Saturday, October 29, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Visa Applications Sent
Wow! Does this make it feel more "real" or what?
I took our Visa applications to FedEx today. That sure makes it feel more close to leaving even though we still have 2 1/2 months or so to wait yet! And because of all the holiday stuff between now and then, it's going to go REALLY FAST!
Oh, my gosh! We have to get his room ready! What to do with the twin beds?
Oh, my gosh! We have to pack! And get him some clothes (closer to travel time, though! so receipts for returns don't expire)! And buy gifts for the orphanage and officials (apparently, now).
We are again dreading the long flights, but again, we've survived them before (as many others have) and we'll survive them again! But still... THIRTEEN HOURS! At least we have an iPad now (and I bought all the Angry Birds apps)! Books! Toys! DIAPERS! Oh, my! So much to do! Aaach!
I took our Visa applications to FedEx today. That sure makes it feel more close to leaving even though we still have 2 1/2 months or so to wait yet! And because of all the holiday stuff between now and then, it's going to go REALLY FAST!
Oh, my gosh! We have to get his room ready! What to do with the twin beds?
Oh, my gosh! We have to pack! And get him some clothes (closer to travel time, though! so receipts for returns don't expire)! And buy gifts for the orphanage and officials (apparently, now).
We are again dreading the long flights, but again, we've survived them before (as many others have) and we'll survive them again! But still... THIRTEEN HOURS! At least we have an iPad now (and I bought all the Angry Birds apps)! Books! Toys! DIAPERS! Oh, my! So much to do! Aaach!
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Favorite Photo Friday {SCC!}
OK, this HAS to be my favorite photo this week!
We were very privileged last night to be able to volunteer at the Steven Curtis Chapman concert in Lincoln. Because we have a connection now to Show Hope, we received an email letting us know about the concert and that they needed volunteers to help with the Show Hope table at the concert. We were all for it! They are helping us with some finances towards Le An's adoption, we can help them out! We met some new friends and got to see an AWESOME concert! Also performing were Andrew Peterson and Josh Wilson, a couple of relatively new faces on the Christian music scene.
During intermission, I asked the guy in charge of the Show Hope table (D.) if we could possibly meet Steven. He said, "No, Steven isn't doing that." OK, so we weren't any worse off now than we were before. No problem. We enjoyed the second half of the concert and went back to the table to help finish up the night. Soon after we got back there, he pointed to us and said, "You guys, come with me. I've got a favor to ask." He started heading over to the other side of the (very large) lobby and we got to thinking "could it be?". We realized that yes, it could be! I asked if I could go back and get my camera. I did and then he led us and two other gals down to the left front of the house (stage right) and told us to wait there for the tour manager to come and get us. Steven was finishing up the concert with praise and worship music. We waited.
Meighan started getting tired and I looked at the security guy who had just spoken to someone on his headset. He said there had been a medical emergency in the lobby so everyone was occupied with that but we just needed to wait.
Soon, the tour manager came and got us and another family. They lined us up against a wall and said Steven would be out to greet us. He soon came out and greeted the first family. When he was done he asked if they wanted to take a picture. They didn't have a camera but I offered to take their picture and they could give us their email address and I'd email it to them.
Then he got to us. We were able to PERSONALLY thank him and Show Hope for the grant that we received! We showed him a picture of Le An and one of the two gals took several pictures of our interaction and then the above posed picture.
Then he went on to the other two gals. I waited and took their picture with him and got their email address.
What an awesome evening! I actually never thought we would get to meet him (although I kept thinking it would be really neat and cool to meet and thank him)! He is such a nice person for the few minutes we were able to visit with him.
I had given D. our blog card and he gave us his card with his email address on it. He seemed very interested in following our journey to our son who is in Henan Province -- the same province where Maria's Big House of Hope is! I would LOVE to be able to visit Maria's Big House of Hope while we are there but I think our time will be so limited with a visit to the orphanage and adoption activities. I also can't wait for the day when we will be able to donate to Show Hope and "give back" to an organization that has helped us tremendously!
