My poor baby ~

Rachel is sick. Not just a cold but pneumonia sick. Kerry is keeping her in and starting antibiotics. I pray they work fast.

If she isn't better by the time they get to Guangzhou he will take her to the clinic at the White Swan.

~ A picture just for a friend ~

This picture may not mean anything to any of you, but to us it has very special meaning.

The backpack Kerry is holding belongs to a dear friend back in AL. We have taken this particular backpack with us to China each time we have adopted. In addition to that it has been to China several times with their family and others in our Panda Pals group.

It has special meaning to us and we would never go to China without it!!

Thanks Tracie!!

It's Official!!

She's ours now!!

I am counting down the days until I meet them at the airport. (11 today)

Unless it is just not possible I would not receommend traveling solo. This wait is killing me!! I have even checked into cost of flights to get me to Guangzhou the last couple of days, but it is just to much :(

Rachel's "Gotcha" moment from Nanjing, China.

No words needed ~

No Skype, but did hear "gotcha" live ~

Please say prayers for our girl, she is VERY upset. I heard her crying forever and it about broke my heart.

I really wish I was there to comfort her...pictures and video coming soon.

3 Hours and counting....some pictues while we wait...

Outside the hotel in Nanjing

Hong Kong sign for our Gracie...

Nanjing ~ 4 Hours and counting!!!

~Snapshot Sunday ~ 24 Hours ~

and our little girls whole life will be turned upside down.... Everything she has ever known will change....




24 hours and this little one will no longer be an orphan....




24 hours and our family will be complete.







"O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!"

Psalms 30:12

And they are off ~

We all went to bed around 10 last night, which is pretty early for all of us....

The alarm went of at 3:30 am y'all!!

Crazy, it wasn't even light out. The little's woke up, said goodbye to their daddy and out the door I went. (Grandpa was nice enough to bring Kerry's brother down to us and stay with the kids...)

The roads were pretty empty but man, when I got the the airport there was a traffic jam. Now who flies out at 4:30 in the morning other than us??

I thought about stopping to get donuts on the way back, but didn't think any place would be open at 5 am!!

So I went back to bed...

One day to go and New Pictues!!

We are at one day people!! One day until Kerry flies to China to bring our daughter home!!


And what did I get in my email this morning?? A couple pictures from traveling families that visited with our sweet girl!! She is crying in some of them and apparently doesn't like having her picture taken. She is content to sit in her nanny's arms and just observe instead of participate.

And that is ok by me, I am kind of like that to. I so understand!!

Departure time

is coming soon.....about a day and a half away. There are so mnay things left to do and I have no idea where to start.

The suitcases are packed, the gifts bought and packed, money is new and ready to go. I have our handy red adoption binder ready to go.

I wish there was room in the suitcases for a few stow aways...I would be the first!!

My emotions are all over the place. I really want to be there, in China with Kerry. I am going to miss Rachel's adoption day, and meeting the director and the visit to the orphanage.

I keep reminding myself that I have a life time with her, but there is a little part of me that is sad.

Anyway, to keep the little and the bigs busy and to get out of the house we headed to the local town center for some cooling off. (cuz it's 100 degrees here today!!)


And if you are interested, the travel site for Rachel is here.

Please leave prayers and encouragement for my wonderful hubby!!

Departure time

~ A Good Cause ~

My friend Stephanie over at Ni Hao Y'all is giving away money!! But not to just anyone or anything, she is giving it away to this awesome organization, An Orphan's Wish.

What do you have to do to get in on this?? Nothing, well almost nothing. Hop on over to her blog and leave a comment. That's it, nothing else. The best part, you can leave as many comments as you want and at the end of the week she will add up the comments and send the money to an Orphan's Wish. How cool is that??


And not to leave us all out, if you post about it, you have a chance to win and awesome necklace and maybe some Wild Olive Tee's. Now who wouldn't love that??!!









Oh, and one more thing.....ONLY FOUR MORE DAYS UNTIL KERRY LEAVES FOR CHINA!!!
RACHEL, YOUR DADDY IS COMING TO GET YOU!!!

~ Summer Fun ~

Well, it's here....the last day of another school year...

No pictures of the kids. They are getting to old for that. (so they say)

I usually take them for ice cream to celebrate another year finished and buy something the family can use for the summer. Which got me to thinking..... (scary I know)

So this year's gift was a small pool. It was on sale. We have a fenced yard too.

We do have a pool in the sub but it's a four block drive down a busy road. And with a new baby coming home soon, I thought she would be overstimulated, just a bit with all the people.

So, this is it and now our neighbors can talk about us even more.... you know the crazy family with all those kids and now they went and bought a silly pool we all have to look at. LOL

I am so in trouble...

if this is the kid that ends up taking care of us in our old age.....

(And he did this to himself y'all)

~ Can you believe it?? ~

I logged into our Delta account and found this waiting for me!!

(with a little embellishment from me :) After having her picture on our fridge for over a year, our journey is finally coming full circle. In just a few short days, her daddy will be holding her in his arms and never letting go....

Something worth sharing

I found this video on my friend Mandi's site and had to share.

Hope is Fading from Allan Rosenow on Vimeo.

~ So little time ~

I can't even believe I posted that specific title. Our journey to Rachel has been so long and now it seems like we have only days!!

I have been busy nesting, so to speak. I found a dresser at an antique sale for $40. It was originally priced at $300 but I talked them down. It had three coats of oil based paint, shelves on the mirror and was being rained on. Maybe why they only took $40!!

I finally stripped all three coats of paint off, sanded it and repainted. I think it turned out great. Not exactly what I wanted but for $40 I am not complaining. We moved it into Hope's room and she loves it!!

The shelves didn't survive the stripping process, so I tossed them, the mirror had to be fixed with wood putty but all in all it isn't bad.

I have Kerry and Rachel almost packed, the SWI gifts bought, and meds finished. I have a million other things that need done but can't seem to get them al finished yet.

In addition to that we have major change going on and I can't post until after the adoption. But, we are now permanant citizens in VA!! No more moving for us at all. I have mixed feelings but am so glad the kids are happy and that is what is most important.

15 days and counting until Kerry is off!! Although since they leave Dulles at 6:15 in the morning I guess I can say 14!!

Rachel's travel site is in the sidebar, just in case you want to follow along.