waiting

So, nothing exciting going on here.....oh...wait...yes there is!!!!  We got our immigration approval!!!!!!  We had been told to expect up to 90 days to get this and we got it in under 30!!!!!  We did break the rules a teeny-tiny bit and go two weeks early for our fingerprints.  We figured that the worst they could say was no....and although they weren't super happy they did it anyway (thank you nice government workers ;) ).  Soooo...our lovely social worker called our uscis person and told her we were done, and she must have approved the next day!!!!!


What does this mean?  It means that we can submit our dossier to Eli's country.  This is the last piece of paperwork that we will have to do and it means the end is in site!!!!  We will be going to columbus on friday to get our dossier apostilled (like notarizing a notary) and then we will mail it off on monday!

So really, we are so so close to getting to our boy!!!!!

Hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FOUR

Four...Four...let me say that again, FOUR!!!  I was ordering something for the kids for christmas (lol) and i ordered FOUR of them!  It felt kind of wierd and wonderful all at the same time.  Four.  Four children in the house.  Four children to feed and wash and play with.  Four children to hug and kiss and wipe their tears and kiss their boo-boo's.  We are going to have FOUR children...hopefully very soon.

 I always wanted a big family.  Jared was fine after one :)  We got unexpectedly pregnant with Gwen, and then i really didn't feel like we were done.  I knew someone was missing.  It took a long time for Jared to come around, and then we had Luci.  He was done.  I felt okay being done.  I would have had more, but felt like i needed to respect Jared's feelings, especially since he had respected mine.

 And then...Eli.  We found a picture of Eli and fell so head over heels in love with him.  His smooshy face and smirky smile.  It was the smile that clenched it for Jared.  All of our kids have been smirkers, so he knew Eli was meant to be ours.  Isn't it funny how a heart can change?  How a heart can grow and expand and include more and more.  What a lovely thing.  So soon, when someone asks me how many children i have, I won't stumble and say 3 but we are adopting another. 


I will be able to proudly say FOUR!!!

And i can't wait for that day!

awesome update

We got an awesome awesome awesome update on our boy!!!!!  He is a healthy weight and so very tall!

 But the exciting thing is that we found out he is getting speech therapy, physical therapy and some kind of water therapy.  Do you know how incredible this is?????  Eli is in an orphanage...and i know that they are sometimes good and sometimes not, so to hear that he is getting all these therapies makes me feel that he is being given very good care.

 I can't tell you how that makes my mama's heart feel.  I worry about him everyday, and this has eased my burden just a little bit. I can't wait to bring him home but i feel better that he is getting all these extra things. 

We got an update from the social worker in his country.  He sounds like such a cool cool kiddo.  I will tell you some of the things they told us, let see...

* he is a great child, has very interesting personality. His character is strong, he believes in himself, expresses his wishes, wants, wants to be independant.
* He can say m any words, loves music!!!! Loves to sing!
* He can feed himself, dress/clean.  Which is totally awesome!!
* He is a polite kiddo ;)  maybe he can teach the other three some thing!
* He likes to play with toys, especially cars and construction.  I can just see him and Thomas huddled over toys in their room, sharing secrets like brothers do!
* They also said he is gentle and loving!

Seriously, could he be any cooler???

We got new pics of him and he looks so grown up, so big now.  I think the other pics we were given must have been a little older, because he is much  much much bigger now!!!!  He looks great, really great.  We are so so eager to have him home, we are pushing pushing pushing to finish all these papers and fingerprints and everything.  We just want him home.  Hang on little buddy, mama and daddy are coming soon!!!

online scrapbook software

My lovely friend Colleen has found us a new way to raise more for Eli's fund.  My Memories is a software program that lets you make scrapbook pages on your computer with all kinds of cool backgrounds!!  You can then print at home or upload to a photo-book making site and print into all kinds of cool books!!!  You can also make a neat facebook timeline cover pages with this! 

So the way this works is , you buy the software for $39.97.  if you use STMMMS7885 you will get $10 off. You'll pay $29.97 and you will also receive a $10 store credit for using the coupon code. For a limited time you will also get a free 20 page 6x6 photobook. $20 of the cost goes toward our adoption of Eli  So you pay 29.97 for an awesome software and the company gives us $20!  Win Win situation!  Just make sure to put the above code in when you order!

Here is the website:  https://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software

Here are some examples of pages i have done recently.  Seriously, if i can use this software anyone can!!

Winner Winner chicken dinner :)

First, Jared and i want to tell everyone how truly grateful we are for all the support we received during this giveaway!  We raised around $2300 after paying for the kindle fire!!!  That is amazing!!!!  We are overwhelmed that so many of you donated, shared on facebook and wrote lovely blog posts about us and our boy!!


Thank you, thank you, thank you all!!!!!!!!


Now, on to the fun part!!  WINNERS!!!!!

If you are a winner please email me your address and i will get you your goods :)

First up, the Kindle fire:  zam blau

Second:  $25  gift card to bath and body works:  john strobel

Third: $25 gift card to the app store:  kim dinan

Fourth: $15 gift card to Starbucks:  barb wehmann

Fifth:  $15 gift card to Starbucks: susan gardner

Sixth: Rainbow Clippie set: Linnie/Pat Kern

Seventh: Verizon pouch phone holder:  bob/cathy auten

Eight:  Verizon pouch phone holder:  Tammy Demos

ninth:  clippie set: Beth Baird

Thanks again to everyone who donated, shared, blogged for us!!!  You are all winners in our book and we certainly feel like winners to have so much support!!!

Love,

Jamie, Jared, Thomas, Gwen, Luci and Eli :)