Thank you, Show Hope! Thank you, D.! Thank you, Steven!
We were very privileged last night to be able to volunteer at the Steven Curtis Chapman concert in Lincoln. Because we have a connection now to Show Hope, we received an email letting us know about the concert and that they needed volunteers to help with the Show Hope table at the concert. We were all for it! They are helping us with some finances towards Le An's adoption, we can help them out! We met some new friends and got to see an AWESOME concert! Also performing were Andrew Peterson and Josh Wilson, a couple of relatively new faces on the Christian music scene.
During intermission, I asked the guy in charge of the Show Hope table (D.) if we could possibly meet Steven. He said, "No, Steven isn't doing that." OK, so we weren't any worse off now than we were before. No problem. We enjoyed the second half of the concert and went back to the table to help finish up the night. Soon after we got back there, he pointed to us and said, "You guys, come with me. I've got a favor to ask." He started heading over to the other side of the (very large) lobby and we got to thinking "could it be?". We realized that yes, it could be! I asked if I could go back and get my camera. I did and then he led us and two other gals down to the left front of the house (stage right) and told us to wait there for the tour manager to come and get us. Steven was finishing up the concert with praise and worship music. We waited.
Meighan started getting tired and I looked at the security guy who had just spoken to someone on his headset. He said there had been a medical emergency in the lobby so everyone was occupied with that but we just needed to wait.
Soon, the tour manager came and got us and another family. They lined us up against a wall and said Steven would be out to greet us. He soon came out and greeted the first family. When he was done he asked if they wanted to take a picture. They didn't have a camera but I offered to take their picture and they could give us their email address and I'd email it to them.
Then he got to us. We were able to PERSONALLY thank him and Show Hope for the grant that we received! We showed him a picture of Le An and one of the two gals took several pictures of our interaction and then the above posed picture.
Then he went on to the other two gals. I waited and took their picture with him and got their email address.
What an awesome evening! I actually never thought we would get to meet him (although I kept thinking it would be really neat and cool to meet and thank him)! He is such a nice person for the few minutes we were able to visit with him.
I had given D. our blog card and he gave us his card with his email address on it. He seemed very interested in following our journey to our son who is in Henan Province -- the same province where Maria's Big House of Hope is! I would LOVE to be able to visit Maria's Big House of Hope while we are there but I think our time will be so limited with a visit to the orphanage and adoption activities. I also can't wait for the day when we will be able to donate to Show Hope and "give back" to an organization that has helped us tremendously!
Thank you, Show Hope! Thank you, D.! Thank you, Steven!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
LOA and I-800
Today we sent off our signed LOA (Letter of Acceptance) to Holt. They should receive it tomorrow to be able to send it to China.
We also sent off our I-800 form with all the documents and copies that are supposed to be sent with it to the USCIS.
Now we wait for "Provisional Approval" from the USCIS and then we wait for Travel Approval from China.
We now have an expected timeframe of travel -- 3 months. That means probably we'll be traveling to bring our son home in January!
We also sent off our I-800 form with all the documents and copies that are supposed to be sent with it to the USCIS.
Now we wait for "Provisional Approval" from the USCIS and then we wait for Travel Approval from China.
We now have an expected timeframe of travel -- 3 months. That means probably we'll be traveling to bring our son home in January!
Friday, October 14, 2011
Favorite Photo Friday {Introducing... Xu Le An!}
So, of course, since we got our LOA today (!!), these are today's Favorite Photos!
Taken April 27, 2011 (8 months old)
Undated but younger than the above picture
Undated, taken same time as 2nd picture.
Taken August 17, 2011, 11 days before his 1st birthday!
Taken 11 days before his 1st birthday.
This was taken by someone who visited the orphanage when they were in China in May/June to get their son. I joined a Yahoo Group of families who have adopted/are adopting from the same orphanage and this was in their pictures of their orphanage visit.
I love the split pants!
