Random thoughts at Christmas time...

We have been having a wonderful and busy Christmas/Advent season. It is fun because it is the first year the kids have been old enough to really start getting into it and excited about Christmas activities. So excited and ready for Sadie to be here and can't wait til next Christmas when all 5 of these stockings are used!

This song has made me weep this week!!! I had never heard it. Take a minute to listen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy8RW6aHXWQ

It's feeling closer!

Carter has been asking a ton lately to read the little book we bought months ago about a little boy whose family was adopting a baby girl from China. It seems to be on his mind more lately - maybe that's because we can't help but talk about her :)  It's hard to know how much he really understands but he will tell you that Sadie is going to be his other sister.

My sweet parents gave us a chair for Sadie like the ones they got for Carter and Myah. It is sitting in our house waiting for her and several times Carter has said, "want Sadie to sit in it!" and he will tell Myah not to sit there if she tries - he tells her it's Sadie's and points her to hers. :) Just having things like this here makes it feel like her being here is so close.

When the UPS man knocked on the door, I went to look out and saw the box and said, "Oh it's the chair for Sadie!"  Myah heard the last part of that from the other room and came toddling to the front door as I opened it to grab the box. When I went to close the door back, she broke down! Bawling and screaming "SADIE!! SADIE!!" and reaching toward the door. Haha, poor baby...All I could figure is that she heard me say Sadie and open the door and she thought she was here! Made me think maybe she understands a little more than I thought at 18 months old. She is at least expecting her for sure! It was so pitiful though but made me a little happy to see her wanting Sadie to come.

We are ready for you baby girl!!!

Another thing that made her coming home feel close... We received a gift, a toy just for Sadie for the plane ride. It came in the mail and is from a sweet friend whose family is moving away and she was afraid they wouldn't be here to see her when she arrives and give it to her in person...so thoughtful!!!!! I am really going to miss her and her sweet family. 

Also we sent in our i800 application and got the notification in the mail that it had arrived at USCIS (immigration). This is the official application to classify this specific child as a member of our family. They are delayed due to holidays as well as vacation time for our officer, but hoping to receive i800 approval within the next 2 weeks. 

But the thing that got me the most, for whatever reason, was at my in-laws house on Christmas Eve morning (the day we celebrate Christmas with them and have gift exchange). The kids were opening their gifts and we all were too, and then there was a gift that said to Sadie. It was a little baby doll, for some reason at that point it hit me, I was so touched and the tears just started coming. Just wishing she was here to open her gifts and celebrate the Advent season and Christmas with us, thinking about her being over in China without her family, looking forward to her being here next year and all being together....I am just so ready to have her here with us. It will be here so soon!!! 

We became a family in 2009, a family of 3 in 2011, a family of 4 in 2012, and will have our family of 5 all together in 2014!  Please continue to pray for our family as we complete the final steps toward bringing Sadie home! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of our sweet family and friends.