Making a big nest

We are still eagerly awaiting our travel date. This waiting time is like the great pain of being in labor, I am so happy to finally be in "labor" but I want it to pass quickly and see my children. Resting in God's promise John 16;24 "ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full." We have been keeping busy with our to do list. John is working on constructing a bedroom closet for the boys room. I am giving Naveia's room a fresh coat of paint (should be in there right now). We are still working on moving our family room downstairs. I have been "nesting" too, organizing draws and throwing or giving away anything we don't use. I just feel like de-cluttering to be free of distraction. I have even frozen a few meals and planning meals ahead of time is not typical me. We will probable be working on our to do list up until the day we leave.

Kids Update

We receive update reports on both children today. No new pictures :( yet, they are going to try and get us some though. First Naveia the Good;

• she is making progress in school and catching up to her peers.
• she is a good eater #1 in class
• she enjoys singing and dancing when she is happy

The Ugly

• she had to go to the hospital the 1st week in November. They thought it was the H1N1 but it turned out to be the regular flu.
• she can be quite pushy to get attention

Kai The Good; He is a big boy at 2y 4m weighing 35# and 36 in.

• he is very curious boy, he says "I have so many questions!" why, what, how, etc...
• he is smart and clever, quite the climber I hear.
• he is a little helper he says to foster mother " let me do it, you can rest" what a gentlemen.

The Ugly

• K and N have had 3 visits to each other and so far have not really hit it off. The sibling rivalry begins.
• he is a loud screamer. When is happy or angry. He prayed to the god "I don't scream".

No information on our set travel date. They said it may take a few weeks .

First Ruling Issued

We are excited to announce that we finally got our "travel call", for both of them TOGETHER!!! This comes only two weeks after Kai's court hearing. Praise God for answered prayers! We must of had the same judge for both of them for this to happen so soon.

With the first ruling in this tell us that the Taiwan courts are satisfied with us to become the parents of Naveia and Kai. In about ten days they will issue the final ruling that will make us their legal parents. Then we can set an appointment with AIT (who issues their visa to leave the country), this date determines the week we need to be in Taiwan. The time it takes for all the above to happen could put us in Taiwan the week of Feb 14th but that is Chinese New Year and all businesses are closed, so we can't go that week. That puts us there Feb.21st this would be the soonest. Here comes the BUT; our agency is telling us to plan on early March because Naveia is in counseling and they want her to complete her course. What? I am thinking {we have been matched with her for eight months, couldn't have this been completed by now}. With this detour along our path we are tentatively planning on receiving the kids on March 1st. That is only 7 more weeks to patiently wait for our day to come. We will keep you updated as to when our travel date is set in stone.

My prayer request is for God to prepare the hearts of all our children for this life transitions they will be going through.

Believing

"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him." 1 John 5:14-15, NKJV

Believing God has some BIG news for us soon!

Today was the first day we could have received "the travel call". It should come anytime between now and in the next 5 weeks. I am still hopeful to be in Taiwan the 2nd week in February.

Happy New Year!

We had a great Christmas with my sister's family in Georgia. We spent 3 days at their house and 3 days at their mountain house in N. Carolina.

In Smokey Mountains we spent $88 to go sled riding on fake snow. At home we went sled riding and built this huge snowman. Priceless. Adoption News: Patiently waiting for the travel call. Naveia's court hearing was Dec. 2nd and Kai's was Dec. 25th. If the judge gave immediate approval at Kai's hearing we would have a final ruling 10 days later that would be Jan. 8th. I am holding out hope for our call to come that day. My sister gave us a bottle of red wine with an adorable Chinese dress cover. And I got a Christmas card from my sister-n-law that says where we are in this season so nicely. "We don't always know what the plan is, but we always know there's a plan. Wishing you peace, and joy in the certainty that, somehow, God has got it all worked out." Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Cheers to having our little munchkins home in (early) 2010!