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I am feeling a little frustrated as we still have not received our Travel Approval. The possiblity of leaving on June 4th is not looking very good. Our agency expects to receive Travel Approvals at any time now, since it has been three weeks since they last received any. I think the most frustrating part is that we read about a family who received their approval today who had a later Article 5 date. It just seems like Travel Approvals would be issued in the order that paperwork was received. Maybe just maybe ours is in the mail.

This week has been a little hectic. We are in the middle of the end of the year activities with field trips, band concerts, award ceremonies, field day and tomorrow my sweet baby girl graduates from Kindergarten! She looks so cute in her cap and gown. She is so excited that she has no more school! I will post pictures after her program.

Please keep praying!!!

Prayer Request

I am asking all of you prayer warriors to pray specifically about our upcoming travel to China. We are anxiously waiting for our Travel Approval to come. I know that many families who have recently received their TA's are having to wait until mid-June to travel due to the consulate appointments being booked out so far. We are needing to leave on June 4th and get our consulate appointment for June 15th in order for things to go smoothly with our kids who will not be going with us. I have lined up family and friends to come in and with their schedules...vacations, weddings, etc.... I feel like we need to leave on this date. If we were able to take the kids with us, I wouldn't be near as anxious.

I found out last week that we will not be able to travel June 11th due to the Dragon Boat Festival in China. The Chinese offices are closed on June 14, 15, 16th, therefore no adoptions can begin on the 14th. The U.S. Consulate is also closed the 16th. If we cannot travel the 4th we will not be able to travel until the 18th which is the week my in-laws will be on vacation. Of course I am praying specific but also only if it is God's will for us to leave on the 4th. I know God will work it out if we are not to leave on the 4th. I'm just trying to keep all of my kids together for the majority of our time away and not spread them out among different friends.

I am also very concerned for Shayle. She really wants to go with us but we have discussed it and we feel like our youngest son, Jacob, would be very resentful if she got to go and he did not. Early on in this process we decided they would all go or none would get to go. Well, unless we have a complete financial miracle from God, none will get to go. Taking 5 kids to China gets pretty expensive. Of course, I know I will miss them terribly and only God and your prayers will get me through two weeks without them.

Thanks for praying!

Mother's Day 2010

I had a wonderful Mother's Day that began with Payton and Myranda making blueberry muffins for breakfast. Then we headed off to church followed by going out to eat for lunch. The kids really surprised me with gifts they purchased on their own, even their dad didn't know they had bought me gifts. Arron knows that magnolia's are my absolute favorite flower and so all by himself he went after school one day and bought me this sweet little figurine. He picked out a card and even had it wrapped. He is so thoughtful and caring. Then Myranda and Payton bought me the cutest necklace for a mom of 6! They too had wrapped it up and surprised me with it. Of course Jacob had a nice collection of his handpring artwork from this school year all bound together and laminated. Shayle also gave me a framed picture of herself and Darrel brought me roses. After our lunch, I went home and took a nap. Then the girls made Darrel and I dinner and topped it off with brownies. They really spoiled me! Darrel and Myranda also gave me a special framed picture of a sweet little boy who will be with me very soon. I am so very blessed to have such sweet kids!

Meet Our New Puppies..........

Maggie and Belle. We went to look at the minature schnauzer last weekend and to our surprise also found minature australian shepherd/border collie mix pups. Well, let me tell you God definitely guided our day to these puppies out of town. We decided to go look at the schnauzer's and had no idea that these aussies would be there. Once we saw them and then saw the look on our son's face, we knew we had to let him pick one out. I hadn't seen him get very excited over any dog since our Rev passed away. So, I don't consider even this a mere chance that we found him this dog while looking at schnauzers. God is in the little things just as much as He is in the Big things.

Belle is here with Jacob and Maggie is with Shayle.

Early Mother's Day Gift.....

Today I received an update on Ben! Our agency asked for updated photos and measurements 7 weeks ago and today they came. I was completely surprised to get them. Go to Ben's website to check it out!

Have a great Mother's Day weekend!