FAB GIVEAWAY!

http://www.groopdealz.com/index/giveaways

Update finally on Alexander's blog! Click HERE for a direct link!

Moving along....

Since receiving our LOA, things have been crazy and moving a lot faster...

As of today, our I-800 has been approved and was mailed off to us...

Once received, we submitted a copy of our approval to our agency along with our DS-230 form.

And we wait again...

Almost there...

We also "discovered" that Alexander has been moved from Hope in Beijing to Show Hope at his SWI in Jiaozuo City.  While I am sure this must be so hard for him to understand, it just goes to show that they know we are coming ~ and soon...

LOA!!!!!!

After eigth weeks + one day = our LOA arrived!!!!!! Still hoping, PRAYING and wishing for February 2012 travel.... Only time will tell.....

{my only} Black Friday Memory...

Seeing how we are still waiting on our LOA to arrive (any day now)...I am trying to keep myself "active" with other things online (and not do as much stalking as I have been).  Anyway, while on facebook today, I saw this message posted to my wall.  It was from my dear friend, Krista G and it goes like this...

"It's Black Friday....(use the first 10 friends on left side of your profile page)"

  Steals from your cart as soon as your backs turned: (one of her friend's name)
  Distract you so they can be first in line: (another friend's name)
  Goes on an on about how everyone is childish: (another...)
  Wants to go store to store: (another....)
  Calls you at midnight to camp out at Walmart for sales: (another...)
  Cries about the long lines: (another....)
  Starts a fight over who got there first: (another....)
  Gets a black eye because they got the last TV: (another....)
 Goes to jail for fighting: Michelle Pompey Leonard
  Sleeps through the whole event:  (and now the last of the friend's names)

Just reading this had me laughing in tears!  Because it is so true about little old me.  Maybe that's one of the reasons why I don't go out on Black Friday or maybe it is because I am usually 100% done Christmas shopping by than (and even wrapped) but the whole Black Friday fun post did bring back on very sweet memory I had with my Grandmother (who passed away in June 2010) that is still making me smile and I so want to share with you all here....

(here was my reply to Krista on her facebook wall)


 "Goes to jail for fighting"  OMW that is so ME!  I guess all I can say is...Thank the Heavens Above I am not one of those Black Friday shoppers!  I can honestly say I only went  once with my grandmother (when I was still living at home & in college) to get my mom "something" that was only a "Black Friday" sale.  For the life of my, I can NOT remember what she wanted for her, but I do remember my Grandmother and I  getting up at the 4AM to be at Kmart by 6AM...laughing the whole time we were there....went to breakfast at Dunkin Donuts...while we waited for my mom to leave for work so we could "hide" her gift we just purchased back at home.  Just thinking about it brings a big smile to my face.  Love you & MISS you so much Gram...."

While my Gram may not be with us/ME anymore, it is sweet memories like this that keep her alive and well loved within my heart!

PS ~ I also remember her and I searching the store for a shopping cart for about 45 minutes and nearly getting in a fight with someone when they tried to take the shopping cart my Grandma had her hands on first.

day 54....

Well today was day 54 of waiting for our LOA....

and after calling our agency this afternoon...

I was informed nothing came in today.

So as this day comes to an end...

I am feeling sad, anxious, and I have truly become a stalker...

stalking all adoption related web sites...

and I think I am wearing out my refresher key on my laptop.

Oh this is maddening...

and it doesn't get any easier.

Trust me...

for this is our 4th adoption since we started paper chasing in the fall of 2004...

and it is not any easier.

Since I know you are all just dying to see a snap shot of our current (and soon-to-be) clan...

well here it goes...

And as I keep telling myself (as Scarlett O'Hara did in Gone With The Wind) "....Tomorrow is another day"

{{{{{{{{{{{{ ~ LID ~ }}}}}}}}}}}}

LID!!!!

We are LID as of September 21st!

Received an email from our agency yesterday with the exciting news! Now we wait for LOA {which from what I am hearing can take up to 2 months...}

Hang on Alexander ~ we are coming!!!!!!