Flights Finalized!

As of last night, our flights are definite. Now, we can focus on packing!!! Headed to Beijing, formally known as Peking, on the 13th! More details coming soon.... Going to Eagle Rock for a Women's Retreat this weekend. Looking forward to a refreshing in the mountains! There is a rocking chair with my name on it I do believe. :)

Love to all,

Ben, Emily, Ava and Maia!

Gotcha Date!

It's official! We have all appointments in Nanchang and Guangzhou solidified as of today, and our gotcha day will be the 19th of September! We'll have Maia in our arms some time that day!

Water Fun!

Undoubtedly, Ava's favorite pastime is anything having to do with water. I had bought this little ladybug sprinkler before Ava anticipating Maia's arrival one day, and Ava had a ball one evening playing till her heart's content. Who needs a bathing suit! :)

Going out to buy orphange caregiver and notarial gifts today along with a small pharmacy that we'll need to take with us to China! Luggage will arrive tomorrow or Friday. Still waiting for confirmation for our Civil Affairs and US Consulate appt. It's looking like we're back to plan A and leaving the 12th of Septmember for Beijing! Picking up the pace now!

Possible Travel Dates!

Hi, all!

We are completely crazy around here, but all is well. I wanted to briefly update everyone on our travel dates to get Maia! We're waiting for word from our agency about the US Consulate appointment and the Civil Affairs appointment, both of which are smack dab in the middle of the Autumn Festival in China and the National Festival. Um, they have a LOT of festivals! It's looking like Gotcha day is likely the 27th of September if we can secure an appointment with the Civil Affairs office. So, that's actually one week later than we were planning on, but we think that would work out just fine. My brain might just NOT explode. :)

Going to Kohl's to take advantage of their luggage sale today! Also on the agenda for today is a coming home outfit, plastic accordian folders for all of our paperwork, and possibly gifts for all of the officials and caregivers in China we'll meet. Oh, and our Visa paperwork is being mailed today! Yipee!

Prayer is key right now, and I have been so blessed by so many folks lifting us up and covering us in prayer. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU! The Lord goes before me and is my rear guard. Pretty awesome! More pics soon!

We received our TRAVEL APPROVAL to CHINA!

This just in! We just received our travel approval to come to China to get Maia! More details coming soon. I'm a crazy person right now balancing a Curious George birthday cake for Ava and a VISA appointment application to get Maia!

The Lord, who calls me onward to do this, will EQUIP me! The Israelites DID make it to the promised land but they had to prepare their provisions before they could cross over. I'm so thankful I don't have to take cattle with me. Whew!

For you Bebo Norman fans, or if you're not one yet :), there's a new song on my playlist. Sing it, Bebo.

Until Next Year

Before we knew it, it was time to reload the car and Miss Ava and say goodbye to our family beach week. We had a great week and love you all very much! Next year, there will be two little girls running around with their cousins and probably driving them crazy! Until then...and until more crabs with drawn butter and Old Bay! :)

Bubbles and Birthdays

We had a relaxing time one evening sitting on the deck and blowing bubbles and probably eating something yummy. I think I remember hummus? Later, we came in and celebrated my and Uncle Vince's birthdays. We are almost exactly 10 years apart. My b-day is July 17th and his is the 18th. He's my birthday buddy forever! Love you, brother-in-law!

Eating Crabs!

It's usually tradition to eat blue crabs at the house when we're all together, but we didn't get to do that this year. So, one night, we went to Uncle Vince's favorite restaurant, Jimmy's Seafood, for the buffet! Jenn and Chuck were so bummed they couldn't join us! :) hee hee Love you guys! We were surprised to see a play area set up in the back of the restaurant which is a GREAT idea! Talk about helpful for kiddos in waiting! They had a corn ball toss, mini golf green and a pony ride. It took a little convincing for Ava to sit on its back, and we were able to capture a quick shot before, "mommy, hold me!" Here's to CRABS!

Beach-Bound

The weather at Nags Head this year was really nice, and I have to say that I miss that gentle ocean breeze here recently with our 99 plus TN temperatures! I could talk about how hot it is for a paragraph or two, but I won't. Let's just say that all of us East Tennesseans are READY for fall!!! I do think I've had more conversations this past month with total strangers when I'm out with Ava because folks just want to verbalize to another human being "how hot it is." Sometimes, we just look at each other and say, "Whew" and we both feel better. :)

We spent a great morning at the beach playing in the water and sand. Ava is SO adventurous and loved exploring the beach this year.

