We are DTC for Gabriella!!!!

We can't even begin to express our excitement when we received the email Friday evening stating we are DTC!!! We are officially one BIG step closer to Gabriella:) The next step is having our dossier logged into China's system and that will become our log in date or LID. Typically families are traveling within four months of their LID ~ that means that our baby girl still has a chance to be home for Christmas:)

Gabriella's bedding...

After spending countless hours looking for bedding, in central Indiana, on line and anywhere else I could think of, a decision has finally been made on Gabriella's bedding and this is it:) Once I found the bedding it was noted it was being discontinued...however J C Penny was WONDERFUL in assisting in locating two pillow shams to complete the set ~ they went above and beyond and I couldn't be more thankful:) Though the picture shows green walls , her room will look much different than that and I will post a picture when we have her room complete...this is what we will be doing over Labor Day weekend...I'm beyond excited...Curtis, well, he is excited too, he just shows it a little differently than I when it comes to painting and decorating:)

Boys...

This post is for all the mom's out there who have boys ~ you will understand; those who don't have boys...well you can just "enjoy" our stories:) Jordan, the one in the black shirt is our basketball player ~ we have visited the ER with him at various times for sprained ankles , possible concussions etc from playing ball ~ luckily each time they have just been sprains and we have told him that though we "sort of "understand why he "likes" to take the charge in basketball to draw the foul, please just keep your head OFF the floor. Nicholas too is all boy and luckily he hasn't had any ER visits due to injury...that's a record I hope he keeps. Then there is Daniel. On fathers day, when Daniel was in second grade, he thought he was super man and could fly...so he tried. Yep, he was swinging as high as he could on the swingset and for some unknown reason jumped out of the swing...well, gravity prevailed and he landed on the ground...with a broken arm and "bruised lungs" ~ that trip to the ER was made via ambulance as his breathing was not so great and his color left a little to be desired. Needless to say, he learned that he couldn't fly like superman. Tonight, at the age of 18 he was out riding the four wheeler at the barn. The four wheeler had been over heating and he thought he could fix it...well, he was trying and for some reason he felt compelled to open the HOT radiator cap, while it was smoking...radiator fluid then sprayed up all over his face and upper body and filled his mouth. He was very smart and immediately flushed his face with water from the hose, took off his shirt and hosed himself off and then called Curtis. Curtis immediately drove to pick him up and we all met at the ER. Thankfully he only has first degree burns and didn't ingest enough fluid to hurt his "insides" and he will be ok. Well, as we were sitting in the ER waiting for our discharge paper work Curtis looked at Nicholas and said "Nicholas, you wouldn't believe what I found in the tree down by the pond...fishing line. When I was mowing the yard and riding on the ZTR all the sudden my upper body got tied up with fishing line...you wouldn't know anything about that would you"? Nicholas grinned from ear to ear and said "oops, I was trying to cast my line and it didn't work to well....it went backwards instead of in the pond"....I believe the saying I have seen for years "Moms of boys work from son up to son down" it is soooooo very true....but I wouldn't trade it for the world...we just hope we can keep them healthy and safe and enjoy being able to watch as they may one day raise boys of their own:)

Friday Favorites

As life can become crazy with raising three incredibly busy, active and athletic boys; then add to the mix a hubby who owns his own business, a mom who works as a nursing instructor and is a full time grad student (just three classes to go) and an international adoption to bring home the most beautiful baby girl from China, I have decided to at least try to post on Fridays. With the Friday Favorite post it can be from a variety "favorite" things. It may be a favorite recipe, memory, restaurant, vacation almost anything that is special to our family.

The picture above would be that of my two grandmas. They are as opposite as can be! Nanny, on the left is my maternal grandma. She is as sweet as can be. She eats lots of healthy foods, taught me how to play euchre at the age of 4 and wouldn't hurt a fly. Gaga is my paternal grandma who just celebrated her 90th birthday today (Nanny has her by a couple years:). Gaga can be just as sweet as Nanny and turn on the charm in a heartbeat...then there is the other side where she can tell you exactly what she is thinking in no uncertain terms ~ I'm convinced I'm a blend of the two:)

Last night we took Gaga to one of her favorite restaurants. It isn't a fancy place by any means and would remind you of a little "Ma and Pa" type place to eat. She indulged with a double order of fried potatoes, her favorite, eggs and a pancake...she ate until her "full alert" button came on and she boxed up the potatoes for her midnight snack.

Today we celebrated her birthday with friends and family. Families came that had been friends with her for over 60 years and a very good time was had by all:)

Patience & Perseverance...

This morning our family attended church and we listened to a wonderful message about patience and perseverance. Have you ever tried to talk to an adoptive mom who has a daughter living half way around the world and told her to "just be patient". Be patient when you are finally ready to send your dossier to China and you find out that 5 of your 15 documents have "just" expired and they need to be renewed even though all the info is the same... Be patient when you hear of typhoons, flooding and earth quakes that are happening in her country and you just want her to be home where you can love her and protect her. I also know that Emily, a precious little girl who has been living with Gabriella in the same foster home will be leaving next week with her family. We are sooooo very excited for Emily and her family yet we know Gabriella will miss her.

Then there is that perseverance word. Yep, we all know it when there is something in our life that we wish we could press the fast forward button and have it behind us. For me that would be school. Though I love school, know I only have 4 classes left and a little thing called a thesis to write, I have to complete it to have my MSN and continue to teach nursing. After 4 years of being in school I'm ready to hear the music playing at commencement and know that my schooling is completed and behind me. Will it be worth it, yes it will ~ however I'm more than ready to use the time I spend studying playing with our beautiful baby girl, enjoying every minute I can with our boys and my hubby and oh the time with friends and family that has to be put on hold because of school ~ let's just say I will be very thankful when it is over:)

As many of you know when I face adversity I always believe there is a silver lining in every cloud and there is:) The Dr. who has had to rewrite and sign forms has been so very patient and to him I would like to say thank you! I now know people at the secretary of states office by name who authenticate our documents and it has been a pleasure getting to know them. Gabriella's foster parents are taking such good care of her in China and we will never be able to fully express the gratitude we have to them ~ they are amazing! China is also wonderful; first in allowing us to adopt our beautiful baby girl from their country and giving us an extension for our expired documents should we need it. And as for Emily who is leaving the foster home Gabriella is in, her mom and I have become friends, share the same nursing profession and only live 2 states away from each other ~ so the girls who are currently living like sisters half way around the world in China will be able to have some play dates here in America:) God is good:)

As the picture reflects Gabriella appears to be chilling out in China enjoying her cake and eating it too:) Her Daddy and I will get the 5 documents renewed that are needed this week and then our dossier will be completed and hopefully whisked away to China ASAP:) I will write another paper for school today and know that it brings me one step closer to graduation and it is one less paper I will have to write when our baby girl is home with her family where she belongs:)

Wordless Wednesday