My Mama

These next two posts are going to be all about my Mama!!! 

Oh how I love my Mama!!

I am one lucky girl.  I could go on and on about her!!

 She has not had the easiest life but has worked her fanny off to get where she is today!!

When I went away to college, she decided it was time for her to get her degree also (She was forty years old then)!  She went to the local community college and got her two year degree.  Then she went on to get her Bachelor's in history (from UNCC). 

She is now a history teacher at the high school where I graduated from (and a National Board Certified Teacher)!!

Last Friday she graduated from Appalachian State University with her MASTER'S!!!

(She wouldn't want me to put this...but she's fifty-something!)

This post is about the PARTY that her student's organized and had for her to congratulate her on her new degree!! 

  I love all of these emotions:

SHOCK! (What the heck?)

SURPRISED!

HAPPY TEARS!

OFFICIALLY LOSING IT!!! lol

PROUD!

My mama taught me that no matter what your age, circumstances, etc...you can achieve your goals...you can be anything you want to be.....you can make a difference in someone's life!!

I love you Mama!

Next Post:  Her graduation!!

Face to Face

Wednesday night after church we got in the car and

Jackson said "Mama, I am soooo ready to see Olivia Grace FACE TO FACE."


"Me too"...I told him......

On one hand it feels like its never going to get here and on the other it feels like it will be here before we know it........


Everyone is asking when are you going....Truth is...... I dont know yet.....

We are waiting patiently (yeah right) for our Article Five pickup (which should be this week)

then we will officially be waiting on TRAVEL APPROVAL!!!

Hopefully in 4 weeks we will be on our way to China!!

And the next picture of my children in the bean field will have all of my children in it.....


and we can all be....  Face to Face!!!!

Frametastic

I just found this awesome APP!!!!

 

 

I love you baby girl!!!!

 

Weddings and Showers (Sunday Snapshot)

Did I mention that my cousin Ryan and his wonderful fiancee Natalie are getting married in the Virgin Islands?

AHHHH......A destination wedding.....

On June 2!!!  Almost a month away!!


and we're going!!!  I think there is close to 20 people making the trip!!


I am beyond excited and thrilled!!! She is an amazing person (he is also)!!  They are too cute together!!

We had them a shower at our church!!

Close to 100 people came!! A huge success!!!!

Then this past weekend we all went on a Girls Getaway and had a Spa weekend!!  Let's just say we all had a mighty fine time!!!

 We laughed..........LOTS!!!!

We ate..............LOTS!!!!

We posed for pictures............LOTS!!!

 SEE......!!!!!!!

We shopped............LOTS

We went to the SPA.........LOTS of RELAXING!!!!!

We even had a little lingerie shower....LOTS OF FUN!!!

This next month is full of getting ready for the BIG event!!! So that helps (a little) with the wait for Olivia Grace!!

We have her a dress to wear to the wedding....But it doesn't look like we will have her home by then!!

They are saying maybe the first of June!!  

We will see!!!

(I took these pictures with my new Canon Rebel T2i DSLR camera that has a new 50 MM lens...which I have absolutely no idea how to use except in Manual Mode...lol)

Olivia Grace UPDATE and adoption happenings!

We got new pictures and updated information for Olivia Grace!!!

We couldn't be happier!!!

There was one picture that was just awesome because she is holding a basketball!!! Those who know me know why!!  The boy clothes are killing me!!! lol

I love this one!!!

She is going to fit right in!!!

Below is the updated information we received on her!!!  She's 22 pounds....that means 1 pound since January...That has me a little worried!

Height	80cm	Weight	10kg	Head size	45.5cm
Chest Size	47cm	Foot length	13cm	Tooth	15
Her general health condition is good.  There is no new health condition identified since last PE.
She has not received any special need rehabilitation care.
She has been living in the welfare institute.
The child’s intelligence is normal as other children of her age.
She is walking freely.  Her limbs are fairly agile and she has quick reaction.
She is just learning to speak and burbles a lot.
She is interested in communication and is quite obedient to her caregiver. She enjoys hugs and attention from her nurturer.  When she is feeling upset hugging and comforting may be helpful.
She has 3 meals a day at 6:00, 12:00 and 17:30.  She favors meat, vegetables and fruit.
She has no regular timing of defecations and urinations.  She uses the toilet with the caregiver’s guidance.
She gets up at 5:30 every morning and goes to bed at 20:30 in the evening.  Midday nap is from 15:00 to 17:00. She sleeps well in her own crib.
She is not receiving education now.
She gets along well with other children and enjoys playing with them. The director of the SWI named her.  Ning means peaceful and Shun means lucky.
She takes 2 bathes in the morning and the evening.  She defecates once a day and urinates 5-6 times.  She is an active and outgoing girl, very sweet!  She loves to stay with familiar people and gets along well with her peers.
She has no toys to hold for sleep. She likes toys with bright colors and sounds.
She has no notes with her when she was found. She is a smart girl with very quick reaction.  We hope her parents could love her wholeheartedly and educate her well.  She would become a great girl in the future.

Yesterday we received our I800 approval....Now we are on to the Article 5 step and then waiting on TA..

PS.... I spoke with my adoption agency yesterday and they said we are most likely about 5 weeks away from our Travel Approval and then we would set up our travel plans.  Which looks like the first week of June....Which in the farming world is very bad!!!

Please pray that something miraculous might happen and we might travel sooner!! 

But whenever we go we know that is when God wants us to go!! But ole how it hurts to wait!!

"For I know the plans I have for you, " declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."   Jeremiah 29:11

Easter and Spring Break

"He has Risen....He has Risen indeed!!"



We had an amazing Easter and Spring Break.  So much fun!!


We went to church and then went to Mawmaw Maxine's house for our Easter lunch and egg hunt.


Then we headed out to the beach for the week.

Here are some pics from the past couple of weeks!!

1st Bat of the Season

Cousins

Trampoline Fun with the Easter Eggs

Big Laughs at Supper

On the way home from the beach...I think he wore himself out!! lol

No those are not clothes just laying on the floor behind him.....I sooo need a maid!

Benjamin loved the egg hunt!

Getting them all three to smile at the same time....IMPOSSIBLE!

Aunt Mildred made Benjamin a cake to take to school!

Elisha, Jackson, Benjamin, Hillary, & Mawmaw = PRICELESS

Cousins!

Mawmaw Brenda & Benjamin being Silly!!

Easter Egg Hunting with Mawmaw

Chris and I signing our LOA for Olivia Grace!

We had such a good couple of weeks. I love every minute with my boys but I am not going to lie...I was pretty excited for them to go back to school today!! lol


 The next couple of months is going to be crazy and exciting......

 My cousin is getting married (in the Virgin Islands....Can I get a WOOHOOO!!!) on June 2 so we have showers, parties, weekend getaways, and trip to St. Thomas....plus a trip to China...... So I am just trying to stay a float!!



Hope everyone had a great Easter!!

L......O......A...!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Trying to get them to do this was a challenge!!! But seriously, when I received my LOA....Jackson ran through the hallways of the school....announcing "WE GOT OUR LOA!!!" to everyone who would listen..

 

We waiting 70 something days.....Now waiting on last US immigration approval.....Then a couple more steps....

 

Almost there baby girl!!!!

 

Thank you so much for praying for us through this process!! We can fill them!!

 

I have so much to post about ....Ben's Birthday.....Easter......Spring Break at the Beach.....

 

Love ya'll!!!

 

 

Jamie