Ready for the day - pj top, a grass skirt and bunny slippers!



Handsome cousin, Evan!



Come on, Mom and Dad. Let's go!



Nothing would do her but to push it herself. Here comes the twos!



Walking out to the beach with Mommy



Ava, Daddy and Auntie Jenn








A pelican flew into the Uncle Vince and nephew Evan splash picture. Jenn, I think you captured this with our camera.





Talking things over with cousin, Chase. :)



Singing with Granddaddy!



These game pieces were sticking to Ava's palms, and she had fun picking them up over and over again with Grandma.



Special time with Grandma and Granddaddy. :)

Nags Head, NC 2010!

Earlier this summer around July 4th, we packed up the car with our almost 2 year old Miss Ava and headed to Nags Head, NC to spend a week at the beach with Ben's family. As always, we enjoyed spending time with them and relaxing and catching up. We had a great week and Ava really misses her cousins, Chase and Evan! We love you guys. Thank you for a wonderful week of family adventures and fun!

There are quite a few pics, so I'm going to divide them up. These first candids are from our first day on Sunday.

China update: The rest of our required agency paperwork is being mailed to Oregon tomorrow! Yippee! Still expecting our Travel Approval around September 7th. Getting ready for Ava's 2nd birthday next weekend!

Ava loves to brush her teeth. Well, actually, she just loves to put her toothbrush in the water!





Auntie Jenn, Uncle Chuck and Uncle Vince share a laugh at the meal table.



Ava's favorite chair.



Uncle Ben and nephew Chase together :)



Playing with Grandma



Enjoying smoked oyster dip on the deck that evening.



Sharing some special time with cousin, Evan.



Relaxing in the breeze...

To Leigh

Hi, Leigh,

Thank you for your comment! It disappeard, though, when I tried to publish it! If you can, will you leave me another commment with your information? I think I remember it saying that your daughter is from Jiangxi as well. Have a great day! We're waiting for Travel Approval expected close to the first week of September!

Biscuit and Other Stories

In the box. This is one of Ava's favorite places to look at stories. The other place is in the "big blue chair" with one of us. We just LOVE storytime! Her favorite story right now is about a little dog named Biscuit. She'll say, "more biscuit, more biscuit." Even when we try to put it on the bottom of the stack of other books to read, she'll find it and dig it out! If we adopted a new puppy right now, I bet it's name would be Biscuit. :) NOT that we're adopting a new puppy right now or even thinking about it! A grasshopper would push me over the edge at this point I think!

China paperwork is wrapping up in the next two days, and my mind is switching to care package for Maia. I'm excited to go and gather a few sweet things for her.

More pics coming up soon!

From 6th grade, to Young Woman to Bride

The story of a daughter is still unfolding, and I've had the privilege of watching one of my dearest little sisters in Christ grow into the woman God is molding and shaping her to be. Cindy Goodson, now Blanchard, has been a part of my heart for many years now, and she asked Ava to carry her teddy bear from childhood down the aisle at her wedding a few weeks ago. I wanted to share some pictures with you of the lovely Cindy and her teddy bear girl. I love you, Cindy! I give thanks for you. I know that the plans God has for your life, He will fulfill as you walk in step with him and allow Him to lead. May it be a beautiful journey, a faith legacy.

The last pictures I posted were of our trip to Edisto with my family, and I'll just pick back up where I left off! My goal is to get all caught up by Sunday with posts scheduled to appear into next 2 weeks.

On the 20th of June, Ben and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary! I love you, sweetheart!



As of this summer, Ava is very into cooking! A little chef in the making? I can't wait to share Auntie Jenn's and my love for Cooking Light magazine!



Cindy's rehearsal kicked off on June 25, and her wedding was the following day. These are candids we snapped of those two days. Cindy, I'll give you a CD, and you can choose which ones you like. There's a lot more!











And on to the beautiful day...



A lovely pair. Cindy's bouquet is made of buttons that have been a part of her family for generations. I thought it was so beautiful and so clever!







A few of the girls who were in my discipleship group before Miss Ava and Maia came along. They have become my little sisters, and each is so very precious to me.



Mr. and Mrs. Andy Blanchard!



My dear friend and long time spiritual mentor, Kathy Alwood. She and her husband and son just followed the Lord's calling to Ireland to be missionaries. Oh, how I'm going to miss them!