Spring Fever!!

 Well, school is almost finished for the year, and boy am I happy about it.  This has been such a long year with everything that has happened.  I am looking forward to a FULL happy summer!  

CCLW Retreat 2011

We have our high school retreat coming up at the end of June, 

                     

      VBS in July

James and Karla's Engagement photo by Dominic B Photography

and a big important wedding August 10th 

 

and then hopefully we will have lift off to Bring our Henry home on August 15th.

So here is the adoption update:

We are in one of the last stages now where we are waiting for our Letter of Approval from the Chinese Government.  The average wait is 60 days and we are on about the 33rd day.  As soon as we get that things should start happening more quickly...

we will apply to the US Gov again for immigration papers, 

then we will get a Cable and Approval letter, 

then an Article 5, 

THEN...we will get our Travel Approval.  

I know the timing is in the Lord's hands as we wait and prepare for everything BUT Henry.  I say that with a smile on my face because I am a little nervous about preparing for him physically.  Mentally we are prepared...Financially we are getting there...but physically I just can't seem to do besides buying a few items of clothing here and there.  

Maybe its because we are a little short on room at the moment...maybe its because I want to spend some time with him and see what he likes before I decide what his room will look like and what toys to buy...maybe its because I'm afraid of letting my heart go because I'm already having such a hard time with the patience that is required of me to sit and wait for our blessed governments to shuffle papers around.  

But my God is working behind the scenes...check this out!  I was a little nervous...ok REALLY nervous, about putting Henry in 1st grade for obvious reasons.  I contacted the Childrens School for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Tustin and they said that they would be willing to let him go to Kindergarten there for 6 months to get acclimated and hopefully we could transfer him after that, but after visiting I realized that school would not be a good fit.  SO, I went to talk to the first grade teacher at the school I work at about helping us with materials so that we could work with him at home until he was ready to transfer into the first grade.  She was very excited as I explained our situation, she said that coincidentally she was asked to start a pilot program next year, she would be teaching a Kindergarten First grade combined class of ESL students!!  Can you believe it?  Its like God created a classroom specially for Henry...where I could be close and work with the teacher!  To top it all off she is a Christian!!  Wow...why do we doubt?

So needless to say...I am confident that everything will happen exactly as He planned it and considering His plans are the best...I am not going to stress about it.  

But I do still struggle with the patience part....SIGH.

Please consider checking out the things that people have done to help us with adoption expenses...my original estimate of $15 to $20,000 has significantly grown to around $29,000.  We are SO close, God has really blessed us above what we would have every imagined, but we are still about $7000 away.  

So if you haven't already gotten your Joe Arant cd, get yours now for only $5...you will be SO blessed by this original worship music.  (Don't forget to include your address in the comments section)

      





                                                             OR check out those adorable fedoras!
                                                                              I can't wait to get one on Henry's sweet head!!

Just receive this via text this morning:)  Gotta love technology!  

This smile should last a few days:)

Phillip Baker and Henry