I800A Approval!!!!!!

We got it!! We got Immigration approval...one HUGE step closer to DTC...almost there boys, almost there....! :-) (well, almost to DTC and then another wait... :-)

Science Co-op

We are part of a science co-op and are studying Anatomy and Physiology. Last Friday we met to work on the skeletal system, and we had a BLAST. The kids disected a raw chicken leg, and they got to see what happens when bones are depleted of calcium (that is a scarey site...really bendy bones :-) That demonstration alone convinced my kids to come home and drink a cup of milk and eat a cheese stick. :-)

Not sure Emily was thrilled with working on raw chicken....


The "gross-ness" really made the boys happy (especially since it was considered school).

The sweet smiles from the girls before dealing with the chicken :-)

Praising God for Carissa

You see the little girl below? The one who needed a miracle? That is little Carissa, and because of the Lord - and only the Lord, she is still living! Let me be very clear here...she was sent home to die. The doctors consulted, examined, consulted, and decided that they could do nothing for her....her case was hopeless. They basically said, "Take her home, hold her, keep her comfortable until she dies." But God. This little one at New Day has been lifted before the throne of the Almighty Physician, the One who knit her together, the One who knows what her little heart needs. New Day staff asked for prayer from all over the world, and she is still living. Her O2 stats are up, she is eating and sleeping well. This is a miracle. This is our God.

When It's Only Possible With God...

This little one needs a miracle. Please pray with us that the Great Physician will heal her heart - He is the only one that can do this. Her heart and her little body need His healing touch. Would you please pray that He would be glorified in her healing? I will update as soon as I know something. Thanks so much, you guys!

Maggie's first day of Ballet

Maggie has been looking forward to her first day of ballet since January. She has asked me constantly, "Mommy, when is my first day of ballet?" She had been watching Emily go to ballet for 2 years, so she was waiting her turn - desperately. She never voiced any concern to me until this week, but come to find out, she mentioned some of her concerns to her Grammy. Apparently, she told Grammy that she was "nuurvous...What if I can't do ballet?" Her Grammy very wisely explained to her that is what her teacher was there for - to teach her. She had used the past 8 months to psych herself up. She was really, really excited....

but, then I saw her little nerves pop up. She raises her shoulders and picks her nails when she gets "nuurvous"...here she is reluctantly following Bella.

She poses for one last "nuurvous" smile...

And when it was time for her to walk in the class? She peered over her shoulder at me, and promptly burst into tears. Her teacher has had Emily in class for over 2 years. So, she so sweetly grabbed Emily to be Maggie's class "helper" - which made Emily and Maggie's day. We will see if Maggie manages to go into class by herself next week. :-)

What we've been up to...

Recently, we went to Jacksonville for a wedding of a friend that I have known for about 15 years. While our lives have taken different paths, it was sweet to stand next to her as she married a man that we have been praying for years for....a great reminder to me to be praying diligently for my children's future spouses.

Emily and "Aunt" Stacey before the wedding...

Stacey and I before the wedding...I think that I was more nervous than she was...she had to ask me to quit pacing back and forth :-)

AND....Abby turned 3!!!! Happy Birthday sweet thing! These 2 sisters are inseparable...(I have no idea what Maggie is doing with her face here...) And, on the adoption front, we had our fingerprinting appointment for immigration on Friday - YAY!!! One step closer to being DTC (Dossier to Ch*na)!!! :-)

Barbie Car Skiing...

So, when I was growing up, we went to the lake to water ski. Bless these kiddos hearts...Paw-paw has sold his boat. No water skiing for them. They have decided "skiing" behind the Barbie car is just as fun (although, I believe falling on the concrete might be a little more painful).

Can someone tell me why the girls in the car get the helmets??

Maggie is chasing Emily and towing Luke...how safe is this?

Now, this is a bad idea...Abby is NOT known as our best driver.