YAHOO UPDATE!

Well here they are, the long awaited update photos!! I can't believe how grown up she looks! We also received her new measurements and she has gotten bigger since October. I'm not real convinced about the accuracy of these measurements, but it gives us an idea. I think maybe they weigh them and measure height with clothes & shoes on. I'm also thinking they might measure her foot inside a shoe. According to the new info her foot is bigger than Rorey's!! NO WAY! He is a year older, 7-8 inches taller and he does not have a little foot!! Either way a dream has ended, no shoe shopping for Ellie until we have her foot with us (and the rest of her of course) Also I was very happy to see she still has all of her long hair!! I was hoping they hadn't cut it OR shaved it off!! It has grown quite a bit and seems to be hanging down her back!! It will be easier for me to "do" if it is long enough to pull back. Since all I'm used to is wild cowlick ridden short cut boy hair!!

We are happy to have new info, but are still waiting anxiously on our SCL/LOA. Hurry up China!!

Picture This

Well I couldn't stand it anymore, I had to put Ellie's picture on my blog!! This is a picture from July 06. We think she is so pretty!! I can not wait to get her home with us. She is four years old now, but in this picture she is two. We are waiting anxiously for our LOA/SCL from China. Hopefully it will come really soon!!We love you Ellie, and we will come as soon as we can!

Christmas in July

Hey it's 94 degrees outside, so what does Rorey want to do this afternoon?? Go swimming, no way. He wants to watch Scrooge!! So here we are hold up in the AC, eating popcorn and watching "A Christmas Carol". Next it's going to be "The Grinch" and then he's going to want to watch "Elf". Both of my boys have a Scrooge obsession, Riley has watched it so many times he knows every word. He also used to make us pretend to be the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, while he played the part of Scrooge. My Mom especially loves to play that game!! HAHA!

Adoption Grant $

A few months ago we were awarded a $1,500 matching grant by Lifesong for Orphans. I was sooo happy because I didn't think we really had a shot at getting any assistance with our adoption finances. They were very supportive of our choice to adopt an older, waiting, "special needs" child, and offered us this opportunity. The donation period is over and we raised more than our goal!! So we also get the full grant!! Thank you God for coming through even when my
faith was not always 100%. I have tried REALLY hard to not worry about how we are going to pay for this adoption, but it is so hard for me to let go and put it in God's hands.
I think it was easier for me to put the selection of our daughter into God's hands than our financial issues. The day I truly laid down my will about selecting a child (which is a very stressful process) is the day I came home to find a VERY unexpected e-mail offering us Ellie. Those of you who have not adopted or have waited for a referral may not truly understand the pure anxiety that this type of decision brings.
I trust that God has chosen this child for our family, a decision that only he could make perfectly.

Fourth of July getaway.

EVOLUTION?? NO WAY!!!
We spent Friday the fourth of July and Saturday the 5th at the Creation museum in Petersburg Kentucy. It was so great!! Very new and very nice!! Great theaters, movies, and special effects. A cool planetarium, dinosaur walk thru, Noah's ark rooms, guest speakers, beautiful outdoor trail with fun suspension bridges, and a petting zoo. The boys enjoyed themselves and it was nice to have people with PHD's explaining how the evolution theory(and I use that term lightly) has more holes in it than swiss cheese!! If this is something your family would be interested in, check it out !!