We Have Travel Approval!!

We received our official travel approval!!!  We are currently working with our travel agent to get our travel arranged.  We are leaving in June to meet our sweet Ella girl.  We're getting so close!

Ella, we love you SO much...more than words can express and we cannot wait to hold you, hug you, and kiss you.  The time is drawing near when we will finally be together.  We pray that God is preparing your heart for a big change, a scary change.  We promise that you will always be loved and cared for as our daughter.  Love you sweetheart!

"Nesting"

Nesting is in full swing around our house.  I am working every day I have off work to get all the closets cleaned out and organized, sorting toys, updating the girls' bathroom, updating Ava's room, and getting Ella's room settled.  I have my "to do" cleaning list that includes shampooing carpets, getting carseats cleaned and put back in the vehicles, and cleaning out the master closet.  Matt's "to do" list includes putting in the new faucet in the girls' bathroom, cleaning and organizing the garage, and keeping the yard work up.  So much to do, but really Ella can come home any time...we're 

SO ready!!

Two Girls...Sisters

Honestly, there are times when I am scared to death about having 2 kids...2 girls.  

How do we parent 2 kids?  How do we make sure that we spend enough time with both girls?  How do we have enough energy to keep up with 2 girls?  How do we make sure to keep 2 girls safe?  How do we get 2 girls ready in the morning and get every one to work and school on time?  And the questions and concerns go on and on...

BUT, then I see Ava interact with her cousins and all the fears and concerns slip away.  Not that there are not times of arguments but the way they interact together affects my heart deeply.  Ava loves her cousins and soaks up every second she is with them.  We have to chase her around just to get her to eat when with them because eating is clearly secondary when her cousins are around.   I love watching their imaginations turn them into super heros or flying monkeys or chefs.  Ava runs to greet them, even if they've only been apart for 30 minutes, with hugs and kisses.  I could watch them interact every day.  I wish we all lived closer so that play dates could be a regular activity.  

I love that Ava and Ella are going to be sisters and will have someone to rely on for  a lifetime.  There will be lots of dress up and pretend play.  Lots of park time and chasing each other around.  Lots of walks and bike rides.  And when they get older, lots of late night talks.  Lots of boy talk.  Helping each other get ready for the day and dances and dates.  Lots of advice giving and receiving.  Lots of getting in trouble together.  

I always wanted a sister and I'm so thankful that Ava and Ella will get to experience all of this and so much more.       

Article 5!!

Our Article 5 arrived today!!  We're on the final stretch.  Time for Visas and Travel Approval!!

Ella here we come :)  

Ava has a Passport and Final Steps!!

We are getting down to the last steps of the process before we get to fly half way around the world to meet Ella!!  Ella's paperwork is currently being sent to Guangzhou so that we can get her visa to fly to the United States once the adoption is finalized in China!  We are waiting for our Article 5 confirmation of this which we've told told should come through mid April.  After that it's time to finalize travel.  We are SO excited!!  In many ways these last few months have gone quickly but in lots of ways it can't go quick enough until we have her in our arms...once that happens though I am happy to let time slow down :)

One of the biggest hurdles for travel was getting everyone's passport.  Matt's parents have never been out of the country so they needed passports as well as Ava needed one.  All of their passports are now in and ready to be sent off for visas to enter China once the Article 5 comes through.