Catch up time

I have posted many pictures with this entry. Right now it isn't letting me move the pictures around, so they are out of order. Last Tuesday (30th) was Katie and Jenny referral day. It was 5 years ago when we got the phone call saying we were allow to adopt both girls even though they are not biologically related. This was something that was unheard of in 2005 (and still doesn't happen very often). We initially saw the girls pictures on Jan. 17, 2005, couldn't decide who to adopt and decided to ask if we could adopt both of them. Our agency and mirale worker Tu (our Chinese Liason) worked hard to present us in front of the CCAA. With the CNY holiday during that time, it delayed us. When Jill (our social worker) called, I answered the phone. She sounded so down and said "We heard from the CCAA regarding the girls", they said you could have one.....paused....(my tears were about ready to spill in saddness) then with a happy voice or both. I made her repeat herself. I woke Dave up and told him and then we informed Monika (3 at the time) that she was a big sister. It is hard to believe it was 5 years ago. Nothing like moving mountains. God knew the girls would be a perfect fit in our family. Katie and Jenny are 10 weeks apart, so they are like twins. We also were getting "referrals" 1 1/2 to 2 years earlier as we were planning to start saving for adoption in Jan. 2005 and were going to do NSN until a dear friend of ours showed us Katie and Jenny referral picture. We started the actual paperwork on March 30th, 2005 and had them in our arms Sept. 18, 2005. Talk about speedy times.


Katie at 6 months
Jenny at 4 months
Easter weekend I took the younger girls up to my parents house. On Saturday they colored eggs. They each got 6 to color.
My parent's neighbors has 2 toy poodles that my girls really enjoy. Katie is hugging TJ (Katie is sitting with Pam, the dog owners)
Monika adores Rusty and Rusty adores anyone that pays attention to him. They are perfect size dogs for the girls.
First tampoline jump of the season. My parents have a tampoline and the girls love being on it. They spent hours on it over the weekend. I really enjoy doing puzzles. When I got up there Friday afternoon, there was a 1000 piece puzzle that was 3/4 the way done. My neice and her boyfriend started it a couple weeks ago and my mom had been working on it. I can't resist it no matter how hard I try, so I sat down it boom, it is completed. Saturday I was itching to do a puzzle, around 3 I pulled a 1000 piece puzzle out and told my mom I have 24 hours to finish it. I a managed to finish it in 23 1/2 hours with a little help from my mom and a couple of piece put in from the girls. This was in between, playing cards with my girls, eating, sleeping, watching a movie, Church, and Easter feistivals things. Puzzles is something I just can't walk away from long when it is out and staring at me.
Easter Card that was sent out.
On Wednesday (31st) The weather was stunning,the younger girls were off from school, so we drove to the park and then biked around a small lake. There is a manmade waterfalls that the girls love to stop and climb around. I was taking pictures (notice on the Easter Card) and they asked if they could take pictures of me, I gave in. I figure I better get some of me, so they will remember what I look like when I was young.
Katie basking in the Sun.
Monika climbing the rocks
Jenny snoozing (not really) in the gravel
Decided to put our feet in the cooollllllldddddd water....can you guess who is who?
Monika wanted a strong picture....What a dorky picture of me....Katie got the muscles.
Ready to bike
Monika loves posing for pictures now.
Katie on the first take. What an accomplishment for her. She has a hard time naturally smiling. When you ask her to smile, she usually smiles so hard that she looks like she is freaking out or that her eyes are going to pop out. Gave her a lot of praise and hope picture taking will be easier now.
Jenny holding on.

March 31 it was 7 years since we first saw our spicy Hunan girl. Dave had gotten the phone call stating after 14 months of waiting (22 months from start to fininsh, which at that time was on the long side), in this picture she was 6 months old. After two failed domestic adoption (one adoption hadn't gotten very far, before the birth mom changed her mind, the other one, we were waiting for the baby to be born and after she was born, birth mom decided to keep her, we had ultrasound pictures of the little girl), miscarriage and infertility treatments, we were finally parents. We got the phone call around 9:30 in the morning, but couldn't go to the agency until 2 or so because of us both working, that was a long day at work. When I first saw Monika's picture, it wasn't anything I was expecting. I am not sure what I was expecting, but I was surprise and that forrow she has in this picture, she still does it when she is confused or not understanding things. We are truly blessed to be parents to these wonderful children, including Jade and soon to be Erin. Thank you God for giving them to us.

We are still waiting for immigrations approval. Today (Tuesday) is 34 days counting and we were told it would be 40-45 days. I have recently seen a couple of people get them around 38 days, so hopefully by this time next week, we will have completed this step and have the next step in the works (Sec. of State, should take a day and then down to Chinese Consulate in Chicago which take up to 10 days).

Jade had some wonderful news today, she made it to State Soloist for Choir. She is very excited. Next Tuesday (13th) is the big day for her and then the following week is her State Speech tournment. She also has 3 local colleges that she has been accepted to and is debating mainly between two of them. St. Olaf and U of M. She is going to do some campus touring and sitting in classes next week to see if that will help her make her mind up. We are proud of her.

Dave is counting his days down to be done working long hours as a tax preparer. With him finishing this up, should help things in our house. Prehaps I will be able to be better adjusted with nights and have more patience....patience something that I always took for granted because I had patience. I have learned not to take it for granted along with many other things.