LOI

LOI is adoption terminology for Letter of Intent. It is the letter that you write when you want to be matched to a certain child. I had to write my LOI last night. It was one of the hardest pieces of writing I've ever done. How can you adequately describe that you would make the best parents for a certain girl. How do you describe yourself and your family so that a complete stranger will think you also are the best parent for that particular child.

It took me a couple of hours to draft my letter. I sent it to our China facilitator and got the news that my letter was "wonderful." Stephen signed it this morning. We have some pictures that we're including with our letter and we're going to email it all to our China facilitator this morning.

We should hear in about 3-4 weeks that we've been approved to adopt her as our daughter. Can't wait to show you those pictures! (It's the reason that we started this blog in the first place!!!)

Adoption...

I'm so excited!!! We have finally sent a letter of intent to adopt a precious little girl from China. Our letter and updated pictures will probably get to China the first week of May. We are hoping to hear of our approval to be her parents in early June. It's going to kill me not to be able to attach a picture with this post, but I can't post a picture until we receive confirmation that we have been matched to her - it'll probably be a couple of months.

When I spoke to our china contact at our adoption agency, she said that it would probably close to 4 months before we would travel to China. Late August or early September! Holy Smokes! That's soon! That's also the same time that we're going to MN for a family reunion. I told my family today that I won't be in MN for the reunion. We're going to save the money we would have spent on that trip for our trip to China. You know, be a good steward and all.

I'm about jumping out of my skin, people! Like a kid who gets news of a Disney World trip and can't sleep for a few months! But worse! I'm excited and nervous and bubbly and prayerful and really happy all the time. We've been praying for this little one for years now and I'm so very blessed to see our our Father has answered those prayers.

Keep our daughter in your prayers also as we begin down the quick road to adoption. (Quick meaning it only took 4 years so far, huh, maybe not as quick as I thought.) But it's hurry up and wait, hurry up and wait. We have lots to do this week and then the wait part begins. Pray for her continued health and quick trip to pick her up. Pray that I'm able to calm my excitement so I can sleep. I'll be one tired lady if I don't sleep for the next 4 months due to excitement! I'll post a picture as soon as I can.

The New Mommy!

Sea Enemy!!!

Yesterday, Stephen and I took the kids to Rockpile Beach in Laguna Beach, CA. It was a beautiful day to visit the tide pools. Twerp #2 is learning about marine life in Kindergarten the past couple of weeks. She sure knows a lot!

Enjoy a piece of Southern California on this fine Sunday morning.

Twerp #3 is learning to read

Stephen and I had a neighbor a few years ago that loaned me this book "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons." It's an amazing book. Looks kinda weird...but it works so well. I'd recommend it to anyone that has a 4-6 year old who wants to learn to read. We don't do it in 100 consecutive days. We take our time and do it over a few months. But our children go from not knowing how to read anything to a 2nd grade level by the end of the book. Twerp #3 is on lesson 16 or so and I took a video of him learning to read.

He loves reading with us. Sometimes we'll do two lessons a night, sometimes only 1/2 a lesson. He's a sweet boy who just wants to catch up with his sister. I love teaching my kids to read. I know that they learn in school, but it's so amazing to see how their brains work and how much they love to figure words out. Hopefully on our trip to MN this summer, the kids will be reading in the back for awhile each day. It'll allow me a little peace and quiet. Think it will work?

I forgot one picture...

Yeah, I guess Stephen is artistic, right? Nothing more needs to be said. I love you, Stephen!