Happy Easter!

Christ has risen indeed!

We attended the Easter service yesterday afternoon at our church so today was a laid back kind of day. The kids looked at their Easter baskets, we ate a big breakfast, cleaned up the house, had a nice lunch, and Zachary held an Easter egg hunt for the girls.  We celebrated Kristopher's birthday too since his birthday is tomorrow.

Photo 1: Alyssa tastes a Peep for the first time.  Photo 2: The girls posing after the Easter Egg Hunt.  We had to do it in the girls' room because it was raining.  Photo 3: The girls saw the Easter Bunny yesterday.  Photo 4:  The kids humoring me with a photo or two.                                                          
                   

                    

                                                  

                           
                                       

Good News

Yesterday I said the only thing that could make last week better was to get news on our tax refund.  Last night I was starting to worry it wasn't going to come in time.  We really need it to bring the boys home.  Guess what?  This morning I woke up and decided to check on it one more time. We will be getting it next week.  So very thankful!  God has been so good to us this go around.  It has felt like we are truly following his plan to bring the boys home.

I800 Approval

We received confirmation today that our I800s were approved yesterday on my grandmother's birthday.  My grandmother is in heaven with my mom but hopefully they are rejoicing with us.

The only thing that could have made this day better is if our tax refund would have showed up as approved.  Hopefully soon.

Time for more photos of the boys.  These are from their second birthday.  I saw these soon after their second birthday.  I think an advocate sent them a cake and got an update.  At the time we had just received our LOA for Alyssa.  Even at that time I dreamed of bringing them home.  Who would have guessed that a little over a year later we would be getting ready to bring them home.

Edited to add:  I was scrolling back through the blog and saw that I had posted these photos previously.  Lucky you, you get to see them again.

I800 Approval Almost

Our officer looked over our I800 application today and saw no problems.  Since we are reusing our I800a from Alyssa she has to send it on to one more person to review.  She said she would get it back tomorrow and mail it out Friday.

This and That

Last documents sent off to Washington D.C. to be authenicated. Normally we would already have finished but with Dallas not going we needed to do a Power of Attorney or 6. Better too many than not enough.

Our officer said to call tomorrow afternoon for an update on our I800. Hopefully that means approval and we can move to the next step. May 16 is still a possibility at this point. We need to have completed the next 3 steps(or 2 depending on how you count) by April 12 for this to happen.

We are in the process of relocating the 4 youngest kids. All of them are changing rooms. The house is a disaster right now. All of their beds are in their new rooms but all their clothes,toys,books, etc. are not. Once completed we can move on to the boys' room. Still a long ways to go but we are getting there.

Another Secret Pal Gift

This gift was from another secret pal in a different group.  It is so precious!  Praying it brings me the good luck I need to make my new plan come true.  Shhh...the new plan is to leave May 16.  I know it is a little optimistic but I truly believe it can happen.  If not then I make a new plan.  Either way I love my new pin.  Jacob is the red ladybug and Caleb is the black ladybug.

Secret Pal

Yesterday I received a gift from one of my Secret Pals.  I love it! The plan is to wear it until the boys come home.  There is a heart for each boy.