One More Step

Good news today - our Article 5 was submitted to the CCCWA.  That means we are one step closer to Travel Approval!  TA could come anytime in the next 3 to 8 weeks, but we are hoping for 3!  If that happens we will definitely have Zoe home for Christmas!

In the meantime we are having a beautiful day, celebrating Halloween with friends and lots and lots of candy.


The Artist decided he would sit out the Trick or Treating this year and give out candy.

He and Gracie at least dressed up a little:

Z-Man was a Ninja for the fourth year in a row.

And No. 1 Son went as a character he calls Oldy Moldy.

Good friends joined us for the evening.

With Drama Queen at a friend's house, we were definitely short on girls!  Our friends daughter needs another girl around, don't you think?

No. 1 Son has big boys over to Trick or Treat with.

Good friends make fun holidays awesome!

Pumpkin Carving

Every year the kids carve pumpkins with The Man.  This year Drama Queen was away turning a friend's hair pink, but the tradition carried on with the boys.

As usual, they were disgusted by the pumpkin guts.

 

Z-Man drew his outline on his pumkin watched his daddy cut it out.

No. 1 Son took on the carving himself this year.

The Artist's total rejection of anything evil or scary turned his pumpkin into an advertisement for his very favorite activity - Christian Youth Theater.

I love a good tradition.

Pumpkins

The boys and I took the day off from schooling and took a field trip to Bengtson's Pumpkin Farm, our yearly tradition.  It was a beautiful fall day, perfect for enjoying the Fall.

The petting zoo was fun - Number 1 Son especially liked the "cuddly cows."

We went on a hay ride:

and spent quite a bit of time at their newest attraction - a corn pit.

Z figured out how to look headless - it was a little freaky.

We finished the day off with our traditional trip to the Pig Races - cheering for the PotBellied Pigs

It was a beautiful day with my boys.

So Blessed!

Today three of my dear friends threw a shower for Zoe.  What a blessing!  I felt so loved by all the people who made it and the sweet wishes of those who couldn't come.  Drama Queen spent much of the time taking pictures, which was awesome!  Here are a few of my favorites:

Thanks, dear daughter for the pictures.  And thanks, dear friends, for the lovely blessings for Zoe.

New Camera

My sweet husband got me a new camera yesterday to document our trip to China and our new daughter.  I've been playing around with it and my new Picassa software.  It definitely takes photos my little point-and-shoot digital couldn't take:

I was also playing with effects, but I'm proud to say the marigold/bee picture is untouched :')

Help these families bring their children home!

My heart for adoption is much bigger than our own journey.  There are so many families who have the love and the space for another child, but need financial help bringing them home.  My friend Adeye has opened up her blog to highlight some of the families who are in urgent need of funds to bring their children home, and she is offering prize incentives to get people to donate!

Please take a look at her blog, scroll past the prizes and look at the faces of the kids waiting for their families.  And consider donating to one (or more) who pull at your heartstrings.

Click Here for the blog.

And if you do donate - don't forget to leave a comment on Adeye's blog to be entered into the prize drawing!

As for me, my heart is especially touched by the families bringing home older boys.  They are so hard to place, and they deserve a mama and daddy just like our daughter does.  Maybe someday...