FBI background check results are in!!

And just as I suspected...we are not criminals! So what does this mean?? Our homestudy can finally be completed and sent off to the USCIS for approval to bring in a little one to the states! Big and final step for our paperwork!! It's about to be the 'sit and wait' phase of the adoption. Never been so ready to start waiting!! ; )


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Oh Christmas Tree

How did I not post a pic of our tree?? We need a taller one now but I just love it!



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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...and a little Flight attendant in Training...

I LOVE this time of year!!! If I could keep Christmas decor up all year long I would.  Here are few pics of it.  Also this weekend we have some of my family in town.  Yesterday we went out to Frisco where one of my aunt's live.  She is a corporate flight attendant for T*exas In*truments and we got to go to the hanger and let Hannah, Caleb, and my grandparents see the plane's that Aunt Jerri fly on.  I actually got to fly on one a few years back during one of the pilot's last flight.  Boy is would be sooo nice to take one of these babies to Russia! ; ) 

I love my mantle this year! I made the wreath. I'm quite proud of it!

Caleb and I got new stockings this year and we hung an extra one up for little brother. Next years Christmas is going to be so so special!

Hannah's ornament this year... it's a hand print : )

Love having a two story house so I can decorate the staircase!

Our house all lit up!

Doesn't he kinda look like a pilot??

With Aunt J in her office!

my mom and Aunt J

Love her

Grandpa and Gigi

Love this pic!  All the cousins have pics in this chair.

Pointing at the other plane and telling us all about it!

So handsome, Hannah kinda freaking out!

Mesmerized

Heading to see the other plane

Thanksgiving Pics

Better late than never : )

Hannah and her Aunt Ali

Caleb and his grandfather

Hillary, Caleb's mom, and Ali

Caleb's fam...love them!

Love this, C and his dad

Chowing down ; )

Pretty girl

Love my little fam

Happy thanksgiving!

Hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving day!! Last year Hannah took her first bite of baby cereal on this day, this year she gets the whole feast!! Here she was last year and now this year (little turkey wouldn't sit still for me) ; )





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My Facebook post for today...

So if your on Facebook I'm sure you've seen many of us participate in the 'I thankful for...' posts for the month of November... Thought I'd share today's...
Day 15: today I am thankful for the Lord in teaching us patience. I battle this EVERYDAY. I do not like to wait for anything. Haha and you ask me 'your adopting...internationally...and you struggle with patience??' haha! It's just another road God has led me down to teach me the virtue. Now I go to bed, but not before I check my inbox for the anticipated homestudy draft...for the 50th time today. : )


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Kitty Cat's and Pony rides: Picture Overload!

Ok so here is my belated Halloween post.  Caleb and I took Hannah down to Galveston on Halloween weekend.  We took our RV and stayed at the state park.  So nice and so CHEAP!  We had a great weekend.  Ran around on the beach, the Strand, the Seawall.  We love this place.  It's our home away from home.  On the Sunday before Halloween we took Hannah to the Moody Methodist Church and let her 'Trunk or Treat'.  She did not have a clue what was going on and looked a little unsure the whole time, but we enjoyed it!  She was a black kitty cat and just so stinking cute!  We then took her in her Fall dress down to East beach and let her run around. It was so much fun.  She was chasing me and daddy and I was able to get some GREAT pics.  So many I can't decide which I want to blow up.  I'm using them as her 15-16 month pics.  Here are a few!

"Meow"

Prettiest Kitty I've ever seen ; )

Checking out her loot

On a ferry ride, watching the dolphins

So sweet

Gorgeous!

Love this pic!

Having fun chasing mommy!

Then today at Hannah's Mother's Day Out she got to ride a pony for the first time. So me, Caleb, and Mimi snuck over to watch.  A few in her group cried, but she LOVED it!  She didn't want to get off.  First they posed them for pictures and then let them ride for a minute.  She didn't know we were there, but if she could talk she would be telling us all about how much she loved it and probably be asking Caleb/Santa for a Pony for Christmas! Haha

Watching her little friend stomp his feet at the Pony. LOL

Posing for her Pic (Can't wait to see it!)

Riding her Pony!

This is about as raw as it gets...

I read many, many adoption blogs. Most are ones who have already been there and back and others that are in the process of adopting. One blog I read is about an amazing family who has adopted one child and is adopting another child with down syndrome from Eastern Europe. Here is her post today. Click here: Hopeful Heart Adoption Its about an event that took place during one of her visits with her daughter at the orphanage. We hear all about the many children in orphanages but few actually witness this event. It's.just.so.sad. I feel like I can't get over to Russia fast enough! It's overwhelming at times.
Now read the post that was written by another couple that witnessed these two young kids the next day. Click here: Home on the Range  Pray for these kids, and all the kids waiting for their forever Family. Pray for our son, who we do not know yet, but has likely been born and is living in an orphanage right now.


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