Amature Photographer

 

 

 

 

A litle bit of China !

How exciting ! I received my Dossier paperwork back from the Chinese Consulate in Houston, Texas. Every page has this beautiful stamp with a shiny silver seal. I have no idea what it says. The only English on the seal is " Beth Chapman" ( who ever that is ??? I thought it was funny because the only Chapman I know is Mary Beth Chapman - Steven Curtis Chapman's wife !) I love that I finally have something from "China", even if it is a seal on a piece of paper ! It just means we are getting a little closer to holding our little one. She is already a part of our family in so many ways. Last night we imagined her running through the house laughing and playing.



Well, finally I have gotten a little organized and put all my adoption paperwork in a nice, neat file system. The piles of paper were really growing and I was scared I would loose something (which I am known for !).

A week in pictures

We have been very busy this week and I have not blogged in a while. So, I thought I would just post some pictures of our week. I have no news on the adoption except that my home-study is still being tweeked by my agency and I have not gotten my documents back from The Chinese Consulate in Texas yet. I did turn 36 years old yesterday and had a great but quite birthday with Chuck and the boys. I requested Chuck's famous breakfast instead of going out to eat. He made some very yummy omelets, toast, with coffee and juice. Then, the boys surprised me with a snickers bar "cake" with pink sprinkles and one candle ( can't fit 36 candles on a mini snickers bar !).




Walker and Will love playing Upwards Basketball !



Chuck and Will went hunting and finally killed a deer ! We have a freezer full of deer meat ( chili anyone ?).



Flash cards are our new homeschool friend. I had the boys do a "scavenger hunt" for the words and then we hot glued them on ( we love 3 dimensional card !).




Chuck and Walker put together our new basketball goal.

Updates

Home Study
Our wonderful social worker has finished writing our home study report ! Now it has to be finalized by my adoption agency and then sent to ICPC. Our report is eleven pages long and very detailed ! It was so wonderful to read and to finally have it done.

Chinese Consolate
We sent all of our current Dossier documents to The Chinese Consolate in Houston, Texas to get Authenticated. I was very nervous sending them and I know the people at Pak Mail think I am a freak ! I had this weird feeling I was going to mess something up. There were two pages of instructions from the Consolate about what and how to mail it. Anyway, they were finally put into a Fed Ex envelope and taken there by Fed Ex on Monday and arrived on Thursday. On Friday I get a phone call that goes something like this:
Caller: Herro (imagine a thick Chinese accent), Is this Rathy ?
Kathy: Yes, this is Kathy
Caller: We received your papers, but you rowe us $240.
Kathy: Oh, I am so sorry ! I thought when it said $20 per document that meant per envelope. I will send the money right away.
Caller: I will rait on it.....

Really, where is my head ?? I feel like I am loosing it lately.

I800A
Now that my Home Study is done I can apply for the I800A. This will allow us to bring our Child to America. It takes about three months to process the I800A.

Prayer Requests
Please continue to keep our family in your prayers. We have a lot going on right now. The adoption paperwork is finally coming together, but we are still trying to find out how to finance the adoption. Also, we are having to change some things around in our schooling and it is a major shift for me and the boys. We also have many friends that are loosing jobs and really being affected by the economy. We are encouraged by the Hope we have in God. We serve an AWESOME GOD and know that he is our provider and our comfort !

Wordless Wednesday !

 

I love the Library !

In this time of economic recession we are all looking to save money, simplify things and not be so wasteful. I believe it is a needed season in my life to evaluate how and why I am spending money that I don't really have to. Thus, I am singing the praise of our local Library. I am able to get so many good homeschool reference books for the boys, brand NEW cookbooks and organizing books for me....for FREE !! I am always blown away by the fact that it is free, available to everyone in our little community. Yeah for the Library !!!

Simple Things

I was inspired by a post on Heritage Schoolhouse (SEE SIDE BAR). My boys loved doing this craft today. It was our first day back to school,after the holidays, and I needed some crafty inspiration. The kids especially loved to break the crayons ( a very boy thing to do) and pick out different color combinations. The crayon nibbles - as we called them- turned out great and we used them in art today to draw with. We also gave some away as impromptu gifts to some little ones.

Beach Blogging !!!

Happy New Year from the Beach !!

As I think about the new possibilities that 2009 bring I find myself "Waiting" in expectation for so many things. I want to be a better wife, mom, teacher and friend. I want to get more organized, prepare more healthy meals for my family,....I want to see my little ones face and hold her for the first time in China, I want to love, live, and laugh more. I want to smile more at my children and act like a silly child with them. I want to take them to the park more and swing them on a swing, jump on the trampoline and shoot B B guns with them. I want to finally find my 'voice' on this Blog and make a difference. I want others to see the LOVE of Jesus in me without having to say a word. I pray 2009 is a year filled with all these things and more. Happy New Year and Blessings from the Beams.