I took the dogs out for a ride in our big truck the other day. We are all getting spring fever and want to go camping. Jake gets so excited when he gets to go for a ride. The other day we were out washing the cars and jake jumped in the car and wouldn't get out. He must have stayed in there for an hour, thinking that if he was in the car he wouldn't get left at home. We finally had to coax him out when we were done and readyto go back in the house. We are excited for our first camping trip that we have planned in June (although we may have to take a mini one in May... June is just too far away). We are anxious to see how this new truck will pull our RV. Our Tahoe could barely make it up the pass... people behind us would get so annoyed as we putted along at 35 mph. I'm feeling more comfortable driving it now. At first I was scared to death to try to maneuver this 100 foot (exaggeration) long beast. Going into a crowded parking lot was out of the question. But now I'm feeling a little more comfortable driving AND parking it. Althought I don't go into any tight spaces! And if I do go to a store I park out in the north 40.

Sisters Wedding Invitations

My mom, sis and I got together on Sunday to put Wendy's wedding invitations together. It took us about 3 hours to put them together and make pretty bows. We had so much fun! I wanted to share a picture of the invitations. They are just beautiful.

Well the CCAA has finally started on January 2006 LIDs. So our April 2006 LID is getting closer. Although it took about 2 years to refer babies to all the parents with 2005 LIDs. So we are in for still a long wait. I still hold out hope we will get our darling angel this year (2008), but it could be as late as the spring of 2009. Our immigration paperwork will expire again in February 2009. So if we aren't able to travel to china to pick her up before that we will have to reapply to the tune of $1,000 or more. We'll have to get another homestudy update etc. I guess time will tell.

We have also begun classes to become a licensed fostercare family. We have talked to several couples who adopted through this program and we are hoping that this might be a possibility for us. We have had a lot of mixed feelings about doing this. The most fearful being that a child is placed with us and we become attached and then the state gives it back to the birth parent. Hopefully a lot of our questions will be answered in these classes and will either put our mind at ease or scare the daylights out of us. Either way we will trust in God to guide us through our journey to become parents. Boy it hasn't been as easy as I thought it would be. But life is full of challenges and this is ours.

We also started a sponsorship of a foster child in China through CCAI (our adoption agency). I got her picture & bio earlier this week and she is just precious. She is 3 months old and healthy. She is from the Nanching Orphanage but in there foster care program. It is a blessing this foster family is able to take her in so that she is getting to live in a family environment rather than the orphanage. I hope our baby, wherever she is in China is being cared for as well.

The weather has started to warm up and I can see spring taking shape. I love spring & summer and can't wait to take our RV out with our furbeasts and do some travelling this summer. Also, I'm looking forward to my sister's wedding in July. She got her dress last night and it is just the most beautiful dress I've ever seen. She is going to be the most beautiful bride!

I will keep everyone updated on our foster licensing. Pray for us during this process.

My adorable little nephew!!!

We have a new baby in the family. This is Tank! My sister's new son. Her Fiance' surprised her with this little bundle of joy. I haven't met him yet but she sent me this picture. Isn't he adorable. I told Don we needed a new puppy, maybe that would ease my mommy pangs!!! But he pointed out all the reasons why another dog wouldn't be a good idea. Like when we go camping our current 2 dogs sleep on the bed with us. Can you imagine 3 dogs!!! Ok, I get it.

Happy Valentines Day to Everyone!!!

Really! I'm done with winter!

We had a huge snow storm this weekend. I think we got about 6 inches. And week before last we had sub-zero temperatures. And, well I'm really done with winter. So I've put my order in for some warmer weather to melt all this snow that has hung around all winter. Now that it is February I'm hoping we are on the down hill slide of winter. We did have a fun weekend tho. On Saturday we took our kids (Jake & Faith) for a ride in our new truck. We've been wanting to take them out to see how they will ride in the backseat together (we used to have a tahoe that had much more room, now we have a crew cab pickup). Jake looked like a person sitting on the backseat looking out the window. We went up to the Naches feeding station to see the Elk. There were probably 600 of them feeding and the babies were so cute. Jake just stared at them, but Faith felt she needed to bark and whine hoping we'd let her out so she could show them how tough she is.. haha! Then on Sunday we went to Don's parents with my sis & her fiance' to watch the superbowl. Well I mostly just wanted to eat & watch the commercials, but hey I won $100 in the superbowl pool Don's family always does. And they weren't too happy because I always complain about participating cuz I hate throwing money away on a chance to win. So I guess I better shut up, since I've won 3 times now. Thank goodness the scored stayed 3 to 7 until half time.. which honestly I never thought would happen.

Well, on the adoption front things are still moving like frozen molasses!!! Maybe it is because of all the snow??? I just got the updated numbers for February and China has only made referrals through 12/27/05. And my agency has retracted there prediction of a referral for us between april & october of this year (08). They are saying we might not see our referral until 2009 now. Oh, that just is rotten. I was so hopeful that it would happen in 2008. Well enough about that subject right now. I can hardly bare to talk about it. We are looking at some other options to start our family. We had signed up for foster parenting licensing classes in February, but then they cancelled them because of lack of enrollment. So now we are signed up for March. Not sure if we will pursue that for sure, but we are keeping our options open.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

We wanted to wish all our friends & family a very Merry Christmas. Thank you for all your prayers and support in 2007. We look forward to welcoming our baby home in 2008. Jake and Faith just can't wait for a sister! Then maybe they'll be off the hook for family photo time... hahaha! All our love, Colette, Don, Faith, Jake, Rocky & Sawyer (the cat brothers were not available at the time of this photo)... ;)

So Sad :(

Well... referrals came out on December 6 and they only matched another 6 days of LIDs. I was so disappointed. I had heard somewhere that all of December 2005 LIDs would be caught up this month. So I had my hopes WAY up. I guess that is what I get for listening to rumors. I was really upset last week when I found out. I know my agency says we'll receive a match between April & October of 2008 but I just don't know how that is going to happen at this rate. If they keep only matching a week at a time it will take 14 more months to get to our April LID date. I spent 2 days moping. But then I was given a wake-up call when a co-workers husband was lost in the mountains and when search & rescue found him he had been killed. I am so blessed to have all my loved ones safe and sound. Please pray for my friend Carrie & her 4 children. They have lost so much.