So many updates!!!

Sorry for leaving y'all wondering about us for the past couple of months! I figured y'all deserve a little update on the happenings of our family, so here you go! Sorry it's SO long in coming!!

First up-- ELLIE! All our stuff has been super delayed because our entire dossier was lost, and so we are having to do the re-use process, but we are working on getting her home as soon as possible! Still waiting for LOA, unfortunately. The whole process has been extremely frustrating considering we sent LOI back in May and were already through review, but trusting God in HIS perfect timing! Our agency did tell us yesterday that we should have it in at least 2-4 weeks. Not soon enough, but at least a light at the end of the tunnel! But here are some updated pictures of our girl... isn't she ADORABLE?!?! The last 2 are from back in August and the first 4 we were sent yesterday from our agency! Our baby girl is now 17 months old and has 16 teeth and weighs 22 pounds! Can't wait for her to be a part of our FAM! Never thought we'd still be waiting...

As for the family, everyone is doing well!!! I was home at the end of Sept. for homecoming and it was SO good seeing everyone! AnnaClaire is doing soccer, Kate is loving dance, Grace is swimming, and Charlie just got his leg braces off so that is good news! They are all doing great with homeschool stuff and I'm sure keeping Mom very busy! I miss seeing their precious little faces daily, so it was good getting some time, although it went by much too fast! They're coming down this weekend and I'm so excited to show the littles off to all my friends and show them all around AU! AnnaClaire turns SIX tomorrow, which is just crazy! My babies are growing up without me!! They are all doing so great though!

Dad sent me all of these yesterday... they are from trips to the apple farm and pumpkin patch! I know they are all enjoying and embracing fall back at home! I may be biased, but I have the cutest siblings in the world :)





Yesterday was Kate's THIRD gotcha day!!! I can't even believe it's been 3 years since this precious little girl joined our family and changed my life! I remember it like it was yesterday... the screams, the tears, the heartbreak, the resistance, and the somber little 19 month old that slowly broke down her walls and let us in... and that same little princess is now 4 and a half and so full of JOY and LIFE no matter how small she may be! I love her more than words could ever describe and am so thankful that I have the absolute blessing of being called her big sister! I so wish I could've been there to celebrate her special day but am thankful to at least have some pictures to remind me of how thankful I am for HER and that God chose HER to be a part of our family!

My PRECIOUS roommate!

As for me, I am LOVING Auburn! I cannot imagine being anywhere else in the world! God has blessed me ABUNDANTLY here and I am so thankful! I have an incredible roommate who has become one of my very best friends and precious girls that I have met in my dorm and become very good friends with! I am in a sorority and loving that! It's so much fun though and a great group of girls! I'm definitely staying busy between balancing all of the social stuff and schoolwork, but getting used to the balance! I'm going to a Church that I love and hope to become more and more involved in. And of course football is great. Even though we aren't having the best season, it's still been so fun to watch and I've gotten to visit some of my friends at other schools for our away games, which is SO fun! I've seriously had such an amazing adjustment here and just love college life! Obviously not every moment is easy and there are definite lonely times and times when I wish I could just be home for a little (my own space, home cooked meals, my family, my friends from home, being familiar with everything and everyone would be nice... you know, those typical things that everyone misses!) However, I am extremely blessed and ADORE Auburn! My friends and I are always going on walks and we just stop in amazement that THIS is our school!

So that's about all I can think of for now. Sorry I just left you all hanging for so long and come back with such a long post!!! I've missed blogging and having a record of everything going on in our lives! I'm going to try and teach Mom how to blog so she can pick it up and keep y'all updated, especially as we get closer to completing our family!!