Friday, October 7, 2011
Favorite Photo Friday {Flexible!}
The other night (same night as pizza night) Meighan got out ALL of her balls and was playing with them -- lining them up, bouncing them, etc. Then she said, "Mommy, watch this!" She laid down on the floor, put the big bouncy ball between her feet and put it up to her nose. Oh, I HAD to get a picture of THAT! Then I had an idea...
Can you do it with a smaller ball?
Yes, she can! How about a smaller ball?
Yes! How 'bout an even smaller ball?
I was laughing pretty good by now!
Check out more cool photos here:
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
PIZZA!
Saturday we made a pizza for supper. I decided that it had been too long since I had made a pizza. So Friday when I got groceries I looked for pizza sauce. I could not, for the life of me, find any pizza sauce. Even after asking. Even after looking in the aisle they said to look in 5 times!
So, I got online and looked for a fairly simple pizza sauce recipe. I found one and had most of the ingredients. On Saturday I stopped and bought tomatoes in puree, tomato paste and garlic to complete the ingredient gathering. That evening (before the Husker game that did not end up in our favor) Meighan and I made a pizza!
I put the sauce together (smelled about right!), cooked some hamburger, opened the refrigerated pizza dough (I don't have time to make it from scratch), we spread it out on the stone on top of some corn meal, I spread the sauce on, we put the hamburger on, she put the pepperonis on, and she sprinkled the cheese on! Voila! A pizza!
We cooked it 13-17 minutes and we ate it and were quite impressed with how it tasted! It was big enough that we even had leftovers! I even have enough sauce left to make 4 more pizzas that size! I froze 3 containers. Today I found out that Rotella's has pizza dough for $1.07! I'm goin' there next time!
Here's the recipe:
Pizza Sauce
1 28 oz can tomatoes (puree)
1/4 c. tomato paste
2 t. sugar
2 T. fresh basil (or 1 T dried)
2 t. fresh oregano (or 1 t. dried)
2-4 cloves garlic, minced (I used 2)
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
Put all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth. Makes 3 cups.
Here's pics!
So, I got online and looked for a fairly simple pizza sauce recipe. I found one and had most of the ingredients. On Saturday I stopped and bought tomatoes in puree, tomato paste and garlic to complete the ingredient gathering. That evening (before the Husker game that did not end up in our favor) Meighan and I made a pizza!
I put the sauce together (smelled about right!), cooked some hamburger, opened the refrigerated pizza dough (I don't have time to make it from scratch), we spread it out on the stone on top of some corn meal, I spread the sauce on, we put the hamburger on, she put the pepperonis on, and she sprinkled the cheese on! Voila! A pizza!
We cooked it 13-17 minutes and we ate it and were quite impressed with how it tasted! It was big enough that we even had leftovers! I even have enough sauce left to make 4 more pizzas that size! I froze 3 containers. Today I found out that Rotella's has pizza dough for $1.07! I'm goin' there next time!
Here's the recipe:
Pizza Sauce
1 28 oz can tomatoes (puree)
1/4 c. tomato paste
2 t. sugar
2 T. fresh basil (or 1 T dried)
2 t. fresh oregano (or 1 t. dried)
2-4 cloves garlic, minced (I used 2)
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
Put all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth. Makes 3 cups.
Here's pics!
We were so hungry and excited to try it that I forgot to take a picture before we dug in!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
What Does Santa Eating?
On the way to a family dinner tonight Meighan asked about Santa.
"What does Santa eating?" she asked.
"What do you think he's eating right now?" I asked back.
She replied with the following things that Santa is probably eating right now:
Hot dogs
Rice
Chicken
Milk
Mac Cheese
Strawberries
Grapes
Noodles
That sounds like a pretty good diet right now for Santa!
"What does Santa eating?" she asked.
"What do you think he's eating right now?" I asked back.
She replied with the following things that Santa is probably eating right now:
Hot dogs
Rice
Chicken
Milk
Mac Cheese
Strawberries
Grapes
Noodles
That sounds like a pretty good diet right now for Santa!
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