Today our Article 5 paperwork was delivered. So, in 2 weeks from today the actual Article 5 will be issued and picked up. It is at that time our wait for our Travel Approval will begin!
I can DEFINITELY see the light at the end of the tunnel now!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
Xin Nian Kuai Le!
Happy New Year! It's the year of the dragon, which is a lucky year! And I would say so, we get to bring home Lyla in the year of the dragon.
"The other Lila's" family has done it again, this time they sent us a VIDEO!!!! AHHHH!!!!
Apparently I am not smart enough to be the actual video on my blog, so you'll have to click on the link, sorry! I just wanted you to see it!
Video of Lyla!
A HUGE thank you again to the Childers family for getting pictures and video of our girl! And big WELCOME HOME to them as they arrived home yesterday!!!
"The other Lila's" family has done it again, this time they sent us a VIDEO!!!! AHHHH!!!!
Apparently I am not smart enough to be the actual video on my blog, so you'll have to click on the link, sorry! I just wanted you to see it!
Video of Lyla!
A HUGE thank you again to the Childers family for getting pictures and video of our girl! And big WELCOME HOME to them as they arrived home yesterday!!!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
I800 Approved!
Yay! One step closer! Again, all these steps, they mean something super important to immigration, but they confuse the heck out of me. The important thing here is that we were approved and we are one step closer.
Let me add, the average time it takes for this step is 18 days, it only took us 13 days! Can I get a WOOT! WOOT! for being below average this time?!!!!!
Let me add, the average time it takes for this step is 18 days, it only took us 13 days! Can I get a WOOT! WOOT! for being below average this time?!!!!!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Excited little sister
I know this blog is about adoption and Lyla, and this still fits that category, but it's mostly about excited little sister Macey.
We've explained to the kids that Lyla will say different words than we do, we might not know what she is saying and she may not know what we are saying. I've said that she speaks Chinese and we speak English. Well, my kids are big fans of Kai Lan, so I explained that she speaks Chinese like Kai-Lan. That seemed to help them understand.
Well, we've been talking a lot about the upcoming Chinese New Year, and that we get to celebrate it and they are getting very excited. Any mention of the word party and my kids are ready to get involved. Macey remembered that we had a Kai-Lan DVD of the Chinese New Year episode and asked to watch it today. I put it on for her and came to the other room to work on the computer. About 5 or so minutes later she came in and said "Lyla knows how to say Xin Nian Kuai Le." It just made me smile so big!
The rest of the video she was repeating all the Chinese phrases and making sure I knew that Lyla knew how to say those words. We talked about how when we meet Lyla we would say "Ni hao" instead of "Hi," so she has been practicing that for the afternoon.
Sweet girl, she is so excited to have a big sister! She looks at Lyla's pictures and always points to the ones where Lyla is smiling the biggest and says "This is the one we are going to get." Apparently, she will not put up with a grumpy big sister, but after the last set of pictures we received, I'm thinking we'll see a lot fo smiling in our house!
We've explained to the kids that Lyla will say different words than we do, we might not know what she is saying and she may not know what we are saying. I've said that she speaks Chinese and we speak English. Well, my kids are big fans of Kai Lan, so I explained that she speaks Chinese like Kai-Lan. That seemed to help them understand.
Well, we've been talking a lot about the upcoming Chinese New Year, and that we get to celebrate it and they are getting very excited. Any mention of the word party and my kids are ready to get involved. Macey remembered that we had a Kai-Lan DVD of the Chinese New Year episode and asked to watch it today. I put it on for her and came to the other room to work on the computer. About 5 or so minutes later she came in and said "Lyla knows how to say Xin Nian Kuai Le." It just made me smile so big!
The rest of the video she was repeating all the Chinese phrases and making sure I knew that Lyla knew how to say those words. We talked about how when we meet Lyla we would say "Ni hao" instead of "Hi," so she has been practicing that for the afternoon.
Sweet girl, she is so excited to have a big sister! She looks at Lyla's pictures and always points to the ones where Lyla is smiling the biggest and says "This is the one we are going to get." Apparently, she will not put up with a grumpy big sister, but after the last set of pictures we received, I'm thinking we'll see a lot fo smiling in our house!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
We interrupt this long wait...
TO BRING YOU NEW PICTURES OF LYLA!!!!!
I mentioned the family that was in China adopting "the other Lila," well, they got to meet Lyla and take pictures of her! I know you don't want to read anymore, so look at the pictures and then I'll talk! Ahhhh!!!!!
I know, I know GORGEOUS! I can't stop staring and thinking that these pictures were taken just yesterday! This is what our girl looks like RIGHT NOW!!!
Brandi said she seemed happy and healthy, which eased my heart and mind just a little. An orphanage is not a place for a child, EVERY child needs a loving home with a family, but at least I know that they seem to be doing they best they can.
Now to the emotion of it all. I am so grateful to receive these pictures, seriously, one of the most wonderful gifts. In ways it makes me feel so close to Lyla. I finally know someone who has met and talked with my little girl, who is half a world away. It sounds strange to say, but sometimes she feels like a picture, even though I know she is not, this brings her closer to me. At the same time it makes her feel so far away. She's there, we're here, and we can't get to her.
Well, I'm going to go back and look at the pictures a little more. Maybe I missed something the other 30 times I have looked through them!
I mentioned the family that was in China adopting "the other Lila," well, they got to meet Lyla and take pictures of her! I know you don't want to read anymore, so look at the pictures and then I'll talk! Ahhhh!!!!!
The two Lylas (or Lilas, depending on which Mommy is typing!)
I sent Brandi the same family picture that we had sent in Lyla's photo album so she could remind her of who we were. We're still not sure how much she knows of us, but I hope this will help.
This could be when Brandi was telling Lyla about us, she can correct me if I am wrong.
Lila's mommy!
Who selflessly took time out of her visit to the orphanage to make this mommy's heart happy!
I know, I know GORGEOUS! I can't stop staring and thinking that these pictures were taken just yesterday! This is what our girl looks like RIGHT NOW!!!
Brandi said she seemed happy and healthy, which eased my heart and mind just a little. An orphanage is not a place for a child, EVERY child needs a loving home with a family, but at least I know that they seem to be doing they best they can.
Now to the emotion of it all. I am so grateful to receive these pictures, seriously, one of the most wonderful gifts. In ways it makes me feel so close to Lyla. I finally know someone who has met and talked with my little girl, who is half a world away. It sounds strange to say, but sometimes she feels like a picture, even though I know she is not, this brings her closer to me. At the same time it makes her feel so far away. She's there, we're here, and we can't get to her.
Well, I'm going to go back and look at the pictures a little more. Maybe I missed something the other 30 times I have looked through them!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Growing families
You may remember the story I told here about another family adopting a little girl from the same orphanage as Lyla. Well, I am happy to report that "the other Lila" (how my kids lovingly refer to her) is in the arms of her family!
Early on in the waiting game we thought that we may be in China close to the same time as this family. Well, you know how our story goes, and that we are still a few months out. But it is so great to see how Lila is doing and wonder and pray that our Lyla will be the same.
Seeing families made in the way never gets old, it always brings tears, and causes me to throw my hands up in praise to our God!
Early on in the waiting game we thought that we may be in China close to the same time as this family. Well, you know how our story goes, and that we are still a few months out. But it is so great to see how Lila is doing and wonder and pray that our Lyla will be the same.
Seeing families made in the way never gets old, it always brings tears, and causes me to throw my hands up in praise to our God!
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