A little news...

We have finally completed all of our homestudy visits! We should have out completed homestudy by Monday and then we can file for our i800! Right now, we're just thankful the homestudy is done... what a process that was.

And so... even if they are only baby steps, we are getting closer to meeting our precious little boy!

Five for Friday

For my photography class at school, we have to submit 5 pictures every Friday. (Maybe I'll post the ones I choose every week!) So, yesterday, I took the girlies outside and we had a little photo shoot. We even saw a bunny while we were out! They were both so cooperative and I got some really sweet pictures of both girlies! We then went on a little walk and they helped me find some pretty flowers to take pictures of. Lets just say picking just 5 was a little difficult... I'll post some more sweet ones later on :)

First Day Of School (Monday)

Here's a picture from the first day of school, which was on Monday. It was sad awkwardly standing there alone... and driving by myself. School is pretty good so far! I'm taking three AP classes, so that's going to be hard, but other than that, it's fun. And when I say fun, I mean it's as fun as school can possibly be. I have a pretty good schedule, which is good. All of my classes are HUGE (well, for my school anyway. My smallest has 22 people and my biggest has close to 30. Last year my smallest had like 12 and my biggest had just over 20!) I enjoy big classes though, and I have good friends in every class, so that's good :) I'm also excited because this year, they are letting all juniors and seniors who have first period study hall have an "off campus" during first period! Which means I don't have to come into school until 8:30 on Wednesdays and 8:45 on every other day! (Our Wednesday schedule is different because we have chapel.)

So anyway... junior year has started off pretty well. I can honestly say I'd go back to it being summer in an instant though!

I also want to ask you to pray for two of the guys at my school. They are brothers and one's a sr. and one's a sophomore. Their dad died over the weekend after battling cancer on and off for 25 years. So please just remember them in your prayers. Almost our entire high school was able to go to the funeral yesterday morning. I thought it was pretty amazing that they let us out of school at 10 so we would be able to go and be there for these two guys. Not many schools would do that... But anyway, please just remember them and their mom in your prayers... they are definitely hurting right now!

double digits...

We've had Miss Katie Cakes for 10 months now. I'm honestly at a loss of words to say... I think the picture itself speaks enough. Just look at her smile... her eyes... remember the picture I normally post with the monthly updates? The one with big tears running down her cheeks? The one she is absolutely screaming in terror in? Or maybe you remember it because of the blue M&M that she is drooling? What a difference 10 months makes...

I'll let the picture do the rest of the talking.

God is good.

In the past week ~

Will headed to college at Bay*lor...

I started my junior year... well sort of. Our first three days of school are spent at a camp in the mountains (about 3 hours away) enjoying good food, games, square dancing, a zipline into the lake, pool/hot tub, blob, a two person swing thing, fellowship with our entire high school, worshipping, etc...


and we had our second homestudy visit!

Today was not quite as exciting, but the girlies and I still had fun while Mom was celebrating sweet Sara Beth at Jeanette's shower. AnnaClaire kept asking, "are all the ladies takin' showers?" It was funny. We went to lunch and played by the fountain and then ran to Old Na*vy, where we saw little stainless steel water bottles for only $5. AnnaClaire is obsessed with those little water bottles, so of course we had to get one. Of course, Kate had to have one too. And the girls insisted that we get one for Charlie, as well. So we had a fun morning out with some new water bottles to prove it:)

I know it's been awhile since I've truly posted and I apoligize for that! There is just so much going on with work, school starting up, having my license and therefore not being home all that much, etc., so I find very little time to take pictures of the girlies and to post! I hope you enjoy the pictures... every time I look at my precious sisters playing together, holding hands, laughing together, and giving kissies, I can't help but think of how amazing it is that although they don't share any of the same DNA... they are the very best of SISTERS! I just love it :)

Some little BOY clothes!

Mom made the first Charlie clothing purchase today... some jammies :) I think that's been a first purchase for all three of the little ones! Who said shopping for a little boy wasn't fun?!

We love Cost*co organic cotton pjs... which are only $11.99, may I add!

Just cannot wait to see him in them!

Thinking of...

our sweet, sweet Charlie. Oh I just cannot wait to bring him home!

Look Who...

finally decided to go off the diving board?!?!

But that's not all! She also decided to...

willinging (and excitedly, may I add) put her face under and swim for diving rings!

And another little Miss decided that the water isn't so bad... in fact she LOVES it!

(Pictures) Mountains with Mia!

We had...

our first homestudy visit today!!! :)

Praise God!

What do the girls think?!

They seem pretty excited! They are always bringing up "baby" Charlie and having another brother. I'm not sure that they understand that he won't be a baby, but that will come! I witnessed the SWEETEST moment every a few weeks ago... We had given AC a picture of Charlie to look at, and she found a few more and just sat by Kate, showing her the pictures. She explained that this was, "baby Charlie and he has no mommy and daddy so we are going to go to China on the big airplane and bring him home! He's my little brudder!" They were just looking at the pictures and giving them kisses.... soooo sweet.

Speaking of the girlies, they have been pretty busy lately! They were gone a couple days last week with Mom, Mia, and Mrs. Tracey in the mountains! They stayed two nights in a cabin (or cabinent as Booie would say) and just had a ball! I have a few pictures to share from that (yes, Mom took the camera!!!)

We also went to lunch at Chickfila with Jeanette and her boys! They are traveling soon to go get their little Sara Beth FINALLY! So we had a nice little celebration lunch. We also ran into Lainie's family, which was fun! Lainie and AC lived in the same room at their orphanage, so it was very special to finally meet them in "real" life!

As for the adoption front, we are still at a stand still in the homestudy, which has been very frustrating. It looks like our first homestudy visit won't be until Aug. 20... :( PLEASE pray along with us that God would work miracles and allow our dossier to be to China by Oct. 17 (3 months from the day our PA was dated)! That's our deadline... it can be extended, but we are praying that we can somehow make it. Right now, it seems impossible, but we we serve a God who NOTHING is impossible with!

Thank you so much for all your comments and encouragement. It means soo much to us :)