.a. Moses and MoeMoe). Yes, what are we thinking? Well just look at those faces. We had to bring them home. :)

This picture is pretty typical.  They can really race around the yard and Lola is always trying to catch up to Moe.

Happy Lola

Content Moe

After 1st Bath

Wet from a Dewey Morning

ATTACK!

They love each other.

Devotion Time

Devotions with Moe, too

Moe is a toy hog.

Life is Rough

Hope Sees Luke for the 1st Time

This is the other video that goes with the one I shared last night.  You'll enjoy this one.  I'm so glad we took the time to set up the camera to capture these moments.

Hope Introduces Her Brother

I think I'll start off my efforts to bring the blog up to date with a bang tonight.  We introduced Hope to her brother on February 4.  She is going to be an amazing big sister!  I watch this over and over and smile from ear to ear with tears running down my cheeks!  I just can't wait to have these two together.

We took a video also when we first showed Hope Luke's picture.  I'm going to see what I can do in iMovie for a bit with that.  I've never really played with the program.  We'll see what I can figure out and then maybe I can share that one, too.

Here are a couple of snapshots we took that morning too.  :)

~ Proud Sister ~

~ Choosing a Favorite (She picked the one on her right.) ~

~ Hugs ~

Luke's Shower

Lovely Hostesses - Tana and Jody, wonderful friends and amazing moms I admire.  You completely outdid yourselves girls.  You know I'm emotional, but seriously...this morning meant so much to me!

~~~~~

We got to have a shower!!! I never expected that we would be so lucky!  There was an amazing group of ladies and daughters there to celebrate with us.  New friends and old, family and neighbors....it was SO FUN!  Here are some of the special people who joined us for the morning:

Tricia and Lauren - Tricia and I have been friends since childhood and we are Lauren's Godparents.

Cheryl and Malea - Cheryl's husband, Chris, and Ron were classmates at SPC.  Cheryl and I became FAST friends.  She's awesome...and so is their daughter Malea, also our Goddaughter.

Betsy, Debbie, and Luke - Betsy and Debbie are Group 91 Moms.  We love them and their families!

Some of the girls from the BW Class of 1993 

Jen and Claire - Jen and I go waaaaay back to the hospital nursery.  Her beautiful daughter, Claire, is the same age as Hope.

Mom and Pastor Carrie - We are loving getting to know our new friend and Pastor! 

Wendy and Hannah - Wendy and I met in a sign language class at SPC in 1996(?).  We've been close friends ever since, have taken family vacations together, and we are also Hannah's Godparents.

Keri is one of my oldest and dearest girlfriends.  We grew up across the street from each other. 

One of my favorite pictures of Hope and Olivia

We'll leave this picture larger because you MUST see all this cuteness.  :)  These are some of the young ladies who were there.

Some of the Group 91 Girls

~ added the moms ~ 

Even though this is blurry, I love the way Hope and Malea are looking at each other.  (God-daughter-sisters)

Perry Girls - Mom and Andria - Love my Mom, and Love my Sister-in-law!

Article 5

Our Article 5 came today. What does that mean, you ask? Well, it is kind of the final piece of the puzzle. The Article 5 relstes to Luke's immigrant visa and is the last piece of approved paperwork we need before the China Center sill issue our travel approval (TA). TA is essentially China's invitation to us to finally go meet our little boy.

"The Adopted Children's Immigrant Visa Unit (ACIVU) at U.S. Consulate General Guangzhou has finished processing your child's Article 5, and your file is ready to be returned to your adoption agency's facilitator today."